thor's accounts and descriptions (with a few exceptions, relating chiefly to immoveable or unchangeable objects) will no longer accord with the state of things in St. Domingo; where all the varieties of desolation, all the modes of destruction and misery which can reach human existence and human industry, have co-operated to sweep away or change almost every thing that was worthy of attention.

Respecting the translator's language, we think that it is generally entitled to commendation, though in some instances it certainly might have been improved ;-and we consider it as one of his principal defects that several of the French names, particularly those of vegetable productions in the West Indies, are retained and printed without any attempt towards a translation; though they have been long and generally known by appropriate English names. Such are the Manciniller' (Manchineal tree); 'Papayer' (Papauw tree); 'Calebasier' (Calebash tree); Goyavier' (Guava tree); 'Ignama' (the yam); 'Banana' (the Plantain); and a considerable number of others.

ART. V. A Practical Treatise on Draining Bogs and Swampy Grounds, illustrated by Figures, with cursory Remarks upon the Originality of Mr. Elkington's Mode of Draining. To which are added, Directions for making a new Kind of strong, cheap, and durable Fence for rich Lands; for crecting, at little Expence, Mill-Dams, or Weirs upon Rivers, that shall be alike firm and durable; for effectually guarding against Encroachments by the Sea upon the Land, and for gradually raising drowned Fens, into sound Grass Lands. As also Disquisitions concerning the different Breeds of Sheep, and other domestic Animals: being the principal Additions that have been made to the Fourth Edition of Essays relating to Agriculture and Rural Affairs, published separately, for the Accommodation of the Purchasers of the former Editions of this Work. By James Anderson, LL. D. F. R. SS. &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 308. 6 s. Boards. Robinsons. 1797.

I in are)

F Dr. Anderson be not rich, and his motto (Meo sum pauper seems to indicate that he is not, he has been, according to this account, the cause of riches to other men. He "has laboured, and other men have entered into his labour." Mr. Brodie is supposed to have realized, we are here told, a hundred thousand pounds by his patent Bath Stove, constructed on a principle illustrated by a plate in Dr. A.'s treatise "On Smoky Chimneys;" and Mr. Elkington has obtained a premium from parliament of 1000 1. for a mode of draining by what he calls tapping of springs, which Dr. A. discovered, practised, and explained

explained many years ago *. Dr. A. does not positively accuse Mr. E. of having taken the hint from his Essays relating to Agriculture and Rural Affairs: it may with him have been an original thought: but Dr. A. contends that Mr. E. was not the first inventor.

In two letters to Sir John Sinclair, as president of the Board of Agriculture, the Doctor puts in his claim to a little "empty praise," and is hurt at the oblivious silence in which his name is endeavoured to be buried, and at Sir John's apparently marked partiality. He also complains of Sir John in another respect, with which we will not interfere.

Dr. A. tells us in what manner he was led to the discovery of draining by boring or tapping. It is curious; and we think that our readers will deem it worth insertion :

• I had a field of wet land that lay very flat, but so surrounded by ditches, that no surface water could come to it from higher ground any where, and possessing at the same time such a level as to prevent any water from necessarily stagnating upon it. The field was so wet, that in many places it was a mere hobbling bog, over which a man could scarcely pass during the driest weather in summer. This was a very unprofitable as well as disgustful object; and, in the beginning of the year 1764, I set about seriously to have it drained. On considering the circumstances of the case with attention, I soon perceived that as no surface water could come upon it from the higher ground; and as the rain that fell upon the field itself was suffered freely to run off, the water that drowned it must rise up from below. But as the weight of the atmosphere acted on this field as well as on those around, the water could not be made to ascend, as in a pump, by means of suction: it must, then, be forced to take that direction in consequence of some powerful pressure from below ground, acting so strongly as to overcome its natural gravity. This pressure, it was evident, could only be in consequence of the water flowing from higher ground, under the surface, through a stratum of pervious matter, being pent in near the bottom, by a stratum of clay placed above it, and thus forced to rise to a higher level, than the low ground, in this kind of subterraneous canal, so as, by the natural power of gravity, to be squeezed forcibly through small fissures in the superior stratum of clay. If so, it would necessarily follow, that should a hole be dug through the superincumbent stratum of clay, so as to reach the bed of the reservoir, the water would be allowed to issue freely through that opening, and to run off the ground by its natural level; and thus would the accumulated water, which occasioned the pressure, be gradually discharged, after which, it could no longer be

* I have often imagined, that the expence of digging these pits might be saved, by boring a hole through the solid stratum of clay, with a large wimble (auger) made on purpose; but as I never experienced this, I cannot say whether or not it would answer the desired end exactly.'

forced up through the small fissures in the clay; and, of course, the wetness, which had arisen solely from that cause, must be gradually removed. On this reasoning, which seemed perfectly conclusive, and which was confirmed by observing that the subsoil of that field was every where a very stiff clay, mixed with small stones, the dry weather was no sooner set in, than I put a man to dig a pit as near to the edge of the swaggle as he could approach, ordering him to penetrate directly downwards, making the pit no larger than was sufficient to allow him to work, and to proceed without interruption, until he should perceive that, on making his strokes, it should sound as if it were somewhat hollow below. On observing this, he was desired immediately to desist, until he called me, and received farther orders. The labourer accordingly fell to work; but he found the ground so hard, that, in the course of two days, he had only penetrated to the depth of about five feet, During that time, I frequently visited the work, to examine appearances. Nothing remarkable occurred, save that little peering springs often were discovered, through which the water issued; but the quantity of water that came from them was not such as to interrupt the work. On the morning of the third day, about breakfast time, the labourer called on me, and said, that as his stroke gave a douf sound, (that was his phrase) he had called me, according to my desire. I went immediately with him to the place, and having made him go down into the pit, I desired him to show me in what manner he could come out of it. He then pointed out to me a kind of steps he had made into the clay on one side; and having lent him my hand to assist him, I found he could get out very quickly. I then ordered him to take a kind of sharp-pointed iron crow, with a cross handle and foot to it, which he had found a very useful tool in loosening the clay, and give a stroke of that with all his force upon the bottom, which he did. On this, to his great surprize, the tool penetrated a thin crust, and then fell down, from one to two feet, as in a vacuity. Through the opening thus made, a strong jet of water rushed instantly with impetuosity; but I being aware of it, and at hand to assist the man in mounting, he got very quickly to the surface, and out of all danger, though not a little terrified at what had happened. The stream was at first so large, as might, I suppose, have filled a pipe of from six to twelve inches diameter; and rose, as a jet d'eau, to the height of six feet at least, above the surface of the ground. The labourer, who had no idea of such a phenomenon, looked upon it with an overpowering astonishment, which would have furnished a fine subject for the painter. The stream continued to flow, and to rise above the surface of the ground for about a week; but gradually abated in height, till it arose not above the surfase of the ground, and continued still to flow; but the quantity of water gradually diminished, till it at last settled into a perennial spring, which continues to run till the present day.

• The consequence of this operation was, that during the course of the ensuing summer, the water gradually drained off from the boggy ground; the swaggle slowly acquired a firm surface, so as to admit of being ploughed at any season; and about twenty acres of ground

ground were thereby drained, which, before that time, had been, in a great measure, useless for every agricultural purpose.'

Some critical remarks are offered by Dr. A. on the account that has been printed of Mr. Elkington's discovery: but, as this appears not to have come from Mr. E. himself, the defects which it may have are not chargeable on him. As far as it has induced Dr. A. to re-consider the matter, it has proved doubly advantageous to the public; his philosophie and investigating mind having penetrated deeply into the subject, and systematized that which to Mr. Elkington was little more than a fortunate accident.

The additions to the Essay on Draining are considerable; in these the author has not only explained the theory of springs and the causes of what is called spouting land, and in some places, springey land, (thus enabling the practical farmer to apply the properest and cheapest remedy to the disease of superfluous moisture,) but has illustrated the subject of well-digging, and has thrown out hints to which miners will find it their interest to attend. We have read these additions with much satisfaction; and all who are acquainted with the importance of draining, in agriculture, will think that Dr. A., as well as Mr. E., is entitled to some public remuneration. After the sum voted to the latter, there is something like national injustice in letting the former go without his reward.

The second essay points out the uses of the Balsam Poplar in fencing. Following the directions here given, a new, strong, cheap, permanent, and beautiful kind of fence for rich land may be obtained. Dr. A. calls it a defideratum in agriculture, that he never hoped to see supplied.

We are next instructed in the best method of making Mill-dams or Weirs, Heads, or Breasts across rivers. Here Dr. A. advises to make that side of the breast, which looks down the river, a strong perpendicular wall, instead of an inclined plane; -to ram in a bed of clay on the upper side of the wall; -to slope off gradually with gravel and stones upwards, in order to take off the the pressure of the water against the dam-head; and to surmount the wall with a broad coping of flat stones, inclining downwards, above the weir, and projecting someway over on the other side, so as to carry the water clean over without touching the side of the perpendicular wall. If stones cannot be had, he recommends planks of oak, strongly fastened. Those who have works of this kind to construct must consult the paper itself for particular directions.

The means of preventing the sea from making encroachments on the land are next detailed. "Hitherto (says Dr. A. to the impetuous ocean) shalt thou gos but no farther." This philosoREV. SEPT. 1798.

E

pher,

pher, however, is not like the courtiers of our Canute, who talked of restraining the tide by a command; nor like Xerxes, who thought of subjugating the sea to his controul by casting iron fetters into it (Ipsum compedibus qui vinxerat Ennosigaum*): but he sagely investigates the circumstances under which Neptune becomes not only an earth-shaker, but an earth-devourer; and he then points out in what manner this hungry God, who often eats up acres of land at a meal, may be disappointed of his prey; which is by a very simple process clearly explained in the

essay..

This part is followed by Cursory hints on the most beneficial method of recovering low lands, in certain cases, from the sea. These hints resolve themselves into this short advice;-to assist and not to counteract the wise operations of nature.

The volume closes with that paper which the Bath Society has justly termed excellent, entitled Disquisitions on the different varieties of wool-bearing animals, &c. and which we have noticed in our account of the 8th volume of the Memoirs of that Agricultural Society. If, however, it was excellent at its first publication, it is made much more so now by the valuable additions with which it is enriched. We may literally say enriched; for not only does the author corroborate the doctrine which he has advanced respecting the farther improvement of the breeds of animals, particularly of sheep, but gives us hopes of actually discovering the GOLDEN FLEECE.

We shall terminate this article by extracting the following account of the Arnee, of Hindostan, which is by far the largest of the cattle tribe yet known.

:

Mr. William Haig, while first lieutenant [Mate] onboard the Hawkesbury East Indiaman, then in the river of Ganges, about fifty miles below Calcutta, observed an animal in the river, alive, but floating towards the sea, carried down by the current; a boat was immediately put off, and the creature secured by means of a rope thrown over its horns, and towed towards the ship. They were surprized at the largeness of the size of the animal; and being just come into the river, from Europe, it was accounted a glorious prize, and instantly slaughtered, for the sake of fresh provisions. It was found to be a bullock of only two years old, yet when cut up, the four quarters weighed full 1450 pounds. From this datum we cannot suppose, that a beast of this kind, of full stature, and completely fatted, would weigh less than 4500 pounds; for we know that a lean bullock, of two years old, will not amount to one-third part of the weight that the same animal would have attained at nine years of age, when fully fatted; and as this creature must, in all probability, have been carried down the river for, perhaps, a thousand miles, before it was catched

*

Juv. Sat. x. I. 182.

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