furnish others: but the subject is too trivial for literary research.

Late. A period of time which has lost so much ground during the present age is the subject of the next essay. The fact is illustrated by very early, that is, old stories. The next is an Oriental Tale, under the title of The Use of Accumulation, which is well imagined, and terminated by an useful moral.

On the Reform of Parliament. If the author imagines that his reasoning against the expediency of a reform of parliament will convince the friends of that measure, he has a higher opinion of his eloquence than we have.

We are obliged to pass over several essays that have considerable merit, or our article would be out of size.

On Beauty, Mr. Jackson is very ingenious:-but the next essay contains an original portrait so well drawn, that we shall insert it for the amusement of our readers:

⚫ An Odd Character. When we are at peace with the world, and the world is at peace with us, the summer ramblers of England visit the Continent, and go through France to Switzerland; where, without any relish of the peculiar circumstances of the country, they spend their time most dolefully. At their return, they triumph over the ignorance of those who never strayed from home, and assure them of the infinite pleasure they have had from their tour.

But when war confines us within our own island, we go as far as we can; that is, to the sea-coast, which must serve instead of going farther.

All well-frequented watering places offer to the attentive observer a great variety of characters, more or less amusing. Some few really come for health, more for pleasure, but with most the motive is idleness-persons to whom not only the day, but every hour is much too long-persons, as Ranger in the play expresses it, "who had rather go to the Devil than stay at home." Sometimes we meet with an agreeable exception, and sometimes with an oddity.

A week's residence at Weymouth gave me an opportunity of conversing with a singular character. We had often met at the coffee house-at the library, and had made some little progress towards an acquaintance; when, without any provocation on my part, he seemed rather to shun, than to seek me. However, we were accidentally imprisoned in the Camera-Obscura, and could not well avoid going down the hill in company together, when he expressed himself nearly in this manner. "I am afraid you think me something worse than an odd fellow."-To which receiving no reply, he continued I confess the apparent absurdity of my way of life. It is upon a principle which differs so much from common custom, that it lies perfectly open to attacks which I shall not even attempt to repel-I am content to be thought incapable of defending myself, and if non-resistance in one party can communicate any honour to the other, my adversary may enjoy all the triumph of such a victory-my system is my own, and made for myself alone.

"In my early days I was not long in observing, that by far the greatest part of life's troubles were not upon our own account, but that of others-that it was in the power of one person to make a hundred miserable, by their partaking of his personal afflictions; but that he could make but one happy, by partaking of his personal pleasures-this is undoubtedly a losing trade, but yet this is the com. merce of society. A man of a philanthropic temper becomes ac quainted with those about him; his acquaintance with some produces friendship, and his friendships produce sorrow. Every trouble of mind, or disease, of your friends, affects you: it is true you also participate their pleasures, as far as they can be communicated; but these are not in equal proportions.

"Should your friend increase his possessions, you are not the richer; but if he is in want, you are the poorer-if he be in health, as it is a thing in course, you do not rejoice; but if he is sick, you mourn-if he possesses an agreeable wife, you have none of his pleasure; but if he loses her, his pain is poured into your bosom.

"Suppose life passes without any exertions of friendship, but merely in a belief, that if they were required they would be made-I then see my friend advance in years-he loses his person and strength by degrees-death sets his mark upon him, and at last claims him for his own. What I see in him, he sees in me; and all those sensations are multiplied according to the number of our intimate con

nections.

"Fully sensible of this truth, I very early in life determined to have no friend at all. To accomplish this intention, my plan has been to shift my residence from place to place; to have many acquaintance, but no friends. The common scenes of public amusement I visit occasionally, and sometimes bury myself in London. If I wish to improve, I retire; if to amuse myself, I join in such accidental parties as occur, and, like the butterfly, play among the flowers, but fix on none. If an acquaintance with an agreeable person improves too fast, and I begin to feel something like an attachment, I take it as a hint for shifting my quarters, and decamp before the fetter is fastened. To confess the truth, I more than suspect that I have been too long acquainted with you: I shall quit this place immediately, lest to-morrow I should feel myself your friend."

He then redoubled his pace, as if willing to avoid my reply. I indulged him in his wish, and was not sorry to be excused from continuing a conversation I could not support with any other than common arguments; which seldom have any effect upon those who so boldly differ from principles long established, and supposed to be

true.'

Something beyond us (beyond our comprehension) necessarymanifests deep reflection and good taste, at least in morality. Influence of Appellations, lively and new.

Reflexions on Executions, just, and worthy of attention.
On excessive Length in Literary and Musical Productions-fair

censure.

This is followed by a good moral Eastern Tale.

On

On Antiquities- good taste and judgment are here displayed.
On Climate. This essay contains useful information.

On Poetical and Musical Ear. This subject is well treated,
as we might suppose it would be, by so able a musical pro-
fessor-but in speaking of Garrick's want of ear for music, it
seems as if it rather should have been said that he was in want
of voice for singing, though gifted with so exquisite a voice
for declamation. He had a perfect ear for time, as all who
remember his dancing must allow. Johnson, who had so nice
an ear for rhythm and poetical numbers, (that is, for time,)
had no perception of the shades of musical tones.
Yet even
among those who sing out of tune, we believe that the ear is
often less defective than the vocal organ; as the mischief is
done before the sound arrives at the ear. If they do not dis-
cover that the intonations are false in their own performance,
or in that of others, the case is desperate, and the ear inde-
fensible.

Altogether, this book affords considerable amusement, and sometimes instruction. We will not rank Mr. Jackson, as a dilettanti in literature, so low as he has classed the gentlemenartists in painting and music: for it is but justice to allow that he often discovers more knowlege, reflection, and discrimination, than many scribes by trade. Of his unwillingness to think with the public, or with men high in fame, we have already taken some notice; and we are not certain whether he does not carry peremptory decision rather too far, to allow of his reasoning being palateable to those who are accustomed to think, like himself, for themselves.

D. B....Y.

ART. XI. Essays on the Microscope; containing a practical Description of the most improved Microscopes; a general History of Insects, their Transformations, peculiar Habits, and Economy: an Account of the various Species, and singular Properties, of the Hydra and Vorticella: a Description of three hundred and eighty-three Animalcula with a concise Catalogue of interesting Objects: a View of the Organization of Timber, and the Contiguration of Salts, when under the Microscope. Illustrated with thirty-two Folio Plates. By the late George Adams, Mathema tical Instrument Maker to his Majesty, &c. The Second Edition, with considerable Additions and Improvements, by Frederick Kanmacher, F. L. S. 4to. 11. Ss. Boards. Jones and Co. Opticians, 135, Holborn. 1798.

THE first edition of this publication was noticed in our Review for March 1788, p. 227. We then expressed our approbation of the work, as tending to excite curious inquiry, and to disseminate useful information. The editor of the present

9

present impression professes to have revised the original one, to have corrected several errors, to have adopted a more systematical arrangement, and to have given elucidatory notes. The principal additions are stated to be-Accounts of the latest improvements which have been made in the construction of microscopes, particularly the lucernal-A description of the glass, pearl, &c micrometers, as made by Mr. Coventry and othersAn arrangement and description of minute and rare shells-A descriptive list of a variety of vegetable seeds-Instructions for collecting and preserving insects, together with directions for forming a cabinet-A copious list of objects for the microscope-A list of Mr. Custance's fine vegetable cut

tings.

In the volume of plates, three new engravings are introduced, viz.

Plate-exhibiting the most improved compound microscopes, with their apparatus.

Plate-microscopical figures of minute and rare shells.
Plate-a variety of vegetable shells.

In the description of Adams's lucernal microscope, Mr. Kanmacher has very judiciously corrected an expression of gross inaccuracy, which appeared in the first edition -Mr. Adams (p. 69, first edition) had expressed, what we now find to be a glass semiglobe,' by the term "semicircular lump." In Chapter XII. are many useful instructions to those who are desirous of collecting specimens of the moth or beetle kind, &c. Mr. K. has particularized the methods of procuring moths and butterflies-of collecting them, &c. in their caterpillar state-of rearing or breeding them-of collecting them in their chrysalis state-of collecting them in their fly or perfect state of managing them in their fly state-of collecting insects called Hemiptera-Neuroptera-Hymenoptera," and Diptera.

In the same chapter, also, are contained General Instructions for fitting up a Cabinet;' as these are brief, and may be very useful to those who are curious in these studies, we have subjoined them:

The height may be about thrce feet four inches, the width two feet four inches, and the depth one foot four inches, inclosed with folding doors, and provided with a good lock. The inside to be partitioned down the middle, so as to admit of a range of twelve square drawers on each side; under these, two or three drawers may be fitted, extending the whole width, to admit the larger kinds of insects, such as the sphinges, cancri, &c. the sides and backs of all these drawers should be of cedar, and the fronts mahogany, with a brass ring or button to each. The cork with which their bottoms are lined, must be chosen as free from cracks as possible, and, after being

washed

-washed several times with a solution of corrosive sublimate in spirit of wine, to destroy the animalcula, glued on to prevent its warping. The whole surface must be made perfectly smooth and level, and this, as well as the sides, covered with imperial paper, carefully pasted on, and afterwards moistened with alum-water. The paper should be exactly ruled into squares, proportioned to the size of the insects they are intended to contain; and the names of each order and genus affixed, according to the system of Linnæus. By way of embellishment, the edges may be lined all round the drawers with narrow slips of some kind of ornamental paper. The fore-part of each drawer should have a thin partition to admit of a proper quantity of camphor, with a number of small air-holes for the more ready diffusion of its effluvia to the insects contained in the drawer: the tops of these partitions must be closed with thin slips of wood laid on them and fitted with nicety, but not glued. To prevent the admission of dust and air, and exhibit the contents to advantage, the top of each drawer must be glazed with the finest glass, fitted into a frame of the same size as the drawer, made either to slide in a groove, or let in on a rabbet.

Having proceeded thus far, it will be adviseable to let the cabinet be thoroughly aired, before any insects are deposited in it, and to be particularly careful that all the insects so deposited be as free as possible from moisture; if the cabinet be then constantly kept in a dry situation, the camphor occasionally renewed, and the air excluded, there is every reason to expect that the several insects may be for a long time preserved in a state of perfection. If, notwithstanding all these precautions, little dusty particles should appear on any of the insects, which is a certain sign of the presence of animalcula, they should be gently wiped with a hair pencil dipped in spirit of wine, or carefully removed into a chip box and placed on the side of a Bath stove for a short time; by these means, if early attended to, they will be sufficiently baked to prevent future injury. A strict adherence to the above particulars enabled me to preserve the contents of the cabinet formerly in my possession, now the property of Sir John St. Aubyn, Bart. F. R. & L. S. for several years in the most perfect condition, though containing considerably above 2000 articles. Within the same space of time, to my certain knowledge, several valuable collections have been either totally destroyed, or very mate. rially injured; as when once the depredations commence, the destruction proceeds with rapidity, if not speedily prevented.'

Though we think Mr. Kanmacher entitled to much praise for his valuable notes, corrections, &c. yet it may appear a subject of regret, or of wonder, that an interval of ten years should not have produced more considerable alterations in the construction of instruments, nor rendered more copious the catalogue of objects for microscopic inspection: but we are decidedly of opinion that this work, and all on a similar plan, deserve commendation, as affording the means of rational amusement. To those persons who think the consideration of REV. JUNE, 1798.

P

subjects,