At the time of queen Elizabeth's death, (1603), which was 110 years after the dis covery of America by Columbus, neither the French, Dutch, nor English, nor any other nation, excepting the Spanish, had made any permanent settlement in this new world. In North America not a single European family could be found. The French had now (1606) just begun to make settlements in Canada and Acadie; and these, with the Spanish soldiers, maintained at two or three posts in Florida, appear to have been all the Europeans in North America. But speedily after this period North America became better known, and was resort ed to by those who intended here to spend their lives. Early in king James's reign many discoveries were made, and the nation began to take an interest in its distant settlements. In 1606 the grant, made to SirWalter Raleigh, being void by his attainder, several gentlemen, by the incitement of Mr. Richard Hakluyt, petitioned king James, to graut then a patent for the settling of two plantations on the main coasts of America. The king accordingly, by a patent, dated the tenth day of April, divided that portion of North Ameriea, which stretches from the thirty-fourth to the forty-fifth degree of latitude, into two districts nearly equal. The southern, called the first colony, he granted to the London company; the Northern, called the second colony, he granted to the Plymouth company. He authorized Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Hakluyt, Edward Maria Wingfield, and their associates, chiefly resident in London, to settle any part, that they should choose, of the southern district; and vested in them a right of property to the land, extending along the coast fifty miles on cach side of the place of their first habitation, and reaching into the interior country a hundred miles. The northern district he allotted, as a place of settlement, to several knights, gentlemen, and merchants of Bristol, Plymouth, and other parts of the west of England, with a similar grant of territory. The supreme government of the colonies, that were to be settled, was vested in a council, resident in England, to be named by the king, according to such laws and ordinances, as should be given under his sign manual; and the subordinate jurisdiction was committed to a council, resident in America, which was also to be nominated by the king, and to act conformably to his instructions. privilege of holding their lands in America by the freeest and least burdensome tenure: The king permitted whatever was necessary for the sustenance or commerce of the new colonies to be exported from England, during the space of seven years, without paying any duty; and as a farther incite.nent to industry, he granted them liberty of trade with other nations; and appropriated the duty, to be levied on foreign commodities, for twentyone years, as a fund for the benefit of the colonies. He also granted them liberty of coining for their own use; of repelling enemies; and of staying ships, that should trade there without leave. year of their number, if not the most delicate, One of the methods adopted for the increase was perhaps the most politic. The enterprizing colonists being generally destitute of families, Sir Edwin Sandys, the treasurer, proposed to the Virginia company, in 1620,` to send over a freight of young women, to become wives for the planters. The proposal was applauded; and ninety girls, young and uncorrupt," were sent over in the ships, that arrived this year; and, the following, sixty inore, handsome, and well recommended to the company for their virtuous education and demeanour. The price of a wife, at the first, was one hundred pounds of tobacco; but, as the number became scarce, the price was increased to one hundred and fifty pounds, the value of which, in money, was three shillings per pound. This debt for wives, it was ordered, should have the precedency of all other debts, and be first recoverable. Beside the transportation of reputable peo ple, the king commanded the treasurer and council of the Virginia company, to send to Virginia a hundred dissolute persons, to bẹ delivered to them by the knight marshal; and they were accordingly sent over as servants. The early custom of transporting vicious and profligate people to that colony, as a place of punishment and disgrace, though designed for its benefit, yet became ultimately prejudicial to its growth and prosperity. A Dutch ship, putting into Virginia, sold twenty negroes to the colony; and these were the first negroes imported into Virginia. We We find it extremely difficult to form any decided opinion on the numbers of inhabitants in the various parts of America at the time of their discovery. would willingly flatter ourselves that it The charter, while it thus restricted the visited them; and if we may adduce a was greatly exaggerated by those who first emigrants in the important article of internal regulation, secured to them and their descen- modern instance as an example, this dants all the rights of denizens, in the same opinion has something more than probamanner, as if they had remained or had beenbility to support it. Capt. Cook unborn in England; and granted them the questionably estimated the population o admirable qualities. With an instance or two in support of this opinion we shall close the present article, intending to consider the second volume at a future opportunity. Can we but honour the dignity that glows in the answer of Namunttenoo, head sachem of the Narragansets, under circumstances calculated to appal the firmest fortitude? Otaheite much too high. He did not | make, and possibly could not make, sufficient allowances for the impulse of that curiosity by which natives from all parts were urged to visit that station where his ship lay, or to follow the vessel with unsatisfied gaze, while coasting round the island. It should be recollected that these people had no occupation which fixed them to any particular place: 'and therefore they suffered no inconvenience from persevering to gratify their curiosity. Whether the wilderness toward Scaconck, near the seat of Spaniards were not under an equal decep- Philip, to procure seed corn, to plant the tion must ever remain uncertain. But, towns, which the English had deserted on when we read of one million of inhabi-Connecticut river. This sachem was a son of tants of Hispaniola, in 1492, reduced to sixty thousand in 1507, and in the same proportion elsewhere, we cannot but infer as well as wish, an error of great excess in the first estimate. It is certain, that the desolation of the original inhabitants was in North America mach less rapid; though most certainly, they suffered extensive devastations by diseases introduced among them, of the nature of which they were ignorant, as well as by wars, with their attendant calamities. We cannot doubt, but that if these nations had committed to record the events of their enterprizes, and the exploits of their great men, they would exbibit many exuted characters, and heroes of the most He had veutured down from the northern Miautonimoh, and inherited the pride of his father. He would not accept his life, when offered on the condition, that he should make peace with the English. When he was informed, that it was determined to put him to death, he said: "I like it well; I sha I die before my heart is soft, or shall have spoken any thing unworthy of myself." The Moheagan sachem, his counsellors, and the principal Pequots, shot him at Stonington. Trumbull, i. 362. The remarks of our author on occasion of the death of Philip, a most dreadful enemy to the settlers in New England, prove him to be a man of consideration and candour. We are struck with their justice and at the same time we think them truly honourable to the Dr.'s philanthropy and magnanimity. The death of Philip, in retrospect, makes different impressions from what were made at the time of the event. It was then considered as the extinction of a virulent and implacable enemy; it is now viewed as the fall of a great warrior, a penetrating statesmen, and a mighty prince. It then excited universal joy and congratulation, as a prelude to the close of a merciless war; it now awakens sober reflections on the instability of empire, the peculiar destiny of the aboriginal race, and the inscru table decrees of Heaven. The patriotism of the man was then overlooked in the cruelty of the savage; and little allowance was made for the natural jealousy of the sovereign, on account of the barbarities of the warrior.. Philip, in the progress of the English settlements, foresaw the loss of his territory, and the extinction of his tribe: and made one mighty effort to prevent those calamities, Our pity for his misfortunes would be still heightened, if we could entirely rely on the tradition (mentioned by Callendar, 73), that Philip and his chief old men were at first averse to the war; that, Philip wept with grief, at the news of the first English who.. were killed; and that he was pressed- imo these measures by the irresistible importumity of his young warriors. The assurance, on the other hand, of the equity of our ancestors, in giving the natives an equivalent for their lands, is highly consoling. The upright and pions governor Winslow, in a letter dated at Marshfield, 1 May, 1676, observes: "I think I can clearly say, that before these present troubles broke out, the English did not possess one foot of land in this colony, but what was fairly obtained by honest purchase of the Indian proprietors. We first made a law, that none should purchase or receive of gift any land of the Indians, without the knowledge and allowance of our court. And lest yet they should be streightened, we ordered that Mount Hope, Pocasset, and several other necks of the best land in the colony, because most suitable and conve nient for them, should never be bought out of their hands." See Hubbard's Narrative (where this important letter is inserted entire) and Hazard, Coll. ii. 531-534. Greek, but English also, thoroughly; and should, from among sundry apparently synonimous terms, which our language presents, select that one which is most suitable to the subject, and most aptly expresses its nature, derivation, or composition. In elementary books the utmost care should be taken that correct ideas be imparted to the learner. Youth, which is usually the time of life for learn ing, is also that for retaining what is learned; and to have occasion to complain of errors fixed in the mind by tuition, is doubly mortifying to the ingenuous. The Italian proverb applies to such but too correctly: If you knew nothing, you would soon know something." By way, therefore of enforcing the propriety of our remarks, we shall adduce a few instances of what in our opinion, might be improved in the work before us. "A comet flies 14,000 miles in a minute."-Comets are not all of equal A Vocabulary, English and Greek, arrang-velocity. THE intention of this small volume is of that description which we think it our duty to encourage. We are of opinion, that to learners of any language, the terms of it cannot be made too familiar. The more frequently they are presented to the mind, by common occurrences in life, or by articles with which the learner is most likely to be intimate, the more effectually is he transported, as as it were, to the time, or the country where the language was, or is, vernacular and the stronger impression is made on his mind. We therefore commend without hesitation, the intention of this volume, which contains lists of words referring to the principal subjects of natural knowledge: as, the solar system, the elements, animals, man, diseases, intellect, ethics, household furniture, implements, building, arms, occupations, &c. To some of the articles concise remarks are added. : "A race-horse can run nearly a mile in a minute." The flying Childers might; but not every race-horse. Our author has here, and in many other instances, taken particular facts as general truths: a too prolific parent of error, on many occasions! Among ecclesiastical matters, a sacrament;" and " baptism," appear: but not the Lord's supper, or Eucharist; though that be commonly called "the sacrament,' by way of eminence. "Charity, Ayaan." Charity is so commonly taken in another sense among us, that of alms-giving, that it ought by no means to have been adopted as equivalent to Agape. Perhaps our word affec tion had been more expressive. We ac knowledge the difficulty of distinguishing the term: yet all the grace of a remarkable passage in the N. T. turns on the emphasis of this word, John. xxi. 15. Our Lord says to Peter: "Dost thou love me affectionately, ayamas?" The conscious Apostle declines using the word Agape in reply, but answers in a more modest tone: "Thou knowest that I love thee, ixw:" The second time our Lord uses Agape, and again Peter answers by phila but, the third time Jesus condescends to his But the execution of a volume like the now cautious disciple; and says: “ Sipresent, small though it be, is an arduous, mon, dost thou love me, pies?" and to as well as an important undertaking. The this, Peter, though vexed, replies boldly: compiler should not only understand" Thou knowest that I love thee, the stem, reed, or even cane, is Kalamos: but the blade is better expressed by Σranus. philo. It is difficult to preserve the spirit of such apparently synonimous, but really selected terms, în translation. This conversation, however, may be taken as We have had repeated occasion to ena proof of the necessity for adopting the force the necessity of an acquaintance most suitable English word from among with things in whoever would understand several which present themselves as syno-words properly and correctly. The va nimous. The beauty of this incident is rious parts of knowledge are, in fact; totally lost in our public version. "Turkey, Mensarpis." Mr. H. knows, supports to each other, and very rarely can one be attacked, and yet be comno doubt, that naturalists are not agreed plete. that the turkey is the Meleagris of the ancients; some have thought it was the Guinea fowl. Vide Pennant, Daines Barrington, &c. "Slow-worm, Tupivos." Another name for this creature in English is Blind-discharge a duty to the rising generation; worm certainly the Greek alludes to If Mr. H profits by our hints, he will and also support our opinion by instances. blindness. .. " Had our author departed a little from bis conciseness, on some subjects, we should not have thought the worse of him for it. When he had called our "appletree Melea," he might have distinguished the "Melea Persike, the peach: the "Melea Armeniake, the apricot," the "Melea Kydona: the quince" of the latter indeed he says brought from Cydon in Crete:" why then not inform on the former, that one was brought from Persia, the other from Armenia, as the name of each respectively imports? "A sinew, Neugov: " rather, a nerve, e. A consumption, Φθισις, Μαρασμός, Marasmus had better have been rendered decay or wasting; for the purpose of dis ப tinctress. "Reproach, Aria; " rather infamy: Ατίμια the A being privative. When Solon ordered a citizen who would not discharge the duties of citizenship to be Atimos, he did not order him to be reproached, but, to be held infamous; disgraced. "A church porch, Пpoznao." No the Propulea at Athens, was not a church porch, "A tradesman, TexUTES." We do not discover in technites any reference to trade it imports an artist; and so our author, a few lines lower, " a workman Xapors res:i. e. a hand-artist. Χειρότεχνες: A cushion, Пposnɛparasov; "—but a cushion may belong to a seat: whereas proskephalaion, clearly refers to the head: and our author has elsewhere rendered it pillow. The blade of corn, Kanapos."-No: Mr. H. may rest assured that we do not undervalue his work: but as it professes to be intended for the use of schools, we conceive that we ought to thank us let him revise his work carefully; distinguish ancient Greek from all reference to the Chinese, Japanese, modern convenient Greekifications: omit and Hottentots, in a work that should be purely Greek; and correct the press with Persevering assiduity; it will then be come an useful book. To the errata add: for Nava, read read Apvos, a lamb, p. 12. Neovia, the new moon, p. 2; for Avos, Anatomia Britannica. A System of We do not clearly comprehend by what we quite satisfied, as to the authority in pursuance, of which our author takes upon him to censure omissions in some of his contemporaries, who have deserved well of their country. There is a great deal of valuable information collected in these volumes; as might be expected from the writers alluded to in the title page ; but they are altogether incomplete, through the absence of plates. This omission, it strikes us, must prove an insuperable obstacle to the popularity of the book. The work is closely, and neatly printed. A System of Divinity.-Stries of Old Daniel. [272 (how, therefore, could he anticipatethe idea of popularity from his work; e millibus anus qui legat hoc opus?) labours of this industrious wight, and To compensate this defect, we have thought it incumbent on us to record the moreover to assure posterity, that the nineteenth century, at of learning but men of labour; witproduced not only adamantine men its opening, ness one in particular, who collected, selected, compiled, composed, and printed, by his own hand, pro bono publico, no less than twenty-six volumes! on the subject of divinity, only !-We recommend him to the office of Illustrator Royal, or Commentator General on the statutes at large: if his salary be equal to his labour, it will be a pretty thing enough. Stories of Old Daniel : Wonder and Delight. 12mo. pp. 96. Price or Tales of 3s. 6d. 1808. THE Panorama has been characterized very well; in the spirit of that cant, as maintaining "the cant of morality :" then, we object to old Daniel's telling his stories on Thursdays and Sundays. There inuendo, not intended to promote the reliwas no necessity for this: but it is a sly gious observance of that sacred day. Why could not the author have given us leave to applaud him without a counter check? A System of Divinity, in a Course of Sermons, on the first Institutions of Religion; on the Being and Attributes of God; on some of the most important Articles of the Christian Religion, in Connection; and on the several Virtues and Vices of Mankind, &c. Davy, A. B. Lustleigh, Devon. Printed by By the Rev. W. Himself.--Fourteen copies only. 1795-1807. TWENTY-SIX VOLUMES! collected, selected, compiled, composed, and printed, all by the Author's own hand!-pro bono publico. Oh! for a hero of a Reviewer whose indefatigability is proof against the task of scrupulously examining the contents of these six and twenty volumes! The first of them contains 412 pages, besides Dedicatio, (Deo Omnipotenti) Ad Lectorem (Benignissime Lector, si sit e millibus unus qui legat hoc opus)— and Preface. Nor are these all; for by the ingenious contrivance of notes, and, literally, notes upon notes, as well as extracts upon extracts, and afterthoughts upon afterthoughts, folding upon others (we have not seen the like since we contemplated Jacob Behmen's "Tree of Life in the Soul of Man," &c.) the readable quantity of these pages is greatly increased. Now what can the PANORAMA, the attention of which is called to a multitude of objects on all sides, and without intermission, do, in a case like this? We commend the intention of the author, as he has explained it in his preface; we admire the spirit of perseverance, with which he is endowed; his courage in undertaking the work, and his diligence in execut ing it, alike excite our astonishment! -and, for once, we own ourselves baffled, incessant readers as we are! Nevertheless, to judge by what has met our eye, Mr. Davy has selected some good things, and his compendium includes ranged the following pages for the press, is THE unfortunate young woman who armuch information, not readily to be an orphan and a penitent, late of the Magdafound in any other work. He does not len Hospital. She takes this opportunity of indeed, profess, to have paid much at- returning her sincere thanks to the governors tention to composition, to style, to logi- and managers of that valuable institution for cal deduction, or to the lucidus ordo, their protection, and for the instruction which which as critics we might have desired: has been the means of convincing her of her but then his work deles criticism, by virtue humbly hoping that the public will other properties, and we wish neither his error, and pointing out to her the paths of head nor our own may ache, till his la-ing into the snares of seduction, and enable encourage her efforts to deter others from fallbours have been duly considered, and ap- her, by the profits arising from the sale of this preciated. The small number of copies work, to settle herself in a business which may printed by this typographer, precludes provide for her future wants in this world. Observations on Seduction and Prostitution, and on the evil Consequences arising from them; extracted from Matthew Henry's Exposition on the Old and New Testament. By Mary Smith, a Penitent, late of the Magdalen Hospital, and published for her Benefit: with a Poem, by Mr. Pratt, &c. Second Edition. 12mo. Price 2s. 6d. Hatchard. London. 1808. |