Simon's Island, in Georgia. About the time the Constitution took the Guerriere a small Green BayTree sprung up from the centre of the stump, and may be seen now flourishing in that situation. To the perpetual honor of Connecticut be it remembered, that the Constitution, when she captured the Guerriere, was commanded by Capt. Hull, a native born citizen of that State. What makes this victory more memorable, is, that it was the first that was obtained by this country, since she became a nation. The Bay Tree, which is a species of Laurel, with which the ancients used to crown their conquerors, may in this instance be deemed emblems atical of the imperishable honors conferred upon Connecticut by one of her Sons and Heroes.--Conn. Courant.

In the last number of the Edinburgh Review we find some inieresting remarks on a late work by Dr. Meyrick on Ancient Armour. Much labor and research appear in the work, and the reviewers speak of it as containing a great deal of curious information relating to the manners, wages and sports of the inhabitants of Britain, back to the times of the AngloSaxons, and elucidates many obscure and disputed passages in their old dramatic writers.

From among the derivations quoted in the Review, we have selected the following as some of the most satisfactory. In the early ages, men derived some of their ideas of offensive and defensive weapons from birds, beasts, fishes, &c. The Greeks and Romans sometimes disposed their shields in assaulting a town so that they overlapped each other like the scales of a tortoise; an artificial boar, armed with iron, was formerly recommended in England for sea fights; the battering ram is well known, and the prickly cat was successfully used in the defence of castles. Dag once signified a pistol, and pistolese a dagger; and scymetar is said to have been corrupted into semi targe and supplied with a totally different meaning. One great error is mentioned, which has long passed current in heraldry, which is, that the ancient arms of England were two Leopards. Instead of this, how

it is now stated that “ William the Conqueror and his two sons had taken, not two Leo-pards but two Leos-pards or Liors passant guardant; one being the device of Normandy, and the other that of Poitou.”

Artillery is said to have been derived from the Latin word for art, which in barbarous times was applied to denote a machine; Pantaloons, from pianta leone, i.e.“ plant the Lion," the cry of the standard-bearers of the Venetian army, who wore tight hose.-N. Y. Advertiser.

LITERARY NOTICES.

North American Review.-This journal, which acquired a commanding influence under the control of Professor EVERETT, has passed into the hands of the Rev. JARED SPARKS, late minister at Baltimore. Prof. Everett is undoubtedly one of the first scholars of our country, and in the beauty and polish of his criticisms, has perhaps few equals. But it should be recollected, that Mr. E. was not the sole conductor of the work, and that the same writers now continue to aid Mr. Sparks, who formerly assisted Mr. Everett. We have been surprised to see in some respectable prints, disparaging notices of the last No. of the Review. The opinion, however, is not general that "its glory is departed," or that it suffers aught from the change. We are pleased to state that its circulation is increasing in this State, and perhaps we need not attempt a more convincing argument in favor of its merit and growing popularity.

American Novels.-The American novelist, Mr. Cooper, it is said, has projected a series of semi-historical tales, to be entitled Legends of the Thirteen Republicks, connected with the revolution. The first, which he is engaged upon, is to be called Lionel Lin-' coln, the scene Boston and vicinity to contain sketches of the battles of Lexington and Bunker's Hill. We trust he will not arouse the living combatants respecting events at Bunker's Hill. He will find it difficult, (though genius may spurn the term,) to tread with sufficient softness over ground so hallowed without waking the sentinels who are watchful of the particular fame of each distinguished hero.. There was on the part of the Americans a universal heroism, which can permit no dividing-of hardly any distinction.

An esteemed correspondent at Washington has forwarded us the prospectus of "a new and original periodical work," the title of which is to be " The Practical Manipulator; or American Depository of Arts and Sciences"-to be published at New-York, by Mr. RICHARD WILCOX, Engineer, &c. This gentleman is the inventor of a new system of naval and military tactics-which, if adopted by the country, will as he avers save millions in expenditure, and prove of incalculable advantage to the nation. He proposes, instead of the more common weapons of war, to call to his aid, by chemical agencies, "a fiery defender," and instead of treating an enemy as is customary with grape and canister, bombs and other noisy messengers, to give them at once a taste of Sodom and Gomorrah-he would actually destroy them with a storm of " liquid fire!" The outline of his system, which is now published, is ingenious, and the inventor has the countenance and encouragement of distinguished and scientific men. Dr. Mitchell, we per

ceive, after noticing the peculiarities of the new system, “recommends the aforesaid Richard Wilcox, WITH HIS WHOLE PYRO-TECHNICAL APPARATUS, to the War and Navy Departments.”

Worcester's Elements of Geography.-- In the 2d vol. of the Collections, page 61, the second Edition of Worcester's Elements of Geography was noticed. We have lately examined the Stereotype Edition just published, and with much pleasure have perceived the various alterations which have been made in the arrangement of the work, and the mass of valuable information, condensed and introduced into that part assigned to Comparative Geography. We are assured that future impressions will retain the present arrangement; “the more permanent matter being so separated from the more changeable, that the necessary alterations, in order to accommodate the information to a recent date, may be made without changing the general structure of the book.” The The Atlas is considerably improved, and contains a new map of the Eastern and Middle States. There are a number of neat engravings added to the Elements.

We consider the work in its present state as the best compend of Geography for the use of public and private schools, which has appeared in our country. Connected with the " Sketches of the Earth and its Inhabitants, with one hundred Engravings," it forms a system of Geographical instruction which cannot fail to be acceptable to all who are desirous of having an acquaintance with the most important and interesting topics unfolded in the pleasing and useful science of Geography.

The sixth No. of the “ Boston Journal of Philosphy and the Arts,” has just issued from the press, and completes the first vol

We have perused it with much satisfaction; and, we learn from the preface, that with a degree of zeal highly honorable to the Editors, they intend proceeding with a second volume, although we regret to add, the number of subscribers is but barely sufficient to meet the expenses of publication.

Dr. Southey, the Laureat of England, is about to publish A Tale of Paraguay, in 1 vol. 12mo.

A new 5 Memoir of the Life and Character of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, with an estimate of his talents and writings,” is announced in the London journals.

The author of Recollections of the Peninsula, &c.” we understand, has in the press a new work entitled " Scenes and Impressions in Egypt and in Italy."

ume.

OOL LEOTIONS,
Historical and Miscellaneous.

JULY, 1824.

MISCELLANEOUS.

FOR THE LITERARY JOURNAL.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE LAW...ITS SOURCES, &c.—No. I.

It is generally admitted, that a knowledge of the law is acquired with more difficulty in New-England than in any other part of the world. We have always been a free peo ple, and the laws of a free State must be such as are adapted to the protection of the various interests to which freedom gives rise. The first settlers of New-England, though they had good reason to be dissatisfied with a part of the English system, and came here to avoid its penalties, were yet strongly attached to the common law, under which they were born and educated. They did not leave it behind them. They brought it with them; for they were much too wise to suppose, that they were able to construct a new and better system for themselves. At that time, it was not supposed they had the right-they certainly had not leisure for the dry and difficult work of codification. They had the wilderness to subdue ; and what was a much more dangerous and laborious work, the savages of that wilderness to conciliate and christianize, or to subdue and conquer. The first settlers of this Slate seem, for the first seventeen years, (from 1623 to 1640) to have considered the law of England as the law of this land; and, during that period, no foundation was laid for any law, statute or common, of our own, This State (if it could then with any propriety be called such) consisted of four towns only, Dover, Portsmouth, Ex. eter, and Hampton, which seems, from the first, to have attached itself to Massachusetts.

Exeter was settled under a purchase from the Indians, by a sect of christians embracing peculiar and unorthodor, (how strange the revolutions of opinion ! those who pronounced them so would be helerodox now) acknowledging no dependance on Massachusetts, and deriving no title from the Crown. Dover and Portsmouth were settled under a title acquired from the Crown, but they had few if any features of a body politic. The proprietors, at whose expense these settlements were began, seem for a time to have entertained the impracticable idea of settling a wilderness by agents and laborers, who, when the work was done, should become tenants and pay rent. They did not consider, that a landlord three thousand miles off can collect no rent; and further, that the tenants could not afford to pay any.

Exeter, it is said, in 1638, formed a combination, chose rulers, and enacted laws in a popular assembly. Dover and Portsmouth, about the same time, attempted the same thing; but no traces of this early legislation remain. A little experience was sufficient to satisfy the three towns, that they were too weak to govern themselves. In 1641, they united themselves with Massachusetts, which had then been settled little more than ten years, and which had laws and courts of its own. During the 40 years union, those legal customs and usages which distinguished New England from the other British colonies originated. Those customs and usages now form an essential and important part of the common law of this State ; and to determine now what they were then, is a matter of no little difficulty. We know that they must be learned from the perusal of the state papers of that day--the histories of the time--the judicial records the body of liberties,' as they then called their fundamental laws--the statutes and ordinances enacted from time to time, and which, though they have long since ceased to have any binding force as statutes, still retain their influence as essential parts of our common law. We must study moreover the genius of the people their religious sentiments, and their prejudices and opinions on all subjects connected with law and government.

There is no doubt that a considerable part of the English common law was adopted. But it is not easy to draw the line between what was taken and what rejected. The first settlers adopted all that they deemed suitable to their condition and circumstances ; but it requires much knowledge to determine now what was suitable then. During our union with Massachusetts, which then comprehended the territory of Maine, a great number of statutes, or ordinances, as they were more generally called, were enacted. Those which had been made during the first ten years, were revised by the wise men, clergymen and laymen, and were sent forth

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