.

*

lican liberty." (p. 136.) We are gratified with elegance of style, wherever it occurs, and do not think, that it is excluded from the most abstract legal subject. But passages like the above thrown into a book, the general character of whose style is rather below the plain, have a fantastick appearance. Like the feast of a beggar, they serve to render the ordinary fare of the year still more disgusting. In concluding our notice of this work we would observe, that not to expect perfection is as just a caution, when applied to books, as to men. So far as charity is consistent with the moral progress of the human character, its observance is a precept of religion; and so far as tenderness to the imperfect literary attempts of our countrymen will not tend to diminish the activity of their genius, and to foster the spirit of indolence, so delicious and so powerful, we feel bound to indulge it, in surveying the domestick publications of our country.

ART. 24.

Illustrations and Reflections on the story of Saul's consulting the witch of Endor: a discourse, delivered at West Springfield, by Joseph Lathrop, D. D. pastor of the first church in said town. Springfield, Brewer. 1806. 8vo. pp. 20.

The character of Dr. Lathrop, as a preacher, stands deservedly

In the following paffage, which occurs in page 67, the author uses an expreffion, which is scarcely admissible in the plainest style: "The forfeitures for transferring veffels to aliens and nonrefidents, under the acts regulating their regiftring, recording, enrolling and licencing, flick by the fhip as long as the lafts, and are in the revenue creed inexpiable fins."

high; and if it should not be increased, will certainly receive no diminution, by the present publi cation. The Dr. treats his subject in a rational manner, and deduces from it the three following inferences: 1. That we are taught from it the separate existence of the soul after death. 2. That we may infer from it that the spirits of pious men were formerly, and may be still, on some occasions, employed as ministers of God's providence in this world. 3. That we are warned by it of the guilt and danger which we incur, when we take indirect measures to learn the secrets of Provi dence, and the events of futurity.

In his second inference, the Dr. is supported by the authority of the best English divines, who attempt to prove, on scriptural grounds, the existence of angels, and their occasional interference with the concerns of men. Milton, who was no despicable theo. logian, carries the idea still farther, and supposes that malignant, as well as benevolent spirits, are active though invisible agents in this lower world.

Spirits, when they please, Can execute their airy purposes. And works of love or enmity fulfil. The style of this discourse is neat and perspicuous, and we shall subjoin an extract, in which the Dr. exposes, with great good sense, the folly and danger of giving credit to village conjurers and pretended adepts in the black art.

Let us fuppofe that people generally give credit to fuch perfons; and then fee what will be the confequence. A cafualty happens,or fome mischief is done in our neighbourhood; a barn is burned, or a man is mifling, poflibly dead, or property is loft. We know not how; but we fufpect, it is done by fome defigning villain. We dispatch a messenger to the conjurer.

What is the moral

character of this conjurer, we know not, nor do we much care. It is not the man, but the conjurer with whom we aro now concerned. If we cannot trust him in any other capacity, yet we can trust him in this. The meilenger goes and opens his butinefs; an aufwer is given importing, that the mischief was perpetrated by a certain man of fuch a defcription. We think of fomebody, to whom the defcription, with a little help of imagination, will fuit tolerably well. Or perhaps the meflenger has an enemy whom he fufpects, and prejudice will eafily modify the picture fo as to reprefent him. A hint is given-it is thrown into circulation-it gains credit; and an honeft man is ruined. Thus divination, when it is held in general repute, puts it in every man's power to destroy every man, whom he will.

Why do you wish to know the author of a mifchief which has been done? You will fay, You with the villain may be punished, the injury repaired, and evil prevented. Very well: Then take the proper fteps to detect and arreft the offender. If a conjurer points out fuch, or fuch a perfon, as the criminal, he may indeed gratify your curiosity, and perhaps your malice; but he does no good to fociety. His fuggeftion is not evidence, on which the fuppofed perpe trator can be convicted. If it was, no mortal would be fafe. You perhaps believe the infinuation, and you make others believe it. But when the general fufpicion falls on an innocent man, inveftigation ftops; this innocent man fuffers the reproach, and the really guilty lies unfufpected, and escapes unpunithed. And when a new niifchief happens, the

fame fcene may be acted over again.

On focial, therefore, as well as on religious principles, thefe diviners ought to be profecuted, rather than encouraged —to be punished,rather than patronized. Judge Blackftone fays, that "pretending to tell fortunes, and to difcover ftolen goods by kill in the occult fciences, is a mifdemeanour, defervedly punished by law." The reafon why it deferves punishment is, because it not only tends to

fubvert religion but also to difturb the peace of fociety, and destroy the reputation and fecurity of every virtuous member.

ART. 25.

The Life and Campaigns of Victor

Moreau, comprehending his trial, justification, and other events, till the period of his embarkation for the United States. By an officer of the staff. Translated from the French. New-York, published by Riley & Co. 1806. 12mo. fit. 288.

THE translator or compiler of this piece of biography is a Mr. John Davis, who, we would inform our readers, as otherwise they would not probably know it, has published some poems, and a volume of travels through the United States. For what parts of this work we are indebted to the original genius of Mr. Davis, we are unable to discover, as he has left us no criterion, by which we can distinguish his own ingenuity from that of his author. We must consider the whole, therefore, as the work of Mr. Davis, since he has most heroically taken its responsibility upon himself. But let us hear Mr. Davis in person. "I am not the negative translator of the book, that has been put into my hands. I have felt an ardour to supply a work, that should gratify inquiry, and where I found the original wanting in information, I have made up the deficiency by laborious, patient, and persevering research. Hence my volume will not suffer by a comparison with the original, whose characteristick is detail." Again. "If the moral character of the generals be developed, and the attractions of biography engrafted on history, the reader is indebted to the zeal, diligence, and inquiry of the translator."

This is modest, still to call himself a translator, after these high claims on the approbation of the

publick. Quere, what are we to understand by a negative translator?

The following portrait of the archduke Charles may gratify the curiosity of the American publick.

The young prince was an illustrious opponent for Moreau at the opening of his campaign. He was confpicuous for his talents, bravery, and conduct. He was the idol of his foldiers, in great publick estimation, and the rose and expectancy of the country that gave him birth. He was of a middle ftature, well

This is on a level with the style of a lady's maid, in her first essay at novel-writing.

If any doubt should remain of the modesty of Mr. Davis, the following note must remove it.

The intelligent reader will perceive, that wherever a difquifition appears, or reflexion is exercifed, (whether in a whole chapter or detached paffages) it does not emanate from the French verbum fapientè.

Mr. Davis is not very accurate in his language, nor well founded

in all his assertions. He uses the neuter verb glide in an active sense,

This picture is well-drawn, and makes us acquainted with the person of a hero, who long since might have rescued continental Europe from the disgraceful chains of Gallick slavery, had not his genius been checked, and his plans thwarted by the mean jealousies of his own infatuated court. There

is a defect, however, in the third sentence, where there are several nominatives without a verb.

"Ferino was given the command of the right wing." This is not English. He should have written, The command of the right was given to Ferino.

Mr. Davis occasionally attempts the pathetick.

That day rofe on them panting for renown, whofe night faw them motionless on the crimsoned plain. On what a flender thread hangs the destiny of man! Quenched in a moment were their glorious fires of intellectual valour. Crufhed was every hope they had fondly cherifhed of being preffed again to the heaving beauties of their miftreffes at home, who breathed for them their deep prayers, and in whose fighs for their abfence was mingled the murmur of love! Farewell to hope! Farewell to earthly bliss! No more were they to witness the endearing fmile, no more to enjoy the fairy favours of beauty!

contrary to established usage, and affirms that General Moreau 'transcends Xenophon in a military capacity, and rivals him as a scholar.'

That the General is a great his literary talents equal those of soldier, no one will deny, but, that the all-accomplished Athenian, is an assertion, which requires betdixit of Mr. Davis. ter evidence, than the mere ipse

On the whole, this work is a nothing to the wealth of literature, catch-penny production, and adds. or to the reputation of the writer.

ART. 26.

Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society for the year 1799. Vol. VI. Boston, S. Hall. 8vo. pp. 288.

WE have now advanced, in the irregular course of our criticism, to the sixth volume of the Historical Collections. As in our for

mer reviews we have stated so fully the importance and the dryness of the documents in general, their value to the regular annalist, and their indifference to the ordinary reader, we shall spend no fur

ther time on these or collateral topicks, but shall proceed to a cursory statement of the papers in this volume. Before, however, we begin our critical duty, we shall say a few words on the Rev. Dr. Clarke's and Rev. Dr. Belknap's characters, of which some account is prefixed to the work.

Dr. Clarke has been estimated too highly as a man of letters, both in general conversation and in the volume before us. He certainly was not a scholar of the first or the second class, Unquestionably he was a man of the mildest disposition, of the most amiable temper, and of easy, unassuming deportment. These are qualities always important and highly commendatory; and in Dr. Clarke they originated a course of conduct, as a man, a christian, and a preacher, perfectly correspondent. But to celebrate him "as distinguished in the literary world," as "no common proficient in the liberal arts and sciences," is a benevolent extension of eulogy, which resembles a glaring, though unintentional violation of truth. It is also highly detrimental to our literature, because it stops the progress of ambition; and it is injurious to our renown in Europe, because foreign scholars in vain seek for erudition or literature in the writings of Dr. Clarke; and they have a right to contend, as perfectly applicable, what we are disposed to consider as probably true, that" de non apparentibus et -de non existentibus eadem est ratio."

The Rev. Dr. Belknap is a different character. His writings exhibit large extent of research, much depth of investigation, and variety of knowledge. He knew something of physical science. He chiefly delighted, like the Ger

man literati, in laborious operation, yet in his Foresters he is easy, cheerful, and witty. We do not mean, that even Belknap was a great scholar in the dignified acceptation of the term, but his reading was very extensive, his information remarkably varied, and his reflections clear, full, and efficient. This conclusion easily results from a perusal of all his works, particularly the History of New-Hampshire,' the Century discourse,' and the American Biography.'

In our opinions of literary men of this country we are always cautious, and therefore we wish to be clearly understood. Eulogy here is perfectly absurd. It is either the vilest daubing of colours, or the most grotesque caricature of expression. If a man write an historical work, he becomes a Sallust; if he stitch together doggrel couplets against democracy, he is transformed into a Butler; preachers have been likened to Masillon; and,, by some strange, incomprehensible metempsychosis, Antonius and Crassus of the Roman forum are revived in more than former splendour in the persons of American pleaders,

"Remarks made during a reşidence at Stabroek Rio Demerary, lat, 6, 10. N. in the latter part of the year 1798. By Thomas Pierronet."

This paper contains much curious information, and some valuable facts. We submit the following to our readers.

The interiour will probably never be

brought to a state of cultivation, owing

to the want of drainage; or at least the tract fixty miles from the fea, which is a vaft drowned fwamp. All the improvements have been hitherto made on the fea-coast, and on the banks of the rivers, and very rarely has a plantation been carried farther back. The labour in forming a new plantation is immense,

and can only be estimated by those who have been fpectators thereof.

The produce of these fettlements are coffee, cotton, and fugar. Of these, cotton is fuppofed to be the most precarious crop. Too much rain rots it, and a fucceflion of dry weather caufes it to blast. Coffee, on the contrary, has nothing to fear, except from too much wet. Several estates make a good revenue from their plantain walks; a bunch of which previous to the importation of 60,000 flaves by the English into the colony, was fold for 24 ftivers, but now fetches 124.

Animal labour is totally excluded, unlefs it be that of the horfe, when ufed for the faddle or chair. This is not fo much to be wondered at, when it is confidered, that the low country does not produce even a pebble. A team of oxen or horfes, with a heavy draught, would deftroy the best road in Demerary in the rainy season. As for the interiour, the foil is fo fwampy, that an animal of burthen would fink to its belly at every step. However, the colonifts contrive to interfect the country with fuch a multitude of canals, that the heaviest articles are delivered them at a very cheap rate.

The cutting of grafs is very laborious and tiresome; and as it is the only her

baceous food of the horses, it is neceflary

to procure great quantities of it. The only way ufed here, to obtain it, is by fending out the negroes with a knife, who by this tedious operation, each one at length collects a bundle, which may weigh eighty pounds, which he binds like a wheat fheaf, and carries off. It is remarkable, that the scythe, fickle, flail, plough, waggon, or even hand-barrow, are abfolutely unknown in the colony.

Negroes. The negroes are fubfifted at a very easy rate a bunch of plantains, which will last them a week, and a little falt-fish, form their delicacies. As for their clothing, the far greater part of them have only a narrow ftrip of bunting to bind round their middle, while many of the younger claffes have not even this ornament. However, in fome families they are comfortably clothed, and fed with feraps, which have reached the fecond day. Their lodgings are, however, on the bare floor, where they generally lay promiscuously.

They are punished very feverely; although it depends very much on the difpofition of their owners, whether they go through a conftant whipping, or whe

ther they experience a milder fate. Theft and defertion are generally left to the fifcal, whofe agents apply from two to five hundred lashes (according to their fentence) with a long whip, which lacerates them horridly. These laflies are always applied on the bare breech, and the culprit prevented from fitting thereon for three months.

Crimes of greater magnitude are extenuated by the rack, and subsequent decapitation.

The negroes are allowed the privilege of the Sunday, when they come into the town, either to work in cleaning out the trenches, &c. or, with a load of fruit or vegetables, which they difpofe of for their own emolument. After they have received the amount of their perquifite, they either lay out the money in procuring fome little neceffaries, or otherwise in drinking, gambling, and dancing; and the day is generally concluded by one or more battles.

"Specimen of the Mountaineer, or Sheshatapooshshoish, Skoffie, and Micmac Languages."

The vocabularies add to our knowledge of Indian languages. The author's source of information

is apparently good, yet what is the

reason that he does not tell his own name? He often is known by the emphatical I; but now, for the first time in the world, a personal pronoun designates nobody, except a metaphysical entity.

"General John Winslow's Letter to the Earl of Halifax, relative to his conduct, and that of the troops under his command, on the Ticonderogo expedition in 1756."

As General W. was "the only person, who had been in the whole of these matters," he is entitled to be heard, and his narrative has the the appearance of candour and fidelity.

"Secretary Willard's Letter to Mr. Bollan, agent for the colony of Massachusetts-Bay, relative to the failure of Crown-Point expedition, and reimbursement from G. Britain."