persuasion of witnesses as a bar to the conviction or condemnation of a prisoner-that is, in other words, to reject the testimony of Hindoos. The British government has most justly abrogated a distinction calculated to defeat the ends of public justice; and the Mahomedan law-officers of the courts are required to declare what the sentence would have been, supposing the witnesses to have been Mahomedans; and according to that rule the seutence is given and takes its due course. Reg. 9. (1793) S. 56. Third: A person deliberately intending to murder one individual, and accidentally Killing another, is not by the Mahomedan law held liable to the punishment of murder. The Regulations, in opposition to this rule, declare the homicide under such circumstances murder, and the punishment of it death. Reg. 8. A. D. 1801. Fourth By the Mahomedan law, a murderer, though fully convicted, might escape the punishment due to his crime, by obtain ing pardon of, or from a compromise with, such heirs of the deceased as were entitled to demand Retaliation. And according to an exposition of the Mahomedan law, a father or mother, or grandfather or grandmother, wilfully murdering their child or grandchild, or any person of whom their child or grandchild may be one of the heirs, cannot suffer death by the law of Kissaas or Retaliation; nor can such a sentence be passed against a master for the murder of his slave, nor against any one for the murder of a slave appropriated by his owners to the service of the public, nor against a person wilfully killing another at the desire of the party slain, &c. In the extensive tract of country between Lahore and the Jumna, we find a numerous nation, well known by the name of Sicks. For the origin of this sect I shall take the authority of Mr. Wilkins, who informs us that it was founded about 425 years ago, by a man of the Khatree, or military tribe among the Hindoos, who apostatized from his religion.* The creed of the Sicks is diametrically op posed to the popular superstition of Hindostan, which admits and reveres innumerable deities, whilst the Sicks adore but one God," omnipotent and omnipresent." They consequently reject Brahma and Vishnu, with all his incarnations; and in the place of the Sastras of the Hindoos, including their mythological Puranas, nave one book of civil and religious institutions, under the denomination of Grunth. They also, in opposition to the Hindoo code, admit proselytes from all other religions. The ceremony of inftiation only requires from the new convert a renunciation of his former opinions, and a certain form of lustral purification.-Under these fundamental institutions, the laws or usages of the Sicks permit their proselytes, whether Hindoos or Mahomedans, to follow their own customs as to food and marriage. This sect, originally established by an aposand tate Hiudoo, composed chiefly of converts from the Hindoo and Mahomedan faith, now exists in a country formerly the seat of Hindooism, and, if united, could bring into the field a body of one hundred thousand cavalry. Daniel. On thirty two plates, whole sheet folio, lengthwise, engraved in aqua tinta; and accurately coloured from the drawings. With concise explanations of the subjects. Price £21. Daniel, London. The governor in council declares to all Hin-African Scenery and Animals. By Samuel dostan, the Mahomedan law of retaliation, in these and similar instances, to be obviously and essentially repugnant to the principles of public justice," and that the court of Nizamut Adaulut, provided they see no cireumstances in the case which may render the prisoner a proper object of mercy, shall sentence him to suffer death, as if the futwah or sentence of the law-officers had declared him liable to Kissaas, or Retaliation. Reg. 8. A. D. 1799. It does not appear that either Hindoos or Mahometans are seriously offended at these improvements on their laws; they see substantial justice executed, and are satisfied. As it coincides with the preceding article, we shall add what our author communicates concerning the Seiks, a sect which is neither Hindoo nor Mahometan, but a mixture of both-a sect that will be better known in Europe, if the French attempt to pass through their country to India, for IF any proof were requisite, of our obligations to the graphic arts, bringing all the world home to our houses, and closets, we should appeal, with the firmest assurance of success; to works of a nature like this before us. Within our remembrance this country has contributed more than it ever did before to the diffu sion of general knowledge. The voyages of discovery that have distinguished the reign of his present Majesty, have also contributed essentially to dignify the national character in many important points. Other nations bad, each in its cultivated some branch of liberal study with way, * Asiatic Researches, vol. 1. p. 289. assiduity, and prided itself on what it had produced as the labours of the intelligent, whom it had enrolled among its citizens either by birth right, or by naturalization. The ocean was left for the exertion of Britain; and Britain hasjustified her claim to the ocean. In comparison with that immense tract which formerly was marked on our globes "Terra incognita!" what a small portion is now justly entitled to that denomination. And this small portion is diminishing daily. Even that unpromising clime, which includes the regions of Southern Africa, has been explored, beyond our expectation; and the wilds of this vast promontory have yielded objects of curiosity, hereafter perhaps, to be converted into objects of utility, to gratify the thirst of the inquisitive after knowledge, and to complete those arrangements to which the learned have given the name of system. Every discovery, however, while it tends to complete a system tends also to destroy it for every plant, and every animal though referable for the most part to a particular distinction which art calls class, genus, or species, yet exhibits so many particulars which connect it with some other, that the embarrassments arising from strict adherence to order and method may be thought, in no great length of time, to be more than equal to its advantages. This work of Mr. Daniel, is absolutely unshackled by the remotest reference to system: it exhibits the subjects on a scale commendable for magnitude and distinctness, and sets before the eye, at a glance, what many pages of description would fail of effecting. In fact, it is the production of an artist. We think it might have been rendered more advantageous to students of nature, by references to the principal works in which subjects congenerous to those delineated, are described in most of the pages of explanation that accompany the plates there is room for such reference, and any naturalist would have taken a pleasure in conferring this addition on so capital a work. But, if an artist has accomplished what he proposed, we are to thank him, without teazing him with fruitless wishes, or too late improvements: and we frankly acknowledge our obligations to the worthy author for the sight of sundry unwieldy creatures, which in fact, we had rather see in his prints, than in their native haunts, The expedition into the interior of Southern Africa of which our readers will find a slight account in the first volume of the Panorama, p. 52, gave opportunity and occasion to this superb performance; which contains views of the Lion mountain, and the Table mountain, at the Cape of Good Hope; of the military station at Algoa Bay; of several houses of the Dutch boors, or planters, of the haunts of elephants, and of the town of Leetakoo, the most northerly situation to which Europeans have penetrated from the Cape. In addition, we have portraits of the natives of the differ ent tribes that inhabit these countries; delineations of their habitations, utensils, and modes of life. These are, apparently, more correct, as well as more distinct, than any with which we were acquainted. Mr. D has also introduced several animals, of species before unknown: and those which had already been noticed by travellers, are here represented with great advantage. It is impossible for us to describe to our readers what, to judge of it properly, they must inspect, we shall therefore endeavour to render this article useful by the order into which we shall throw our remarks. In the wildest state of his social existence man is more than the first of animals: he is distinguished by ingenuity in constructing his habitation-his moveable habitation he is the only creature that adds ornaments to his person; the only one that others." There is not," says Mr. Daniel, commands the labours and obedience of perhaps any race of people, however savage, that gives itself less trouble in con structing habitations, or that is less encumthan that particular tribe of Hottentots bered with clothing or domestic utensils, known to the Dutch by the name of Busjemans. Their hut consists of a mat of grass, bent into a semicircle, and kept in and one of the ends closed by another mat. that position, by a few upright sticks, Their clothing seldom extends beyond the skin of some wild animal tied round the loins. A gourd or an Ostrich egg, serves them for carrying a little water, and a sack of the skin of some of the smaller antelopes for holding their dried locusts, wild honey, or bulbous roots." These sons of carelessness, then, make a provision for futurity, and carry with them bone for the purpose. To render these cattle more beautiful, they cut the ears, the skin of the cheeks, and the dewlaps of their favourites, and twist their horns into a variety of shapes. The women are occupied in making bags of skins, skin cloaks, and baskets for holding milk, with other houshold utensils. a supply for expected seasons of want. | with the mouth, or an instrument made of Such is the character of man: he is not exempt from necessities; but capable of providing against them if he chooses to exert his abilities. Even this tribe has its belles and its beaux, whose caps are adorned with Vandykes, whose legs and arms are decorated with ivory rings, and manacles, and their utensils with figures and studds. They subsist by hunting, and stealing. "The Korah Hottentots, who dwell along the banks of the Orange River, have attained the highest degree of civilization. Their circular huts are constructed with more care and regularity, and the mats with which they are covered are more firmly and neatly made, than what are found among other tribes. They possess also a greater variety of utensils for domestic use; their vessels are sometimes made of clay baked in the sun, of wood hollowed out, and of gourds. Their clothing is not much different from the others, but their persons are more cleanly, owing perhaps to the abundance of water with which Orange River is supplied at all seasons, and more especially in summer. Their animals consist of horned cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs. They have no kind of carriages, but load their oxen with their property: to which they usually add their women and children. The Huts of the Korahs are composed of rush mattings spread over bended sticks; they are of an hemispherical form, about six feet high, and eighteen in diameter, with an aperture on the side for entrance." Orange River is beyond the boundaries of the colony northward; and is upwards of thirty days journey from Cape Town. and The foregoing tribes of Hottentots have been content with mat-walled habitations; but "the Kaffers have" departed from that, perhaps primitive usage of mankind, composed their huts of wattling plastered over with a composition of clay and cow dung: they are six or seven feet in diameter with a square opening for an entrance." It is evident that these huts must be stationary, as the plaster ing would break to pieces, on any attempt to remove the hut. The men not only hunt game, but milk their cattle, of which they are extremely fond. They render them so very docile as to be enabled to direct their motions by whistling, either Quitting these inhabitants of dwellings imperfectly constructed of grass, though interwoven, we come to the Boshuannas, who compose their huts of well-worked clay, with intervening pillars of wood for strengthening the walls, as well as for supporting the roofs, which are closely thatched with strong grass, and bound together with leathern thongs. These palaces of huts, generally consist of three concentric circles, the two interior being wall, and the outward a range of wooden pillars. The centre is their store-room; where their skins, ornaments, &c. are deposited: the surrounding circle forms an apartment proof against the rains; and the exterior is a Veranda. But, to complete this dwelling a court yard surrounds it, which is secured by a high thick hedge, or paling of dry brushwood, and in this court the family assembles after the labours of the day, and partake of the evening repast. Here too, stand their granaries, which are large jars, like oil-jars, made of fine clay baked in the sun: they are six or seven feet high, and are capable of containing two or even three hundred gallons. They are raised above the ground by three or more feet; and are strongly thatched. Their contents are polices, millet, and kidney beans. While the clay is soft, short sticks are inserted into the side of the jars; these answer the purposes of a ladder, and enable children, or others, to reach the top. These jars are made by the women. The town or city, Leetakoo, the capital of the Boshuaunas, forms an interesting subject among others, and shews an assemblage of huts, which after the dreary and uninhabited desarts interposed between it and Cape Town, may claim the distinction of a metropolis. It contains from ten to fifteen thousand inhabitants; all of them lodged as above described: and several huts inclosed by one common paling. This town is divided by a river, which in the rainy season is of considera. ble magnitude; and even in summer, always contains water enough for the gene * ral supply. We see then, that in propor- | peace, the Kaffers wear as ornaments, tion as societies comprize a greater num-rings of ivory on the arms, a brush of ber of individuals, they advance in the hair attached to the head, and, frequently, arts of accommodation and appearance. a cow's tail attached to the knee. The We may add, that the arts of accommoda- women wear long cloaks of skins made tion and appearance are closely attend- soft and pliant with greaf pains, and gayant on societies which comprize great num-ly studded with metal buttons. The heads bers of individuals. In other words po- of the children are, frequently, ornamentpulation is the parent of emulation.- ed with tufts of hair from the Spring Bok. Personal decoration is a principle never wholly extinct in the human mind, even among the most savage tribes: and it should seem, that it prevails, or rather that the means of indulging it prevail, in proportion to the progress of civilization. The finest lady in Europe, for whose ornament every quarter of the globe has been laid under contribution, may exhibit more variety of embellishment as to the materials that adorn her person, and greater skill may have been employed in preparing them for her service, but the sentiment which induces her to sparkle in gems and jewels, is the same in its nature, as that which leads the Boscheman women to decorate their krosses with stripes, and to stud their bags with buttons. The heroes of this nation too, to render themselves terrible, stick groups of arrows in a band which they wear round their heads, and thus demonstrate their courage, by displaying their weapons. Yet is this a diminutive race: the men seldom exceeding four feet and a half in stature; the women being still shorter. If personal appearance might justify vanity, the Kaffers, according to Mr. Daniel, have much to offer in their justification. "If taken in the mass, it may be questioned," says our author, "if any nation can produce so great a proportion of tall elegant figures as appear among them-strong and active-they eat very little animal food; but subsist chiefly on milk.-Were it not for their colour, which is from black to bronze, even Europeans might pronounce them a very handsome race of men." When they go to war, they bind on their head by a fillet of skin the two wings of the Numidian crane, which being very long, and placed bolt upright, give them a peculiar air: not exactly that of Perseus, or of Mercury, though they show the possibility that wings at the head were fashionable in the days of those highflying personages. But, in the time of Vide the figure, Panorama, Vol. I. p. 53. The Boshuannas, who had never seen Europeans, could not be expected to be very rich in brass buttons: but then, they form umbrellas of most beautiful ostrich feathers, under the shade of which they. sit, or which they carry when walking, to shelter them from the rays of the sun. The men have rings; and the women have necklaces. The females most certainly deserve even greater ornaments than these, by their industry in forming those magazines of clay, which are to contain the stores of the family. Mr. D. seems to pity them, for being doomed to this drudgery, and he may be right; though we confess, we suspect, that like many other exclamations of dissatisfaction, his complaints are misplaced, and that, while the men are abroad, engaged in the fatigues of the chace, their toils are much more severe than those of the women who are occupied in building jar-granaries at home. The British Gallery of Engravings, with some Account of each Picture, and a Life of the Artist. By Edward Forster, A. M. F. R. S. & S. A. Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle. Nos. I. and II. Price two Guineas each : Coples on larger Paper and Type, with Proof Plates, price Three Gaineas and a half. Each Number containing four Prints: chiefly about eight Inches by six. Folio. Miller, London. 1808. The art of Engraving, it has always appeared to us, las great reason to complain of being treated with injustice by the Royal Academy. No more than six professors of the art are admitted as associates, and these never can rise to be Academicians. Neither are the works of any other Engravers then these six admitted into the public exhicitions of that Institution. Engraving, has, however, the means of revenge in its own hands, and we are glad to see a proof of this, in the undertaking under consideration. C Whatever be the merits of a picture, they are confined to that spot, where it hangs; whoever desires to enjoy them must come to the picture; and here, if his gratification be exquisite, it is also transitory;-for the cost is an absolute denial of possession to the generality of amateurs. The art of Engraving, to a degree which entitles it to very grateful consideration, removes these obstacles to permanent enjoyment of works of art; and exhibits to the eye of a thousand spectators, in all parts of the world, at the same time, and at a trivial expence, the principal merits of a picture, though it does not profess to comprize the whole of them. Neither cab an Engraving pretend to originality, in the strict sense of the word : it must be admitted, that it is a repetition of what has been already composed, for the most part :-but the question returns, whether in what remains, there is not sufficient originality to entitle the art to a liberal patronage? and whether policy, itself, were there no higher motive, should not induce painters, and others, whose works are likely to be copied by Engravers, to promote this art to the utmost of their power, since the world at large, unable to inspect their performances, will judge of them, as they appear in prints; and the difference between a subject treated by a master of his art, and by a blockhead, is incalculable. The first merit of a picture is the thought adopted by the artist; that effort We war not with the dead; and Chrisof imagination which his judgement has tian charity may induce us to forgive selected, as fit to describe his subject, and errors which originated in no disposition worthy of commanding his subsequent la allied to itself: but whether that species bour in finishing his work. If this men- of charity, which associates with the tal conception, the very origin and soul graphic arts, may forget, as well as forof his production, be unworthy, mean, give, we have our doubts: and in short, futile, bad, whatever be its kind of bad- to speak the language of the day, we reness, no merit in the execution can com commend the emancipation of the art of pensate this defect.-But the art of En- Engraving, whether with, or without petigraving is capable of shewing the thought, tion, to the ministers and dignitaries of the entire mental energy, of any picture, the commonwealth of taste, and virtu, completely. believing it to be equally as loyal and reComposition also, and arrangement,ligions as any other branch of art, although style of drawing, grace, dignity, expres-excluded at present from places of honour sion, accompaniments,-in short, the maand profit. jor principles of the art may be transfused into a print: but the accuracy of colouring, the niceties, the glazings, the beautiful relief produced by opposing tints, and whatever depends on the value of colours, is not to be expected. A print, besides being a mere chiaro oscuro, or black and white, being printed with ink of a solid kind, has not, cannot have, any transparency of effect. We may explain this to our readers, by reminding them, that they have produced the tender tints of Indian ink drawings,-the distances, the lighter parts of the sky, &c. by spreading a thin wash of colour, through which the paper shewed its lightness; whereas, on the stronger parts-the foregrounds, &c. they laid on so much of the ink, that they could not discern the paper through it. Nothing of this is practicable in Engraving: the plate being printed with ink of uniform consistence throughout the whole subject. The work before us has originated in motives truly honourable to its conductor, Mr. Forster; and we are very heartily inclined to recommend it to the inspection of our readers; after which they will need no recommendation to the purchase. Mr. F. seems to have thought it necessary to justify himself for adopting the line manner, or stroke Engraving, exclusively, in these prints; in our opinion no justification was necessary: the superiority of this manner over all other, is a fixed point with us: yet we do not coincide unreserv edly in the reproaches cast on the manner of Engraving by dots, or the chalk manner. Each has, to our eye, its appropri ate excellence: the beauty of some prints in the chalk manner, from pictures of Angelica Kauffman, enables it to dispute the palm of honour with any other and the imitations of drawings after Guercino, by Bartolozzi, are very much superior to what could have been produced, by the |