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thus secures our confidence as considerably by his manner, as he is entitled to do by his well-known abilities as a philosopher, and unimpeachable veracity as a moralist. M. Georgi is continuing his "Beschreibung des Russischen Reichs," "Description of the Russian Empire ;" and M. Storch his "Historic and Statistic Picture" of the same country. "Du Droit natural, civil, et politique," &c., "Dialogues on natural, civil, and political Law, by E. Lusac, LL. D. late Advocate in the Courts of Holland and West Friesland," 3 vols. 8vo. Amsterdam. The writer of these Dialogues is now no more: they were however announced to the world by a prospectus, and prepared for publication, prior to his decease. His editors flatter themselves that they have been conferring a favour upon the public by complying with the author's intention. To us, however, it has not been a favour, but a drudgery; for the work is intolerably tautologic, inelegant, and tedious: yet to those who are not rendered drowsy by such soporifies, it will appear abundant in moral, political, and commercial facts and reasonings.

"Traité d'Economie Politique, ou simple Exposition," &c., "Treatise on Political Economy, or a simple Explanation of the Manner in which Wealth is acquired, distributed, and amassed," 2 vols. Svo. by J. Baptiste Say. The author has formed his entire theory on the basis of Adam Smith, and, like many other ungracious scholars of the present day, endeavours to depreciate his master in order to acquire for himself the character of an original writer with the world. "The work of Smith," says he, "is a confused assemblage

of the soundest principles of political economy, supported by perspicuous examples, and of the most curious notions of statistics, interspersed with instructive reflexions: yet it is not a complete treatise of either: his book is a chaos of just ideas, hustled pell-mell without positive information." If such be the master, what are we to expect from the pupil?-the very book we have received.

"Principes d'Economie Politique," "Principles of Political Economy, by N. F. Canard, late Professor of Mathematics at the Central School of Moulins. Paris, 8vo." This volume is an answer to the following prize question proposed by the National Institute: "Is it true that in an agricultural country taxes of every description fall ultimately on the proprietors of land?" and M. Canard was the successful candidate on the occasion. We here also meet with a work largely indebted to Dr. Smith, but which, with more audacity than the former, does not even allude to his name, though several chapters of it are almost literally translated from the Wealth of Nations. Smith, however, is not the only author who has been consulted upon this occasion: we give M. Canard ample credit for diligent inquiry among the best writers of most European countries; but he has not a happy power of discrimination: there is little curious selection, and the wheat is not sifted as is ought to be from the chaff.

On the subject of general juris prudence, Germany has furnished us with several important publications: of these the chief are a new "Magazin für die Philosophie und Geschichte des Rechts,"

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Magazine for the Philosophy

and

and History of Jurisprudence," by M. Grottman, a young but able lawyer of Giessen, and a strenuous reformer of the penal laws by a preference of prevention to punishment, in opposition to his friend professor Feuerbach at Kiel, a friend to the old system. The Beyträge zur Berichligung und Erweiterung der positiven Rechtswissenschaften," "Contributions towards the Improvement of positive Law, by Professor Hufeland, of Jena," a periodical work of considerable credit, and of which the fourth number appeared at the Leipsic fair for Easter last; and the "Allgemeines Deutsches Gesetzbuch," &c. "General German Code of Laws, founded on the unchangeable Materials of the Common Law, by Professor Reitemeyer, of Frankfort on the Oder:" the principles of which we are afraid are rather to be admired, than to be expected to be introduced into practice.

We have also to notice that M. Von Martens, of Göttingen, has added a valuable supplement to his "Recueil des principaux Traités," "Collection of principal Treaties" and has also published a collection of the "Gesetze und Vesordnungen," &c. "Laws and Edicts of the different States of Europe, relative to Trade, Navigation, and Insurances, since the Middle of the 17th Century;" a bock which, upon so oscillating a subject, possesses all the value which may be supposed to appertain to it.

In America, Mr. Martin, of Newborn, in North Carolina, has translated into English M. Pothier's very excellent "Treatise on Obligations considered in a moral and legal View." Mr. Sullivan, the attorney-general of

Massachusetts, has published "The History of Land Tithes" in that province; a very valuable work, but chiefly of local importance. The "Treatise of the Law relative to Merchant-Ships and Seamen," by Mr. Abbott, the present speaker of our own house of commons, has deservedly obtained an edition in the United States; and it is rendered of more topical value by a notice of the difference subsisting between our own laws upon this subject and those of the American commonwealth.

Upon the important branch of commerce, we ought also to mention a publication of the late M. Sieveking, of Hamburg. It has been edited by Von Eggers, of Copenhagen, and is entitled "Materialien zu einem voll-ständigen und Systematischen Wechselrecht, mit

besonderer Rücksicht auf Hamburg," "Materials towards a complete System of the Law of Bills of Exchange, with a particular Reference to the Custom of Hamburg." It is a well-known treatise, and founded upon admitted principles.

Nor can we consent to close this chapter without noticing M. Simonde's treatise "De la Richesse Commerciale," "On Commercial Wealth, or the Principles of Political Economy applied to the Legislation of Commerce," published in the course of the present year, in two volumes octavo, at Geneva; which under the three heads of capital, price, and monopoly, traces the obvious course by which a great state may repair its dilapidated fortunes, revive its ancient splendour, and ultimately realise those inestimable and flattering advantages which belong to the situation of a prominent and well-regulated power.

CHAP.

CHAPTER IV.

LITERATURE AND POLITE ARTS.

E entered, in our last re

WE

Wrospects into a brief ac- pher.

count of the origin of the French national institute, and its comparative merits in reference to the Royal Academy by which it was preceded. The last volumes of the labours of the three classes into which it is divided are numbered four, and we perceive no reason for varying in any essential degree from the epitomised character we have already offered of it, in consequence of any papers presented to us in this latest proof of its abilities which has yet reached us.

In the mathematical department, the articles which have best pleased us are Researches concerning the Integration of Equations of partial Differences, and the Vibrations of Surfaces, by M. Biot;" and a " Memoir on the theoretical and practical Explanation of the Trigonometrical Chart of Maignon, by M. Levesque."

In the class of moral and political sciences, we have been most pleased with an article by M. Gosselin, on the geographical knowledge possessed by the ancients respecting the Persian Gulf; and with various Geographical Researches of M. Buache, concerning the islands of Juan de Lisbon, and of Dina and Marsaveen.

In the division of literature and polite arts, M. La Porte du Theil, and M. Camus, stand the most conspicuous. We are sorry to perceive that the journals of the present moment communicate to us

the death of this latter philoseHe has been one of the ablest pillars of the Institute from its foundation.

"Annales de Museum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle," "Annals of the National Museum of Natural History." We know not whether this society be incorporated under the patronage of the French government; but its labours, whether it be or not, cannot fail of attracting the attention of the world of letters, if prosecuted with the ability which has thus far been evinced, and flowing from the well-known pens of those who have already contributed for, among others, we meet with the names of Haüy, Faujas de St. Fond, Fourcroy, Brognart, Desfontaines, Jussien, La Cépède, Cuvier, and Vanspaendonck. The conjunctive observations of a society thus select are entitled to the utmost attention: it has already published the first five numbers of its labours, and we rejoice to find that these are likely to follow with less delay than the publications of literary associations in general.

:

"The Italian Society of Sciences" at Modena has published its ninth volume, composed almost exclusively of physical me. moirs. It opens with an elegant tribute to the memory of Spallanzani. M. Pini communicates a geologic tour through the south of Italy; M. Zeviani an account of two cases of dropsy cured by a fall; M. Baronio inquiries on the reproduction of animals of cold

blood;

blood; M. Bondioli a paper on local and northern aurora; M. Fontana on the resistance of canals to the force of waters. There are also other respectable articles which we cannot stay to notice. Upon the whole, the collection is scientific and valuable.

At Florence a new literary society has lately instituted itself under the title of "The Italian Academy;" and it has just published the first volume of its labours, consisting of three detached fascicles. The academy consists of eighty members, residing in different parts of Italy; of whom half are ordinary, and half corresponding; to whom, moreover, are added a vast number of honorary and free associates. The editor is the abate Giacomo Socchetti, secretary and professor at Siena. The object of the academy seems to be wide and comprehensive; but the papers yet communicated are not possessed of any very high degree of merit.

The Swedish academy of Sciences, in the prosecution of its "Kongl Vetenscaps," "New Memoirs," has closed its volumes for 1801, ranking as vols. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. and xxvi. Each volume is a trimetre, or three-monthly fascicle. We cannot enter into a detail of their contents-many of the articles are important in subject, and valuable in execution. The king of Sweden has lately presented to the academy the curious cabinet of natural history which has hitherto been preserved in the castle of Droteningholm, and contains, among the celebrated collections of Hasselquist, a large Egyptian mummy, in fine preser

'vation.

In the branch of biography we perceive nothing that needs to de

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"Mémoirs de Candide," "Memoirs of Candide, respecting the Liberty of the Press, universal Peace, the Foundations of social Order, and other Trifles; by Dr. Emanuel Ralph." This is a translation from a German work, which, in its original dress, found an entrance into this country on its first publication. Candide is represented as paying a visit to Paris, to ascertain not only the exact and actual state of the city, but to define the quantum of increase which the late series of revolutions has produced to the Parisians and to Frenchmen at large, in the articles of general literature and taste, civil liberty, and domestic happiness. There is some arch satire and well-applied classical learning in these fictitious me moirs; but there is more dullness and crudity of materials.

66

"Musée des Monumens François," &c., Museum of French Monuments, by Alexander Lenoir, Founder and Director of the Museum." It forms a subject of regret, in more than one paper in the Memoirs of the National In

stitute,

stitute, that the French populace, in the phrensy of the earlier parts of their revolution, and their total abhorrence of all religion whatever, should have been suffered, with sacrilegious hands, to have entered into every church throughout the republic, and almost emptied it of its most precious tombs, sculptures, pictures, and other monuments. The national assembly, however, soon became sensible of their own madness, and a decree was immediately passed to prohibit such sacrilegious spoliation for the future, and to collect together, under a committee of antiquaries, such valuable spoils as could yet be rescued from the hands of the multitude, and to deposit them in the convent of the Little Augustins. M. Lenoir, the author of the present very valuable work, was appointed, on this occasion, to the charge of the depôt; and he here gives us an account of what he was able, in conjunction with his associates, to recover and preserve in consequence of which the book before us is a complete historic and chronologic description of the monuments in marble, bronze, and bas-relief, which were collected at the museum; and it is still farther enriched by a variety of beautiful, and we have no doubt accurate, etchings.

"Le Musée Français," &c., "The French Museum, by S. C. Croze-Magnan;" published by Robillard-Neronville, and Laurent. This is indeed a superb and princely work. It is printed in imperial folio, and the price of each number is, proofs 5. sterling, common impressions 21.12s. 6d. It is designed to contain a complete exhibition of the pictures, statues, and bas-relievos which compose the national collection:

·

with an explanation of the different subjects and discourses on painting, sculpture, and engrav. ing. Each of the numbers yet published (we have seen but three, and these are imported by De Boffe) contains four pages only of the dissertation on ancient painting, forming M. Croze-Magnan's opening discourse. We can only speak of it when completed. It is impossible to do otherwise than wish success to so bold and so valuable an undertaking.

The zodiacs lately discovered by the French literati in Egypt have excited as much inquiry on the continent as in our own country, and the conclusions drawn from them have been as different. We can only find room to notice three; of these one has appeared in Italy, being a dissertation of the abate Domenico Testa, read at an extraordinary meeting of the Academy of the Roman Catholic Religion, July 5, 1802, at Rome; which is a most able performance; and more satisfactorily, and upon far firmer premises, than we have yet seen, asserts, that neither of the zodiacs can have been constructed earlier than about the epoch of Hipparchus, and consequently about a century and half anterior to the Christian æra: the two others are from Germany; one from the pen of M. Gussman, "Ueber die alten Tierkreise in Egyptin," in which the authorbut we think with less success than the abate Testa-combats the assertion of Dupin, that these zodiacs were invented upwards of fifteen thousand years before the birth of Christ; and the other, an infidel and anonymous publication, entitled "Unumstæsslicher Bewis dass die Erde, &c. :" "Evident Proofs that the Earth is three Times more

ancient

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