Retroped of Domeftic Literature-—Philofophy. 
refpondents has thrown out, that the 
maltfter might find his advantage in com- 
municating to his heap of grow barley, 
fuch a portion of oxygen as would ftimu- 
fate into aétion its injured and faint prin- 
ciple of vitality. Itis of the utmoft con- 
fequence, however, to remember, that in 
proportion as the fimall quantity of oxy- 
genated muriatic acid diffufed through 
the exhaufted water is of advantage to 
vegetation, fo is it noxious to plants 
when in the form of gas or vapour: 
plants, fays Des Charmes, which are ex- 
pofed to this elaftic fluid inftantly fade 
and perifh. Itis probable that if turnip 
feed were fteeped in water impregnated 
with this oxygenated acid, it might ve- 
getate fo vigoroufly and fo rapidly as to 
refift the ravages of the fly : it might pro- 
bably be of ufe to fteep feed-wheat in this 
water of life, as it may not improperly 
be called, particularly that feed which is 
to be depofited late in the feafon on heavy 
Jands. We muft digrefs no farther, but 
proceed to 
PHILOSOPHY. 
“ Outlines of a Philofophy of the Hif- 
tory of Man, tranflated fromthe German 
of Joon GapFrrey HErpeEr, by T. 
Cuurcuiu.” A fubje& of more dif- 
ficuit inveftigation than that which occu- 
pies thefe pages can hardly be contem- 
plated: Mr. Herder has entered upon it 
with caution, but with that proper degree 
of confidence whicha well-informed mind 
muft ever infpire, and which was abfo- 
lutely neceffary to the completion of fo 
laborious a tafk. In this valuable vo- 
lume, the author has endeavoured to com. 
refs a hiftory of animated nature, and 
chiefly of man in his various forms and 
fituations, either asa natural being, or 
as a gregarious and civilifed one : he en- 
ters into a philofophical enquiry into the 
eaufes of the variations obfervable in dif- 
ferent races of the human fpecies, and 
brings forward an immenfe colleétion of 
the moft curious and interefting faéts. 
The work opens with a general hiftory 
of the earth as a planet, and as the ha- 
bitation of animated beings: the author 
next confiders the ftruéture of vegetables, 
and by gradation proceeds to that of man, 
whofe organization as a rational creature 
capable of attaining arts and languages 
is. next treated of. Throughout the whole 
of this work, on the contents of which 
we are forry to be reftriéted from expa- 
tlating, the author feems fincerely earne ft 
to promote the pureft religion and the 
Wasmeft benevolence. It is but juftice 
Oo. 
to fay, that the tafk of the tranflator is 
executed with great ability. 
Mr. Pearson has publifhed fome pro. 
found and ingenious “ Remarks on the 
Theory of Morals ;’’ in which he has 
entered into a fevere examination of the 
theoretical part of Dr. Paley’s * Princi- 
ples of Moral and Political Philofophy,” 
and has fhewn, we think almoft demon- 
 ftratively, that the definition which that 
moralift has given of virtue is objection- 
able in all its parts, and that general uit- 
dity, as the rule and criterion of virtue, is 
little lefs exceptionable than the defini- 
tion itfelf, [he works both of Dr. Pa- 
ley and Mr. Pearfon are in many refpeéts 
truly excellent, but there are parts in 
both of them which are not likely to ob- 
tain general approbation. The ftyle of | 
the prefent work is not very inviting, 
the inveftigation is dry and minute, and 
has not received that polifh, and thofe 
ornaments of diétion, which might have 
made it a popular performance. 
In’ the advertifement to his Botanic 
Garden, Dr. DARWIN told us that the 
principal objeét of his work was to %‘ in- 
lift imagination under the banners of 
{cience :” the youthful recruit is fo well 
pleafed with her commander that fhe ftill 
continues the fervice; Dr. Darwin’s 
‘* Phytologia, or the Philofophy of Agri- 
culture and Gardening,” is a work in 
every page of which fome curious hypo- 
thefis, fome fanciful theory, ftartles and 
amufes us: the author has now reached a 
venerable old age, and we are happy to 
fee that his imagination 1s yet lively as 
eyer, and his intelleétual faculties clear 
and unclouded as the morning of May. 
The Phytologia is divided into three 
parts : the firft treats of the phyfiology of 
vegetation ; this is fubdivided into fec- 
tions, in the /fr/f of which, the author en~ 
deavours to prove the individuality of the 
buds of vegetables ; in the fecond, their 
abforbent veffels; ‘iii. Their umbilical 
veffels ; iv. Their pulmonary arteries and 
veins; v. Their aortal arteries and veins ; 
vi. Their glands and fecretions; vi. 
Their organs of reproduétion ; vili. Their 
mufcles, nerves, and brain: the fecond 
part difcuffes the economy of vegetation, 
the feétions of which treat, 1. Of the 
growth of feeds, buds, and bulbs ; 11. OF 
manures, or the food of plants; i. OF 
draining and watering lands, iv. Of 
aeration and pulverization of the foil ; 
v. OF light, heat, and eleétricity ; vi. OF 
the difeafes of plants. The third part 
treats of agriculture and horticulture 5 is 
‘ tae 
