corporated with the rest of the Russian Empire. M. Castelneau has divided his history into three distinct portions or æras; the first, commencing with the most remote antiquity, ends at the conquest of the Crimea by Mahomet II. in 1475. The second, which records facts better authenticated, and less perplexed and obscure, comprises three centuries, terminating in the year 1784; when the country was ceded to the Russians. The Author has spared no pains, that he might produce the first complete and genuine history of a people, with whose annals we have hitherto been but imperfectly acquainted,-of those warlike Tartars and Cossacks, who have so often rebelled against the Porte, and have constantly been at variance with Poland and Russia. The third, and last portion of the work is not deficient in interest, to those who prize the cultivation of intellect more than the subjugation of territory, and who consider the advance of agriculture, commerce, art, and civilization, to be more truly glorious, than all the pomp, pride, and circumstances of war and conquest. These provinces, so long exposed to devastation, now present a scene of prosperity. Their situation on the borders of the Black Sea, the navigable streams by which they are intersected, the fertility of the soil, and the possession of a flourishing and increasing commercial city, render them the most important possessions of the Russian empire. At the end of the work, is an interesting account of a journey made by the author through the Crimea, for the purpose of collecting information relative to its geology, natural history, numismatics, statistics, agriculture, trade, and navigation. The Journal of Jurisprudence, No. IV. by J. E. Hall, will contain an Analytical Digest of the English Reports of cases, decided in the courts of Common Law, and Equity, of Appeal and Nisi Prius in the year 1820. To be continued annually. Harrison Hall proposes to publish a third volume of MOORE'S INDEX, which will embrace the reports of Anstruther, W. Blackstone, Burrow, Cowper, Douglass, Forrest, Loft, Price, Smith, Wightwick, Wilson, and the volumes of Taunton, Barnewall and Alderson, Moore, &c. which have appeared since the publication of the previous volumes. ALSO, A Law Glossary of the Latin, Greek, Norman, French, and other languages, interspersed in the Commentaries of Sir Wm. Blackstone. In Dugald Stewart's Dissertation prefixed to the supplement to the Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. V. part I. p. 166. we have perused, with cordial satisfaction, the following well-earned tribute to the labours of one of our friends to whom the readers of the Port Folio owe more than we are permitted to acknowledge. After stating that he had received the "Report of the Historical Committee, &c." this profound writer proceeds: "It was with great pleasure I observed, that one of the first objects to which the committee,” (i. e. Mr. Duponceau) "has directed its attention, is to investigate and ascertain, as much as possible, the structure and grammatical forms of the languages of the aboriginal nations of America. The Report of the corresponding secretary, (Mr. Duponceau) dated January 1819, with respect to the progress then made in this investigation, is highly curious and interesting, and displays not only enlarged and philosophical views, but an intimate acquaintance with the philological researches of Adelung, Vater, Humboldt, and other German Scholars. All this evinces an enlightened curiosity, and an extent of literary information, which could scarcely have been expected in these rising states for many years to come." "The rapid progress which the Americans have lately made in the art of writing has been remarked by various critics, and it is certainly a very important fact in the history of their literature, Their state papers were, indeed, always distinguished by a strain of animated and vigorous eloquence; but as most of them were composed on the spur of the occasion, their authors had little time to bestow on the niceties or even upon the purity of diction. An attention to these is the slow offspring of learned leizure, and of the diligent study of the best models. This I presume was Gray's meaning, when he said, that "good writing not only required great parts, but the very best of those parts;"* a maxim, which if true, would point out the state of the public taste among any people of the general improvement which their intellectual powers have received; and which, when applied to our Trans-atlantic brethren, would justify sanguine expectations of the attainments of the rising generation." The Presbyterian Magazine" recommends the Conversations on the Bible, lately printed at the Port Folio office, to "families, schools, and Bible classes, as a pleasing and important help, in the study of that portion of the inspired volume to which the work relates." A new edition of Nicholson's Dictionary of Chemistry with improvements by Dr. Ure of Glasgow, has lately been published in *Note of Mason on a letter of Gray's to Dr. Wharton, on the death of Dr. Middleton. Great Britain, and republished by Robert Desilver in this city; with valuable notes by Dr. Hare. The high reputation of these gentlemen entitles this work to confidence. The London Literary Gazette, for September last says the Pirate, does not move so fast under the press as to afford any hope of his appearing very speedily. Perhaps it may be Christmas before he issues forth. POSTSCRIPT. Since the Account of the Tyrol Wanderer was printed off (vid. p. 333.) we have discovered that what is there acknowledged to be borrowed from an English Journal was actually stolen from us, as any one may be convinced who will refer to the Port Folio for August 1812. This explanation may excite a smile at our expense, although this Journal was not then under our control." |