-

much more natural to suppose, that it was confequently this portion of water, which had entered into the iron. We think fo too. But however that may be, this letter is well worth perufal. The penetrating eye of the Abbé de FONTANA is fingularly adapted to obferve nature in her real forms, and to perceive the illufions that so often accompany the fubtile experiments, that are, at this day, made in natural philosophy,—and his reasoning is as juft as his eye is quick and piercing.

4. Trattato, &c. i. e. An historical and critical Treatise concerning the epidemical Disorder among the Horned Cattle, in the Year 1784. By M. ZENO BUONGIOVANNI, M. D. at Verona.-The mortality raged fo violently among the cattle in feveral parts of Italy, in the year 1784, that the inhabitants, and particularly those who lived in the country and the villages, were under the alarming apprehenfions of fatal confequences to themselves from this epidemical diforder, efpecially as the cattle infected with it were frequently flaughtered and used for food. The Author of this treatise, affifted by other phyficians of Verona, made feveral experiments in order to difpel the anxiety of the Public. Among other trials, they contrived a method of making dogs and other animals fwallow the infected fluids of the cows and oxen, and even their bile, which was fufpected to be the principal feat of the difeafe; the refult of thefe trials anfwered their wishes, for to none of these animals was the contagion communicated. The detail of thefe experiments, together with the symptoms of the difeafe, its progrefs, and the remedies employed in the cure, are related with order, perfpicuity, and judgment, in this useful work.

5. Flora Pedemontana, &c. i. e. The Piedmontefe Flora; or a methodical Enumeration of the native or indigenous Plants of the Duchy of Piedmont. By M. ALLIONI. 3 Vols. Folio, enriched with 92 Plates. Turin. 1785.-The Author of this fplendid work is confidered as one of the most celebrated Naturalifts in Italy. His Effays on Natural Hiftory, which are publifhed in the Memoirs of the Academy of Turin, are well known, and highly applauded by the connoiffeurs in that line of fcience ;. and the prefent important work, which is the fruit of long labour and ftudy, will, no doubt, add confiderably to his reputation. He has defcribed in this work 2813 plants, which he found growing wild in the duchy of Piedmont; thofe contained in the third volume are the new ones discovered by him; those that are already known acquire a kind of novelty by his defcription, which is drawn from nature, and not from books.

6. ΗΣΙΟΔΟΥ το Ασκραια τα Ευρισκομενα, &c. i. e. The Works

* See our account of an epidemical disease among the cattle, with an anatomical defcription of its feat, in our laft Appendix, p. 535of

of Hefiod, publifhed in large Octavo, at the Royal Printingprefs at Parma. 1785. This edition, which is remarkable for its typographical beauty and fplendor, does honour to the munificence and good taste of the Archduke Ferdinand, under whofe protection it is published. The original Greek is printed in the fame beautiful characters with the Anacreon, of which we gave an account when it appeared. It is accompanied with an elegant translation in Latin verfe, by the Abbé Zamagna, who has alfo enriched it with critical Notes, and a learned Preface.

7. Varia Lectiones Veteris Teftamenti ex immenfa MSS editorum Codicumque Congerie haufta, et ad Samarit. Textum, ad vetuftiffimas Verfiones, ad accuratiores facræ Critice Fontes ac Leges examinata, Opera et Studio JOH. BERN. de Rossi, S. T. P. &c. VOLUMENII, Parmæ. 1785. 4to. 262 pages. -This fecond volume contains the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. We formerly mentioned the first volume of this important work; a third, &c. are foon expected to bring it to a conclufion,

8. Lettere Odeporiche, &c. i. e. Letters of a Traveller, or Travels through the Peninfula of Cizicum, Bruffa, and Nice. By the Abbé DOMINIC SESTINI, Member of the Academy of Florence. 2 Vols. 8vo. Leghorn. 1785.-We have had feveral times + occafion to make honourable mention of the itinerary Letters of this inftructive and entertaining traveller. The principal objects in the prefent publication are the cities of Bruffa and Nice in Bythinia, of which our Author's description will be read with pleasure.

9. Differtazioni, Lettere, e altre Operette, &c. i. e. Differtations, Letters, and other Pieces, compofed by the celebrated P. ANT. MARIA LUPI of Florence; revifed, digefted, and now published, for the first time, by FRAN. ANT. ZACCARIA. 2 Vols. 4to. Faenza. 1785.-The first of these volumes contains twelve Dif fertations (of which a few were formerly published) on the Baptifmal Fonts, and other ancient monuments, relative to the religious customs and worship of the early profeffors of Christianity, and alfo on a great variety of infcriptions and fymbols, that are connected with the hiftory of the Chriftian church. In the fe cond volume there are fifteen Differtations and twenty-three Letters on ancient remains, relative to profane hiftory.

10. La Vita di Taffo. i. e. The Life of Taffo, compofed by the Abbé P. ANT. SERASSI, and dedicated to her Royal Highnefs Maria Beatrix d'Efte, Archduchefs of Auftria, 4to. Rome, 1785. This mafterly piece of biography is a new and valuable acquifition to the literary hiftory of Italy. It has long been looked for with impatience, and its appearance has fully anfwered the expectations of the Public. The life, the adventures, * Vid. Rev. vol. lxxiii. p. 536. + Vid. particularly vol. lxxi. p. 584.

the

the calamities and productions of TASSO, form a very interefting subject, both for narration and literary difcuffion; and the Abbé Seraffi has treated this fubject with tafte, erudition, and critical fagacity.

11. Memorie per fervire à la Vita, &c. i. e. Memoirs of the Life of METASTASIO, together with the Life of JOMELLI; Containing an historical Account of the Progrefs of Dramatic Poetry, and Theatrical Mufic 8vo. 1785. This publication, the Author of which is Sig. XAVIER MAFFEI, will be an agreeable present to the lovers of the fine arts.

12. Lettera, &c. i. e. A Letter from a Tufcan Traveller, written from the Ifle of Cyprus to a Member of the Academy of Florence. Leghorn. 1786.-Entertainment and inftruction are agreeably blended together in this epiftle. The local defcriptions are animated and picturefque: the hiftorical relations are learned and curious, and the whole is enlivened with a happy mixture of judicious reflections and elegant touches of cheerful wit and good-humour.-This is one of the Letterwriters whose correfpondence we wish to fee continued.

13. Fifi a particolare e generale, &c. i. e. General and particular Views of natural Philofophy, in feveral Essays, fome analytical and others elementary. By Father CARLO BARLETTI, Profeffor of Natural Philofophy at Padua. 4to. 4 Vols. Pavia. 1786.-The ift of thefe volumes contains an Analytical Effay on Heat; the 2d, the Principles of Meteorology; the 3d, the Principles of Aerology and Optics; the 4th, Preliminary Difcourfes on General Phyfics, and two Lectures on the fame fubject, which, as we learn, is to be continued in subsequent volumes. This work we have not yet feen; but we have heard it highly applauded, by good judges, as having great merit, both with respect to matter and style.

14. Delle Scienze utile e delle dilettevoli, &c. i. e. A Differtation on the useful Sciences, and those that have only Pleasure for their Object, confidered in their Relation to the Happiness of Man. 4to. 60 pages. Venice. 1786.-There is a great deal of good philofophy, both moral and dialectical, in the few pages of this ingenious pamphlet.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For NOVEMBER, 1786.

COMMERCE..

Art. 15. The Situation of Ship Owners, Shippers of Goods, and Underwriters, fince the late Determination as to the Lofs of, or Damage to, Goods by Fire, or Robbery, on Ship-board, &c. 4to. 4d. Evans. 1786.

S

HIP owners having been declared anfwerable for the fafe delivery of goods committed to their charge for conveyance, with the single

exception

exception expreffed in bills of lading, of the dangers of the fea; and the writer of this tract declaring on the other part, that ship owners have not hitherto been confidered as anfwerable for lofs or damage by robbery or fire: he propofes thefe dangers to be alfo excepted in bills of lading, until an application can be made to parliament on the fubject.

A carrier by land and a carrier by fea both undertake the fame truft of conveyance; but exercifing this profeffion under a very different circumftance, the one travelling on land, and the other on water; an indemnity against the lofs of goods by fea was necessary to place them upon an equality: all other hazards being common, and it is reasonable to think, all other obligations. The Author argues that the proposed exception against robbery and fire affords underwriters no claim to an increase of premium, because it will not alter their fituation, these hazards being included in their policies. These circumstances may be fairly referred to merchants and underwriters.

AGRICULTURE.

N. Art. 16. A Plan and Defcription of a Drill Plough which fows all Kinds of Seeds at any Distance or Depth, from three to ten Inches, upon Ridges or flat Land, or fows four equal distant Rows at one Foot, or three at one Foot and a Half, or two Rows at ten Inches: with fome different Conftructions of Drills. Is. 6d. Hookham. 1785.

8vo.

The drill here described is one of thofe mushroom machines which are often feen to start up in this great metropolis to figure for a day or two, and then drop into perpetual oblivion. In the construction of a drill, one particular only has ever occafioned any difficulty to artits the way of delivering the feeds properly; and that difficulty has never yet, that we know been properly removed, though it has been much more obviated by many contrivances with which the Public have been long acquainted, than in this new invention. So imperfect indeed is the machine here recommended, that we fufpect it must be the contrivance of one who never faw the practical difficulties that must ever occur in the operation here alluded to. We cannot imagine a more mortifying fcene than would be exhibited the proprietor fhould he be called out, before a refpectable company, to exemplify in practice the regulating his machine, in order to make it perform what, in theory, it does with fuch exact mathematical precision.

The contrivance for preventing earth from failing to the left fide of the plough in hoeing (which is not mentioned in the title-page) is fimple, and better calculated for the end propofed. It confifts of a flip of fheet iron to be occafionally fixed between the coulter and breast of the plough. By a fkilful ploughman, however, the inconvenience, proposed to be obviated by this contrivance, is not much felt. A-a-n.

NORTHERN FISHERIES, &c.

Art. 17. Obfervations on the Northern Fisheries, with a Difcourfe on the Expediency of establishing fifhing Stations, or fmall Towns, in the Highlands of Scotland, and the Hebrides Iflands. To which is added, the laft Report of the Committee appointed by

the

the House of Commons to enquire into the State of the British Fisheries. By John Knox. 8vo. 3s. Walter. 1786.

The labours of the indefatigable Mr. Knox, in the laudable view of ferving his country in a way little thought of, and fcarce attempted by other men, are too well known to the Public to need from us any particular detail on the prefent occafion, efpecially as we have already enlarged on the fubject, in our review of Mr. K.'s former work, and of Dr. Anderfon's valuable publication, of which an account appeared in our number for the last month. We take this opportunity of briefly obferving, that a third, and much enlarged edition, of Mr. K.'s Fiew of the British Empire has lately been pub. lifhed, with many improvements.

POLITICA L.

Art. 18. A fhort Treatise on the Inftitution of Corporations, and an Enquiry into the Conduct of the Bench of the Corporation of Maidftope, from the Acceffion of the Tories under the prefent Charter to the prefent Time. 12mo. Is. (No Bookfeller named). 1786.

It appears, by the reprefentation here given, that the freemen of Maidstone are divided into two parties, the Whigs and the Tories ; the latter have long ufurped the management of the political concerns of the corporation, which they have arbitrarily governed upon true Tory principles; that much bickering and feveral law-fuits have been the confequence; but that at last the Whigs have been victorious in an election of common councilmen ; whence the Author, exultingly, proclaims the downfall of the oppofite party. The pamphlet is not ill written; and contains fome just observations on the origin of bodies corporate,

Art. 19. A Letter from Mr. Pigot, near Geneva, to the Right Honourable William Pitt, on the Neceffity and Advantage of a Taxation on the Public Funds. 4to. 6d. Ridgway. 1786. Poor Old England is in danger, and empiricifm hopes to be employed. Some few Regulars, however, ftill continue to prescribe for her-when he is given over by them, it will be time enough to call in the affiftance of Quacks. A.B.

POLICE.

Art. 20. An Account of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners in the last Century, with fome Remarks adapted to the prefent Period, and an Abstract of various penal Laws. 8vo. 6d. Rivington. 1786.

We are told that this performance was published by a Society established in Huddersfield in Yorkshire, with a view to promote a reformation of manners, agreeably to a plan recommended in fome refolutions paffed at a juftice meeting held at Pontefract. It confifts chiefly of extracts from a book published in 1699, entitled, An Account of the Societies for the Reformation of Manners in England and Ireland, with a Perfuafive for Perfons of all Ranks to be zealous in promoting the Execution of the Laws against Profane nefs and Debauchery, &c. The intention of the prefent performance is to fhew that the scheme is not unprecedented, and that many advan

* View of the British Empire, &c. See Rev. Vol. lxxi. P. In two volumes, 8vo. LOS.

266.

tages