Retrofped of Domefic Literature. 
Mr. Craryam’s, “On the Sinfulnefs 
of with-holding Corn,’’ in this feafon of 
fcarcity; Dr. Regs’, * On Economy ;” 
Mr. WELBELOVED’s, “On the Prin- 
ciples of Catholics and Unitarians,” and 
Mr. Denwnis’s, “ On the Neceffity of 
Religious Education.” 
BroGRAPHY. 4 
The late Prefident of the American 
republic has hitherto had no biographer 
worthy to record his charaéter as a poli- 
tician, a general, and a citizen. Scarcely, 
indeed, has time fufficient elapfed fince 
the lamented death of that great man, for 
a collection to have been formed of thofe 
various and ample materials which are 
neceffary. to write 2 hiftory of hic life. 
We muft confefs ourfelves to have been 
a little vexed, thata Mr. Cory should 
have prefumed in a three-and-fixpenny 
pamphlet to give the ‘* Life of General 
Wathington.” In faét, his work is little 
More than an abbreviated account of the 
American War ; an event which has cer- 
tainly had its full fhare of hiftorians. 
We ought to have noticed before, the 
publication of ‘ Memoirs of Mark Hil- 
defley, D.D. and Bifhop of Soder and 
Mann,” by the Rev. WEEDEN Bur- 
LER. The life of this pious prelate af- 
forded but few fubjeéts for hiftory : the 
great objects of his life feem to have been 
the tranflation of the Old and New 
Teftaments, together with the Commen 
Prayer, into the Manks language. This 
work was begun by Bifhop Wilfon, and 
was completed under the aufpices of 
Bithop HILDERSLEY, who had {carcely 
received the laft part of the tranflation, 
when he was feized with a ftroke of 
apoplexy, which in a fhort time carried 
him into another world. In the bulky 
appendix to this Biographical Memoir, 
are numerous letters which will illuftrate 
the character of this worthy prelate. 
~Dr. Warkrns has publithed in one 
large oftavo volume, “ An univerfal 
Biographical and Hiftorical Diétionary, 
é&¢."" “The beft authorities appear to have 
been confulted, and the compiler has in- 
corporated in his volume, an account of 
the Revolutions which have taken place 
in ftates, and the fucceffion of fovereign 
princes, ancient and modern. It may be 
confidered as anufefuland refpeétable per- 
formance, and will doubtlefs be placed in 
every library, befide the geographical ga- 
zeteers, to which it is a proper {upple- 
ment and companion, ~ 
. Narurat History. 
On the fubjeé& of this interefting fci- 
¢nce, Dr. SHaw has commenced a work 
Biography,—Natural Hiftory. 599 
which is likely to be a valuable addition 
to our libraries; it is entitled “ General 
Zoology, or Sy ftematic Natural Hiftory,” 
with plates from the firft authorities, and 
moft {elect fpecimens. Two volumes on- 
ly of this work, which will probably ex- 
tend to cight or ten, have yet made their 
appearance. Dr. SHaw commences his 
feries with the hiftory of quadrupeds, 
and propofes to proceed in a fyftematic 
order with birds, amphibia, fithes, in- 
fects, vermes, teftacea, zoophytes, &c. &c. 
The adoption of the Linnean arranges 
ment may be theaght by'fome perfens to 
have given the author an advantage over 
the valuable works of Pennant and Buf- 
fon, as unquettionably has the introduce 
tion of feveral new fpecies, particularly 
from New Holland, which have lately 
been made known to European Natu- 
ralifts. The figures which adorn this 
worl: are drawn with a {pirited and faithe 
ful pencil, but the defcriptions which are 
given of the different animals ere not fo 
entertaining as they might have been, 
had the author more frequently inter. 
{perfed thofe little anecdotes which il- 
luftrate the habits and manners, and af- 
ford, as it were, a biography of the animals, 
Mr. Huiy’s “ Elements of Botany” 
is a very elegant, and a very accurate 
work ; he has introduced the difcoveries 
of Hepwic, refpecting the fruciificae 
tion of moffes, the various improvements 
of Geertner and of Perfoon. Thunberg 
referred the plants in the claffes gy~ 
nandria, monoecia, dicecia, polygamia, 
to the claffes and orders pointed out b 
the number of ftaminaand piftilla. This 
innovation Mr. HuLu has rejected. Ie 
will be recollected, by thofe who have 
read Mr. DaRwin’s Paytologia, that 
that gentleman has fuggefted a plan for 
difpofing part of the vegetable fyftem of 
Lianeus into more natural clafles and 
orders. He confiders thofe clafes of plants 
which are diftinguithed by the properties 
and fituation of the ftamina, to be more 
natural than thofe which are diftingwithed 
by their number: for the fexual organs 
are in this refpeét fubjeét to much varia- 
tion from the luxuriant growth of man 
cultivated flowers; and feveral of the 
Jpecies alfo of plants have but half the 
number of fiamina, which other fpecies 
of the fame genus poffefs. Nor are the 
piftilla more certain as criteria of orders, 
than the ftamina are as criteria of claffes, 
Dr. Darwry reafons ingenioufly to fhow 
that the proportion and fiiuaiion of the tae 
mina are lefs fubjeét to variation than 
tis number, Whe charaéters of orders 
4lie2 he 
