292 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. Retrospective Criticism. 



T. W.^s Letters descriptive of a Natural History Tour in North America, 

 (Vol. III. p. 489., Vol. IV. p. 108. 289.)— Such vast and rapid changes 

 take place in the New World, that it requires considerable allowance 

 to topographical descriptions written in 1823. I do not think the writer 

 is fortunate in his first sketch from the Hudson (Vol. III. p. 49k) I cer- 

 tainly took it for a view of St. Helena, to which place it bears a greater re- 

 semblance. It must be remembered that one peculiar feature in American 

 scenery, which seldom fails to strike the observer on his first acquaintance 

 with this country, is, that its mountains, high or low, are always com- 

 pletely covered with forest. It is extremely interesting to read and com- 

 pare the first impressions of travellers in America; and whatever may be 

 said to the contrary, and about hasty observations, &c., I cannot but think 

 the earliest notes give the most lively, true, and natural picture when the 

 impressions are fresh and new and vivid. A thousand little characteristit! 

 circumstances, which we notice at first for their novelty, are soon forgotten, 

 or wholly unnoticed, if they are not recorded at the moment of observ- 

 ation ; and the traveller who waits a year before he puts his notes and sen- 

 timents on paper may be somewhat more strictly authentic, as relates to 

 the dry aifair of statistics, but he is not half so entertaining as those who 

 write on the instant. — R. C. Taylor. Pkilipsburgy Centre Cou?itj/y Penn- 

 si/lvania, W. States ^ August 7. 1831. 



The Journal of a Naturalist ; an extraordinary Statement in it confirmed, 

 — Sir, A few days since I was amusing myself by the perusal of the Maga- 

 zine of Natural History (Vol. II. for the year 1829.), and at page 180. 1 met 

 with a critique upon the above work, under the signature of K. After 

 reviewing a few pages, the critic says (p. 180.), " At last, however, having 

 settled the merits of the limestone rock, and the shells and flints, and 

 happily consigned the fate and fame of strontian to the justice of time, we 

 flatter ourselves that we have passed all obstacles to our progress towards 

 a more pleasing part of the country, when suddenly we are requested to 

 pause by the side of a limekiln, to give ear to a tale which requires all our 

 powers of belief" That tale. Sir, runs thus {Journal of a Naturalist^ 

 new edition, 1830, p. 12.): — " Perhaps I may here mention an incident that 

 occurred a few years past at one of our limekilns, because it manifests 

 how perfectly insensible the human frame may be to pains and afflictions, 

 in peculiar circumstances ; and that which would be torture, if endured in 

 general, may be experienced at other times without any sense of suffering. 

 A travelling man, one winter's evening, laid himself down upon the plat- 

 form of a limekiln, placing his foot, probably benumbed with cold, upon 

 the heap of stones, newly put on to burn through the night. Sleep over- 

 came him in this situation ; the fire gradually rising and increasing, until it 

 ignited the stones upon which his feet were placed. Lulled by the warmth, 

 the man slept on. The fire increased until it burned one foot (which pro- 

 bably was extended over a vent-hole), and part of the leg, above the ankle, 

 entirely off"; consuming that part so effectually, that a cinder-like fragment 

 was alone remaining ; and still the wretch slept on, and in this state was 

 found by the kilnman in the morning, insensible to any pain, and ignorant 



