gifticated, inflammable, nitrous, a cid, and alkaline, are of the fame nature with atmospheric air, and may be confidered as different kinds of air; and that atmospheric air is, like them, capable of being united to other fubftances, and of thus undergoing various modifications. This theory they fupport by a number of judicious arguments and wellcontrived experiments. Mr. Cuthbertfon's "Defcription of an improved Air Pump, &c." contains an account of fome contrivances which he has invented to remedy the inconveniencies which have attended the best instruments of that kind, which have been in ufe among experimental philofophers. In pumps of his conftruction, dry air may be rarefied about fix hundred times; and they are so formed, that they may be made to condenfe, either at the fame time that they exhauft, or feparately. Mr. Ger. Nil. Heerkens of Groningen, in his agreeable defcription of "The Birds of Friefland," in Latin verfe, has blended together his fenfible obfervations as a naturalist, with the effort of his fancy in the fervice of the mules. The birds to whofe hiftory and economy he here devotes his labours are, the lark, the crossbill, the magpye, the swallow, the goofe, the crested wren, the quail, the ftarling, the thruth, and the black bird. From the notes which accompany this entertaining poem, the ftudents in natural hiftory may derive many facts, which have not been recorded by former writers. -From Mr. A. Bloom's "Treatife on the Colony of Surinam, founded on Twenty Years Experience, "printed at Amfterdam, the botanist may gather information refpecting the natural history of that fettlement. Mr. Vofmaer's "Defcription of the Camelopard, or Giraffe; and

of the gloffy green-hued Mole," are articles which form the fixteenth number of a description of the uncommon animals and remarkable productions in the cabinet and menagerie of his ferene highness the prince of Orange. This very curious and interesting work is recommended to the lovers of natural biftory, by Mr. Vofmaer's extenfive knowledge of nature, and the penetration and accuracy with which he defcribes her productions. The number before us contains a judicious and authentic account of two animals which are but imperfectly known to European naturalitis, and which are remarkable for their rarenefs, and for their beauty.-Mr. Burja's "Cbfervations on Ruffia, Finland, Livonia, Courland, and Pruffia," published at Maestricht, are drawn up in the form of a journal, and contain fuch remarks on the inhabitants and customs of those countries, as might be expected from the pen of a learned and judicious traveller. These observations are mixed with much mifcellaneous matter, which is delivered in an eafy and lively ftyle.-The two volumes of "Familiar and Friendly Correfpondence between Frederic II. King of Pruffia, and U. F. De Suhm, Privy Counsellor to the Elector of Saxony, &c." contain the effufions of their private friendship, during an epiftolary intercourfe which commenced in March 1736, and continued to the death of M. Suhm, in 1740, just after the king's acceffion to the throne. The fubjects of these letters will not be very interesting or entertaining to the generality of readers. They contain no political or hiftorical anecdotes; and derive their principal recommendation from the enthusiasm with which even the trifles of so extraordinary

a cha.

a character as Frederic the Great are collected.-"A particular Account, accompanied with a Specimen of a New Edition of the Works of Plutarch, by M. Wytterbach, Profeffor at Amfterdam," announces the completion of a work, which has teen promised to the world for these fifteen years, by the learned and ingenious editor, and which bids fair to give him a high and lasting reputation among the commentators on the ancients. From the fpecimen of the text, verfion, emendations, and notes, which we have now before us, it appears that M. Wyttenbach has been indefatigable in his application as a grammarian and critic; and that by his profound knowledge of the genius of the Greek language, and his intimate acquaintance with the philofophy of the ancients, he was well qualified for the undertaking in which he was engaged. This edition is intended to contain all the works of Plutarch that are extant, beginning with his moral writings, and ending with his lives. The learned world will alfo hear with pleasure, that a third volume of the "Bibliotheca Critica," has been published by Mr. Wyttenbach; and that he has a promife of being affifted in carrying on that learned work, by Schultens, Van Santen, Tollius, &c.-A third volume of Mr. Lavater's "Effay on Phyfiognomy, defigned to promote the Knowledge and Love of Mankind," has appeared at the Hague. We have, in a former Regifter, given our opinion of the labours of this ingenious and excentric gentleman. Many of his obfervations and remarks, in the prefent volume, are fenfible, liberal, and edifying; while at other times, they are fo fanciful and incongruous, that we freely own ourfelves to be infidels with refpect to the philofophy of his fcience. As

a fplendid edition of this work is intended to be published in our own country, which is to receive the corrections and emendations of the author, we may, probably, be called upon to give fome farther account of it in a future volume.

The first place in our account of the literature of Germany, we shall affign to Dr. J. P. Eckerman's tranf lation into verfe, of "the Prophecy of Joel, with new Explications; publifhed at Lubec. This com mentary upon Joel is divided into five fections. The first relates to the method and text of the prophet. The fecond contains a comparative view of the best explications of his prophecy. The third gives an account of the time when he prophefied. In the fourth, the weight and importance of his predictions, and their poetical and religious characters are difcuffed. And the fifth is compofed of the author's philologi cal, critical, and etymological remarks. This performance abounds in learned refearches, and judicious criticifins; and will be received with peculiar pleasure by the ftudent in facred literature.At Augsburg, "An Effay on the Apoftolic Li turgies, and the Ancient Liturgies. of the Weftern Church; explaining their Origin, Progrefs, Order, and Language," has been published by P. Auguftin Krazer, in the Latin language.At Berlin a work has been published, entitled, "The only true Syftem of the Chriftian Religion," which, according to the accounts of the foreign journalists, contains a collection of the most extravagant opinions, and unintelligible abfurdities, but intermixed, as it should feem, with a variety of judicious and fhrewd remarks. We cannot fay that the reprefentations which they have given, have enabled us to form an accurate judg

ment of that clafs of religionists to which the author is to be referred. We fufpect however, though perhaps erroneously, that he is one of the profyletes to the opinions of E. manuel Swedenborg. Ar Hamburgh, Mr. Ferdinand Olivier Petit-Pierre, formerly paftor of La Chaux de Fonds, has publifhed the first volume of a work entitled, "The Plan of God, with regard to Man, as manifefted in the Religion of Nature, and the Gofpel Dif penfation." The whole of the author's plan is divided by him into four parts. The volume before us, which contains the first of thefe, treats of the infinite goodness of God; which is defined to be his invariable inclination, eternally to communicate all poffible good to his creatures. The explanation of this definition takes up the first chapter of this volume. In the fecond chap ter Mr. Petit-Pierre confiders the proofs of the infinite goodness of God, as derived from reafon and from Scripture. And in the third, he mentions the inferences or the confequences to be deduced from the infinite goodness of God, as they relate either to the theory or practice of religion. This excellent work, which is evidently the refult of long and clofe reflection, and dictated by the utmost fimplicity and integrity of mind, bears fuch marks of love to God, and benevolence to man, as must strongly recommend it to the liberal and difpaffionate. It represents the genuine doctrines of the gofpel of Chrift, in the most rational and engaging point of view: and we think it admirably calculat ed to free Chriftianity from fome of the falfe opinions by which it hath been for many ages encumbered, but which are totally inconfiftent with every rational idea of the divine per fections.At Jena, a Thefis has

been published by M. J. C. Dăderlein, the object of which is, to prove," that Chrift- gave no civil laws." In this Thefis the author fhews, that our great lawgiver has ordained nothing relating to temporal government; and that those commands which seem to have any reference to it, are to be understood only as private precepts. The illuftrious baron Dalhberg, Coadjutor to the electoral archbishop of Mentz, has published an excellent pamphlet, containing the substance of a memoir read to the academy of fciences at Erfurt, called "Con fiderations on the Connection between Morality and Politics.” In this publication he fhews, that po litics and morality, instead of standing in oppofition to each other, are intimately connected; that politics are only a part or branch of mo→ rality; and that all the fchemes of pretended political wisdom, that de viate from, or violate the rules of this mafter-fcience, turn out, in the iffue, often to the detriment of their contriver, always to that of the nation. This fubject, though not new, our author difcufles with peculiar zeal and spirit ; and his observations are abundantly confirmed by his tory and experience.

In adverting to the philofophical productions of Germany, our atten tion is called, in the first place, to the "Memoirs of the Royal Acade my of Sciences, and Belles Lettres at Berlin, for the Year 1784." This volume opens, as ufual, with the history of the academy; in which Mr. Formey, in an eloquent dif course, celebrates the eminent characters of Frederic II. who was then living, and thofe of Meff. Daniel Bernoulli, D'Alembert and Euler. The principal papers of which the memoirs confift, relate to experimental philofophy, mathematics,

fpe

which he promises fhall be followed by a description of the plants which he has brought from the South-Sea iflands. Many of thefe plants are unknown; and were discovered in the voyage which he made with his father and Dr. Sparmann.-M. Krocker at Breflaw, has prefented the public with an edition of the "Flora Silefiaca," with corrections; in which he has defcribed Linnæus's nine firft claffes of plants, after his manner, accompanied with the German names and their fignifications. Among the historical productions which have appeared in Germany, "The State of Government, Religion, Literature, and the Arts, in Great Britain, towards the Clofe of the eighteenth Century, by D. G. F. Auguftus Wendeborn, Minister of a German Church in London," print ed at Berlin, in three volumes, is a work which has been read with much eagerness, and which, in general, reflects no difhonour on he abilities and impartiality of the author. It is impoffible for us to follow D. Wendeborn, through the particulars of his interefting and entertaining work and, indeed, moft of our readers are well acquainted with the principal facts which it relates. We fhall only obferve, in general, that it contains the moft circumftantial and authentic account of the prefent ftate of this country, which has been put into the hands of foreigners. It is written with a truly philofophical fpirit, and enlivened with many curious anecdotes. Mr. Mannet's Hiftory of the immediate Succef fors of Alexander, taken from Original Sources, &c. Leipfic," is intended by the author to diffipate the obfcurity which covers the hiftory of that important period: in which difficult work he has proved remarkably fuccessful. His critical

works he made use of, are testimonies to his acutenefs and erudition.-The "Letters on Calabria and Sicily,” by Henry Bartel, affiitant of the Royal Society at Gottingen, contain an account of the author's journey from Naples to Reggio, foon after the great earthquake in 1783, with his obfervations on the remarkable changes introduced by that aweful event into the appearance of the country, and the fituation of the inhabitants.

We fhall now proceed to take notice of fuch German productions as have any reference to critical and polite literature. Under this head we shall first announce the publica tion of a kind of literary journal, by M. Wahl, profeffor and principal of the Gymnafium of Buckebourgh, called "The Magazine of Ancient Literature, particularly Biblical and Oriental." This work conlifts of a tranflation in verfe of three poems of Myron, and the first Idyllium of Theocritus, with expla natory notes; and feveral pieces of Hebrew and Perfian literature, with a lift of feveral Arabic words and fynonimes deciphered, taken from the Arabic of Niebuhr, and the Flora and Fauna of Forfkaol. This is a valuable and interefting work; particularly that part which contains obfervations and criticisms relating to oriental literature. For fuch kind of ftudies the learned author appears to be eminently qualified. At Leip fic, M. Fred. Wm. Sturz has col lected, from various authors," the Fragments of Hellanicus Lefbius: with Illustrations, and a preliminary Differtation on the Age, Life, and Writings of Hellanicus." Thefe fragments relate to hiftorical, geographical, and mythological fubject. The notes which accompany them, and the preliminary differtation, are

learned