360 Dr. Van Rensselaer on Sail. 



proof of the attention the sciences are receiving in thi# 

 country. 



5. Griscom^s Journal. 



Mr. Griscom's Journal of "a year in Europe" was pub- 

 lished last September. We have read it with much inter- 

 est. It abounds in minute details, but they are generally 

 well chosen. The author appears to have accomplished 

 the great object he had in view, viz. to give a detailed ac- 

 count of his observations on the sciences and arts, the in- 

 stitutions f education and benevolence, and the other 

 moral features of society in the countries he travelled over. 

 We have rarely seen so much interesting information on 

 the above topics collected within the compass of a single 

 work. The whole bears the marks of an active and in- 

 quiring mind actuated by a pervading benevolence. We 

 Bre not surprised at the zeal which Mr. G. exhibits in the 

 cause of general education, when we recollect that he was 

 himself self-taught, and owed all his public education to 

 the common schools, which form such a peculiar feature 

 in the character of our country. Those who are in search 

 of a plain statement of interesting facts will not be disap- 

 pointed on a perusal of Mr. G's volumes ; but we cannot 

 promise the same treat to those who are pleased only with 

 the delicacies of ta&te, or the lofty speculations of politics. 



J.G. P. 



6. Dr. Van Rensselaer on Salt. 



Dr. J. Van Rensselaer has recently published an Es- 

 say ON Salt, read before the New York Lyceum ; con- 

 taining notices of its origin, formation, geological positiois 

 and localities, with a particular description of the Ameri- 

 <:an Salines, and a view of its uses in the Arts and Agricul- 

 ture. It embraces a very extensive collection of facts on 

 the above topics, and ought indeed to form a text book to 

 every individual who engages in the search of this valuable 

 mineral. 



We observe certain statements in pages 44 and 45 res- 

 pecting rerf sawofs^one, which we think may lead to error. 

 Dr. Van Rensselaer there says, that red sandstone may be 



