him all the beauties and perfections of the human face; but we promife to draw fome letters, at least, of this divine alphabet, in fo plain and legible a manner, that every perfon of found eyes will difcern and know them wherever he fhall meet with them.? As difficulty is confeffedly a term merely relative, and as we freely own ourfelves unacquainted with any fcientific theory of phyfiognomics, we will not venture on any previous pofitive opinion on the merits or fuccefs of the main defign. In juftice to the author, we have confined ourselves to a faithful translation of his own words; and in juftice to the public, we leave our readers to judge for themfelves, as to the degree of merit, difficulty, probability, and fuccefs, of his arduous and delicate undertaking. Yet as the author's chief defign of tracing the various human characters by their external characteristics, fo completely coincides with the main purpose, and the most difficult task of painters, ftatuaries, and engravers, to hit and exprefs the fame; we are confident that this work will prove a very interesting and capital performance for artifts and connoiffeurs, if the plates are executed in a masterly manner: and that no care nor expence will be fpared for that end, we are perfuaded by feveral reasons ; the author himself is fully fenfible of all the importance of this part of his plan, to the fuccefs of his undertaking. The plates are actually engraving by several of the muft eminent artists in Europe and the work is undertaken by Mr. Reich, a man, whom, from the elegance and correctnefs of his editions of a great number of valuable works, and from his connections with a great number of the best writers of Germany for many years, we conclude to be a man of sense, integrity, and honour. FOREIGN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. 18. Traité des Riviéres et des Torrens, par le R. P. Frifi, Barnábite, Prof. Royal de Mathematiques à Milan, &c. Augmenté du Traité des Canaux navigables. Traduit de l'Italien. 4to. Paris. THE HIS valuable work confias of three books; the first of which treats of rivers and torrents flowing on gravel-beds; the fecond, of the various degrees of rapidity and declivities of rivers; the third, of fandy and flimy rivers. Each book is fubdivided into chapters, replete with excellent obfervations on fome rivers of Italy, alike applicable to thofe of other countries; and the whole concludes with an useful treatise on navigable canals. Motus animorum et corde repoftos Exprimere affectus, paucifque coloribus ipfam Pingere poffe animam, atque oculis præbere videndam, Juppiter, aut ardens evexit ad æthera virtus, Dis fimiles, potuere manu miracula tanta. Frefnoy, de Arte Graphica, v. 230, feq.. 19. Mélanges 9. Mélanges Hiftoriques, Politiques, Critiques, et Philofophiques. Par M. Ducrot. Two Vols. 8vo. Paris. This heterogeneous compilation is made up of three parts: of which the first is a collection of short hiftories indifferently drawn' from all nations, from the beginning of the Chriftian æra, to the peace of Utrecht, with fome anecdotes of the private life of Lewis XIV. The fecond is an abstract of the life of Lewis XV. from the commencement of his reign, to the preliminaries of the peace in 1763; with general maxims concerning gunnery. The third contains an hiftorical account of the kingdoms of Siam, Abyffinia, Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, of the empire of China, and of America. 20. Obfervations fur les Moyens que l'on peut employer pour préferver les Animaux fains de la Contagion et pour en arrêter les Progrès. Par M. Félix Vicq d'Azir, Docteur Régent de la Faculté de Paris, &c. Bourdeaux. This gentleman was fent by the French government to make phyfical and medicinal enquiries into the epidemic difeafe prevailing among the cattle in the generalities of Bourdeaux, Bayonne, Auch, and Montauban. The prefent performance is the fruit of his zeal and attention. It was inftantly diftributed over all the country afflicted by the diforder, whofe progrefs is faid to be almost entirely stopped in the districts of Bourdeaux and Auch. In this valuable publication he examines, 1. the bell prefervatives in a country not yet infected, but bordering on an infected country. 2. The proper prefervatives in a country where the first Symptoms of contagion has only began to appear. 3. The prefervatives in a country, where the contagion has already made a progrefs. His proceedings appear to be fimple, plain, and practicable on every farm. 21. Confidérations für l'Esprit Militaire des Gaulois, pour fervir d'éclairciffemens préliminaires aux mêmes Récherches fur les François, et d'Introductions à l'Hiftoire de France. Par M. *** Capitaine de Cavallerie, &c. 12mo. Paris. This very learned and judicious writer has confined his difquifitions on the military fpirit of the Francs and the French, to a chronological account of their character, genius, and spirit, their natural and acquired qualities, their taftes, principles, or prejudices, their laws or cultoms, vices or virtues, fo far only as they relate to the art or practice of war, from the origin of these nations, to the end of the reign of Henry the fourth. 22. Robinson dans fon Ifle. I 2mo. Paris. De Foe's well known narrative, abridged and improved. 33. Effai fur les Comètes en general, et particuliérement fur celles que peuvent approcher de l'Orbite de la Terre. Par M. Dionis du Sejour, de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, &c. Paris. The preface to this work contains an account of the various opinions of the ancient and modern philofophers, concerning the nature and influence of comets. The work itself is divided into eleven fections, in which the author confiders all the comets that may approach the orbit of the earth, with regard to every cir cumflance of their motions, and the reciprocal attractions of the earth and the comets; and proves, from all the principles of probability, that we have nothing to fear from them. The work concludes with an excellent notation of all the comets that have hitherto been obferved, with an accuracy fufficient to enable us to calculate their orbits. It has been examined and warmly applauded by a committee of the Parifian Academy of Sciences. 24. Atlas Elémentaire, ou l'on voit, fur des Cartes & des Tableaux relatifs à l'Objet, l'Etat actuel de la Conftitution Politique de 'Empire d'Allemagne, &c. Par l'Abbé Courtalon. 410. Paris. This geographical and hiftorical Atlas of Germany, appears to be compofed from fome of the beft German maps and books, and well adapted to the purpofes mentioned by the author in his introduction. 25. Mémoire fur la meilleure Méthode d'extraire & de rafiner le Salpetre. Par M. Tronfon du Coudray, Capitaine an Corps de l'Artillerie. 8vo. Paris. After having acquired all the physical and chemical knowledge neceffary for his defign of improving the fabrication of falt-p -petre, M. du Coudray has vifited and examined the feveral falt-petre works in France, obferved and compared their different proceedings, and then made a variety of experiments, by which he has improved upon them all. His labours have deferved the approbation of the Academy of Sciences. 26. Mémoire fur la Manière dont on extrait en Corfe le Fer de la Mine d'Elbe, d'où l'on déduit une Comparaison de la Méthode Catalane en général avec celle qui fe pratique dans nos Ferges. Par M. Tronfon du Coudray, &c. With Cutts. 8vo. Paris. The different methods and operations in extracting iron, appear in this Memoir to be minutely and accurately defcribed, compared, and appreciated. 27. Examen du M.niflère de M. Colbert. 8vo. Paris. This Examen of M. Colbert's administration was occafioned by the feveral late panegyrics on that great and patriotic minifter. The author has entered into fome very interefting difcuffions, and proved, that hufbandry cannot prosper but by the fupport of arts; and that in order to arrive at its highest degree of ufefulnefs, agriculture must be encouraged by home confumption, rather than by the exportation of its products. 28. Traité de la Confiruction théorique et pratique du Scaphandre, ou bateau de l'Homme, approuvé par l'Académie Royale des Sciences. Par M. de la Chapelle, Cenfeur Royal, &c. 8vo. With Gutts. Paris. For an accurate detail of this invention, we must refer to the work, and confine ourfelves to an enumeration of its various ufes 1. For the amusement of both fexes; 2. for their health; 3. in the fports of the field; 4. in fifhing; 5. in crolling large rivers 2 rivers with troops; 6. against dangers or shipwrecks at fea, and on rivers ; 7. for caulking fhips, at fea; 8. for facilitating the defcent of troops on a coaft; 9. for watering; 10. for constructing rafts, at fea, for a refuge after fhipwreck; 11. for learning the art of fwimming. The treatife is illustrated with cuts, and notes relating to the fubject, explaining the physical caufes of the fingular and interefting effects intended by the author, MONTHLY CATALOGUE. POLITICA L. 29 The Administration of the British Colonies. Part the Second. By Thomas Pownal, late Governor of Maffachusett's-Bay, &c. 82.0. 25. 6d. Walter. A N improved edition of the first part of this work was publifhed fome years ago *, in which Mr. Pownal inveftigated the rights and conflitution of the colonies. He now carries his enquiry into the nature and fundamental principles of colonial government; and from a view of the political relation between the colonies and the mother country, endeavours to draw fuch a line of pacification, as neither violates the conftitutional liberty of the one, nor the legislative power of the other. This line he traces with an air of mathematical precifion, and is the drawing of it he has recourfe to many venerable autho rities on the fubject of law and government, he fupposes to lie between the two extremes of national and provincial government, each of which he defcribes. In other words, he is of opinion, that the colonies ought to have the free exercise of internal go vernment. 1 30. Tra V. The respective Pleas and Arguments of the Mother Country, and of the Colonies, diftinctly fet forth; and the Imposibility of a Compromife of Differences, or a mutual Conceffion of Rights, plainly demonftrated. 8vi. 15. Cadell. In the preceding Tracts + published by this ingenious writer, he discovered a peculiar force of argument through feveral interefting difquifitions on political and commercial fubjects; and in the prefent, which relates to fome points of the greatest national importance, he continues to attract our attention with equal abilities. The epifle dedicatory contains a spirited farcaftic comment on the behaviour of the Americans, expofing the erroneous principles by which they are avowedly actuated. In the firft fection of this Tract, he demonftrates the right of the parliament of Great Britain to govern every part of the British empire in the fecond he enquires into the plea alledged by the colonies in fupport of their pretenfions: and in the third he examines and compares the refpective pleas of the See Crit. Rev. vol. xxvi. p. 212. + Ib. vol. xxxviii. p. 56. parent parent flate, and of the colonies; maintaining the impoffibility of their making any mutual conceffions, confiftently with the refpective claims. On this fubject, Dr. Tucker argues in the following manner. We will fuppofe for argument's fake. and because fuch a fcheme has been publickly recommended-we will fuppofe, I fay, that fome well-wisher to both countries, of a better heart, than head, fhould propofe a plan of reconciliation after the following manner. : "Let Great Britain allow the colonies the fole right of taxing themselves and on the other hand, let the colonies allow to Great Britain the exclufive right of regulating their external commerce; and then the antient harmony between them will be reftored, and all will be peace again." • These words, it must be owned, look fair, as far as they go; but they are fallacious even at first fetting out. For there is a palpable deception in the very terms here made ufe of, allow the right; which fallacy is eafily difcovered by fubftituting other words in their stead. For example, let Great Britain renounce the right of taxing the Americans without their own confent : and then the Americans will-what? Renounce the right of regulating their own commerce? No, by no means: the Americans will never make any fuch renunciation. Indeed they say, they cannot and they fay truly, on their principles. For if fuch a right be founded, as they exprefly declare it is, in the immutable laws of nature, if it be unalienable, unalterable, and indefeafible, it is impoffible to renounce it and every attempt of this fort must be judged foolish and prepofterous, null and void. Nay, the utmoft which can be expected from them, according to this hypothefis, is what they declare in their 4th refolve, page 35, they are ready to do, viz. "That from the neceffity of the cafe, and a regard to the mutual interefts of both countries, they will cheerfully CONSENT to the operation of fuch acts of parliament, as are bona fide reftrained to the regulation of their external commerce." So that here you plainly fee, they still maintain their right, and the interpretation of that right;-only confenting to fufpend the exercife of it for the prefent-on condition, nevertheless, that fuch an ufe fhall be made of this conceffion as they fhall approve of. In fhort, it is evident according to their ideas, that were you to allow them the fole right of taxing themselves, you would grant them---Nothing: nothing, but to what they had a prior, and even an INDEFEASIBLE right to enjoy, whether you granted it them or not ;---but which you had from the beginning very injuriously attempted to rob them of. Whereas, were they to allow you the privilege of making acts to regulate their commerce either by land or fea, they would thereby grant you a favour, to which of yourfelves you had not the leaft claim or pretenfion. And confequently as this permiffion would always remain a mere act of grace and favour on their part, there would likewife always exift an unalienable right of limiting, |