Litchfield enquirer., 1833-02-28
RoR TER REQUIRES:


| HGveR. 1882.
Il does not come within tho plan cf the Litchfeld
Enquirer to enter excessively into the reviewing Of
books but in the present case. we propose y give
brief notice Of book which, ne appreIlend may not
be sufficiently well known 10 the public. lis of
those works Tor the use Or the rising generation ehs
American people, of which Dr. Webster has sent fnrtr
90 many in the cDurse Of life which has now become
long. Many years SINCE there Published BY him.
work in three volumes, entitled Elements &c Use
full Knowledge" That work, which lave long
desired, but have been unable % nd contains histori
cal facts which canuol without much labor be found
esewhesan We are happy say that The book before
US answers every purpose which could have been
contemplated by seeking or The Elements Of Use-
fal knowledge. Ii contains all that valuable il The
fest two volumes Of that work. onitiing what has be-
obsolete, and aiding such facts as The Of
events has made proper TO add.
But the clarac ter of The book will be best under.
stood IRON The following synopsis Of lis Its
divided into seycnteen scciions.
The frst section treats ofthe origin and varieties Of
the human For the origin Of tho race, the mn
resorts, he needs must, the Bible, and gives
the scripture Of the creation and fall Of man.
and Of their history Down the dispersion at Babel
Thence The families ofihe Of Noah traced
accurately the present state Of knowledge admils
their settlements 10 the different parts Of The East
| crn Continent. The English aud their Ameeicaa de-
descendants deduced from Of the OF Noah
Conner and Tiras. In the classifcation of the hue
man species, the author makes six varieiirs;-The
Lapiand race, the Tartars the Hindoos, the Negroes
| the Esropeaus, and the native American Indians.
| Each of,hcse is described.
The second section describes the ancient Teuonic
aud Gothic nations, from whom English ancestors
descended gives AZ account Of their manner. and cns-
| sions aad conquests 81 England by the Saxons and
! Danes, 10 the Norman conquest.
The third carries i. from the last mentioned event TO
the Reformation.
The fourth traces back the history Of the original
peopling of America, Ear records and au,henIic
traditions reach aud describes the and GUS
toms OF The ancient Mexicans and other aborigines.
! The fifth relates the discovery II America by Co.
lumbus, and the Successive discoveries Of different
parts of il by other adventures, the conquest Of
Mexico and Peru.
The sixth gives an account ofihe various discoye-
RIGS, attempts settlement, and 6nal settlement ofhe
original United States and the esen, British posses
| soas the north and east of Chem.
The seventh gives an account Of all the important
and dangerous Indian wars, in which our ancestors
we're involved in the settlement Of this country.
In the eighth, 10 given the political history Of the
colonies down 10 the complete establishment Of their
indepe n6cnce.
In the ninth, the government and laws Of the New
England colonies. There 10 also given in this section
an account Of their trade, and Of their religious and
other customs.
The ienii, relates the wars in which the colonies
were involved in consequence Of their dependence
| Great Britain.
In the eleventh, have the history Of the COLONIAL
paper cunencies, aud Of their financial embarrass-
lneuts.
nthe twehh. that Of pracies.
Ia The ii,ireensh u accosns or diseases and re.
markabie events; seasons or remarkable cold, o.
remarkable hear, carihquakes norhers ligiis, &c.
Ihe fourteenth is history Of the war Of the revoIu
iion, and of the and eyens Which led 10 the
adoption OF our presen, constitution.
In the fifteenth is given synopsis Of the constta-
ton, comparative view VI the various forms of gov
erameni which have hitherto existed, aad an
OF the climate and weather Of the different United
States.
The sixteeaih and seventeenth give brief view Of
The naisrat history Of America.
Following this 10 Adpice 70 the Young 10 which is
given q view ofmoEai dairy.
The Farewell Address Of Washington concludes
the book.
Probably NO man living Is well qualified 10 write
such history 10 here described, DR.. Websier,--
The pathological researches 10 which, for half cen
,ury he has been diligently and successfully
gagged. have incidentally giaced a, his command, an
amount Of hisiorca chronological. and other knowl
edge which is rarely iound in the possession ofan in-
dvidaal; and of which, il is very desirable that his
counrynen should have the Benefi. This, ~ Ear ~
the u Saies are concerned. they may Gnd, 10 good
degree, in the work aow under noiiee. The use, nj
So which no has made Of his extensive rccolIec-
ton u Ihe events and the Of ihngs which led 10
the Formations aad adoption ofoar present constitution
makes his work very valuable Al the present time.
The style is thar plain. easy. digni6ed, yet simple
mode ofrxpressions which coud wish the haste
the citizens Of republic, which siaaA on The
practical good otis members, be formed. Is
poin. Of easdor and digaiked smpiiey. ye, sfarea,
attachment % correct principles thiuk peculiar
y execlleat.
The orshograpiy Of DE-. Webster has been the sal,-
jeci Of some discussion. Il well kaows tIai in this
department, he has Nc digsrsai times. shown dispo-
risoa inssvae farther than agreeable ie views