ceffarily fpun out; but, upon the whole, this is one of the most amufing of the fecond-rate novels.

Ianthe, or the Flower of Caernarvon, a Novel. Dedicated by Permiffion to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. By Emily Clark, Grand-daughter of the late Colonel Frederick, Son of Theodore, King of Corfica. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. fewed. Hookham and Carpenter. 1798.

The performance of a defcendant of this unfortunate family has claims upon the public benevolence, which it fhould never be the bufinefs of criticifm to counteract. Among the multitude of novels that fwarm from the prefs, thofe which are inferior to Ianthé are more numerous than those which surpass it.

The Step-Mother: a Domeftic Tale, from real Life. By a Lady. 2. Vols. 12mo. 75. Boards. Longman. 1798.

There is much merit in thefe volumes; but it is injudicious to give the hiftory of two generations in the fame work. Each volume now comprehends a diftinct ftory.

He would be a Peer. An Engish Story. 2 Vols. 12mo. 55. fered. Lee and Hurst. 1798.

This is very far from being a good novel; but the abfurdity of the story renders it diverting.

MISCELLANEOUS LIST.

The Law of Nature, or Priciples of Morality. Deduced from the Phyfical Conftitution of Mankind and the Universe. By C. F. Volney. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Steel.

This is a translation of a little work entitled "The Catechism of a French Citizen." The author, M. Volney, is known in the literary world by feveral ingenious productions, and is alfo diftinguished among the luminaries of what is emphatically called the new philofophy a philofophy which, rejecting the light of revelation and the doctrines of theology, refers the duties and the happinefs of man folely to the principles of nature. However we may be dif posed to controvert the fuperiority of such a system, and to lament the presumptuous yet inefficient ufe of the human faculties, which it exhibits in fome parts of the structure, we must allow that many of the moral and civil duties, effential to the coherence and happiness of fociety, are delineated in this publication with fimplicity, force, and perfpicuity.

It was the opinion of Locke, that the moral science is capable of a degree of demonftration fufficient at least to render doubtful the exclufive and arrogant claim of mathematics. It was not, however, by trampling on revealed religion, that our great philosopher endeavoured to illuftrate the operations and to exalt the prètenfions

of the human intellect. Such a guide as M, Volney must be very cautiously trusted, and perhaps only on those topics which are inmediately connected with the concerns of social life.

Q. What is fociety?

A. Every aggregated re-union of men living together under the regulations of a contract tacit or expreffed for their common prefervation.

'Q. Are the focial virtues many in number?

A. Yes; we may count as many as there are actions useful to fociety; but they may be all reduced to one principle.

Q. What is this fundamental principle?

A. Juftice, which itself alone comprehends all the focial virtues. Q. Why do you fay that juftice is the fundamental, and almoft only, virtue of focial life?

A. Because it alone embraces the practice of all thofe actions which are useful to fociety; and that every virtue, under the name of charity, humanity, probity, love of country, fincerity, generofity, fimplicity of manners, and modefty, are but varied forms, and diverfified applications of this axiom, "Do unto another only that which thou wouldst he should do unto thee;" which is the definition of juftice.' P. 133.

In admitting these points even from the pen of an unbeliever, the most devout politician may be juftified by the maxim, fas est et ab hofte doceri.

De Legione Manlianá Quæfiio ex Livio defumpta, et rei militaris Romane ftudiofis propofita. Auctore Gulielmo Vincent.

An Inquiry into the Form and Conftitution of the Legion of the Conful Manlius. 4to. 25. Cadell and Davies.

but

The intention of Dr. Vincent, in this pamphlet, is to difpel the darkness which, notwithstanding the efforts of Lipfius, Fabricius, and Drakenborch, hath hitherto overhung the 8th, 9th, and 10th chapters of the viiith book of Livy. After having stated, that the Rorarii and Accenfi were unknown to Roman tactics, and are not mentioned by any Roman writer except Livy, and that he has only spoken of them in reference to the Manlian legion, the docter proceeds to fhow what they were. Not only the former, he plaufibly afferts, were heavy-armed foldiers (gravis armaturæ milites), the latter alfo, though a contrary opinion has prevailed. With regard to the legion itself, he enters into a copious difcuffion of particulars; and he has introduced a graphic plan of it. He fuppofes it to have confifted of three lines in the rear of the Haftati and Principes, made up of the Triarii, as ufual (but having each ordo or platoon divided into three parts), with the Rorarii behind, and the Accenfi ftill more in the rear. To the augmentation of his army with the two laft claffes, the victory of Manlius is aferibed.

Our author has thrown fome light on the fubject; but doubts may yet remain. Of his Latin ftyle we may obferve, that it is more perfpicuous than elegant.

The Student: No. I. (to be continued annually) Containing many curious Efays, Receipts and Preparations; Striking Experiments, Important Queries, Recent Difcoveries, and New Improvements in the Arts and Sciences, In Six Parts. 1. Language, Grammar, and Criticism. 2. Polite and Useful Arts. 3. Natural and Experimental Philofophy. 4. Theoretic and Practical Chemistry. 5. Geometry and Mathematical Correfpondence. 6. English and French Poetry. Intended to infpire active Emulation, to Jupply rational Amufement, and to diffufe ufeful Knowledge. The Whole feleted from the valuable Contributions of many ingenious Artifs, Mathematicians, and Philofophers. 12mo. Is 6d. Vernor and Hood. 1798.

There have been many attempts to establish a mélange of this kind for the ufe of minor philofophers; and the prefent is at least equal in point of merit to the moft fuccefsful publications of this kind. It will afford young people both amusement and information; and the author is entitled to praise for his difinterestedness; for the profits arifing from the fale of the work are to be diftributed in prizes among the correfpondents.

Three Letters on the Subject of Tithes and Tithe-Affociators; the two Firft addreffed to Thomas Bradridge, Efq. Chairman of the Devonshire Tithe-Affociation; the Third to the Writer who hath affumed the Signature of "A Country Curate." Together with an Introductory Preface, and fome Addenda to the whole. By a Payer of Tithes, and Detector of Mifreprefentation. Sva. Is. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1796.

The affociation which has exifted for fome time in Devonshire for the abolition, or at least the commutation of tithes, we have had occation to mention; and, as we have delivered our fentiments on the fubject, we thall pafs over, in a more curfory manner than we otherwife fhould, the Three Letters before us. They appear to have been written on the fpur of the occafion; and the author treats with severity not only the advocates of the scheme, but reformers in general.

Obfervations on the Emigration of Dr. Jofeph Priestley, and on the feveral Addreffes delivered to him, on his Arrival at New York. With Additions; containing many curious and interefting Facts. on the Subject, not known when the former Editions were published: together with a comprehenfive Story of a Farmer's Bull. By Peter Porcupine. The Fourth Edition. Evo. 1s. 6d. Wright. 1798. To look into the writings of this author for facts would be a waste of time; but, as his mifreprefentations are fometimes " curious and interefting," we took up this pamphlet to obferve four

rility throwing off all disguise. The additions are fuch as might have been expected from Peter Porcupine. They involve abfurd comments, grofs mifreprefentations, and impudent attacks both upon the dead and the living.

A Defcription of the Town and Fortrefs of Mantua, together with a true and concife Account of the Military Operations and Events, attending its Blockade and Siege, till its Surrender to the French. 4to. Is. 6d. Vernor and Hood. 1797.

This is not an original work, but a tranflation from the German language. The account which it contains of a memorable fiege appears to be accurate: but the ftyle is, in fome parts, ridiculously pompous. Three illuftrative engravings are annexed.

Oratio ex Harveii Inftituto habita in Theatro Collegii regalis Medicorum, Londinenfis, Octob. 19, 1796. A Gulielmo Saunders, M. D. &c. 4to. 1797:

A Speech delivered in Honour of Dr. Harvey, in the Hall of the College of Physicians, by Dr. Saunders.

The language of this speech is preferable to that of some former orations; but the fentiments are merely recolta crambe. The fel- : lows of the college muft praife the inftitutor and their predeceffors: thefe are therefore panegyrifed, till halting language pants after them in vain.' If it be alleged, that these periodical praises muft be heard, are they to be heard exclufively? It was not in this way that Boerhaave, Hoffman, Stahl, and Morgagni, filled the hour in which they were regularly heard. The neceffary compliments might be paid in five minutes; and the opinions of fome of the orator's predeceffors might furnish the fubject of a fhort effay, wh ch, as the choice is great, might be rendered curious or interefting. To fuggeft one, among the opinions of fo many luminaries, might be deemed an infult; and perhaps the prefent hint may be confidered as fuch. We frall only add, that our intentions are

good.

A Hiftory and Defcription of the Royal Abbaye of St. Denis, with an Account of the Tombs of the Kings and Queens of France, and other diftinguished Perfons, interred there, &c. Extracted from the Records of St. Denis. 8vo. 2s. Jordan.

We can hardly conceive the reafon for publishing this pamphlet ; which is only proper to be taken as a guide in feeing this celebrated abbey. It feems to be a tranflation from the French.

ERRATUM.

In the last Appendix, p. 532, 1. 6 from the bottom, for 508, read 50°.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

NOVEMBER,

1798.

Journey from Bengal to England, through the Northern Part of India, Kafhimire, Afghanistan, and Perfia, and into. Ruffia, by the Cafpian-Sea. By George Forfier, in the Civil Service of the Honourable the East India Company. 2 Vols. 4to. 1. 16s. Boards. Faulder. 1798.

THE author of this journey must not be confounded with the companion of captain Cook, to whom we owe, fome interefting works. The perfon who is the prefent object of our attention, went from Bengal to the fouth-eaftern borders of the Cafpian fea: there he embarked, and proceeded to Aftracan, whence he repaired to Petersburg. His journey, difficult and dangerous in the extreme, is the more curious, as in modern times fcarcely any European has paffed through the north of India, and as, in a great part of his route, he traced in a retrograde direction the line of march purfued by Alexander when he followed Beffus. We gave a general abstract of this journey* in the words of major Rennel, who fpoke of the attempt and its fuccefs with astonishment, and expreffed his wish that Mr. Forfter would publifh his obfervations on the manners and' prefent state of that part of Perfia of which we know the leaft, as well as of Cathmere, a fubject yet more interefting to the philofopher and naturalift.' We with that the major's map had been copied; at least that part of it which contains" Mr. Forfter's route, caft of the Cafpian In the map before us, that the whole of the journey may be comprehended, the latitudes are ftrangely facrificed. On each fide they are diffe rently numbered, without a mark to determine the diftinction." Had the map been divided into two parts, this confufion might" have been avoided.

: In a judicious introduction, our author fpeaks with modesty of his efforts, and with confidence of his intentions of giving

*See our LXVIth volume, p. 275.

CRIT. REV. VOL. XXIV: Nov. 1798.