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AGRICULTURE AND BOTANY.

The Practical Norfolk Farmer; describing the Management of a Farm throughout the Year; with Observations founded on Experience. 8vo. pp. 140. 5s. Stevenson and Co. Norwich; Scatcherd and Letterman, London.

THE superiority of the Norfolk system of husbandry is so generally admitted, that, notwithstanding the numerous volumes which have been written on it, a brief and accurate account, like that contained in this work, of the different process adopted during each month in the year, must still be very convenient to farmers and agriculturists in general. The author has modestly concealed his name; but he assures us, that his "observations are such as have occurred during 30 years experience as a practical farmer on the different soils of the county." This book bears internal evidence of the truth of his assertion, as it is devoted to a full and impartial statement of facts, without any alloy of theoretical speculation garbled from ill understood works on chemistry. Our Norfolk farmer begins the agricultural year with September, and details the nature and order of the business of his farm during every succeeding month till the August following, describing the methods of preparing manure, . tilling, planting, reaping, &c. with considerable neatness and perspicuity. We shall extract the author's account of the "different courses of farming" in Norfolk.

"The turnip system of husbandry, as it is usually termed, has prevailed in this county for near a century with unrivalled success, and would with the same attention, no doubt, be found as beneficial in different parts of the kingdom. In the south part of the county, the land consisting of a strong clay, the four-course husbandry prevails; 1st. of turnips, 2d. barley or oats, 3d. clover, and 4th. wheat. Where beans can be grown with advantage, they pursue the following method; 1st. turnips, 2d. barley or oats, 3d. clover, 4th. wheat, 5th. beans, 6th. wheat. The five-course husbandry is often practised here: 1st. turnips, 2d. barley or oats, 3d. clover, 4th. wheat, 5th. barley or oats, and invariably manure for their turnip and wheat crops.

"In the south-west part of it, where the land is light and the success of their crops depends in a great measure on the sheep, they pursue the following course; 1st. turnips; 2d. barley; 3d. grasses, a considerable part of which is fed; 4th. grasses fed; and 5th. wheat or rye. By this system a fifth part of the land is with turnips and two fifths with grass, and a greater quantity of sheep fed than by any other method, and the turnips being sowed from wheat stubble, produces a superior crop than, from the appearance of the soil, could be supposed.

"In the east part, the four-course husbandry is practised: the land being ploughed up for wheat, after the first year layer, on the clover stubble; this district consists chiefly of a good loam, but in those parts of it which is lighter, the six-course husbandry prevails.

"In the west, north, and north-west, which comprise the most considerable part of the county, the six-course husbandry, with few exceptions, is adhered to: 1st. turnips; 2d. barley or oats laid down with clover and grasses; 3d. clover and grasses mowed; 4th. grasses fed; 5th. wheat; 6th. barley or oats. This excellent system, the best adapted for the soil, which consists chiefly of a sandy loam, ought never to be deviated from; and as, in these districts, the quantity of pasture and meadows is inadequate to the arable land to that in the south parts, a greater quantity of stock can be fed."

This volume, which is printed by the publishers at Norwich, and dedicated to T. W. Coke, Esq. M. P. is much more elegant than many of our London works. It looks, indeed, as if it were designed to be read; all the letters are of a bright and deep black, and cor sequently will neither fatigue the eyes nor exhaust the patience in making out the words, like many (we had almost said most) of the books printed in the metropolis. We are happy to find that this useful style of printing is becoming very general, not only in Scotland, but throughout the whole country.

The English Botanist's Pocket Companion; containing the essential genuine Characters of every British Plant, arranged agreeably to the Lannæan System; together with a short and easy Introduction to the Study of Botany, and an Explanation of the Principles upon which the Classification of the Sexual System is founded. By James Dede. 12mo. pp. 152. 4s. Hatchard. 1809.

NUMEROUS compilations have lately been offered to the public under the convenient title of " Botanical Pocket-books," &c.; but very few, if any of them, are in the least calculated either to facilitate the accquisition of this science, or to initiate tyros in the rudiments of botanical knowledge. They contain, indeed, something of the sexual system, but it may be doubted whether their' meagre abstract of it be not much more difficult to comprehend and apply to practice than the complete work. Such compilations are beneath the attention of professed botanists; and to students they are almost unintelligible; they are also confined to mere nomenclature, a circumstance which has very considerably injured and impeded the progress of botanical knowledge. The valuable work of Withering is too voluminous for common use; but Dr. Smith's able "Introduction," which we have recently noticed, will be found equally useful and attracting to lovers of vegetable nature. With respect to Mr. Dede's "English Botanist's Pocket Companion," it is not too much to say, that it is in general greatly superior to most similar works, that the classes are intelligibly defined, the common uses of British plants noticed, and their orders and genera explained and described. The author acknowledges his obligations to Withering's arrangement, which he has adopted with some slight and judicious alterations. Had Mr. Dede added the names of all the known English species of plants, it would not have augmented the size of his work, so much as it would have contributed. to its utility.

EDUCATION.

Institutes of Latin Grammar. By John Grant, A.M. 8vo. pp. 404. Longman and Co. 180s.

ONE of the greatest obstacles to the rapid acquisition of Latin, is the too general conviction that, as it is "a dead language," it is both unnecessary and impossible to speak it. Under this impression

almost all our Latin grammars have been composed, and are still used, although it is evident, from the short period in which persons learn Italian or German (which are very little less difficult), that to endeavour to speak would be the speediest mode of becoming good Latinists. Mr. Grant, we suspect, had not precisely this object in view, in composing these "Institutes;" Institutes;" yet he has done for the students of Latin very nearly what Chambaud did for those of French, in furnishing a comprehensive collection of rules illustrated by examples, either for translating or writing Latin. It will not be expected, that we should attempt to analyse so copious and multifarious a work, which professes rather to contain what is useful than original. We can therefore only observe, that to persons who have made some progress in the study of Latin, to tutors and others who may wish to improve their grammatical knowledge, Mr. Grant's Institutes will be found more useful than any similar English work with which we are acquainted. The lists of the variously construed neuter verbs will tend to obviate many of those perplexing difficulties which, at first, beset young grammarians, and assist them in comprehending the real import of several idiomatical expressions. We had prepared some observations on the author's "remarks on the classification of certain verbs," which are sensible and judicious; but it would extend this article to an inordinate length to insert them. The general merit and utility of this volume, and the immense number of words and idioms which are illustrated in it, make us regret that the author has not subjoined a verbal index, which would have added considerably to its perspicuity, and also enabled the reader to have turned to all the different pages in which the same word may occur, although for different purposes. The advantage of appendage is so obvious, that we presume the ingenious author will yet adopt it. The work, we must say, is shamefully printed, although on good paper; many pages are so pale and colourless, that the accents and Greek characters are scarcely discernible. It is very dishonest to print school books in such a manner, as they must be illegible with a few days' usage.

such an

The Stranger's East-Indian Guide to the Hindoostance; or grand popular Language of India (improperly called Moors). By John Borthwick Gilchrist, Esq. LL. D. Author of the Hindoostanee Philology, Indian Monitor, &c. Second Edition. 8vo.

pp. 226. 9s. Black, Parry, and Kingsbury. 1808.

THE talents of Professor Gilchrist are well known to all persons acquainted with India affairs; and this new edition of his excellent

"Guide to the Hindoostanee," will be gratefully received by all those of either sex who intend to visit the British possessions in the East, or who devote their attention to the study of the oriental languages. The great and arduous labour of reducing such a language to grammatical rules, adapting English characters to express their sounds, and compiling dialogues, must be evident to every reader. The Hindoostanee is by far the most generally useful language in the East; and there are few persons, we are told by Mr. Bayley, "between Cape Comorin and Kabool, a country about 2000 miles long and 1400 broad, who are not conversant in the Hindoostanee; and in many places beyond the Ganges, this language is current and familiar." Dr. Gilchrist's Guide is allowed to be the plainest introduction to the knowledge of Hindoostanee ever published." When we state that to this concise grammar are added a copious vocabulary of English and Hindoostanee, and Hindoostanee and English exercises, poetica! pieces, &c. we presume that all classes of persons, going or trading to India, will find it well worthy of their attention.

POETRY.

The Poems of Rickard Corbet, late Bishop of Oxford and of Norwich. The fourth Edition, with considerable Additions. To which are now added "Oratio in funus Henrici Principis," from Ashmole's Museum. Biographical Notes, and a Life of the Author. By Octavius Gilchrist, F. S. A. 8vo. pp. 340. 8s. Longman & Co.

1808.

WHEN we noticed the excellent tract in defence of Ben Jonson, by Mr. Gilchrist, we could not help expressing our wish that the author would pursue his researches, and favour the public with a more extensive work. The present volume had then appeared, and we can trace, in the well-written life of the worthy bishop, the same felicity of illustration, the same happy talent of extracting all the wit and humour without any of the verbiage of ancient writers, which are so conspicuous in the defence of Jonson. Bishop Corbet was born at Ewell, Surrey, in 1582, and died at Norwich in 1635. His poetical effusions were never intended for publication, yet we apprehend that the reader will not be dissatisfied at Mr. Gilchrist for bringing them before the public in a more complete and collected manner than they have hitherto appeared. Seventeen of the pieces here published, besides the original account of the author's life, and several curious notes and illustrations, are not contained in any other collection of the bishop's poems. "His panegyric," observes Mr. Gilchrist, "is liberal without grossness, and complimentary without servility; his satires on the Puritans, a pestilent race, evince his skill in severe and Judicrous reproof: and the addresses to his son and parents, while they are proofs of his filial and parental regard, bear testimony to his command over the finer feelings. But the predominant faculty

of his mind was wit." It is impossible to convey any adequate idea of these memoirs and illustrations, by an analysis; we shall therefore extract one of the short poems.

"To the Ghost of Robert Wisdome. "Thou, once a body, now but aire, Arch-botcher of a psalme or prayer,

From Carfax come:

And patch me up a zealous lay,
With an old ever and for ay,

Or, all and some.

Or such a spirit lend mee,

As may a hymne downe send mee,

To purge my braine:

So, Robert, look behind thee,

Least Turke or Pope doe find thee,

And goe to bed again."

We lament that a portrait of the learned and ingenious bishop is not attached to this volume, particularly as it is said that he had 66 a face which might heaven to affection draw." Such an addi

tion was practicable, as there is an acknowledged good one of him in the hall of Christ Church, Oxford.

The Council of Hogs, a descriptive Poem, containing a patriotic Oration to the Swinish Multitude. 8vo. pp. 16. 1s. Hatchard.

1809.

UNHAPPILY this is not the age for chaste and delicate satire, still less is this a proper subject for it. It is vain to talk of honour, truth, consistency, justice, and such like things, to those who can feel only a "cat o'-nine-tails." In other times we should have expected the author's well-designed poem would have been useful in exposing the nefarious practices of unprincipled men; but vice is become too callous, too gigantic to be shamed by a simply ludicrous contrast with virtue.

The Flowers at Court. By Mrs. Reeve. Small 8vo. pp. 30. 2s. 6d. Baldwin. 1809.

MRS. REEVE very justly thought that the Court of Flora should not pass uncelebrated; and that the subject might not only be amusing, but instructive, in the science of botany. Should she succeed in drawing but one hapless fair one from the naturally debilitating and necessarily vitiating music-mania of the day, she will have done some positive good to her kind. The preceding works of this nature are thus introduced:

"In a bow'r where the Rose and the Eglantine twin'd,
Sad and pensive the once laughing Goddess reclin'd;
To her, Gossip Rumour had whisper'd the tale
That the Peacock in splendour his friends would regale;
That the Grasshopper boasted of having his feasts,
And that concerts and balls had been given by beasts;

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