which gave rife to M. D'ALEMBERT's accufation *. The accufation, in fubftance, as it lies in the eulogy before us, is, that Rouffeau, in a low, cunning, and indirect manner, begged from the Scottish peer a penfion for his wife,-and afterwards quarrelled with his benefactor; whereas the letters above mentioned (which are ftill in the hands of M. du Peyrou, a worthy and refpectable citizen of Neufchatel) clearly prove, that it was from Lord Marfhal that the first propofal of a penfion came, that he offered to the philofopher of Geneva an annuity of fifty pounds,-that the latter, after repeated folicitations, made by his noble friend with the warmest zeal, accepted of thirty, of which twenty was to be transferred to his wife, if he died before her. Thefe letters prove farther, that the friendship which fubfifted between Lord Marfhal and M. Roufleau was never fufpended; and it is impoffible to read them, without entertaining a very unfavourable idea of this part of M. D'ALEMBERT's eulogy.

II. M. Denis Auffehers der Garell. Biblioth. &c. i. e. An Introduction to the Knowledge of Books, by M. DENIS, Professor of Belles Lettres, and Keeper of the Imperial Library in the Therefian College at Vienna, &c. Vienna. 4to. 1778.-Though this work appeared, for the first time, two years ago, yet as it is a real treasure of literary history and bibliography, if we may use that expreffion, and is but little known out of Germany, a fhort account of it will, no doubt, be acceptable to a confiderable number of our readers. An introduction to the knowledge of the books which have been compofed, and the libraries that have been collected, in the different periods of the world, is an interefting object of curiofity; and M. DENIS, by his fituation, as Profeffor in polite Literature, and Librarian of the Therefian College at Vienna, and by the judicious ufe he has made of the great number of authors who have written concerning detached periods and branches of literature, has been enabled to collect materials for a work more comprehenfive and complete than any thing we have hitherto seen of the kind. This work, which is the fubftance of a courfe of academical lectures, defigned to give his pupils an extenfive knowledge of books, or rather of book-writing, and to affift them in forming libraries, and in reading to advantage, is divided by the Author into two parts. The firft, which is now before us, is called Bibliography; the fecond, is to contain an hiftory of literature.

The Bibliographical part is divided into three epochas. In the firft, our Author gives an account of the books relative to the Jews, Orientals, Greeks, and Romans, fo far down as the

* This pamphlet is entitled: Jean-Jaques Rouleau Vengé, ou Morale Pratico-Philofopbico-Encyclopedique.

eftablishment

eftablishment of Chriftianity. He treats alfo, in this firft, epocha, of the origin of writing,-the primitive forms of letters, of the fubftances on which writing was performed,— of the inftruments employed in it,-of the form of books; and a fuitable degree of attention is given to the Writers.

The fecond epocha contains an hiftory of books, relative to the eastern, the western, and the remoteft nations. It exhibits the preludes (if we may use that expreffion) to the art of printing, its actual difcovery, according to the different accounts of Meerman and Schoepflin, and its progrefs and improvement during the fifteenth century. We here meet alfo with curious and learned obfervations on the ancient editions, and the ancient printers.

The third period exhibits an hiftory of the most celebrated libraries in Italy, England, France, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Ruffia, Germany, and Vienna; comprehending printed books, and manufcripts. In this exhibition, the books are reduced, like the fciences, under the diftinct claffes of theology, law, philofophy, phyfic, mathematics, hiftory, and philology, and are confidered with refpect to their number, their qualities, their rarity, &c. and the manufcripts, whether Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Gothic, Lombard, French, or Anglo-Saxon, are enumerated, though without many critical illuftrations.

III. Memoires Hiftoriques et Geographiques fur la Valachie, &c. i. e. Hiftorical and Geographical Memoirs concerning Wallachia, together with the Profpectus, or Plan of a Geographical and Military Atlas, relative to the last War between Ruffia and the Ottoman Porte. By M. B—. Francfort on Mein. 1779.-If it be true, as we have reason to believe it is, that M. BAUER, Lieutenant-General in the Ruffian fervice, who commanded in Wallachia during the laft war, is the Author of these Memoirs, this is a strong circumftance in favour of the truth of the hiftorical narrations, and of the accuracy of the geographical defcriptions, contained in this work. The Author, who, by his valour and conduct, acquired the faireft laurels in this war, was an eye-witness of what he relates and defcribes, and feems to have ftudied, with uncommon attention and affiduity, the accounts given of this country by the moft efteemed writers who have preceded him. The Atlas, which this excellent officer proposes to publifh, will contain, in twenty-nine sheets, Moldavia, Walachia, Podolia, Volhinia, the Crim, and the Streights that feparate Europe from Afia Minor, together with plans of the principal towns, battles, and encampments.

IV. Nouvelles Recherches fur la Science des Medailles, Infcriptions, &c. i. e New Inquiries concerning Medals, Inferiptions, and Ancient Hieroglyphics. By M. POINSINET DE SIVRY. 4to. with Plates. Maeftricht. 1779.-The Author of this

work,

work, who is already known in the republic of letters, by feveral learned and voluminous productions, and more especially by his Tranflation of Pliny, and his ample Commentary on that author, has here ftepped into a neighbouring field, and cut out work for the Antiquaries. This, indeed, is not his firft effay on the subject of medals and ancient coins, on which he has fometimes thrown feveral rays of light by his critical fagacity, and his extenfive knowledge of hiftory. The prefent work is extenfive and profound. It contains the principles which are fuppofed to afford a folid foundation to the fcience of medals, and is defigned to cure learned men of the folly of going roundabout ways to come at the fignification of several medals, while there is a plain and natural fenfe contained in their infcriptions. The learned Author begins, by diftinguishing between medals, medallions, and pieces of money, and by proving this affirmation, that the greateft part of the ancient medals, and more efpecially the Roman, are not pieces of money, or current coin, but real medals; and that no coins are to be placed in the monetary class, but fuch as have the character, weight, and other marks of current fpecie. It is a general opinion, that there are very few medals, properly fpeaking; and that many pieces fo called, are coins which had a pecuniary currency in ancient times. Our Author maintains the contrary opinion, and proves, with confiderable erudition, and force of argument, that there are few monies, and a great number of medals. He answers the objections, that may be raised against his hypothefis. His refearches concerning the origin of fcutcheons, meda's, and medallions, at Rome, are curious, and he avails himself of the natural confequences, deducible from them, to throw light upon Numifmatical fcience, and to clear up fome of its most embarraffing difficulties. To thefe confiderations, M. DE SIVRI adds a new theory of the explication of medals, founded on two principles: Firit, The rejection of the method of converting initial letters into words, when thefe words make out a complete fenfe--which method, however fpecious, is certainly fallacious; and our Author proves, from ftriking examples, Secondly, The analogy of the fymbols, with the names of the perfons. After having given, on thefe principles, a new explication of a great number of the moft difficult medals, which feems strongly to confirm his theory, our Author treats of amulets, talifmans, aftrological rings, and other ancient forms of divination and enchantment, not indeed with the spirit of an Aftrologer, but with the fagacity of an Antiquary, who confiders these whimsical figures as a fort of hieroglyphics, that may tend to the illuftration of Numifmatical erudition. Here, among other things, he paffes in critical review, Ticho-Brahé's collection of the odd figures, under which the Chaldeans and REV. Oct. 1779.

X

other

other ancient nations reprefented the planets, which they fupposed to be governed by celeftial fpirits. Thefe drawings are effential materials for decyphering the amulets and talismans, that are often found on antique gems, and make a part of hieroglyphical fcience, which is ftill covered with thick darknefs.

Our Readers may remember the literary conteft, occafioned by Mr. Needham's Obfervations on the fuppofed Egyptian fymbols, found on the fuppofed buft of Ifis at Turin, and which he reprefented as fimilar to feveral Chinese characters. The learned Abbé Guafco, and the celebrated M. Pauw, have maintained, that this ftatue and its infcription are no more than the fanciful compofition of fome modern artist, and that many productions of this kind, of which travellers and antiquaries are frequently the dupes, are to be met with in Italy. Our Author combats the opinions of these two learned men with feveral fpecious arguments. He compares with the buft of Turin, a Serapis, covered with hieroglyphics (of which mention is made by Pierius), and another antique in Petau's collection, published by Neaulme at Amfterdam, in 1757, and draws from the refemblance between the figures of these two latter, and those infcribed on the Ifis, fome grounds of fufpicion, that Meffrs. Guafco and Pauw may have been over hafty in their decifions. However that may be, nothing can be more ingenious, than M. DE SIVRI's explication of the charac ters in queftion.

The most eminent adepts in Numifmatical fcience, will find in this work, illuftrations fufficient to remove many of the difficulties that have hitherto perplexed them, and to correct feveral errors into which they have fallen,-and the fame work will ferve as a Manual, or elementary guide to those who have not yet got far into the rugged and winding paths of the science now under confideration. Such will find their progrefs greatly facilitated by the Hebrew, Arabic, and Phenician alphabets, as alfo by the Perfian, African, Turkish, Tartar, and Chaldaic characters, which are here exhibited for their ufe and direction. V. Hiftoire Naturelle du Tuffilage et de la Petafite, &c. i. e. The Natural History of the Tuffilago and the Petafites. By M. DE NECKER. 8vo. Manheim. 1779.-This is the first of an interesting series of Memoirs, or Difcourfes, which the learned Author (already known by fome botanical productions of great merit) propofes to publifh, concerning the phytology of the Palatinate, and of the duchies of Juliers and Berg. The title of the prefent publication announces much less than the volume contains: for befide the natural hiftory of the plants, mentioned in the title, the ingenious Author has opened new paths in his botanical refearches, which feem adapted to pro

mote

mote the progrefs of that fcience, hitherto much retarded by defective methods. It is not fuch defcriptions of Plants, as are calculated for the ufe of the cook or the apothecary, that alone conftitute their natural hiftory: though it must be acknowledged, that an acquaintance with their medical and dietetical virtues makes an effèntial part of botanical science. It is, however, but one part: and it only conftitutes the fourth article of the plan of inveftigation laid down in this work. The firft, is to mark diftinctly, what forms the varieties in plants of a fimilar nature.-The fecond, to give the names appropriated to them by different authors, compared with the drawings or engravings, in which they are reprefented.Thirdly, to diftinguifh their native foil, from the countries in which they may be cultivated.-Fifthly, to attend to the alterations they are fubject to, when tranfplanted into another foil and climate-Sixthly, to employ repeated experiments on the fecundation of plants, and the various methods of effectuating it, whether in their native or in a foreign foil.-Seventhly, to examine the refults of thefe effays or experiments until the fecond, third, or fourth generation; and Laftly, to compare and confront the mongrel plants produced artificially with the exotics and indigenous plants, which refemble them.-It is easy to fee the advantages that must arife from this excellent method, in the hands of fuch a botanist as M. NECKER.

Among other interefting matters contained in this volume, the reader will find a fharp fkirmish with the Sexualifts (i. e. those who maintain the existence of organs of generation, and two vivifying lymphs in all plants without exeception), in which our Author comes off victorious. He affirms, that among forty thousand plants, there are, at least, a thousand that are not fubjected to the ordinary laws of fecundation, fuch as moffes, mushrooms, ferns, and others, comprehended in the Cryptogamia of Linnæus, which are in the lower claffes of the vegetable kingdom, and only poffefs fome attributes that imitate fructification. The details into which our Author enters concerning the generation of plants, and the fexual coalitions from whence it proceeds, are interefting, and in feveral particulars new: and they give us a notion, that though these androgunes are not fo happy as those of Plato, they are not deftitute of fome fort of fenfibility.

As to the hiftory of the two plants mentioned in the title of this work, it is treated in a mafterly manner according to the plan indicated above; and will naturally excite the impatience of the botanical reader to fee the following volumes.