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Africa and America, whofe wood was extremely hard, and indeed it is only a tranflation of the common appellation, ironwood. The genus, as established by Linnæus, is not correct, and our author thinks he has difcovered fome of the fynonyms to be doubtful. As Linnæus therefore probably had never feen any species in a living state, and seemed not to have had an accurate idea of the genus, M. Jacquin endeavours to correct his errors. The numerous difficulties in the way of forming a correct generic character, prevent him from attempting it at this time, but he has endeavoured to lay the foundation, by defcribing four fpecies of fideroxylon more correctly than before. The fideroxylon melanopheum and fætidiffimum he had already noticed, and he now adds the fideroxylon mite, inerme & tenax, from Linnæus: the fideroxylon maftichodendron (the maftic tree) from Catefby. It is his cornus, foliis laurinis, fructu majore luteo.

The cimex teucrii is a new fpecies of bug, denominated from the plant (teucrium fupinum), on which the animal is found. It is very minute, and its cell very small to defend it from rain, and a red ant its most formidable enemy. The whole life of this infignificant being does not extend beyond a month.

M. Jacquin's continuation of the botanical obfervations follows. This eflay, which concludes the volume, contains 107 plants.

The third volume is alfo ftill more exclufively botanical. M. Wulfen's continuation of the rarer plants of Carinthia is the first article. It contains 101 plants, well described and beautifully engraved many curious lichens are among the number. Jacquin's continuation of the Obfervationes Botanica' follow, from No. 308 to 400. The fame author's Description of the rarer Plants from dried Specimens,' is added. As M. Swartz's Nova Genera & Species' were publifhed at the fame time as our author's volume, he has been informed, he tells us, from England,' that they have fometimes given different names to the fame plant. He admits his afplenium anthrifcifolium to be the afplenium pumilum of Swartz; his own acroftichun longifolium, to be his acroftichum latifolium; the chionanthus caribeca of Jacquin to be the chionanthus compacta of Swartz. That his eugenia periplocefolia & paniculata are the myrtus fplendens & acris b. of Swartz, he leaves to be determined by that botanist, when he has remarked, that in each the corolla is conftantly tetrapetalous, the berry unilocular, with a fingle feed, circunftances inconfiftent with the genus myrtus.

M. Hoft's Entomologica contains a defcription of the fearabæus facer, scarabæus exfcutellatus of Linnæus; curculio mutabilis, cardiniger & corruptor; elater mordelloides; carabus

pilofus;

pilofus; and tipula paradoxa, found in the tan of the hot-house, in the botanical garden at Vienna. The carabaeus corruptor is á most fatal enemy to vines, and deftroyed by gardeners with the most anxious care, and the moft unwearied diligence.

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The laft effay is on the generic characters of the convolvulus and ipomea. The genera have been often confounded, and are not yet accurately fixed. M. Jacquin propofes the form of the ftigma for the generic character, and to fix that of the convol vulus, ftigma bipartitum in lacinias lineares,' while the ftigma of the ipomea is confequently capitatum & papillofum;' to which lobatum' may be added. The other parts of the plants refemble each other fo nearly, that it is difficult to fix on a diftinguishing mark; and in this way many of the convolvuli will be transferred to the genus of ipomaa. The change feems a little too rath and violent.

Leçons d'une Gouvernante a fes Eleves, ou Fragmens d'un Jour nal qui a été fait pour l'Education des Enfans de Monfieur d'Orleans. Par Madame de Sillery Brulart, Gouvernante de Mademoiselle d'Orleans. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris, 1791.

IN this fingular work the celebrated countefs de Genlis defcends from theory to practice, and prefents us with a jour nal of the real incidents which occurred in her education of the children of the houfe of Orleans, three boys and a girl. We have perufed it with fome pleasure, if we except that large part of the fecond volume which is occupied with paltry dif putes between madame de Genlis, now Sillery-Brulart, and the under-governors, a part which ferves not one purpose of amufement or inftruction, and which must have been printed during the fleep of judgment and of imagination.

In her preface madame Brulart informs us that she has lodg ed the original Journal, whence the first volume is extracted, in the hands of a notary, M. Gabion, No. 39, Rue de Riche lieu, who will fhew it to any teachers of youth who may be defirous of comparing the edition with the original. Our au thoress then vindicates herself in a manner which teftifies her to be a warm friend of the French revolution against the charges which her enemies, the enemies of that event, have raifed against her conduct in the education of thefe illustrious children. Her defence in this and other parts of the work is ample and fatisfactory. She was reproached with teaching her difciples the maxims that led to the revolution, with infpiring M. de Chartres with the defire of being admitted to the fociety of friends of the conftitution; with inftilling into their tender minds too great attachment to herself, and with diminishing the

influence

influence of their mother, a daughter of the houfe of Penthievre, an ariftocrate, and fince feparated from her husband. The preface concludes thus: if for twelve years I have been entirely devoted to my difciples, if I have given them intelligence, juft ideas, excellent principles, if the fruit of these lef fons has been to attach them extremely to their governefs, they are fenfible and grateful, they really love virtue; this is what was my duty to prove. I flatter myself befides that this work will not be without use to teachers and fathers of families. I dare to believe that there is no child who can read it without intereft and improvement, especially when he thinks that it is not a work of imagination. The second volume, now in the prefs, and which will appear in a fortnight, will offer more variety and more engaging details, but that volume which contains all the fecrets of education is not fit for children, and can only be useful to teachers.'

Óf the leffons which are addreffed to the children who regularly read the Journal, we shall present some laudable specimens.

"If on the high-way far from fuccour you find any perfon much hurt, although you had no concern in the accident, humanity impofes it as a duty upon you to ftop and ufe means of affiftance. And likewife, if in the high-way you find a carriage overturned, you should fend your fervants to offer help: if the accident have happened to people of good appearance, though unknown to you, you should offer them places in your carriage; much more if known to you, &c.'

M. de Chartres has performed an action which I write with delight. Without any infinuation or inftruction, and instigated only by his own heart, he privately gave three days ago all his money to deliver a prifoner: and has mentioned this affair to none. Next day he was told that a most unfortunate man had occafion for immediate affiftance. As he had no more money he requested me to defire M. le Brun to give him fome, and I confented: he applied to M. le Brun, who not knowing how he had used his money, did not approve his not applying his pocket-money to this purpofe. Monfigneur did not explain his reason, and it was not till three days after that he informed me of all, well thinking that as he confeffes his faults to me, fo he may reveal his good actions as the only recompenfe with which he can repay my cares; he told me the fact simply, and in few words. I did not endeavour to conceal from him the impreflion which this recital made upon me: he faw my tears flow, he mingled his, with an exprellion of fenfibility, the remembrance of which ftill affects me, and faid to me the most amiable and engaging words. Dear child, I fhall never forget that evening."

Madame

Madame Brulart, in the juft idea that rewards have more effect upon children than punishments, inftituted little prizes, fuch as writing-boxes, &c. to be given to the child who, during three months, excelled in goodness and sweetness of temper, or in application.

I have difcovered that M. de Montpenfier (the fecond fon, as the count de Beaujolois is the third) has taken care for many months of a poor woman, and with an attention, a goodness, a fecrefy, which much recommend the action. He defires to go and fee her, and I fhall go with him. I have not written in this Journal, that we went a few days ago to fee an other poor woman delivered from fhocking want by the charity of the princes, and of mademoiselle. In a note, madame Brulart informs us, that for fuch actions her enemies accufe her of taking her difciples to the houses of the poor, in order to feduce the people!

On the 19th of July, 1789, during the epoch of the revoJution, madame Brulart read an animated lecture to her difciples, concluding thus: You cannot justify yourselves in my eyes, except by starting at once from that infancy in which you are buried, and in accomplishing henceforth your duties with the greateft diftinction. No more words: actions, conftant actions.' In a note fhe informs us, that this lecture delivered them at once from infancy: thofe who have never educated children cannot imagine what effects one forcible leffon, at a proper time, may produce upon young imaginations and pure hearts.

At the conclufion of this volume we find a memoir of madame Brulart on the difpute between the duchefs of Orleans and her. She reprefents the duchefs as a lady of great worth and amiable temper, but influenced against her by the countess de Chatelux, an intimate confidante. This lady and her huf band were introduced into the family of Orleans by madame Brulart, and repaid the fervice with complete active ingratitude. In the fecond volume we learn that fhe is an English woman, of the name of Plunket. She fo far incited the duchefs against her benefactrefs, that the education of the fons being terminated, madame Brulart was forced to abandon her care of mademoiselle, whofe fudden and violent change of health upon the occafion was the cause of madame Brulart's refuming her ftation as her governefs. The duke of Orleans, incenfed at the conduct of madame de Chatelux, defired her to chufe fome other refidence than his houfe, and to fend within a fortnight the keys of her apartment at the Palais Royal. The confequence of this ftep was a demand of separation, made by the duchefs.

In proceeding to the fecond volume, which confifts of extracts of different journals of this important education, the firft object which attracts our attention is the unrivalled affiduity of the authorefs.

Monday 17th June. M. le Brun remarks that the princes having returned, refted till eight o'clock, at which hour he conducted them to me.

• I do not approve of fuch repofe, they must not be accuftomed to regard complete idlenefs as repofe; befides they would not have been fatigued by a walk of an hour. They muft never remain without doing any thing, were it only for fix minutes. This quarter of an hour might have been employed in playing at chefs, in heraldry, in repeating terms of architecture, or at a lecture. In a word, never two minutes, nor even one, of idleness.'

This is furely far too fevere, this forcing might produce precocious fruit; but we fhould prefer more time and more vigour in the seasonable production. The bow fhould be now and then quite unbent. What are we to make of a quarter of an hour at chefs?

The contests with the abbe Guyot, one of the under-gevernors, are difgufting in an eminent degree. That madame Brulart fhould have carried on this paper-war in the written Journal is furprifing; but that the could think of printing it is inconceivable. Here is a fpecimen, from p. 211.

'I find the answer of M. l'abbe falfe and injurious; he does not answer accufations which are facts, known to all. I do not complain that he has difcontinued his vifits: I tell, with out complaint, the mere facts; which are, that he difpenfes with mere common politenefs towards me, and what is more, towards my mother; I fay, that he alone never afks how the does, nor bids her good-day, any more than he does me,' &c. &c. Id populus curat fcilicet! When one fees the mereft dregs of converfation committed to the prefs, here and in France, one is tempted to conclude that the dotage of litera ture approaches. The reader will hardly believe that about 200 pages out of 578, in this fecond volume, are occupied with fcolding! If madame Brulart profeffes to teach this noble fcience, the thould establish her academy among the poifardes. How the can feriously recommend this volume to fathers of families, or to teachers, who have generally fcolding enough at home, we cannot conceive; any more than we can fee the fitness of putting the former volume into the hands of chil dren, while it contains a fevere accufation of a mother, an object ever facred to a well-educated child.

Difgufted with this part, we fhall pafs to a more pleafing APP. VOL. IV. NEW ARR.

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