We have given thefe extracts thus at length, that if we have miftaken Captain Forreft's meaning, fuch of our readers as have not his book to apply to, may, nevertheless, detect us, and his reputation may not be injured in the opinion of fuch readers, by our mistakes. But if we have not mistaken him, and we think it fcarcely poffible, we muft fay that nothing can be lefs philofophical, than his theory. The monfoons have undoubtedly the fame caufe that all other winds have,-a greater degree of heat acting on the air, which is incumbent over one place, than acts on that which is over another; by this means rarefying it, and giving leave for the denser air to rush into that fpace where it is fo rarefied. And on this principle has Dr. Halley accounted, in a most fatisfactory manner, (fee Philofophical Transactions, N° 183.) for the two general fouthweft and north-eaft monsoons. As to the north-weft, or middle cross winter monfoon, as Captain Forrest calls it, it feems equally inexplicable on every hypothefis; on that of Captain Forreft, as well as Dr. Halley's. For it is manifeft, that if it arofe from any accumulation of matter, of any kind, on the coafts of Africa and Arabia, as Captain Forrest contends, it must 'blow ftronger, the nearer we come to thofe coafts; whereas this monfoon does not take place until we get many degrees from either of them, and have croffed the whole region where the north-eaft trade wind blows.

In p. 8, Captain Forret fays, We mean to fhew it (the Atlantic Ocean) is not entirely without fomething resembling a periodical monfoon:' but we have read the whole of what he has to offer, relating to this matter, with the greatest attention, and can meet with nothing that, in any refpect, tends to prove fuch a thing. He fays, indeed, p. 9, The eaft promontory of South America, fituated in a low latitude, projects a good way into the Atlantic. Here the currents fet northward in the fummer monsoon, and fouthward in the winter monfoon, following the course of the fun, as they do in Eaft India.' But of this he offers no proofs, unless we are to fuppofe his reference to Anfon's Voyage and Cook's Voyage in 1775, are fuch. The writer of Anfon's Voyage fays not a word concerning the currents which they met with to the northward of the eastern promontory of South America; nor yet to the fouthward of it, until they came to the latitude of fixteen degrees fouth; but from that fituation he fays, p. 38, firft edition, We had a confiderable current fetting to the fouthward, and the fame took place all along the coaft of Brazil, and even to the fouthward of the river of Plate.' This was in the month of December. With refpect to Captain Cook's Voyage in 1775, we fuppofe he muft mean that which he commenced in 1772; but in that voyage he never came near the coaft of Brazil, going out. He mentions,

mentions, it is true, that they met with a current fetting northeafterly on the coaft of Africa, in latitude ore degree north; but what has this to do with the currents which run on the coaft of Brazil, to the fouthward of Cape Roque? In his return home, from that voyage, he never was to the fouthward of that point; nor does he mention whether they met with any currents or not, to the northward of it. In his voyage in the Endeavour, in 1768, he was on the Brazil coaft in the months of October and November; at which time he found the currents to the northward of Cape Roque fet north-westerly; and to the fouthward of it, they fet fouth-wefterly, as the coaft lies; and this we conclude is the cafe at all feafons of the year.

We have now done with Captain Forreft's theory; but not with his fecond, third, and fourth chapters. Thefe chapters, though profeffedly theoretical, contain many practical rules and directions to navigators, who fail to India, or in the Indian feas; drawn from the Author's long practice and experience; and which, we have no doubt, will render even thofe chapters well worthy the perufal of every perfon who has any concern with maritime affairs in the East Indies.

His fifth chapter treats of the moft eligible track to keep from Europe to Eaft India; in which he ftrenuoufly advifes the navigator to give the coafts of Europe and Africa a good birth through the North Atlantic ocean; to keep well over towards the coafts of Brazil, in the fouthern Atlantic, and not to be too covetous of making eafting, until he gets into a pretty high fouthern latitude. Moreover, unless he has to touch at the Cape, or to go between the island of Madagascar and the main, he would, by no means, double the Cape in a lower latitude than thirty-nine or forty degrees; nor be too hafty in getting again to the northward, after he had paffed it. He concludes

the chapter with directing the navigator what land fhips ought to make, which have to pass the ftreights of Sunda, according as the fummer or winter monfoon blows, at the time of her arrival in those seas.

His fixth chapter contains an account of the monsoons on the fouth-west coaft of the island of Sumatra; and very particular inftructions for navigating that coaft in the different feafons of the year. From this part of Captain Forreft's work, we learn, that the account which is given by Mr. Marsden, in his hiftory of Sumatra, of the monfoons, relates only to the southern part of that island; and that very different circumftances obtain, in thefe refpects, in the northern parts.

In the feventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters, our Author gives directions for keeping the proper track in going from Madrafs and Bengal, to Bencoolen, Batavia, or parts farther eaft, during the winter north-eaft monfoon; for

keeping

keeping the best track from Madrafs or Bengal, to Bencoolen, during the fouth west monfoon; for keeping the best track from Indoftan to Celebes, or the Molluccas, during the fouth-weft monfoon; for failing from Indoftan to Magindano (Mindano) at all times of the year; and for navigating the outer paffage to Bombay. He also treats of the cross-winds in the Bay of Bengal, of the currents in the Chinese feas, thofe on the fouth coaft of Africa, and of the paffage home. On each of these heads Captain Forrest is very full and particular; and his remarks and inftructions have every appearance of being those of a person of long experience, great judgment, and accurate obfervation; and, as fuch, will, we make no doubt, be found of the utmost importance to such perfons as have to follow him in thofe long, intricate, and dangerous navigations.

The twelfth chapter contains a defcription of the island of Trinidado, with directions for failing into, and anchoring in the harbour. This account we remember to have seen in print before, probably in fome of Mr. Dalrymple's publica ions. It is given by the Captain of a Dutch hip belonging to their Eaft India Company; but we fuppofe Captain Forrest did not know it had been published before, or he would not have inferted it in this place. In his conclufion, he gives fome defultory remarks, as he calls them; and if he had, in imitation of Dr. Graham (but Captain Forreft is no imitator) called them excentric alfo, there would have been no harm done. Amongft thofe, one is, that the cold is more fevere in the fouthern, than it is in the northern hemifphere. In this, however, Captain Forreft has not the honour of being an original: it has been advanced by many before him; but we nevertheless believe it to be one of thofe vulgar errors, which mankind fall into by trufting more to their fenfitive, than their reafoning faculties. Every one who goes into the fouthern hemifphere muft pafs through the torrid zone to it, in doing which, their bodies are greatly relaxed, and rendered extremely fufceptible of cold, when they arrive again in higher latitudes. Such, we conjecture, is the reafon which has given rife to the remark: to prove, that it is not true, we fhall advance a fact or two; only ones of the kind that have come to our knowledge. Captain Young went in his Majefty's brig the Lion, on dilcoveries towards the north-west, in the year 1777; and he directed his officers to keep a regular journal of the heights of the thermometer, at the end of every watch: from that journal we have been favoured with the following curious extract:

the

We have alfo been favoured with the following obfervations of the thermometer, made in Captain Cook's late voyage towards the North Pole.

We have extracted the following from the obfervations made in Captain Cook's voyage towards the South Pole, as correfponding very nearly with the preceding ones, both in respect of climate and season.

1773,

Dec. 21, Latitude 66° 48'S. Therm. 33°

22,

239

24,

Morn.

Ncon.

34°

67 2.7

Perhaps comparifons of this kind might be multiplied, if a ftrict fearch were made for thermometrical obfervations; but we apprehend the above are fufficient to fhew, that there is no real reason for afferting, that the fouthern hemifphere is colder than the northern.

ART. VI.

ART. VI. Maxims and Reflexions. 12mo. IS. Egerton, 1783.

HESE mifcellaneous remarks upon life and manners,

TH

have an air of novelty, which inclines us to credit the Author's affertion, that he hath not, knowingly, adopted any one thought or expreffion of other writers. Many of them discover good fenfe, and knowledge of the world; but in fome of them we perceive ftrong characters of spleen and illhumour; and, we muft add too, of a difpofition rather to encourage than reftrain that corruption of principle, of which, nevertheless, the writer grievously complains. As a favourable fpecimen of the Author's manner, we fhall felect the following

articles :

• Those who have knowledge of the world, draw their obferva tions from little circumftances, which the ignorant do not attend to, nor, if they did, would they underftand.'

How feldom utility is confidered in an education! Perfonal accomplishments cannot be of any ufe, in this country at least, to either men or women, above ten or twelve years; after which they are either hid, or they render the poffeffor ridiculous. Ought the father of a family to dance a good minuet, or the mother to fing a fine fong ?'— Friends are often more loved than relations, because the latter expect every thing which the former receive as a compliment.'

If any extraordinary foftnefs in women, or cant in men, appears, you may imagine they want to hide fomething not right in their temper, or difpofition.'

Romantic writers four the real comforts of life, by giving vifionary ideas of happinefs. Nothing deftroys what is good, but the idea of better.'

People never appear more ridiculous, nor are ever more really abfurd, than when they attempt to ridicule the object which immediately engroffes the attention of the company, however ill-placed that attention may be. Country gentlemen think that Italian operas tend to effeminate our manners: they may be right; but fuch an obfervation, in the middle of a favourite air at the opera-house, would only prove their own want of common fenfe, and excite contempt.'

When we are in good fpirits, we think we are wafted in a flow of good fortune: every object has charms, and every thing goes right, because we are determined it fhall be fo. But if we reflect; the fame events have only happened, which paffed yesterday, though they did not before give a beam of hope to the joyless breaft. Let us then, different from moft philofophers, profit by our own reflection: let us confider that happiness and misfortune are but ideal; and that by preferving our health, and turning our minds to occupation, which gives amufement, we fhall find that happiness, like virtue, though not to be bought, yet, upon honourable terms, is to be had.'.

Good-breeding is a guard upon the tongue: it prevents us from faying difagreeable things, and making other people uneafy by our humours and our fancies. The misfortune is, that we put it on and

off