REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
47 
have been of opinion that this Continent was inhabited by a gigantic race of 
men antecedently to the Indians, who were the ancestors of the present so-called 
“ aborigines and the circumstance of colossal skeletons and human bones being 
found in the ancient mounds of the far west would seem to favour the supposition. 
It is clear that the ancient animals of North America were of immense size, the 
Mastodon to wit, the bones of which are quite common; and the Indian tribes 
have traditions of “ the great beast that crushed the Pine-trees in his walk, and 
fed upon the tall branches of the forest, or devoured men and cattle/' 
REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Letters on the Natural History of the Insects mentioned in Shakspeare s Plays. 
With incidental Notices of the Entomology of Ireland. By Robert Patterson, 
Treasurer of the Natural History Society of Belfast. London: Wm. S. Orr and 
Co., Paternoster-Row. 1838. 12mo. pp. 270. 
If this volume was published with the view of proving Skakspeare to be a good 
entomologist, we must think the author has failed in his object. The mighty 
bard noticed Beetles flying abroad at dusk, and makes incidental mention of Flies, 
Earth-worms, Sic., with which every one is presumed to be familiar. He had 
no title to the term “naturalist,” because he knew only what the world in general 
had observed equally with himself. Some writers seem to imagine that unless 
they can prove Shakspeare’s plays to testify an intimate acquaintance with 
every subject under the sun, they are of little worth. We think differently. At 
the same time, there can be no objection whatever to selecting any work, and 
describing the insects therein cursorily mentioned. On the contrary, if such a 
course will please the public, and attract fresh votaries to the temple of science, 
the plan has our sincere approbation. We may suggest that Thomson’s admirable 
Seasons would form an excellent basis for such a volume. His observations on 
Natural History are frequent, accurate, and minute. 
These Letters were read by the author, as papers, at the Belfast Natural 
History Society. They are supposed to be addressed by him to a Rev. friend in 
the country, with the view of inducing him to take an interest in Entomology. 
At p. 14, Mr. Patterson observes to his clerical correspondent:— c< To you, who 
want occupation, the study would produce a different but equally beneficial 
result.” What a satire upon our schools and Universities, that a clergyman, of 
all men in the world, should “ want occupation” ! But the picture is too true of 
a great proportion of those whose only claim to being well-educated consists in 
