The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-18 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

THE LINNIEAN -SYSnIII of CONCHOLOGY, &c.
By JOHN 111AvrE. One Volume, Bve.
There never was any period when the liberal,
but more especially the natural Sciences, were
more generally cultivated than they are in the
present day. Almost every branch of these inte-
resting and amusing pursuits have, of late years,
been brought within the reach of the meanest ca-
pacity. We are fully disposed to hail this evi-
dent mark of mental improvement as the har-
binger of a better state of society. Great, indeed,
are the advantages which the community must,
of necessity, derive from a better acquaintance
with the admirable works of " Nature's God."
The contemplation of the varied productions
which Nature every where unfolds to our admiring
eyes, are well calculated to fill the mind with
religious, and consequently With useful ideas. In
an age, when infidelity stalks openly abroad ;
when a set of mischievous men labour to over-
turn social order, by eradicating religious prin-
ciples, the wisdom, the power, the goodness, dis-
played throughout creation, cannot be too fre-
quently brought before our eyes. To every feel-
ing and reflecting mind, the contemplation of
nature is an unanswerable argument to prove the
existence of a Creative Power. The sophism of
a pretended philosophy, whose only merit con-
sists in absolute scepticism, may delude Or bewil-
der the understanding ; hut the contemplation of
nature, by speaking to the heart, carries irresist-
ible conviction to the mind.
In our age, when general information is be-
come, as is were, the fashion, no person that has
received any thing like a liberal education can
wish to remain ignorant of, at least, the rudiments
and outlines of subjects to which even children are
introduced when they first begin to read. Did
the powers of the human mind keep pace with
the facility afforded to store it with useful know-
ledge, the rising generation would far surpass all
those that have preceded it in mental acquire-
melts. Whether this may or may not be event-
ually the case, is foreign to our present purpose.
As it cannot possibly be denied that the acqui-
sition of knowledge must tend eminently to im-
prove the human mind, our best thanks are due
to those persons who devote their time to bring
such
acquisition within the reach of every indi-
vidual.
To create a general taste for scientific pursuits,
a plan has been adopted which could scarcely
fail of being crowned with complete success.—
Aware that the only chance of enticing youth
into the hitherto rugged paths of knowledge was
by removing out of sight all that rendered its
access difficult, and its •aspect forbidding, ele-
mentary works have been brought forth, in which
the thorns are scrupulously concealed, whilst the
flowers were teniptingly exhibited to the wind's
eye. This has been more especially the case in
the various branches of Natural History. That
the dues, at first sight, present
uty o
stparticulari artNi
trzltcttueirens, it is impossible to deny,
and there are no sciences so likely to captivate
the youthful mind. But at this early and ini-
ii:rertattlite Peptrietdl out altitftP,Diarsslioolnest.ic_e txtavtoolvaetrilitiys
novel attracts, but all that appears difficult either
discourages or disgusts. 'Truce, with whatever
facility' the infant mind may be taught, if labour
occur where nothing
on, pleasure was expected,.
Elm pursuit is immediately abandoned. It it by
bringing down more to their level the steps which
lead to the temple of knowledge, and by remov-
ing all the obstacles that might create dislike,
that well-informed men have smoothened the
road to science, and consequently rendered an
essential service to mankind.
The Work which it now before us is intended
to facilitate the study of Conchology, which is
one of the most attractive amongst the natural
sciences. Mr. M Awe is wel!-kowu as an accu-
rate observer of Nature ; and his fine collection
of natural productions, together with the numer-
ous correspondents lie has in foreign parts, afford
him ample means of examining, the objects he has
to describe. In the present Work, in which
the Linnxn arrangement of shells is illustrated,
he seems to have spared neither research nor ex-
pence to render it useful and acceptable to the
public.
The description of each genus is clear, and.
sufficiently elaborate; and along with the simple
name of each species, is given its trivial appella-
tion and its locality. The whole is embelished
with numerous plates, in which the accuracy of
the design, and the beauty of the colouring, are
no less creditable to the artist employed than
they are ornamental to the work, and useful to
the student. A. P.

A noble palace is about to be built at the
Hague for the residence of his Royal Highness Prince FstE-
DSRICK of the Netherlands.

The story of the murder of 11 persons by /2
assassins, at a farm-bouse in the neighbourhood of Paris, is
contradicted in the same paper from which we quoted it on
Monday.
V RGIN ROCKS.—The existence of these rocks
being doubted by some, and their situation not being very ge-
nerally known, it may be important to masters of vessels trading
to Newfoundland, to quote the following extract of a letter,
addressed by Arthur Kemp, master of the brig Indiana, of
Dartmouthoo the publisher of the Newfoundland Gazette:—
On Oct. 23,1823, at meridian, I left Cape Broyle, after a strong
Tale from S.E., with the wind at 'W.N. W., steering S.E. by S.
he following morning, at 8 a. to., having run 84 miles, I was
alarmed with the cry of " Breakers a-head.," and almost imme-
diately saw them to such an alarming extent as obliged me to
alter the course from 6. E. by S..to E. by N., it not being
possible to clear them on the other tack. After giving the
breakers a good birth, and leaving them to the southward,
distant four. miles, I hove the main-topsail to the mast, and
lay by from 10 o'clock till meridian, and observed in latitude
41$. 35. long. 50. 51. ; the extent of breakers appeared to be
about two ;miles, and were more tremendously alarming than I
have ever experienced during 23 years that I have (chiefly in
this trade) commanded a vessel,"

PA Itt, 1 A N 114..; NT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEB. 17.

Their Lordships sat from ten o'clock till four hearing Counsel
on the Queensberry case. They again met at five o'clock, but
only to adjourn till.to-morrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

A person brought from the Bank an account of the number
and value of the Bank-notes at present in circulation ; and an.
other person brought certain returns from the Court of Chan-
cery, relative to the arrears of business in that Court. They
were ordered to be printed.