In 1773, he published his Genera of Birds, in one volume, and made a tour on horseback, his usual mode of travelling, through the greatest part of the north of Eng land, and kept a regular journal of the road between Downing and London. He continued his inquiries into many of the different counties in England, during 1776 and 1777. About this period he was married a second time to a very amiable consort, in consequence of which he re frained from travelling. Mr. Pennant had collected ma terials for a tour through Wales, by making frequent ex cursions with the Rev. John Lloyd, an excellent Welsh scholar, at different periods, through his native country, which he published in 1778 and 1781. He acknowledges his great obligations to his countryman for the correctness of his remarks on the language and antiquities of the Welsh counties. A great variety of very interesting anec dotes, interspersed through this Tour, afford very striking illustrations of the manners, character, and history of this part of the empire.
In his history and natural history of the turkey, pub lished in 1781, he endeavours to prove that America alone was the place where this animal had its origin. In 1782, his " London," and" A Journey from Chester to London," were published, which contain many very instructive and amusing anecdotes. His " Arctic Zoology" was publish ed in 1785. to which a copious introduction was added, and a survey of all the coasts of the Arctic Regions, from the Straits of Dover to the remotest north, with a variety of geographical, historical, and physical facts, that present a series of the most animated pictures. lie also published abou' the same time a topographical account of Holywell and Downing, where he had resided more than fifty years. His " View of Hindostan," in two volumes, was the last, and one of the most original of his publications. In the
year 1798 he died at Downing, in the 72d year of his age.
Mr. Pennant inherited by nature a strong and healthy constitution, which he improved by constant riding, by rising at seven during winter and summer, and refraining from supper. He was an affectionate husband and triend, an indulgent master and kind father ; for he undertook one of his last tours in 1787, to the Land's End, that he might enable his son to compare the naval strength and commer cial advantages of our island with those of France and Spain. He was warmly attached to the political and re ligious liberties of his country. " Neither king nor peo ple," he observes," shall have the sole keeping of my politi cal conscience. Free was I born; free have I lived ; and free, I trust, will die." His style is not very correct, but gives a lively repre sentation of the ideas he wishes to convey. His arrange ment in natural history is clear and judicious, and his de scriptions luminous, concise, and energetic. The defect of his tours and travels is a want of method, which is for gottcn in the midst of a great variety of amusing and in teresting anecdotes, that are well calculated to enlarge the minds and improve the hearts of his readers. He blends in all his works the pleasant with the instructive, and en deavours to advance natural knowledge so as not to injure the cause of moral and religious truth. From his writings the sage may gather wisdom, and the youth instruction, without imbibing political animosity or party prejudices. He attacks the infidelity of Buffon, or the illiberality of Johnson, with the same impartiality, and always advocates the cause of religion and morality without moroseness, bigotry, or superstition. See his Life, written by himself.