RETROSPECT

OF

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

FRANCE.

Mémoire sur les Moyens d'accélérer les Progrès de la Botanique. Memoir on the Means of accelerating the Progress of Botany. By M. Villars. 12mo. Paris. We shortly notice this memoir, to assist the author's useful attempt. The number of plants is so greatly increased, botanic gardens are so largely multiplied, and such immense collections have been formed, that he greatly apprehends disorder may arise from such vast riches, and botany again fall into confusion. We have not apprehensions equally alive; but can safely join in his wishes, that some work, like that of Bauhin, would unite the whole extent of our botanical knowledge. The collector however should be much more concise than Bauhin, or his work would be too voluminous.

Histoire des Chênes de l'Amérique, ou Déscription et Figures de toutes les Espèces et Variétés de Chênes de l'Amérique Septentrionale, &c. History of American Oaks, or a Description and Figures of every Species and Variety of the Oaks of North America; considered according to their Botanical Relations, their Culture, and Use. By A. Michaux. Large Folio. With Plates. Paris.-The oak, though highly useful, is not well understood. Its wood is excellent; its cork and gall-nut are objects of the greatest importance; and the tanner, the dyer, and the physician, find it of singular value. Even as an aliment, it is sometimes still useful (we allude to the sweet acorn); and an oil has been occasionally extracted from its fruit.

species has offered something peculiarly valuable which is wanting, or exists but in a small proportion in the others, it is of consequence to extend our knowledge of this important tribe. We are not however without assistants. Our own Evelyn has collected what was known in his time; M. Secondat's Memoir on the Oak contains some valuable observations; and another by Apr. Vol. 35. 2 R

Des Fontaines, in the second volume of the Flora Atlantica, on the sweet acorn, is particularly curious. The oaks of Amerca have not, nevertheless, been sufficiently described.

Our present author is well qualified for the task. He has long since visited Syria, Babylonia, and Persia, and brought to France a large collection of plants both useful and ornamental. In 1785 he went to North America, and established gardens at New York and Charleston, to raise the plants that he collected.. He remained in America eleven years, and sent to France numerous boxes of seeds and cuttings, which have been cultivated in every part of Europe. At his return, he was employed in arranging his observations, writing a description of his travels, and collect, ing a history of American plants. The present history was in the press when he was appointed botanist to the expedition lately sent from France under M. Baudin.

The text is in French, but the definitions are in Latin. The history contains twenty species, and many varieties, arranged in a methodical order, from the form of the leaves, and the annual or bis-annual fructification. They are discriminated very clearly and satisfactorily.

Each species is drawn in its different states by M. Redouté, and engraven by MM. Sellier and Plée. Under each is carefully marked the manner of cultivating the plant, the soil best adapted to it, and those parts of France in which it would most conveniently be naturalised. Some of the species were before unknown; and we find several new ones, at least varieties, in the very splendid publication of Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia, by Mr. Abbott. On many others we perceive some new and interesting remarks, which we should enlarge on, but that we hope the whole may appear in an English dress.

Natural

Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes ovipares, &c. History of the oviparous Quadrupeds, by F. M. Daudin. Large 4to. Nos. I and II. with coloured Plates, from Drawings taken from Nature, by J. Barraband.-This work is to be divided into thirty numbers, and is designed as a continuation of the Planches enluminées of Buffon. The animals represented in the plates are placed in the gallery of the Museum of Natural History, &c. in the collections of Le Vaillant, Bosc, &c. The price will be 5s. each number.

Essais sur l'Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes de la Province de Paraguay, &c. Essays on the Natural History of the Animals of the Province of Paraguay, by Don Felix d'Azara: written between the Years 1783 and 1796: with an Appendix relating to some Species of Reptiles; forming a necessary Suppl ment to the Works of Buffon. Translated from an unpublished Manuscript, by M. L. F. Moreau de St. Mery. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris. The part of America where Don Azara lived has been

visited by few naturalists; and his description of more than eighty animals, which he has observed in their natural haunts, is proportionally more valuable. Under each animal, we find an exact statement of his form and habits, with the Indian and Spanish names, and an examination of the accounts of different naturalists, particularly of Buffon. In short, he has done more than could have been expected, without books or large collections; and has rectified many errors that had crept into the nomenclature, the description of the manners, and the distinctive characters of many animals. A suitable introduction is prefixed.

Among the animals whose history, and the account of whose manners, our author has corrected in some essential points, we notice the tapir, the peccari, four species of stags, the agoutes, the apes, thirteen species of bats, the horse, the ass, mules, the crocodile of America, and other lizards. short, many new species are described, and much is added to our former knowledge of those which had before engaged the attention of naturalists.

In

Histoire Naturelle d'une Partie d'Oiseaux nouveaux et rares de l'Amérique et des Indes. Natural History of a Part of the new and rare Birds of America and India. By F. Le Vaillant. 1st, 2d, and 3d Numbers.- When we suggested some little distrust of M. Vaillant's accuracy as a traveler, we meaned not to extend it to his descriptions in natural history. His natural history of the birds of Africa has been received, by the best judges, with great respect; and the fifteenth number is just published. Two volumes are completed, and we have reason to expect a continuation. The present work is designed to form a part of the first.

Publications of this kind, in numbers, are so numerous in France and Germany, that, having announced their first appearance and object, we must leave our readers to suppose that they are continued with great assiduity. In fact, our whole limits would scarcely enable us to give even the shortest account of each succeeding delivery (livraison), unless it be concisely mentioned in our review of a kindred subject. This work, of which we have seen three numbers, is very beautiful: it is from the press of Didot the younger; and the figures are printed in colours, by an artist of distinguished excellence in this branch, M. Langlois. It is published in imperial folio and quarto. There is also a smaller edition, to form a supplement to the Natural History of Buffon--we mean that of Sonnini.

The three numbers that we have seen, relate to the calao. Many new species are described and represented, which are truly curious. The calao is the hornbill, of which the toucan is a well known species: it belonged to the genus buceros, but

will now perhaps be divided into more than one, though the whole tribe is very strongly discriminated.

Le Médicin Naturaliste, &c. The Physician Naturalist, or Observations in Medicine and Natural History. By J. E. Gilibert. 12mo.-M. Gilibert is the author of many medical works equally interesting and pleasing, particularly one or two on subjects connected with the Duties and Qualifications of a Physician,' which we remember to have read with pleasure many years since. He, at first, shortly explains the principles of Sydenham, Morton, and Chirac, by some account of their lives and writings. This is followed by a historical abstract of the diseases which reigned at Lyons, at the end of 1797 and the beginning of 1798, and concludes with several clinical observations for the years 1784 and 1785. He adds some slight remarks on inflammations, eruptive fevers, evacuations, convul sive disorders, pains, ectopiæ, cachexies, and defects. The medical memoirs are concluded by some cbservations on natural history and botany; the latter chiefly relative to the plants round Lyons. The zoologic and mineralogic memoirs are: 1. On the elk of Lithuania; 2. On the beaver and his habitation; 3. On the genital organs of tortoises and the heath-polt; 4. On the physical geography of the great duchy of Lithuania, and on its climate. At the end is a tract by Latourette, • Enumeratio Methodica Graminum tractus Lugdunæi.'

Institutions de Médecine, &c. Institutions of Medicine, or an Explanation of the Theory and Practice of that Science, collected from the Ancients and Moderns; a didactic Work, contain ing the general Knowledge requisite for those who are employed in the Art of Healing. By P. Petit Radel. Evo. Paris.-The title sufficiently explains the author's object; and we may add, that his work was approved of by commissaries appointed by the faculty of medicine more than ten years since, though the publication has been delayed till the beginning of the present year. The work is divided into four parts-physiology, hygieine, pathology, and therapeutics. The first is divided into six sections, treating of the elements considered as constituent parts of the animal organisation; the organised solids, either fibrous or lamellated; the animal fluids accurately analysed; the different corporeal functions, &c. The hygieine treats of the six non-naturals in their usual order.

The pathology, which is more strictly medical, is divided into four sections-symptomatology, nosology, ætiology, and semeiology. The author adds another; viz. nietaboletology-the doctrine of metastasis, or the conversión of diseases into each other, including the changes that occur in their course.

The four sections into which therapeutics are divided treat of

the regimen, with relation to the six non-naturais, pharmaceutic remedies, chirurgic operations, and the employment of all these means to fulfil the indications pointed out. On the whole, the subject is perspicuously treated; but we are by no means prejudiced in favour of the author's medical erudition or practical skill: the whole is too crude and trite-a scion of the Boerhaavian stock.

Constitution Epidémique de Grenoble, des trois dernières Mois de l'An VII, &c. The Epidemic Constitution of Grenoble, during the three last Months of the Year VII (July, August, and September, 1799), and the three first of the Year VIII (October, November, and December, 1800); with an Account of the Diseases which have preceded and followed. 12mo. Paris. Our author, Mr. Laugier, appears rather in the light of an attentive observer than an able or active practitioner. A collection of good observations is, however, always valuable; and we are consequently induced to look on this work with a more favourable eye than we can regard many of the medical publications of France.

The description of the epidemic, which was a common bilious fever, is followed by three dissertations, which contain some valuable observations. The first is on the knowledge useful to a physician, the second on living forces, and the third on the system of Brown. That system, in the author's opinion, cannot, with all the splendor of a brilliant theory, bear the rigorous examination of a philosopher, or the cool experimental inquiry of the physician.

On the whole, however, this work merits very considerable attention. The author's knowledge of diseases is extensive; and if, in every point, his practice do not exactly coincide with those plans which succeed in our hands, it is certainly rational, and appears to have been successful.

Essai sur le Blanchement, &c. Essay on Bleaching; with a Description of the new Method of Bleaching by Means of Vapour, according to the Process of M. Chaptal. By R. O'Reilly, of the Academy of Bologna. 8vo. Paris. The art of bleaching, whose origin is lost in the darkness of the remotest ages, seemed to be condemned to an eternal infancy, when Berthollet created the use of the oxygenated muriatic acid, and at once placed this art on a level with those that have received the last improvements: thus the obscure chrysalis, after having long vegetated in the bonds of an imperfect life, suddenly expands its wings, and soars even above those who would have trodden it under their feet.'

This is justly, but somewhat too poetically, said; and the remainder of the preface is in the same inflated style: yet the