B R rE R Y CREE K.

AFTER illustrating the produe:ion, distribution, and exchange or wealth, Miss MARTINEAU has proceeded to consumption both. productive and non-productive, and to gluts. S-he has fixedthelocale of' her story in Briery Creek, a new settlement inAmerica. Her principal characters are—Dr. Snetd (intended, we suppose, for a sketch of Dr. PRIESTLY), who illustrates the useful unproductive consumption ; his Son-in-law, Mr. Temple, who consumes unproductively and mischievously ; and his son Arthur Sneyd, who exhibits the beau ideal of productive consumption. The settlers of different descriptions serve to display Miss MARTINEAU'S ideas upon the subject of partial and general gluts, by means of the respective scarcity or plenty of wild honey, pigs, pumpkins, chip bonnets, and beaver hats.

The theory of productive and unproductive consumption—at all, events of the latter—is not very happily brought out : nerare we quite sure that Miss MARTINEAU distinctly comprehends it herself. When Mr. Temple builds to pu:1 down, and plants to root up, his expense is not so much unproductive, in the scientific meaninn° of the term, as sheer waste and folly. When he " ornamented the district with yon splendid mansion, presented -the village with a place of worship, and the shell at least Of a parsonage, reclaimed those green lawns from the wild prairie, and cleared the woodland in the rear so as to leave conspieuous in beauty clumps of the noblest forest-trees," such expense might be dishonest in an embarrassed man ; in a person of limited means it might he imprudent ; and in very many cases it might be unprofitable as a speculation : but the outlay has " fixed and realized itself in some particular subject,-* and can by no means be called unproductive. To illustrate our meaning more clearly frotn more popular objects, let us take a Folly, as it is which is evidently an unproductive expense, though it may not have cost above a few hundred pounds. In Waterloo Bridge, hundreds of thousands have been sunk; the greater portion of the capital has been lost to its original owners ; it is a profitless speculation, and, looking to the -first projectors, unproductiveenough : but it is scarcely unproductive in the economical meaning of the term. In short, there appears to have been a confusion in Miss MARTI NE AU'S ideas between moral and economical expenditure. Nor is the place, perhaps, well adapted to the exposition of the two modes of consumption. For individual examples, Ireland would have been a better field. We might have had on one hand the Irish "jontleman " spending his income, or something more than his income, on dogs, horses, table expenses, andhangers-on, whilst even his " cawstle " and his estate were going gradually to decay for want of the productive expenditure of capital: on the other hand, we might have been presented with, say an English resident clergyman, managing a limited income so as to increase his own property and benefit all about him, by a judicious outlay on his garden, his house, and his glebe, making even the fancies of himself and his family, in botany, or cottage-building, or road-planning, turn to profit. For national examples, we should have suggested a border land : say Poland and Prussia; at one time Holland and Germany, or England and Scotland soon after the accession of JAMES. Here we might have seen some poor and despised burghers of Newcastle gradually growing rich, and purchasing and improving property, building and owning ships, sinking coal-mines, &c. : across the Border, we should have had thepowerful Scottish chieftains consuming their annual substance, not immorally, for it was the custom, but unproductively, on retainers, tilts, hunting-matches, and (as it has been Called) feudal hospitality. These may seem nice distinctions, but they are necessary in science. They are more especially necessary in elementary works, which are likely, from the well-deserved reputation of their author, to have an extensive circulation amongst the people. The errors of a dry scientific treatise are of little importance: they are read only by persons who can form some opinion upon the fallacy, and who will most likely read the refutation. But Miss MARTINEAU penetrates where philosophers neither of the old nor the new school are ever allowed to come.

The lady's ideas upon the difficult subject of gluts are expressed in the following not very lucid passage.

Though the respective commodities of no two producers may be exactly suit-able to their respective wishes, or equivalent in amount, yet, as every man's instrument of demand and supply is identical, the aggiegate demand of society must be precisely equal to its supply. impossible.

A In other words, a general glut is mpossible.

A partial glut is an evil which induces its own remedy; and the more quickly, the greater the evil; since, the aggregate demand and supply being always equal, a superabundance of one commodity testifiesto the deficiency of another; and,

• Adam Smith,

alI exchangers bei ra• arrseirmsto 0:changethe defteieit article-for that, whichis supembundmt, the production uf the former will he qiiickaiised, and that of the Litter slackened. There are parts of this passage which we do not exactly understand; but the notion rtf a general glut being impossible, is taken, and we think without consideration, from M`Cunnocat. The Professor, following SAY, has declared a general glut impossible; and be deelares the cause of partial alias to be not an over

. production, but a production of articles which were not wanted, I instead Of those which were. Abatractedly, the doctrine is perbaps true. Taking in the whole worldall maiikinil are not likely

' to be gletted with all " things useful or desirable:. But, aeriously speakiag, the fallacy lies in not having painted mit that the results of industry in manufactures caa akva s be depended on ; in natural productims they are liable to fail, froal the limits which Nature heraelf has set to the feitilitv of the earth, as well as from accidental catises, such as blights, frosts, or inundations. Miss MARTINEAU faithfully follows her leader trhen she tells Us, that if the market-people at Briery Creek had known one another's wishes, there would have beea mare wild honey ; forgetting that

caps might be produced in any quantity, but that Nature has

• Ii

caps might be produced in any quantity, but that Nature has

• Ii

mited the numbers of wild bees.

The story is not equal to many of Miss MARTiara:An's former fictions. The illustratians of gluts form no part of the tale, but are carried on by dialogues, which tispetid its progress. Those on consumption are, as we have hinted already, rather moral than economical ; and come upon us like inferior imitations of some of

Miss EDGEWORTH'S admirable illustrations of industry and fore

sight, mismanagement, waste, and shifts. Besides this, we have an indirect defence of Unitarianism and an attack upon Evan gelism. But, with all these appliances, the story-reader wearies : there is too much dry discussion, too little action ; and some of the characters being perhaps introduced to tbrward the writer's pecu liar notions, are too much raised above the passions and weaknesses of humanity to inspire much interest. • There are, of course, fine touches of nature and of nuth. The character of the gentleman, Mr. Temple, who " runs himself a bit in debt, and then he runs away," is well drawn, though very out of place in a new settlement. The Reverend Mr. Hesselden (the Evangelical clergyman, whom Mr. Temple introduces out of opposition) and his lady are cleverly sketched; and young Tommy, the son and heir of Mr. Temple—brought up in such habits of restraint by MS aristocratical and insolvent papa, that he is too cautions to mention to strangers that it snows—is a felicitous conception, though not sufficiently developed.

. Briery Creek does not affix-a Much opportunity for extracts. The best we can take is a sketch of manners, where Miss MARTINEAU'S natural acuteness has been sharpened by very powerful motives. It exhibits the first introduction of the Reverend Mr. Hesselden to Dr. Sneyd, and the opening of Mr. Temple's new chapel.

It was seldom that Mr. Temple called en his father-in-law,—especially in the middle of the day, when less irksome things could be found to do ; but one bright noon, he was perceived approaching the house, driving the Introuche in which were seated two ladles and a gentleman, besides the heir of Temple Lodge. Dr. Sneyd stepped out of his low window into the garden, and met them near the gate, where he was introduced to the Reverend Ralph Hesselden, pastor of Briery Creek, and Mrs. liesselden. The picturesque clergyman and his showy lady testified all outward respect to the venerable old man before them. They forgot for a moment what they had been told of his polities being " sad, very sad, quite deplorable ;" and remembered only that he was the father of their hostess. It was not till a full half hour after, that they became duly shocked at a man of his powers having been given over to the delusions of human reason, and at his profaneness in having dared to set up for a guide to others while he was himself blinded in the darkness of error. There was so little that told of delusion in the calm simplicity of the Doctor's countenance, and something so unlike profaneness and presumption in his mild and serious manners, that it was not surprising that his

guests were so long in discovering the evil that was in him. * *

The ladies were left to themselves while Temple was grimacing (as he did in certain states of nervousness), and whipping the shining toe of his right boot, and the other gentleman making the plunge into science and literature, in which the Doctor always led the way when he could lay hold of a man of education. One shade of disappointment after another passed over his countenance when he was met with questions whether one philosopher was not pursuing Iris researches into regions whence many had returned infidels,—with conjectures whether an eminent patriot Was not living. NV ithifilt God in the world,—and with doubts whether a venerable philanthropist might still be confided in, since he had gone hand in band in a good work with a man of doubtful seriousness. At last, his patience secured to be put to the proof; for his daughter heard him say, " Well, Sir, as neither you nor I are Infidels, nor likely to become so, suppose we let that matter pass. Our part is with the good tidings of great deeds doing on the other side of the world. The faith of the doers is between themselves and their God."

But, Sir, consider the value of a lost soul—"

" I have so much hope of many souls being saved by every measure of wise policy and true philanthropy, that I cannot mar iny satisfaction by groundless doubts of the safety of the movers. Let us take advantage of the permission to judge them by their fruits; and then, it seems to ow, we may make ourselves very easy respecting them. Can you satisfy me about this new method—it is Of immense importance—of grinding lenses—" Hesselden could scarcely listen further, so shocked was he with the Doctor's levity and laxity, in being eager about bringing new worlds within Inman ken, while there seemed to the pious a doubt whether the agents of divine wisdom and benignity wonld be eared for by him who sent them. Mr. Hesselden solemnly elevated his eyebrows, as he looked towards his wife ; and the glance took effect. The lady began inquiring of Mrs. Snevd respectingthe spiritual affairs of the settlement. She hoped the population had a serious turn.

Mrs. Hesselden, fearing that she could never make Mrs. Sneyd comprehend how much more she and her husband were than mere moralists, quitted the subject till she could explain to Mrs. Temple, on the way home, that though the presence of the Sneyds had undoubtedly been of great muse in fostering a morality which was better than nothing, yet it was evidantly high time that more should be added, and certainly a great blessing to Briery Creek that her husband and ohehad-aveivedtietweathe-iespieationdo404-hesooia/mmes, whichwas now lying, if not dead, yet under the shadow of death.

Mrs. Sneyd found time, before returning to her pomegranates, to take a last wondering look at the immensity of Mrs. Hesselden's cLip-lionnet, as it floated, splendid m its variegated trimming, over the shrubs iu her passage to the gardengate.

" I can never make out," she observed to her husband, " why so many of these very strict religions people dress so luxuriously as they do. Here is this lady, infinitely scandalized, I pereei ye, at our having introduced daiwing, dressed after such a faahion is our maidens never sew before. If they begin to bedizen themselves with the money which might ha spent profitably in Mereasieg the means of subsistence, or innorently in procuring substantial comfei ts whieh are now ditfieult to he had, I shall lay the blame on Mrs. Hesselderi's bonnet. I remember observing drat I never saw so splendid a showroom for dress as the.

new church we :wended, in Street, the Sunday before we left London.. It is very odd."

" Not more strange. my dear, than that the Friends .should addict themselvesmneh to the furnishing their houses with expensive furniture, and their tables. with more costly and various foods than other people. Not more strange than that Martin, the Methodist, should turn strolling player when he gave up hisMethodieni ; or that the Irish lee ake theinselves to rebellion when stopped in their suerry-maliings; or that 1.7.ealiell artisan takes to the gin she at whew the fiddle is prohibited in the public .house. Not more strange, my dear, than that the steam of your kettle should come out at the lid, if -you stop up the spout." * 5 a a The first Sunday of the opening of the chapel, Temple appeared in a character which he had only once before attempted to support. On the oceasien of using the market-house for service, be had approached the door, cast a glance within upon the company of soldiers, and the village population at their worship, while their aged friend was leading their devotions ; Und hastily departed, thankful that he was too pious to join in such a service as this. He took the part of a religious man that day ; and now Win the time for hint to resume the character. Under the idea that the market-huuse might be opened as usual for Dr. Sneyd, making his own appear like an opposition place of worship, he spared no pains to secure a majority in point of audience. He had managed to ride past the military post, and be gracious with the soldiers. His domestics puffed the 'chapel and chaplain at market, the day before; and the leading villagers received intimations of good sittings being appropriated to them. These ‘pains might have been spared. All win) desired might knew that Dr. Sneyd, iris wife, son, arid servants, intended to he present as a matter of course.

When they entered, Temple looked nearly as much surprised as if they had at the moment arrived from England. He made a prodigious bustle about having them acconnnudated in a seat next his own, and condescendinglysent them books, and inquired into the sufficiency of hassocks. During the greater part of the service, he stood up, as if he could not listen with sufficient attention while sitting, like other people. Yet be cleared his throat if any hotly moved, and sent his pert glance into every corner to command a reverential demeanour, while his ehaplam was enforcing, as the prime glory and charm of a place of wership, that there, and there alone all are equal and all are ftee. Little Ephraim [the Negro boy] cowered bel;ind the coachman, while the preacher insisted that here the humblest slave might stand erect on the ground of his hoinanity; and the butler stepped on tiptoe half way down the aisle to hutfJenkina, • the ditcher, for coming so high up, at the very moment that something was quoted about a gold ring and purple raiment in the synagogue.

The death and funeral of the excellent young man, Arthur Snevd, are affecting; but the effect being produced by successive delicate touches, and by a consideration of the relative circumstances and characters of' the parties, it would lose by separation from the rest of the tale.