facts related in the 1st, 2d, 4th, and 5th chapters, which prove beyond a doubt the pacific sentiments of the British cabinet, as also the numerous acknowledgements made on this very subject, by the French themselves, with their concessions, that the British cabinet had observed the strictest neutrality, and that a war with Great Bri tain might have been avoided, if they had chosen it, all which acknowledgements and concessions have been quoted at large in the 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th chapters of the present work, are in the said pamphlet passed over in total silence. Nor is the reader even informed there, that the public declaration of hostilities proceeded from the part of France.-Yet it is called, on the title-page, a view of the Causes of the War.'

Here we close our review of the first volume of this work. The reader will see that it is replete with curious matter and acute observation, that it is written with great clearness, well arranged, and illustrated throughout by dates and documents. The second volume is still more interesting.

[To be continued.]

ART. XI. The Statistical Account of Scotland. Drawn up from the Communications of the Ministers of the different Parishes. By Sir John Sinclair, Bart. 8vo. Vols. XX. XXI. 178. Boards. Cadell jun. and Davies. 1798, 1799.

AFTER the notice and commendation which we bestowed on

the preceding volumes of this elaborate and useful work, (see M. Rev., vol. viii. p. 285. vol. xiii. p. 431. and vol. xvi. p. 114. N. S.) little more remains for us to do in this article, than to announce the present volumes as the completion of the undertaking; and to offer to Sir John Sinclair our hearty congratulations, on having thus brought his extensive labours to a happy conclusion. Not ignorant of literary toil, we can parti-cipate the satisfaction which he expresses in presenting the public with the remainder of the Statistical Accounts of the different Parishes in Scotland, without a single one being omitted." A collection so perfect must be valuable as a book of reference; and it is made peculiarly so by the General Index at the end. Sir John is not contented, however, with having collected and arranged a large mass of valuable materials; he has begun, we are informed, his proposed Analysis of these Accounts, in which he designs to give the result of this minute Inquiry into the State of North Britain. We admire his perseverance and public spirit; and we have no doubt that his exertions will be thankfully acknowleged by the community, and particularly by his countrymen.

The 20th volume contains an account of twenty parishes; the total population of which in 1755 is said to have been

37,905,

1

174 Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol. 20, 21.

37,905, and in 1797 to be 38,888; making the trivial increase of 983. It may hence be supposed that each of these twenty parishes is not in a flourishing state: but some are thriving, while others are declining. The greatest increase of population in the districts here noticed is in the parish of Sorn; where, since 1755, the inhabitants have increased 1285, viz. from 1494 to 2779; and the greatest decrease is in the parish of Kilmoruck, where the numbers have diminished 512, viz. from 2830 to 2318. The growing population of the first mentioned parish is in part thus explained: The condition and character of the people have been considerably altered for the better. This agreeable change has been occasioned, partly by the rise in the price of labour, and of all the productions of agriculture, partly by the scarcity and high price of spirituous liquors, and partly by the high incentives to industry, which the manufactures and ready money of Catherine, together with various moral improvements, have afforded.' It is added afterward, Very few of the native inhabitants have, at any time, enlisted into the army. No particular reasons are given for the decline of the other parish. The climate is stated to have undergone a considerable change: but this does not seem to have affected the longevity of the inhabitants, 29 of whom are from 70 to 100, and I from 100 to 105 years old.

Vol. 21 contains the additions and corrections sent to the author; to which are added, Statistical Accounts of the Universities of Scotland, with the exception of those of St. Andrew's and Edinburgh; for the former of which, the author refers to Dr. Adamson's description of the town and parish of St. Andrew's, which includes an account of the University; and for the latter, to the Histories of the Metropolis of Scotland, written by Maitland and Arnot. At the same time, he informs us that Professor Dalzel is drawing up an historical work, respecting the University of Edinburgh, which promises to be a very interesting and valuable, performance.

Among the various papers exhibited in the General Appendix, is one by the Rev. David Wilkie, minister of Cults, intitled "Attempt to ascertain the Population of Scotland, anno 1792." This ingenious paper makes the population of Scotland in 1792 to be 1,500,000, or 234,620 more than in 1755; when Dr. Webster reckoned it at 1,265,380. Mr. Wilkie state's that of those who are born, 1 out of 30 arrives at 80 years of age.'

The copious General Index, which we have already mentioned, is divided into three parts; the first containing an enumeration of all the subjects treated; the second, the names

of

of the persons; and the third, the names of the places mentioned in the Statistical volumes.

Sir John Sinclair politely returns his acknowlegements to the clergy of the Church of Scotland, for their great assistance in completing a work, which, he says, stands unrivalled for extent of useful information.

ART. XII. Minutes, Experiments, Observations, and General Remarks, on Agriculture, in the Southern Counties; a new Edition. To which is prefixed A Sketch of the Vale of London, and an Outline of its Rural Economy: now first published. By Mr. Marshall. 8vo. 2 Vols. pp. 400 in each. 15s. Boards. Nicol. 1799.

ON

N the importance of agriculture as a science, and on the abilities and experience of Mr. Marshall as a Professor of it, we need not here expatiate. In the 60th vol. of our Review, p. 19-169-249, and in vol. 61, p 241, we noticed, with the commendation which they merited, the works of which the volumes before us are for the most part a republi cation; and that a new edition should be requisite is one pleasing proof, among others, of the commendable attention bestowed by men of sense and reading, on agricultural affairs and on rural improvement. This pursuit is wisdom, virtue, and riches.

As the author explains his intentions in a short Advertisement prefixed, and as we cannot elucidate his design in fewer words than he has employed, we shall transcribe it entire:

The Minutes of Agriculture having been some years out of print, and the Experiments and Observations concerning Agriculture and the Weather being a continuation of the same record of experience, in the same department and on the same form, I now incorporate them, in one work; and print them on the plan, which I uniformly adopted, in publishing the results of my experience, in other departments of the kingdom.

And in order to shew, with full advantage, the situation and natural circumstances, under which my practice, in this department, was pursued, and the established customs and habits, out of which my experience arose, I have thought it right to preface the present edition, with a sketch of the Vale of London; in which the remarks, it contains, were written; and to give an outline of the established practice, which necessarily formed the ground-work of my own; thereby giving this the same advantage as the other registers of my experience; and, at the same time, bringing forward some particulars of management, which have occurred to my observation, in the envi rons of the metropolis, and which have not heretofore been entered

on record.'

The present practice of rural economy, in the Vale of London, is probably of long standing; and although it may be said to be in

some

some measure peculiar to the situation in which it has originated, especially in the more immediate vicinity of the town; yet, at the distance at which the practice, that gave rise to the following remarks, was carried on, the neighbourhood of the capital (unless in some few particulars) has less influence, than a stranger in it may imagine: as will be seen in the following outline; which, though it comprehends, generally, the Vale Lands under view, must be consi→ dered as more particularly belonging to the South-East Quarter of the Vale.'

The district here described, by way of introduction to the Minutes, under the title of the Vale of London, is situated between the heights of Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, and Essex on the North, and the Chalk Hills and Heath-lands of Surrey on the South, Shooter's Hill in Kent, and the rising grounds of Essex on the East, and Windsor-Forest and other hills of Berkshire on the West. It is an irregular ellipsis or oval, whose longest diameter is about thirty-five miles and its shortest about twenty, giving about five hundred square miles."

In the sketch given of this vale, (and Mr. M. intends only a sketch,) which is represented as the most extensive inland flat › in the island, notice is taken of its inconsiderable elevation above the sea-of the situation of the metropolis-of the climate of the vale-of its principal river, the Thames- of its soil and fossil productions-of its roads and inland navigation, rural management, vegetable produce, and rural ornament.

The Minutes, Experiments, &c. which follow, have been re-touched by the author. He has endeavoured, he tells us, to free the present edition from the exuberances of the former, without destroying the primary intention; and he has a satisfaction in being able to say, that, possessed of his present experience, he has not had occasion to correct more than one round assertion of a radical error (respecting rye-grass) in his probationary publication.'

To the new remarks subjoined to the original Minutes, is prefixed the date January 1799.

ART. XIII. Mr. Porson's Edition of the Hecuba and Orestes of Euripides; and Mr. Wakefield's Diatribe.

OUR

[See Rev. Vols. XXVIII. and XXIX.]

UR readers will probably feel alarmed, when they observe that Mr. Porson's edition of the HECUBA and ОRESTES, and Mr. Wakefield's DIATRIBE, are again introduced to their notice. It certainly was our wish, after such a length of discussion, to have closed the subject for ever, as soon as the last part of the article was finished: but we did not expect that all our decisions would be ratified by universal consent; though

we were also well aware, that critical disquisitions may be prolonged far beyond the limits which are prescribed by a nice judgement; or which are demanded for establishing the truth of any philological position.

The respect, however, which we feel due to the remarks of. some learned correspondents has induced us to trespass again on the patience of our readers. Their observations, with a few corrections, which our own inadvertency, or the hurry of our printer, has rendered necessary, shall be delivered with the utmost possible conciseness.

M. Rev. January 1799. p. 83. 1. 38. read, paragogicum.

P. 88. 1. 3. v. 13. O xxs μe y.—A correspondent, T. T. to whose sagacity and erudition we were formerly obliged * for some remarks on the review of Mr. Glasse's Samson' Agonistes, observes on this passage, that he is inclined to follow the interpreters who explain O by A'%.

"The very same verb (he adds) had just occurred, ver. 6. where it has, if I may term it so, a personal nominative: "Os peɛ (v. 4.) — ΥΠΕΞΕΠΕΜΨΕ. It seems, therefore, more natural that, occurring again so soon, it should have a similar nominative: WHO sent me away privily-which was the reason why HE sent me away privily. This seems more natural than: which was the circumstance, THAT sent me away privily. The tenth verse also: χρυσὸν ἐκπέμπει λάθρα παλὴς, seems to favour this explanation. Nothing would prevent my referring the verb e in both places to the sender, but my being satisfied that for is objectionable. Consult Brunck in Aristoph. Eccl. 338." T. T. +

P. 89. 1. 12. The termination asos derived from as or œil.] -"A difficulty seems to arise from this hypothesis. Does it not seem to require, that the same derivation should be applied to all the numerous adjectives in alos? Does aos imply continuance in dinaios, fíacos, &c. &c.?" T. T.

P. 89. v. 41. péo Cavua.] The same ingenious critic thinks that we have scarcely stated Mr. Wakefield's objection fairly, as he supposes it to be derived from πρις, not πρo, and σφαγμα. We had said that Mr.W. wishes to spell this word with a double sigma; and we added that this is an improper addition: but, observes our correspondent,

"The addition is proper, supposing, what Mr. W. supposes, that the word itself is wrong, and should be gayua from gos and fayua. A reader might possibly, at least, be led, from the manner in which the objection is expressed, to understand not that G. W. bad disputed the derivation of the word, but that he had spelled it improperly. The reference to Markland has the same tendency. It

* M. Rev. November 1789, p. 475.

+ We shall leave the decision on these, and on some other remarks, to our learned readers.

REF. FEB. 1800.

N

should