contrary, the fimplicity and facility of it, that occafions this neglect. Were the language lefs eafy and fimple, we fhould find ourselves under a neceffity of ftudying it with more care and attention. But as it is, we take it for granted, that we have a competent knowlege and fkill, and are able to acquit ourfelves properly in our own native tongue a faculty folely acquired by ufe, conducted by habit, and tried by the ear, carries us on without reflection; we meet with no rubs or difficulties in our way, or we do not perceive them; we find ourselves able to go on without rules, and we do not fo much as fufpect that we ftand in need of them.

A grammatical study of our own language makes no part of the ordinary method of inftruction which we pass through in our childhood; and it is very feldom that we apply ourfelves to it afterward. And yet the want of it will not be effectually fupplied by any other advantage whatsoever. Much practice in the polite world, and a general acquaintance with the beft authors, are good helps, but, alone, will hardly be fufficient: we have writers who have enjoyed these advantages in their full extent, and yet cannot be recommended as models of an accurate ftyle. Much less then will what is commonly called learning ferve the purpose; that is, a critical knowledge of ancient languages, and much reading of ancient authors: the greatest critic and most able grammarian of the laft age, we are told, when he came to apply his learning and his criticifm to an English author, was frequently at a lofs in matters of ordinary ufe and common conftruction in his own vernacular idiom.

"The principal defign of a grammar of any language, fays our Author, is, to teach us to exprefs ourselves with propriety in that language, and to be able to judge of every phrafe and form of conitruction, whether it be right or not. The plain way of doing this, is to lay down rules, and to illuftrate them by examples. But befides fhewing what is right, the matter may be farther explained by pointing out what is wrong. I will not take upon me to fay, whether we have any grammar that fufficiently performs the first part: but the latter method here called in, as fubfervient to the former, may perhaps be found in this cafe to be, of the two, the more ufeful and effectual manner of inftruction.

"Befides this principal defign of grammar in our own language, there is a fecondary ufe to which it may be applied, and which, I think, is not attended to as it deferves. A good foundation in the general principles of grammar is, in

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the first place, neceffary for all thofe who are initiated in a learned education; and for all others likewife, who fhall have occafion to furnish themselves with the knowlege of modern languages. Univerfal grammar cannot be taught abtractedly it must be done with reference to some language already known, in which the terms are to be explained, and the rules exemplified. The learner is fupposed to be unacquainted with all but his own native tongue; and in what other, confiftently with reafon and common-fenfe, would you go about to explain it to him? When he has a competent knowlege of the main principles, the common terms, the general rules, the whole fubject and bufinefs of grammar, exemplified in his own language, he then will apply himfelf with great advantage to any foreign language, whether ancient or modern. To enter at once upon the fcience of grammar, and the ftudy of a foreign language, is to encounter two difficulties together, cach of which would be much leffened by being taken feparately, and in its proper order. For thefe plain reafons, a competent grammatical knowlege of our own language is the true foundation upon which all literature, properly fo called, ought to be raised. If this method were adopted in our fchools; if children were first taught the common principles of grammar by fome short and clear fyftem of English grammar, which happily, by its fimplicity and facility, is perhaps of all others the fitteft for fuch a purpofe, they would have fome notion of what they were going about, when they fhould enter into the Latin grammar; and would hardly be engaged fo many years, as they now are, in that moft irkfome and difficult part of literature, with fo much labour of the memory, and with fo little affiftance of the understanding.-A defign fomewhat of this kind gave occafion to the following little fyftem, intended merely for a private and domeftic ufe."

What our Author has here advanced, with fo much mo-" defty and good fenfe, will, we are perfuaded, be readily affented to by every candid and unprejudiced reader; and yet, fuch is the amazing force of influence and cuftom, that little or no attention is given to the ftudy of the English language, in this country, either in public or private places of education. It is, indeed, aftonishing, that, in fo enlightened an age, and in a country eminently diftinguifhed by the nobleft privileges, the plain dictates of reafon and common fenfe hould be over-ruled and borne down by cuftom, in a point of fuch importance to public welfare, as that of education.

When

When one confiders that our youth, in general, are employed for fo many years in the dull drudgery of learning the Greek and Latin languages, while the ftudy of our own, nay, what is ftill worse, while the ftudy of almost every thing else that can contribute to form a gentleman, a good citizen, or a Chriftian, is entirely neglected, it is impoffible not to be filled with the deepest concern, and earnestly to wish for a REFORMATION.

We fhall conclude this article with obferving, that our Author's critical Notes clearly prove the charge of inaccuracy brought against our language as it fubfifts in practice, and fhew the neceffity of inveftigating the principles of it, and ftudying it grammatically, if we would attain to a due degree of fkill in it. It evidently appears from them, that our beft authors have been guilty of palpable errors in point of grammar. The examples, which the Doctor gives, are fuch as occurred in reading, without any very curious or methodical examinations; and, he juftly obferves, they might eafily have been much increafed in number by any one, who had leifure or phlegm enough to have gone through a regular courfe of reading with this particular view. They are fufficient, however, to answer the purpose intended, viz. to evince the neceffity of the ftudy of grammar in our own language, and to admonish those who fet up for Authors among us, that they would do well to confider this part of learning as an object not altogether beneath their regard.

The natural History of the Horfe. To which is added, that of the Afs, Bull, Cow, Ox, Sheep, Goat, and Swine. With accurate Defcriptions of their feveral Parts. And full Directions for breeding, feeding, and improving thofe ufeful Creatures. Tranflated from the French of the celebrated M. de Buffon. 8vo. 5s. in boards. Griffiths.

NA

ATURAL Hiftory has always been confidered as a ufeful and inftructive fcience, as it enlarges our ideas, by making us acquainted with the nature and properties of the many objects that furround us; and accordingly many authors, in different parts of Europe, have exerted their talents in elucidating a fubject fo beneficial to fociety. Among these the famous M. de Buffon, and his coadjutor M. Daubenton, have diftinguished themselves, and blended the cu

rious with the useful Parts of this fcience; and as they have formed no fyftem, but followed nature closely in every particular, they have exploded a multitude of errors committed by other authors, in fupport of a favourite hypothefis, and sufficiently fhewn, that it is not by contracting the sphere of nature within a narrow circle, but by extending it to immenfity, that we can obtain a true knowledge of her proceedings. The views of the illuftrious* author of nature," fays M. de Buffon," are not to be fathomed, by attributing to him our ideas: instead of curtailing the limits of his power, they must be widened, and extended to immenfity. We are to confider nothing impoffible; we are to imagine every thing, and to fuppofe that whatever can does exift. Ambiguous fpecies, irregular productions, anomalous beings, will then ceafe to ftagger us, and will be found, in the infinite order of things, as neceflary as others. They fill up the intervals of the chain; they form the links, the intermediate points, and alfo indicate the extremities. Thefe beings are, to the human mind, valuable and fingular copies, in which nature, though apparently less confiftent with her ufual method, fhews herfelf more openly; in which we may perceive marks and characters, denoting her ends to be much more general than our views; and that, as he does nothing in vain, the alfo does nothing with the defigns we impute to her."

On fuch extenfive principles, unbiaffed by fyftem, or the authority of any other writer, the natural hiftory of M. de Bufon is executed; and, at the fame time, all the particulars relating to each fpecies of animals, that have the leaft tendency to improve its qualities, or difplay its character, are carefully enumerated.

As a fpecimen of this large work, the picce before us, containing the natural hiftories of fome of the most useful animals in nature, is publifhed, and contains complete treatifes on the horfe, afs, horned cattle, fheep, goats, and fwine, in which the manner of breeding, fattening, and improving thefe valuable creatures is particularly explained, and a great variety of curious queftions relative to their nature and properties are difcuffed, and fatisfactorily answered.

The degeneracy of horfes has been long known, and feveral methods have been taken to prevent it. It is apparent, that thefe differences proceed from the air and food; but the

We do not remember ever to have feen this inadequate epithet applied to the Supreme Benefactor.

only method of preventing it is by croffing the breed. Our author's reasoning will throw confiderable light upon this practice.

"Nature," he obferves, "has, in every fpecies, a general prototype, after which each individual is formed: this, in the realization, degenerates or improves from circumftances: fo that with regard to certain qualities, there is apparently a capricious variation in the fucceffion of individuals, and, at the fame time, a remarkable ftability in the whole fpecies. The firft horfe, for inftance, was the external model, and internal mould, by which all horses that have ever exifted have been formed: but this model, of which we only know the copies, may, by the communication of form, and by its increafe, have undergone fome difadvantageous changes, or, on the other hand, received improvement. The original form wholly fubfifts in each individual. But though there are millions of thefe individuals, not two of them are, in every particular, exactly alike, nor confequently any one of them the fame with the model from whence it received its form. This difference, which at once demonftrates how far nature is from fixing any thing abfolutely, and the infinite variations fhe fpreads through her works, is feen in the human race, in every fpecies of animals and vegetables, and, in a word, in every feries of beings. But what deferves attention is, that the model of beauty and goodness feems diftributed throughout the whole earth, every climate affording only a portion; and this continually degenerating, unless re-united with another portion from fome diftant country: fo that to have good grain, beautiful flowers, &c. the feeds must be changed, and never fown in the foil that produced them. In the fame manner, to have fine horses, &c. foreign ftallions must be given to native mares, or foreign mares to native ftallions: for otherwife, the mother will fo powerfully influence the form, as to cause an apparent degeneracy: the form remains, but disfigured by many diffimilar lineaments. Whereas, let the breed be mixed, and conftantly renewed by foreign fpecies, and the form will advance towards perfection, and recruited nature display her choiceft productions.

"The general reafon for these effects does not belong to this place; yet we may be permitted to mention the conjectures which at firft offer themfelves. Experience fhews, that animals, or vegetables, tranfported from a remote climate, often degenerate, and fometimes greatly improve, in a small