Reife durch Pommern. Travels through Pomerania, 8vo. Berlin, 1798.-M. Zöllner has here given an entertaining and interefting account of a country lefs-known than other parts of Germany.

C. D. Ilgen Opufcula varia Philologica. Various Philological Pieces by Ilgen, 2 vols. 8vo. 1797.-Thefe productions are not all new to the prefs; for many of them had been published before. They do credit to the learning and taste of the writer.

Hermann und Dorothea. A Poem entitled Hermann and Dorothea, by Goethe. Berlin.-This is a very pleafing production, which will probably foon appear in our language, as the cultivators of German literature multiply among us.

HUNGARY.

Statistik des Königreichs Ungarn. Statistic Account of the Kingdom of Hungary, 8vo. Peft.-Profeffor Schwardtner has manifefted, in this volume, his intimate acquaintance with the fubject of which he treats. He accurately delineates the ftate of the country, and exhibits a just view of the conftitution, fyftem of adminiftration, &c.

SPAIN.

Encyclopedia Metodica, difpuefta por Orden de Materias, &c. A Methodical Encyclopædia, difpofed according to the Order of the Subjects, fmall folio. Madrid.-This work is a tranflation of the French Encyclopédie; but it contains a variety of additions and improvements. It is fuppofed that about fixty volumes will compléte the publication.

Memoria, &c. Memoir concerning a periodical difficulty of breathing. The obftruction here mentioned is attributed by Dr. Franieri, probably without fufficient reafon, to the influence of the moon.

ITALY,

Dionis Cafsii Hiftoriarum Romanarum Fragmenta. Fragments of the Roman Hiftory, written by Dio Caffius. 8vo. Baflano, 1798.-Morelli is the editor of thefe fragments, which he has extracted from a manufcript in the library of St. Mark at Venice. They are not very copious; and, as fo great a part of Dio's hiftory is loft, they will not be of much utility. Many new readings of the parts before published are added.

A REVIEW

OF

PUBLIC AFFAIRS,

FROM

the Beginning of SEPTEMBER, to the End of DECEMBER, 1798.

GREAT-BRITA I N.

FROM the original imprudence of the chief powers of Europe, in goading, haraffing, and inflaming a nation which ought to have been left to itself, to work out its own revolution, the war ftill continues to diffufe calamity around. Not merely from the congrefs of Raftadt, but from the returning reflexion of different princes, we hoped that a general peace would have been by this time concluded; but our eager withes have been difappointed, while thofe who deprecate a peace in the prefent ftate of France exult in the profpect of progreffive hoftility. The feel ings of fuch men we do not envy; and the policy by which they are influenced we do not approve. But, as their per fuafions of the infecurity of a pacification with the direc tory are deeply rooted, it would be ufelefs to conteft the point.

The late triumph of the British fleet in the Mediterranean has encouraged the advocates of war in their zeal for a fpirited profecution of it. That fuccefs was highly honorable to the courage and fkill of our naval officers, and the active valor of the feamen whom they commanded; and it will tranfmit to the latest ages, while the records of hiftory fhall fubfift, the name and the glory of the gallant Nelfon.

As the fuccefs to which we allude was fo highly import ant and interefting, it may be expected that we should

trace the operations of the fleet from the commencement of the expedition. In confequence of orders from earl St. Vincent, fir Horatio Nelfon failed from Gibraltar in the fpring, with three fhips of the line and two frigates, to watch the motions of the French in the Mediterranean, On the 22d of May, his fquadron fuftained fome injury from a ftorm, at a time when, without his knowledge, he was not many leagues diftant from the fleet which was tranfporting Buonaparte and his army to the fhores of Egypt. On the 8th of June, he was gratified with a reinforcement of ten fail of the line. For fome time, he could obtain no accurate intelligence refpecting the deftination of the French armament; but, when he had reached the coaft of Sicily, he received information of the conqueft of Malta. To that ifland he was fteering, when the news of the departure of the hoftile fleet induced him to hasten towards Egypt. On the 29th, he appeared before Alexandria, to the great furprise of the governor, who had no expectation of a visit either from the English or the French. As the latter had not then arrived, our fleet cruised near Candia, returned to the Sicilian coaft for a supply of wa ter, and afterwards failed to the Morea for intelligence. Hearing that the French had been feen fteering to the fouth-eastward from Candia, fir Horatio refolved to re-vifit the coaft of Egypt; and, on the 1st of Auguft, he had the fatisfaction of beholding the, fleet which he had long wifhed to encounter. Plans of attack, in various circumftances, he had already adjusted in the course of his voyage; and he had taken the precaution of giving ample instructions to all, the captains under his command, and of explaining his own ideas in fo fatisfactory a manner, that It was fcarcely neceffary to have recourfe to fignals during the action. Thus (to use the words of a writer who has publifhed a regular narrative of the proceedings of the fquadron) much time was faved, and the attention of every captain could almoft undistractedly be paid to the conduct of his own particular fhip; a circumftance from which, upon this occafion, the advantages to the general fervice were almost incalculable'.

The French fhips were at anchor in the bay of Aboukir. That of admiral Brueys had 120 guns, and above 1000 men: three had 80 guns each; and nine had only 74. They were drawn up near the fhore in a strong and compact line of battle, flanked by four frigates and many gunboats, and protected in the van by a battery, planted on a fmall ifland. Their fituation, therefore, was extremely advantageous for defence; but the great danger of an attack did not deter the British admiral from making the attempt.

He had as many fhips of the line as the French commander, and he ftrengthened his line by the introduction of a ship of 50 guns; but, in approaching the enemy, he was de prived of the affiftance of the Culloden, as it ftruck upon a fhoal, from which it could not be extricated before the next morning. Three other veffels were haftily advancing in its rear; but the accident warned them of the peril; and they were fo fortunate as to avoid the fhoal.

The admiral was ftrongly defirous of breaking the line of the French, and furrounding a part of their fleet; and he ably executed his purpofe. At fun-fet the engagement commenced; and both parties fought with great fpirit. While the victory was yet undecided, admiral Brueys received two wounds; and, having changed his fituation, he was exposed to a fresh fhot, which deprived him of life. When the action had continued for two hours, two of the French ships were captured; a third struck soon after; and the whole van was in the power of the English, who eagerly proceeded to a completion of their victory. L'Orient, the particular fhip of the French commander, was warmly engaged with feveral of the hoftile veffels, when an explofion indicated the danger of a conflagration. The flames made a rapid progrefs; and all endeavours to check their fury were ineffectual. Ganteaume, who had affumed the command, ordered the crew to quit the fhip, and he himfelf seasonably retired; but only a fmall number escaped destruction, when, about four hours after the commencement of the conflict, the burning veffel blew up with a dreadful explofion.

The engagement was profecuted at intervals till daybreak; and only two of the French fhips of the line, and two frigates, efcaped capture or destruction*. Captain Hood, in the Zealous, purfued the retiring veffels; but he was foon recalled by the admiral, as none of the fhips could fupport him in the chafe.

It was not to be fuppofed that fuch a victory could be obtained without a confiderable loss of lives. In the Britifh fleet, 16 officers, and 202 feamen and marines, were killed; and 677 individuals were wounded. In the Majeftic alone, were 50 victims, and captain Weftcott fell among the reff. The French lofs has been varioufly stated, but it appears to have been very great. With regard to the prifoners, it is mentioned by Ganteaume, in an intercepted letter, that 3100, of whom 800 were wounded, were reftored by our admiral, who, leaving a part of his fleet to blockade the port of Alexandria, failed towards Sicily,

* Nine fail of the line were taken, and one (besides L'Orient) was burned, her own captain fetting fire to her. A frigate alfo was burned by her commander.

Having been wounded in the head, fir Horatio was conrained to quit the deck during the action; but (he fays) the fervice fuffered no lofs by that event.' Captain Berry fupplied his place with that valour and ability, which amply merited the praife of his commander. This officer was foon after fent with difpatches announcing the victory to which he had contributed; but, on the 18th of Auguft, the Leander, a fhip of 50 guns, in which he failed, was captured by one of 4. On this occafion, the conflict was warm and obftinate; and, when captain Thompson was tried for the lofs of the fhip, the court-martial declared, that his defence of it was gallant and almoft unprecedented.'

It may be thought unneceffary to obferve, that the intelligence of the fuccefs on the coaft of Egypt diffufed extraordinary joy throughout the British dominions. Every heart glowed with exultation; and, on the fortunate Nelfon and his affociates, every tongue beftowed praise. Numerous addreffes of congratulation were prefented to his majefty: the admiral was honoured with a peerage, and rewarded with a penfion; and a day was appropriated to the folemnity of a general thanksgiving.

When a new feffion of parliament was opened (on the 20th of November), due honour was paid, in the speech from the throne, to the fignal exertions of the fuccessful fleet. It was obferved, that the unexampled series of our naval triumphs had received fresh splendour from the memorable and decifive action,' in which lord Nelfon had attacked and almoft totally deftroyed a fuperior force of the enemy, ftrengthened by every advantage of fituation.' It was added, that, by this great and brilliant victory,' an enterprise remarkable for its injustice, perfidy, and extravagance, had been turned to the confufion of its authors and the blow thus given to the power and influence of France had afforded an opening, which, if improved by fuitable exertions on the part of other powers, might lead to the general deliverance of Europe.' The refolution of the emperor of Rufia to engage in the conteft, and a fimilar determination of the grand fignor, were mentioned in, terms of praife; and hopes were expreffed that other fovereigns would adopt that vigorous line of conduct which experience had proved to be alone confiftent with fecurity or honour. In a debate produced by the motion for an addrefs of thanks, the marquis of Lanfdowne, while he joined in the tribute of applaufe to lord Nelfon, obferved, that the admiral himfelf would not be fatisfied with his victory, if it thould not be improved to the production of those advantages which, with prudent management, it was calculated to afford. It might be thought, he faid, that a powerful

C