Art. IV. MUSEUM CARLSONIANUM; in quo novas et felectas aves coloribus ad vivum brevique defcriptione illuftratas, &c. i. e. A Collection of rare Birds in the Poffeffion of Mr. GUSTAVUS CARLSON, Secretary of State to his Swedish Majefty; engraved with their natural Colours, and accompanied with a concife Description of each; by ANDREW SPARRMAN, M. D. and Prefident of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm. Folio; containing 25 Plates. Stockholm. In this truly fplendid and magnificent work, the birds are reprefented in the natural attitudes in which they most ordinarily appear, and with the circumftances that are relative to their most ufual place of refidence. The defcriptions, which are Beither too concife nor too prolix, exhibit the specific character of each bird, an account of its ftructure, and an indication of its native region. The arrangement and claffification of thefe curious animals are elegant and judicious, and the execution of the work in general (which has been carried on at the expence of the generous proprietor of this Collection, and under his dif cerning eye) is excellent and mafterly.

Art. V. The Imperial Academy of Sciences at Petersburg has lately published, in German, the fecond and third volumes of the very valuable Collection of Obfervations made by the late unfortunate Profeffor Falk, during the courfe of his travels through the different provinces of the Ruffian empire. The fecond volume contains the observations that relate to the mineral and vegetable kingdoms; and the third, thofe that were made on the animal kingdom, together with the defcription of several claffes. The whole is accompanied with a great number of figures, and a feries of nomenclatures of minerals, plants, and animals, the laft of which are divided into fix claffes, comprehending the mammalia, aves, amphibia, pifces, infecta, and vermes. This work has been publifhed under the infpection and care of M. Georgi, a member of the Academy, eminent in the line of natural philofophy and hiftory, and whofe travels through fome parts of the Ruffian empire are defervedly esteemed.

Art. VI. The effential interefts of public communities are admirably treated in a very small pamphlet, containing the fubftance of a Memoir read to the Academy of Sciences at Erfurt, by the illuftrious Baron DAHLBERG. The title of this publication is, Verboeltniffe, &c. i. e. Confiderations on the Connections between Morality and Politics. The fubject is not new, it is rather fuperannuated, and fallen into difufe. However, like the ten commandments, which are ftill decently exhibited to view in a diftinguifhed place in our churches, it is more or lefs treated with external marks of civility and refpect. But we are fingularly edified to fee this antiquated subject difcuffed here

with an enlightened zeal, and a virtuous ardour, by a noble Author, who is on the road to fovereignty, and has only one ftep to make in order to arrive at it *. In this difcuffion he fhews, that politics and morality, inftead of ftanding in oppofition to each other, are rather intimately connected, and exhibit the relation which the part bears to the whole; that is to fay, that politics are only a part or a branch of morality. No truth can be more evident than this; for as morality is the guide of human life, the principle of order, and the univerfal fource of real improvement and genuine happiness to all mankind, every thing relative to the direction of individuals, or the government of nations, must be comprehended within its fphere, and be fubfervient to its laws.-Our Author fhews, that all the fchemes and projects of pretended political wisdom, that deviate from, or violate the rules of this mafter- fcience, turn out, in the iffue, often to the detriment of their contrivers, always to that of the nation; and that it is a palpable and abfurd error to think of advancing the happiness of one country at the expence of the general good of mankind. The experience of ages, and the hiftory of the world, confirm thefe affertions; and we have only to caft an eye across the water, to see their truth displayed in a palpable example. We fhall fee what an artful nation has gained by the plans of this kind, which it has been forming and executing for feveral years paft; and we fhall obtain a new proof of the wifdom of the good old maxim, both in its application to individuals and to nations, that "honefly is the best policy." Art. VII. De Hymnis veterum Græcorum. Scripfit FRID. SNEADORFF, accedunt tres Hymni Dionyfio adfcripti: i. e. A Differtation on the Hymns of the ancient Greeks; by M. FREDERIC SNEADORFF. To which are added three Hymns attributed to Dionyfius. 8vo. Copenhagen.

This fubject has been lately treated by two learned men (Meff. Hoeren and Groddeck), and yet M. SNEADORFF, who is an adept in ancient literature, has found gleanings enough after them to render his work interefting and inftructive.

Art. VIII. Symbole ad Literaturam Teutonicam antiquiorem ex Codicibus Manu exaratis, qui Havnia affervantur, edita fumptibus P. FRED. SUHM: i. e. Mifcellanies of ancient Teutonic Literature, collected from Manufcripts which are preferved at Copenhagen, and publifhed at the Expence of the Editor now mentioned. 4to. Copenhagen. 1787.

The publication of this collection was undertaken by the late learned M. SANDWIG; after whofe death it was completed by 'M. NYERUP.

*This noble and learned Author, whofe high birth is adorned with all the virtues that give birth a genuine luftre, is Coadjutor to the Electoral Archbishop of Mentz.

Art.

Art. IX. Über die Natur und den Ursprung der Emanationibre, &c. i.e. A Differtation on the Nature and Origin of the Doctrine of EMANATION among the Cabbañis; or, an Aniwer to the following Prize-queftion, propofed by the Society of Antiquaries at Caffel: Whether the doctrine of the Cabalijis, concerning the emanation of all things from the fublance of the Deity, derived its origin from the Grecian pips? By M. JOHN FREDERIC KLEUKER. 8vo. Riga. 1786.

The prize was adjudged to this matterly production, in which the Author enquires, fir, How far it is true, that the Cabbalifts taught the doctrine of emanation, and what that do&rine really contained.-Secondly, What relation that doctrine had to those contained in the Holy Scriptures, and to the pailofophy of the ancient nations.-And, thirdy, From what fource the Cabbalifts drew the peculiar tenets of their fyftem of emanation?

Art. X. M. De Mouradzea D'Obon, Knight of the order of Vafa, Secretary and late Interpreter to his Majefty the King of Sweden, and Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of Conftantinople, has published proposals for printing a large work entitled, Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman. In the firft Part, the Author purpofes to give a circumftantial account of the Mahometan legiflation, entering particularly into the defcription of its religious, civil, criminal, political, and military codes.

The fecond Part will be wholly confined to the hiftory of the Ottoman empire. This hiftory will be chiefly extracted from the annals of the monarchy. M. D'Ohffon propofes to fhew the origin of the empire, its progrelive increase, its eftablishment in Europe, the rapidity of its conquefis, the fuccefs of its arms, the genius of its Sultans, the character of its generals, minifters, &c. He promifes to communicate many fecrets relative to the feraglio, to the private life of the monarch, to the Sultane fles, and the haram; which he informs us have been collected partly from the officers of the court, and partly from female flaves of the haram, who have obtained their li berty, on being married to fome officer of the court.

The plates which are to accompany this work are now engraving at Paris, by able artifts, under the direction of Mefirs. Cochin, Moreau, and Le Barbier. They are numerous, and reprefent mcft of the religious and civil ceremonies of the country, befide portraits of the principal perfonages mentioned in the hif tory, views of palaces, remarkable buildings, beautiful landfcapes, &c. &c.

The fubfcription is opened (at the Author's and M. Didot's the printer's) only for the first and fecond volumes, which contain the firft fection of the fit part, viz. the religious code of the Mahometan legislation volume, in folio, will coft of the books, at Paris. Seventy

150 livres, to be paid c

Seventy plates will be given with these two volumes, which, with the neatnefs of the impreffion, and the goodnefs and fuperior fize of the paper, will not allow the Author to afford the work at a lower price.

Since writing the above, we have feen an advertisement in the public papers, ftating, that an English translation of this fuperb undertaking is in the prefs, and carrying on by the order and under the inspection of the Author. A profpectus of the work is to be had of Mr. Cadell in the Strand.

ART. XVII.

FOREIGN BOOKS, of which ENGLISH Tranflations have just appeared.

Travels through Syria and Egypt, in the Years 1783, 1784, 1785. By M. Volney. Tranflated from the French, illuftrated with Copper-plates. 2 Vols. 8vo. 14s. Boards. Robinfons, London. 1787.

M.

VOLNEY, as we learn from the preface to this work, is a gentleman of fome fortune. In the early part of his life, he had habituated him felf to ftudies of various kinds. He had read, and often heard it afferted, that travelling was the best method of adorning the mind, and forming and improving the judgment. He thought that his own country, and the neighbouring nations, were too well known to require examination, and that they would not afford fufficient objects for the full employment of his attention, which feems to have been particularly turned toward political and moral inveftigations. The rifing ftates of America, and the favages of that continent, were not without temptations to draw him thither. Afia, however, had more powerful attractions. There a large field prefented itself to be explored; and the confideration of the former greatness of Syria and Egypt, contrafted with its prefent ftate, as described by modern travellers, induced him to vifit thofe countries, in preference to any other part of the globe.

Our Traveller, accordingly, fet out for Egypt toward the end of the year 1782. After continuing feven months at Cairo, finding too many obftacles to a thorough examination of the interior parts of the country, and not having proper opportunities of learning Arabic, he determined to proceed into Syria. Eight months refidence among the Druzes, in an Arabian convent, was employed in rendering the Arabic familiar to him; and,

* Of these people, the Druzes, a curious account was lately given by another modern Traveller, the Baron de Tott; and from him, many particulars were given in the Appendix to volume 76. of our Review, p. 626.

Art. IX. Uber die Natur und den Ursprung der Emanationslehre, &c. i. e. A Differtation on the Nature and Origin of the Doctrine of EMANATION among the Cabbalists; or, an Answer to the following Prize-queftion, propofed by the Society of Antiquaries at Caffel: Whether the doctrine of the Cabbalifts, concerning the emanation of all things from the fubflance of the Deity, derived its origin from the Grecian philofophy? By M. JOHN FREDERIC KLEUKER. 8vo. Riga. 1786.

The prize was adjudged to this masterly production, in which the Author enquires, first, How far it is true, that the Cabbalifts taught the doctrine of emanation, and what that doctrine really contained.-Secondly, What relation that doctrine had to those contained in the Holy Scriptures, and to the philofophy of the ancient nations.-And, thirdly, From what fource the Cabbalifts drew the peculiar tenets of their fyftem of emanation?

Art. X. M. De Mouradgea D'Ohffon, Knight of the order of Vafa, Secretary and late Interpreter to his Majefty the King of Sweden, and Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of Conftantinople, has published propofals for printing a large work entitled, Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman. In the firft Part, the Author purposes to give a circumftantial account of the Mahometan legiflation, entering particularly into the description of its religious, civil, criminal, political, and military codes.

The fecond Part will be wholly confined to the hiftory of the Ottoman empire. This hiftory will be chiefly extracted from the annals of the monarchy. M. D'Ohffon proposes to fhew the origin of the empire, its progreffive increase, its eftablishment in Europe, the rapidity of its conquefts, the fuccefs of its arms, the genius of its Sultans, the character of its generals, minifters, &c. He promifes to communicate many fecrets relative to the feraglio, to the private life of the monarch, to the Sultaneffes, and the haram; which he informs us have been collected partly from the officers of the court, and partly from female flaves of the haram, who have obtained their liberty, on being married to fome officer of the court.

The plates which are to accompany this work are now engraving at Paris, by able artifts, under the direction of Meffrs. Cochin, Moreau, and Le Barbier. They are numerous, and reprefent most of the religious and civil ceremonies of the country, befide portraits of the principal perfonages mentioned in the biftory, views of palaces, remarkable buildings, beautiful landfcapes, &c. &c.

The fubfcription is opened (at the Author's and M. Didot's the printer's) only for the firft and fecond volumes, which contain the first fection of the first part, viz. the religious code of the Mahometan legiflation. Each volume, in folio, will coft 150 livres, to be paid on the delivery of the books, at Paris.

Seventy