IX.  AMERICA.

Those works which relate to the discovery of America, derive their interest rather from their historical nature than from the insight they give into the physical and moral state of this portion of the globe.  In one important particular; America differs from all the other quarters of the world, very early travels in Asia or Africa unfold to us particulars respecting races of people that still exist, and thus enable us to compare their former with their present state, whereas nearly all the original inhabitants of America have disappeared.

Referring therefore our readers to the historians of the discovery and conquest of America, and to the Bibliotheque des Voyages, for the titles and nature of those works which detail the voyages of Columbus, Vespucius, &c., we shall confine ourselves chiefly to such works as enter more fully into a description of the country and its colonized inhabitants.

790.  Journal des Observations Physiques, Mathematiques, et Botaniques, faites par le P. Feuillee, sur les Cotes de l’Amerique Meridionale et dans les Indes Occidentales.  Paris, 1714. 2 vols. 4to.

791.  Suite du Journal.  Paris, 1715. 4to.—­Excellent works on the subjects indicated in the title.

792.  Notizias Americanas sobre las America Meridionel y la Septentrionel-Oriental.  Par Don Ant. de Ulloa.  Madrid, 1772. 4to.—­This work, which must not be confounded with the conjoint work of Ulloa and Juan, is rich in valuable matter, physical, political, and moral; it was translated into German by M. Diez, Professor of Natural History at Gottingen, who has added learned and judicious observations.

793 Voyages interessans dans differentes Colonies Francaises, Espagnoles, Anglaise.  Paris, 1788. 8vo.—­The most original and interesting portions of this work relate to Porto Rico, Curacoa, Granada, the Bermudas, &c.; there are also valuable remarks on the climate and diseases of St. Domingo.

794.  Catesby’s Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands. 1734-43. 2 vols. folio.

795.  Appendix to ditto. 1748. folio.—­The celebrated naturalist, George Edwards, published an edition of this splendid work, with the appendix, in Latin and French, in 2 vols. folio. 1764-71.

796.  Peter Kalm’s Travels in North America, translated by R. Forster. 1772. 2 vols. 8vo.—­Chiefly geological and mineralogical; in other respects not interesting.

797.  Adair’s History of the American Indians. 1775. 4to.—­The speculations of this writer are abundantly absurd; but there are interspersed some curious notices of the Indians, collected by the author, while he resided and traded with them.

798.  Travels through Carolina, Georgia, Florida, &c.  By W. Bertram. 1792. 2 vols. 8vo.—­A most interesting work to lovers of natural history, especially botany, a study to which Bertram was enthusiastically attached.  There is an account of Mr. Bertram in the American Farmer’s Letters.