648 Retrofpect of American 
MISCELLANIES. 
A. fourth volume has been publifhed of 
the ‘* Tranfactions of the American Phi- 
lofphical Society held: at Philadelphia, for 
promoting ufeful Knowledge.” We are 
truly happy to view the labors of this fo- 
ciety, and to remark that, far from fainting, 
they every day grow ftronger and more ar- 
dent in the purfuit of knowledge. In the 
prefent volume are 76 effays on various 
fubjeéts, but chiefly on thofe of a phyfi- 
cal and mathematical nature. Dr. BusH- 
NEL is the author of one (which it is to 
be feared will excite t:0 much attention) 
<*-On the Genral Principles and Con- 
ftruction of a Submarine Veffel.”” The 
fole object of this invention is a warlike 
one! . Several experiments have been 
tried with this fecret engine of deftruc- 
tion, which give reafon to apprehend that 
it may be carried to a pitch of fatal im- 
provement, 
_ §* Eifays and Notes on Hufbandry and 
Rural Affairs, by J. B. BorpDLey.” 
The vaft extent of fertile foil which 
America contains,'and the difficulty fo 
commonly lamented of procuring hands 
for cultivation, loudly call for attention to 
agricultural concerns: it is but within 
a few years that agriculture has been fiv- 
ied in our own country, where the varie- 
ties of foil and climate prefent no difficul- 
ties comparable with thofe which muft 
arife from the infinite diverfity of them 
on the continent of America, where the 
rude flate of agriculture has been con- 
fiantly remarked by European travellers. 
Mr. Bordley has called the attention 
of his countrymen to this very important 
fubject ; and though his volume prefents 
bur littlé novelty tous who have ad- 
vanced fo many fteps before our tranfat- 
Jantic brethren; yet muft it be confidered 
by them, as it really and intrinfically is, a 
very valuable work. 
cation confifts of effays, written at different 
times, and of various experiments which 
the author has made: there is of courfe 
but. little arrangement, yet the whole 
bears evident marks of intelligence and 
ood fenfe, 
The gth of July is the anniverfary of 
American Independence; that moft glo- 
rigus event is commemorated throughout 
the United States with a degree of tri- 
umph, folemnity, and thankfeiving, high- 
ly appropriate to the occafion.. It feems, 
that in the various towns and villages an 
orator is folicited by the inhabitants to 
celebrate the atchievements and +evive the 
Unconquerable {pirit of their. anceftors ; 
9 
, 
The prefent publi- . 
Litevature—Mi/cellaniese 
thefe orations are afterwards many of 
them pudlifhed; and though they cannot 
be fuppofed to embrace much collateral | 
Matter, or to differ very materially from 
- each other, ftill the publication of them, as 
a tefl of their reception by various and very 
numerous audiences, is grateful to the 
friends of freedom. It'is tobe remarked, 
that almoft all the publifhed orations “en- 
deavour to excite a ftrong jealoufy againft 
the ruling powers of France: they dwell 
particuiarly on the prefent condition of 
America in relation to that country, and 
with very few exceptions, breathe hatred 
of its politics, and contempt of its philo- 
fophy. #2 . we 
It will be fufficient to enumerate a few _ 
of thefe. Dr. Samuer L.MitrcuHitt’s 
“« Addrefs to the City of New York on 
- the twenty-third anniverfary of American 
Independence,” is an admonitory difcourfe 
of much merit. The author enlarges to 
his audience on the ‘charaéteriftic traits of 
republican governments—the virtues and 
the vices by which they are commonly 
diftinguifhed, and confequently recom- 
mends the encouragement of the former and 
the repreffion of the latter. Mr. Lewis, 
a tutor of Yale College, has publithed an 
Oration on the fame patriotig feftival; as 
have Mr. Brown of Hartford, Mr. 
Quincy of Bofton, Mr. DaGcGeET, of 
New Haven, Mr. Lovett, jun. of Bof- 
ton, &c. &c. &c. 
To the facred memory of George 
Washington, the founder and the father of 
his country, many a tribute of eloquence 
has been paid: the emulation is honor- 
able, who fhall beft defcribe the charaéter 
and record the virtues of that great man, 
** over whofe tomb,” it has been elegantly 
obferved, ‘* the fpell of party is diffolved ; 
the conflicts of oppofing politicians are 
fufpended, and the American people with: 
one heart, and with all the ardor of filial 
affection and gratitude crowd around to 
_do honor to his afhes.”” Governor Mor- 
RIs has publifhed, at the requeft of 
the Corporation of the City of New York, 
the ** Oration,» which, alfo by their‘ re- 
* queft, he delivered on the death of Gene- 
ral Wathington. The author, from his 
knowledge of numerous feenes in which 
Wafhington was engaged, was well qua- 
lified to fketch ‘the hero in ‘various atti- 
tudes, and this may unqueftionably be 
confidered as the moft animated and pe- 
lithed compofition of any which have ap- 
peared. - If it has any fault, it is the too 
obvious appearance of being labored: 
there is too much peetry for the pee 
an 
