biography, written in this country, can be compared with his life of Dr. Stiles. The Annals, in our opinion, must add to his reputation as an author, and the work will certainly be more generally useful. It has been uniformly his aim "to trace facts, as much as possible, to their source." Original authors have the preference; and this is an apology" for the occasional introduction of passages, that will not be generally understood." These are put into marginal notes, and may gratify a number of his readers. We are likewise pleas ed with his retaining the obsolete style and orthography of certain writers, for by this we may know more of them, and their works. Many think this useless, and that it only incumbers the pages; but certainly we want "the marks of authentick documents"; and why should not the antiquary be gratified with his dry morsel, as well others who relish the luxury of sentiment, and are sometimes very fastidious in their taste ?

We know not a better plan of writing annals, than the Dr. has chosen, especially if the book be designed for a library; instead of being once read and thrown aside.

His accuracy of research would have been unnecessary, if it were not to be considered as a book of reference, to which we resort when our attention is dissipated, and which will be useful to some who have time to read but little, and who can here gather facts, that before were scattered over many volumes.

We have read with pleasure many observations and lively remarks in the American Annals, especially in the Notes, which an ordinary writer would never make, even in a book designed for enter tainment more than use; but

which men of taste and sentiment can scatter over the driest parts of learning.

The first volume comprises the history of two centuries, i. e. from the voyage of Columbus, 1492, to the year 1562.

The annals of 1691 are confined to New-York, and Virginia, and to a few facts. The province was divided into ten counties. Major Schuyler with a party of Mohawks went over Lake Champlain and attacked the French settlements.

There were some events, however, very important to Massachusetts, which took place that year. The cruelty of the Indians was excessive upon our frontiers; and the famousCharter of William and Mary was granted. Perhaps Dr. H. reserves the notice of this to the succeeding year, when it arrived and was accepted by the people. As it is one of the very important events in the history of New England, we hope he will give some account of the struggles of our agents in England, and the very important change that was made in the government. The old patriots never liked it. The more moderate, as well as the loyal party, always thought it was better than the old one; as it put some check upon the phrensy of democracy, at the same time that it secured all our essential rights. We would recommend to the con sideration of this respectable inquirer a curious extract in the 9th volume of Historical Collections-the conversation between King William and Dr. Increase Mather.

It is the earnest wish of all who have read this first volume of American Annals, that the second may soon appear, and that Dr. Holmes may meet with every encouragement in car

rying on a work of such a considerable magnitude among our literary productions.

The first hundred pages relate to the voyages which were made by the Spaniards, or other nations of Europe,before the English adventurers took any distinguished part. Another hundred pages describe events previously to the settlement of New Plymouth.

Though modern writers are quoted, and references are made to the pages where events are recorded, it is evident, that the author has read the original writers; and he also quotes from them both in the original and the translation. Herrera, Peter Mutza, Diaz, Casas, &c. as well asRobertson and Clavigero.

Robertson, so much celebrated among the historians of modern Europe on account of his manly and beautiful style, is not so much to be depended upon for facts, as many who appear in a more plain dress. He is accused by Clavigero and others of great partiality; and his mind might be above that very minute attention to things, which an Annalist should make the object of his care. Dr. H. says, in a note upon the discovery of America,

Some Spanish authors have ungenerously insinuated that Columbus was led to this great enterprise by information of a country to the West, with the additional advantage of a journal," &c. He refers to Hackluyt and Robertson, Appendix, No. 17. for a confirmation of this. There was no necessity of touching upon this controversy in his Annals. He had only to mention the voyage of Columbus. But if he said any thing, he ought to have said more. Since the discussion of Robertson, the matter has been spore disputed than ever, and

Mr.

not by Spaniards only. Otto wrote a paper upon this subject in the second volume of the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, which has been reprinted in more than one country of Europe; and endeavours to prove by Robertson's concessions, as well as additional evidences, that Columbus was assisted very much by Martin Behem, who sailed in 1484 from Portugal, and discovered Brazil, and other parts of S. America.

"In 1492 the Chevalier Behem undertook a journey to visit Nuremberg, his native country. He there made a terrestrial globe, which is looked upon as a master piece for the time, and which is sull preserved in the library of that city. The outlines of his discoveries may there be seen under the name of Western Lands, and from their situation it cannot be doubted they are the present coasts of Brazil," &c.

"This globe was made the same year Columbus sat out on his voyage. Therefore it is impossible that Behem could be profited by the discoveries of this navigator, who went a more northerly course."

Though Dr. Robertson treats the history of Behem as the fiction of some German authors; yet he acknowledges that " Behem had settled at Fayal; that he was the intimate friend of Christopher Columbus; and that Magellan had a globe made by Behem, by the help of which he undertook his voyage to the South Sea," &c.

He relates also that in 1492 he paid a visit to his family at Nuremberg, and left there a map, drawn by himself, of which Dr. Forster procured a copy, and which in his opinion partakes of the imperfection of cosmographi

ence to their former opinions; which, they say, have been confirmed by events and researches subsequent to the former declaration of those opinions. In this part we have some letters from respectable physicians and others, which deserve consideration.There are also some "minutes of the sitting managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital," tending to shew, by events in that hospital, that the yellow-fever is an infectious, if not a contagious disease.

There follow letters from Dr. C. Wistar, and Dr. G. Bensell. They relate "facts tending to prove the contagious nature of the yellowfever at Germantown in the year 1798." These are such as must make the incredulous hesitate.

"The history of the origin and progress of the yellow fever in New Haven, 1794," is extracted from the N. York Evening Post, and is corroborated by private letters. In fact, almost the whole was originally derived from Drs. Eneas and Elijah Munson. This history traces that disease to infection from a chest of clothes imported from the W. Indies in the sloop Iris. On this subject there has been a strange contradiction of evidence. From the whole together, which this volume contains on the subject, it is fair to conclude, that the chest of clothes was the source of disease.

We pass over other things less important to notice "an account of the rise and progress of the fever, which prevailed in Southwark, during part of the summer and autumn of the year 1805, by Dr. W. Currie." As this account is published by the College with out comment, it has all the weight of their reputation in its favour. For we ought to presume that if any fellow of the College had

known any thing which tended to invalidate it, that would have received equal publicity.

In this account it appears, that the first instances of the disease were in S. Crisman's family. Three of this family visited the quarantine ground on July 21st; at which time unclean veasels were lying there. One of these vessels had put two persons on shore there nine days before, both of whom were dangerously ill of the yellow fever. On the 27th of July one of these persons in Crisman's family, and on the 28th the other two were attacked with yellow fever. The one, first seized, died on the 3d of August; the others recovered. From these three persons the disease seems to have been communicated, by intercourse more or less direct, to others in succession. If nothing is omitted in this account, we must conclude that the disease originated from the imprudent exposure of certain persons to infection at the quarantine ground.

We recommend this work both to physicians and to all persons, who have any concern in making or in executing quarantine laws. If our commerce is subjected to embarrassments from quarantine, for God's sake let us have this process so perfect as to secure us from foreign disease. It is a strange sort of respect for the liberties of the people, which subjects merchants and mariners to great pecuniary and personal embarrassments, and at the same time permits any idle boy to take from us the benefit of such sacrifices.

Well aware that the discussion of this subject will not interest a large portion of readers, we omit many remarks, which the occa sion presents.

NOTICES.

Northern Summer, or travels round the Baltic, through Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Prussia, and part of Germany, in the year 1804. By John Carr, Esq. author of the Stranger in France, c. c. 8v0. Philadelphia, S. F. Bradford.

WHEN an English traveller tells us that he went abroad for health and spirits we very naturally conclude, that a narrative of his adventures will exhibit little else than a severe caricature of the various subjects of his observations. But the most invidious examination will discover in this work very few of those misrepresentations which would be expect ed as the usual effect of strong national prejudice operating on the impatience of ill health. The author travelled in the exercise of a singular indulgence for foreign peculiarities which earlier travels had so matured, that his avowed and honourable predilection for his native land in no instance intrudes itself to degrade the character of any other. This work presents to the reader much of that kind of minute, local information, which is amusing to any one, and to an inexperienced tourist indispensibly necessary, but which many travellers disdain to notice,and still more want skill to manage. The lounger may find in it much to wile away an idle hour with, and, if his heart has not been cankered and corroded, and his mind unnerved by sloth, will feel himself quickened into something like life, by some well wrought scenes of woe, drawn from history, and several striking instances of the mutability of for

tune. To the romantick it offers no gorgeous displays of sentiment, and indeed nothing but fine descriptions of the wild and picturesque. And a political theorist would probably be disappointed in not finding the order and uniformity of the work interrupted and disfigured by the introduction of dry and useless calculations. The only strange and unusual trait which distinguishes this work, is, that we may glean from it more knowledge of individual and national character, and more topographical information than gazetteers or geographical compilations generally afford. If there is any fault sufficiently great to he noticed, it is, that his descriptions of works of art are sometimes too incomplete to gratify a connoisseur, and not always clear to one who is not. Here his periods are sometimes prolonged, till they become, what they generally are not, obr scure and confused.

The Shade of Plato; or, a defence of religion, morality, and govern, ment. A poem in four parts. By David Hitchcock. To which is prefixed, a sketch of the author's life. Hudson, H. Croswell. 12mo. price 25 cents.

THE Muses, like most other ladies, have long had the reputation of being somewhat capricious in the distribution of their favours, and since their favourites join in the accusation, we are compelled to believe that it must be just. If, however, they were formerly capricious, they have of late become lawless. The inspiration of poetry which was formerly reserved for those minds, in which refinement and feeling had been nourished by solitary thought and un