Examples of the principles which the author wifhes here to eftablith, are given from Shardelocs, the feat of Mr. Drake, Heathfield Park, belonging to Lord Heathfield, and Caffiobury, the refidence of Lord Effex. With the conclufion of this Chapter, we fhall clofe for this month our account of this elegant and entertaining work.

"In the woodland counties, fuch as Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Hampshire, &c. it often happens, that the most beautiful places may rather be formed by falling than by planting trees; but the effect will be very different, whether the axe be committed to the hand of genins, or the power of avarice. The land fteward, or the timber merchant, would mark thofe trees which have acquired their full growth, and are fit for immediate ufe, ér feparate thofe which he deems to fland too near toge her; but the man of fcience and of tatte will fearch with fcrutinizing care for groups and combinations, fuch as his memory recalls in the pictures of the beft matters: thefe groups he will ftudioufly leave in fuch places as will beft difplay their varied or combined forms; he will alfo difcover beauties in a tree, which the others would condemn for its decay; he will rejoice when be finds two trees, whofe ftems have long grown fo near each other, that their branches are become interwoven; he will examine the outline, formed by the combined foliage of many trees thus collected in groups, and removing others near them, he will give ample space for their picturefque effect: fometimes he will difcover an aged thorn or maple at the foot of a venerable oak, thefe he will refpect, not only for their antiquity, being perhaps coeval with the father of the foreft, but knowing that the importance of the oak is comparatively increased by the neighbouring fituation of the fe fubordinate objects: this will fometimes happen when young trees grow near old ones, as when a light airy afh appears to rite from the fame root with an oak or an elm. Thefe are all circunftances dependent on the fportive accidents of nature; but even where art has interfered, where the long and formal line of a majestic avenue fhall be fubmitted to his decifion, the man of taste will paufe, and not always break their venerable ranks, for his hand is not guided by the levelling principles, or fudden innovations of modern fashion; he will reverence the glory of former ages, while he cherishes and admires the ornament of the prefent; nor will he neglect to fofter and protect the tender fapling which promifes with improving beauty to fpread a grateful fhade for future of the foil."

tenants

To give, however, fuch general rules for thinning woods, as might be understood by thofe who have never attentively and feientifically considered the fubject, would be like attempting to direct a man who had never used a pencil, to imitate the groups of a Claude or a Pouffin.

"On this head I have frequently found my inftructions oppofed, and my reatons unintelligible to thole who look at a wood as an object of gain; and for this reafon I am not forry to have difcovered fome arguments in favour of my fyftem, of more weight, perhaps, than

thofe

thofe which relate to mere taste and beauty: thefe I fhall beg leave to mention, not as the foundation on which my opinion is built, but as collateral props to fatisfy thofe who require fuch fupport.

"Ift. When two or more trees have long grown very near each other, the branches form themselves into one mafs, or head; and if any part be removed, the remaining trees will be more expofed to the power of the wind, by being heavier on one fide, having loft their balance. 2d. If trees have long grown very near together, it will be impoffible to take up the roots of one without injuring thofe of another. And, laftly, although trees at equal distances may grow more erect, and furnifn planks for the ufe of the navy, yet not lefs valuable to the fhip-builder are thofe naturally crooked branches, or knees, which fupport the decks, or form the ribs, and which are always moft likely to be produced from the outfide trees of woods, or the fantaltic forms which arife from two or more trees having grown very near each other in the fame wood, or in hedge-rows.

"It is therefore not inconfiftent with the confideration of profit, as well as picturefque effect, to plant or to leave trees very near each other, and not to thin them in the ufual manner without caution.

"In fome places belonging to ancient noble families, it is not uncommon to fee woods of vaft extent interfected by villas and glades in many directions; this is particularly the cafe at Burley and at Cafbiobury. It is the property of a ftraight glade or vifta to lead the eye to the extremity of a wood, without attracting the attention to its depth.

66

I have occafionally been required to fell great quantities of timber, from other motives than merely to improve the landfcape; and in fome inftances, this work of neceffity has produced the most fortunate improvement. I do not hesitate to fay, that fome woods might be increafed five-fold in apparent quantity, by taking away a prodigious number of trees, which are really loft to view; but unlefs fuch neceffity exifled, there is more difficulty and temerity in fuggefting improvement by cutting down, however profitable, and however fuddenly the effect is produced, than by planting, though the latter be tedious and expensive.

"I have feldom found great oppofition to my hints for planting, but to cuting down trees innumerable obftacles prefent themfelves; as if unmindful of their value, and heedlefs of their flow growth, I fhould advise a military abatis, or one general fweep, denuding the face of a whole country. What I fhould advise both at Burley and at Cajbiobary, would be to open fome large areas within the woods, to produce a fpacious internal lawn of intricate fhape and irregular furface, preferving a fufficient number of detached trees or groups, to continue the general effect of one great mafs of wood." P. • 75.

We shall referve to the conclufion of our remarks, the few objections which have occurred to us, upon which we doubt not the author will deliberate with complacency and candour. It may be fufficient to fay in this place, that a more

elegant

elegant volume has feldom been produced from the British prels, whether we confider its engraved ornaments, or the execution of its typography.

(To be concluded in our next.)

ART. II. A new Anatomical Nomenclature, relating to the Terms which are expreffive of Pofition and Afpect in the Animal Syftem. By John Barclay, M. D. Ledurer on Anatomy, and Honorary Member of the Royal Phyficat Society, Edinburgh. 8vo. 5s. Rofs and Blackwood, Edinburgh; Longman and Rees. 1803.

WHEN

7HEN we reflect on the irritable difpofition difplayed by modern writers on anatomy and phyfiology, and the extreme defire which too many of them have to detract from each others merits, we cannot but admire the courage which prompted Dr. Barclay to offer to the fcientific public in general, and to his own countrymen in particular, fuch a work as that which now claims our attention. In vain has he told us, in vain has he proved, that the prefent Anatomical Nomenclature is not merely defective, but calculated frequently to miflead the ftudent! In vain has he fhown himfelf to be as perfectly acquainted with the general principles of language, as with his favourite fcience of anatomy, and therefore well qualified for the tafk which he has undertaken! The queftion will fill be put. Why did he undertake that tafk? Why did not a private lecturer leave it to the MONROS and BELLS of Edinburgh, or to the celebrated anatomifts of London or Paris?

The author feems to have been fully aware of the difficulties and prejudices with which he had to contend; and thus modeftly attempts to remove them.

"I am fenfible, and will readily acknowledge, that no changes in our prefent nomenclature ought to be made without weighty and inportant reafons; and that thefe changes fhould never be extended beyond what are its errors and defects. It were to be wished that even the most weighty and important reafons had influence fufficient to remove thefe for as Degerando obferves*, "whatever the merits of a

Des Signes et de l'Art de Penfer, confiderès dans leur Rapports

mutuels."

language

language may be, if it once has received the fanction of time and the fuffrages of mankind, the philofopher will find it no eafy matter to change or improve it." He may, if he choofe, demonftrate its faults and its imperfections; but if he prefume to offer to the world the model of another, though more regular and fyftematic, there is no quarter from which he has not to expect oppofition. He will have, in this daring and hardy attempt, to combat at once the prejudices of the vulgar and pretenfions of the learned. The former will bring in a phalanx against him all thofe ftrong and facred regards that are due to old and established cuftoms; cuftoms fupported by the conduct of thousands who have gone before him, and the tacit approbation of illuftrious names who are univerfally held in efteem and high veneration. The leaft reflection is fufficient to convince us, that their recollections and their ideas muft reft upon names; and although erroneously, they will almost unavoidably, draw the conclufion, that it is impoffible to change the one without likewife changing the other, and throwing the whole into diforder.

"The learned, on the contrary, will diflike a reform that may appear to confer on its author a fort of dominion over the fcience. They will grant, perhaps, that the language propofed is preferable to that already in ufe; but before they adopt it, they will require a demonftrative proof that it is likewife the beft poffible." P. 40.

"Nor are thefe the only fources of difficulty which a new nomenclature has to overcome, or of difappointments which it has to look for. Be they learned or unlearned, the indifferent will treat it with coldness and neglect; the indecifive will doubt and hesitate, and withhold their opinion till its fate be determined: and although it should anfwer the purposes intended, the invidious will naturally feel hurt at feeing others attaining their object at a lefs expence than they did themselves; for in their eftimation, fcience, like a diamond, should derive its value from its rarity, its price, and the difficulty of procuring it; add to this, that the timid and defponding will, without the trouble of making the diftinction, exprefs a diftruft in all innovations, and the indolent fee nothing in fuch an improvement but the grievous trouble of learning new terins; while the inan of words will be indignant at the thoughts of a language whofe clearness and precifion may check the flow of his loofe declamations, or be the means of detecting his ignorance."

"From fuch a concourfe of difpofitions, interefts, and habits, all combining to oppofe the introduction of a new nomenclature, Degerando thinks that its own merit will have little influence in recommending it to notice and attention; and therefore imagines that nothing almoft but the magical power of a celebrated name, a name infpiring confidence and awe, and whofe very found can filence the paffions, gain prejudices over to its fide, and lead the judgment as it were in chains, will ever be fufficient to fecure to it any thing like a general reception among thofe of the profeffion. But though I muft confefs my high refpect for fuch an authority, I am far, however, from being of opinion, that men are fo much the dupes of envy, prejudice, and meannefs, as this author feems to infinuate.-I know well the numerous difficulties

which the great difcovery of the circulation had to encounter'; and what oppofition was for fome time made to the doctrine of abforbents. But the difference between thefe important discoveries and a new nomenclature is immenfe. Thefe difcoveries were not forefeen; the want of them was not felt nor complained of; men were fatisfied with what they knew of the courfe of the blood; and abforption by the veins was an opinion which they confidered as almoft capable of demonstration. A new nomenclature is not to be claffed with these imFortant and brilliant difcoveries. In comparifon with them it ranks low in the registers of Fame. As a work of mere patience and induftry, it afpires to no luftre or eclat, it promifes no immortality to its author, nor fecures to his name any enviable marks of distinction; it is nothing more than what anatomifts have long wifhed for, a defideratum which they have often attempted to fupply by partial amendments; and if a whole or complete fyftem be ftill wanting, it is probably becaufe no anatomiit of rank or eminence would fubmit to a task where the drudgery was fo great and the profpect of reputation fo fmall.— This nomenclature is not to be compared with that of Lavoifier; it eftablifies no era in fcience, it announces no great revolution, nor is formed with a view to perpetuate any illuftrious discoveries." P. 43.

"Small even as the credit may be which is attached to a work of mere labour and induftry, the claims of a new anatomical nomenclature cannot be great, even in this view. It cannot pretend to inftruct the learned, or to give them new ideas of the animal fracture; its influence extends to what must appear only a fpeck in the map of fcience; and yet even there, if it should facilitate the progrefs of ftudy, and remove only a part of the rubbish that obtructs the journey, the author will confider his object as attained." P. 45.

After this introductory apology for his undertaking, Dr. Barclay enters upon the undertaking itfelf. To pave the way for the objections, which he has to urge against the Anatomical Nomenclature in prefent ufe, he confiders, in two preliminary Chapters, the nature of language in general; and the changes, to which it is neceffarily liable. Here the philologift will be gratified by much ingenious difquifition, which thows its author to be at once a scholar and a philofopher. Truth, however, compels us to fay, that though on the whole, we have felt this gratification in a high degree, fome of the reafonings employed to prove that language was originally a human invention, feems to us far from conclufive.

"Those who are fond," fays the author, "of traditionary stories, who ranfack the fabulous records of antiquity to find out the inventors of love, of food, and of clothing, and who have difcovered that beafs and birds were among the contrivers of our arts and manufactures, will not be pleafed to find that writing fhould thus have a kind of natural origin. Even fpeech itself, though the Author of Nature has generoudly beftowed organs for the purpose, given us a strong inclination to use them, and an ear to liften to the founds which they utter, would never, in their opinion, have exifted unlefs for fo.ne particular revela