shoulder his mineralogical hammer, or buckle on his botanical apparatus, and sally out daily to explore the domains of nature, and he will soon be able to perform as valiant exploits as any one of his forefathers in writing folios. The author is a little poetical on this topic, but there is force in his words, and wisdom in his counsels.

An Essay on Salt, containing notices of its Origin, Formation, Geological Position, and principal Localities, embracing a particular Description of the American Salines; with a View of its Uses in the Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture. Delivered as a Lecture before the New York Lyceum of Natural History. By Jer. Van Rensselaer, M. D.

This essay contains much curious information respecting the salt formation of different parts of the globe, and especially the salt springs of this country. Rock salt, which occurs in such abundance in Poland and other parts of Europe, is scarcely found in the United States, unless the salt plains of Upper Louisiana and Arkensas shall prove to be of this description. According to Herodotus, the Lybians built their houses of rock salt; Chardin gives the same account of the people of Caramania; and Pliny says, that in Arabia the walls of the houses were consolidated by sprinkling water on the blocks of salt of which they were composed. From England there are annually exported more than 5,000,000 bushels of salt, and sometimes more than 8,000,000. In the year 1815 the revenue to the crown from the duty on salt was more than six millions of dollars. About 1,200,000 bushels of salt are annually manufactured in the United States, more than half of which, or about 700,000, is furnished in the state of New York. In the year 1822 were imported into the United States upwards of 4,087,000 bushels, nearly two thirds of which came from England and her dependencies. The salt annually imported into this country is equal in value to $613,932. The quantity consumed in a year in the United States is about 6,500,000 bushels. Such are some of the facts collected by Dr Van Rensselaer, and these, together with an account of the various salt works in this country, and several judicious geological and scientific remarks, prove the research of the author, and give practical value to his essay.

A Theory of Thunder Showers, and of West and North West Winds. Submitted to the Hon. S. L. Mitchill.

BOTANY.

Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Plants, Bulbous Flower Roots, Green-house Plants, &c. &c. cultivated at the Linnæan Botanic Garden; William Prince, Proprietor, Flushing, Long Island. To which is added, a Short Treatise on their Cultivation, &c. twenty second Edition, 12mo. New York. Flora of the Middle and Northern Sections of the United States; or a Systematic Arrangement and Description of all the Plants hitherto discovered in the United States, north of Virginia. By John Torrey, M. D. No. I.

It is stated, that this work will contain original descriptions of all the species which have come under the observation of the author. To which will be added, copious Synonymes and Localities. Its plan will be nearly similar to that of Mr Elliott's valuable Flora of the Southern States, and will, with that work, and the promised Western Flora of Mr Nuttall, form as complete an account of the Plants of the United States, as our present knowledge win afford.

Flora of North America. By W. P. C. Barton, M. D. Nos. XXXIII, and XXXIV.

EDUCATION.

An Account of the System of Education pursued at the Free Schools in Boston.

The Scholar's Guide to the History of the Bible, or an Abridgment of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; with Explanatory Remarks. Intended for the use of Schools and Families. By T. Strong.

The Institutes of English Grammar, methodically arranged; with Examples for Parsing, Questions for Examinations, Observations for the advanced Student, false Syntax, and a Key; designed for the Use of Schools. By Goold Brown.

We are not aware, that any new arrangement of the principles of English grammar was required to make the language better understood, or to teach it with more facility, than can be done from Lowth, Murray, and their numerous successors in the walks of grammatical learning. The elements of a language are fundamental and unchangeable, and novelty is not a trait to be desired in a work, which professes to illustrate and enforce them. There is a rage for making the rudiments of education so simple, that they shall be learnt without time or trouble; and the consequence is, that they who follow this plan seldom learn them at all. Mr Brown is not subject to this censure; if he has erred in any respect, it is rather in redundancy. We do not perceive, that he has proposed any radical improvements, or laid claim to any discoveries. His grammar is like other grammars. The examples to illustrate the rules as they occur are more full than usual, and will be serviceable to the learner. His remarks in the appendix on orthography and etymology are judicious, and comprise many facts within a small compass. Those on style and prosody might have been spared.

Hebrew Grammar, with a Praxis, or select Portions of Genesis and the Psalms. By Moses Stuart. A new Edition, revised and enlarged. 1 vol. 8vo.

HISTORY.

Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Vol. X. Second Series. 1 vol. 8vo.

LAW.

A General Abridgment and Digest of American Law, with Occasional Notes and Comments. By Nathan Dane, L. L. D. Counsellor at Law. Vol. I.

A Lecture, introductory to a Course of Lectures, now delivering in the University of Maryland. By David Hoffman. Published at the Request of the Faculty of Law. 8vo. Baltimore.

In this introductory lecture, Mr Hoffman explains at considerable length, and in a manner at once philosophical and perspicuous, the plan of his contemplated course. Some notion may be formed of the magnitude of his undertaking, by the following statement. The whole course, when finished, will embrace three hundred and one lectures, and will occupy at least eighteen months, and more probably two years in the delivery. As the whole scheme;

however, is divided into thirteen titles, students may commence their attendance at any of them, as they may be more or less advanced in their studies.' In addition to the outline of his course, the lecturer describes the principles and modes of a law education in ancient Rome, and in England. These, as far as they are adapted to the government and jurisprudence of this country, are made the basis of the Law Institute, which he proposes to establish. Mr Hoffman has already published a complete syllabus of his lectures.

Reports of Cases adjudged in the Court of Chancery of New York. By William Johnson. Vol. VI.

The Trial of Richard Johnson, for the alleged Murder of Mary Cuff; before the Supreme Judicial Court at Barnstable, July,

1823.

MEDICINE.

The New England Journal of Medicine and Surgery, and Collateral Branches of Science. No. 4. Vol. XII.

Essays on various Subjects connected with Midwifery. By William P. Dewees, M. D.

Surgical Essays, by the Baron D. J. Larrey, First Surgeon of the Grand Army in Russia, Saxony, and France, during the Years 1812, 1813, 1814, &c. Translated from the French, by John Revere, M. D. Member of the Royal Physical Society at Edinburgh, &c. 1 vol. 8vo. Baltimore.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A Discourse concerning the Influence of America on the Mind; being the Annual Oration delivered before the American Philosophical Society, at the University in Philadelphia, on the 18th of October, 1823. By C. J. Ingersoll. 8vo. Philadelphia. The Presidential Election. Written by a private Man and a Volunteer, for the Benefit of the People of the United States; but particularly for those of the State of Kentucky. By PhiloJackson. 8vo. Frankfort.

Report of a Committee appointed by the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism, in the city of New York, on the Expediency of erecting an Institution for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents. 8vo. New York.

The Sixth Report of the Managers of the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism, in the city of New York, read and accepted, Feb. 7, 1823; to which is added an Appendix. Svo. New York. Catalogue of the Gardiner Lyceum, and an Address of the Trustees. 8vo. Hallowell.

The Port Folio, for November.

A Letter from Bishop Chase, on the Subject of his going to England
for the Relief of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of
Ohio. Addressed to the Right Reverend Bishop White.
Report of the Maryland Commissioners on a proposed Canal from
Baltimore to Conewago.

In December, 1822, the Legislature of Maryland passed an act for appointing Commissioners to survey the route of a canal, connecting the waters of the Susquehanna with the city of Baltimore. The gentlemen appointed to this office were Judge Bland, George Winchester, Esq. and John Patterson, Esq. These commissioners have reported, that a survey of the country from Baltimore to Conewago Falls, on the Susquehanna, proves it impracticable to run a canal across this tract of country. Another survey has been made down the west bank of the river to the head of tide water near Havre de Grace, and thence to Baltimore. Through this route a canal may be constructed. The whole distance is ninety two miles, and the estimated expense of the entire work is $2,626,000. The subject, it is supposed, will come before the legislature of Maryland during the present session. It is recommended by the Commissioners, that the work be undertaken exclusively by the state, without the aid of a private corporation or subscriptions. The Report is full and perspicuous, and accompanied with maps and drawings.

Report of the Commissioners appointed to examine into the Practicability of a Canal from Baltimore to the Potomac, together with the Engineer's Report.

These Commissioners were appointed by the Legislature of Maryland, and they have ascertained, that a canal may be cut from the mouth of the Monocasy river, where it empties into the Potomac, to the city of Baltimore. The route they have explored will require a tunnel in one place of more than two miles. The whole distance is eighty one miles, and the estimated expense of constructing a canal is $1,550,000 The Commissioners suggest, however, that a canal to Baltimore may be opened with more facility from the Falls of the Potomac, above Georgetown, but they were not authorized to examine that

route.

A Discourse delivered at Schenectady, July 22, 1823, before the New York Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa. By the Hon. De Witt Clinton, L. L. D.

The New Hampshire Register, and United States Calendar, for 1824, with an Ephemeris. By John Farmer.

The Criminality of Intemperance. An Address delivered at the Eleventh Anniversary of the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intemperance. By Henry Ware, jr. Minister of the Second Church in Boston.

NOVELS.

Randolph, a novel. By the Author of Logan. 2 vols. 12mo.

POETRY.

Rodolph. A Fragment. Baltimore. 8vo.

This modest title promises nothing to the reader, and the little poem itself, to which it is perfixed, comes upon us with no extravagant pretensions, which render it obnoxious to the scrutiny or censure of criticism. It is marked, however, with very decided characteristics. Defects and beauties are mingled, and set at times in pretty bold relief. Obscurity is the general fault of the piece. In a Fragment' this may be thought a venial defect, yet even in a fragment the poet's purpose should be obvious, if he would fix the attention and gain the hearts of his readers. The author evidently has much of the genuine spirit of poetry; his thoughts are occasionally bold and striking; some passages are wrought with much felicity of conception, and clothed New Series, No. 17.

28

with a rich and glowing imagery; and, notwithstanding the obscurity, which we have mentioned, and a few minor imperfections, a highly poetical vein runs through the whole performance

Poems, by James G. Percival. New edition.

THEOLOGY.

The Christian Disciple and Theological Review. No. 5. Vol. V. A Sermon, delivered at Worcester, Mass. Oct. 15, 1823, at the Ordination of the Rev. Loammi Ives Hoadly, to the pastoral Office over the Calvinistic Church and Society in that Place. By Lyman Beecher, D. D. 8vo. Boston.

A Sermon, preached before the Society for the Education of Pious Young Men for the Ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, at the Fifth Annual Meeting, held in Christ's Church, Alexandria, on the 30th of October, 1823. By J. P. K. Henshaw, A. M. Rector of St Peter's Church, Baltimore. Svo. A Collection of Essays and Tracts in Theology. By Jared Sparks. No. IV. Containing Sir Isaac Newton's History of Two Corruptions of Scripture; and Butler's Historical Outline of the Controversy respecting the Text of the Three Heavenly Wit

nesses.

A Reply to a Second Letter to the Author, from the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, with Remarks on his Hostility to Bible Societies, and his Mode of defending it; and also on his Vindication of the Rev. Mr Morris's late Pamphlet. By William Jay. 8vo. New York.

Unitarian Miscellany. Nos. 34, 35, 36.

The Christian Spectator. Nos. 11, 12, Vol. V.

A Father's Reason for baptising his Infant Child. A Discourse
delivered at Beverly, February, 1812, fourth edition. By Abiel
Abbot, A. M. Pastor of the First Church in that Town.
Discourse on the Atonement. By Professor Murdock. 8vo.
A Sermon preached at Newburyport, Sunday, October 26, 1823.
By John Pierpont, Minister of Hollis Street Church, Boston.
Funeral Address, delivered at the Second Independent Church,
Charleston, S. C. at the Interment of Edward P. Simons. By
Samuel Gilman.

Extracts from the Minutes of the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in the State of New York, and the adjacent Parts, convened at Livingston, Columbia County, August 31,

1823.

A Sermon preached at Springfield, August 28, 1823, at the Annual Meeting of the Bible Society, the Foreign Missionary Society, and the Education Society, of the County of Hampden. By William B. Sprague, Pastor of the First Church in West Spring

field.