fhould quafia, the growth of twenty years,' be lefs wholefome, on that account, than the annual production of the hop? Does the quaffia check fermentation or not; or is it unfit either to afford flaYour, or preferve the beer? We mean not to decide on either point, but merely ftate queftions which the author fhould have noticed more carefully. The brewer will, however, fmile at the limited number of fubititutes, and tell him, that, though the quaffia has no eflential oil, other bitters, as commonly employed, poffefs' it in a large proportion. It is not our bufinefs to diffeminate the knowledge of thefe, though we could mention many. On the whole, we must conclude that this pamphlet is defigned to answer fome peculiar purpose, and is not, in our opinion, calculated to im. part the real state' of the question refpecting the hop planta

tions.'

6

A New Efay on Punctuation; being an Attempt to reduce the Practice of Pointing to the Government of diftinet and explicit Rules, by which every Point may be accounted for after the Manner of Parfing. By Thomas Stackhoufe. 12mo. 25. Weft and Hughes.

We do not fee the neceffity of a new effay on punctuation: for, though that appendage of grammar does not receive due attention, eafy and adequate rules are given for it in various grammatical works. We may obferve, however, that Mr. Stackhoufe has performed his task with fome degree of precifion.

Obfervations on the Objections made to the Export of Wool frem Great-Britain to Ireland. By John, Lord Sheffield. 8vo. 25. Debrett. 1800.

We always attend to lord Sheffield with pleasure, even when our opinion differs from his own; because his facts are, in general, ftated with fairness, and his arguments adduced with candour and perfpicuity. In the queftion propounded we agree with his lordhip completely, that the export cannot be dangerous in the prefent guarded ftate of the allowance; and we are pleased to fee that the Spanish wool may be produced in this country without any deterioration. We have already given our opinion on the fabric of cloths with wool of English growth, and fince that time have found additional reafons for maintaining the fame belief. Obfervations upon the Town of Cromer, confidered as a Watering Place, and the Piduresque Scenery in its Neighbourhood. By Edmund Bartell, Jun. Svo. 35. 6d. Boards. Hurft. 1800. Cromer is fituated on the north-east coast of Norfolk, where the fea has encroached on the land, and greatly leffened the importance of the town and lordship of Shipdon, to which Cromer once belonged. The cliffs are confequently bold, and the fhore a fine fand. It feems to be Mr. Bartell's object to render it a fafhionable watering-place, and he defcribes with apparent good tafte the fhores and the fcenery of its neighbourhood. In reality, we think this one of the moft judicious and fenfible recommendations of a watering-place that we have lately feen; but having never vifited Cromer, we can only furvey it with Mr. Bartell's eyes, which we have no reason to diftruft.

CRITICAL REVIEW.

DECEMBER, 1800.

Munimenta Antiqua; or, Obfervations on Antient Caftles. Including Remarks on the whole Progress of Architecture, Ec clefiaftical, as well as Military, in Great Britain: and on the correfponding Changes, in Manners, Laws, and Customs. Tending both to illuftrate modern Hiftory: and to elucidate many interefting Paffages in various anticnt claffic Authors. By Edward King, Efq. F. R. S. and A. S. Vol. I. Folio.. 31. 135. 6d. Boards. Nicol.

WHATEVER may be the public opinion of this author's pious eccentricities in his attempts to illuftrate the Scriptures, his papers on ancient caftles, published in different numbers of the Archæologia, are favorable monuments of his skill in antiquities. We therefore took up the prefent work with confiderable expectations of entertainment, though not a little furprised to find a vast folio entitled Vol. I. The idea of a fecond folio on such a subject ftruck us as the excess of prolixity. We leave our readers, therefore, to judge of our furprife on finding that the author, in his preface, promifes no lefs than four fimilar volumes! As Mr. King is a religious man, we wish to remind him of the fevere account that will hereafter be demanded of him who makes ufe of idle words; of which certainly no work ever prefented a greater number than the publication before us. We fhall, however, in the present instance confider the author merely as an antiquary; and in fo doing we beg leave to remind him that one of the grand merits of his papers on ancient caftles was their brevity, and that he could not more deplorably have difappointed the expectation of those who have hitherto been pleafed with him than by this unexpected tranfition to the moft diffuse and tedious prolixity.

The learned author, well aware that his papers on ancient caftles have been well received, feems, on this account, principally to have extended that title to the prefent work for the CRIT. REV. VOL. XXX. December, 1800.

2 C

first chapter alone, and indeed only a part of this chapter, has any connection with the fubject of ancient castles. The remainder, or about nine-tenths of the whole volume, confifts of repetitions of the vifionary doctrines of Stukeley, Borlafe, and others, concerning what are called druidic monuments, though there be no real ancient teftimony concerning druidic monuments whatever. Nor is the word munimenta unobjectionable; for though in claffical latinity munimentum imply a caftle or fortification, yet as the greater part of Mr. King's book must refer to what are called the middle ages, he should have reflected that in the language of thefe times munimentum was employed to defignate a deed, charter, or diploma; and that in confequence the learned world have a right to expect from the prefent title a collection of ancient charters, instead of a treatise on ancient buildings.

In attempting to convey to the reader fome idea of this ponderous and eccentric volume, we fhall commence with an extract from the preface.

The beginning of our narration, and which is contained in this volume, relates folely to the earlieft periods in Britain; before the invafion of the Romans. The days of primeval fimplicity, and rudeness; the days of druidifm,--and of patriarchal manners.

And here; with regard to fuch of the druidical structures as were indeed unquestionably temples; I have carefully avoided, as much as poffible, the repeating, or interfering with what has been written, fo much at large, by doctor Stukeley :-leaving the curious ftill to draw their own conclufions from his learned differtations ;— though it cannot but be observed, that in the courfe of this work, conclufions, even on different grounds, have led me very much to agree with him. My object, it will be found, has been to add, if pothible, by fair obfervations, new and additional light to the interesting fubject; by an investigation of circumstances, which had before efcaped due notice.

And in other points, with regard to Rowland, Borlafe, and other able writers, to whom we are fo much indebted, it will be found that I have, as much as poffible, observed the fame rule.

The fecond volume, which has the plates already engraved, and is printing with all expedition, will relate to the works of the Romans in this ifland, and the improvements introduced by them;-to fuch works of the Britons as were imitations of Phoenician, and Syrian architecture, with which they were made acquainted by the traffickers for tin;-and to fuch as were mere imitations of Roman architecture; and alfo to fuch as, in the more barbarous parts of the ifland, were only imitations of thofe imitations.

"The third volume, which is alfo ready for the prefs, will contain the history of what truly relates to the Saxon times.

And the fourth, the hiftory of the ftrenuous efforts of Norman genius-and of the preparations which their fturdy, and violent endeavours were permitted to make for better times.

As viewing the hiftory of our country in this light, has opened a scene of wonder and delight; and carrying with it a full conviction of truth, though mixed with much novelty of ideas, to the mind of the author; it may perhaps become no lefs ftriking, and interefting to the minds of others.

The world becomes, by this means, in the trueft fenfe, the great and fplendid theatre, on which are difplayed the wonders of divine wifdom, and defignation, bringing light out of darkness, and a fpiritual world of created beings to maturity.

But there are scenes; amidst which we muft proceed with cautious fteps.

In this first part, therefore; it may be observed, that there are circumftances of particular fuperftitious observances, that are faid to have prevailed amongst the druids, which yet are not detailed at length in thefe pages.

And the reason is, because they do not relate to the peculiar object of thefe obfervations ;-because alfo of the uncertainty with regard to fome of them, (many of the conclufions refting on furmife;)-and because they have been more than fufficiently mentioned by others;—whilft, at the fame time, it is furely to be wished, that a veil fhould for ever be drawn over the foul and foolish abominations of horrible idolatry; wherever facred truth does not demand the naming of them.

• Such circumstances are;—

The account of the ftately old tree, in the deep wood, with its branches lopped off; and having the two largeft fixed expanding horizontally at top, fo as to caufe the whole to refemble the form of a T.

The ufe of the ideal device of the orbicular winged ferpent ;fo much correfponding with the idea of the wings, the orb, and the ferpent, found amongst the Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The ufe alfo of the ideal device of the mundane egg.

And the pretence concerning the anguinum, or ferpent stone, fometimes called the adder ftone.

The various kinds of luftrations:

The attention to the white horse, and to the white bull.

'The veneration for the vervain, and other confecrated graffes ;which was perhaps only a dark initiation to fome fcience of botany, and medicine.

The reverence for the crefcent moon.

The hallowed, and unhallowed folemn turnings from east to weft, or from west to caft.

• The fuppofed dances of three groups; the one wheeling round in a circle, from the right hand to the left; and the other from the

left hand to the right; with the flow walk of the third round a central altar, at the fame time.

The fuppofed fire dances.

· The fires, or bealtine, lighted on the cairns, on May-eve :and the double fires on May-day; between which they caused their men and beafts to pafs, which were deftined to be facrificed.

And finally, the horrid magical rites of devoting their enemies; n deep groves, whose trees were sprinkled, and reeking, with blood and gore.

Barely to name fuch deteftable offences of dark ages, (from any enlarged narration of which, if fuch had been poffible, no good could be derived;) is more than fufficient.

And the more interefting and fafe purfuit, is to inveftigate, by means of scattered remains of antient labour and architecture, and by means of fcattered records, how, amidst the deepest errors, useful exertions have yet been made;-and how the mind of man has been infenfibly guided through the whole wondrous chain of events, from gloomy darknefs, unto hope, and light.-How obftinate prejudices have been overcome ;-the bonds of habit broken;-and the fetters that held the human mind in fuch fad durance, by degrees loofened.

This will be ftill more the purport of what is proposed to be printed in the fucceeding volumes, than even of what is contained in this. But as, in this prefent volume, there has been occafion both to refer to, and to fling fome light upon, the hiftorical part of the Holy Scriptures; and alfo upon feveral paffages in the most antient claffic authors; two fhort indexes are added; befides a very full and minute table of contents.

The one index, points out the paffages in the Holy Scriptures, that are at all illuftrated in thefe pages;-in regular order, according to the arrangement of the Sacred Books.

And the other index, leads to such paffages in antient writers, as are here placed in any ftriking point of view ;-or have had any additional light caft upon them.-And also some particular circumftances, befides those mentioned in the table of contents, that are moft deferving of notice.-And is made as fhort, and comprehenfive, as poffible.

The fame plan will be purfued in the fucceeding volumes; if the author's life is fpared to print them.-And as to the reft of their contents; it would be improper here to repeat what has been faid in the advertisement prefixed to the Veftiges of Oxford Castle. And efpecially as no part of that little tract will now be inferted in the body of this publication; but the whole will be left to be bound as an Appendix to the work at large: that no one may be obliged to purchase the contents of that differtation, in any fhape, a fecond time, for the completion of this publication.' . ii.

The remainder of the preface, which extends to twenty