RetrofpeSi of Domejik Literature. — Natural Hijiory, ^c. 5^9 



taking we know not. All we know is, 

 that f hey are as unlike the writings of the 

 Ap' (t!e as the writings of the Apoftle are 

 unlike the Phyfiognomy of Lavater. 



We hardly know whether we may here 

 mention generally the pfeudo " Frophe- 

 r/t'j" Vifions, and vague Commentaries, 

 of Joanna Southcott and her follow, 

 ers, than which few more ridiculous rhap- 

 fodies have been ever feen. AHonifliing, 

 the pamphlets on the fubjeft have been 

 numerous. 



The " Spital Sermon' of the Rev. C. 

 V. Le Grice, preached before the Lord 

 Mayor, &c., at Chrill-Church, Newgate^ 

 ftreet, is a moft eloquent diicourfe. It 

 breatlies the pure fpirir of Chiiltianity, 

 and is altogether ore of the fineit I'pecmiens 

 of pulpit-oratory which in recent times 

 has iffued from the prefs. 



On the vaft body of Sermons which 

 have been publifhed, there are few whofe 

 features feeni fufficiently predominant lo 

 <liftingui(h '.hem from ttie common mafs. 

 Amtng the bttt of the fmgle fcrmons we 

 may reckon Mr. BREWSTi^R's on " The 

 Rejioration of Family IVorJh'ip ■" Di. 

 Hall's on the laft fatiiday j ;VIr. BlD- 

 Dulvh's before the Society fur Millions 

 to Africa and the Ea(t ; and Mr. But- 

 ler's on "' The Ufe and Abufe of Meafcn 

 %n Matters of Faith.''' The generality of 

 thole which remain unnoticed are plain, 

 pioui, and impreffive ; ancf very frequent- 

 ly it will be found tiieir morality is far 

 fuperior lo their execution. 



Of the fcrmons which have appeared in 

 volumes we can recommend (till more. 



Sir WjLLlAM MONCRIEFF WeLL- 



WOOD's have more of novelty and inge- 

 nuity than we ufuaily meet with in popu- 

 lar difcouiien, and tiie lubjeds are w^ll 

 chofen. 



Dr. Munkhousf's, " On Occafional 

 Suhjids,'' have Itill higher merit. 



The third and fourth volumes of Mr. 

 Gilpin's ^'■Sermons to a Country Con- 

 gregation' are plain, but inteieliing j 

 and though the latter is pollhumous, it 

 by no mtann detracts from the reputation 

 he hid before obtained. 



Mr. Far HER 's " Sertnotis on the Mif- 

 fi'in and Charader of Chrijl, and on the 

 iieatiluJes," at the le^ituic founded by 

 Mr. Hampton, are written iu a plain 

 equ.ibic Ifyle. The ftrmons arc of gene- 

 ral import, and though we lee nothing in 

 ihein very new, tlicie is very httlc we 

 Would wifli to riiifonimeiid. 



NatukaL history. 



Our liilt retrofi>i;il conta»:icJ fo cojiious 



an enumeration of works on the intereft- 

 ing fubjecfs of Natural Hiftory and Phy- 

 lirs, that thofe we have to notice in the 

 prefent are proportionably few. 



Dr. Smith's ♦' Exotic Botany" is one of 

 the m-jft curious. It confiits of coloured 

 figure> and flientific delcriptions of fucll 

 new beautilul or rue plants as are worthy 

 of cultivatiin in the gardens of Britain i 

 with remark* on their qualities, hiftory, 

 and requiiiti modes of treatineiu. Intro- 

 ducing to the curious cultivator plants 

 v./orthy of his acquifition from all parts 

 of the globe, ard mftruiffing thofe who 

 have correfpondcnts abroad what (o in- 

 quire for. The defcriptions are by Dr. 

 Smith, the figures by Mr. James Sowerby, 

 .A-fTilfed as thel'e gemlemeii aie by the (irit 

 naturaiilfs in the country, the future parts 

 of their work aie not likely to bedeftiiute 

 of good materials. It is publifhed month- 

 ly, and eleven numbers ate completed : 

 forming a colleflion of exotic botany mure 

 valuable than any which has hitherto ap- 

 peared, either in this or any other country. 

 The mort curious piatit dcfcribed in the 

 f.ift numbers is, perhaps, the *' humea 

 elegans," a native ff New Holland. It 

 may be enough to add that the plates are 

 elegant, and the delcri, tions claiG'^al. 



" The PrincipUs of Botany, and of Ve' 

 getable Phyfiology,''' from the German of 

 Profefior WiLDhNOW, is another, thou^^li 

 not equal tJ D'. Smith's in point of i.ie- 

 rit. What rel.Ues to the terminology, ciaf- 

 Jificatiaii, and nomenclature ot plants will 

 be found highlv uleful to the llud'.iu. 

 But on the phyfiology of vegetables the 

 Prolelior's obl'ervations are nut only con- 

 ful'ed, but erroneous. 



Dr. Skrimshike's "Series of Ejjays, 

 introduiti,ry to the Study of Natural hi/'- 

 tory,'' are intended tor young, i.ithtr tn.in 

 advanced teuieis. We are afiaid that on 

 mineralogy he is too fhort to be of ftr- 

 vice. 



" IVerneria; cr fliort CharaBers of 

 Earths : n,vUh Notet according to tbe lin- 

 pro<vemcnii of Klaprotb, l^auquelin, and 

 Many" by T£.v.f.M FiLiUS ; is a lirangc^ 

 attempt to teach mineralogy in veilc.- 

 The tern\s ot that emci tuning and im-- 

 proving Ifudy were ocvir before fhuwn to 

 fo mud) lUladvantage : nor vcifc more 

 awkwauily ap^ilicd. 



TOPOGRAPHY AND A NT iCTtJlTtE S. 



So Itith: has been contribu cd totatd a, 

 gencial Inllory of Yorkfhwe, tint wc- rea- 

 dily wL-U:oiiic any work wlucb may add to 

 our matcuais, Mr. WHiTAK.LK.'i. " //(/- 



torj 



