printing, extended through the lives of these three printers, presenting the title-pages of their several publications, with historical and illustrative notes, in which is comprised much curious, and, to bibliographical scholars, very interesting and correct information. Their history, succinctly related in detached lives, occupies the first part of the second volume; while the rest is devoted to the privileges granted to Aldus the eldercatalogues of editions published by Andrew d'Asola, and, at Paris, by Bernard Turrisan-an account of counterfeited Aldine editions, with an advertisement of Aldus to their authorsa catalogue of the Aldine editions classed, according to their subjects and a table of the authors whose works the annals contain.

M. Renouard has printed his work, in a very superior style, on three papers; and, as the impression is but small, it will, of course, be soon exhausted.

RETROSPECT

OF

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

FRANCE.

800.

Histoire de l'Introduction, &c. A History of the Introduction of Sheep with fine Spanish Wool into the different States of Europe, and at the Cape of Good Hope; the present State of those Animals, their Number, the different Methods of rearing them, and the Advantages derived from them to Agriculture, Manufactures, and Commerce. By E. C. Lasteyrie. 8vo. Paris. The states of Europe into which these sheep have been introduced are Sweden, Denmark, Saxony, Prussia, Austria, France, Holland, Italy, &c. The author points out the periods of their introduction, their present number, the quantity of wool employed in manufactures for home consumption or foreign commerce, the laws enacted in favour of their propagation, the obstacles opposed to those laws, and the advantages resulting from them to agriculture and commerce. The propagation of the Merinos is owing to the encouragement of the different governments. The eighth chapter relates to their introduction into France, and the advantages received from them; the ninth, to the late attempts of the English for the same purposes.

In the second part, the author relates the methods of rearing the Merinos in Sweden, Denmark, &c.; and adds a variety of observations on this subject, as well as on the methods of rendering the race more perfect.

Flore du Nord de la France, &c. The Flora of the North of France, or a Description of the indigenous and cultivated Plants in the Departments of the Lys, Scheld, &c. By F. Roncet, Officer of Health. 2 Vols. 8vo.-The author had already published a treatise of the less common plants which grow naturally round the cities of Ghent, Alost, Fermonde, and Brussels. He has again examined the two provinces of Flanders and Brabant; and the present volumes prove that his labours have been successful. This has been the employment of twenty-eight years; and it includes the plants which grow in the marshy districts of those provinces. At the head of his

work he has placed a botanical dictionary, and followed the system of Linnæus. The places where the different plants are found, with an account of their medicinal and alimentary pro perties, are added.

Annales du Museum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle. Annals of the National Museum of Natural History. Nos. I, II, III, IV. 4to. Paris.--We announce this excellent journal, from which we may glean some occasional intelligence, though, as separate memoirs, they seldom can be the subjects of particular analysis. We shall add a short history of the institution. The professors of the Museum of Natural History have agreed to meet once a week, mutually to communicate what may have occurred of an interesting nature in their respective departments, and to publish those observations which shall be approved by the assembly. There will be no difference in these annals from the memoirs of other societies, except in their rapidity of publication. The successive numbers will indeed be confined to natural history; but under this term will be comprehended whatever most remotely relates to it, and the means employed of adding to our knowledge in this branch of science. In mineralogy, we are to expect the labours of Hauy; in geology, or the natural history of the earth, those of Faujas de St. Fond; in chemistry, of Fourcroy; in chemical arts, of Brognart; in the botany of the Museum, of Desfontaines; in that of the country, of Jussieu. The culture and naturalisation of vegetables is entrusted to Thouin; the mammalia and birds, to Geoffroy; reptiles and fishes, to La Cépède; insects, shells, madrepores, &c. to Lamark; human anatomy, to Portal; comparative, to Mertrud and Cuvier; the art of painting and drawing the productions of nature, to Vanspaendonck. We have seen only the first four numbers, which contain many interesting articles; but even to copy the titles would lead us too far.

Nouvelle Théorie de la Formation des Filons, &c. A new Theory of the Formation of Veins; Application of this Theory to the Working of Mines, particularly those of Freiburg in Saxony. By A. G. Werner. Translated from the German, and enlarged by a Number of Notes, many of which were furnished by the Author. 8vo. Paris.-Werner is not a favourite with the English mineralogists, so that we are generally obliged to converse with him through the medium of an interpreter ; for his works seldom reach this country in their own language. The present volume is a valuable one, and the result of twenty years of observation directed to the class and particular arrangement of minerals as they lie in the earth, particularly of veins, which, as subject to great varieties and changes, are of a complicated nature,

The new theory of our author is supposed to have filled a considerable hiatus in geognosy, to have thrown new light on the various revolutions which the mass of this globe has experienced, aad to have opened a vast field of observations and inquiries.' The whole is divided into ten chapters. The first is on veins in general; 2d, on the different theories of the formation of veins; 3d, the explanation of the author's new theory; 4th, proofs that the spaces which veins occupy have been origi

nally clefts open on the and top, empty; 5th, new details and explanations of the proofs given, and of the theory drawn from them; 6th, proofs that the spaces which veins occupy have been filled from the upper part; 7th, answers to the objections that may be made against the theory; 8th, refutations of former theories; 9th, application of the new theory to the working of mines; 10th, a short description of the formation of the principal metallic veins in the district of Freiburg. We cannot enlarge further on the work in this place; and indeed the author's principal views may be collected from the titles of his chapters. We may add, however, that Werner is correcting his works on mineralogy, geology, &c. and that they will be published in succession.

Exposé des Températures, &c. Explanation of Tempera-. tures, or the Influence of the Air on Diseases and the Constitution of Man and of Animals, and its Effects on Vegetation. By M. Chavanieu d'Audebert, Physician at Versailles.-This is only an abstract of a larger work submitted to the Institute, and comprised in three tables. In the first, the author speaks of the general properties of the air, and its effects at different periods of the day on organised bodies. In the second, he explains the state of each month in a philosophical and agricultural view. He then proceeds to the seasons, gives the state of the weather, and points out its influence. The annual epidemics next engage his attention. In one place he examines the succession of seasons, and their influence on each other; in another, the character of the whole year, resting on authorities of respectability, as Hippocrates, Sydenham, &c.

The third table contains what relates to the lunar changes, either on the state of the atmosphere, or on the crises of diseases; and the various data are accompanied with interesting observations. Passing thence to the nature of places and climates, he examines their exposure, and the division of the country. Cities, he remarks, have an artificial climate very different from that of the open country. Rain-water stagnates in them; evaporation is slow; and causes of humidity constantly recur. Many times, he adds, in Vienna and Paris, the severity of cold has been three or four degrees less than in the suburbs. We trust the whole work will be published.

Psycologie-Physiologie-Médecine-Chirurgerie.

Psycholó gical, physiological, medical Surgery, or psychological and physiognomonical Observations. 8vo. Liege. We have selected this work chicfly to mention the system of Dr. Gall, who has affixed, somewhat whimsically, though not wholly without. foundation, the seat of different passions in different parts of the brain, from observing peculiar enlargements of the skull concurring, somewhat steadily, with given characters. This work is of the same class; and a physiognomonic description of a famous criminal is added, who was decapitated at Lyons for constructing a trap into which a fruit-woman fell.

Considérations sur la Maladie des Femmes en Couche dite Fiore puerperale. Consideration on the Disease of Lying-in Women called the puerperal Fever. By J. B. L. Routier, M.D. 8vo. Paris. This work contains nothing new or interesting to the enlightened practitioner. The author's object is to show that it is not a fever, but a membranous inflammation. English physicians have long agreed in the same opinion. The practice is peculiarly trifling.

Mémoire sur les Causes de l'Hydrophobie, &c. Memoir on the Causes of Hydrophobia, commonly known by the Term Rage*, and the Means of checking that Disease. By E.F.M. Bosquillon. Svo. This short memoir, of thirty-two pages, was read at a meeting of the college. The author's object is to show, that the madness which follows the bite of a mad dog is never ‹ determined' in man but by the effects of terror; and the doctrine is supported by some facts. It is, however, evidently without foundation.

De l'Electricité médicale. On medical Electricity. By M. Sigaud Lafond. With Plates. 8vo. Paris. We speak of this work, not from any idea of its peculiar value, or from any opinion of the efficacy of electricity as a remedy, but chiefly to show the objects which employ the attention of our neighbours in this department. The author first gives a description of the usual effects of electricity on the pulse, &c.; but he adds, among these, an increased tone of the solids.' He next explains the different modes of electrization, and reduces them. to seven-viz. the bath, sparks, irroration, frictions, insufflation, exhaustion, and shocks. The general principles on which the choice of each mode may be regulated are next added. The third section treats of the diseases for which electricity has been employed, according to the nosology of Sauvages. These are

*The term rage, one of the words for madness, is exclusively applied, in France, to hydrophobia. We have no similar exclusive term, and madness would be an improper