valuable and extensive statistical account of Scotland. The object of these was to acquire a knowledge of the strength of government on such subjects, as particularly relate to Matters of State.' But Sir John Sinclair extended the sphere, and affixed to the term 'Statisticks' the idea of "an inquiry into the state of a country, for the purpose of ascertaining the quantum of happiness, enjoyed by its inhabitants, and the means of its futur improvement." Thus defined, this science is certainly comprehensive enough for all purposes of political economy and statistical philosophy. It has hitherto been little considered; nor can very extensive investigations be made, without prompt and efficient aid from government. The want of scientifick men, capable of conducting such inquiries; the great responsibility, to which any individual must subject himself; the difficulty of persuading others to co-operate, and of establishing a regular and enlightened correspondence; and the immense labour of collecting, arranging, and condensing the information, when obtained, relative to so extended and diversified a territory as the United States of America, are obstacles, which nothing but a liberal assistance from adıministration can remove.

It is certainly the duty of government to watch over the domes tick economy of the state with the same care and solicitude, that it protects and fixes its foreign relations. In order to improve the commercial resources of the Union, it should make critical inquiries into the present state of manufactures, ship-building, and all the branches of manual labour, connected with them, and introduce such regulations and improve

ments, as will most promote their usefulness. To extend the system of agriculture, it should ascertain the amount of produce annually. raised, the number of labourers employed in the various departments of husbandry, and collect information relative to the soils best adapted to different vegetables. To lessen the quantum of unproductive labour, inquiries concerning the present state of inland navigation and turnpikes should be instituted, and the utility and practicability of any proposed additions or alterations designated. This is peculiarly important to a country, where so much land remains unoccupied, and where new settlements are continually forming, the prosperity of which must depend upon easy and convenient communications with distant and older settlements. In the banking system, inquiries should be made relative to the number, capitals, operation, and effect of banks, and the influence they have upon the internal traffick of the country. Under this head, the subject of money, in all its relations, will naturally be investigated. The subject of education also merits great attention. The number of universities, colleges, academies, and other seminaries of learning,should be obtained, and the modes of instruction, and the nature of the establishments, examined. These are subjects, upon which the beneficent and philosophick mind dwells with delight; but from which it turns with disappointment and regret, if those, who have the means, or who, urged by duty to the pursuit, view them with coldness and indifference.

If to combine science with the useful arts; if to convert idleness to industry, and beggary & wretchedness to competence and enjoy

ment; if to substitute learning and morals for ignorance and corruption; if to introduce improvements in agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, and explode the present slovenly, unproductive, and awkward practices; if, in short, to exert ourselves in the cause of promoting the strength and happiness of the nation, are objects worthy the attention of enlightened statesmen, an establishment, under the aid and patronage of government, must produce the most salutary and beneficial effects. As such a design would raise the moral and physical character of man, and as its foundations are laid deep in the interest and welfare of the community, it would certainly succeed, and it success would be attended with publick confidence and gratitude.

ART. 13.

The Stranger in Ireland; or a tour in the southern and western parts of that country, in the year 1805.

By John Carr, Esq. of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, author of a Northern Summer, the Stranger in France, c.

Animæ quales neque candidiores Terra tulit, neque queis me sit devinctior alter.' Hor. Lib. I. Sat. 5. Third American edition. To which is now first added, an Appendix, containing an account of Thomas Dermody, the Irish poet, a wonderful instance of prematurity of genius. N. York, printed' by I. Riley & Co. 1807.

How Carr's Stranger in Ireland and Dermody's life have been brought together, in the volume under review, is a thing which cannot be accounted for, on any principle of attraction in nature. The reason assigned for this curious arrangement is, that Dermody is

mentioned incidentally in Mr. Carr's publication; this is too ridiculous to need any comment in proof of its absurdity: the booksellers can reason more pertinently on this matter.

What may be said of Mr. Carr's book, must either be confined to general opinions, or extended to a particular review, which, from the great variety of subjects, enumer ated in this volume, cannot be done, consistently, with the space allotted to this department.

Prefaces, in general, are replete with vain ostentation or frivolous excuse, and we have seldom seen any, so widely different from the common herd, as that of the volume before us. After a summary of the author's design, and an acknowiedgment of the assistance he has received, he concludes by a declaration, that if he has failed in the execution, the fault must be altogether attributed to himself. The design of the work is to illustrate the Irish character, and to give a descriptive narrative of a tour into the south and south-west parts of Ireland, and also some account of the state of society, in 1805; also the political economy, national manners, publick buildings, &c., of that country.

The design is calculated to produce important effects, since it proposes to develope the real character of a nation, which has been hitherto very little known, or merely as the land of whiskey and po

tatoes.

The author has illustrated this character in a manner which does him very considerable honour; and although his descriptions of Irish beneficence, &c. are sometimes overloaded, yet a pretty correct idea of Ireland's national character may be obtained from perusing this publication. The other

parts of his design are executed with ability, and prove the depth and extent of Mr. Carr's investigation.

To such, as read for their improvement, he has rendered his book highly profitable, by an abundance of useful matter; and those, who take up a volume, and put it down again, merely to fill up an interstice between their other amusements, will be tickled with many parts of the Stranger in Ireland. On the other hand, the dignity of this work is considerably lessened by too great quantity of anecdote. "Salt (says Kaime) in certain quantities is seasonable at meals, but he must have a rare palate, who can make a dinner on salt." The numerous extracts from Curran,Grattan, Kirwan, &c. however profitable to the readers of this publication, are altogether extraneous from the author's design. We have no objection to an author's performing more than he promises, in the line of his subject, but when he would illustrate a national character by extracts from sermons and orations, as the method is somewhat singular, we should be glad to have a hint of it before hand.

The style of this volume is generally well adapted to answer the design, although in some parts crowded with superfluous epithets.

On the whole; Carr's Stranger in Ireland is the most correct and useful publication, giving an account of the Irish nation, that has ever appeared.

We shall now dispatch the 'Appendix, (so called) or some account of that surprising young genius, Dermody; extracted from the life of Dermody by J. G. Raymond, Esq.'

Dermody has been named the unfortunate poet of Ireland,' and Vol. IV. No. 3.

W

he undoubtedly was so, if to be unfortunate is to be surrounded with friends and patrons, and to rush headlong into almost every species of vice, notwithstanding the repeated admonitions of the one and the assistance of the other..

We attribute the high reputation, in which Dermody has hitherto appeared, not to his real abstract merit, but to his miseries; and this is more singular, since the miseries of Dermody were the effects of his own brutish propensities. When we mourn over the follies or vices of any one, we are inclined by pity and not by justice. Pity begets partiality for the object of our commisseration and partiality endeavours to palliate every fault, while it exalts every thing in the shape of merit far above its real desert.

While we suppose Mr. Raymond very partial to young Dermody, we trace a cause, although we find nothing like an excuse for the many improbable stories in these interesting' memoirs.Did we believe in the Metempsychosis, we should at once conclude the soul of some ancient mythologist had revived in Mr. Raymond. It is stated, that Dermody,

when most children are scarcely instructed in the rudiments of their mother tongue, was perfectly familiar with the Latin and Greek languages, and could with facility read and comprehend the most difficult authors in those languages.'

What shall we say to this? that we do not believe the story, or that it is impossible? A child, perfectly acquainted with the Greek and Latin languages! Mr. Raymond is evidently distracted. We shall not therefore, remark any farther on these memoirs.

To such, as are desirous of