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Now, as I can truly aver, that I have neither retailed, new-modelled, nor made the labours of my predeceffors on this fubject the ground-work of mine; but proceeded as if no fuch books had been extant, and I myself had been the ⚫ first who wrote on the subject, I leave it to the determination of any competent judge, whether my Geography can ⚫ admit of any improvement from the labours of former Geographers? At least when I compared their works with the defcription which I had finifhed, I found nothing to add, which was either neceffary, or useful to be known. And if they happen to mention fome circumftances, about which my helps were filent, I have fcrupled to admit fuch particulars into my account, and, I think, with reafon reserved them for a future enquiry. This I look upon as the only C means to bring Geography to a greater degree of perfection than it has hitherto acquired; and I hope the learned will allow, that by this method I have laid a good foundation for it.

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In defcribing the various countries in the known world, I obferve the following method. In the first place, I treat of their polity or civil conftitution, in an authentic and ⚫ concife manner, with impartiality and circumfpection. I have, with regard to the conftitution or form of government of several countries, had the good fortune, hitherto to procure important and authentic accounts, and fuch as rarely fall into the hands of the learned. Those who are competent judges of fuch matters; will find them fcattered with no fparing hand in the first volume. I have candidly pointed out all the advantages which every country enjoys, or at least, fuch as have come to my knowlege; and there is not a fingle country on the globe which cannot boast of fome peculiar advantages. I wholly avoid giving the characters of nations, it being not only a very difficult task in itself, but fuch general characters are alfo, at beft, uncertain, and for the most part ill-grounded and partial, As the extending and increafing of commerce is now one of the principal objects which moft nations have in view, I have given an exact account of the present state of trade in thofe countries where it flourishes moft. The reader will find this article, with regard to the northern countries, accurately defcribed in the first volume.

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Next to the general account of the polity of ftates and kingdoms, follows the particular geographical defcription of every country, in which I lay down the ufual political di • vifions

• vifions into greater and smaller districts as the basis of it, including, at the fame time, the ecclefiaftical polity of every 'country. I do not defignedly omit one natural or artificial curiofity that deferves notice in any place which I have defcribed: but touch on, it at least, if I cannot give a cir⚫ cumftantial account of it. The principal cities and towns in every country I describe according to the ichnographical plans we have of them, and that pretty largely, as they contain several things worthy notice.--I have fet down < the probable number of inhabitants in several countries and great cities, or inferted an account of their births and bu rials from the annual bills of mortality; but this could not be done for all. In defcribing others, I have also fhewn • how the names of places are properly pronounced: a neceffary information in a fyftem of Geography; but this I ⚫ cannot pretend to have done in all in a fatisfactory manner. Upon the whole, I must observe, that it is not pof fible to defcribe every country with equal accuracy and <authenticity; the fame helps, and vouchers of equal credit, cannot be procured for them all. My defcriptions, however, will be found tolerably uniform and of a piece, < in proportion to the extent and importance of the countries defcribed; and what is ftill wanting in my account of fe⚫ veral places may poffibly be fupplied hereafter.

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To write a fyftem of GEOGRAPHY, or, in other words, to give a description of the earth, is a very difficult, laborious, and important task, and requires the united efforts of whole focieties: what an arduous undertaking muft it then be for a fingle perfon? I doubt, whether any one has bestowed more pains on the fubject, or treated it with greater application and more unwearied diligence than myfelf; and this is the only merit I affume. Whoever expects a perfect work of this kind, does not understand wherein the perfection of it confifts. Those who are com'petent judges of the fubject, will confider whether the whole performance is good in its kind; for errors in fome particulars are unavoidable, when we treat of a subject that < admits of gradual improvement. I hope I may, without vanity, call my Syftem of Geography new and more per'fect than any book of the kind yet published; but I do not pretend to impofe it on the public as a work abfolutely perfect in itself, being well apprized, that a great number of additions and corrections are requifite to render it and confequently that it falls far short of perfection.'

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fuch,

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The preface, from which this extract is taken, is followed by three curious effays, never before published, as far as we know; containing enquiries and conjectures concerning measures of length; concerning the fpheroid-figure of the earth, with tables ferving to compare obfervations relating thereto; and concerning the beft form of a geographical map. The public is indebted for thefe effays, we are told, to the reverend and learned Mr. Murdoch.

To the effays fucceeds a fhort difcourfe concerning the utility of Geography, wherein Mr. Bufching chiefly confiders it as ferving to promote the knowlege of the great Creator and preferver of all things. And here he takes occafion to recommend to all inftructors of youth, what it is greatly to be wifhed they would carefully attend to, viz. to labour to infpire their pupils, while they are defcribing to them the various kingdoms, ftates, and cities of the world, with an awful conception of that tranfcendently glorious and infinitely wife Being, of whofe immenfe domain this earth conftitutes fo inconfiderable a part, and to whom Princes, Kings, and Emperors are all fubject.

The reader is prefented, in the next place, with an Introduction to Geography, in the first chapter of which M. Bufching gives a fhort account of the origin and improvement of maps, and the most confiderable Geographers, both antient and modern. Mathematical geography is the fubject of the second chapter; and here the author gives a short but clear view of the principal things that have been advanced by the best modern writers in relation to the figure, magnitude, and fituation of the earth, with a variety of particulars relative to the study of Geography, which are to be met with in almost every book upon the fubject. To the third chapter he gives the title of Phyfical Geography; and here he confiders the properties of the furrounding atmosphere; treats briefly of thofe general claffes of kingdoms, into which natural Philofophers divide the external and internal produce of the earth; and makes fome obfervations concerning the number of men that may be living at the fame time, and the proportion between the yearly births and burials.

Our Author now proceeds to his description of the several European States, and begins with the northern kingdoms, his account of which is by far the moft copious, diftinct, and fatisfactory of any that we are acquainted with. He appears, indeed, through the whole of his work, to be ex

tremely

tremely well qualified for the task he has undertaken; his manner of writing is grave and fimple; his ftyle perfpicuous and manly; his method juft and accurate. In his choice of the fources from whence he draws his accounts, and likewife in his use of them, he proceeds with great caution and deliberation; in a word, the reader every where meets with clear proofs of found judgment and unremitting affiduity; fo that we hazard nothing in affirming that his Syftem of Geography is by far the most judicious and accurate that has yet been published.

Before we conclude this article, it is neceffary to acquaint our readers, that Mr. Busching has here given us only a description of the European States; we are credibly informed, however, that he intends a compleat Syftem, and that he has made a very confiderable progress in the remaining part of his work. In our next number, we fhall present our readers with some extracts, which we hope will be agreeable to them, and serve to convey a more adequate idea of this laborious undertaking.

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The Theory and Practice of Brewing, by Michael Combrune, Brewer. Printed with Permiffion of the Mafter, Wardens, and Court of Affiftants of the Worshipful Company of Brewers. 4to. 10s. 6d. fewed. Dodfley, &c.

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N Effay on Brewing, by the Author of this treatise, was noticed in our Review, vol. XX. p. 277. where the total omiffion of practical rules for brewing was mentioned. In the present work these are supplied; the former effay compofing the first part of it under the title of The Theory: to which is now added a second, containing, The Practice of Brewing. Mr. Combrune's obfervations on the uncertain exercife of this useful art, evince his intimate knowlege of it.

"The difference, fays he, that appears in the feveral proceffes of brewing, though executed with the fame materials, by the fame perfons, and to the fame intent, is generally acknowledged. The uneafinefs this muft occafion to thofe, who are charged with the directive part of the bufinefs, cannot be fmall and the more defirous they are of well executing the charge incumbent on them, the greater is their disappointment, when fruftrated in their hopes. To remove this uncertainty, no method feems preferable to that of experiment, as it is that alone, which can establish this, and any other

art,

art, upon a folid foundation. But thofe, who have the cour age, and grudge neither time nor expence, to multiply and to vary their trials, too often acquire the name of idle refiners, and, what is worfe, too frequently deferve it. The operations of nature elude fuperficial enquiries. Where we have few or no principles for our guides, many experiments are made, which tend only to confound or deceive. Effects feen, without a fufficient knowlege of their causes, must often be neglected or viewed in an improper light; those that are remembered are feldom faithfully reported, and, for want of diftinguishing the feveral circumftances that attend them, become the fupport of old prejudices, or the foundation of new ones.

"Whoever is attentive to the practical part of brewing will foon be convinced, that heat, or fire, is the principal agent therein, as this element used in a greater or lefs degree, and differently applied, is the occafion of the greatest part of the variety we perceive. 'Tis but few years fince the thermometer has been found to be an inftrument fufficiently accurate for any purposes, where the measure of heat is required. And as it is the only one, with which we are enabled to examine the proceffes of brewing, and to account for the difference in the effects, a theory of the art founded on practice must be of later date that it.

This may be very true, but it is feared that in brewhoufes where any confiderable business is carried on, the introduction of a thermometer to regulate every tranfaction, will be confidered rather as an impediment to their operations, than as the means of affifting and forwarding them.

The principles of the fciences are permanent; and no advances in them are valid, farther than they are warranted by pofitive data, and established rules. Here, and here only, truth is vifible to conviction. The beauty and advantage of proceeding upon certainty, incline the ingenious, to eftablish the proceffes of mechanic arts from principles as pofitive as thofe of fcience. But thefe proceffes are liable to fuch infinite variations from contingent circumftances, and none more fo than thofe of the Brewery, that no general rules can be univerfally applicable to them; and particular ones will be too numerous for retention, and for application, confiftent with proper difpatch of business. Men impreffed with that continual folicitude, in which extensive dealings neceffarily involve them, feldom have time or difpofition of mind to acquire literary knowlege: but with good natural

parts,

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