238 Swainson's Preliminary Discourse 



hesitate to pronounce either Swainson's estimation of twenty - 

 Jive years, or Audubon's statement of three years, totally un- 

 worthy of credence. — Charles Waterton, Walton Hall, March 

 9. 1835. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Titles of Works on Subjects of Natural History , published 



recently. 



SWAINSON, William, F.R.S., &c. : A Preliminary Discourse 

 on the Study of Natural History ; being No. 59. of Dr. 

 Lardner's " Cabinet Cyclopaedia." London, 1834-. 6s, 



Mr. Swainson's "Discourse" is the most lucid, complete, 

 and masterly introduction to natural history that has hitherto 

 been published in any language. The author was, before 

 the appearance of this volume, deservedly regarded as the 

 greatest zoologist Britain has produced ; he may now fairly 

 claim to be placed on an equality with the most esteemed of 

 any age or any country. The plan of the work is simple, the 

 arrangement of the subject excellent, and the phraseology 

 vigorous and flowing. The volume before us is the first of a 

 series from the perusal of which we anticipate much pleasure 

 as well as instruction ; and we most cordially recommend 

 the series to such of our readers as desire to obtain a general 

 knowledge of zoology. It is with great pleasure that we see 

 the great masters in science thus devoting their talents to the 

 task of instruction, instead of the more selfish occupation of 

 hoarding up stores of knowledge available only to themselves. 

 — E. 



Mr. Swainson has presented, in the work commended by 

 E., some notice of some of the institutions extant in Britain, 

 whose office is the promotion of natural history. The British 

 Museum, and the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, are two of 

 those which he has noticed. On these two we possess the following 

 notices by the late Rev. Lansdown Guilding, our publication 

 of which, in this place, may supply those who may peruse 

 Mr. Swainson's work, at E.'s instance, with the views of two 

 writers, at once, on the same subjects. Mr. Guilding's views 

 mainly agree with Mr. Swainson's, and supply additional 

 information. 



The British Museum. [Mr. Guilding had made his remarks 

 in relation to those offered in I. 181.] — However strong may 

 be the correct and honourable feelings of Englishmen gene- 

 rally, as to the scientific institutions of their country, we never 



