ART. XL.

Urfprung, &c. i, e. On the Nature and Progrefs of Science, of Writing, and of a Sacred Language among the first Inhabitants of the World. or, an Explication of the Fables and obfcure Tradition's concerning Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jofeph, and Mofes, defigned to illuftrate feveral important Symbols, and myfterious Doctrines, both of ancient and modern Times. 8vo. BreЛlau. 1786.

THE

HE difcoveries made by the learned Author, in this inveftigation, do not seem to repay the labour and erudition they have coft him, by their merit and importance. He points out to us, indeed, certain epochas, in which ancient hiftorical records were fymbolically interpreted; but he does not carry us back to the fource, nor fhew us how they were understood by thofe from whofe primitive relations they were tranfmitted down from age to age. He throws, it is true, fome new rays of critical light upon the Kabaliftic fables; and this will be probably confidered as the moft interefling part of his work, at least by the philologifts.

ART. XLI.

GEORGII RUDOLPHI BOHMERI Commentatio Phyfico-botanica de Plantarum Semine, i. e. A Phyfico-botanical Differtation concerning the Seed of Plants. By M. Geo. R. BOHMER. Wittemberg. 1785. 8vo.

.

ALL that has been faid by ancient and modern authors on the fubject here announced, is compendiously contained in the compals of 390 pages of this judicious work. We fay judicious; for M. BOHMER is not one of thofe compilers and bookmakers, who need no more than a pair of fciffars to furnish us with heavy, voluminous, folio publications. He compares, appreciates, and often rectifies the obfervations of the authors which he has here collected concerning the germination and duration of feed, the manner of augmenting their fecundity, and many other objects relative to this branch of botany and natural history. He has alfo fubjoined to this work, a curious Differtation concerning the cellular tiffue of vegetables.

ART. XLII.

Avis au Public, i. e. An Advertisement addreffed to the Public. By M. PALLAS, Member of the Imperial Academy of Petersburg. 1786.

THIS

HIS eminent Naturalift, already fo well known by his celebrated voyages and learned publications, announces here a vaft and arduous defign conceived by the Emprefs of Ruffia, the execution of which is undertaken by her order. illuftrious Princefs is always aiming at great things. Her plans of empire, of commerce, of civilization, and literary improvement,

This

ment, are all formed upon a grand fcale. She has extended her dominions from the Frozen Ocean to the borders of the Euxine, and feems to ftand there on her tiptoe, ready to step over to the other fide. How many languages are spoken under her fceptre ? This question brings us to the fubject of M. Pallas's advertisement, which is the publication of an Univerfal and comparative Gloffary of all Languages, under the auspicious protection and encouragement of CATHARINE II. The Ruffian empire can reckon within its boundaries above a third of the languages that are spoken on the furface of our globe, and a great number, with which even the learned are hitherto unacquainted. Within the narrow district of Caucafus, which is inhabited by feveral fmall nations, eight or nine languages, and twenty two dialects, are fpoken. In Siberia, the languages and dialects are ftill more numerous, and Kamfchatka furnishes nine dialects of three different languages. Those who are charged with the execution of this immenfe plan have begun their work, and the languages and idioms of the Ruffian empire are the first objects of their inquiries. Among other things, we are told that the true pronunciation of the words will be indicated and expreffed in this gloffary, with the utmost accuracy and certainty (which is no eafy matter), and that a preliminary difcourfe concerning the languages, and their filiations, analogies, and affinities, will be prefixed to this GREAT WORK.

Natur-Hiftoriche Briefe, &c. i. e. Letters concerning the Natural Hiftory of Auftria, Saltzburg, Paffau, and the adjacent Provinces. By M. PAUL SCHRANK. 2 Vols. 8vo. 1785.

THESE

HESE letters are agreeably written, and contain excellent obfervations on the natural productions and riches of countries little known, even with respect to the manners and cuftoms of their inhabitants.

ART. XLIV.

Uber de enftehung des Nordlichts, &c. i. e. Concerning the Origin of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. By M. J. ANTHONY CRAMER, Profeffor of Mathematics in the Ducal College of Hildefheim. 8vo. Bremen. 1786.

IT

T is in the phlogifton, collected about the pole, that M. CRAMER thinks he has perceived the true caufe of the Aurora Borealis; of which he explains all the phenomena in, at least, a probable manner, on this principle.

INDEX

IN DE X

To the REMARKABLE PASSAGES in this Volume.

N. B. To find any particular Book, or Pamphlet, fee the Table of Contents, prefixed to the Volume.

Butbollit, M. on the augmentation of
weight which fulphur, phosphorus, and
arfenic receive, when they are changed
into acids, 498. On the fpontaneous
decompofition of certain vegetable acids,
ib. On the caufticity of alcalies, and
of lime, ib.

Beryl, obfervations on that ftone, 497.
Bew, Mr. his obferv. on blindness, 252.
Billing fley, Mr. his methods of cultivat-
ing the potatoe, 124.
Blanchard's two aerial voyages, 269. See
Jeffries.

Bogle, Mr. recommends the practice of
tranfplanting wheat, 172.
Bones, remarkable petrified ones, dug up
at Chatham, 458. Of elephants, found
in various parts of Europe, 459, 462.
Account of a large bone found in the
earth at Paris, 495.

Borelli, Mr. his mem. on certain para-
doxes in eloquence, 488.
Botany Bay, an improper place for a thief-

colony, 475. The island of Tristan da
Cunba recommended for that purpose,
ib.

Britons, ancient, remarks on their landed
and commercial policy, 28. Of the
fame under the government of the Ro-
mans, 29. Under the Anglo-Saxons,
30. Under the Normans, 36. In
later times, 38.

Brogny, cardinal, his low origin, 360.
Brumby's Greek theatre, improved edit.

of, 515.

Buck rubeat, itt ufes in husbandry, 172.
Burns, a Scottish ploughman, his poetical
talents, 440. Specimens of his compo
fitions, ib.

Bull, Mr. John, his exper. on fowing
turnips with beans, 170.

Bush-vetch, a plant not fufficiently noticed
by Farmers, 171.

Cattle, horned, exper. relative to a disease
among them, in Italy, 378.
Cavern, remarkable subterraneous one, un-
der the city of Paris, 414.

Chais, M. Charles, his excellent character,
565.
Chauffier, M. on the methods of deftroying
the chryfalis of filk-worms, 507.
On

a cataract, accompanied with a diffolu-
tion of the vitreous humour, 508.
Cicero, obferv. on his Tufculan questions,
486.

City genius poetically defcribed, 312.
Cleanliness recommended in a fermon
preached on that virtue, 239.

Cloacina, Goddefs, the mephitic vapours
arifing from her temples, philofophi
cally and usefully inveftigated, 525..
Clofe, Rev. Mr. his method of promoting
the growth of potatoes, 125. His ex-
periments on the culture of lucerne,
171. On planting wheat, in rows, al-
ternately with potatoes, 417.

Colonies, and fettlements of European na
tions in other parts of the world, en-
quiry into the earliest accounts of, 528.
Hiftorical deduction of, 529.
Conception, or idea, explained, 332.
Cook, Capt. narrative of his death, by the
Surgeon of The Discovery, 96.

Copper Veffels, &c. exper. on the danger

of using them in pharmaceutical and
chemical preparations, 270.

Corn, in what manner hurtfully affected
by different plants growing among it,
536.
Cornette, M. on the action of phosphoric
acid upon oils, &c. 497.

Cotbenius, M. his inquiry into the nature

and qualities of the red quinquina, 483.
Cotte, F. his meteorological obfervations,
533.

Cotter's Saturday-night, a Scottish poem,
442.

Cadavalader, the Welsh prince, his fu- Cow, obf. rel. to the nat. hift. of, 410.

perftitious weakness, z.
Calvin, his character, 561.

Cancers, cured by eating lizarde, in New
Spain, 534.

Canterbury, account of the three archiepif-

copal hofpitals at or near that city, 23.
Carrere, M. his acc, of a man who had a
periodical bloody flux, from his little
finger, 533. Of the method of curing
cancers in New Spain, 534.: On a pre-
-fervative against contagioue difeafes,
538.

Carrier, by fea and by land, how far an-
fwerable for the lofs of goods, 381.
Carrots, the culture of not yet fully under-
flood, 128.

Cattle, beep, &c. remarks on the different-
kinds and breeds of, 139.

Crimes, and punishments, obf. rel. to, 413.
Cromwell, Oliver, genealogical view of the
family of, 26.

Curl, a disease among potatoes, observ, on,
127.

Currie, Dr. his memoirs of Dr. Bell, 414.

Daubenton, M. his obf. on a large bone

found in the earth at Paris, 494.
On the caufes of berborizations delineat-
ed on certain ftones, 495. On purga-
tive remedies for sheep, 539.
Deflusions of the breaft, contagious, 505.
De la Lande, M. on the duration of the
folar year, 503.

Denina, Abbé, on the caufes of the diver-
fity of languages, 489. On the origin
of the German, 491.

Doucet,