government, in the opinion of the people, may, indeed, contribute at good deal to that moderation which it now fhews to popular remonfrances. It is the repetition of thefe experiments, nevertheless, that form, in the end, a free people. Art. 9. Richeffe de l'Etat. The Wealth of a State. To which are added, the feveral Pieces' that have appeared for and against this Performance. Amfterdam. 1764. The arguments contained in this polemical mifcellany are well worth the attention of all thofe who make political objects their study or amufement. There are few tracts on political fubjects, however circumfcribed and peculiar they may feem, which are not applicable, mutatis mutandis, to people of all nations, and under every kind of government. It is with regret that we fee perfonal animofities and private interefts direct the pens of our own countrymen, while the genius and talents of the French are exerted to promote the general good of the ftate. Art. 10. Daphnis. Traduit de l'Allemande de Gefner. Par Mr. Hubner. Daphnis. A Paftoral. Tranflated from the German of Mr. Gefner by Mr. Hubner. 8vo. Paris. 1764. This is one of the first pieces written by Gefner, Author of the Death of Abel; though the last known in England, for want of the convenient medium of a French tranflation. There appeared, indeed, fome time ago, a tranflation of this poem into that language, but fo unhappily executed as to give no encouragement for a fecond verfion, by means of fuch lame affiftance. The only fault of the present tranflator, is, that he is rather too florid in his ftyle, and thereby takes from the elegant fimplicity of the original. An English tranflation of this piece hath been fometime fince advertifed; in which we hope to fee ftill greater juftice done to this admired Author. Art. 11. Difcorfo fovra il gusto deg l antichi Romani, &c. A Difcourfe on the Tafte for powerful Odours, and the Ufe of them, among the antient Romans. Rome. 1764. The ufe of odours conftituted, in fome degree, a part of the religious worship of the ancient Romans; who imported, at an immenie expence, from the Eaft, thofe precious perfumes which they constantly ufed in their facrifices. From being ufed as incenfe on the altars of the gods, they came into vogue as a mark of refpect to the fuperior rank of mortals; to the Pretors, Confuls and Emperors. Nay, the luxury of the Romans in this inftance becaine at length so great, that they were ufed at all entertainments, the theatres, and in the baths. Their profufion was indeed fo great at funerals, that the ufe of them was proibited by the laws of the twelve cables. It is from this ancient ufe of odours, that the Abbe Querciy author of this difcourfe, would recor mend it to the modern Italians, and particularly to the ladies, by wi it is little adopted. We do not enter into the writer's motive for this recommendation; but conceive it would not be adviseable for them to regard it, on account either of their health or beauty. Art. 12. Origine, e Progreffi del Cittadino e del Governo civile di Roma, &c. The Origin and Progrefs of the Privileges and civil Government of Rome. By Emanuel Duni, Profeffor of Jurifprudence at Rome. Vol. the firft. 8vo. Rome. 1763. We are obliged to the ingenious Author of this work, for the respectable confideration in which he holds the Authors of the Monthly Review; who are pleased that they can with juftice return his compliment; having perufed his book with much fatisfaction. They forbear, however, giving any specimen, or extract from it, till the fecond volume appears; when they may be able to give a fummary of the whole. Art. 13. Saggio fopra le Leggi del Contrappunto, del Conte Giordano Riccati. An Effay on the Laws of mufical Compofition, By Count Riccati. 4to. Caftel-Franco. 1762. This work, as far as we are able to judge of its merits, appears to be written by the hand of a mafter, perfectly killed in the theory of that enchanting fcience of which it treats. The perfpicuity and conciseness of the rules here laid down, exceed every thing we remember to have read on this curious subject. Art. 14. Recueil des Medailles des Peuples et de Villes, qui n'ont point encore été publiées, ou qui font peu connues. A Collection of Medals of remarkable Perfonages and Cities, never before publifhed, or but little known. 4to. 3 vols. Paris. It were needless to say any thing on the utility of medals to the historian and chronologilt. To the mere virtuofo indeed they may serve no other purpose, than to occupy a cabinet, and amuse his acquaintance; but the real antiquarian will find them of ufe on numerous occafions, to illuftrate the paffages of history, or fettle difputed points in the geogra phy of ancient nations. To all thefe therefore, we will venture to fay, the prefent publication will be extremely acceptable, as the defcriptions contained in it are numerous, curious and authentic. Art. 15. Siflema del Gius naturale, &c. A Syftem of natural Law. By Count Montanari, a noble Venetian. 4to. Verona. 1763. This is not properly a fyftem of any kind, but a fort of polemical differtation, refpecting the capacity of human reafon to difcover the true principles of natural law, without the affiftance of divine revelatien. M. Francefcati, profeffor of philofophy at Verona, having lately maintained in feveral thefes, that the understanding was incapable, on account account of the original depravation of our nature, to attain this great end; our noble Author enters the lifts against him, endeavouring to fhew that human reafon is capable of arriving at all those principles of natural law, which affect the political interefts of fociety, without the affittance of revelation; which was given for different and more important purposes. The true fpirit of philofophy, and that natural liberty which every man hath to think for himself, appear, by this work, to have made large ftrides over the face of Europe, within these few years; when we fee fuch questions as these agitated with the utmost freedom of enquiry, under the very eye of the Roman Pontificate. To treat authorities with fo little restraint, in the very face of spiritual infallibility, is a notable instance of the progrefs of that reafon, for whofe fufficiency Count Montanari contends. Art. 16. Differtation fur l'inutilité de l'Amputation des Mem bres, &c. A Differtation on the Inexpediency of chirurgical Amputations in general. By M. Bilguer Surgeon-general to the Pruffian Army. Tranflated and augmented with fome Remarks by Dr. Tiffot. Paris. 1764. The amputation of broken or wounded limbs, is fo terrible a remedy, that many practitioners in furgery have humanely studied to avoid it; while others have written profeffedly againft the neceffity of it in many cafes, wherein it is ufually adopted. Among thefe Mr. Bilguer labours, in the prefent differtation, to prove, that furgeons have rarely any occafion to proceed to this extremity; and that, indeed, it may be almost always avoided. His arguments on this head have the greater weight, as his theory is fupported by his own practice, in the Pruffian army; of which he gives numerous examples attended with fuccefs. Dr. Tiflot, the French tranflator and editor of this differtation, joins in the opinion of our Pruffian profeffor, and earnestly recommends his tract to the perufal of every humane and fenfible practitioner in this art. We do not take upon us to determine concerning the validity of the arguments, brought in favour of the practice recommended; but we have reason to think from experience, that unneceflary amputations are too often precipitately and unadvisedly made, not only in the hofpitals of the army, where it is poffibly more excufable, if it accelerate the cure, but even in our charitable hofpitals, and in the private practice of furgeons at home; where the multitude of patients and the want of affittance cannot be pretended. Be all this, however, as it will, every rational attempt to fuperfede the neceffity of thete barbarous mutilations, merits the gratitude of every friend to humanity. Art. 17. Obfervationes Phificas fobre la Fuerza Electrica, &c. Physical Obfervations on the Effects of Electricity, confirm by Experiments. By Father Rieger, Jefuit. Madrid. 17 Father Rieger hath here given a concife hittory of our late elect difcoveries; and explained, with much perfpicuity, the different tems to which they have given rife among philofophers. With to himself, he embraces the theory of Dr. Franklin, in op that of fome French Experimentalifts, who reject his diftinction of pofitive and negative electricity. Our Author, however, brings many experiments to confirm Dr. Franklin's theory. Art. 18. Clavis Epiftolarum Hugonis Grotii, nunc primum Edita. A Key to the Epiftles of Hugo Grotius. Fol. Amsterdam. 1763. A valuable fupplement to Blauw's folio edition of Grotius's epiftles; containing an explanation of feveral words and paffages in those letters, hitherto unintelligible to the generality of readers. Art. 19. Joh. Philippi Murray de Animatis per magnos Viros civium ingeniis, &c. On the Effect of illuftrious Examples on the Genius and Manners of a People. An academical Oration, by John Philip Murray. 4to. Gottingen. It is a ludicrous obfervation, of the fagacious progenitor of the celebrated Triftram Shandy, that the very names given to children ferve to infpire them with heroifm, or to deprefs them into poltroons. How many fine fellows are there, he would fay, who, being christen'd Cæfar or Alexander, have been excited by their very names to emulate the glorious actions of those who formerly bore them; while as many other promifing geniuses have been ruined by a mifnomer at the font, and Nicodemas'd into nothing! We know not, whether Mr. Murray took the hint from the elder Shandy, to write about the force of illuftrious examples; as he mentions not a fyllable concerning the circumstance of the chriftening. Certain, however, it is, that the mere name could have no other effect in the above cafes, than as a conftant memorandum of the example it indicated. But, be this as it may, our orator declaims very prettily on the moral and political efficacy of good and great examples. The fubje&, indeed, is trite and common; but the precifion and elegance with which he hath treated it, fhews that he is not a little fufceptible of that fpirit of emulation he describes and recommends to others. It is well known, fays he, of what infinite fervice to Grecian literature were the poems of Homer: and of what influence in fupport of government were the harangues of their orators. The rife of one original genius hath frequently been the means of displaying a whole conftellation of others, which would otherwife have been for ever clouded in obfcurity. When it happens also, that perfons of uncommon talents are born to power or dignity in the ftate, their example becomes fill more extenfive and interefting; as they not only excite the emulation of others, but reward it. Thus a Mecenas, a Richlieu, and a Colbert extended their influence as much by the encouragement of mert in others, as by poffefling thofe talents which enabled them to distinguish it and yet, without thefe talents, it is certain they would not have Leen capable of making fuch diftinction. Heroifm, fays he, begot he roifm, infpired the poets, and animated all the liberal arts. Before the Greeks undertook their expeditions against Xerxes and Darius, their poets and artists fucceeded each other one by one, for the space of 6co years; whereas the two hundred years after produced a multitude of great i 1 great men in every art and fcience. It was again the fame at Rome; where a tafte for letters and the fine arts did not difplay itself, till after their engaging in the Greek and Punic wars. Our Author imputes to a fpirit of imitation natural to mankind, the fource of this ufeful and noble emulation. We may venture, however, to say, that a genius merely imitative, will never juftly arrive at the honour of a first-rate character. There are, indeed, fo many different caufes which enter into the combination of moral effects, that it is not easy to know to which they should be truly afcribed. Art. 20. Lettre de l'Homme civil à l'Homme favage. A Letter from a Member of civil Society to a Savage. Paris, 1763. This letter is addreffed to the celebrated Mr. J. J. Rouffeau, on account of that author's letters to the Archbishop of Paris, and to the first Magiftrate of Geneva, and other pieces, occafioned by the fevere cenfures paffed on his Treatife on Education, and the perfecution fubfequent thereon. The writer affects a great deal of candour and moderation in fpeaking of Mr. Rouffeau; an inftance of the reality of which, we conceive, however, appears fufficiently in his title-page. At the fame time, he profeffedly engages to juftify the judicial proceedings against Mr. Rouffeau and his work, both in Geneva and France. The Academy of Dijon hath been a good deal, and very, unjustly, cenfured, for adjudging their prize to his treatife on the Inequality of mankind. This anonymous letter-writer vindicates the academy, alledging, that, by the preference it gave his difcourfe, it by no means adopted his fentiments. The academy, fays he, looked upon that difcourfe as a mere academical exercife: They did not decide upon its merits, by way of determining a polemical queftion, but as rewarding an ingenious declamation." They ceafed, however, to fmile, (adds our Author ;) they fhuddered, when they heard that voice crying out again in the wildefness, not to make strait the way of the Lord in order to adore him, but to abolish his worship. With what propriety is it that you could fit in your folitude, balancing the prerogatives and privileges of fovereigns. and their fubjects, and advance fuch maxims to the latter as would fubvert all fociety, by inculcating into the minds of the populace, that the authority of those who govern is fometimes unjuft, and may even be totally annihilated? You answer those who reproach you with this boldness and temerity, that you ought not to contradict your own fentiments, but that it behoves you to write agreeably to your own manner of thinking. Pray, Sir, what hath the world to do with you or your opinions? By what authority is it, that you take upon you to erect yourfelf into a legiflator; to controvert received opinions, and fet the members of fociety at variance with their rulers, or with each other? What and whence is your miffion? Do you imagine, that other men have not fometimes reflected on the fame difficulties, and fuggefted the fame fcruples? There is no doubt of it; though they have had the prudence to fupprefs them, and to think only for themfelves. The duty of a philofopher is not to fay all he knows, or rather all he may think; but to inftruct us in virtue, and to teach us obedience and fubmiffion to the Jaws; a fpecies of morality inculcated by the profeffors of all religions, |