from which to most readers they cal inaccuracies. His materials appear will derive no inconsiderable accession to be complete, and he has abundantly of interest, we have been debarred fortified himself with documents. Some from entering into a minute investiga- of these are equally novel and curious. tion of their merits We cannot, how- A part of them were preserved by his ever, conclude our brief and cursory own vigilance; but for a considerable notice of this work without recom- proportion of the more important pamending it, if due allowance be made pers relating to the revolutionary war, for the prejudices under which it was he is indebted to the New-York evidently written, as a copious source Historical Society, who allowed him both of information and amusement. If every facility of access to their valuthe first volume were republished, sepa- able collections, although the General, rately, a considerable edition of it with an ingratitude he would not might readily be sold. have failed to condemn in another, General Wilkinson's style is bold and has omitted an acknowledgment of this fluent, but marred by many grammati- courtesy. ART. 8. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE. Account and Proceedings of the New-York Historical Society. AMONG the literary institutions poses, the Society, on the 11th of March Saml. L. Mitchill, M. D. on Zoology and Geology. David Hosack, M. D. on Botany and Vegetable Physiology. which do honour to this city, (of last, resolved to establish lectureships all of which we propose, as opportunity on the various branches of Natural Hiswill admit, to publish an account,) the tory, and appointed the following genHistorical Society, especially since the tlemen lecturers : extension of its plan, occupies a distinguished rank. Its utility is sufficiently evinced by the volumes of its collections already given to the world;-in embracing the animal, mineral, and vegetable kingdoms within the range of its researches, we may expect from its investigations results proportionably important to the wider scope indulged to inquiry. This Society was incorporated in the year 1804. The objects of the association, as defined in the charter, are 'the collection and preservation of whatever may relate to the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the United States, and of this State in particular.' To carry into effect these pur George Gibbs, Esq. on Mineralogy. Mr. John Griscom, on Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. The reports made to the Society by the Committees, to whose consideration these several subjects were referred, are subjoined. They will serve to exhibit the spirit in which the Society propose to prosecute their design, and will, we trust, excite a correspondent zeal in the public. The reports are accompanied by circular letters from the Chairmen of the respective Committees, intended to be addressed to gentlemen who might probably be able to contribute specimens to their cabinets, or facts to their archives. REPORT ON ZOOLOGY. Pursuant to a resolve of the Historical Society, at the meeting held in the New York Institution, on the 11th day of March, 1817, the Committee on Zoology offered a Report concerning the means of promoting that Department of Natural Science For carrying into effect the design of the Society, measures ought to be adopted to form a cabinet of Zoology. Some of the leading objects are comprehended in the following summary; from which it will appear, that the collection of facts, specimens, draw ings, and books, may be commenced immediately; that all the citizens may be solicited to exert themselves, and that much may be accomplished with very little cost. From the class of Polypes, inhabiting the depths of the ocean, are derived the productions called Zoophytes and Lithophytes.Every article belonging to the Gorgonias and Corals, to the Madrepores and Flustras, and to each of the kindred families, is worthy of a place in the Museum. The Radiary animals furnish productions no less interesting. In particular, the Asterias with its constellation of sea stars, and the Echinus with its brood of sea-urchins, will furnish many species, easy to be gathered, transmitted, and preserved. So little has hitherto been done in relation to our Insects, that almost the whole field of ENTOMOLOGY remains to be cultivated. In an effort to form a collection of these numer. ous swarms, all hands may be employed. There being no particular difficulty either in procuring and preserving these creatures, it may be expected, that in a few years, all the larger animals of this class may be possessed by the Society, and disposed according to the most approved of the modern systems. on a board, it is desirable that at least al examination and description. Important adnew species should be brought forward for ditions may thus be made to our ICHTHYOLOGY. To a people, who already consider their FISHERIES of the utmost importance, both to the States, and to the nation, no additional recommendation is necessary, farther than to ask of our fellow-citizens all manner of communications. Among the amphibious orders, tortoises, frogs, serpents, and lizards, are so easily preserved, that individuals of this kind are solicited from such persons as feel a generous ardour to favour the views of the Society. Contributions towards the history of the Mammalia, may be expected from the fur merchants, furriers, and hunters. Almost every thing known under the titles of FURS and PELTRIES, passes through our city, or is contained within it By application to the proper sources of intelligence, there is a confident expectation of a rich return of all the matters comprised in their respective provinces. It is not generally understood, what extensive and important knowledge, on these subjects, is in store within a great city, ready to be imparted to those who will seek it. Anatomy is the basis of improved Zoolo gy. The classification of animals is founded upon their organization. This can be ascertained only by dissection The use of the knife is recommended for the purpose of acquiring acquaintance with the structure of animals. It is proposed, that the members avail themselves of all opportunities to cultivate COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, and to communicate the result of their labours and researches to the Society. There is, perhaps, no department of the science more replete with novelty and instruction, and with the means of conferring wide and lasting reputation to those who skilfully engage in it. To exhibit and perpetuate the researches of the gentlemen who undertake the arduous task of anatomical examination, the accomThe Crustaceous class will also furnish plishment of SKETCHING and DRAWING is an specimens, easy to be preserved and trans- indispensable qualification. Beyond the reported From the extensive families of Crabs, presentation of internal appearances, wheLobsters, and their congeners, a becoming ther healthy or morbid, this art applies to all diligence will gather abundant supplies. outward forms that stand in need of delineaMolluscous animals make important and tion. It is recommended to the members to elegant contributions to Naturalists. Their procure plates and pictures of natural obunivalve, bivalve, and mutivalve shells, jects, and bring them for safe keeping and commonly survive their authors. Their ar- popular utility, to be placed in the portfolios rangement into genera and species, forms the of the Society. science of CONCHOLOGY. It is recommended that early and persevering pains be bestowed upon this subject, and that these beautiful productions be methodized after the most excellent of the plans that have been proposed. Considering the facility with which fishes may be preserved, by drying their half skins There would be an inexcusable omission in passing over unnoticed, the VETEKINARY ART OF PROFESSION. The diseases of domestic animals are deeply and intimately connected with the property and comfort of man. Every thing that can illustrate or cure the distempers of sheep, neat cattle, horses, swine, dogs, poultry, and of quadrupeds and birds generally, will be highly acceptable. This valuable branch of knowledge, known by the name of Epizootic, deserves more particular cultivation than it has hitherto received among us. BOOKS on the various branches of Natural History, are eminentiy desirable. They will constitute the Library which the Society in tends to form. There can be no doubt that many important volumes, from Aristotle up to Lamarck, might be collected from their scattered sources, if proper pains were taken. It is recommended, that every exertion be made to effectuate this object. Proprietors and authors may frequently be found, willing to be liberal. as soon as they are satisfied that a worthy occasion presents. FOSSILS ought to be collected with particular care. The organic remains of vegetables and animals, imbedded in stone, or buried in the other strata of the earth are frequent in our region. Some of them resemble living species; while others are not known, at present, to be inhabitants of this globe. From the Ocean to the Lakes, they present themselves to the eye of the Geologist Let them be gathered into one body. Let the Mastodons, Crocodiles, Encrinites, Pectinites, Ammo. nites, Belemnites, and other reliques of the extinct races, be assembled and classed, and then let the philosopher survey the whole, and draw wise and pions conclusions. The city of New-York may be considered as a centre surrounded by wonders of this sort; and the great Lakes, with their tributary streams, exhibit testimonials no less surprising and characteristic. Zoological research is promoted in several ways by foreign commerce. Living animals are frequently imported; and these, whenever circumstances are favourable, ought to be examined, and if necessary to be described and figured. Cargoes. and even ballast, often contain excellent specimens, both of the animal and fossil kind. Peculiar creatures are known to inhabit the outer bottoms of vessels, where they may be seen before they are disturbed for the purpose of cleaning and repairing. Sometimes, too, fishes, not usually visiters of our harbours, follow the track of ships from the Ocean, and offer themselves to the curiosity of the Naturalist. All these sources of knowledge deserve to be carefully explored Persons who favour the Society with donations, will be honourably noticed and remembered: their offerings shall be duly registered and labelled. As. from its act of incorporation, it possesses succession and perpetuity the contributions of public spirited individuals are exempted from the fate too often incidental to private establishments. They will endure for a great length of years, and descend to future generations. Remarks on the more elaborate and expensive preparations of Zoology, are reserved for a future report. In the mean time, it is supposed the matters herein suggested, will, for a season, occupy all the industry of the members and their friends The Committee, however, cannot close, without an earnest recommendation to the study of MAN. The migrations of human beings from Tartary, Scandinavia, and Polynesia, to the north-western, north-eastern, and south-western regions of America, merit extraordinary attention. There is nothing extravagant in the belief, that colonies, or bands of adventurers, by the way of the Aleutian Islands. the shores of Greenland, and the Pacific Ocean, penetrated our Continent at an early day; and that their descendants settled, by bloodshed and exterminating wars, their respective claims to the country situa ted south of the middle Lakes, four or five hundred years before the voyage of Columbus. All which is respectfully submitted. SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, Chairman. New-York, 11th March, 1817. REPORT ON BOTANY AND VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY, Read at a Meeting of the Historical Society, held at the New-York Institution, on the 8th day of April, 1817. THE Committee, to whom these subjects have been referred by the Historical Society, report— That they have given the necessary directions to have the apartments, assigned them for the branches of Natural History committed to their care. fitted up in such a manner as will be best calculated to display to advantage the various vegetable productions which they may be enabled to collect. That, pursuant to the resolutions passed at the last meeting of the Society, an application has been made to the Governors of the New-York Hospital, soliciting the use of the Herbarium in their possession, and to have the same placed in the apartments of the Historical Society, as a basis upon which to erect a similar cabinet in this Institution. The Committee have great pleasure in acknowledging the promptitude and liberality with which the governors of the Hospital have complied with the request of this Society. The Committee also, with great satisfaction, observe, that the Hortus Siccus referred to, consists of several thousand plants in a very good state of preservation, and well calcu lated to illustrate both the generic and specific characters of the plants which it contains. Some of these, too they perceive, have been preserved and designated by the bands of the illustrious Swede himself, being duplicates taken from the original collection now in the eminent station in the cultivation of this depossession of Sir James Edward Smith, by partment of Natural History: looking too, to whom they were presented to the Chairman our climate and the advantages of our Jocal of this Committee. Others again. were col situation as peculiarly favourable to the lected and preserved by the late celebrated cultivation of this branch of knowledge, Professor Vahl, of Copenhagen, and are they have most liberally sent us large colnamed by the hand of that Prince of Bota- lections of seeds, particularly of such plants as nists. Some of his original letters accom- they couceived would be most useful, either pany the plants, which be from time to time as articles employed in the healing art, which transmitted. Since his death, his successor, enter into the diet of mankind, are cultivated Professor Hornemann, and Mr Hoffman as food for cattle, or are made use of in agriBang, of that city, have kindly continued culture, or in the various arts and manufactheir correspondence and contributions of tures which contribute to the comfort of man. dried plants. Another valuable part of this Herbarium, more especially consisting of the gramineous and herbaceous plants growing in the neighbourhood of London, has been communicated by the late Mr. William Curtis, the author of the Flora Londinensis. Mr. James Dickson, the celebrated British Cryptogamist, has also enriched this collection by a most valuable assemblage of the Musci, and some of the other orders of the Cryptogamous class. The Committee acknowledge, with great pleasure, the reception of a large collection of seeds from Monsieur Thouin, the Professor of Agriculture and Botany at the Jardin des Plantes, of Paris, and another from our learned countryman, Mr. Jefferson, as lately received by him from his European correspondents. Those seeds have all been conveyed to the Botanic Garden, where, in the hands of the present curator, Mr Andrew Gentle, they will doubtless be cultivated with great care and fidelity. The collection of the plants of Scotland, The Committee cannot conclude this report made by the President of the College of without earnestly expressing the hope, that Physicians and Surgeons of this city, Doctor the Legislature may extend to this infantestabSamuel Bard, when a student at the Univer- lishment a portion of that unexampled munifisity of Edinburgh, and for which he received cence and liberality with which they have the honorary medal conferred by Professor fostered most of the literary institutions of Hope, constitutes a part of our cabinet. this State. Many of the plants of this and the neigh bouring states, preserved and arranged by Cadwallader Colden, formerly Lieutenant Governor of New York, have also been recently added by his grandson, Cadwallader D. Colden, Esq. of this city. A small annual appropriation added to the present proceeds of the Garden, and judiciously expended under the direction of the Historical Society or of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, it is confidently believ ed would, in a few years, render the Botanic Much also has been done in collecting the Garden one of the most useful establishments, vegetable products of this island, more parti- at the same time that it would prove one of cularly those plants which grow in the vicin the most distinguished ornaments of our State ity of this city. The names of our learned and country: for, in the language of a late coadjutor, Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill, the Pro- British writer","No region of the earth fessor of Natural History, Frederick Pursh, seems more appropriate to the improvement the author of the North American Flora, of botany, by the collecting and cultivating lately published, Mr. Andrew Michaux, the of plants. than that where the Elgin Botanic historian of the American woods, Caspar Garden is seated. Nearly midway between Wistar Eddy, M. D. John Le Conte, Esq. the northern and southern extremities of the Dr. Rafineau Alire Delile, the learned editor of the Flora of Egypt, and who, while finishing his course of education at the Medical School of this city, industriously collected the native plants of our island, frequently appear as the contributors to this collection. The Committee also take this occasion to observe, that since the purchase made of the Elgin Botanic Garden has become extensively known, many persons distinguished for their knowledge and love of botanical science, have directed their attention to the State of New-York, as taking a decided and pre *See Life of Mr. William Smellie, by Robert Kerr, F.R.S. Ed. vol. I. p. 94. vast American continent, and not more than forty degrees to the north of the equator, it commands resources of incalculable extent; and the European botanist will look to it for additions to his catalogue of the highest in terest. "The indigenous botany of America possess most important qualities, and to that we trust the cultivators of this science will particularly turn their attention. It can hardly be considered as an act of the imagination, (so far does what has already been discovered countenance the most sanguine expectations,) * See the London Medical and Physical Jour nal. to conjecture, that in the unexplored wilderness of mountain, forest, and marsh, which composes so much of the Western World, lie bidden plants of extraordinary forms and potent qualities. They beg leave also to state, that it would be extremely useful to the Society to have the exact localities of the minerals determined, and such further information of the neighbouring country, as the donor can procure. By order of the Mineralogical Committee, GEORGE GIBBS, Chairman. FOREIGN LITERATURE. A SELECTION of Biblical Criticisms on All which is respectfully submitted. DAVID HOSACK, Chairman. REPORT ON MINERALOGY. THE Mineralogical Committee of the New-York Historical Society, having by their order prepared an apartment for the the Books of the Old Testament, Translapurpose of receiving and displaying a collection of the minerals and fossils of the United States, beg leave to communicate to the public the arrangements that have been made, and the further claims of the Society to the patronage of the friends of science. But The progress of the science of mineralogy in the United States has been very satisfactory to its friends in this country, and the labours of American mineralogists have met with great applause in Europe. Several new species, and many varieties of minerals, have been discovered here, and the increasing attention to this science promises many interesting and valuable discoveries. in a country so vast and so recently settled as the United States, we can hardly expect to find many who have visited, for mineralogical objects, any very large portion of its territory. The researches of most of them have been limited to their own state or the district in which they live. A great number of valuable specimens remain in the hands of persons who, either ignorant of their value, preserve them only for temporary gratification, or, who having no object in making a collection, would be very happy to place them where they would become useful, in a public Institution. To collect these scattered materials of our natural history, to display the riches of the mineral kingdom of each of our states; to inform the scientific traveller and citizen; to encourage the growing taste of this science in our country; to communicate discoveries and invite researches; are objects so useful, so important, that it would be impossible to doubt of the public favour being shown to this undertaking. tions from the Sacred Songs, with notes, from the papers of the late Bishop HORSLEY, is preparing for publication. MR CHURCHILL is preparing for the press, Corrections and Additions to Rees' Cyclopedia, which will extend to the whole of that voluminous work, and be printed in the same size and type, so as to form a proper and necessary companion to it. The Memoirs of the Life and Writings of DR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, comprising his private and familiar correspondence, now first printed from the original manuscripts bequeathed to his grandson Wm. Temple Franklin, Esq. have been issued from the press. We understand that a series of letters is Preparing for publication, written by the celebrated Earl of Chesterfield to Mr. Arthur Stanhope, relative to the education of his son Philip, the late Earl. Dr. Mason, of New York, who is now in this country, has published a new work, entitled, A Plea for Catholic Communion, in one vol. 8vo. This has already reached a second edition. Walter Scott, Esq. has announced a new History of Scotland, from the earliest records to the year 1745, in 3 vols. 8vo. A new novel may soon be expected from the pen of Mr. Godwin, under the title of Mandeville, a domestic story of the seventeenth century. A History of the late war in Spain and Portugal, by Robert Southey, Esq. Poet Laureate, is preparing, in 2 vols. quarto. Mr. Leigh Hunt has in the press a new volume of poems. FRANCE. The Corporation of the city of New-York having, with characteristic liberality, ac- Literary and Philosophical Institution. commodated the Historical Society with a The Voyage en Savoie, en Piemont, à Nice suite of apartments for this purpose, they et á Genes, which Mr. Millen, Keeper of the have now been fitted up with cases with glass doors, one case being devoted to each Royal Cabinet of Medals and Antiques, bas state, after the manner adopted in the nation- just published, in 2 vols. 8vo. forming the first al collection at the Ecole des Mines at Paris. part of his Tour in Italy, contains many particulars respecting the antiquities of the cities The Committee beg leave, therefore, to visited by the Author. request donations of minerals and fossils for their collection, from the scientific and patriotic in every part of the Union. They will be received with grateful acknowledgments, and displayed to the best advantage. GERMANY. The King of Bavaria has, in a rescript to the academy of sciences, ordered the erection of a new observatory, for which he has, |