THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR NOVEMBER, 1823.

Art. I. Travels in New England and New York. By Timothy Dwight, S.T.D. LL.D. Late President of Yale College. 4 vols. 8vo. Price 21. 2s. London. 1823.

THE

HE series of journeys during which President Dwight collected the principal materials for these interesting volumes, were undertaken with a primary view to the promotion of his health during the autumn vacations, after he was chosen president of Yale College in the year 1795. His active mind. suggested, that it might be practicable to turn these travels to good account, by taking notes of his observations on the unformed manners and shifting aspect of a country where every thing is in rapid transition, and by fixing the little information which has been preserved in the absence of historic records, relative to the past. America has no national history: they are a people only fifty years old. An antiquary might travel from Cape Cod to the Mississippi, and find it all barren. But, the whole story of the colonization, organization, and independence of North America, forms one of the most interesting pages in the history of Europe, of which it forms an essential portion. The scene only is changed: the actors were our countrymen. Yet, comparatively recent as are all the facts connected with the early history of British America, they are fast fading into oblivion. The Author was prompted to commence his inquiries, by a wish to know the appearance which New England would have presented eighty or a hundred years before. The wish,' he says, was found to be fruitless.' Tradition is a faithful substitute for history in thinly peopled countries, where civilization is stationary, and where generations quietly succeed on the same soil; but in America, every thing is in motion, and every one is too intent upon the future, to dwell upon the past. It is probable, that a false pride has also its influence in rendering our Transatlantic brethren careless about the perpetuation of details relating to VOL. XX. N.S. 2 G

the period when their mighty and growing Republic was in its chrysalis state, and a log-house was its most appropriate emblem. Though the Americans have abundantly more reason to boast of their origin than any of the old nations of the Eastern continent, yet, the pride of rapidly growing wealth, and the nascent passion for military glory, naturally tend to lessen their complacency in the memorials and recollections of the first rude stages of their political existence :—just as some worthy city banker and baronet might feel solicitous to escape from the recollection of the shop in which he laid by his first thousand. This disposition, which is found attaching to nations as well as to individuals, would seem to have been expressly provided against in the Jewish people, by the national confession, "A Syrian ready to perish was our father." Add to all this, the Americans are almost universally men of business, and such inquiries and researches as engage the historian or the topographer, are out of their line. President Dwight complains, that he was frequently promised assistance in obtaining the information he sought for, and, he doubts not, with sincerity and good-will. But the object lying out of the path of common business,' was postponed, he supposes, till it was forgotten. Our Author's diligence has, however, enabled him to collect an entertaining mass of historical notices, biographical anecdotes, and statistical details, intermixed with topographical description and moral observations, which will be invaluable as materials for the future historian, and which in the meantime supply the best view of at least the Eastern States, that has yet been presented to the public. The subject, he remarks, is in a great measure new to my countrymen to foreigners, most of it is absolutely unknown.'

The scene is a novelty in the history of man. The colonization of a wilderness by civilized men, where a regular government, mild manners, arts, learning, science, and Christianity have been interwoven in its progress from the beginning, is a state of things, of which the Eastern continent and the records of past ages, furnish neither an example nor a resemblance. Nor can it be questioned, that this state of things presents one interesting feature in the human character or that it exhibits man in one advantageous attitude, and his efforts in a light which is honourable to our nature.......A succession of New England villages, composed of neat houses, surrounding neat school-houses and churches, adorned with gardens, meadows, and orchards, and exhibiting the universally easy circumstances of the inhabitants, is, at least in my own opinion, one of the most delightful prospects which this world can afford. At least, it may compensate the want of ancient castles, ruined abbeys, and fine pictures.'

It may amply compensate the want of these to the eye and heart of the philanthropist, but not to the imagination of the man of taste. The sources of interest are so widely different, that they will not admit of being fairly brought into comparison. Men do not travel to see neat villages, because they are not objects of curiosity: castles and abbeys are,—because they have a history attaching to them. No one will dispute that Amsterdam is a more pleasing scene, in a moral point of view, than Constantinople or Rome itself; but no one travels in Holland for amusement. Nor has British America any thing to offer to the tourist, that can compensate for the absence of the monuments and works of art which give an interest to the very name of Italy; notwithstanding that the condition of the people of the United States, is infinitely superior. It shews bad taste in an American, to challenge a comparison on these points. The conversion of a wilderness into a desirable residence for man, is a delightful object for the understanding to rest upon, but it is not an object capable of being presented to the eye of the spectator, who sees only the present appearances of things. As yet, it is what they have done, rather than what they possess, that the Americans have reason to boast of. If foreigners have been unreasonable in their expectations, the natives have been inconsiderate in their vaunts. We have no doubt that the American Republic, if not the healthiest, or the most picturesque, or the most interesting country in the world, is the freest, and one of the happiest; but we are equally persuaded that, to be quite happy there, a man must be an American. Nevertheless, we readily concede, that a wise man, and especially a good man, on either continent, will be interested to learn the state of the countries' which are described in these volumes. We trust that the feelings of contemptuous indifference or haughty aversion. on the part of Englishmen towards the Americans, of which President Dwight so pointedly complains, are rapidly subsiding. Indeed, the very reprint of so extensive a work in this country, chiefly on the strength of the Author's theological reputation, is a voucher for the fact. And the well-earned popularity of Washington Irving may be cited as a further evidence of the more kindly feeling of the British public, to which the labours of Geoffrey Crayon have no doubt powerfully contributed. In his hands, the scenery of an American river or a Dutch village, is found to be susceptible of picturesque or romantic associations. Henceforth, we shall think of Hudson's river and Manhattan Island with a new kind of interest; and should we ever be led to cross the Atlantic, our

first impulse would be to search for our old friends, Rip Van Winkle or Dolph Heyliger. But we have now graver matter

before us.

The Northern States,' as the Author distinguishes them, comprised in the countries which he has described, are undoubtedly the most important part, in many respects, of the American Republic. In 1810, when the total population of the United States was 7,239,903, of which 1,191,364 were slaves, and 186,446 free blacks, New England and New York contained together 2,431,022 inhabitants. Of these only 15,435 were slaves; (namely, 15,017, in New York, and 418 in New England ;) and 44,821 were free blacks; leaving 2,386,201, the number of white inhabitants in these States, or two fifths of the white population of the whole Republic. The manufactures of the Northern States fall little short of half of the grand total, and their commerce is in the same proportion. In 1820, the population of the United States had risen to 9,625,734; but we have not before us the particulars of the census.

The geography and geology of these States are very properly noticed by our Author; but they furnish no matter for observation. A strange blunder in Guthrie's Geography is somewhat tetchily commented on, as having passed through fifteen editions: the passage alluded to states, that the caribou is the largest native animal in America, and that it is no bigger than a calf a year old, while it is subsequently stated, that the elk is a native of America, and is as big as a horse. President Dwight, anxious for the honour of his country on all points, gives a table which shews the superior weight of various quadrupeds of the Western Continent, compared with those of the. same family in Europe; and he hints at the mammoth and at the giants of their vegetable kingdom. The ornithology of New, England, he complains, is but little studied; and indeed the most remarkable of its feathered inhabitants, appears to have as yet received no name.

The spring-bird, (qy. the species?) the meadow-lark, and particularly the robin red-breast, sing delightfully. There is, however, a bird incomparably superior to either, and to all other birds in this country, in the sweetness and richness of its notes. I am unable to describe it minutely, having never been sufficiently successful in my attempts to approach it, to become thoroughly acquainted with its form and colouring, although I have seen it often. It is a small brown bird, scarcely so large as the robin. Its notes are very numerous, and appear to be varied at pleasure. Its voice is finer than any instrument, except the Eolian harp. What is remarkable in this bird, and I believe singular, is, that it sings in a kind of concert,

sometimes with one, and sometimes with two of its companions. When two of them unite, the voice of one is regularly elevated a third above that of the other. Where there are three, the third raises his voice a fifth above the first, and of course a third less above the second. In this manner, a given set of notes is repeated alternately by them at equal intervals, and with inimitable sweetness of sound; forming, it is believed, the nearest approach to harmony amongst the feathered creation. I have named this bird the songster of the woods.'

Among other singing birds, the brown thrush, the cat-bird, and the mock-bird are enumerated as the most conspicuous: the former two resemble each other in their manner of singing. The crow, President Dwight says, is taught to speak as easily and as well as the parrot, and what is perhaps singular, to laugh.' The birds of prey are of many kinds, but, with the exception of the hen-hawk, few in number. It is a remarkable fact, that the king-bird or bee-eater, is an overmatch for any of them.

This little animal, possessed of a sharp beak, unrivalled activity, and a spirit equally unrivalled, boldly attacks every other bird, and is always secure of victory. It is not a little amusing to see an enemy, so disproportioned in size and strength, vanquish the crow, the hawk, and the eagle. While on the wing, he always rises above them; and, at short intervals, darting upon them with wonderful celerity, pierces them with his bill on the back and neck so painfully, that they make no efforts but to escape. Whenever they alight, he alights immediately over them, and quietly waits until they again take wing. Then he repeats the same severe discipline, until, satisfied with victory and revenge, he returns to his nest. This bird is an excellent defence of a garden against every enemy of the feathered kind.'

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The rattle-snake holds the most prominent place among the reptiles. Our Author combats the notion that it is peculiarly to be dreaded. Its bite is indeed, he admits, a strong poison, but it is both certainly and easily cured. The specific he omits to mention. Besides,' he adds, he is so clumsy as to 'be avoided without any difficulty. His whole progress is formed by coiling himself up, and then stretching himself again at full length. They are also rare, except in some solitary places. There are a few other animals of this class, which åre venomous, but they are either so rare, we are told, or so inefficient, as scarcely to be thought of by the inhabitants. The following anecdote is given as an illustration of the power of fascinating birds, ascribed to the snake.

As a student of Yale college, together with some companions, was walking one morning through a grove in the summer season,