THE CRITICAL REVIEW. SEPTEMBER, 1799. Travels in England, Scotland, and the Hebrides; undertaken for the Purpofe of examining the State of the Arts, the Sciences, Natural Hifiory and Manners, in Great Britain: containing Mineralogical Deferiptions of the Country round Newcastle; of the Mountains of Derbyshire; of the Environs of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, and St. Andrews; of Inverary, and other Parts of Argyleshire; and of the Cave of Fingal. Tranflated from the French of B. Faujas Saint-Fond, Sc. 2 Vols. 8vo. 14s. Boards. Ridgway. 1799. WHEN men of fcience and philofophy vifit a country, we may expect to reap much greater improvement from the narratives of their travels, than from the crude accounts of fuperficial obfervers, even though the latter may not be deflitute of talents. Of the former defcription is M. Faujas St. Fond. He visited Great-Britain in the year 1784; but his travels were not prepared for the prefs before 1792; and, after that time, the diflurbances in France long prevented their appearance. But the laws (he obferves) have now refumed their empire; and the fciences will foon follow in their train.' Lively, ingenious, and entertaining, M. St. Fond gives an amuling account of the English philofophers, by whom he was received with great attention. Of fir Jofeph Banks he fpeaks with refpectful regard, without adding any invidious infinuations, in which fome foreigners, in return for fimilar attentions, have induiged themfelves. From this part of the work, we will felect the account of Whitehurst. He was a native of Derby faire, and refided a long time in the principal town of that county. His views and his meditations were thus directed to the face of a country truly extraordinary, and interefting to naturalits. • Whitehurst formed himself at an epoch when this fcience was not far advanced. But if he has committed errors (and who is entirely free from them) they are owing, not fo much to the uncertain ftate of mineralogy at that period, as to a fort of religious awe and reftraint which often fettered the progress of men of genius, and comCRIT. REV. VOL. XXVII. Sept. 1799. |