Ethocratie, ou le Gouvernement fondé fur la Morale.-On Government founded on Morality. Amfterdam.

This writer conceives very properly, that if laws were made and administered ftrictly according to the principles of found morality, the fyftem of human policy would be much improved. It might be fo. But, if men could be prevailed on to at univerfally on those principles, would it not in a great measure superfede the neceffity of political government? It has been justly remarked, that almoft all the writers on the fubject of morals, as relative to community in general, have only paraphrafed in various ways, the expreffion of Horace, Quid leges, fine moribus, vana proficiuni ?-When a people are become generally virtuous, their legiflators and magiftrates may become fo too: till when it is in vain to expect it.

Les Argumens de la Raifon en Faveur de la Philofophie, de la Re ligion, et du Sacerdoce. Par L'Abbé Pinton.-Rational Ar guments in Favour of Philosophy, Religion, and the Clergy. 12mo. Paris.

Soon after the deceafe of the celebrated Helvetius, was published a pofthumous work attributed to that writer. entitled, De l'Homme, de fes Facultés Intellectuelles, et de fon Education; containing an illuftration and explication of the principles inculcated in his famous book, entitled, De l'Efprit. The Abbé Pincton hath here attacked thofe principles with great spirit and fome fuccefs.

Obfervations fur l'Air. Par M. Berthollet, M. D.-Obfervations on Air. Paris.

The fuccefs of Dr. Priestley's late enquiries into the nature of the air, feems to have fet the philofophical experimentalifts, all over Europe, upon analyzing the heterogeneous matter, which compofes the mafs of the furrounding atmosphere. In these researches, it is no wonder if thy fhould a little clash, in their opinion of the refult of their experiments. It is very proper, nevertheless, that they fhould be apprized of what they are feverally doing, as their reciprocal mistakes may ferve to their general correction.

Novi Commentarii Academie Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitana. -New Commentaries by the Imperial Academy of Sciences at Petersburg. Vol. XX. for the Year 1776.

These Commentaries, which are compiled in the manner of the French Academical Memoirs, appear annually, and become more and more interefting to the philofophical world, from the increased intercourfe and liberal communication the academy holds with learned and fcientific foreigners. The mathematical part of the prefent volume contains, among other ingenious papers,, Differtations by M. D. Bernouilli on continued fractions, and by M. Euler on various fubjects in pure mathematics.In the mixt mathematics the latter hath alfo two excellent tracts, on the motion of bodies: on which fubject are alfo given fome general theorems by M. Lexell. A differtation, on the power of a new kind of oar, by Mr. Kraft, diftinguifhes, alfo, this part of the work.-The theory of the common oar hath been long fince fufficiently elucidated by Mr. Bouguer and Mr. Euler. Daniel Bernouilli, in answer to the queftion propofed by the Academy of Sciences of Paris, about twenty years ago, offered a new kind of oar greatly superior in respect of power to the common ones. Mr. Kraft hath made án improvement on thefe, which promnifes to be of much utility. -In the clafs of phyfics, and that of aftronomy, are alfo fome curious papers by the Eulers and other refpectable academicians.

Effai fur les Langues en general, fur la Langue Françoife en particulier, et fa Progreffion depuis Charlemagne jusqù à present. Par M. Sablier.-An Eflay on Languages in general, and on the French Language in particular, and its progress from the Time of Charlemagne to the prefent. 8vo. Paris.

Mr. Sablier prudentially fets out with taking for granted that, as all nations defcended originally from one common flock, there can have been but one primitive language. By this affumption he faves himself, of course, a world of trouble in difcuffing the numerous difficulties that would embarrass him, in treating the fubject in a more philofophical manner. The method he hath chofen is rather hiftorical; a much more cafy if not fatisfactory method. His hiftory of the progreffive improvement of the French tongue is particularly inftructive and entertaining.-There appear to have been no traces, fays he, of the prefent French, in the time of Charlemagne, who, Bevertheless, endeavoured to diffufe a tafte for literature

throughout

throughout his empire. At that time it appears that a kind of mixture, or lingua franca, of Latin, Gaulic, and Franc, was in general ufe; the first traces of the modern French first appearing in the reign of Charles the Bald, about the middle of the ninth century.

Un Chretien contre Six Juifs.-One Chriftian againft Six Jews. Svo. Hague.

A match! but a very unequal one! By the fix Jews is meant the fuppofed authors of the Letters to De Voltaire from certain -Dutch and Portugueze Jews, published about eight years ago*: to whom, it appears, by the tile and manner of this performance, the celebrated writer hath here given, in the name of a friend, a final anfwer. This friend begins by reprefenting Voltaire as a poor old man, approaching to ninety, who has no longer either ftrength or fpirit to defend himself, and therefore is inhumanly attacked on all fides. Like a hackneyed advocate, he proceeds then to raise a doubt about his client's being really the author of the works objected to; but without going fo far as actually to deny it. By attempting next to juftify feveral of the objectionable paffages, he feems, indeed, to admit the fact. But his replies are of little weight or importance. This advocate for Voltaire is so much the man himfelf, that he can hardly fupport, for a moment, a serious argument on fuch fubjects. His pleasantries, when not profane, are more entertaining. The reader may not be displeased with a fample. In reply to the criticism of the Jews, on Voltaire's objection to the multitude of flocks that fubfifted on the plains of Median; in which they obferved, that no lefs than four hundred thousand fheep are to be found on a fmall marfhy fpot of ground in Dorfetfhire; our Chriftian anfwers," So much the worse for the owners; fheep die foon of the rot in the marshes. I have loft many of mine on fuch grounds; and would not advise you to feed your fheep there; but to turn the whole into fish-ponds and breed carp. They will thrive."

In this manner our Chriftian parries off the thrufts of his supposed Six Jews, when he thinks himself likely to be foiled; feldom clofing with his adverfary in fair encounter. But, perhaps, he thought himfelf juftified in this; by the avowed plu rality of numbers, as the odds may be fuppofed to have made

it no fair match.

Said to be written, however, by a fingle Chriftian, Abbé Guenne, Profeffor of Rhetoric in the University of Paris.

D;

a

De l'Etat de l'Agriculture chez les Romains, &c.—On the State of Agriculture among the Romans, as relating to Government, Manners, and Commerce, from the Commencement of the Republic to the Time of Julius Cæfar. A Differtation which obtained the Prize of the Royal Academy of Infcriptions and the Belles Lettres in the Year 1776. By M. Arcere. Paris.

This differtation is divided into three parts; in the first of which is difcuffed the ftate of agriculture among the Romans, as it affected government, with the reciprocal influence of each on the other. In the fecond is confidered the influence of agriculture on manners, and of manners on agriculture; in which the writer expatiates in a forcible and interefting manner, on the fpirit of domination, luxury, and the inordinate defire of wealth. In the third part are traced the feveral relations of agriculture to commerce. On this fubje&t Mr. Arcere obferves, that of all the regulations, devised by the Romans in favour of agriculture, the moft ufeful were the Agrarian laws, confining the moderate poffeffion of lands to individuals; an obfervation that ftrongly militates against the prevailing practice in this country. And yet this author concludes with remarking that, during the period abovementioned, the Romans could neither give life to agriculture by the fuccefs of their commerce, nor fupport their commerce by agriculture.

Atti dell' Accademia delle Scienze di Sienna, &c.-Tranfactions of the Academy of Sciences at Sienna. Vol. V. 4to. Sienna.

This academy, firft inftituted in 1691, and protected by Cardinal de Medicis, was afterwards abandoned, and did not renew its meetings till 1737, in the reign of the Emperor Francis I., fince when it has acquired a confiderable reputation among the philofophical focieties of Europe; a reputation for which it is principally indebted to the encouragement and fup port it has been honoured with by the prefent Duke of Tufcany. The volume before us, though printed, as appears from the title-page, in 1774, hath but just made its appear ance. It is divided into two parts; the one comprehending mathematical and the other phyfical differtations...

Obfervationes

Obfervationes Phyfiologice de motu mufculorum voluntario et vitali.-Phyfiological Obfervations on Mufcular Motion, voJuntary and vital. By Adolphus Ypey, M. D. &c. 8vo. Francher.

A dicious, experimental treatife on the influence of the nerve, on the motion of the mufcles; a doctrine called in queion by fome lace phy Go'ogifts, but confirmed by the prefeur nie; who, in his turn, attacks the received notion of the fin la qualities of opium.

Defende Livres de l'Ancien Teftament, &c.-A defence of the Books of the Old Teftament. Amfterdam.

A learned and logical defence of the Old Teftament against the per dimpernent objections of Mr. de Voltaire, contained n his Philophy of Hiory; a work whofe errors have betor been juiciently expofed and exploded by Mr. Larches, Father Viret, and others. After the reiterated public proofs of Voltaire's wanton, if not wilful, mifreprefentations and mift kes in hiftory and theology, it is indeed a task unworthy of a writer of real knowledge and ingenuous difpofition to fet about a ferious refutation; at which, though ever fo palpably convict d, the wicked wit will probably only laugh, and turn the whole in ridicule.--At one objection in particular, which is ftrongly urged against Voltaire by this wrer (viz. the doctrine of the immortality of the foul being taught in the books of Mofes), we are perfuaded he will exultingly cite the authority of fome celebrated orthodox diyines, who maintain the fame opinion. For the credit of thofe books, it is to be wifhed, that this fubject were not fo much infifted on, as it cannot but appear ftrange to the unlearned that it fhould be a matter of difpute, whether a doctrine is, or is not, taught in books, which the difputing parties both profefs fo well to understand. We cannot help thinking, that difputes of this kind, refpe&ting other doctrines deduced from Scripture, tend more to bring the facred text into doubt, than would its being left in fuch inftances profeffedly unintelligible.

Peinture des Moeurs du Siécle, &c. Par M. de la Croix, Avocat.-Or, a description of the manners of the age, in letters and difcourfes on different fubjects. 2 vols. 12mo. Paris.

Select extracts from a periodical work, entitled Spectateur François, published in fix volumes, during the courfe of the

years