gress; the different scenes which he passed through, and their productions; the different nations which he visited, their character, disposition, manners, amusements, arts, &c. we must refer to his plain unvarnished narrative, which wears every appearance of the strictest fidelity, and cannot fail of greatly interesting the reader. In an Appendix we are presented with the entire geographical illustrations of Mr. Park's journey, by major Rennel, inserted in the proceedings of the African Association, of which we gave an extract among the selections in our last year's Register; and the work is also illustrated by some plates, together with a map of the author's route, compiled from his observations; a general map, showing the progress of discovery and improvement in the geography of North Africa; and a chart of the lines of magnetic variation in the seas around Africa, by the above-mentioned able geographer.

Major John Taylor's "Travels from England to India, in the Year 1789, by the Way of the Tyrol, Venice, Scanderoon, Aleppo, and over the large Desert to Bassora, &c." in two volumes, will prove entertaining to readers in general, and a very useful companion to those whose engagements may lead them to undertake an over-land journey to our Oriental colonies. To the first volume is prefixed a long and well-written introduction, in which the author takes a survey of the different communications that have taken place between Europe and the East, from the time of Alexander the Great to the present day, and examines into the advantages resulting from them to Bociety at large. The rest of the volume describes the various accidents attending the major's expe

dition, until his arrival at Bombay; interspersed with pleasing and instructive remarks on the different people and places visited by him, as well as lively and curious anecdotes. In the second volume, amidst a variety of miscellaneous matter, will be found an account of the route by Suez, with remarks on the Red Sea, &c.; instructions for gentlemen going by land for India, and for passing the desert; a detail of the expenses, of the articles necessary for such a journeys of the current money of the different countries, of proper precautionary measures for the preservation of health, &c. on the value of which, to the Oriental traveller, it is quite needless to enlarge. These volumes are illustrated by maps of the countries between Great Britain and the East Indies, and of major Taylor's route.

In our account of the literary productions of the United Pro vinces during the year 1793, we announced the publication of "Voyages from Zealand to the Cape of Good Hope, &c. in the Years 1768-1771," by the late Dutch rear-admiral Stavorinus. Since the appearance of that work, his papers have furnished his friends with the particulars of a second expedition to the East, commencing in 1774, and terminating in 1778, which they have committed to the press in continuation of the former publication. It is with pleasure that we have to introduce to our readers an English translation of the above-mentioned articles, by Samuel Hull Wilcocke, under the title of "Voyages to the East Indies, by the late John Splinter Stavorinus, Esq. with Notes and Additions by the Translator; the whole comprising a full and accurate Account of all the present and late Pos

essions of the Dutch in India, and it the Cape of Good Hope; illusrated with Maps," in three volumes. The first of these volumes contains an account of the author's voyages to the Cape of Good Hope, Bata via, Bantam, and Bengal. In the second volume we have a description of his second expedition to the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia, and his voyages thence to Samarang, Macasser, Amboyna, and Surat. The third volume presents us with a continuation of the author's remarks and observations made at Surat, and his voyages at different intervals, to Fatavia, the Coast of Malabar, the Cape of Good Hope, and Europe. During these voyages, Mr. Stavorinus, who appears to bave possessed much intelligence, and a spirit of diligent investigation, was enabled to collect much novel and interesting information, respecting the different places which he successively visited, their history and government, political and commercial importance, productions, inhabitants, manners, and customs, &c. &c. which is a valuable addition to what has been supplied by former writers. And the translator has rendered the work in its English dress of still greater worth, by notes and additions which he has made, collected from every authentic source within his reach; from the accounts of other travellers, from other Dutch writers, from authentic documents, manuscripts, and statements, and, in a few instances, from oral information: which, in the present situation of affairs, cannot fail of being extremely interesting." To the whole is added an Appendix, con taining curious papers relative to the regulations, commerce, and dividends, of the Dutch East-India company; extracts from the Herbal

of Oldelard, formerly superintendant of the company's garden at the Cape; and a sketch of the life of the late Dutch governor-general Reinier de Klerk, who gradually rose by his merit to that rank, from the humble situation of a common sailor in a Dutch EastIndiaman.

The "Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean, performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the Ship Duff, commanded by Captain James Wilson, compiled from Journals of the Officers and the Missionaries, &c." was undertaken in subserviency to the benevolent and commendable design of a religious society in this country, of propagating Christianity among heathens and barbarous nations. The scenes which they fixed upen for their first exertions, were Ötaheite, were they recommended the chief efforts to be made, the Friendly Islands, the Marquesas, the Sandwich and Pelew islands; subject to the discretion of captain Wilson, so far as changes in the situation of those Islands, or other circumstances, might render alterations, with respect to the places of settlement, necessary or expedient. The number of missionaries embarked on this design amounted to thirty; of whom four were ordained ministers, and the rest chiefly manufacturers, or working tradesmen. Six of them, likewise, were accompanied by their wives. In the volume before us, we have an interesting account of the circumstances attending their voyage to the places of their destination; ef their friendly reception by the inhabitants; of the incidents which took place after their arrival; of their incipient settlements at Otaheite. Tongataboo, and Ohibitahoo, or Santa Christina; of their progr

learning the language, and acquiring the confidence of the natives; and of the sanguine hopes entertained by them of a favourable issue to their undertaking. At so early a period, any decision on the justice of these hopes would be premature; as would any opinion of the fitness of the missionaries for the object in view, before their abilities have had time and scope for a fair trial. Their conduct, however, in general, as far as is here related, appears to have been conciliating, prudent, and exemplary: and if they should not succeed in converting the South-Sea islanders to Calvinistic Christianity, which is the system of their articles, language, and religious addresses, they may, by the introduction of useful arts, and the inoffensiveness of their manners contribute to their gradual civilisation; and by that means prepare their minds for the reception of the simple principles, and pure morality, of the Gospel. Prefixed to this voyage is a judicious and well-written discourse on the geography and history of the South-Sea Islands, compiled from the publications of preceding authors; and in an Appendix is given a more full and minute account than has yet appeared of the island of Otaheite, its government, remarks on society, property, inhabitants, religion, customs, amusements, natural history, &c. The narrative of this missionary voyage is illustrated with some excellent maps and charts, and elegant views. The Travels through several Provinces of Spain and Portugal, by Richard Crohier, Esq. Captain in the late 99th Regiment of Foot," are the production of a gentleman who was captured, with his regiment, by the combined French and Spanish fleets, in the month of July

1780, and sent prisoner on his parole to Arcos, a town in the interior of Andalusia. It was during a short stay at Port St. Mary's, where he was landed, his progress from that place through Xeres to Arcos, his residence at that towa for about three months, and his subsequent route by land for Lis bon, that he collected the mate rials for his work. His scope for inquiry, and his opportunities for obtaining information, cannot, therefore, have been very extensive. But he appears to have made the most of his situation, and to have viewed the objects which presented themselves to him with an inquisitive discriminating eye; and he his drawn up his descriptions of the scenes through which he passed, and related the adventures which he met with, and made his remarks on the government, character, customs, and manners of the people among whom he was a traveller, with a mixture of intelligence and liveliness by which we have been both amused and informed.

The following publication might perhaps be assigned with most propriety to our department of miscellaneous articles; but as the author has chosen to write in the character of a traveller, we shall introduce our notice of it in this place. It is entitled "Letters written from various Parts of the Continent, between the Years 1785 and 1794; containing a variety of Anecdotes relating to the present State of Literature in Germany, and to celebrated German Literati; with an Appendix, in which are included Three Letters of Gray's, never before published in this country. Translated from the German of Frederic Matthisson, by Anne Plumpire." These letters, which are written without any plan

or

connexion, embrace a great vaiety of subjects, historical, descriptive, critical, and miscellaneous. But the most interesting and entertaining of them are such as include narratives and anecdotes, which serve to illustrate events in modern history, or to bring us acquainted with the characters of living German authors of celebrity. At the same time it should be remarked that the praise which Mr. Matthisson bestows upon the lite rary men to whom he was introduced, is so profuse and indiscriminate, that it may be proper in some instances to hesitate, instead of implicitly yielding to his judgment. The letters of Gray, which bear strong internal evidence of their genuineness, were written to bis intimate and confidential friend Bonstetten, and were, it seems, refused to Mr. Mason when he wrote the life of our poet.

The "Travels through the United States of North America, the Country of the Iroquois, and Upper Canada, in the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797, with an authentic Account of Lower Canada, by the Duke de la Rochefoucault Liancourt," in two large 4to. volumes, constitute a work of much greater importance and value than are at tributable to the generality of publications under similar titles.

It

is written much in the manner of Arthur Young's "Travels undertaken more particularly with a View of ascertaining the Cultivation, Wealth, Resources, &c. of France," of which we gave an account in our Register for the year 1792; and furnishes the reader with a vast mass of geographical, commercial, political, and economical information, the result of attentive remark and diligent judicious inquiry. With the information which he conveys, the author has interwoven a variety

of anecdotes and adventures that have afforded us much amusement, and pictures of the manners of the inhabitants which are, in general, impartial and pleasing. He has likewise introduced into his work a number of political remarks and reflexions, of which the greater part are dispassionate, liberal, and judicious. We except from that character almost every thing that the author has said felative to Bri tain, and British politics; in which he has betrayed inveterate prejudices, and a rancorous hatred against a nation that afforded him a friendly and hospitable asylum after he had escaped from the murderous hands of his own countrymen, which reflect little credit on his grateful or manly feelings The first volume contains the duke de Liancourt's travels from Philadelphia to Lake Ontario, and the British settlements in Upper Canada. Lord Dorchester, who was apprised of his animosity against England, and of the danger of admitting such a person to as sociate with the disaffected French inhabitans of Lower Canada, would not permit his entrance into that province. From Upper Ca nada our author pursued his route by Albany to Massachusets, the district of Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New-York, and Phil; adelphia. The second volume consists of tours from Charlestown, through Virginia and Maryland, to Philadelphia; from that place, chiefly by sea, to Providence, New Hampshire, and thence, after reaching Hudson's river, by a western course, to NewYork; different tours to the Federal City, through the state of Delaware, the eastern part of Maryland, and to the different parts of the Jerseys; miscellaneous matter written under the article of Residence in Philadelphia, and general Q3 observations

observations on

American states. These travels appear to have been faithfully translated from the original French, by Mr. Newman, and are accompanied by such maps as are necessary to illustrate them.

Of Mr. Weld's "Travels through the States of North America, and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797," there are two impressions; one in an elegant quarto volume, illustrated by sixteen neatly executed maps, plans, and descriptive engravings; the other in two volumes, octavo, with the same plates. Mr. Weld is a native of Ireland, who, when the late storms that were gathering over that country, "rendered it impossible to say how sóon any one of i's inhabitants inight be forced to seek for refuge in a foreign land, was induced to cross the Atlantic, for the purpose of examining with his own eyes into the truth of the various accounts which had been given of the flourishing and happy condition of the United States of America; and of ascertaining whether, in case of future emergency, any part of those territories might be looked forward to, as an eligible and agreeable place of abode." The narrative of his travels is written in the epistolary form, and describes his progress through the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and the two Canadas. From the result of his observations and inquiries, he has not been led to present to his countrymen a favourable picture of the new world, which he left, without a sigh, and without entertaining the slightest wish to revisit it." And in forming his judgment of the people and country, he does not appear to have been influenced

by pre conceived prejudices against them; but, in our opinion, by the disappointment of too highly raised expectations, by the impossibility of obtaining those comforts and accominodations in travelling that are readily commanded in this country, and by a dissimilarity in customs and manners not easily reconciliable with the habits of Britons. Mr. Weld's Travels, however, will be found to afford much informa tion and entertainment. If, in the former respect they are not so valuable as the last mentioned article, they will prove more acceptable to general readers, from the greater case and better temper in which they are written, the more pleasing descriptions which they contain of natural scenery, and the author's more simple delineation of popular manners. Mr. Weld's style is not free from blemishes and incorrectness.

In our last year's Register we barely announced, among the articles in French literature, "Travels in England, Scotland, and the Hebrides, chiefly illustrative of Sciences and the Arts, Natural History and Manners, by B. Faujas Saint Fond," in two volumes. During the present year that work has appeared in a well-executed English version, with some variation in the title, which, as it is more fully explanatory of the contents of the author's volumes, we shall insert. It states that they.present us with "Mineralogical Descriptions of the Country about Newcastle; of the Mountains of Derbyshire; of the Environs of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, and St. Andrews; of Inverary, and other Parts of Argyleshire; and of the Cave of Fingal. These trayels are chiefly valuable for the scientific and economical observations occurring in them; the former