48 Xo/ircs respecting Next) Books. 



ever change be made with respect to contact ; that is, whether 

 the wire be descending from the zinc, or descending from the 

 copper side of the battery. 



Now as this phtenomenon appears somewhat anomalous to 

 every other electro-magnetic experiment yet made public, I 

 should feel obliged if any of your scientific correspondents 

 ■would make known through the medium of your valuable and 

 widely disseminated Journal, if a like phajuomenon has ever 

 occurred during their experiments ; or, according to the pre- 

 sent received doctrine of electro-magnetism, under what cir- 

 cumstances this invariable rotation can possibly happen. 

 Your most obedient servant. 



Artillery Place, Woolwich, W. StURGEON. 



Jan. 21st, 1825. 



IX. Notices respectiiig Neiv Books. 

 The Natural History of the Bible ; or A Descripfio?i of all the 

 Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, and Insects, Trees, 

 Plants, Flois:ers, Gums, and Precious Stones, mentioned in the 

 Sacred Scriptures. Collected from the best Authorities, and 

 alphabetically arranged. By Thaddeus Mason Harris, D.D. 

 Boston, New England. Wells and Lilly, 1820, 8vo, pp. 476. 

 Reprinted by T. Tegg, London, 1824. 



A MONG the valuable contributions to science and litera- 

 -^*- rature with which our American brethren are now en- 

 riching our language, we are happy to notice this useful volume. 

 The want of such a work has been much felt in this country ; 

 and we understood some time since that both Dr. Leach and 

 the Rev. C. Wellbeloved meditated such an undertaking. It 

 is of essential service to the public to possess works on subjects 

 of common interest, comprising in a small compass what betbre 

 could not be found without access to voluminous authors and 

 extensive libraries. The work before us is limited in its object, 

 and without being prolix is generally sufficiently full. We know 

 not of any other book on the same plan ; and it is not rendered 

 superfluous by late translations of separate books of the Sa- 

 cred Writings, or by running commentaries on the same. 



In order fully to imderstand the Sacred Writings, a know- 

 ledge of whatever is local and peculiar becomes important. 

 Not the least important, as contributing to the illustration of 

 Scripture, is Natural History. The poetical books of the He- 

 brews, in particular, abound in lively comparisons, local allu- 

 sions, and strong metaphors, drawn from material objects,, 



whose 



