science in regard to light,' how that element might have existed before the creation of the sun, and having endorsed the opinion of Dr. Young, that is, the theory of undulations, he proceeds to talk of latent light,' an idea precisely in character and keeping with the supposition of latent music in a fiddle. Another mistake, not less fatal to the sense and meaning of the author, is made in quoting from Turner. This author in speaking of geology, says surprising discoveries have been made within the last fifty years; and that science which was in its BABYHOOD in my youth, (i. e. fifty years ago,) is now fast advancing to a vigorous maturity;' (pp. 28, 29,) whereas Stuart makes him say, that the same science is yet in its babyhood.' (p. 79.) But of all the faults and errors which we have enumerated, those which occur on p. 89, cap the climax. Alluding to the universally conceded fact that all mankind are varieties of the same species, he inquires, whether the difference between the fossil races (of plants and animals) and our present ones, is greater or more striking, in most cases, than those between the different portions of the human family?' and immediately adds, that size is the most important particular of discrepance; and this the antideluvian climate and air will account for in a great measure, if not entirely.' After this, it will not excite our surprise, should the professor adopt the opinion of Monboddo, that man was originally an oyster. Indeed, if his assertion is true that there is no end of the species that any one plant will make, by the aid of climate, soil, air, cultivation, etc.,' we see no reason why the elephant may not have been at first a mouse, and man of vegetable origin. It is true that history makes no mention of any such transformations, and all experience would lead us to believe with the professor's favorite author, 'that every plant is the product of a specific organization, and only of that, and never changes into any other,' p. 185; but then there is no estimating the effects of the professor's antediluvian climate,' where tall oaks, from clover seeds might grow,' and where the oyster might have changed to a frog, from frog to monkey, and from monkey up to man. ་ But to return from this digression. We specially assign, as a fourth cause of error in the professor's article, ignorance of the subject matter about which he has attempted to write. The proof of this point may be found on almost every page of the preceding review; but we have still a higher kind of evidence, the confession of the party himself. Prof. Sedgwick had charged the Penns, the Buggs, the Nolans, and the Formans men who have written on the same subject, and on the same side with Stuart of dogmatizing on matters they did not understand of pretending to teach mankind on points where they themselves are uninstructed but Stuart says, 'I have not read their works, and if I had, I should not feel myself qualified to judge of their geological of fences.' (p. 54) And again. I am no geologist; and it would be folly and arrogance for me to enter into competition, on the scientifical ground or practical part of this branch of philosophy, with those who have devoted their lives to it.' (p. 83.) This surely is candor; but it would seem that such a confession, if honestly made, should not have been coupled in the same paragraph with a denunciation of the geological mode of reasoning-a confession which would have altogether deterred any man but our author from writing at all. But be that as it may, he hesitates not to doubt the legitimacy of the reasoning employed by most geologists,' (p. 83,) nor to declare that nothing is plainer than that ALL is yet conjecture and uncertainty among the geologists, as to the length of time since the earth was created,' (p. 83,) forgetting that periods of forty-eight hours would be as destructive of his theory as would those of forty-eight millions of years. He affirms, too, that the alleged facts are altogether erroneous,' (p. 98,) compares the conclusions of geologists with the inferences at one time drawn from the zodiac of Denderu, but which are now to be ranked with the Metamorphoses of Ovid, the fables of Æsop, (pp. 82, 83,)- believes that much which is supposed to be 'fossil remains' is mere 'illusion' resemblances, such as might be found among the stalactics of an extensive cove,' (p. 94.)—and all this from one who is 'no geologist,' and has 'no design of attacking them.' But we must bid the professor adieu for the present; and while we most heartily compliment him on the extent and variety of his research, on the industry and perseverance with which he pursues his avocations, and wish him 'God speed' in his endeavors to introduce to the acquaintance of his countrymen the learning and literature of other nations, we trust that the foregoing lesson will be, as it is intended, a caution to him and to others not to write on subjects they do not understand, and when they have written on those with which they are familiar, not to spread their thoughts before the public until they have received a thorough revision. THE STREAMS. THE streams!-how pure, how beautiful, When sombre twilight's shadow cool Where by the alder-circled cove And swallows dimple as they rove The silent lapse the while. River! where once in thoughtless mood I cast the whistling line, Above thy liquid solitude No more my paddles shine; My oar is in the world's fierce flood, More dangerous than thine. But though life's flowers their leaves unelose Beneath its vernal beams, Yet memory from its whelming snows A blossom oft redeems, And wafts the scent of spring's first rose And thus, although youth's locks of gold Visions of boyhood's pastimes bold And, by the streams I loved of old, My soul makes holiday. B. THE SEMINOLES. A DESULTORY SKETCH OF THE CHARACTER OF THE SEMINOLE CREEK INDIANS OF FLORIDA. BY AN AMERICAN ORSON.' THE Seminole tribe of Indians having of late attracted much attention, information tending to throw light upon their domestic character must be to some degree interesting. The writer having, by a fortunate circumstance, and perhaps from possessing a little of the wild-man-of-thewoods in his own half-barbarous nature, obtained their confidence a few years ago, is enabled to state something of 'the domestic manners of the Seminoles,' from personal observation. The name of the Indians we are about to notice, is pronounced as if spelled Sem-i-no-ly, in four syllables, and means, literally, runaways; and some have inferred from this that they are a horde of vagabonds; but such is not the fact. They use this word because they have no other to express what corresponds with emigrant, in our richer language. Florida itself has been as much too highly praised, as these Indians have been underrated, on account of its name. It is generally thought to have received its appellation from a flowery appearance which some writers have thought it presented to the delighted eyes of its first discoverers; but in truth, its first appearance is that of a sandy desert. It received its name from that of the Catholic holy-day - Floridum Pascalis-on which it was first discovered. A knowledge of the country in which these Indians reside is to some extent necessary, in order to understand their dispositions. Were it an extensive, fertile territory, it would be less excusable in them to kill a beast belonging to their white neighbors; but they are confined to narrow limits, in a barren country; and necessity often drives them to extremes. The deer have become scarce, and it can hardly be expected of a conquered people, hemmed in on all sides, that they should starve when they can find food in their ancient dominion. It is the killing of the cattle of the 'crackers' as the southern backwoodsmen are called. that is the most fruitful source of disputes. The Indians complain that not a beast of all the herds which wander over the pine barrens can die, or be killed by tigers or wolves, that the Indian must not bear the blame and injury of retaliation; and from what we know of the ancient animosity existing between them and the whites, we are compelled to state, that much unmerited abuse is heaped upon them. In great straits, probably, they do kill cattle; but this should not stain their character. Let us suppose ourselves in their circumstances conquered and watched by a foreign standing army (for there have been garrisons of United States' troops constantly watching them ever since they were subdued) — and let our wives and children be in want, and then let us say what is honest and what dishonest. If we could at one blow destroy our conquerers, we also should be the savages to do it, and glory in the act. When they are trusted with any article, they invariably return it honorably. The Indian has no newspaper in which to repel falsehoods or injustice. The truth in relation to them, therefore, has not been heard. The little property some of them have retained, has been looked upon with longing eyes by unprincipled men; and it is quite possible for a very few to inflict wounds too wide for a great many to heal. We have been told by some, that they desired nothing more than that the Indians should rise, for then there would be large bodies of troops stationed there, who would afford an excellent market for their produce, and Government would pay for all the dwellings that the Indians might destroy. But let us be understood: such is not universally the feeling of the whites. The inhabitants of Florida are as honest as any other white men. Whether the whites are generally as good as the 'reds,' is another question. If inquirers have not all read the character Columbus gave of the Indians to his sovereigns, just after the discovery, it is time they had for his is the most correct of any we have ever seen. true, there are variations in the leading traits of the various tribes. The Caribs of the West Indies, for instance, have been uniformly represented as extremely cruel; but not so the others, excepting by the interested and misinformed, or those who could not penetrate beyond the surface of their minds. It is As above hinted, an accident, and perhaps a romantic feeling such as many youth possess, made us more familiar in a short time than many could become in all their lives. They opened their whole souls to us, and told us many things which they would not have intrusted to any one in whom they had not implicit confidence. It is generally thought, that the Indian has no feelings in common with the white man; but we apprehend that the difference consists chiefly in this: the Indian has greater passions, and is more under the influence of his feelings, while the white man has weaker passions, and they are more mixed. A white man rarely loves or hates with his whole heart. The Indian, on the contrary, gives his heart full play. Nothing is too good for his friends, or too bad for his enemies. It is delightful to correspond with such people. 'All or nothing,' is our motto. Rather give us no appearance of a friend, than one who becomes like a pile of scorched leaves in the forest, a mass of dust, when we seek but for a moment to repose upon it. The mutual understanding, by the language of the eye, surprised us not a little. With the young Indians of our own age, there seemed to be as perfect an understanding and community of feeling as if we had always been on terms of intimacy; and they clasped us around the waist, and hung upon our neck, like younger brothers around one from whom they had long been parted. Their voices are as soft as girls' in friendship; and in conversation, it is more musical than the Italian. We have heard chanting with which we might compare it - but it cannot well be described. Their war-whoop, on the contrary, is in the full sense of the word frightful, to one not accustomed to it. They give two or three loud, shrill yelps, and then flutter their tongues as if they were literally as malicious men have described certain angels, with tongues loose at both ends.' We hear much of the gravity of the Indian character; but this only exists upon the surface, and when they are with strangers, before whom they wish to support their dignity for truly they are the proudest people under heaven. But when they may indulge their risible 1836.] Spring. propensities, no trifle is too small to convulse them with laughter. We were one day sailing with a couple of them in a sail-boat, built after the manner in which they are usually constructed here at the North, to steer with a rudder and tiller; and every time we turned in tacking, they burst out into the most ungovernable mirth, until at length, finding nothing to cause their sport, we asked them the reason, when they said, Such ludicrous we 'steered our horse by the tail, instead of the head.' conceits are constantly arising in their minds; and with some of them we soon became so accustomed to jest, that they never met us but with a To us the predominant traits of broad smile upon their countenances. the Indian character appeared to be, a love of sport, or extreme pride. Had they possessed more of the comforts of life, and one suiting our fastidious taste for a help-meet, possibly we should never have sought the white race again, with its frequent meannesses of competition, and often utter heartlessness. But their women are not handsome, nor have they any poetry or literature to raise their thoughts and feelings above the sad realities of life. We can find but little among white men save great fish striving with might and main to chase down smaller or weaker fry, to devour them. Nothing, scarcely, is presented in its true light. Great things are made to appear small, or left entirely unnoticed, and little things are made to appear great. Even the noble-hearted Indian becomes like a dirty, caged animal of the menagerie, and loses all his The very life-blood of the native gloss, by mixing with white men. The rich make themselves heart becomes a matter of calculation. richer by any system of well-covered fraud they can devise, and render the poor as much poorer as they can; and when at length they force them, through misery, to declare there is no God in Heaven to do justice to the poor laborer on earth, and the oppressed arise in their might, the oppressor cries: Behold the fruits of infidelity ! This is white man's justice. We repeat it, this is the white man's justice, for which and truth to say, we love not the we profess but small affection He maltreats his favorite dog, a cardinal Indian's very much, either. and inexcusable offence; and when one of his own color chances to acquire a greater influence, by reason of superior eloquence or genius, he is calmly sentenced to be shot. This, however, is better than the They are but too fate of many eminent geniuses among white men. often praised only when it cannot be avoided; while their unavoidable struggles not unfrequently take from them all the pleasures of existence; a cold memorial, when the spirit has departed, being their untimely and only reward. เ SPRING. BEHOLD, blest change! the buried flowers revive, Refreshing gales their balmy fragrance shed, The thickening groves their waving green resume — P. |