have belonged to it. By carefully diffecting the muscles of quadrupeds, he has difcovered clavicles in feveral, in which they had never yet been perceived: thefe differ indeed from the clavicles in animals of the former clafs, as they are shorter and more irregular, concealed among the mufcles, and partly ligamentous; for which reafon he has diftinguished them by the name of clavicular bones. Hence he propofes an arrangement of quadrupeds into three claffes; the first confifting of those which have complete clavicles, the fecond, of thofe which have only clavicular bones, and the third clafs, of thofe which have neither. To exemplify thefe obfervations, he has given a minute defcription, illuftrated by well-executed plates, of the clavicuJar bone, with the adjacent parts, in the rat, the rabbit, the hare, the Guinea pig, and the cat. It is, however, unfcientific to adopt the internal ftructure of natural objects for the diftinguishing characters of a claffification.

On the anatomical Hiftory of the Tendons, and especially of their mucous Capfula. By M. DE FOUR CROY. In these two memoirs M. DE FOUR CROY, after an hiftorical view of the obfervations of anatomifts on this fubject, gives an account of the ftructure, fituation, and ufe of the mucous capfulæ of the tendons, and adds a particular defcription of thofe of the human body.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Obfervations on the Sea Wolf. By M. BROUSSONET.

Account of the Cupreffus Difticha of Linné, or the deciduous Cyprefs. By the Abbé TESSIER. This kind of cypress, which grows in great abundance in the fwamps near Philadelphia, has Fately been found to thrive in France. It is valuable on account of its timber, which is faid to be proof againft the worm, and to be more durable than any other. Those planted in France about fifteen years ago are now thirty-fix feet high, and four feet in circumference at the base.

Obfervations on the Manner of making Herbals. By the Abbé HAUY. As the natural colours of flowers thus preferved are apt to fade, the Abbé fuggefts a method of fubftituting artificial colours in their ftead. With these the paper is to be stained, on which the flowers are impreffed.

On the Structure of feveral metallic Cryftals. By the Same.

Concerning the Diftribution of Vegetables into the fame Number of Claffes with thefe eftablished in the animal Kingdom, and, like those, founded on the various Degrees of Perfection of the Organs. By the Chevalier DE LA MARCK.

After infifting on the inconvenience attending the fyftems of Tournefort and Linné, the Chevalier propofes to diftribute the

7

vegetable

vegetable kingdom into fix claffes, analogous to those of animals, as in the following table;

Vegetables.

1. Polypetalous.

2. Monopetalous.

3. Compofite.

4. Incomplete.

Animals.

1. Quadrupeds.

3. Amphibious.

5. Unilobed.

6. Cryptogamous.

2. Birds.

4. Fil.

5. Infects.

6. Worms.

ASTRONOMY.

On the Figure of the Earth. By M. DE LA LANDE. It is a common opinion that the figure of the earth, as deduced from the comparative length of pendulums, is different from that which is indicated by theory, and the measurement of degrees of latitude but M. DE LA LANDE fhews, in this memoir, that the fuppofed difference arifes merely from confidering the earth as a homogeneous body; whereas, if we admit that the ftrata, of which our globe is compofed, increase in denfity as they approach the centre, the refult of the obfervations made on the pendulum will agree, not only with that obtained from the measure of the degrees of latitude, but also with the theory and the laws of hydroftatics. This he illuftrates by an examination of the obfervations made by Mr. Lyons, who accompanied Lord Mulgrave in his voyage toward the North Pole, compared with thofe made by Meffrs. Graham and Campbell in London and in Jamaica, and with thofe of the French academicians.

On the Origin of the Zodiac, the Explanation of the twelve Signs, and Sir Ifaac Newton's Syftem of Chronology. By M. LE GENTIL. This memoir is only a fhort view of a larger work on the fubject prefented by the Author to the Academy. He conjectures that the zodiac was invented in the age of Atlas, four thousand two hundred and forty-two years before Chrift, when he calculated that the canicular period muft have commenced, and that the ftars in the beginning of Virgo were in the summer folftice, which was confidered as the renewal of the year. He afferts that this conftellation was intended, not to indicate the feafon of reaping, but as a reprefentation of Ifis or Ceres, under which figure the earth was deified by the Syrians, and all the eaftern nations. In connection with this, he obferves that the fign of Gemini, which is in the ninth month after Virgo, was defigned to point out the fertility of the earth, by the allegory of twins. M. LE GENTIL alfo defends Newton's opinion, that the fphere of Eudoxus was that of Chiron; and vindicates his calculations against the objections of Whifton, who did not, he

Uu3

Lays,

fays, diftinguish between the claws of Scorpio and the fign of Libra.

Comparison of the Indian Zodiac, defcribed in the Philofophical Tranfactions for 1772, with a Representation of the Zodiac at the Bottom of one of the Towers of the Church of Notre Dame in Paris; with Obfervations on these two Monuments of Antiquity. By the Same.

Theory of Jupiter and of Saturn. By M. DE LA PLACE. This memoir is toto cælo different from the two laft; the hypothefis maintained in it is founded, not on conjecture, but on attentive obfervation, and patient labour in the most intricate and difficult calculations. Its defign is to fhew that the inequalities of the motions of Jupiter and Saturn are fo far from being exceptions to the laws of gravity, that they are a neceffry confequence of this principle, and afford new arguments in its fa

vour.

On the Motion of Venus. By M. DE LA LANDE. According to the calculations of this fkilful and laborious aftronomer, the period of the tropical revolution of Venus is 224 16 41′ 27′′,5, and that of its fiderial revolution, 224d 16h 49′ 7′′,8.

Extract of a Letter from Bagdat, communicated by the Same. An account is here given of fome obfervations, which make the Jatitude of Bagdat only 33° 15' inftead of 33° 21, in which it is generally fuppofed to be fituated.

We propose to give an account of the remaining articles in a 'future Review.

ART. XIV.

Collection des meilleurs Ouvrages François, compofés par des Femmes: i. e. The Works of celebrated Frenchwomen. Selected by Mademoiselle DE KERALIO. Vol. IV. 8vo. Paris. 1787.

ADEMOISELLE DE KERALIO has here prefented to

MA

the world the continuation of a work which was announced in our laft Appendix, page 547.

The prefent volume contains the hiftory of the ftate of literature in France in the fixteenth century, and the lives of Louife Labé and Marguarite de Valois, together with fome few particulars touching Pernette du Guillet, Madame et Mademoifelle des Roches, Helifeure de Creue, Anne de Seguier, &c. &c. &c. all of whom were confidered by their contemporaries as women of diftinguished abilities; and not without reafon : Many of their productions, particularly the fonnets and lighter poems, and which appear to be formed on the model of Marot, poffe fling a naïveté, and even an elegance of expreffion, which would do honour to the prefent times,

With respect to the theatrical sketches, or moralities, in the form of plays, of which fome fpecimens are here to be found, we have little to fay in their praife. They are dry and uninterefting; of this the fair compiler feems to be fully fenfible, as fhe has fometimes given them with confiderable curtailments. We mean not, however, to object to their admiffion in a work of this nature. If they are neither inftructive nor entertaining, they are certainly curious; and as they ferve at once to mark the progrefs of letters, and the gradual refinement of a people, they must neceffarily be acceptable to many readers.

The anecdotes refpecting Marguarite Valois, wife of Henry the Fourth of France, and La Foffeufe, maid of honour to the queen, and miftrefs of that renowned monarch-the character of which latter lady may, by the way, be pretty eafily gueffed at by the reader f Triftram Shandy-will afford amusement to the gay and amorous of either fex.

Two more volumes, comprifing the letters of the Marchiones de Sevigné, and a fhort account of her life (which volumes are marked 9 and 10 of this collection), were delivered with that (vol. IV.) which we have juft been noticing. The intermediate ones are, we prefume, intended to be the vehicle of the more confiderable productions of the fixteenth and feventeenth centuries. Why the letters in question have been publifhed out of their regular order of time, we cannot poffibly tell, unless it is with a view of felling them feparately.

N. B. The conclufion of our account of Mademoiselle de Keralio's Hiftory of Queen Elizabeth, will be the fubject of another article in this Appendix.

ART. XV.

Principes de la Philofophie Naturelle, &c. i. e. Principles of Natural Philofophy; in which an Attempt is made to determine the Degrees of Certainty or Probability in human Knowlege. 2 Vols, 8vo. Geneva. 1787.

TM

HE writer of this work (who, as we are informed, is M. de la METHERIE) awakens the public attention by promifing great things;-nothing lefs, than to fix the true foundations and limits of human knowlege, to banish scepti❤ cifm, and to afcertain the principles of morals and policy. In order to execute his defign, he difclaims all declamation and oratorical phrafeology; profeffing to be guided by the strictest logical rules, and to advance nothing, of which he has not af

This lady must not be confounded with Marguerite de Valois, Gfter of Francis the First, and remarkable for her lively and agree able tales, They had both the title of Queen of Navarre. U u 4

figned

figned its degree of certainty. As Newton, in his immortal work, has laid down the laws of motion, fo, in this, the author undertakes to unfold thofe of nature, in her firft operations. He, moreover, propofes to apply calculation to the perceptions and feelings of the human mind, as the only way of arriving at precifion in the science of human nature. The attempt is certainly laudable. Of the degree of praife which is due to the execution, our readers will be able to form fome judgment from the following fummary view of the author's fyftem.

Extended beings, or bodies, are compofed of indivifible elements, fimple, and different from each other; each having its proper degree of extenfion and force. The combination of thefe produces all the varieties of being.

A fentient being is effentially one, without parts; for it has a fimple confcioufnefs of various impreffions, which can only fubfift in an uncompounded fubftance. All perception is paffive, and is produced, and varied, by motion. The impreffions, tranfmitted to the fentient principle, by means of organic fenfes, are the origin of human perception. Some of these impreffions are agreeable, others difagreeable, in different degrees. Hence arife pleafure and pain; and thefe are the source of all the paffions.

The fum of all poffible combinations of perceptions, makes up the whole poffible world. These may exift in a progreffive feries, from the fmalleft to the most extenfive combination. The being, who poffeffes the higheft place in this fcale, or who has all poffible agreeable perceptions in the highest degree of perfection, will be the Great Being.

All thofe properties of fentient beings which are commonly called powers, or faculties, are nothing more than the different modifications of perception. Our firft knowlege confifts in fimple perceptions, and the ideas we acquire by thefe means are of the first order. Thofe of the fecond order arife from comparing different impreffions, and judging of their resemblance, magnitude, or tendency to produce pleasure or pain. Reafoning differs from judgment only in degree: to reafon is to bring together many judgments, and contemplate their mutual re

lation.

We cannot be deceived in our perceptions. When we perceive two objects, we are fure that we perceive them, and we are equally fure that the one is not the other.

Impreffions communicated to that part of the brain called the fenfo ium, or the internal fenfe, remain there a long time after the first perception: and, as foon as any other related perception is produced, the former is revived, and accompanied with a consciousness that we have before experienced it. This is memory.

The