Vol. VV.) Retrofpeé? of French Literature.—Travels. 
Pyrennées in 1788 and 178g, illuftrating 
the Natural Hiftory of a Part of ‘thefe 
Mountains, with Maps, by Francis Pafu- 
mot, 8vo. 
Voyage dans I Interieur des Etats Unis, 
&c. A Journey to the Interior Parts of 
the United States of America, during the 
Summer of 1791, by F. M. Bazard, 8vo. 
America is to a philofopher what Italy is 
to an amateur, replete with interefting 
f{ubjeéts of obfervation. Bazard offers 
important additions to the accounts given 
by Chatelleux and Briffot. He now par- 
, ticularly confiders the private life, the la- 
bours, and amufements, of the American 
people. Iris only to be regretted, that 
the work is too fhort. 
Voyage en Angleterre, &c. A Voyage 
to England, Scotland, and the Hebrides, 
chiefly illuftrative of the Sciences and 
Arts, Natural Hiftory, and Manners, by 
B. Faujas St. Fond, 2 vols. 8vo. with 
Plates. The author of this interefting 
work had before diftinguifhed himfelf by 
his refearches concerning volcanos, and 
other topics of mineralogy. Arrived at 
London, our traveller becomes acquainted 
with Sir Jofeph Banks, Mr. Whitehurft, 
and Mr. Cavallo; and he gives a parti- 
cular account of Mr. Sheldon’s mummy 
of his miltrefs. He afterwards goes to 
Greenwich, and to the more important 
ebfervatory of Mr. Herfchel, at Slough. 
Kew gardens are next delineated, in the 
glowing colours of an enchanted botanift. 
The Britith Mufeum he defcribes as an 
il-arranged mafs of curious produétions 
of nature and art. The opticians, Ramf- 
den, Dollond, Nairn, the manufaétures of 
Wedgwood in clay, and Parker in glafs, 
fuccetfively engage his attention. ‘The 
refpe€table clafs of Quakers, innocent of 
the fafhionable crime of murder, is men- 
tioned with due refpeét. 
But the chief objeét of this journey was 
to infpeét the volcanic appearances in 
Scotland, and particularly the ifland of 
Staffa. Our ingenious traveller proceeds 
to Newcaftle, and dwells, with compla- 
cency, on the grand mineralogic operations 
there difplayed ; nor can he refrain from 
pointing out to his countrymen the nu- 
merous advantages that would arife, if 
the coal-mines in France were explored. 
Arrived at Edinburgh, his firft object is 
to vifit the greateft iron-foundry in Eu- 
rope, that at Carron; the grandeur of the 
objeéts is delineated in correfponding lan- 
guage : **J with,” fays M. Faujas, ‘that 
the painter of Vefuvius, that Voltaire, 
who has fo well-defcribed the effeéts of 
that volcano, in its ftrongeft \noéturnal 
Monrury Mas, No, XXXIII. 
.trafted with thofe of the Englith. 
$37 
eruptions, could have exercifed his pencils 
on this artificial volcano, not lefs ftnking 
in its effeéts than the other.” -He after- 
wards vifits Sterling, the ancient refidence 
of the Scottifh monarchs : but the inflamed 
coal-mines at Culros (erroneoufly put 
Kukroos) prefent obje&ts more analagous 
to his purfuits. Thefe mines extend 
under the fea, a phenomena which fut- 
prifes M. Faujas, who had not vifited 
Whitehaven. Whence he proceeds to the 
Highlands; he is ftruck with the fingular 
dreffes and manners of the inhabitants, 
and pleafed with their hofpitality : for 
their monotonous mufic he, however, ex- 
preffes preat contempt. At Oban he em- 
barks for Mull;. and terminates his 
voyage at Staffa, which ftrikes him as the 
moft fublime volcanic produétion in the 
world. 
On his return to Mull, he difcovers an- 
other great volcanic appearance, ‘‘ This is 
a kind of circus on the ancient plan, form- 
ed by natural walls of bafaltro, rifing 
vertically with fuch regularity, that it is 
difficult at firft to conceive that it is nota 
work of art and induftry; but all the 
power of human ftrength, aflifted by me- 
chanical means, could not move fuch enor- 
mous maffes, the productions of fie, 
which, inftead of deftroying, has formed 
refults analogous to creation.—Another 
point, not lefs curious, is, that the adja- 
cent objeéts which accompany this fingular 
produétion of fubterraneous fire, feem as 
if placed by defign in the neighbourhood, 
on purpofe to explain the problem of its 
formation.” The columns are near 
twenty-fix feet high, and about feven feet 
broad; the length is eighty-nine, breadth 
feventy-fix, feet. ‘This circus is 102 
feet from the fea, on a {mall eminence 
formed of lava. The manners and cuf- 
toms of the Scottifh iflanders are con= 
In re- 
turning through the Highlands he obferves 
numerous volcanic appearances. He croffes 
to Lock Tay, where pearls are found, and 
points out to the fifhers a mode of difcern- 
ing the fhells which contain pearls, by the 
perforations of an infeét obfervable on the 
outfide. Perth and St. Andrews are af- 
terwards defcribed. M. Faujas returns 
to Edinburgh, and forms an acquaintance 
with feveral men of fcience. Dy. Cullen 
recommends to him the ufe ef punch, as 
an excellent warm ftimulant in cold and 
wet feafons. He is prefent at the trial of 
fkill on the bagpipe, exhibited by the 
Highland Society, and expreffes his afto- 
nifhment at thé barbarifm of the mufic ; 
indeed, to preferve the old mufic, or jan» 
3 & guazey 
i 
