The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-27
FOX THE ENQUIRER.
AMERICAN on N1rHoLoc Z.

The " American O%rnithology, by Alex
ander Wilson" lately advertised in tie En-
qulrer. is professionally one of the most
splendid monuments hitherto erected to sci.
ence. in the United States. With sincere
eulogy, We hail the appearance of a work,
in which the skill of the artist is no less e
mlnently displayed, than the knowledge of
the naturalist and the eloquence of the wri-
ter.-It has been frequently observed, and
lamented, hat the natural riches of our
country are but imperfectly known. The
study of natural history has generally been
neglected among us ; or, if a few instances of
industrious research in that science can be
mentioned as honorable exceptions, the eff
forts thus made, though highly commenda-
BILE IN themselves, have produced little else
but rude materials ard u~nconnected frag-
ments of knowledge. Rudis, indtgestaguc
noies. Nor have the scientific travels OF
reign naturalists over the surface of Federal
America, been of much greater service, at
least, to US. In general, those naturalists have
confined their researches to our largest and
most conspicuous animals, to our most beau
tlful, or most valuable plants. 1t was not
their original design to embrace the whole
range OF our indigenous productions of any
particular kingdom, class or order, SC. and
~ their hasty excursions, they could not OBJ
serve and describe with accuracy, even the
few and prominent objects to which their
attention was particularly directed Besides,
the circulation of their works among US, and
consequently. the utility OF the same, with
respect to our country, has bean extremely
hmlted.-Under circumstances like these
Mr.. Wilson's work becomes doubly merito-
rious and valuable-It presents us with one
OF the brightest links that viii, at a future
day. form the vast chain of our natural his
tory; it fills up one of those chasms which
the eagle-eye of research, views with impa-
tlence and regret; in a word, it entities its
author to the patronage. and even to the
gratitude of those who are able both to dis
cover and to encourage genuine merit.
/ The plates of the american Ornitholo-
gy" are far superior to such in Catesby's
work as represent Birds; they closely ap-
proximate to the beauty and perfection of
those which adorn LIE Vaillant's splendid ma
tural history of parrots. They have been
engraved, from the original drawings of Mr..
Wilson himself, by the best artists in our
country. and the manner in which they are
coloured reflects the highest homer on the
skill and attention of the author. He has
seized With unerring accuracy, the generic
and specific characters, the attitudes and
dimensions OF birds, the various tints of their
plumage &c. All the parts of his delinea-
lions are in perfect harmony, and bespeak q
mastery hand.
The descriptive part of the work i. writ
ten in a Style at once simple. correct; and e.
legant. Mr.. Wilson is not a mere nomencla-
tor; he does not:confine himself to a barren
enumeration and description of those organs
which furnish generic and other characters.
His manner ~evinces both philosophy and
taste. He observes and writes as Aristotle,
Psliny, Button, Lacepede, &c. The habits,
the manners of the winged tribe have justly
engrossed a considerable share of his attenti-
on, and he describes these with equal felicity
and truth.-In fine, it appears to US that in
Mr.. Wilson's work, every reader. will find
a charm sufficient to excite his interest the
Ornithologist considerable additions to his
%favorite science the agriculturist, facts i'm
portant to his pursuits; and the philopher
frequent subjects of meditation.
/ rup ot,,u.,