good humour in Mr. Davis, that none but a cynic will quarrel with him; and there is fo much fenfibility discovered by his friend George, that the man of feeling would willingly call him his brother. There are fome happy effufions of the mufes fpringing here and there in a long chapter, which, like flower gardens in a plantation, give variety and charms to what would otherwise be a series of monotonous pages. Befides, interesting ftories and characteristic anecdotes are fometimes interwoven with the details of his journal. Juft fentiments are often fitly introduced, and improve his cheerful garrulity. The biogra phy of our neighbours, which he gives us, cannot but engage the attention of a people, whose national trait is curiosity. His account of the condition of fociety in fome of the Southern States, is worth perufal, if it only led us to inquire whether it be juft, and whether he is correct in tenanting a fairy land with

Calibans.

It cannot be expected, that in fo limited a work as ours, we fhould defcend to detail: we therefore conclude this notice of "Travels in America," by recommending them as a fubftitute, for a few hours, for the wonders of romance and the billingsgate of party, with the hope that the ladies may for the time efcape from their idle delufions, and politicians cool from their frothy fermentation.

The Art of Singing; in three parts: viz. I. The Musical Primer; II. The Chriftian Harmony; III. The Mufical Magazine. By ANDREW LAW. Fourth Edition, with additions and improvements. Printed on a new plan. Published at Cambridge, by W. Hilliard. 1803.

The Mufical Primer; or the first part of the art of finging; containing the rules of Pfalmody, newly revised and improved ; together with a number of Pradical Leffons and Plain Tunes; defigned exprefsly for the ufe of Learners.

IN this last work, which is intended as an introduction to the former, the mufic is printed on a novel plan. The author uses four characters, which are placed between fingle bars, and made to mark the intervals and degrees of found, without the affistance of lines, on which mufic is ufually printed. Thefe characters denote the four mufical fyllables, mi, faw, fol, law.

The excellence of this invention confifts in this, that the fame character always poffeffes the fame name. One may without difficulty learn, in a few minutes, to read the most complicated piece of mufic, which is printed on this plan. The old mode of printing mufic embarrasses beginners: for the names of the notes depending on their pofition, the fame character constantly varies its name, as well as its found; and for this caufe, very few perfectly attain even the simple art of reading it. But by the mode invented by Mr. Law, it is true, as he observes, “that children will foon learn to read mufic, as easily as they read other books."

Some, from a hafty inspection of this plan, may be apt to doubt, whether a fcholar will readily diftinguifh the true fituation of the character, and may therefore fufpect, that he will be liable to miftake its found. But this doubt is not well founded: for the mufic is taught by the degrees of the keys, and the common chord, taken upon the key note; and if the finger attentively obferves the relative fituation of the character, he will know the true found.

The world of late has been fo distracted by the pernicious effects of political innovations, that many look with fufpicion, and receive with referve inventions even in the arts. We hope however, that the prefent improvement will be confidered on its real merits, and that no one will reject it for its novelty, or contemn it for its fimplicity.

The author's "Introductory Treatife on Vocal Mufic," contains many valuable obfervations, which are expreffed with propriety, and which merit the attention of all inftructors of that science. He condemns the ufual method of hurrying learners forward too rapidly. The confequence of this hafty procedure is, that the pupil makes but little proficiency, and foon becomes difcouraged. Mr. Law recommends, that the learner fhould begin with the rules, which are the elements of the art. "From these he ought to afcend gradually. From a mere melody, or fucceffion of founds, in their moft fimple ftate, as the eight notes, he may venture to rife a step higher, to the plaineft leffons and tunes; and from thence to thofe, that are lefs

Vol. I. No. 3.

S

plain. By proceeding in this way, he will eventually rise fo high in his art, as to be able to fing the most intricate pieces at fight. But the eminence alluded to is highly exalted; and let no one imagine, that he shall reach its fummit without taking the neceffary steps."

Mr. Law proceeds to remark on the fubject of " toning and tuning the voice." It must be confessed that the tones of our fingers are generally harsh and diffonant. What is more truly difgufting, than the mode of finging, which is adopted by many. of our parish choirs? Sacrificing the fpirit of harmony, each endeavours to exceed his fellows in loudness of sound, and vainly attempts to fupply in noise, what is wanting in melody. The hifling of the teeth, and the twang of the nose heighten the difcord, and offend the ear, while they diftract the mind. This mode of finging has tended to banish good compofitions from our churches. The works of Handel have been facrificed to the inartificial and contemptible strains of Billings, and of others, who were infected with his taste.

A long and critical attention to the business of mufical inftruction, aided by a good tafte, has enabled Mr. Law to fuggeft, in a narrow space, many excellent obfervations on "articulation and pronunciation," on "the accent," the "fwell," and on"foftnefs and loudnefs" in mufical performance. Negligence in attention to these parts, demonftrates equal want of taste and want of fkill.

The collection of tunes is well calculated for beginners. They are fimple in their kind. Among them are fome of the productions of Handel, Madan, and Arnold, and of other eminent masters, ancient and modern. We observe with pleasure fome old favourite pieces, which have been confecrated by time, and endeared by use.

On the whole, we recommend this fhort, elementary work to thofe, who would acquire a just taste in the science of mufic, and especially to thofe, who delight to fing "with the fpirit and with the understanding,” the praises of the Most High. R.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE

OF

NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES,

FOR JANUARY, 1804.

NEW WORKS.

A TOPOGRAPHICAL and Statistical account of the Province of Louifiana, containing a description of its foil, climate, trade and produce, its divifions, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, &c. laws, customs, habits and manners-civil, commercial, political and ecclefiaftical establishments, numbers and pursuits of its inhabitants, together with new and interefting particulars relative to the Indian tribes; to which is annexed a copious preface, and the recent conventions of the United States and the French Republic. Compiled by different individuals, poffeffed of the best information, and from the Documents cominunicated to Congrefs by the Prefident.-T. & W. BRADFORD-Philadelphia.

A fbort Syflem of Conveyancing, in a method entirely new. By Col LINSON READ, Efq. 1 vol. 12mo.-J. Johnfon-Philadelphia. The editor says, that "he flatters himself, this work will be found (by experience) to contain the most simple and easy introduction to the knowledge and practice of conveyancing of any thing hitherto published; the slightest attention being sufficient to enable a person of the smallest capacity to form any common eonveyance in the shortest poffible time."

A Short Hiftory of Bees, in two parts. 1. Directions for their management, an account of their enemies, &c. 2. An enigmatical account of a neighbouring nation-their queen, her palaces, attendants, &c.-J. JOHNSON-Philadelphia.

Zaida; or the Dethronement of Mahomed IV.; a Novel founded on hiftoric facts, tranflated from the German of Augustus Von Kotzebue, never before publifhed in the English Language; to which is added an historic drama, called the Beautiful Unknown, by the fame author.-BURNTON & DARLING-N. York.

The New American Clerk's Magazine, and Young Conveyancer's Pocket Companion; containing all the neceffary forms of -Articles of Agreement, Bonds, Bills, Recognizances, Leafes and Releafes, Letters and Powers of Attorney, Awards, Bills of Sale, Gifts, Grants, Aflignments, Mortgages, Surrenders, Jointures,

Covenants, Copartnerships, Declarations, Letters of Licence, &c. with neceffary directions for making Diftreffes for Rent, &c. as the law between Landlord and Tenant now ftands. The whole made conformable to the Laws of the United States, and adapted more particularly to the State of Virginia.-R. & J. GRAY-Alexandria.

A fhort Introduction to Latin Grammar, for the ufe of the University of Pennfylvania, by JAMES DAVIDSON, Profeffor of the Greek and Latin Languages in the University of Pennsylvania.—J. BIOREN-Philadelphia.

Memoirs of Stephen Burroughs, 2d vol.-C. BINGHAM-Bofton. "Those who have been amufed or inftructed by perufing the first volume of the history of this fingular character, may find equal entertainment by reading this continuation."

The Pulpit Orator; being a new selection of elegant compofitions, from the beft works of Mafters in Oratory, comprising rules for good writing and speaking. Moft of the pieces in this compilation are wanting in works of the kind.—J. NANCREDE-Boston.

NEW EDITIONS.

The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Tranflated into English Verse, by William Gifford, Efq. With notes and illuftraEmbellished with an elegant portrait of the tranflator,

tions.

engraved by Edwin.-S. F. BRADFORD-Philadelphia.

"This work is printed on a superfine yellow wove hot preffed royal paper, of American manufacture, and is, perhaps, as elegant a specimen of American typography, as has appeared in this country."

The Farmer's Boy, a rural poem, by ROBERT BLOOMFIELD.G. F. Hopkins-New-York.

This edition of the Farmer's Boy, which is copied from the fixth and last, that has been published in London, is confiderably improved and corrected, and exceeds in neatness all the former editions of this country.

A Houfe to be Sold; a mufical drama.-D. LONGWORTHNew-York.

The Nightingale; a collection of the most popular ancient and modern Songs, fet to mufic.-E. M. BLUNT-Newburyport.

The great importance of a Religious Life confidered; by the late WM. MELMOTH, Efq. of Lincoln's Inn; from the