Retrofpec? of American Literature. 643 
land, drawn up from the communications of 
the minifters of the different parifhes, as a 
book of reference. This account of the 
different parifhes of Scotland, ‘* wribout 
a fingle one being omitted,’ is highly va- 
luable, and it is made peculiarly fo by the 
general Index at the end. The worthy 
Baronet we underftand, in order to ren- 
der the contents of this work more ge- 
nerally ufeful, inftead of refting after his 
labors, has aétually begun an Analyfis 
of thefe accounts, in which he defigns 10 
give the refult of this minute inquiry in- 
to the ftate of North Britain. 
Mr. BRoWELL has given \us ‘* An 
Account of the Navies of foreign Powers, 
particularly thofe of France, Spain, and 
Batavia, now at War with Great Britain: 
including a Lift of Frigates, Corvettes, 
and Sloops: alfo, the Navies‘of Rufha, 
Sweden, Denmark, and. Naples, with a 
Comparative State of the Line of Battle 
Ships in the laft War, and the prefent 
State of the Britifh Navy.”? The greater 
part of this pamphlet is occupied by the 
French Navy, and the author ftates that 
his principal defign is to expofe an artifice 
practifed by the French, who frequently 
change the names of their fhips, in order, 
as he fays, to deceive’ the world, and 
make their navy appear more formidable 
than it really 1s. 
The firt volume is publifhed of * An 
Account of the Operations carried on for 
accomplifhing a Trigonometrical Survey 
of England and Wales, from the Com- 
mencement of the Year 1734, to the End 
of the Year 1796.” Thefe Memoirs 
were originally publifhed in the Phi- 
lofophical Tranfactions, from which 
work, with a view to more. general cir- 
culation, they are now extracted and re- 
vifed by Captain WiLtLt1am MupGes, 
F.R.S. and Mr. Isaac DatsBy. The 
prefent volume, the plates of which are 
twenty-two in number, and well exe- 
cuted ; contains a meafurement of the 
bafe on Hounflow Heath, in 1784; Tn- 
gonometrical Operations in 1787, 17¢ 
Trigonometrical Survey, 1791, 17943 
Trigonometrical Survey, 1795, 1796. 
Tuomas NorTHMORE, Efq. has given 
ta the public, a *‘ Quadruplet” of very 
ingenious inventions, confifting, I. Of a 
Defcription of a Noéturnal or Diurnal 
Telegraph :—II. A Propofal for an Uni- 
verfal Charaéter:—lIl. An Eafy and 
Praétical Contrivance for preventing Boats 
from Sinking:—-and IV, A Scheme torfaci- 
litating the Progrefs of Science, exemplified 
in the Ofteological Part of Anatomy. 
Henry Mackenzis, Elq. has pre- 
fixed to the firftt volume of Prize-Eflavs 
and Tranfaétions of the Highland Society 
of Scotland ‘“* An Account of the Infti- 
tution and Principal Proceedings of the 
Society ; from which account, and from 
the general contents of the prefent volume, 
it appears that the objet of this liberal 
infitution isto promote the fertility of the 
foil in Scotland by enclofures, and the 
adoption of an improved fyftem of culti- 
vation, to introduce manufactures and en- 
courave arts. In the lift of members 
which is fubjoined we fee numerous 
illuftrious names, and the communications 
in this firft volume abundantly prove that 
the fociety is rich in men of’ talents and 
knowledge. 
The 17th volume has appeared of the 
Tranfa€tions of the Society inftituted at 
London for the encouragement of Arts, 
Manufactures and Commerce, &c. many 
of the premiums offered, in the prefent 
volume by this munificent affociation are 
new, and many are increafed in value. 
We cannot avoid noticing Mr. Epmunp 
CARTWRIGHT's “Memorial” ‘read to 
the abovementioned Society, and his 
‘‘ Speech” to them, which are publifhed 
together with an Appendix. containing 
Letters from the late Sir William Jones, 
Dr. Thurlow late Bifhop of Durham, 
and other diftinguifhed charaéters.—-- 
Mr. C. a gentleman of great talents and 
high eminence in the literary world, had. 
offered himfelf a candidate as Secretary 
to the Society ; feeling however, in his 
own bofom a conviétion that another can- 
didate, his rival, poffefled qualifications 
for the office and an intereft among the 
members fuperior to his own—a convic- 
tion, the juftnefs of which, may without 
any difparagement to that rival, be fairly 
queftioned—he refigned his pretenfions, 
and Mr. CuarLes TA¥Lor from Lan- 
cafhire, than whom a more proper perfor 
could not poffibly have been nominated, 
was in confequence eleéted. Thisme- 
morial of Mr. Cartwright doés great ho- 
nor to his liberality and eandor as well as 
to his genius and underftanding. 

" HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT 
ee cultivation of letters to any: con- 
fiderable effet is incompatible with 
fhe avocgticns of aman whole bread de- 
OF AMERICAN LITERATURE. 
pends on his induftry and fuccefs in the 
ordinary purfuits and. bufinefs of the 
world, Literature, in fhort, ig a mo 
