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gan, which was neceffarily "precipitate" by reafon of the urgency of the cafe. Inftead, therefore, of blaming inoculation for the lofs of 60 lives, in this inftance, we should rather give it the credit of faving feveral hundred; fince, in all probability, the disease would have gone through the town, even without this additional infection.

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VIII. FOREIGN LITERATURE.
(By our CORRESPONDENTS.)
ITALY.

A K T. I.

A.

E Vita et Rebus Geftis BESSARIONIS, Cardinalis Nicæni Commentarius, &c. i. e. An Hiftory of the Life and Actions of Cardinal BESSARION. 4to. Rome. 1777. The fubject of this hiftory is one of the most celebrated persons that have adorned the conclave, and one of the moft learned men of his time; and the Author of this hiftory, the Abbot BANDINI, has done juftice to his fubject. He follows Beffarion from his obfcure birth at Trebizonde, in 1395, through all the transactions of his life, and the ftages of his promotion, (which was once likely to end in the papal chair) and exhibits an interesting view of the merits of this great man, both as an ecclefiaftical po litician, and a scholar.

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II. Dell'Efiftenza di Dio dá Teoremi Geometrici dimaftrata, &c. i. e. The Existence of God demonftrated by Geometrical Theorems. By a correfpondent member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, &c. 8vo. Adino. 1777. Atheism is the frenzy of logic, or the arrogant defpair of ignorant pride that cannot beat to fufpend its judgment when difficulties arife, but would have all the universe laid open at once to its reptile-eye. Common fenfe, found logic, and a modeft conviction of the limits of the human understanding, are the true preservatives against this uncomfortable species of folly, and therefore we begin by blaming this learned Author for depreciating too much the popular arguments that have been hitherto used (and which we think ought never to be neglected) in proof of the existence of God. Even his argument, as it is prefented in this work, is not exempt from difficulties: and, indeed, no argument is fo,-because against propofitions proved with the greateft evidence, objections may be raised; but as all objections of this kind arise from our ignorance, they cannot invalidate, even when they remain unanswered, truths previously fupported by fufficient proofs. The Geometrical proof or demonftration of the existence of God, laid down by our Author, may be judged of by the knowing ones from the following fummary: Geometry is a fcience, which exifts only in the understanding—it is an infinite science in its combinations,

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combinations, relations, and connexions; and therefore its exiftence fuppofes an infinite intelligence, both as the fubject in. which it refides and the principle, from whence all geometrical truths, (though eternal and neceffary, as truths) muft originally proceed:-The concatenation of geometrical theorems forms an immenfe plan of order, ends and means, and wherever these three things take place, we muft neceffarily admit as their efficient causes, reafon, knowledge, and direction. These points being fettled, our Author proves, in the third place, that geometrical science is a part of the divine omnifcience, and belongs to the effence of God. Fourthly, that the fyftem of the universe, being conftituted and combined according to geometrical proportions, muft have had, for its Author, a Being in whom the plenitude of geometry refides, and whofe creating power must be equal to his infinite knowledge. Our Author proceeds to fhew that liberty or free agency is an effential property of the fupreme Being, because, as the geometrical combinations, that are poffible, exceed infinitely those which actually exift, this fuppofes preference and choice; he proves also that the Deity is infinitely wife and good, as he is the fource of all truth, and the Author of all intelligences, and that he is poffeffed of neceffary existence, infinity, eternity, and immenfity, becaufe geometrical proportions are neceffarily infinite, eternal, and exift throughout all space. III. Difcorfo Filofofico full Iftoria Naturale dell' anima umana, c. i. e. A Philofophical Differtation on the Natural History of the Human Mind. 8vo. Rome. 1777. There are feveral ingenious difquifitions in this new work of Father FALETTI, Regu lar Canon of the Lateran; who has difplayed his metaphyfical genius in other publications.

IV. Iftituzioni de Mufica Teorico-Pratica, &c. i. e. Theoretico -practical Inftitutes of Mufic. By D. ANTONIO ROCCHI, a Prieft of Padua. 4to. Venice. 1777. We have here the first book of a large and important work on musical science, in which the curious Reader will find deep refearches, and much inftruction: The mathematical part of this work is comprehended in three books. In the firft, now before us, the Author treats of the Diatonic genus, or kind, of mufic; the chromatic and enharmonic (of which this is the bafis, as it is of all mufic both theoretical and practical) are the subjects of the two following, which are not yet published. Among many curious things that we are led to expect in the progrefs of this work from the Author's preface, one is particularly worthy of being mentioned, viz. that he has been led, by the method he has followed, to a demonstration of the enharmonical feale. This kind of mufic,' fays he, may be called new, becaufe it has been loft, for three thousand years, nothing of it remaining but the name and the proportion of the enharmonical diefis. He acknowledges, that,

at prefent, we might feek, in vain, for a perfon who could found the notes of this fcale; but in the part of his work, that is to treat of the union confonant and femi-confonant voices or of imperfect confonances, he proposes to indicate a method of employing in harmony and in a good counter-point, the three kinds, and to give fuch lights and lay down fuch principles, as may enable a mufician to found the enharmonic gammut.

V. La Poetica di 2; Orazio Flacco reftituita all' ordine fuo, &c. i. e. Horace, his Art of Poetry restored to its true Order, and tranflated into Italian, with a Critical Preface. 8vo. Rome. 1777. An ingenious attempt to remove the obfcurity that ftill perplexes the interpreters of the art of poetry, by placing the ideas and reafonings of Horace in an order, which either he himfelf facrificed to the negligent cafe of the epiftolary ftile, or which fome copyifts have violated by hafty tranfpofitions of lines and phrafes. The real order obferved by Horace in this poem is (according to our critic) as follows. After having fhewn the deformity of a compofition whofe parts are difproportioned, and in which there is no unity of defign, and proved the neceffity of guiding poetical genius and invention by art and judgment, the Roman bard fpeaks of the general ftructure of a poem, of the choice of a fubject, and of method and diction; he observes that the commencement or fetting out should be modeft, the parts proportioned, the ornaments natural, and the terms well chofen ;

that pleasure and entertainment ought to be blended with in ftruction; and that the measure should be adapted to the kind of poetry in which it is ufed. He remarks, on this occafion, that the Romans did not confine themfelves rigourously to the rules of jambic verfe in their dramatic productions. He then proceeds to treat of the origin of tragedy and comedy, of the different kinds of ftile they require, of the diftinction between the characters which are brought upon the fcene, and the care that is to be taken to exhibit certain actions only by recital, while others are prefented to the view of the fpectators; of the chorus, and theatrical music, and of the ancient fpecies of dramatic compofition, which was called fatire. He afterwards points out the faults with which poets are frequently chargeable; advises them not to publish their works before they have been fubmitted to the judgment of a fincere and intelligent friend; and concludes by obferving, that mediocrity, though allowable in all other profeffions, is contemptible in poetry.

VI. The learned Abbot ARENA has publifhed the firft volume of a large work, in which he folves fome of the principal questions in natural philofophy by new experiments and obfervations. In this volume are four differtations which treat of the following fubjects: Of light-of the phyfical nature of comets,-of the atmosphere of the earth, which is lengthened

lengthened into the form of a tail-of the folar fpots-of free motion in a plenum-of the dimenfions and figure of the earth. This work is compofed in Latin, and its title is, Phyficæ quæfti ones præcipuæ novis experimentis et obfervationibus refoluta, Autore Philippo Arena, Siculo Platienfi, Phyfice Experimentalis et Ma thematica olim Profeffore in Academia Melitenfi, Tomus I. Differ tat. 1. de Lumine, 2. de Natura Phyfica Cometarum, 3. de Atmofphæra Telluris in Caudam producta, 4. de Maculis Solaribus, 5. de Motu libero in fpatio pleno, 6. de Menfura et Figura Telluris. 4to. Romæ. 1777. There are several peculiarities and novelties in this volume. The hypothefis of the ingenious Author with respect to the formation of comets (whofe existence he believes more recent than that of the planetary fyftem) is entirely new, but too fanciful to deferve much attention.

GERMANY.

VII. Verfuch einer Theorie, &c. An attempt to establish a theory, adapted to explain the phenomena, which have been attributed to Fixed Air or, the acidum pingue. 8vo. Leipfic. 1777. This is one of the keeneft attacks that has been yet made upon the theory of fixed air, particularly as it is exhibited in the experiments and reafonings of the famous chymift of Edinburgh and his followers. The Author (whofe name is Daniel) turns their weapons against them felves, and from fixty-four propofi tions or maxims acknowledged by them, undertakes to prove that fixed air has been abfurdly fubftituted in the place of phlogifton, which he proposes to restore to its primitive rank in the natural world.

VIII. Biographie kayfer Carl des Sechften, &c. i. e. The Life of the Emperor Charles V. By M. GOT. BENED. SCHIRACH, 8vo. Halle. 1777. This interefting piece of biography is divided into fix periods. The firft extends from the birth of Charles, to his fetting out for Spain-the fecond comprehends the events, which happened fo far down as the death of Jofeph, and the acceffion of Charles to the imperial throne.-The third takes in the peace concluded with the Turks at Paflarowitz, the quadruple alliance of the fouthern part of Europe, and the Emperor's renunciation of the crown of Spain. In the fourth our Author gives an account of the war of Sicily, the Congress of Cambray, the peace of Vienna in 1725, the pragmatic fanction and its important confequences -The death of Auguftus II. King of Poland, and the wars to which it gave rife, and which were concluded by the pacification of 1735, form the fubjects of the fifth period; and we find in the fixth the articles relative to the marriage of Maria Therefia,-the war with the Turks, the peace of Belgrade in 1739, the ftate of the arts and sciences under the reign of Charles VI., and the death and character of that Emperor.

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IX. Those

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IX. Those who are pleafed to fee illuftrious characters, that have been too little mentioned in hiftory, drawn from oblivion, will applaud the learned and induftrious researches of Mr. VON HOLZSCHUHER, of Nuremberg, in the following work; Lebenfbefereibung des berühmten Ritters Sebaftian Schoertlin von Burtenbach, &c. i. e. The Life of the celebrated Knight Sebaftian Schoertlin van Burtenbach, drawn from his own Memoirs, and from other Family Papers, together with feveral Remarks and Additions. 8vo. Francfort and Leipfic. 1777. The fubject of this piece of biography was one of the moft eminent Captains in the time of Charles V., the most obftinate enemy of that Emperor, the only one whom he could not conquer, though he had vanquished all Germany, and led the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Heffe in triumph as his captives. There are feveral curious anecdotes in this work, which are well authenticated.

X. Delectus Differtationum medicarum Argentoratenfium, &c. i.e. A Select Collection of Medical Differtations, &c. formed and published by PH. LEWIS WHITTWER, M. D. Vol. I. Nuremberg. 1777. The eight differtations, contained in this volume, treat of the faline principle-of the best nourishment for a newborn infant-of the volatile falt of cantharides-of the nutritive principle of certain vegetables-of glaffwort, and a peculiar falt that be obtained from it-of the effects of internal preparamay tions of mercury on the blood.-The history and vindication of cardamom,-experiments, relative to the nature of bile.-It is to the learned labours of Mr. SPIELMAN that we are indebted for the firft, fecond, fixth, feventh, and eighth of these differtations; the Authors of the third, fourth, and fifth, are Meffrs. Probft, Reffelmaer and Imlin.

XVIII. Repertorium für Biblische und Morgenländifche Litteratur, &c. i. e. A Collection of Pieces, which throw new Light on feveral Paffages of the Bible, and feveral Points of Oriental Literature. 8vo. Part. I. Leipfic. 1777. This firft Part of a work, which promifes much inftruction and entertainment to the lovers of facred and oriental philology, contains the following pieces. 1. A differtation, in which Mr. STROTH, of Quedlinburg, maintains, that Juftin Martyr did not make ufe of any of the books of the New Teftament, and that he only ufed the gospel of the Hebreus.-2. An indication of fome Arabian Authors, who will enable us to correct feveral mistakes in the oriental library of Herbelot.-3. An extract from one of the most ancient manufcripts of the Septuagint, feveral of whofe readings are compared with the edition of Breitinger, and are accompanied with obfervations, by Dr. Griefbach.-4. Profeffor Eichhorn's remarks upon the difference between the Hebrew text and the Septuagint verfion, with respect to the remarkable tranfpofition in the fifty-first chapter of Jeremiah → 5. Various

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