446 Miss Wright's Views of Society, &c. in America.

courtesy with their usual good nature, by every indulgence that is compatible with fidelity in the delineation of the portrait.

Miss Wright-if that be the name of the lady, as we have understood it is, to whom we are indebted for the instructive and amusing volume before us-landed at New-York evidently more than half an American in her feelings. Her remarks on the first American Congress; on the establishment of the Federal Republic and its founders; on the character and interests of the different sections of the confederacy, and their influence on the floor of Congress ;' on the history of the state of Vermont; and on numberless historical sketches of events which took place in the American war;-wil very probably, by many readers, be considered as occupying an unreasonable space. How far the republican partialities, which Miss Wright imbibed during her residence in the American States, may interfere with the favourable reception to which her work is entitled by the variety of interesting information which it contains, we are unable to say: but she has doubtless made up her mind to incur a certain degree of hostility, which she might feel it beneath her to avoid by a more prudential and less unreserved expression of her sentiments.

True patriots will lay aside their own hostilities when the enemy is at their gates, but it has happened sometimes that they resume them on his expulsion. It is well known that an active competition for ascendancy long existed in the United States between the Federalists and the Anti-federalists. This struggle, which had been renewed with redoubled violence under the administration of Mr. Jefferson, and which we perfectly well remember to have been hailed by some unfriendly prophets on this side the Atlantic as the harbinger of an entire dissolution of the republican government, was finally closed at the breaking out of the second war with this country:-a war which, in its progress, cemented all parties, established the national independence of America, and perfected the civil union.-Monthly Review, March, 1822.

ART. 11.-A visit to North America, by ADLARD WELBY, Esq. of South Rauceby, Lincolnshire. London.

THE motto of Mr. Welby is, "Nothing extenuate,-nor aught set down in malice :" the promise of which he may possibly have kept; but though he may have extenuated nothing, and set down nothing in malice, it is quite manifest to us that he has recorded

much in prejudice, in misconception, and in absolute ignorance. -He seems to belong to the Smelfungus class of travellers, who go out growling, growl during their progress, and come home to growl in print. The nap of his temper appears to have been sadly ruffled shortly after his arrival in America, by an unlucky incident. Mr. Welby travelled with a man-servant and a bulldog, both faithful and therefore valuable companions. Owing to the violent heats, the Philadelphians have a very natural fear of that most dreadful of all diseases, hydrophobia, and the dogs, it seems, frequently suffer on these occasions. Some days previous to the catastrophe, this dog had run off in a high fever."Such is the rage," says our indignant traveller, "against the canine species, that carts are sent round the town both here and at New-York every two or three days, attended by fellows armed with bludgeons and spears, with which they kill every dog they meet, and receive I am informed a dollar for each." Oppressed with grief and indignation at the loss of his dog in this manner, Mr. W. set out from Philadelphia on his long western journey, but immediately met with two "cross adventures," which he considered as ominous. One, the breaking of a three gallon bottle of good liquor; the other, his servant taking the wrong road, which separated them for one day! And to complete this series of dreadful events, the ostler, when told to call our unfortunate traveller "early next morning, the drunken old beast (he says) told me, I might call myself and be damned! Oh the blessings of independence!" exclaims our discriminating observer; while he with much simplicity adds, "but I will say this for the Americans, that if during my stay one other oath was uttered, it is the most I heard." It would be a waste of time to trouble our readers with the observations of a man so manifestly incapable, either from prejudice or incapacity, of making any worth consideration. When certain English boatmen near Deal wanted to extort 100 guineas for half an hour's labour in helping the vessel off the sands, and did get 60, Mr. Welby, while noticing the shameful advantage taken of their situation, adds a saving clause about being in charity with human nature: but when an American tavern-keeper wants to make him pay more than he deems just, he persists in giving only what he thinks fit, compels mine host to follow him 18 miles to a magistrate, who decides in favour of Boniface;-and then attributes the whole of the American's conduct to "rancour against Englishmen ;" as if the extortions of innkeepers were things quite unheard of in Eng

tion of capital with a large mass of physical strength: but, in alluding to the establishment of the Harmonists and those of another religious sect, the Shakers, he says that the unnatural restraint which forms so prominent and revolting a feature in these institutions, namely, the discouragement of marriage, renders their example, in other respects so excellent, altogether unavailing and unworthy of imitation. He accordingly wishes to concentrate capital and population with no other bond of cohesion than common interest arising out of vicinity, the true elements of prosperous community. Mr. Courtauld says, fairly enough, if these associations can flourish with the absurd and disgusting superstitions attached to them, what may not be expected from a society which excludes all that is objectionable in them, and simply adopts the principle of co-operation.Monthly Review, Feb. 1822.

ART. 13.—Remarks made during a Tour through the United States of America, in the Years 1817, 1818, and 1819. By WILLIAM TELL HARRIS. 12mo. London, 1821. Also 8vo. Pamphlet, Liverpool. MR. HARRIS's 'Remarks' are very cursory and slight, full of sentiment and description: but his tour was extensive, and his letters would doubtless be very gratifying to his friends. He is in love with America; and he attributes the distress, to which multitudes of the English there are reduced, very materially to their own improvidence. He asserts that the Germans, who come over in great numbers as redemptioners, obtain (with very few exceptions) considerable property, and that they are sober, industrious, and persevering: while the English more frequently indulge themselves in drinking, or, being weavers and mechanics, are disinclined to turn their hands to agricultural employment, from which they might immediately obtain relief.-Ibid.

ART. 14.-A Visit to the Province of Upper Canada in 1819.
JAMES STRACHAN. 8vo. London.

By

MR. STRACHAN published his work with the professed view of diverting the tide of emigration from the United States to the British province of Upper Canada; but two other objects are equally discernible; one is to blazon forth his own ultra-loyalism, which perhaps had never been impeached; and the other is to depreciate Mr. Birkbeck. Mr. S. abuses the American government in language very coarse and scurrilous.-Ibid.

ART. 15.-Memoirs of James the Second, King of England; collected from various authentic Sources. 12mo. 2 Vols. London, 1821. ALMOST all the essence of these volumes is extracted from the King's own memoirs, as published by Dr. Clarke from the Stuart papers; and the few ingredients taken from Clarendon, Hume, and the larger portion from Sir John Dalrymple, have by no means adulterated the royal flavour of the preparation. It is certainly not easy to name the class of readers to which this work is adapted. School-boys would find it dull, and not very instructive; for it is a dry narrative of events, unenlivened by remarks on their character and influence. As to the state of science, arts, literature, manners, commerce, and manufactures, not a word occurs on those subjects. Again; if it be not fit for school-boys, it is not very likely to please the taste, and gratify the larger curiosity, of grown up persons. The compiler would have done well to have consulted Evelyn's memoirs, Mr. Fox's historical work, Lord John Russell's life of his great ancestor, &c. &c.: but he has been satisfied with the shorter method of taking nearly all his materials from the royal historian himself. The portrait drawn, therefore, is just such a one as we might expect; and it is no wonder that the treacherous and tyrannical measures of Charles the Second, and the stern undisguised despotism of his brother James, are rapidly glanced over, while the activity of that "faction which never slumbered," and which never ceased to annoy these virtuous monarchs, receives the chastisement due to its enormity! Yet the compiler disclaims all party bias. The magnetic fluid, however, is unconsciously imbibed by the patient, who willingly allows the metallic tractors of some grave and skilful operator to be drawn in mysterious circles around him. We can plainly discern the growing influence which they have exercised on the present occasion; and, slight at first, it has insensibly increased, till at last the patient has fairly sunken under it. In considering the misfortunes of James, all the vices of his reign seem to have been forgotten; and a dangerous degree of interest is attempted to be diffused round his character.-Ibid.

ART. 16-Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, from the restoration of King Charles II. A. D. M. C. LX. By Sir GEORGE MACKENZIE,

of Rosehaugh, Knight. 4to. pp. 332. Edinburgh, 1821. THE high character of Sir George Mackenzie as a philosopher, a statesman, and an orator, has long caused the recovery of certain of his historical MSS. to be looked on as a serious de

land or the rest of Europe! Enough of Mr. Welby's Visit to North America, which is not endurable after a recent perusal of Miss Wright's philosophical View of Society and Manners in the same country. Mr. Welby's view is this-that "while they talk of the moral and religious principle, of true liberty, honesty, &c., their actions belie their words, and make them appear a nation of unprincipled Atheists ;" and integrity, he adds, is at present at so low an ebb in America, "that the nearest relative or friend can scarcely be trusted." As there is not a nation in the world to whom this foul picture would apply, and as we know that it is peculiarly false with regard to America, it is not too much to say, that the painter of it must be an insufferable coxcomb and slanderer.-Examiner, Feb. 1822.

ART. 12.-Address to those who may be disposed to remove to the United States of America, on the Advantages of Equitable Associations of Capital and Labour, in the Formation of Agricultural Establishments in the Interior Country. Including Remarks on Mr. Birkbeck's Opinions upon this Subject. By GEORGE COURTAULD. 8vo. pp. 40. London.

THIS pamphlet is a well-written and seductive Address,' on the advantages of equitable associations of capital and labour in the formation of agricultural establishments in the interior. It is dedicated to Mr. Rapp, and has particular allusion to his settlement of "Harmony" in Indiana, which is another experiment on Agrarian economy. Every man has his station appointed to him, according to his ability, and every one finds his wants supplied: he goes to the mill for flour, to the apothecary for medicine, to the store for clothes, and so on, for all things necessary for his subsistence. Experiments of this sort have been tried in various ages, and in countries the most distant from each other. The annals of the Chinese empire testify that for a long period years the earth was enjoyed by its inhabitants in common;* and, indeed, the absence of all hereditary titles and dignities, the equal division of the parent's property among his children, and the extreme simplicity of all laws relating to the tenure of lands, bear an obvious reference to such a state of equality. The extent, also, to which sumptuary laws are carried in China, regulating the dwellings as well as the apparel of the opulent, point very much to this sort of condition. It is there a maxim of state that the more spacious the apartments of the rich, the more con

of

*Lord Macartney's Embassy, vol. ii. p. 157. Quarto edit.