New York by the British troops. On the 30th following, about five in the evening, the long-boat being fent to fetch water from a transport that lay at a small diftance, the crew feized and fecured the officer who commanded, hoifted their fail, and the wind being fair in fhore, made for the land. This daring and mutinous act being feen by the officers of the Affistance, all that were then on the quarter deck voluntarily offered to purfue the deferters, in order that they might refcue their companion, and bring the offenders (defertions having been frequent fince their arrival upon the coaft) to ex emplary punishment. Unfortunately their offer was accepted, and the barge immediately manned with twelve young gen tlemen and one mariner, it not being judged prudent to truft more of the common failors upon such service; Mr Hallyburton, first lieutenant, voluntarily undertaking the command. The wind was high when the barge left the fhip; and, as usual in that rude and tempeftuous climate during the wintry months, foon blew a ftorm, with violent snow and thick weather, and night coming on, the whole hemifphere was involved in inexpreffible darkness and horror. The ftorm continued all that night, the next day, and the night following; during which period, nothing could be feen or heard of the unfortunate adventurers.

On the morning of the fecond day, January 1. 1784, the weather clearing up, the barge was discovered from the fhip by the help of glasses, lying upon her fide upon the Jersey fhore. Boats were immediately dispatched; when, mournful to relate! the barge was found ftranded in a marsh, and near it, eleven of thofe gallant young men lay all upon their fa ces, frozen to death in the mud, from which they had in vain struggled to extricate themselves. Had the barge been driven but fifty yards on either fide, from the place where she stranded, the company would have escaped, as did the deferters, who landed on a more favourable fpot. The bodies of the other two were afterwards found at a distance in the fame ftate, and were buried by the Americans. This is all that is certainly known of this melancholy event; melancholy in every point of view, but particularly, that fo many gallant young gentlemen fhould, after the dangers of a long war, perish in fo inglorious a manner, and in a fervice, though voluntarily undertaken in the fpiVOL. LII.

rit and ardour of youth, fo little worthy of them. It is one of those unfortunate events on which it is impoffible to reflect but with the deepest regret.

Mr Hallyburton, who commanded the party, deferves to be mentioned with par ticular honour. He was son of the late, and only brother of the prefent Earl of Morton, and had taken the name of Hallyburton, in addition to the family name of Douglas, in confideration of an estate which had devolved to him from the ancient family of Hallyburton of Pitcurr, in Scotland, of which he was in actual poffeffion. He had early devoted himself to the sea-service, and had pursued it with unremitted ardour and application, thro much hard duty.

He had learned the rudiments of his profeffion on board the Apollo frigate, under the late Captain Pownall, by whom he was particularly beloved for his opennefs and generofity of temper, his warmth of affection, and his gallant and enterpris fing fpirit; the laft words of that brave officer, when mortally wounded and expiring by his fide, were addressed to him, and were kindly intended to affuage the grief and anguish which he saw him fuffer, for the difafter that had befallen him. He entertained, indeed, a paternal af fection for him, and ever expreffed the highest expectation of him as an officer.

The lofs of Mr Hallyburton will always be lamented by his friends with heart-felt grief and affection - indeed it may juftly be regretted as a public one, for he had given early and repeated proofs of great profeffional skill and abilities. An inftance of this occurred but a few days before his death; for upon the arri→ val of the Affittance off Sandy Hook, the country having been given up by the Bri tifh government, no pilot would obey the fignals, or come off, to conduct the ship over the Bar. The Affiftance, therefore, could not have been brought into a safe fituation, had not Mr Hallyburton un◄ dertaken the pilotage, which he accomplished with fuccefs, from oblervations made by him fome years before, on board the Apollo frigate, when little more than fourteen years of age.

A plain fquare monument of Portland ftone, calculated by its folidity to endure the inclemency of the climate, has been erected upon Sandy Hook, over the grave of this unfortunate gentleman and his companions who perifhed with him, with the following infeription engraved upon

a

NEW

BOOK S.

Elfays on the alive powers of man. By Tho mas Reid, D. D. F. R. S. Edin. Profeffor of Moral Philofophy in the University of Glafgere, 410. 18s. boards Robinfons, London; Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh.

former treatife on the intellectual powers of man, [vol. 48. p. 594. Dr Reid gave the public some reasons to expect the work before us. It is a continuation of the general plan, and completes the analyfis which he propofed of the human mind.

The prefent volume contains five feparate effays. The firft is "on active power in general."

The fecond effay treats of the will, or that power which the mind has to determine matters which we conceive to depend on our determination. The Doctor inquires what are the motives by which the mind is predisposed to certain volitions; and what is the kind of influence which they possess? On this subject, he makes many new and ingenious remarks, concluding, from the whole, "That the common sense of men has led them to diftinguish two parts in the human conftitution, which have influence upon our voluntary determinations. There is an irrational part, common to us with brute animals, confifting of ap. petites, affections, and paffions; and there is a cool and rational part. The firft, in many cafes, gives a ftrong impulfe, but without judgement, and with out authority. The fecond is always accompanied with authority. All wisdom and virtue confift in following its dictates; all vice and folly in difobeying them. We may refift the impulfes of appetite and paffion, not only without regret, but with felf- applause and triumph; but the calls of reafon and duty can never be refifted, without remorfe and felf-condemnation.”

In the third effay Dr Reid endeavours to enumerate and explain the principles of action, understanding by that phrase every thing that incites us to act. “ There are fome principles of action which require no attention, no deliberation, no will. Thefe, for diftinction's fake, we fhall call mechanical. Another clafs we may call animal, as they feem common to man with other animals. A third clafs we may call rational, being proper to man as a rational creature.

Dr Reid reduces the mechanical principles of action to two fpecies, instincts and

habits. By the firft, he means, a natu ral blind impulse to certain actions, without having any end in view, without deliberation, and, very often, without any conception of what we do. By the fe cond, he means, an acquired impulse to certain actions, and a facility of doing them in confequence of having done them frequently.

The animal principles of action operate on the will and intention, but do not fuppofe any exercise of judgement or reafon. They are enumerated under the titles of appetites, defires, and affections.

Under the general name of affections, Dr Reid comprehends all thofe principles that have perfons for their object; and taking the word in this extended fignification he divides our affections into benevolent and malevolent, according as they difpofe us to do good or hurt to others. He enumerates the benevolent affections, and comprehends them under seven heads: 1. The affection between parents and children, and other near relations; 2. Gratitude to benefactors; 3. Pity toward the diftreffed; 4. Efteem of the wife and good; 5. Friendship; 6. Love between the fexes; 7. Public fpirit.

From what he had faid on these subjects, he deduces the following reflections: That all the benevolent affections agree very much in the conduct which they recommend toward their objects: That the conftitution of our nature powerfully invites us to cherish them in our minds: That they furnish the moft irresistible proof of our being intended for fociety; and that the different principles of action have different degrees of dignity, and rife above one another in our eftimation, when we make them the objects of our contemplation. What he has faid on this laft fubject, may be given as a speci men of his manner of writing:

“We ascribe no dignity to instincts or to habits. They lead us only to admire the wisdom of the Creator, in adapting them fo perfectly to the manner of life of the different animals in which they are found. Much the fame may be faid of appetites. They ferve rather for ufe than ornament.

The defires of knowledge, of power, and of esteem, rife higher in our eftimation, and we confider them as giving dig nity and ornament to man. The actions proceeding from them, though not properly virtuous, are manly and refpecta

ble,

ble, and claim a juft fuperiority over those that proceed merely from appetite. This I think is the uniform judgement of mankind.

If we apply the fame kind of judgement to our benevolent affections, they appear not only manly and respectable, but amiable in a high degree.

They are amiable even in brute animals. We love the meekness of the lamb, the gentleness of the dove, the affection of a dog to his mafter. We cannot without pleasure observe the timid ewe, who never fhewed the least degree of courage in her own defence, become valiant andintrepid in defence of her lamb, and boldly affault those enemies, the very fight of whom was wont to put her to flight.

How pleafant is it to fee the family economy of a pair of little birds in rearing their tender offspring; the conjugal affection and fidelity of the parents; their chearful toil and industry in providing food to their family; their fagacity in concealing their habitation; the arts they ufe, often at the peril of their own lives, to decoy hawks and other enemies from their dwelling place, and the affliction they feel when fome unlucky boy has robbed them of the dear pledges of their af. fection, and fruftrated all their hopes of their rifing family!

If kind affection be amiable in brutes, it is not lefs fo in our own species. Even the external figns of it have a powerful charm.

Every one knows, that a person of accomplished good breeding charms every one he converses with. And what is this good breeding? If we analyse it, we fhall find it to be made up of looks, geftures, and fpeeches, which are the na tural figns of benevolence and good affection. He who has got the habit of ufing these figns with propriety, and without meannefs, is a well-bred and a polite man.

What is that beauty in the features of the face, particularly of the fair fex, which all men love and admire? I be lieve it confists chiefly in the features which indicate good affections. Every indication of meeknefs, gentleness, and benignity, is a beauty. On the contrary, every feature that indicates pride, paffion, envy, and malignity, is a defor mity,

Kind affections, therefore, are amiable in brutes, Even the figns and fhadows

of them are highly attractive in our own fpecies. Indeed they are the joy and the comfort of human life, not to good men only, but even to the vicious and diffolute.

Without fociety, and the intercourfe of kind affection, man is a gloomy, melancholy, and joylefs being. His mind oppreffed with cares and fears, he cannot enjoy the balm of found fleep; in conftant dread of impending danger, be ftarts at the ruftling of a leaf. His ears are continually upon the ftretch, and every zephyr brings fome found that alarms him.

When he enters into fociety, and feels fecurity in the good affection of friends and neighbours, it is then only that his fear vanishes, and his mind is at eafe. His courage is raised, his understanding is enlightened, and his heart dilates with joy.

Human fociety may be compared to a heap of embers, which, when placed afunder, can retain neither their light nor heat, amidst the furrounding elements; but when brought together they mutually give heat and light to each other; the flame breaks forth, and not only defends itself, but subdues every thing around it.

The fecurity, the happiness, and the strength of human fociety, fpring folely from the reciprocal benevolent affections of its members.

The benevolent affections, though they be all honourable and lovely, are not all equally fo. There is a fubordination a❤ mong them; and the honour we pay to them generally corresponds to the extent of their object.

The good husband, the good father, the good friend, the good neighbour, we honour as a good man, worthy of our love and affection. But the man in whom these more private affections are fwallowed up in zeal for the good of his country, and of mankind, who goes about doing good, and feeks opportunities of being useful to his species, we revere as more than a good man, as a hero, as a good angel' | To be continued.]

Tranfactions of the Society inflituted at Londun, for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. vol. 7. 800. 4s. boards. Dodnley.

THE papers in this feventh volume

are, as ufual, arranged under the claffes, Agriculture, Polite Arts, Manufactures, Mechanics, Colonies and Trade. On Chemistry no communications occur,

Under

Ft. In. 96

76

66 6 1 6 of

59

5 1

Under the head Agriculture, we find atteftations of several large plantations of timber trees in different parts of Eng land; and we are glad to obferve, that the larch feems to be coming ftill more and more into general use. The Bishop of Landaff planted, in one feafon, 48,500 arches. The following are the dimenfions of a larch tree that was planted in the year 1734, at Blair Drummond in Scotland, communicated by Mr Drummond, fon to the late Lord Kames. The meafurement feems to have been taken in the autumn of 1787, fo that the tree was then exactly 54 years of age: Circumference, one foot from the ground, clear of roots Ditto, three feet from ditto Ditto, fix feet from ditto Ditto, nine feet from ditto Ditto, twelve feet from ditto Ditto, fifteen feet from ditto Ditto, thirty five feet from ditto Ditto, fifty five feet from ditto 49 Ditto, feventy-five feet from ditto 39 Height to the extremity of thetop 97 0 Cubic contents 130 0 This tree, therefore, has increased very nearly two cubic feet and a half in each year from the time it was planted; which, fappofing the wood to be worth no more than one fhilling per cubic foot, would be half a crown per ann. for each tree, during the whole period of its growth. Mr Drummond had one of thefe large trees cut up for timber; and fome of it was made into furniture, which he thinks is in every respect equal at least in quality to the beft Norway fir. Mr Drummond feems not to have been aware that the chief value of this wood confifts in its uncommon durability; which he has had no opportunity of afcertaining. Befide the experiments already communicated to the public respecting the durability of this wood, fome private experiments prove it to be much more durable than either oak or fir :-We, therefore, moft heartily concur with Mr Drummond in recommending the culture of this tree on as extenfive a scale as poffible, fince it is found to thrive better than moft trees, in the pooreft foil, and in the most expofed fituation.

The Earl of Fife communicates the refult of a comparative trial of the root of fcarcity (as he terms it) and other plants. The produce of one hundred fquare yards of each was weighed, and was found to be as follows, viz.

·

Common turneps
Carrots
Root of scarcity
Turnep-rooted cabbage

Stone lb.

weight 92 4

95

77

88

The Earl does not mention whether the roots were cleaned or not. If they were not perfectly cleaned, a great deduction must be made from the produce of the root of fcarcity; as, from its numerous strong fibrous roots, much more earth adheres to it than to any of the other plants with which it was compared. It was not found fo nourishing for cows as any of the others, though it communicated no bad tafte to the milk; and, on the whole, Lord Fife feems to think it will be no great acquifition to the far

mer.

Mr Ecclefton gives an interesting ac count of the measures that were pursued for draining and improving Martin Meer in Cumberland, by which 3632 acres of land have been gained and protected from the inundation the fea. This great drainage was completely effected by an ingenious device of Mr Gilbert of Worfeley, after the unfuccefsful efforts of many preceding engineers. The contrivance confifts in having two pair of flood gates on the main canal for stopping the entrance of the tide, placed at the distance of half a mile from each other, with a ftop-gate opening in a reverse direction close within the outermoft flood gate; by means of which, the fea being occafionally admitted to flow up to the second gate, and the ftop gate being shut at low water, that part of the canal between the two gates becomes a refervoir, or large bafon-which being fuffered to run off quickly, at low water, by opening the ftop-gate, forms fuch a strong current as to wash away the filt and flime which used before to ftop up the paffage.

We have here alfo an imperfect account of a contagious and dangerous diforder that appeared among the borned cattle at Standish,near Wigan, in October 1788; which we are happy to learn is now entirely stopt. But we never cease to regret that fo little attention is bestowed on the diseases of domestic animals in this country.

Sir Jofeph Banks communicates a re cipe for curing the fcab in theep, which, he says, has been univerfally adopted in Lincolnthire, for fome years paft, and has been found effectually to answer the purpose. It is as follows: Take one

pound