The sum to be expended in the £59,076,889 48,099,277 32,469,160 673,126 £130,318,452 -Dumbartonshire 1,444 -Perthshire . 32,367 Total population of the Highlands. 255,845 296,844 The first column of the above table is extracted from the population table in vol. xx. of Sir John Sinclair's statistical survey of Scotland: the second from the population abstract, printed by order of parliament IRELAND. Grants for Public Services, April 3, 1806. (Irish Currency.) Linen manufacture of acts 46 Geo. III. . Proclamations, &c. Printing, stationary, &c. ensuing quarter is £2,193,562 8s. 10d. Criminal prosecutions COMPARATIVE ACCOUNT Laid before the House of Commons, of the number and tonnage of British and foreign vessels that entered inwards at the several ports of Great Britain, including their repeated voyages in different periods of peace and war. In the year 1792, being the year of peace which preceded the late warBritish ships 12,030-tonnage, 1,587,645, Foreign ships, 2,477-tonnage, 304,074. In the year 1801, being the last whole year of war before the late peaceBritish ships, 10,347-tonnage, 1,378,620. Foreign, 5,497-tonnage, 784,155. Reduction in voyages made by British ships, 1,683-tonnage 209,025. Increase in voyages made by foreign ships, 3,030-tonnage, 470,081. Apprehending offenders' £21,600 25,000 1,200 0 10,500 0 0 21,880 0 . 25,000 0 9,499 18 Pratique Dublin harbour. Battle-axe guards (18 months) 740 1,391 00010020 6 8,988 22,802 17 1,030 18 10 6 Lying-in hospital Dublin. 2,287 8 Society for promoting hus Farming society. Charitable donations 3 Paving, &c. Dublin 4,500 10,000 0 3,000 0 400 10,000 0 8,000 Improvement streets Dublin 4,500 0 3 000000 It appears to be the general opinion, that the public prosperity of this kingdom is encreasing. In stating the Ways and Means for 1800, May 7, Sir John Newport described the official value of the exports last year, as amounting to £5,202,000, which was greater than any year since 1792, which was considered as the most favourable year for the trade of Ireland. The exchange had kept steadily low for the last four months. The Loan was contracted for last year at £5 12s. 4d. per Cent. the sent year at £4 17s. 3d. Ireland's proportion of the joint pre charges of the empire was 8,175,197 He reckoned as Ways and Means. In the hands of collectors 139,000 On Russian and Swedish Iron, 60,000 nually 8,000,000 Navy deficiencies, 1804, 1805 Balance of American claims assumed by French Convention unpaid, 1804, September 30 AMERICA. America has so many relations with Britain, that we consider a slight statement of its concerns previous to the appearance of our work, as no less necessary for a proper understanding of allusions likely to occur, than if it were a European state. That this immense country should increase in population, can excite no wonder, when we reflect on the natural atachment of inan to the labours of the field; which yet remains unappropriaspace on the ted in the western wilderness; and on the spirit of emigration which the troubles of Europe have promoted to an uncommon degree. The accounts of this country are kept in Dollars, which, for ease of calculation, may be taken at 5s each. their true value is 4s. 6d. Of the public debt has been paid off Two installments to Great Britain Paid of the public debt since 4,377,898 1,776 17,954,790 2,664,000 1,794,052 -September 30, 1805 4,575,654 1801 To Great Britain We have already stated the unhappy event which took place at New York in April 1806 with its consequences. It is understood that a treaty is signed between Britain and this country, but the particulars are kept private till ratified. LITERARY THE LITERARY PANORAMA. For OCTOBER, 1806. A Dictionary, Persian, Arabic, and English; with a Dissertation on the Languages, Literature, and Manners of Eastern Nations, by John Richardson, Esq. F. S. A. of the Middle Temple, and of Wadham College, Oxford. A new Edition, with numerous Additions and Improvements, by Charles Wilkins, LL. D. F. R. S. Vol. I. Royal Quarto. pp. Dissertation 96, Dictionary 1157. Richardson, &c. London, 1806. LANGUAGES are at all times an interesting study to the liberal mind, inasmuch as speech is the vehicle by which man conveys his sentiments to his fellow men, and a nation maintains its intercourse with surrounding nations. Whoever has acquired a language has removed one formidable barrier which opposed his being considered as a native in any country, whether civilized or savage. Quitting the humiliating character of a silent spectator, he now rises to the dignity of an associate and friend, he ingratiates himself with those whom he addresses in accents recommended by their familiarity, and in terms received with effect, because received with understanding. In proportion to the intimacy of nations, and the connections established between their subjects, an acquaintance with the language spoken by each other, becomes indispensable; and their mutual necessities will induce them to devise means for effecting that medium of intercourse, from which both expect the establishment of mutual convenience and confidence. Countries so distant in situation as Britain and Persia, might be supposed to have little occasion for acquiring each other's languages; nevertheless, such is the magic influence of commerce, that VOL. I. Lit. Pun. Oct. 1806.] the importance of this acquisition is en- When the possessions of Britain in India were confined to a few acres on the Coast of Coromandel, the language prevalent on that coast was, apparently, the only one necessary for transacting the concerns of the English East-India Company, at that time merely an association of traders. But, when the obvious policy, amounting to a duty, of expelling the French from their insidious encroachments, had annexed extensive territories to the British Dominions, and when, by degrees, the sovereignty of these Merchants comprized not only provinces, and kingdoms, but an empire with many millions of subjects, the languages and dialects of the country, became objects of serious concern in discharging the highly important duties of government. Many and serious are the embarrassments arising from extemporaneous interpretation; whether in courts of justice, where the law should be administered with impartiality, and tempered with mercy; or in carrying into effect the ordinances of authority, where he, who intentionally demands no more than customary tribute, or who endeavours to adjust local and opposing interests, is liable to imposition in a thousand shapes, under evervarying pretences, and to an indefinite amount. Mistake, and still more effectu ally misrepresentation, may impoverish the subject without enriching the sovereign; and vexations utterly repugnant to the intention of the legislator, may attach so many difficulties to the operation of the wisest regulations, as to disgust the very B parties whose welfare was expressly consulted, in the promulgation of such acts of authority. India had long submitted to Mahometan conquerors, Persians by origin, who had adopted much of the Arabic into their native tongue, by reason of the prevalence of that language among them, in consequence of the religion they professed, of which, Arabia was the primitive seat. India had also commercial relations with Arabia and Persia, so that to conduct the business of government, or even to fulfil the commissions of trade, was impossible, without acquaintance, if not familiarity, with the languages of those countries. The learning and research of Britain had been, and continued to be, directed to such Oriental writings as might assist in theological enquiries, rather than to those which were requisite for facilitating commerce. Hence we had but slight and confined knowledge of the Arabic; and respected it no further than we felt its utility in explaining the Biblical Hebrew. Of the Persian we were utterly ignorant; neither had we any facility in the spoken dialects; but these, however essential they might be thought to a few supercargos, were neglected, as of little concern, or were relinquished as absolutely unattainable by European literati. It is true, that a few distinguished characters, notwithstanding such discouragements deservedly acquired the character of scholars in Oriental Literature, but of these the major part were votaries to the Arabic, and only one, or two, regarded the Persian with any better feeling than indifference. So that, while the former could boast of Erpenius, Golius, D'Herbelot, Schultens, and many others, abroad; and of Greaves, Hyde, Walton, &c. at home; while Reiske could read ancient MSS. which baffled Arabians themselves, and while Britain had established professorships for Arabic, in her seats of learning, the Persian was scarcely noticed, till recommended by the grammar of that excellent scholar Sir W. Jones; notwithstanding the dictionary of Dr. Edmund Castell, was published so long ago as 1669. The most valuable compendium of Oriental languages known in Europe was compiled by Meninski, and appeared at Vienna, in 1680. The Arabic and Persian parts of this have served for the basis of the work under consideration. The extreme rarity, and the high price, of complete copies of Meninski (little short of £100) rendered a performance more accessible to students extremely desirable; and the first edition of Mr. Richardson's dictionary, was, in consequence, extremely well received by the Public. It was published in 1777, principally under the patronage of the East-India Company; and the present improved edition must depend on the same quarter, for that remuneration to which it is amply entitled. Indeed, it gives us pleasure to observe in those who conduct the immense concerns of this distinguished corporation, a sense of the importance attached to literature; with a readiness to promote and communicate the benefits which naturally flow from it. The institution, in this country, of an establishment in which the necessary preparations for situations of official consequence in our Indian Empire may be acquired, is an honorable proof that public feeling is not absorbed amid the rapid and bewildering vicissitudes of commercial speculation. These, and many other considerations, that will suggest themselves to our readers, induce us to welcome, with great complacency, the volume under examination, which combines the Arabic language with the Persian; and is a spirited attempt to render both more attainable than hitherto. For this purpose, the Arabic types have been cut with a skill which does great credit to the founder, Mr. William Martin; they seem to be every thing that can fairly be expected from their size. The paper also is good; and the execution of the work at the press, as well as the appearance of the English type, is extremely respectable. Dr. Wilkins has attempted to communicate the accurate pronunciation of the Arabic, by means of points, above, or below the letter, generally, which to some letters are as many as four. These, in addition to the symbols already established, might be thought, on a cursory inspection, to give an air of complexity to the appearance of the Arabic words; and they might, doubtless, occasion great embarrassment in works less carefully executed than the present, or by an inju dicious extension of the scheme. The Dr. has also inserted 66 nume. rous literal and verbal corrections ;' "the additions in new words, and significations marked E. at the end of every period containing them," which "must amount to many thousands;" and must have been a long continued subject of care and anxiety, being mostly drawn from Persian and Arabic lexicons, in possession of the editor; though some were derived from loans and communications, procured, if we are not misinformed, at a considerable expense. Dr. W. has not only augmented the number of significations under many articles; but he has remodelled various parts, and made distinct letters of some that were before intermingled: he has introduced, of course, a new arrangement, and has rendered the whole more distinct and satisfactory than in the first edition. This work will be found extremely useful to young gentlemen, who propose to engage as linguists in the Company's service: to those already settled in mercantile establishments, whether in Eastern or Western Asia, or in Africa, and, generally, wherever the Arabic, or the Persian, is the spoken language. We must, however, be permitted to express our persuasion, that the study of Oriental Literature among the learned of Britain would have been more effectually promoted, had the roots of the Arabic words been pointed out in this work; whereby the relations of the various senses into which they diverge would have been more evident, and of course more convincing. For though any one accustomed to the construction of Oriental languages may, in many cases, determine the original idea of the root; and may trace it with much apparent certainty through all its transmutations, yet in others, the very learned editor's assistance, and authority would have been extremely acceptable. And why should not this dictionary have been rendered so complete in every department, as to preclude the necessity of recourse to any other? Moreover what can be thought, by a reader only moderately acquainted with Arabic, of the precision of that language, in which the same word, has contradictory meanings? E. gr.-" Climbing a mountain," and " descending a hill," as ifras." Ravishing, delighting the soul," and "killing, murdering," as jansitan." Plaiting the a hair," and " shaving it off," as tumum. "A miracle of beauty," and " monster of deformity," as Eajba."What is before, also what is behind," as wara." Gathering together scattered camels, in order to be numbered by the tything man: (contra.) separating those which are in a body; concealing one's camels in another's herd, or in another's field, that the tythe gatherer may not see them," as wirat.-This last instance conveys but a moderate idea of Arabian honesty; alas! that in all countries, men should practice deception! To the sedate imagination which characterizes inhabitants of the temperate zone, the ideas presented by these, and similar oppositions, must appear utterly incongruous; and the process by which they have been derived from the same source will greatly need explanation. Mr. Richardson's allusion to this circumstance, in his prefatory dissertation, is unsatisfactory. We should also suppose, in coincidence with our own feelings, that to have met more frequently with descriptions of the customs, manners, ideas, prejudices, and principles, of the productions, implements, labours, and diversions, of the east, would have contributed to render this work a favorite among those, and they are now not a few, who allot to such investigations a considerable portion. of their studies. It was, we are well convinced, in the power of Dr. W. to have added much gratification on these points; nor would the students in sacred literature have withheld their grateful acknowledgements also, had his plan included illustrations of cognate Hebrew words; and of incidents, phrases, or terms, allied to others of similar import which occur in Holy Scripture. In short, our opinion is, that though the merit of this performance in its actual state ranks it considerably before any hitherto submitted to the European public, yet, that the Editor's learning included a variety of knowledge, which the too confined plan of the work as originally fixed withheld him from communicating. Had he trusted more to himself, and less to his predecessors, the value of his labours would have been proportionately increased, together with the obligations of the public. As the reputation of this Dictionary |