Notices of New Books. 3865 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



C A Naturalist's Sojourn in Jamaica.'' By Philip Henry Gosse, 

 A.L.S., &c; assisted by Richard Hill, Esq. London: Long- 

 mans. 1853. 



(Second Notice). 



The copious extracts from this work given in our last number (Zool. 

 8850), will we think abundantly justify the cordial commendation we 

 bestowed upon it. Mr. Gosse is not a mere compiler, — a mere popu- 

 larizer of other men's observations ; he possesses not only the art of 

 clothing his subject in a garment of agreeable phraseology, but has 

 made that subject peculiarly instructive and complete by a very great 

 number of original and interesting observations. And here we can- 

 not confine our praise to the author, but feel in justice bound to divide 

 it between himself and his most able coadjutor, Mr. Hill, whose long 

 residence in Jamaica has afforded him opportunities of observation 

 which a mere sojourner could not hope to enjoy. Mr. Gosse gives 

 his coadjutor full credit for the value of this assistance : in the title- 

 page, in the preface, in almost every chapter, does he give full and 

 grateful credit to the worth and importance of Mr. Hill's co-opera- 

 tion: indeed, a considerable portion of the volume, and that certainly 

 not the least interesting, consists of verbatim extracts from this ob- 

 servant naturalist's manuscripts. Truly delightful is it to see kindred 

 minds thus associated, — kindred minds thus working together for the 

 public good. Such, we could fancy, were Gilbert White and Daines 

 Barrington ; and such might have been the correspondence of White 

 and Barrington, had not the part of Barrington been unfortunately 

 omitted. 



The time is certainly approaching, when Nature shall claim from 

 her admirers more of these tributes to her living and breathing 

 majesty ; when Natural History shall cease to be a mere science of 

 admeasurement ; when it shall become, in accordance with its name, 

 really a history. Honoured be those who use their energies in such 

 a cause, — who employ their pens in bringing about a revolution, a 

 consummation so devoutly to be wished ! 



We shall give but one more extract from the 'Naturalist's Sojourn,' 

 but that one comprises a much more complete history than the uncon- 

 nected paragraphs already cited : and, in conclusion, we have only to 

 XI. u 



