in revelation equally with the former; they only differ about the meaning of the language.' To which fide of the queftion Mr. Miln himfelf inclines we do not with certainty difcern; but he obferves, That there is nothing, which to a rational believer in revelation, affords a ftronger proof of its veracity, than to find every thing which it relates concerning this globe, and the different changes it has undergone, confirmed by the different phenomena which appear upon it.' It would be eafy to add fome extracts from this volume, which might amufe or affift our Readers; but we fhall content ourfelves with one, from the conclufion of the book, which we the rather give, because it relates to a fubject that of later years has occafioned perplexity to fomé minds. Some learned men,' fays the writer, undertake to prove, that it (the earth) is many thousand years older than what facred history makes it. And they reafon in this manner. In pits, and feveral openings of the ground in the neighbourhood of volcanos, particularly of Mount Etna, beds of lava are found covered over to a certain depth with vegetable foil. From different calculations that have been made of the quantity of vegetable foil that has been formed on fome lavas, the dates of whofe eruptions are recorded in hiftory, it appears that no less time than one thousand years would be neceffary to form one of thefe vegetable coverings. Now, as ten or twelve ftrata of fuch lava have been found, lying above one another, with fuch intermediate layers of foil betwixt them, it is argued that the world must be ten or twelve thousand years old. But, in anfwer to this, fome lavas are fmooth and folid, and counteract the first principles of vegetation much longer than others, which are of a more friable and porous kind. Befide, eruptions of volcanos are often accompanied with vast quantities of afhes and muddy water; as if nature had intended quickly to repair the barrennefs which it had occafioned. When thefe laft effects take place, feeds, carried by the wind, eafily find a nidus or fhelter on the rough furface of fuch lavas, and foon accumulate vegetable foil. The town of Herculaneum was deftroyed by an eruption in the 97th year of the Chriftian æra. Five times fince it has been covered with lava, and between each of these krata is a bed of vegetable mould. If all these events have happened within the fpace of feventeen hundred years, it appears less than three hundred years was fufficient to produce each. The new mountain, which was raised by fubterraneous fire in the year 1538, has its very crater, or mouth, now covered over with fhrubs. Every earthquake, occafioned by volcanos, is nothing but an effort of burning matter and fiery fteams to enlarge the boundaries by which they are confined. If then, the expanfive force is so great, that it cannot be confined within fubterraneous caverns, an eruption above the furface must enfue; but when the incumbent preffure prevents this effect, the lava may run laterally below the ground, and fill up all the cavities and fiffures which lie in its direction. Therefore it is not improbable, that beds of lava may be found at great depths, though they were never above the furface. And it may be added, 04 that that earthquakes, which are frequent in the neighbourhood of volcanoes, often fink large tracts of land to great depths. But the prefent earth bears on its furface many evident marks of its being only of a recent formation, when compared with that antiquity which many are apt to afcribe to it. It is well known, that the foil increafes by decayed vegetables, and by the fediment depofited on it, from dews, rains, and fnow. The thickness or thinness of the foil indicates a greater or less time of accumulation. Now it appears, from obfervations which have been made in many parts of the globe, that where the furface of the earth is compofed of the fame materials, and fituation and climate agree, the thickness of vegetable foil is the fame. But at this day, it has not acquired fuch a degree of growth, thar from any calculations which we can make we should compute its origin farther back than the deluge under Noah, according to the Mofaic account.' This publication is fitted to impart useful information to a variety of readers. It is one recommendation of it, that the Author has, as he himself expreffes it, endeavoured as much as poffible to adapt his discourfes to common capacities, and therefore has not introduced mathematical demonftration, nor minute difcuffion on philofophical fubjects. He intimates that should it be thought worthy of a fecond edition, fome parts of it might be corrected, and others more fully elucidated, and farther, that he has materials for a fecond volume, extending his obfervations to the establishment of the twelve tribes in Canaan. We can only farther remark, that if a hand fome fubfcription is an encouragement to fuch kind of publications, this Mr. Mila has obtained; and we truft the prefent performance is of a kind that will in a good degree anfwer the wifhes and expectations of those who have been willing to receive it under their protection and countenance. كتاب لالهزار از دیوان حافظ ART. III Hi, Select Odes from the Perfian Poet HAFEZ. Tranflated into English Verfe, with Notes critical and explanatory, by John Nott. 4to. 10s. 6d. fewed. Cadell. 1787. OF F the fprightly and voluptuous Bard of Shiraz, the name and character are fufficiently known to Orientalifts. It may however excite the curiofity of the English reader to be informed, that the Poet, here introduced to his notice, conciliated the favour of an offended Emperor, by the delicacy of his wit, and the elegance of his verfes: that the most powerful monarchs of the Eaft fought in vain to draw him from the enjoyment of literary retirement, and to purchase the praises of his Mufe by all the honours and fplendour of a court: and that his works were not only the admiration of the jovial and the gay, but the manual of mystic piety to the fuperftitious Mahometan, the oracle, oracle, which, like the Sortes Virgiliana, determined the councils of the wife, and prognofticated the fate of armies and of states. Mr. Nott has tranflated 17 Odes of Hafez, and has published them, together with the originals, with the laudable defign of promoting the ftudy of the Perfian language. In his Preface, he modeftly difclaims all pretenfions to novelty of remark, contenting himself with the praife of directing the attention of his readers to what has been already faid by others. He pays a juft tribute of respect to the Count Revifki, Mr. Richardson, and Sir W. Jones, in whofe fteps he profeffes to tread, not however with fuch implicit reverence as to leave no room for the exercise of his own judgment. Should this fpecimen be approved, he gives us reafon to expect in his future labours more accurate and profound researches into the principles of the Perfian language, and claims the privilege, in the mean time, of being tried not by the excellence or imperfection of his work confidered abftractedly, but by its correfpondence with the plan he profeffes to have laid down. We have ever confidered the ftudy of the Perfian language as a matter of fo much confequence, not only in a literary, but a commercial view, that we fhall not ftop to examine the propriety of this requifition; and we truft that nothing that may fall from us will be thought to intimate a design of dif couraging any future work with which Mr. Nott may propofe to favour the Public. The moft irkfome part of our task will be the examination of the 12th Ode, a translation of which was firft published in the very elegant Perfian grammar of a celebrated Orientalift. It is not indeed always fair to judge of an author's merit by comparing him with other writers who have treated fimilar fubjects. But a new verfion of a compofition already tranflated by the pen of Sir W. Jones, feems to challenge comparison as well as attention, and perhaps even to urge a claim to fuperiority, on which it is the province of criticism to decide. We certainly cannot offer a more acceptable prefent to our Readers; and, if this were Mr. Nott's defign, we may poffibly gratify him, by reprinting his own verfes together with those of his predeceffor. Sir W. Jones's tranflation runs thus "Sweet maid, if thou wouldst charm my fight, That rofy cheek, that lily hand Than all the gems of Samarcand. *A melted ruby is a common periphrafis for wine in Perfian poetry. Whate'er Whate'er the frowning zealots fay; Tell them their Eden cannot fhew "Oh! when thefe fair, perfidious maids, Speak not of fate-ah! change the theme, Talk of the flow'rs that round us bloom: "But ah! fweet maid, my counsel hear; The nymph for whom thefe notes are fung!" Then, were its price all Samarcand, The wealth Bokhara's walls command, Bring, bring the goblet, boy, let's drain The tumult which these beauties raife, True beauty fcorns imperfect love, Girls, whofe brifk dance provokes to joy, I know how once the wanton preft Till love, grown bold, at length threw by Let precept, and inftruction fage, And more than life etteems them dear," The language anger prompts I bear; From lovely lips, like thine, fhould fall? The verses that compofe thy fong Are pearls in beauteous order ftrung: Such |