The Spirit of the Woods. 631 



the book itself. At the present moment Entomology may 

 boast of a numerous and rapidly-increasing train of votaries, 

 while every separate department of Zoology has talent of the 

 very highest order devoted to its elucidation. The publica- 

 tion under review has long been known to us as in contem- 

 plation ; — so long indeed, that we began almost to despair of 

 seeing the author ultimately carry his intention into effect. — 

 In the mean time, however, Mr. Westwood has not been idle : 

 — our own pages, and those of many other periodicals, and 

 the Transactions of our scientific Societies, have amply testi- 

 fied to the unremitting ardour with which he has devoted 

 himself to entomological pursuits ; and the reputation thus 

 acquired will have paved the way for that success which we 

 are confident must accompany his present undertaking. 



We shall probably lay before our readers an analysis of the 

 succeeding numbers as they appear. The work is announced 

 to be completed in ten parts, but the coleopterous families are 

 not yet finished, and the author appears to have such ample 

 materials at his command, that we do not see how he can 

 possibly finish it within the assigned limits. — We trust, how- 

 ever, that he will see the necessity of confining it within such 

 bounds that his subscribers shall have no reason to complain. 



Art. IT— The Spirit of the Woods. By the Author of "The Moral 

 of Flowers." Pp. 306. London : Long-man & Co. 1837. 



This is indeed a charming volume, and one which we think no 

 one, unless utterly devoid of all taste for that which is taste- 

 ful, can peruse without admiring the feeling and beautiful 

 manner in which the authoress introduces the ideas and asso- 

 ciations that, in so many instances, are inseparably connected 

 with our indigenous forest trees. There is something in the 

 very selection of the title, — " The Spirit of the Woods," — so 

 apt and expressive, as to prepare us for sterling matter be- 

 yond the title-page. But our readers may ask, what is there 

 for the naturalist ? No definitions of botanical families, ge- 

 nera, and species, certainly ; but illustrations from the pencil 

 of the authoress, which may meet, without offending, the eye 

 of even the scientific botanist; and descriptions, or rather 

 notices, of the subjects represented, which, if they do not af- 

 ford him instruction, will not be found beneath his perusal. 



Trees have long been interwoven with poetry ; and though 

 they are objects which are constantly before us, it is surpris- 



