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LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

We have great fatisfaction in noticing a plan, fet on foot by the Rev. Edward Forfler, (Lecturer at the Royal Inftitution) for what he calls a BRITISH GALLERY OF ENGRAV INGS. The plan goes to the formation of a Work to be publifhed in Numbers, containing four Plates each, to give Engravings from the beft Mafters of the ENGLISH SCHOOL, in the Line, or Strake manner, at two Guineas each Number. This plan is already patronized by fome of the first names among the patrons of art, the Dukes of Bedford and Devonshire, the Marquiffes of Stafford and Thomond, the Earls of Suffolk, Dartmouth, Carlifle, &t. &c. &c.

The Rev. J. Milner has commenced the publication of an entirely new edition of Fox's Martyrs, in ottavo, with hiftorical notes and illuftrations.

An Account and Defcription of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity at Norwich, may foon be expected, from of Mr. P. Browne.

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Mr. Olinthus Gregory is about to publifh a tranflation of the Abbé Hauy's Elementary Work on Phyfics.

Mr. Malcolm has changed the name of his Travels from First Impreffions, which certainly founded like the title of a Novel, to Excurfions in Kent, &c. under which title we fhall foon notice the work.

Two more Volumes of Rivingtons' Annual Register will be publifhed in the Courfe of next Month.

An Octavo Edition of Dr. Jortin's Life of Erafmus, under the Superintendance of Drs. Raine and Henley, will be publifhed next Month.

Mr. Johnes, of Hafod, has finished a new English Tranflation of John, Lord de Joinville, with additional Matter from other Writers, which is nearly ready for Publication.

CLARENDON PRESS.

The Curators of the Clarendon Prefs have lately fent forth Dr. White's Edition of the " Specimen Hiftoriæ Arabum," by Dr. E. Pococke, with notes and illuftrations by the Author, and the Editor. Alfo,

A new Edition of Clarendon's Hiftory of the Rebellion, in three large Volumes Octavo, each divided into two parts. A very elegant and valuable work.

Alfo, a Catalogue of the D'Orville MSS. and Books with Manufcript Notes, now in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

THE

BRITISH CRITIC,

For APRIL, 1807.

Quotiefcunque à viris eruditiffimis diffentiam, id non de eorum laudibus derogandi, fed veræ eruditionis excolendæ ftudio unicè factum eft." DAWES.

In diffenting from the opinions of very learned men, we feek not to lower their eftimation but to serve the caufe of true literature.

ART. I. A Sporting Tour through various Parts of France in the Year 1802, including a concife Account of the Sporting Eftablishments, Mode of Hunting, and other Field Amufements, as practifed in that Country; with general Obfervations on the Arts, Sciences, Agriculture, Hufbandry, and Commerce; Strictures on the Customs and Manners of the French People; with a View of the comparative Advantages of Sporting in France and England. In a Series of Letters to the Right Hon. the Earl of Darlington. To which is prefixed an Account of French Wolf-Hunting. By Colonel Thornton, of Thornton Royal, Yorkshire. Illuftrated with upwards of eighty correct and picturefque Delineations from original Drawings from Nature, by Mr. Bryant and other eminent Artifs. 4to. 2 Vols. Price 31. 15s. 6d. Longman

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WE E have before introduced this fporting gentleman, who is amufing enough in his way, to our readers. A Sporting Tour is certainly an original idea, and the invention of Colonel Thornton himself. He has the reputation, it seems,

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BRIT, CRIT, VOL, XXIX, APRIL, 1807.

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of being a remarkably good fhot, and fo he may; but if he afpires at the higher character of an author, whofe works are to furvive him, we think that he overfhoots his mark. Nevertheless, as before obferved, these volumes are in many refpects entertaining, and, as far as the fports of the field are concerned, and the mode of profecuting these in France may be fuppofed to excite curiofity, confiderable information may be gained from them.

The object of Colonel Thornton's vifit to France was the purchase of fome domain, for the purpofe of enjoying the amufements of the field. With this view he proceeded through Normandy to Paris, and afterwards vifited feveral of the provinces, enjoying, in all the places through which he paffed, the fports of hunting, fhooting, &c. Of fuch a work, as we probably do not enumerate among our readers a very large clafs of good fhots, however expert we ourselves may be at hitting our mark, fhort fpecimens will be fufficient. Yet, as it is an expenfive work, novel in its defign, and in many refpects of elegant execution, we would not be too abrupt in our notice of it.

The following account of the manufactory of fire-arms at Verfailles is not deflitute of entertainment. The Colonel talks of a gun which coft four hundred guineas. We prefume it muft have been terribly long though it only killed a fparrow.

"From hence we proceeded to the manufactory of fire-arms, of which I had previoutly heard fuch representations as abfolutely aftonished me. The fabrication of piftols at ten thousand, and guns at fifty thoufand livres apiece had been mentioned as no uncommon thing at this place; and when I argued on the impoffi bility of working up fire-arms to this value, and the little chance of finding purchafers at fuch extravagant prices, I was told, that the manufactory was under the patronage of the First Conful, and that he frequently ordered the most coftly pieces as prefents for foreign princes or general officers. One gun was produced, which was then compleating for the Conful, at the price of eight hundred guineas. The fun was certainly very great; but I remember receiving a fowling-piece as a prefent from Lord Rocking'ham, which coft his Lordship four hundred guineas, in confe quence of my having killed a fparrow, which had perched on the top of Wentworth Houfe. With refpect, however, to fome of the enormous prices stated to be paid for the arms of the Verfailles manufactory I can only add, that I have heard of them, but how far your credence will extend must be left to your own confideration.

"I confefs, that as a fportfman I was very anxious to infpect this manufactory, and was accordingly introduced to the director

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and his numerous partners. The fuperintendant of the guns is the well-known Bouté, and fome other perfon has the department of the piftols. They obferved, that they heard of the piftols I had brought over for the Firft Conful, and expressed a defire of being indulged with a fight of them. With this request I readily acquiefced, and had the pleasure of hearing my intended prefent fpoken of in terms of the higheft commendation by the directors of the manufactory. The mounting of their arms at Verfailles is certainly excellent, and the carving of their stocks is most beautifully conceived, and as capitally executed; but their barrels are not fitted in that workman-like manner, which conftitutes a ftriking excellence in the English manufactories. They are alfo very inferior to my countrymen in the art of browning, and in the conftruction of their locks.

"Gratified with the information we had received at this manufactory, we returned to a dinner, which our landlord had engaged to provide for eighteen perfons at ten livres per head, the defert non compris. The repaft was excellent, and the attendants were particularly civil; but I could not help remarking, that although an Englishman is at firft furprised at the cheapnefs of French wines, the frequenting of inns, and the great quantity there confumed, will foon alter his fentiments on this fubject.

The next morning being appointed for a trial of guns between myself and the directors of the manufactory, we met before breakfast at a place purposely adapted for experiments of that nature. A distance of fixteen yards was chofen and meafured off for piftols, and stone marks were placed for the feet, fo that it was impoffible for the advantage of a fingle inch to be taken by either party. Mr. G. first tried his pistol, and made two good fhots, placing the ball within an inch of a wafer. He then defired me to make trial with the fame pistol, but as it had a double-hair trigger, to which I had not been accustomed, it went off before I got it to the mark. However, on its being reloaded, I placed the ball nearer to the wafer than my compepitor had previously done.

"The next trial confifted of two forts of treble-barrelled piftols, one of which was on the fame principle as those intended for the Conful, and they anfwered at the above distance, so as to hit the iron plate, which was two feet fquare.

"We then made trial of fome guns of the manufactory, and it may reasonably be fuppofed the beft were felected; I had only brought two of my own, one of which was my coach gun, not more than two feet long, but even this far furpaffed those produced by the manufacturers. They made fome fhots at the dif tance of ninety-eight yards, but did not fucceed.

"It was afterwards agreed to have a full and fair trial of my guns against the manufactory, and each party was naturally anxious for fuccefs. The Poker, or Buonaparte, as the gun is

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termed,

termed, opened the ball, and the threw her fhot fo exactly, that the French admitted une mouche ne pourroit pas echapper.'

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"Theirs in return failed, after which they affayed about four others. The next was my air-gun, at ninety-three yards, against their rifle. Ifhot within an inch of their mark, though it was not fully pumped. The day was extremely fultry, and yet my

next fhot was still more exact.

"The next trial was my double rifle against their best fingle rifle, which was apparently greatly in their favour, as the fight to a fingle rifle is far more accurate. On preparing to reload, I found that, owing to fome miftake, the loader and the bulletmoulds were either loft or mislaid., However, fome bullets were found to fit, and, after loading with powder merely by guefs, I made eight fhots, each fufficient to pierce through a deer's head, and once even touched the edge of the white.

"We had several other trials both with rifles and air-guns, but the refult afforded a convincing proof of the fuperiority of the English manufactures. Several bets were made on this occa. fion, but General Beaumont, the appointed judge, decided impartially in favour of my guns." Vol. I. p. 67.

The account alfo of wolf-hunting is really interefting, and the following defcription given with the vivacity and true fpirit of a keen fportfman, who has often been in at the death.

"The intense heat of the following day did not prevent us from throwing into the foreft at four o'clock, and we foon roused a wolf, of which we had a view for five or fix miles; however, there was no probability of killing but by shooting him, and this was not eafily done, as the cover was extremely thick in underwood and heath, the avenues having been entirely neglected fince the re

volution.

"I heard feveral fhots in different parts, and fome of them fo near together, that I did uot fuppofe them to be at the fame animal; however, the cry returned, and I faintly faw fomething rufh near me. The hunters then came up, and informed me, that they had shot at a wolf; and one of the party faid in an exulting tone, that he was confident he had mortally wounded him.

"I had twenty-one balls in my feven-barrelled gun, and trufted, if I could get a shot the leaft clear of cover, I fhould wound the game. We then took our refpective stations in the allées, all agreeing, as is neceffary, to fhoot forwards. In about half an hour I heard the cry no more, and therefore dafhed on at a good rate for two miles, when I heard the hounds, but very faintly. Having placed myfelf in what I thought a likely pafs, I heard a rustling, and foon difcovered an animal liftening about fixty yards diftant. Agitated as I was at this moment, I could

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