636 
and growing, and liable to be cramped _ 
and stunted MY the views of human na- 
ture which 2t continually ‘presents. 
‘There is hole something in all theo- 
retical views of society which tends to 
harden the feelings, and to represent 
man as a-blind part of a blind machine. 
The fraine-work of that great structure 
must, we know, be put together upon 
such principles; and the mere enlarged 
our sphere of action 1s, the more correct 
and luminous ought our notions to be of 
their relative power and importance. 
But by far the greater part of those who 
are educated for active professions have 
less occasion for contemplating these 
abstract notions, than for adapting 
themselves promptly to the limited rela- 
tions of life in which they are placed ; 
and in which the remedy of evils caused 
by the friction of the machine and by 
external accident, requires not that com- 
prehensive view of its whole construction 
to be for ever present to the mind. It 
is not then that I would keep these truths 
out of sight, it is not then that I would 
deny the uulity of them in every sphere 
and condition; but where a choice-is 
Jeft us among many pursuits, all of which 
are in their several degrees beneficial}, I 
would be very cautious how that was 
singled out and made predominant, 
which is so prone to usurp over the rest, 
and the abuse of which is not a laughe 
able, but a serious, evil.” 
Another curious work in this class will 
be found in Mr. Weston’s “ Remazns of 
Arabic in the Spanish and Porluguese 
Languages. With a Sketch, by way of 
Introduction, of the History of Spain 
from the Expulsion of the Moors. Also 
Extracts from the Original Letlers in 
Arabic toand from Don Manoueel and 
his Governors in India and Africa: fol- 
lowed by an Appendix, containing a Spe- 
cimen of the Introduction. to the “Hitopa- 
desa translated inio thrce Languages, the 
principal Metre of which is that of ihe 
Sanserit.”. Intheappendix, Mr. Weston 
informs us, ‘* the Hitopadesa, or Ami- 
cable Instruction, first knawn by the un- 
meaning appellation of Pilpay, Elephant’s 
Foot, and Bidpay, Fat, or op iay Foot, 
Fables, is the original of /Esop, whose 
rea] name was Eswed or Eeud, from the 
Arabic word. . . black. This strength- 
ens the opinion of the Arabs, that sop 
wasa Nubian or Abyssinian; and makes 
it more than probable, that he and Lok- 
man were one and the same.” 
They who delight in_ philosophical 
speculations, will find much amusement 
Retrospect of Domestic Literature—Miscellanies. 
in a volume of Essays which has appeared 
** On the Sources of the Pleasures se 
JSrom Literary Compositions. ” They ar 
On the Improvement of Taste ; on she 
Imagination, and on the Association of 
Ideas; ‘on the Sublime; on Terror; on 
Pity; on Melancholy; on the Tender 
Affections ; on Beauty; and en the Lu- 
dicrous. The dithculty of such inves- 
tigations needs nv comment on our part. 
In this place we may also notice, ‘<A 
philosophical Inquiry into the Cause, with 
Directions to Cure, the Dry Rot wm 
Buildings, 
tect... ‘This most important subject is 
discussed with mucly ingenuity, and the 
reasonings and experiments contained 
in the little work before us, claim the 
attention of every builder, and every 
gentleman who superintends his own 
works. The author points out the in- 
efficiency of the methods heretofore tried 
to prevent or cure this formidable evil ; 
he then describes the causes which pro-. 
duce it in the first instance, and deter= 
mines the remedy. » Mr. Randall has no 
doubt, from repeated experiments and 
observations, that the Dry Rot, in alk 
cases, arises from a previous state of fer= 
mentation, whence proceeds the come 
plete growth of a fungus Of which the 
dry rot consists. The general remedy 
where the disease has commenced, and 
the prevenjative in all new buildings, is 
oxydation either by means of fire or the 
nitric acid. 
wood oxydated by fire, or,in other words, 
of wood that has been charred, was 
known to the ancients; but as it is im- 
possible to subject many of the parts of 
buildings to the operation of fire, Mr. 
Randall has discovered that the same 
may be effected by the acid process of 
oxydating by affinity. The author has 
givena full explication of his theor y» aud 
laid down such rules for the practice as 
may be understooa and applied by com= 
mon workmen. 
Another work of dpraideeane interest 
in the miscellaneous class, wil! be found 
in * Lllustrations of the Lives and Wria 
tings of Gower and Chaucer ;” oiletion 
from authentic documents, by the Revs 
Henry J. Topp. Of these the first and 
most considerable is the entire manus 
script of Francis ‘Thynne, — entitled 
* Animadversions rpon the Annotations 
and Corrections of some Imperfecténes 
and ImpressGnes of Chaucer’s Workes, 
(sett downe before tyme and nowe) res 
printed in the yere of our Lorde, 1598.” 
The second division of the IJlustrations 
contains 
Se ee ee 
” by James HanDaLL, Archie . 
The indestructibility of. 
aS 
_ 
