The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-29
TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES.

We have more than once expref1ed our extreme
furprife, that volney's Travels through our
country fhould have 70 little excited
the public attention. 1t is imcompa-
rably the mott accurate Description Of
its pbyEeai pharnomena, and the mott
philosophical folution of their caufes and
their effects, that has yet been publiahed.
Volney is to almoft all other travellers, what
an able phy6ologit is to the fuper6cial ana
tomitt. While the latter dcfcribes the homes,
the mutcles, the colours aud the forms of
the human machine, the latter lays open the
fprings which attuate every particular men,
Der, its innate ufes, and its connection with
the ECONOMY of the whole. Logan
competed a work, which he named the I" Phi
lofophy of EIiRory" & volney's Volume may
be defervedly called the /" Philofophy Of
Travelling" While other travellers are the
mere paintsrs of iaad,ea9es. Volney afpires
to be the pbiloiopber efmature.
Volney's is but a general " View" of the foil s.
climate of the U. S. 1t is of courfe, imper-
feet, and fhould be accompanied by a
more minute view Of the natural hiftory of
each Of the ftates, on the plan of Mr. Jeifcr-
ions celebrated Notes on Virginia. We
cannot here refrain from the opinion, that the
luxurious author of thele notes would confer
an invaluable fervice on his countrymen by
adapting them better to the exiting Gate of
Virginia; which in 25 years has feen 70 ma
ny important changes introduced upon the
face of her country, into the navigation of
her rivers, and into the code of her laws.
Let not our anxiety on this fuhieet he ridiculed
or reprchended. "Views'' liketh ofV oiney
and Jefferfon are eaential ingredients in the
composition of great .fatefplan. He who
aipiresto that character, mutt learn how to
combine practice with theory
He mutt not only ftudy the speculative prir-
eipLeJ nf government,
But he NUT ftudy how to a56ly thofe prin-
clples to the exiting fate of things:
He mutt not only know what fociety ouebt to
be, bnt what it o9uaNy is.
But in acquiring this latter fpecies of informs
ton, he NUT direct his attention not only to
man, But to things not only to the manners
and political inititutions of the people, but
TO the phoenomena of nature. He fnut ltudy
what are the peculiar prohibitions of the foil
in the different dhriets of his country; the
extent and courfes of its navigable waters {;
the nature of its fea.ooaGs; with the fame
phenomena, az they occur in thofc coup-
tries with which his own may he connected
s..sy ii 10 IN ti.is IN ,I,rict a.
lone, that the great ltatefnan is collecting
materials for coming into ufe the speculative
principles he has imbihed. 1t is thus alone
re can underfand the different interefs of
his own or of other countries
1t is therefore with the hope, frnitefs it NAV be-
but certainly not unworthy, that prefent
our readers with the following a5Rraff of
Nj. Voiney's "Vew," from the London
=" Critical Review" srd Series.-Let its con-
tents fpeak the importance of the qcoyk itjelf!
pifsy e The Climate and foil Of tie United STATE, Of
14meriea 10 srbisb are annexed 6me account,
Of Florida, tie French Colony on fbe Seiots, GER
tain Ca1od'H Co!saies, ard tie Saoosc, o., Native,
f,aehiieS from the French efc. f. Holn-y, Messbe, of
fbe GogierOative Senate, G's. Viii 1faps and
-F'nff'. 500. rs. Bsardt. Jobasa. 1904.
WE have met Mr. volney in many different walk,
both OF politics and literature, and have followed him
with different and oPpofte emotions We have adj
nnired the Intelligent and enlightened traveller, we
have dePfed the bigot.d Democrat and detsfted the
undifguided, the undHemb!ed, infidel The prelent
work Partakes oil the merits and faults of the former
the faults are, however, lefs glaring Like all de-
mocras, he begins TO fee that facroes are made by
the many tor one only, at mott for few; that
while the talents and powers of mankind necelarily
ditfer, differentiation, in regular icae mutt take
place; and that one NUT be fupreme, if perpetual
contetts tor power be be avoided M Vnln.v
ipeaks, IN his preface, little unintegibly on the
iubJe OF his former views, his former dfappoint-
mems 1t the circutous language of the new fchooI
WINCH peeauie It is unnelligibe, has been ftyled
becaule is obfcure as the oracles Of
Old IS thoogf to partake of their infpra,on There
are Tome circumstances in the preface which would
offer ubJects OF curious remark but the volume Is 70
that we can find room for incidental
d6quhtions We have often mentioned with a fniIe
oenfure, the afeetatioa or the errors Of French
photography 1t is curious however to fee the name
OF WILMINGTON transformed 70 yazingueton; aud the
charge defended the principle of its being the true
pronunciation freneJfcG Should this argument be al
lowed, the nomenclature Of ancient and modern hfo-
ry mutt be changed; aud the confuion would be
wore 1t 1t ean be worie than the new mealures and
TIE new calendar.
The hrtt chapter is the geographical fcite Of the
Otnted States, and the fuPerhees of their territory
The country is eliminated at a million of Enclihn miles
lquare; but the inhabitants in 1901 amounted only
to 5,2l 1901. II this view, America affords pic
ture OF political weakness IL may become lrong
but at Preient lis rength is derived from the mac
eelhoe iituat'on OF great part fits poIeifion The
only point IN which Amerita could be vulnerable is
rom Upper Canada, Allied by an incurfion from
North Mexico. From, neither are the Americans H.
ible to an attack There is, however much reafon to
believe, that, had Donaparte fu ceeded at ST. Domin
90, ne would Fever have fold Louiiana, country
which adds more to the extent Of territory Of the u
lited States than their political rength but which
IN the event. will be am aequifition of importance
IN the hands Of the Corfcan il would have been
morn tlat would, at every moment, have difurbed
her repoie. This extent Of territory four times lar
ger than France in 7so, and equal TO Spain and Por
ugaI, neeeiiarily includes macy different climates