The fifth Sketch is divided into two fections, the firft of which is a very entertaining one; the fubject of it is the origin and progress of useful arts. The following extract from it cannot fail of being acceptable to our Readers.

The

When Cæfar invaded Britain, agriculture was unknown in the inner parts: the inhabitants fed upon milk and flesh, and were cloathed with fkins. Hollinfhed, cotemporary with Elizabeth of England, defcribes the rudeness of the preceding generation in the arts of life: "There were very few chinneys even in capital towns: the fire was laid to the wall, and the smoke iffued out at the roof, or door, or window. The houfes were wattled and plaistered over with clay; and all the furniture and utenfils were of wood. people flept on ftraw-pallets, with a log of wood for a pillow." Henry II. of France, at the marriage of the Duchefs of Savoy, wore the first ilk ftockings that were made in France. Queen Elizabeth, the third year of her reign, received in a prefent a pair of black filk knit ftockings; and Dr. Howel reports, that he never wore cloth hose any more. Before the conqueft there was a timber bridge upon the Thames between London and Southwark, which was repaired by King William Rufus, and was burnt by accident in the reign of Henry II. ann. 1176. At that time a ftone bridge in place of it was projected, but it was not finished till the year 1212. The bridge Notre-Dame over the Seine in Paris was firit of wood. It fell down anno 1499; and as there was not in France a man who would undertake to rebuild it of stone, an Italian cordelier was employed, whose name was Joconde, the fame upon whom Sanazarius made the following pen:

Jocondus geminum impofuit tibi, Sequana, pontem ;

Hunc tu jure potes dicere pontificem.

The art of making glafs was imported from France into England ann. 674, for the ufe of monafteries. Glafs windows in private houfes were rare even in the twelfth century, and held to be great luxury. King Edward III. invited three clockmakers of Delft in Holland to fettle in England. In the former part of the reign of Henry VIII. there did not grow in England cabbage, carrot, turnip, or other edible root; and it has been noted, that even Queen Catharine herself could not command a falad for dinner, till the King brought over a gardener from the Netherlands. About the fame time, the artichoke, the apricot, the damafk rofe, made their first appearance in England. Turkeys, carps, and hops, were firft known there in the year 1524. The currant-fhrub was brought from the island of Zant ann. 1533; and in the year 154, cherry-trees from Flanders were firft planted in Kent. It was in the year 1563 that knives were first made in England. Pocket-watches were brought there from Germany ann. 1577. About the year 1580, coaches were introduced; before which time Queen Elizabeth on public occafions rode behind her chamberlain. A faw-mill was erected near London ann. 1633, but afterward demolished, that it might not deprive the labouring poor of employment, How crude was the science of politics even in that late age?

! People

People who are ignorant of weights and measures fall upon odd fhifts to fupply the defect. Howel Dha, Prince of Wales, who died in the year 948, was their capital lawgiver. One of his laws is, "If any one kill or steal the cat that guards the Prince's granary, he forfeits a milch ewe with her lamb; or as much wheat as will cover the cat when fufpended by the tail, the head touching the ground." By the fame lawgiver a fine of twelve cows is enacted for a rape committed upon a maid, eighteen for a rape upon a matron. If the fact be proved after being denied, the criminal for his falfity pays as many fhillings as will cover the woman's pofteriors.'

In the fecond fection our Author treats of the progress of taste, and of the fine arts; and the best of his obfervations upon this fubject are to be found in his Elements of Criticifm. His account of the Greek Tragedy is fuperficial and injudicious, and fome of his occafional remarks rather trifling; as, for example, when he tells us that in Rome, an illiterate Shopkeeper is a more correct judge of ftatues, pictures, and buildings, than the best educated Citizen of London.

In the fixth Sketch our Author traces the gradual progrefs of women, from their low ftate in favage tribes, to their elevated state in civilized nations. This is a very curious and interesting fubject, and many of his reflections upon it are just and pertinent. As it has been much controverted, whether matrimony be an appointment of nature, or only of municipal law, he confiders this queftion at fome length, and thinks the controverfy may be determined upon folid principles. The means provided by nature for continuing the race of other animals, he thinks, may throw light upon the economy of nature with respect to man; accordingly he begins with that article, which, he fays, has not engaged the attention of naturalifts fo much as it ought to do.

With respect to animals whofe nourishment is grafs, pairing, we are told, would be of no ufe; the female feeds herself and her young at the fame inftant, and the male has nothing to do. On the other hand, all brute animals whofe young require the nurfing care of both parents, are directed by nature to pair; nor is the connection diffolved till the young can provide for themfelves. Pairing is indifpenfible to wild birds that build in trees; because the male muft provide food for his mate while he is hatching the eggs; and as they have commonly a numerous iffue, it requires the labour of both to pick up food for themselves and for their young: upon which account it is fo ordered, that the young are fufficiently vigorous to provide for themfelves, before a new brood is produced.

Now if analogy can be relied on, man too, our Author thinks, is directed by nature to matrimony, as there is no other creature in the known world to which pairing is fo neceffary. Providential care defcends even to vegetable life: every plant

bears

bears a profufion of feed; and in order to cover the earth with vegetables, fome feeds have wings, fome are scattered by means of a fpring, and fome are fo light as to be carried about by the wind. If men and women, therefore, were not impelled by nature to matrimony, they would be lefs fitted for continuing their species than even the humbleft plant. We may fairly conclude then, our Author fays, that matrimony in the human race is an appointment of nature; and this conclufion, we are told, cannot be refifted by any one who believes in providence, and in final causes.

But if pairing in the ftricteft fenfe be a law of nature among men, as among fome other animals, how is Polygamy to be accounted for, which formerly was univerfal, and to this day obtains among many nations?

I am reduced, fays our Author, to no dilemma here. Polygamy is derived from two fources; firft, from favage manners, once univerfal; and next, from a voluptuoufness in warm climates, which infligate men of wealth to tranfgrefs every rule of temperance. Thefe two fources I propofe to handle with, care, because they make a great part of the history of the female fex.'

For what our Author fays upon this curious fubject, as likewife upon the different degrees of restraint impofed upon married women in different countries, and at different times in the fame country, together with the caufes of thefe differences, we must refer our Readers to the work at large.

In his Appendix to the fixth Sketch our Author gives us fome very entertaining and inftructive obfervations concerning the propagation of animals, and the care of their offspring, which cannot fail of being acceptable to every clafs of Readers.

The natural history of animals, fays he, with refpect to pairing, and care of their offspring, is fufceptible of more elucidation than could regularly be introduced into the fketch itfelf, where it makes but a fingle argument. Loth to neglect a fubject that eminently difplays the wifdom and benevolence of Providence, I gladly embrace the prefent opportunity, however flight, to add what further occurs upon it. Buffon, in many large volumes, beflows fcarce a thought on that favourite fubject; and the neglect of our countrymen Ray and Derham is ftill lefs excufable, confidering that to difplay the conduct of Providence was their fole purpose in writing on natural history.

The instinct of pairing is bestow'd on every fpecies of animals to which it is neceffary for rearing their young; and on no other fpecies. All wild birds pair: but with a remarkable difference between fuch as place their nefts on trees, and fuch as place them on the ground. The young of the former, being hatched blind, and without feathers, require the nurfing care of both parents till they be able to fly. The male feeds his mate on the neft, and cheers her with a fong. As foon as the young are hatched, finging yields to a more neceffary occupation, that of providing food for a numerous iffue, a task that requires both parents.

I.

• Eagles

Eagles and other birds of prey build on trees, or on other inacceffible Spots. They not only pair, but continue in pairs all the year round; and the fame pair procreate year after year. This at least is the cafe of eagles: the male and female bunt together, unlefs during incubation, during which time the female is fed by the male.

pany.

A greater number than a fingle pair never are seen in com

Gregarious birds pair, in order probably to prevent difcord in a fociety confined to a narrow fpace. This is the cafe particularly of pigeons and rooks. The male and female fit on the eggs alternately, and divide the care of feeding their young.

Partridges, plovers, pheasants, peafowl, groufe, and other kinds that place their nefts on the ground, have the inftinct of pairing: but differ from fuch as build on trees in the following particular, that after the female is impregnated, fhe completes her talk without needing any help from the male. Retiring from him, fhe chufes a fafe fpot for her neft, where she can find plenty of worms and grafsfeed at hand. And her young, as foon as hatched, take foot, and feek food for themselves, The only remaining duty incumbent on the dam is, to lead them to proper places for food, and to call them together when danger impends. Some males, provoked at the defertion of their mates, break the eggs if they fumble on them. Eider ducks pair like other birds that place their nefts on the ground; and the female finishes her neft with down plucked from her own breast. If the nest be destroyed for the down, which is remarkably warm and elaftic, fhe makes another neft as before. If the be robb'd a fecond time, fhe makes a third neft; but the male furnishes the down. A lady of fpirit obferved, that the Eider duck may give a leffon to many a married woman, who is more difpofed to pluck her husband than herself. The black game never pair: in fpring the cock on an eminence crows, and claps his wings; and all the females within hearing inftantly refort to him.

Pairing birds, excepting thofe of prey, flock together in February, in order to chufe their mates. They foon difperfe; and are not feen afterward but in pairs.

Pairing is unknown to quadrupeds that feed on grafs. To fuch it would be ufelefs; as the female gives fuck to her young while she herself is feeding. If M. Buffon deferve credit, the roe-deer are an exception. They pair, though they feed on grafs, and have but one litter in a year.

Beafts of prey, fuch as lions, tigers, wolves, pair not. The female is left to fhift for herself and for her young; which is a laborious task, and often fo unsuccessful as to fhorten the life of many of them. Pairing is effential to birds of prey, because incubation leaves the female no fufficient time to hunt for food. Pairing is not neceffary to beafts of prey, because their young can bear a long fast. Add another reafon, that they would multiply fo faft by pairing as to prove troublesome neighbours to the human race.

6

Among animals that pair not, males fight defperately about a female. Such a battle among horned cattle is finely defcribed by Lucretius. Nor is it unufual for feven or eight lions to wage bloody war for a fingle female.

* The

The fame reafon that makes pairing neceffary for gregarious birds, obtains with refpect to gregarious quadrupeds; thofe especially who store up food for winter, and during that feafon live in common. Difcord among fuch would be attended with worse confequences than even among lions and bulls, who are not confined to one place. The beavers, with refpect to pairing, refemble birds that place their nefts on the ground. As foon as the young are produced, the males abandon their stock of food to their mates, and live at large; but return frequently to vifit them while they are fuckling their young.

Hedge-hogs pair as well as feveral of the monkey-kind. We are not well acquainted with the natural history of these animals; but it would appear that the young require the nurfing care of both parents.

⚫ Seals have a fingular economy. Polygamy feems to be a law of nature among them, as a male affociates with feveral females. The fea-turtle has no occafion to pair, as the female concludes her task by laying her eggs in the fand. The young are hatched by the fun; and immediately crawl to the fea.

In every other branch of animal economy concerning the continuance of the fpecies, the hand of Providence is equally confpicuous. The young of pairing birds are produced in the fpring, when the weather begins to be comfortable; and their early production makes them firm and vigorous before winter, to endure the hardfhips of that rigorous feafon. Such early production is in particular favourable to eagles, and other birds of prey; for in the fpring they have plenty of food, by the return of birds of paffage.

Though the time of geftation varies confiderably in the different quadrupeds that feed on grafs, yet the female is regularly delivered early in fummer, when grafs is in plenty. The mare admits the ftallion in fummer, carries eleven months, and is delivered the beginning of May. The cow differs little. A fheep and a goat take the male in November, carry five months, and produce when grafs begins to fpring. Thefe animals love fhort grafs, upon which a mare or a cow would ftarve. The rutting-featon of the red deer is the end of September, and beginning of October: it continues for three weeks, during which time the male runs from female to female without intermiflion. The female brings forth in May, or beginning of June; and the female of the fallow deer brings forth at the fame time. The fhe-afs is in feafon beginning of fummer; but the bears twelve months, which fixes her delivery to fummer. Wolves and foxes copulate in December: the female carries five months, and brings forth in April, when animal food is as plentiful as at any other feafon; and the fhe lion brings forth about the fame time. Of this early birth there is one evident advantage, hinted above: the

I have it upon good authority, that ewes pafturing in a hilly country, pitch early on fome fnug fpot, where they may drop their young with fafety. And hence the risk of removing a flock to a new field immediately before delivery: many lambs perish by being dropped in improper places.

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