tion as it received in its performance at of this science seems almost to have 46 Hector; a Tragedy in five Acts;" by J. CH. J. LuCE DE LANCIVAL, performed for the first time at the French Theatre in Paris, Feb. 1, 1809, translated by Mr. MANGIN, though spirited and patriotic, seems still best adapted to the closet. MISCELLANIES.' A more elegantly written, or a more spirited pamphlet, than the "Reply to the Calumnics of the Edinburgh Review against Oxford," has rarely met our notice. It is divided into five chapters. The first treats" of the Study of Aristotle, and Neglect of the Mathematics," in the examination of an Analysis of La Places Traité de Méchanique Céleste. In the second chapter we have the "Examination of a Criticism in the 28th Number of the Edinburgh Review, on Falconer's edition of Strabo;" in which the writer appears to have exerted no ordinary powers of criticisia. The third chapter contains Remarks on an Article upon Edgeworth's Professional Educati. on. The fourth is devoted to the "This (he observes) is, beyond a supplanted all the other branches of "Still it cannot be disputed, that the science has a tendency, if rightly studied, to, enlarge the mind, and that it will enable a man to perform many of the relative duties of life, both public and private, more correctly. On this account, the introduction of it into the lectures on Modern History has always appeared to me a great improvement; and the still farther extension of the same enquiry would, I am persuaded, be much improved. "Its great leading principles, however, are soon acquired: the ordinary reading of the day supplies them. Ant with the majority of students, the more accurate study and investigation of its theorems may well be reserved for those situations and occasions, in which many of them will be placed at some future season, and which afford ample time for the completion of such enquiries. When combined with practical exertions, and called forth by particular occasions, these studies gain a firmer hold, and are pursued with more eager interest. mind should indeed be early disciplined and fitted for that work: but the work itself may be done when the time comes.. The "It is a fully to think that every thing which a man is to know must be taught him while young, as if he were to spring at once from college, and be intrusted with the immediate management of the world; as if life had no intervals for extending knowledge; as if intellectual exercise, and the act of learning, were unbecoming the state of manhood. "With regard to this science in par ticular, there are many points in it which make me think it a fitter employment for the mind in an advanced period of life, than when the affections are young and and growing, and liable to be cramped and stunted by the views of human nature which it continually presents. There is perhaps something in all theoretical views of society which tends to harden the feelings, and to represent man as a blind part of a blind machine. The frame-work of that great structure must, we know, be put together upon such principles; and the more enlarged our sphere of action is, the more correct and luminous ought our notions to be of their relative power and importance. But by far the greater part of those who are educated for active professions have less occasion for contemplating those abstract notions, than for adapting themselves promptly to the limited relations of life in which they are placed; and in which the remedy of evils caused by the friction of the machine and by external accident, requires not that comprehensive view of its whole construction to be for ever present to the mind. It is not then that I would keep these truths out of sight, it is not then that I would deny the utility of them in every sphere and condition; but where a choice is left us among many pursuits, all of which are in their several degrees beneficial, I would be very cautious how that was singled out and made predominant, which is so prone to usurp over the rest, and the abuse of which is not a laugh able, but a serious, evil." Another curious work in this class will be found in Mr. WESTON'S "Remains of Arabic in the Spanish and Portuguese Languages. With a Sketch, by way of Introduction, of the History of Spain from the Expulsion of the Moors. Also Extracts from the Original Letters in Arabic to and from Don Manoueel and his Governors in India and Africa: followed by an Appendix, containing a Specimen of the Introduction to the Hitopadesa translated into three Languages, the principal Metre of which is that of the Sanscrit." In the appendix, Mr. Weston informs us, "the Hitopadesa, or Amicable Instruction, first known by the unmeaning appellation of Pilpay, Elephant's Foot, and Bidpay, Fat, or Splay Foot, Fables, is the original of Esop, whose real name was Eswed or Esud, from the Arabic word. . . black. This strengthens the opinion of the Arabs, that Esop was a Nubian or Abyssinian; and makes it more than probable, that he and Lok man were one and the same." They who delight in philosophical speculations, will find much amusement in a volume of Essays which has appeared "(in the Sources of the Pleasures received from Literary Compositions." They are, On the Improvement of Taste; on the Imagination, and on the Association of Ideas; on the Sublime; on Terror; on Pity; on Melancholy; on the Tender Affections; on Beauty; and on the Lu. dicrous. The difficulty of such inves tigations needs no comment on our part. In this place we may also notice, “A philosophical Inquiry into the Cause, with Directions to Cure, the Dry Rot in Buildings," by JAMES RANDALL, Architect. This most important subject is discussed with much ingenuity, and the reasonings and experiments contained in the little work before us, claim the attention of every builder, and every gentleman who superintends his own works. The author points out the inefficiency of the methods heretofore tried to prevent or cure this formidable evil; he then describes the causes which produce it in the first instance, and determines the remedy. Mr. Randall has no doubt, from repeated experiments and observations, that the Dry Rot, in all cases, arises from a previous state of fermentation, whence proceeds the com plete growth of a fungus of which the dry rot consists. The general remedy where the disease has commenced, and the preventative in all new buildings, is oxydation either by means of fire or the nitric acid. The indestructibility of wood oxydated by fire, or, in other words, of wood that has been charred, was known to the ancients; but as it is impossible to subject many of the parts of buildings to the operation of fire, Mr. Randall has discovered that the same may be effected by the acid process of oxydating by affinity. The author has given a full explication of his theory, and laid down such rules for the practice as may be understood and applied by conmon workinen. Another work of considerable interest in the miscellaneous class, will be found in "Illustrations of the Lives and Wri tings of Gower and Chaucer;" collected from authentic documents, by the Rev. HENRY J. TonD. Of these the first and most considerable is entire manu script of Francis Thynne, entitled “Animadversions upon the Annotations and Corrections of some Imperfectónes and Impressónes of Chaucer's Workes, (sett downe before tyme and nowe) reprinted in the yere of our Lorde, 1598.” The second division of the Illustrations contains contains two documents of no trifling "Halfe in dede sclepe, not fully revyved, With troubled dremes sore was I mevyd, In such thynges, as of right by the agayne nature, I herde a voyce seyyng, Sclepe thow no more. sure; Awake, awake, of comfort full blynde." "The Commentators on observes, of Macbeth: "Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no Macbeth has murder'd sleep." The conclusion of the second poem is At the end of all is a valuable glossary of 66 Another valuable work, though of a humbler description in the miscellaneous class, will be found in Mr. MORTIMER'S Grammar, illustrating the Principles and Practice of Trade and Commerce; for the Use of Young Persons intended for Business." It opens with a few general definitions, followed by an enureration of the principal branches of trade and manufacture in Great Britain and An alphabetical list of merIreland. chantable commodities is next introduced; followed by a collection of commercial towns, usages, and institutions; a list of the principal ports of every tra ding nation throughout the world, with the branches of commerce peculiar to each; a list of the canals of Great Britain and Ireland; an account of all the real and imaginary monies in the world, with their values in British sterling; a table of the agreement which the weights of the principal places in Europe have with each other; commercial marks and characters; a commercial nomenclature of the denominations of the chief articles of trade, in twelve different languages; maxims of experience, and questions. Here also we shall give a place to Major CHAMBERLIN'S "Practical Instructions to Young Officers, relative to the interior Discipline of a Regiment of Foot." They appear principally designed for officers commanding local militia and volunteers, and for young officers in general, whose opportunities of becoming acquainted with the interior economy of a battalion have been fow. In the miscellaneous class also, as it has no companion to accompáry it in its own class, we shall place Dr. DICKSON'S "Grammar of the First Principles of means by Agriculture;" furni-bng a which to instil usefi and important facts into the minds of young persons, who are likely to pass their lives in rural occuAt the end is a pations, whether as country gentlemen, or practical farmers. glossary of terms. Mr. ALEXANDER CHALMERS's "History of the University of Oxford, includ 4 N ing ing the Lives of the Founders," with a series of illustrative engravings, by Messrs. Storer and Greig, in two voJumes 8vo. has been published too recently to admit of a full report of its contents here. From a slight glance, we have formed a very high opinion of its merits. In our next Retrospect, we shall give the result of a more careful examination. "The Fourth Report of the Directors of the African Institution, read at the Annual General Meeting on the 28th of March, 1810," forms a tract of no inconsiderable interest. We regret, however, to learn from it, that the slave-trade is still carried on to a great extent, principally by natives of the United States. It contains also a communication from the commandant of Senegal, relative to the probability of Mr. Mungo Park being still alive. Mr. HIGHMORE'S "Pietus Londinen. is the History, Design, and present State of the various Public Charities in and near London," will be found a work not only of real but general utility. The subjects are classed under the heads of Hospitals, Dispensaries, Colleges, and Alms-houses, School Charities, and Miscellaneous Charities; with an alphabetical arrangement of each. To the produce of personal research, Mr. Highmore has added all that could throw light upon his subject, from the works of Stowe, Strype, Tanner, Camden, Gough, Maitland, Lettsom, Lysons, Malcolm, &c. Last of all, in the miscellaneous class, shall notice TABART'S "Moral Tales," in prose and verse, selected and we revised from the best authors. They are comprised in four small volumes, and form almost a little library for children. The following are the titles of the different tales. Vol. 1. The Vanity of Human Life.-The Basket-Maker.--Edwin and Angelina.-Bożallab.--The Mountain of Miseries.-The Town and Country Mice.-The Vision of Almet. -Tom Restless.-The Youth and the Philosopher.—Prosperity and Adversity. Abbas and Mirza.-The Admirable Crichton.-Cruelty to Horses.-The Three Warnings.-Religion and Superstition Contrasted.-The Story of Polems.-The Hermit.-The Sailor.-Alcander and Septimius; and the Progress of Discontent. Vol. 2. The Vision of Theodore.-History of a Country Apothecary.-Edwin and Emma.-Story of La Roche.-Story of Geminus and Gemellus.-The Wall-Flower.-Journey to the Moon.-Sir Bertrand.-Palemon and Lavinia.-Ormalı.-The Talisman of Truth.-The Experiment.-Memoirs of a Cornish Curate; and Inkle and Yarico. Vol. 3. Chaubert the Misanthropist.-The Judgment of Hercules. Ibrahim and Adelaide.-The Chamelion.-Story of Mr. Saintfort.-Junis and Theana.-The Credulous Chaldean. John Gilpin.-Charles Fleetwood. The Bee, the Lily of the Valley, and the Tulip.-Albert Bane.-The Indian Cottage; and Bianca Capello. Vol. 4. The Little Hermitage.-Nouraddin and Amana. The Art of Happiness.-Jeannot and Colin.-Carazan and Belisarius. HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF FRENCH LITERATURE. HISTÓRY. ESSAI sur L'Esprit et l'Influence de la Reformation de Luther, c."-An Essay on the Spirit and Infinence of the Reformation produced by Luther; a work which gained the prize offered by the National Institute of France, for a Question to this purport. 8d edit. Prited at Paris, and imported by M. De Bolie, Nassau-street, Soho. This work, the production of C. VIL LERS, a corresponding member of theNational Institution of Fra.ce, and a member of the Royal Society of Sciences at Gottingen, has produced a considerable sensation, not only throughout France and England, but Europe. After exawining and defining his subject, the au 1 thor inquires into the nature of reforma tions in general, and maintains that mankind have hitherto been gainers by them. Greece and Italy, during their early days, were far behind those countries at the epoclis of their civilization. Their acquisitions, however, appertain exclusively to their own citizens, and were not shared by mankind in general: all the rest of the globe was barbarous; the people were either born slaves, or became so in fact. But there are two ways of dispersing knowledge; such as when a small yet enlightened people conquers innumera ble nations sunk in darkness, or when a variety of ignorant nations overcome a small collection of inhabitants, and amalgamate amalgamate with them, so as to attain a portion of their knowledge. The Romans afford a specimen of one of these modes, as they carried light with them wheresoever they went; the children of the North, who precipitated themselves to wards the south of Europe, and carried their darkness along with them, exhibit an instance of another. At "On this, chaos seemed to be reproduced; and it required ten centuries of fermentation before so many heterogeneous elements could assimilate. length, however, light was every where seen amidst the darkness. During the three or four first centuries it extended, and made a rapid progress. At length, the culture of Athens and Rome was beheld and practised, not only through out the whole of Europe, but also at Calcutta and Philadelphia. Rome and Athens, both of which would be astonished at our arts and knowledge, would also admire the humanity of the European, who glories in being a man, and will no longer suffer slavery to exist on his soil." While treating of modern reformers, the author alludes to the great events of antiquity. He represents Moses as "leaving Egypt at the head of a body of mutinous slaves, who were both sensual and superstitious, yet of whom it was necessary to make obedient subjects; men at once capable of undertaking any thing, and animated against every nation that occupied any land in which they might be desirous to establish themselves. On this occasion, Moe directed the reformation of his people in the best possible manner, for the accomplishment of his designs. "Mahomet, on the other hand, reformed a free and lofty nation; sensual indeed to excess, but capable of virtue and exaltation. He knew how to impress on them a great character, and reduced to very simple terms the external form of that pure deism which he preached. Both of these amalgamated the religious constitution which ought to appertain to all men, with the political constitution which should appertain to only one nation; and, thus confounding the church and the state, rendered their religion merely local. "As to Jesus, in conformity to his celestial origin, he separated the cares of the state from those of religion, loudly proclaiming that its empire was not of this world. The divine reform operated by him, in opposition to the other two, was cosmopolitical or.catholic, according to the true etymology of the terin. Yet the spirit of Christ was no longer visible in the constitution of the Christian church in the fifteenth century. Every thing was altered and confounded; and a reform, an appeal to the primitive spirit, became necessary, which was produced in part by Luther, the principal and most courageous author of it." Two objects, we are told, have become particularly dear to mankind, and it is not uncommon to behold them sacrifice all their other interests, and even life itself, to these. The first is the preservation of our social rights; the second, the independence of our religious opinions, or liberty in respect to evil and conscientious notions. Both of these dispositions prevailed in most par's of Europe at the commencement of the 16th century; for every nation, deprived of its civil and religious liberty, began to feel the weight and the indignity of its chains, while those who still enjoyed a certain degree of independence, shuddered at the idea of its loss. All the states of the Germanic confederation had been long agitated by the obstinate disputes between the emperors, successors of Caesar, and the pope's successors of St. Peter: this was a struggle for a unlimited monarchy over the ancient territory of the Roman empire. Both parties affected equal rights over Rome; and it was evident that the master of Rome was also to be the master of the empire; so difficult is it to root out vulgar prejudices! Rome had, long been the capital of the world, and a great contest took place in order to determine who should remain in possession of the sovereign city. The quarrel had for object-to which of those two rivals mankind were to submit? the world disputed literally for the choice of tyrants. The modern successors of Charlemagne called themselves Cæsars, and because the ancient Cæsars had been masters of Rome, and Rome was the mistress of Europe, it appeared an unanswerable argument that they should reign both over Rome and Europe! The claims of the pope's were not quite so clear: as Rome was the natural mistress of all the universe, and the prince who had resided so long at Rome was the chief of the empire, it was deemed evident that the bishop of Rome ought to be at the head of the church! In after times, when Rome was without an emperor, the consideration of the pontiff increased; he was |