The Normans and Goths had by their piracies long haraffed the Northern feas, and made difcoveries unknown to the Inhabitants of the South. So early as the eleventh century, they had vifited the Orkneys, Iceland, Greenland, and even a part of North America, to which their writers, nearly contemporary with that discovery, give the name of Vinland. We are likewife indebted for much geographical information to the Hanfeatic league, and to the commerical towns of Italy. The merchants of Bremen paffed into Livonia, and took poffeffion of that country in 1157. The Genoefe and Venetians discovered the Crimea, and the interior part of Afia on that fide, to fay nothing of their voyages to the East-Indies and to China. The incurfions of the Moguls, during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries contributed to give further information refpecting the northern parts of Afia. About the fame time the miffionaries of the pope penetrated into China. Our Author gives extracts from the accounts of Afcelin, Carpino, Rubruquis, Marco Polo, Oderic de Porta Naonis, Mandeville, Gonzalez de Clavigo, and J. Schildberger de Munich, concluding the whole with a detail of the discoveries made by the Portuguese in Africa and Afia.

Such are the outlines of a work, in which the ftudent in geogra phy will undoubtedly meet with all the information, which the Author's acknowledged talents, and the profpectus he had given of it under the fame title in the year 1783, may have encouraged him to expect. Ibid.

ART. 67. Franc. Jos. Defbillons mifcellanea pofthuma. 8vo. Man heim.

This learned ex-jefuit died at Manheim in the year 1789. He poffeffed an extraordinary talent for the compofition of Latin Iambics, in which even his will, prefixed to this volume, is written, wherein he leaves his valuable library to the Lazarifts. His fables are well known, of which the first edition, in five books, appeared at Glafgow, in 1754. The fecond at Paris in 1756. A third at Oxford in the following year. Another with five additional books at Paris in 1759. And again in Augfburg in 1763. The beft edition is that of Manheim in 1769, with five more books, to which are now added, a fixteenth and a feventeenth. To the whole are appended Monita Philofophica, against the foi difant French Philofophers, to whom he afcribes the deftruction of his order, with the annihilation of all religion; and a comedy, entitled, Schola Patrum, five Patrum et Liberorum indoles emendata, Ibid.

ART. 68. Garves Verfuche ueber verfchiedene Gegenftaende aus der Mo ral, der Litteratur und dem gefellschaftlichem Leben. Effays on differ ent Subjects of Morality, Literature and Social Life, by Garve, Fir Part. 8vo. 536 pp. Breslau.

The prefent volume confifts of four differtations, written with that elegance of language and knowledge of the world, which fo eminently diftinguish the tranflator of Cicero's Offices. The firft, on patience, contains many important truths, that need only to be fuggefted to com mand our affent, though they may not all of them be fo obvious, as to

Occur

occur to common obfervers. Such are the following, p. 51: "Thofe perfons, who have the greatest reafon to be fatisfied with their own «conduct, are in general the most patient and moderate with refpect to their fellow-creatures;" "that an indifcriminate zeal for "reformation, even when accompanied with the beft intentions and "confiderable knowledge, is apt to render men impatient and pas"fionate," p. 88. "That he, who admits the exiftence of a deity,

must allow that he had a certain object in view in the formation of "the world, which could be no other than the happiness of his rational "creatures." 111. 116, &c. The fecond effay, on Fashion, is, in our judgment, a master-piece of popular philofophy, and if we have any objection to the third on the maxim of the celebrated Rochefoucault: "que l'air bourgeois fe perd quelquefois à l'armée, mais jamais à la cour," it is only to the place that it occupies in the prefent volume, many remarks, which had already been made in the preceding effay, and which could not therefore fo foon have been forgotten, being here repeated, It seems indeed to have been compofed before that which it follows. With regard to the fourth effay, on Irrefolution, we shall only obferve, that it is by no means inferior to thofe by which it is preceded,

At the fame time with the effays juft defcribed, appeared the fourth edition of the tranflation of, and commentary on the offices, comprifing, befides many new obfervations, the differtation on the connection between moral and political knowledge, which had before been published as a separate work.

Ibid.

ART. 69. Theocrits Idyllen und Epigramme aus dem Griechischen metrisch ueberfetzt, und mit Anmerkungen von Ernft Chriftoph Bindeman; Svo. 394 pp. Berlin 1793.-The Idyllia and Epigrams of Theocritus, tranflated from the Greek, with remarks, by E. C. Bindeman.

It may be regarded as a favourable fign to the progrefs of litera ture, when the writings of the Greeks and Romans are held in fuch eftimation, that even tranflations from them fhould meet with patrons and readers, but more especially translations from fuch poets as Homer and Theocritus, an attention to whofe works, even in these imperfect reprefentations, may contribute to bring us back to that noble fimplicity, by which they were characterized. From the author's preface it is evident, that he is well, acquainted with the rules of tranflation. The prefent verfion is in metre, in the fame measure, number of verses, and, as far as poffible, in the manner of the original. We are likewife convinced from the obfervations annexed to the work, from the choice which he has made among the different interpretations, readings and emendations of the text, as well as from his own conjectural alterations, that Mr. B. has paid great attention to the language of his author. Of the laft kind, we cannot but prefer αρετη γε μεν εκ Διος αιει, το αρετη γε εκ Διος εχει on account of the mea fure. In VII, 35, where fome critics had wished to fubftitute de for Mr. B. prefers Mwaa, which would likewife require the further alteration of x into de: uva de Te Mwoa, perhaps, altogether too dif tant from the received text, which circumftance would alfo leffen the

aws,

probability

probability of the emendations propofed, xviii. 26, 27, 25, 105. On this Idyll there are many valuable remarks: the 258th verfe, however, requires no alteration, and in v. 269. xλσ would not be Greek.

Ibid.

ART, 70. Scriptores erotici Græci, volumen primum, Achillem Tatium continens, à Mitfcherlich. Biponti. 1793.

εν

We are here prefented with a corrected text of this celebrated Romance, which, notwithstanding the exceffive Rhetorical ornaments, with which it abounds, poffeffes confiderable beauties. The improvements made in this edition confift of alterations not only in the punctuation, but likewife in the text, partly by Salmafius and others, and partly by the prefent editor. Of the latter we fhall give the following fpecimens: in p. 19. the editor fubftitutes v Tagado Tns as in the room of slow the dias from another paffage of the fame author; p. 31. αν απειθης ω for αναπείθησω, which in this place conveys no meaning; P. 74. κεκραγότες for εωρακότες; P. 253. παλλεται inftead of Βαλλεται; spwilwv for opwvTwy, &c. Under the text, the editor has given the translation of Cruceius, and to the whole is prefixed an account of the original work, taken from the Bibliotheca Critica, Tom. I, and from the Notitia Literaria of Fabricius.

DENMARK.

ART. 71. Den Marokanske Kaifer Mohammed ben Abdallahs Hiftorie, ved G. Höft, Etatsraad og Secretair ved det kongel. departement för de udenlandske fager. 8vo. 334 PP. Kiöbenhavn,

Hiftory of the Emperor of Morocco, Mohammed b. Abdallah, by G, Hoeft, &c. &c.

This inftructive and entertaining account of the life of the late Emperor of Morocco, may be confidered as a part of the hiftory of Morocco and Fez by the fame Author. We should be glad, however, to see the causes, which the Author affigns for the fubmiffion of the people to fo defpotic a government, namely, their enthufiaftic attachment to Mohammed and his fucceffors, their belief in the doctrine of Predeftination, with their ignorance and poverty, more fully dif cuffed. It feems that the late Emperor was by no means cruel, though he was at times obliged to exercife acts of severity, and that he was difpofed to encourage literary men, with a preference however to artificers and mechanics. His letter to the Danes, in which he endeavours to diffuade them from engaging in a war with their neighbours, the Swedes, with whom, as fuch, it was for their interest to cultivate peace, and from affifting the Ruffians, who are a ftronger power, is very well written. But when he was informed, that they were bound by treaty to take the part of the latter, he was perfectly fatisfied, and ftrove to reconcile the two nations to each other by fending the fame prefents to each.-He died on the 11th of April 1791. Jena Litteraturzeitung.

DOMESTIC

THE Bishop of Dromore is preparing a new edition of his elegant "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry."

Mr. Ireland's fecond edition of " Hogarth Illuftrated" is nearly printed.

A new edition of "The General Biographical Dictionary" is in great forwardness.

A gentleman of the name of Beresford is preparing "A Tranflation of Virgil in Blank Verfe" for the prefs, after the example of Cowper's Homer.

Major Dirom has written, and intends to publish, "The Hiftory of the two former Campaigns of our War with Tippoo Sultan," in the fame form with the valuable book we have alread noticed.

The magnificent London edition of "Heyne's Virgil" is printed off, and waits only for fome of the plates.

The edition of" Æfchylus," at the Glasgow prefs, fuperintended by Mr. Porfon, is unfortunately fufpended.

Mr. Archdeacon Travis is reprinting his book, which is to contain " A Reply to Mr. Porfon's Remarks.'

Mr. Pennant is preparing an enlarged edition of his " Quadrupeds," with many new plates.

Dr. Burney, of Hammersmith, has ready for the press" A Treatife on Greek Metre."

One volume of Mr. Beloe's "Tranflation of Aulus Gellius". is printed.

Mr. Lyfons will publifh his Second Volume of "Environs of London" early in the next Spring.

A new edition of the "Natural History of Aleppo," by Dr. P. Ruffell, with various new plates and additions, is in the prefs.

Mr. Ritfon is preparing for publication "An Authentic Hiftory of Robin Hood, with the popular Ballads, enlarged and corrected from ancient Copies."

Major Rennell, with the affiftance of Niebuhr, is preparing for the prefs" A New Map of Syria.".

Since our laft, "The Short Hiftory of the Eaft India Com"pany" noticed in p. 97, which, from the form in which it reached us, we concluded to be only given away in private, has been reprinted with many additions, price 4s. for Sewell and Debrett.

то

CORRESPONDENTS, &c.

WE must once more beg our numerous correfpondents to obferve, that it is contrary to our plan, to notice, except in very particular inftancés, any publication which appeared before the year 1793.

For this reafon we can return only our barren thanks for many valuable articles we have received.

The conductors of THE BRITISH CRITIC are much flattered by the good opinion of the editor of Salmagundi. It was not their intention to infinuate that only the humorous poems in that collection were the production of his pen: but fuch only were then the objects of their remark. They had been informed before, that the most elegant of the serious poems also written by the editor; but they did not know that his compofitions occupied fo large a proportion of the volume as 100 pages out of 148. For this intelligence, fo elegantly conveyed, they are happy to make their beft acknowledgments..

We

On the other hand, they fubmit very willingly to the cenfure of A. B. on two expreffions in the first number: but his menace was perfectly unneceffary; and was the only circumstance that made them at all unwilling to publifh this confeffion. Above, as an adjective, is perfectly current in colloquial and parliamentary ufe, but perhaps it cannot be fanctioned by adequate written authority. It feems to have been originally an elliptical form, for above-cited or above-mentioned. &c.

The error of the prefs relating to Stephen Duck, which we noticed in our review of Mr. Ritfon's anthology, was, it seems, corrected in the Errata, which we confefs we had overlooked. We still remain unable to discover what that gentleman could have borrowed from the Anthologie Françoife in this work, more than the name; nor, as it was faid to be in Chronological Order, could we prefume that the chafms in one volume were to be filled up in another.

We are obliged to G. W. for his friendly hints, and very kind wishes.

Our correfpondent O will perceive that we have in part adopted his communication. On the other subject of his letter our numerous engagements do not allow us at present to make any propofal.

4