446 
~ vance beyond the knowledge of the right- 
hand from the left. 
An Essay on the Weeds of Agriculture ; 
with their Common and Botanical Names ; 
their respective Characters and bad Quali- 
ties; whether as infesting Samples of Corn, 
or encimbering the Soil; also, practical Re- 
marks on their Destruction, by fallowing or 
otherwise. The Posthumous Work of Brn- 
samin Houwpicu, Esq., late Editor of the 
Farmer’s Journal. Edited by G. Stxciatr, 
F.LS. F-H.S, &c.—If we were at liberty 
to follow our inclinations, we should treat 
this pamphlet not according to its bulk, 
but its importance ; and follow Mr. Hol- 
dich and his editor (for it is only the first 
chapter that is strictly, in its present form, 
at least, attributable to the former) through 
their respective chapters on “ Weeds 
which infest samples of corn; fallow 
weeds; weeds which are principally ob- 
jectionable, as they incumber the soil, or 
whose roots are annual, and whose seeds pass 
the corn-sieve ; weeds that never rise in the 
crop, nor come into the sickle ; pasture weeds, 
&c. ;—on all of which there are many judi- 
cious observations ; as there is also much 
practical information in the appendix, 
which contains an account of Mr.R. Dick- 
son of Kidbrook’s effectual method of clear- 
ing heavy lands from couch-grass and other 
fallow weeds. The passages we have 
marked in our progress as worthy of quo- 
tation, might form ‘a valuable little manual 
for the practical farmer ; and, perhaps, not 
an uninteresting article to the general 
reader—to such, at least, as have any 
taste for whatever is connected with rural 
occupations and economics. But they 
would fill a couple of pages, and we can 
only spare a paragraph. We must not 
venture, therefore, into subdivisions of the 
subject, or attempt an abstract ; but refer 
our agricultural readers to the pamphlet 
itself. We shall just observe, however, 
that on the subject of fallows in particu- 
lar, our own observations accord with the 
justice of the middle course that is here 
adopted, between the extreme theories 
that would uphold, and that would reject 
them. The discriminations between the 
soils and circumstances, &c., in which 
they may, and in which they may not be 
necessary—in which they may, and in 
which they can not be mainly assistant in 
clearing the arable from weeds, seem to 
be judiciously marked. But it is, perhaps, 
still more important to remark that, both 
with respect to the value of the samples, 
or the price they will command in the 
market, and the quantity of the crop, as far 
as results from the interference of weeds 
with the growth, and with the mixture 
of seeds that will not pass through the 
sieve, and cannot be got rid of in the 
dressing,—the most important of all pre- 
vautions seems to be that of taking care 
that the seed-corn be clean; since the 
greater portion of the weeds that diminish 
Monthly Review of Literature, 
(Dec. 1, 
the value of the harvest, are mere annuals 
which, in the act of sowing, have been 
strewed oyer his acres by the farmer himself. 
Harry and Lucy concluded,’ being the last 
Part of Early Lessons. « By Maria Evce- 
wortu. Jn 4vols. 12mo. Or 
** These volumes are intended for young ‘people, 
from the age of ten to fourteen. They complete 
the series of ‘‘ Early Lessons;” an humble work, 
from which no literary fame can be acquired, but © 
which I have been most desirous to complete, from 
the belief that it will be more useful than any other 
in my power.”—Preface. 
Our readers will readily conclude with 
us, that from the pen of Miss Edgeworth 
nothing can flow which is not dictated by 
general benevolence, and a thorough know- 
ledge of human nature; and which, conse- 
quently, cannot fail of being eminently use- 
ful. ‘The series, of which the work before 
us is a part, may be considered as especially 
calculated to advance the welfare and im- 
provement of the human race; it being in 
infancy, and the progress of youthful edu- 
cation, that the seeds of future happiness 
and public utility are sown, and the taste 
for knowledge and science are imbibed. 
The filial modesty of Miss E, would ascribe 
all the merit of the previous yolumes, of 
which these are the sequel, to her father: 
but we must be permitted to believe that, 
in the former volumes as well as the pre- 
sent, there is a knowledge and perception 
of infant character that is essentially femi- 
nine: an intimacy with cradled thought, 
if we may so express ourselves, which the 
lordly sex, whatever may be their superiority 
in some.other respects, cannot well attain. 
Be this as it may, Miss E. appears fully 
aware of the means requisite to dead chil- 
dren on to the Jove of knowledge, and how 
to select her subjects, and fill up her moral 
drama, so as to fix their attention to the 
scene, and leave in the heart the impres- 
sions that were desired. Having followed 
Harry through the yarious changes and 
progress of his education, we were, in a 
great degree, prepared for the progress we 
here find him to haye made; and though 
his ideas and expressions may oecasionally 
appear beyond those of a boy of only ten years 
old, this is not carried so far as to diminish 
the interest it was intended to heighten ; 
and the language is never above the com- 
prehension of a child of that age. The 
character of Lucy is at Jeast childish and 
playful. enough, considering. that. she is 
somewhat older: and we may doubt, ,per- 
haps, whether it is altogether natural that, 
with so volatile a turn of mind, sbe should 
take so large a share in the scientific, pur- 
suits of her sober and profoundly-calculat- 
ing brother. To these’ pursuits.she is in- 
cidentally, though intentionally, attracted 
by her father, by the suggestion addressed 
to Harry in her presence, that, knowing 
these things may perhaps be of no use to 
Lucey, though perhaps it may, when in com~ 
pany with those to whom they are familiar, 
** enable 
cil, 
alwvor 
