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liam, 1698.

"Betwixt the lake Ontario and Erie there is a vast and prodigious cadence of water, which falls down after a surprizing and astonishing manner, insomuch that the universe does not affords its parallel. 'Tis true Italy and Suedeland boast of some such things, but we may well say they are but sorry patterns, when compar'd to this of which we now speak. At the foot of this horrible precipice we meet with the river Niagara, which is not above a quarter of a league broad, but is wonderfully deep in some places. It is so rapid above this descent, that it violently hurries down the wild beasts, while endeavouring to pass it to feed on the other side, they not being able to withstand the force of its current, which inevitably casts them headlong above six hundred foot high !

"This wonderful downfal is compounded of two great cross streams of water and two falls with an isle sloping along the middle of IT. The waters which fall from this horrible precipice do foam and boyl after the most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrageous noise more terrible than that of thunder; for when the wind blows out of the south their dismal roaring may be heard more than fifteen leagues off."

COSMETICKS

ARE demanded in proportion to the deficiency of real charms. Witness the following epigram of Rolli :

Non posson mille e mille

Poetiche parole

Descriver l'altre belle,
Ma per descriver Fille
Ne bastano tre sole,-
Ossa, rosetto e pelle.

While scarce a thousand poets' lies

The charms of other belles make known,

For gentle Phyllis quite suffice

Three simple words-rouge, skin and bone,

TO THE JEWS

JUSTIN MARTYR says, "God promised that you should be as the sand on the sea-shore; and so you are indeed, in more senses than one. You are as numerous, and you are as barren, and incapable of producing any thing good."

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VARIETY OF SKIES.

AMBROSE PHILIPS, the Pastoral writer, says Jortin, was solemn and pompous in conversation. At a coffee-house he was discoursing upon pictures, and pitying the painters, who in their historical pieces always draw the same sort of sky. "They should travel," said he, "and then they would see, that there is a different sky in every country, in England, France, Italy, and so forth."-"Your remark is just," said a grave gentleman, who sat by, "I have been a traveller, and can testify that what you observe is true: But the greatest variety of skies that I found was in Poland."—“In Poland, Sir?" said Philips." Yes, in Poland: for there is Sobiesky, and Sarbieúsky, and Jablousky, and Podebrasky, and many more Skies, Sir."

THE

BOSTON REVIEW,

FOR

MAY, 1811.

Librum tuum legi, et quam diligentissime potui annotavi quae commutanda, quae eximenda, arbitrarer. Nam ego dicere verum assuevi. Neque ulli patientius reprehenduntur, quam qui maxime laudari merentur.

Plin.

ARTICLE 26.

A Statement of Facts relative to the establishment and progress of the Elgin Botanick Garden, and the subsequent disposal of the same to the state of New York. By David Hosack, M. D. Professor of Botany and Materia Medica in Columbia College. New York; Van Winkle.

1811.

Hortus Elginensis; or a Catalogue of Plants indigenous and exotick, cultivated in the Elgin Botanick Garden in the vicinity of New York; by the same. Second edition enlarged. J. & T. Swords.

THE branches of natural science cannot in general be pursu ed with advantage, except as they are connected with actual exemplification from specimens or experiments. The departments of natural history in particular are so intimately dependant on this kind of illustration, that they can neither be taught nor studied to any effect where facilities for the demonstration of their subjects are wanting. In botany this requisite is supplied from plates, from preserved specimens, and lastly from plants themselves in their natural state of growth and perfection. The collection of living specimens. from a kingdom whose subjects are so numerous and so extensively diffused, is an undertaking of such magnitude and difficulty, that hitherto it has been accomplished in any considerable degree only by legislative patronage, or by a more than ordinary degree of individual enthusiasm and perseverance. In

the United States a number of botanick establishments both of a publick and private kind are at present supported in various degrees of amplitude and maturity. No one has yet attained that eminence which the extent of our country and the variety of its products seems to require, as a repository of its treasures; yet from several, promises of future importance are sufficient to justify the hopes of their founders.

The garden at Kingsess, four miles from Philadelphia, founded in 1727, by John Bartram, botanist to the king of Great Britain, is the oldest institution of note in the United States. This delightful spot, comprizing about eight acres of ground, is situated on a gradual declivity descending from the mansion house of the owner to the western bank of the Schuylkill. It is copiously stored with the indigenous productions of the country, judiciously and tastefully arranged. The length of time since its establishment has enabled the trees to attain their growth, an advantage not experienced by institutions of recent date. The garden is chiefly under the management of Mr. William Bartram, son of the founder, who, assisted by others of his family, continues at an advanced age to cultivate with his own hands the field of his father's industry. There is something peculiarly interesting in the appearance of this venerable man, solacing the feebleness of age by the same pursuits which have constituted the pastime of his youth, and the rational exercise of his manhood.

The green house and pleasure grounds of William Hamilton, Esq. near Philadelphia, merit notice among the botanick collections of the country. The assemblage of exoticks in the green and hot houses is stated to be the richest and most valuable on the continent. These buildings measure 140 feet in front, and contain, it is said, upwards of five thousand species of plants. The elegance of surrounding objects, and the liberal hospitality of the owner has rendered a visit to the "Woodlands" a highly desirable object to the stranger.

*

The garden of the Botanick Society of South Carolina, established by private subscription and patronized by legislative liberality, possesses local advantages much superiour to more northern institutions of the kind. Though at present it

* See Port Folio, Vol. II. New Series.

is not in a state of great advancement, yet it is not to be supposed that an establishment of this kind will be suffered to languish in the midst of a climate whose temperature renders practicable and easy the cultivation of many vegetables, which bear the rigours of a northern winter only under the expensive protection of the green and hot house.

The botanick garden at Elgin, three miles from New York, is now among the most considerable of the United States. The establishment, progress and present condition of this garden constitute the subject of the two pamphlets before us.

From the fist of these it appears, that soon after the appointment of Dr. Hosack to the joint professorship of botany and materia medica in Columbia college, he made application in 1797 to the board of trustees of that institution for the endowment of the professorship with a certain annual salary sufficient to defray the expenses of a small garden, for the purpose of cultivating such plants as furnish medicines, or are otherwise necessary for medical instruction. But though a committee from the trustees reported in favour of the appropriation of the sum of three hundred pounds per annum for five years, yet from a deficiency in the funds of the college, the endow ments could not take place.

In 1800 a memorial to the same purpose was presented to the legislature of New York; but the subject being postponed, Dr. Hosack resolved to devote his own private funds to the prosecution of an object, the utility of which appeared so obvious. He accordingly purchased a lot of ground, situated at Elgin, three and an half miles from the city of New York. This was cleared, enclosed with a well constructed stone wall, and put in order for the reception of plants, the collection of which was prosecuted with considerable industry. Finding these improvements to be attended with very considerable and increasing expense, more than prudence would justify on the part of an individual, Dr. Hosack was induced to repeat his ap. plication for legislative aid, and finally to offer the whole establishment to the state for sale at a fair and equitable valuation. After many vexatious failures and delays, an act passed the legislature in March, 1810, directing the commissioners of the land office to treat with Dr. Hosack for the purchase of the garden and its appurtenances at a fair and equitable valuation.

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