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regard to his procecdings respecting the management of the Sundayschool at that place; and that he was by no means well requited for his vigilance by the loss of his curacy and the attack on his character. Art. 18. Truths, respecting Mrs. Hannah More's Meeting-Houses, and the Conduct of her Followers; addressed to the Curate of Blagdon. By Edward Spencer *. 8vo. 25. Robinsons. This bold, unhesitating Controversialist warmly (very warmly, in deed!) espouses the cause of Mr. Bere; with which he most zea. lously and ardently connects the interests and even the safety of our established Church. From the abilities of the writer, and the great extent of the ground which he has taken, his publication will, per. haps, be considered as deserving to rank with the most important of those to which the Blagdon Controversy has given existence.-Mrs. More is here attacked, by this "discourteous Knight," (as CERVANTES would express it) with a degree of severity, of which na adequate idea could be communicated to our readers but by laying before them the whole contents of the pamphlet for which we have neither room nor incifuation. That ingenious Lady will doubtless regard Mr. Spencer as the most formidable of her antagonists; and the Non-descripts, as the Methodists of the present day are now styled, may possibly find it difficult to repel the force and vigour of his manifold keen and cutting animadversions,

Art. 19.

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

Communications concerning the Agriculture and Commerce of the United States of America: being an Auxiliary to a Report made by William Strickland, Esq. of York, to the Board of Agricul ture, on the Queries wherewith he was charged on his Tour to that Continent. By William Tatham. 8vo. pp. 153. 48. sewed. Ridgway. 1800.

Our account of the 2d volume of Communications to the Board of Agriculture (see M. R. vol. xxxiv. p. 166. N. S.) contained some notice of Mr. Strickland's paper, to which this pamphlet is offered as an essential supplement. Mr. S.'s answers to the Queries with which he was charged seemed to us fair and satisfactory but Mr. Tatham, having resided twenty-five years in America, deems himself fully qualified to oppose some of the positions advanced by that Gentleman, whose residence there was only for the short space of two years; and though his language be diffuse and incorrect, his observations merit a comparison with those alleged facts to which they professedly apply. He has certainly thrown some additional light on the agriculture, commerce, domestic trade, and private life of the inland inhabitants of the United States.

In Mr. Tatham's opinion, Mr. Strickland did not give a satisfactory answer to the following questions: The husbandry of every country depending mostly on the market for cattle, sheep and wool, how far is the bad culture of America owing to the want of them? Is there a demand for beef, mutton, and wool, in any quantity for exportation, or otherwise?

The pamphlet is dated, in the conclusion, Wells, Jan. 21.'

And

And how far does the existence of these circumstances in the vicinity of large towns remedy such bad cultivation ? It is here observed that American Husbandry is not much affected by towns; and that the demand of the large towns is not an index of the magnitude of the supply. Mr. T. adverts to the influence of domestic consumption, to the state of household manufactures, and to the practice of trucking, swapping, or bartering, which supersedes in a great measure the necessity of a circulating medium. This picture of American home. trade is amusing; and, as Mr. T. is well acquainted with their manners, we take it for granted that we may depend on its accuracy:

As the easy reared horse of America (and even him habit con tinues to import from England, notwithstanding many advantages of superior propagation) affords himself and rider an easy and agreeable mean of transfer to every little neighbouring race-ground, or some such place of frequent meetings, amongst some classes of the people the custom has followed of converting every little casual convention of this kind into a sort of fair for buying and selling; and for exchanging surplus commodities, which are frequently bartered in kind. Sometimes several sorts are given for a horse or cow, or several of these for a piece of land, &c. without the intervention of any circulating coin.

This species of traffic is termed trucking or trading; and, at some places, you are thus asked (in local phrase and expression) to truck or trade for a horse, a cow, or a little tackie, &c. (which last term signifies a poney or little horse of low price). Or you are perhaps told, that such a one wishes to give you trade for your horse: this bargain is considered to imply value for value, at a fair price set upon various articles agreed upon; sometimes settling this price by mutual agree ment of the parties, and at other times having recourse to what is called sending out: for example, I will truck for your horse, with such and such articles, and send out. If the party proposed to, agrees to this proposition, each party chooses an indifferent bystander, the two examine the horse and the articles to be exchanged (of all of which there is a good general knowledge throughout the southern states). These arbitrators then retire, and report the prices affixed on their return to the company, always fixing the forfeit to be paid in punch, &c. to the company, by the party who refused to abide by the award; which is optional in either, on paying the forfeit to the company. If the bargain takes place, both parties are almost sure to treat, and, perhaps, many more of the company will do the same; which creates a great deal of mirth and good humour among all but those who happen to be, sometimes, disposed to interrupt rural harmony with high-bred airs.

Sometimes two black balls and two white ones are put into a hat: if both take white balls the bargain is fixed in all events, let who may lose by it, for this optional ceremony precedes the report; if both take black balls, both must treat the company; if one black and the other white, the black pays for the punch.

In some cases the consenting party draws a straw from the hand of the referees; if he gets the longest straw, he is at option on the disclosure of terms; if he gets the short one, he is bound.

ff he

refuses

refuses at option, he pays the punch: the proposing party is bound

ab initio.

• Such are the merry laws of horse-swapping and trucking: I am thus particular in regard to them, not merely on the ground of novelty. They are intimately related to the doctrine of supply and demand, which they tend to elucidate; and they form a strong link in those benevolent maxims of hospitality, which I hope never to see the Ame, ricans abridge.'

Mild strictures and gentle opposition prevail, for the most part, throughout this pamphlet: but, in the conclusion, Mr. T. feels him. self bound, by his regard for the reputation of the back-woodmen, (among whom he classes himself) to offer, with a most solemn appeal to the God of truth, a flat denial of Mr. S.'s statement. Having calmly considered the passage which appears to have agitated every nerve of Mr. T.'s frame, we are inclined to think that he has partly misconceived Mr. S.'s meaning; and that the latter did not intend to include the whole community beyond the mountains (estimated at 500,000 persons) in the class of culprits and savage back-woodmen, but those only who emigrate to the frontiers of those states which are be yond the mountains (Kentucky and Tenuassee); because these individuals are described as "frontier-men voluntarily sinking into bar. barism out of a state of civilized life." The whole people of the well-organized and flourishing state of Kentucky could never ima gine that they were meant to be included in this description; since it evidently applies to a particular set of individuals, who voluntarily Occupy the intermediate space between barbarism and civilization; and who, while they seem to be the outcasts of the world, are the instruments of extending the boundaries of civil improvements. We have often heard a similar account of these men in America, who may be termed Pioneers of the regular settlers in the back countries: but Mr. T. positiv ly pronounces this to be a calumny, and prescuts himself as a specimen of the rest: (ab uno disce omnes): What I am, (says he) are the great bulk of the frontier men also." If this be the case, it is a pity that they should be employed merely in clearing wildernesses, and in encountering savages.

Mo-y.

Art. 20.
Communications concerning the Agriculture and Commerce of
America containing Observations on the Commerce of Spain with
her American Colonies in Time of War. Written by a Spanish
Gentleman in Philadelphia, in the Year 1800. With sundry other
Papers concerning the Spanish Interests. Edited in London by
William Tatham. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Ridgway.

The edit of this pamphlet observes, very justly, that it must be interesting to the people of a great commercial, and maritime power, to know what the people of other countries are doing, to the end that they may better regulate their concerns at home; and on this ground, he lays before the British public a Spanish Gentleman's view of the Agriculture of America, and of the nature of the commerce of Spain with her colonies. While the remarks here suggested particularly merit the attention of the writer's countrymen, they dis play such expansion of mind and good sense as must render them ge 6

nerally

nerally acceptable. He strongly reprobates the decree of the court of Spain, 20th of April 1799, which excludes neutral vessels from the ports of Spanish America; points out its bad tendency, in various respects; and recommends its modification. Though a friend to commerce, he declares his enmity to monopoly; and though writing with respect to the land of gold and silver, he pronounces Agricul ture to be without doubt its richest mine. Lest his remarks should be suspected of originating in selfish motives, he assures us that he is no trader, and that he does not possess an inch of land in the colonies.

To these observations are subjoined an account of the Country of Onachita, in Louisiana; particulars respecting the Havanna and the island of Cuba; and the Caracas, Terra Firma, Province of Venezuela, &c.

Our Geographers should look to these accounts.

AGRICULTURE.

Art. 21. Gleanings from Books on Agriculture. 8vo. pp. 200. 45.
Boards. Johnson. 1801.

Literary distillation, if judiciously conducted, is often a very commendable process; since by this mode the quintessence of bulky volumes is condensed into a very narrow space. The books which have been put into the still, on the present occasion, are-The General County Views drawn up for the Board of Agriculture-Transactions of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c. - Bath Agricultural Society Papers--Marshall's Rural Economy-Young' Tour-Hunter's Georgical Essays-Curtis's Observations on British Grasses-and Withering's Botanical Arrangements.

From these works, the compiler has extracted a great variety of information, which he has arranged in alphabetical order under distinct heads, from Alder to Yams. We think that the publication will be very useful to agriculturists. It may be considered as a concise Farmer's Dictionary.

Mo-y.

Do Art. 22. An Address to the Board of Agriculture, on the Subject of Enclosures and Tithes. By the Rev. Samuel John Nash, LL.B. Vicar of Great Tew, Oxfordshire. 4to. 2s. 6d. Kirby. Many of the Clergy are convinced of the expediency of some arrangement respecting Tithes. The annihilation of this impost in France greatly alters the state of Agriculture in Europe, and it becomes a matter of policy in us to consider whether this tax on the produce of the soil can be safely continued. There is peculiar reason for saying at this period, "Time is a great innovator;" and Mr. Nash allows that, in the discussion of the subject of tithes, we must not start at innovation. He is persuaded that some means must be provided instead of taking them in kind: but he recommends neither a money payment nor a Corn-Rent. His wish is to obliterate the very idea of Tithes; and to have the Clergy put in possession of land equal in value to their Tithes, which they may hold for life as private independant property. This scheme appears reasonable on the general principle: but the execution of it may be clogged with diffi culties.

culties. Allowing it to be practicable, however, is it equitable that a seventh part of the whole land of a country should be assigned to the Clergy, who constitute so small a proportion of the Community? The Ministers of Religion might be maintained in great comfort and respectability, at much less expence.

Mr. Nash is of opinion that, in the inclosure of waste commonable land, an opportunity offers for getting rid of tithes : but his remarks relative to inclosures are very general and concise.

Extracts are added from the author's Notes on Agriculture, (unpublished,) which on the whole are judicious, but marked by some singularities: for instance; the Larch, of which the timber has been said to be so valuable, is here called an Ornamental Weed.

MATHEMATICS, &c.

Art. 23. A Practical Introduction to Spherics and Nautical Astronomy.
By P. Kelly. 2d Edition. 8vo. Ss. Boards. Johnson, &c.

1801.

In our 22d volume, p. 207, the first edition of this work was reviewed with commendation; and time, which alters many things, has not altered our opinion. The additions to this new impression are, Questions for Exercise annexed to each rule, Examples on double Altitudes, an Investigation of the author's new Projection for the Longitude; and an Appendix on the Use and Management of Time Keepers.

'Art. 24. Four Essays on Practical Mechanics, &c. By Thomas Fenwick, Coal Viewer. 8vo. 3s. sewed. Mawman.

The design of this publication is to assist civil engineers and millwrights in calculating the effects of machines. The author has not given any algebraical demonstrations, but, after a slight discussion of the principles on which his calculations have been founded, has added tables relative to the subjects introduced.

The 1st and 2d Essays treat on Water-mills, and on the Steam Engine. In the third, on Mills, the author says that, in order to form a set of tables to shew the effect of a given quantity of water on an overshot wheel of a given side, he made numerous experiments on some of the best mills for grinding corn. Practical observation is doubtless a shorter, and in a certain sense a surer method of arriving at the truth than theoretical calculation: but, in constructing chines, &c. both ought to be employed, and to render each other mutual assistance.-The 4th Essay contains some pertinent and valuable observations on the Simplification of Machinery.

NAVAL AFFAIRS...

Art. 25. The British Mariner's Vocabulary; or, Universal Dictionary of Technical Terms and Sea Phrases, used in the Construc. tion, Equipment, Management, and Military Operations of a Ship. By J. J. Moore. Illustrated with Copper-plates. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Boards. Hurst. 1801.

A short preface informs the reader that in compiling the work before us, the editor has collected not only the most valuable part

of

Mo-y.

R.W.

Do

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