it laborious to turn the machine; but this, he fays, is a flight inconvenience to thofe who can employ a workman or fervant for this purpose: for this reason, he does not recommend them to those who perform experiments merely for amusement; and obferves, that thofe philofophers, who do not chufe to be at the expence and trouble of imitating the whole of his invention, may yet improve their apparatus, by adopting fuch parts of it as they think proper. But, light as the Doctor makes this incon venience, we apprehend that, when he applies his rubbers to Teyler's grand machine, which already requires four men to work it, he may find it more confiderable than he seems to think; for, if a fingle pair of these rubbers renders it laborious to turn a glass plate of thirty-two inches, is it not to be feared, that the force neceffary to turn two plates, of twice this diameter, with two, if not four pair of rubbers, will be too great, not for the number of his attendants, but for the machine itself, which does not seem calculated to refift fuch violent efforts? The invention, however, is very ingenious, and, though the abovementioned circumftance fhould be an impediment to the appli cation of the ufual number of rubbers to large plates of glas, and prevent it from becoming of general ufe, it may yet prove of confiderable utility, by fuggefting other expedients, to those electricians, who, though by no means deficient in zeal for philofophical researches, have not the advantage of poffeffing an ap paratus on fo large a fcale as that which the Doctor ufes.

From an article inferted by Dr. VAN MARUM, in a Dutch literary gazette, published May the 15th, it appears that Mr. JOHN CUTHBERTSON, of Amfterdam, who was entirely igno rant of the Doctor's defigns and operations, had alfo made fome effays toward the improvement of electrical rubbers; and though, from the neceffry avocations of his bufinefs, he has not yet been able to bring them to that degree of perfection which he had hoped to attain, he has fo far fucceeded, as to render them greatly fuperior to thofe commonly ufed. Dr. VAN MARUM informs the public that, by a comparative trial of a pair of Mr. CUTHBERTSON's rubbers, with a pair of his own, he found that their exciting power was to that of his, as feven to feventeen, and thus at least double the power of the common fort. He candidly recommends Mr. CUTHBERTSON's rubbers, as more fimple and commodious for general ufe, than his own, which, as above defcribed, are calculated folely for charging coated glass, and not for experiments, in which only the fpark is required: in this cafe, the rubber ought to be no more than eight, inftead of ten inches long; becaute the latter come fo near to the abforbing points of the prime conductor, that, when no coated glass is connected with it, the electric fluid will efcape, through thele, to the rubbers.

For

For the interefts of fcience, we hope thefe gentlemen will unite in their refearches, as Mr. CUTHBERTSON's philofophical knowlege, and, more efpecially, his ingenuity as an artift, may be of fervice toward rendering the Doctor's ingenious contrivance more fimple and elegant in its conftruction, and more commodious in its use.-See more concerning this ingenious artist, Review, vol. Ixxiii. p. 54, 55, and vol. Ixxvii. p. 558. Sow.

ART. VII.

Notices et Extraits des Manufcrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi, &c. i. e. An Account of, and Extracts from, the Manufcripts in the Library of the King of France; read at a Committee of the Royal Academy of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres. 4to. About 700 Pages. Paris. 1787.

TH

THE vaft collection of manufcripts in the learned languages, which form the principal ornament of the library of the king of France, has been, hitherto, an object rather of oftentation than of utility. In the year 1785, the minifters of Lewis XVI. determined to render that great repofitory of learning a public benefit, not merely to the men of letters in France, but to the curious in all countries, by encouraging the work now before us; which is of a nature far more extenfive and more important, than the catalogue of the fame manufcripts formerly published.

The prefent volume gives not merely the titles of, but extracts and tranflations from, and fometimes the whole of thofe manufcripts, which feem capable of affording inftruction or entertainment. To execute this important task, eight members of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres have been named by the king; three of them are verfed in the Oriental tongues, two in the Greek and Latin, and three in the ancient history of France, and, in general, of the middle ages. Befide their ordinary penfions as members of the academy, they have additional falaries as examiners of the king's manufcripts; and although his majefty has thought proper, on this occafion, to name the eight members to be employed, the places of those who die, or who decline to continue this labour, are to be fupplied by the academy itself.

The volume now before us, which produces the first fruits of this inftitution, contains, I. An Hiftorical Effay on the Oriental Characters ufed at Paris for printing Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, &c. by M. de Guignes, well known for his great knowlege and numerous performances in Oriental, and particularly Chinefe, hiftory and learning. II. The Meadows of Gold, and the Mines of precious Stones; an univerfal hiftory, by AboulHaffan-Aly, who wrote in the eleventh century: Arabic manufcripts. By the fame. III. The Diary of Burcard, mafter of

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the ceremonies in the Pope's chapel, from the time of Sixtus IV. to that of Julius II. Latin manufcript. By M. de Brequigny. This Diary forms three articles, IV. An Account of a Greek Lexicon. By M. de Rochefort. V. Hiftorical Chart of Coun. tries, Seas, and Fish; with a Treatife on the Science of the Spheres: Arabic manufcript. By M. de Guignes. VI. The Book of Wandering Stars; containing the biftory of Egypt and Cairo. By the Scheikh Schemfeddin Mohammed Ben Abihforour Albakeri Alfadiki: Arabic manufcript. By M. Silveftre de Sacy. VII. Accounts of five different manufcripts of Efchylus, forming five arti cles. By M. Vauvilliers. VIII. Inftructions to different Officers of the Duke of Anjou, and an Account of the Embaffics of the fame: French manufcript. By M. Gaillard. IX. An Account of the Death of Richard II. King of England: French manufcript. By the fame. X. The Hiftory of the Reigns of Charles VII. and Lewis XI By Amelgard, a prieft of Liege: French manuscripts. By M du Theil. XI, A Swed fh Chronicle, by Olaus Petri, who flourished in the beginning of the fixteenth century. By M. de Keralio. XII. The Criminal Procefs of Robert d'Artois, Comte de Beaumont: French manufcript. By M De l'Averdy. XIII Ac count of a Greek manufcript, by John Canabutza, on the Hiftory of the Aborigines. By the Baron de Sainte-Croix. XIV. Hiftory of the Atabeks, Princes of Syria, by Aboul Hafan-Aly, a writer in the 13th century: Arabic manufcript. By M. de Guignes. XV. The Autographical Chronicle of Iterius, Librarian of the Abbey of St. Martial de Limoges, in the 13th century: Latin manufcript. By M. de Brequigny. XVI. The Book of Counfels, by the Scheikh Ferideddin Attar, &c. Perfian manufcript. By M. Silveftre de Sacy.

Such is the lift of the works analysed or tranflated in this volume. The Editors obferve that thefe works are not probably the most important in the collection, as they had not any other rule in directing their labours, but the bare title of the books analyfed.

The account of the death of Richard II. contains an hiftory of the events which preceded that catastrophe, and appears to have been written by an eye-witness of the principal transactions of Richard's reign. It abounds in minute details and ftriking circumftances, strongly painting the ftrange mixture of fuperftition and cruelty, which characterife that barbarous age. it differs in many particulars from received accounts, it would deferve much attention, did it not evidently appear to be written by a partial admirer of the murdered king: whom the nation regarded as a tyrant; who, having married Ifabelle, daughter of

As

Our countryman Mr. DodЛley, is here, incidentally, mifcalled Dofdley.

Charles

Charles VI. of France, wifhed to confirm his defpotifm by the arms of that country. It is obferved as an hiftorical fingularity, by the editor of this manufcript, that all the English kings, who had married French princeffes, incurred the difpleafure of their fubje&s, and fuffered violent deaths; as Edward II. Richard II. Hen y VI. and Charles I.

The hiftory of the Atabeks, princes of Syria, from the year 1084 to 1210, gives a new view of the Croifades; and defcribes the character of many princes on whom the Chriftians made war, very differently from the monkish hiftorians. The queftion ftill remains to be decided, where the truth lies. The Chriftians, doubtlefs, had their prejudices; but were the Mahometans free from prejudice, and free from refentment?

One of the most interefting manufcripts mentioned in this collection, is the Pend-na meth, or Book of Counfels; a moral poem, compofed in Perfian verfe by Ferideddin Attar, and containing an abridgment of the fpiritual life, according to the principles of the most devout Mohammedans. M. Silvestre de Sacy intends giving a complete tranflation of this poem, together with the Perfian text. Its author, commonly diftinguished by the name of Attar the perfumer (because in his youth he had exercifed that profeflion in the town of Schadbakh), having embraced the contemplative life, fpent feveral years in the exercise of devotion and penitence; and collected the lives of the most celebrated Dervifes. He had attained to the highest perfection in the fpiritual myfteries of the Mohammedans, when he was killed by the Moguls in Gengis Khan's invafion, at the extraordinary age of 114. He left behind him a great many works in profe and verfe; of which the moft celebrated is the Pend-na meth, comprehended in eight hundred lines. The poet begins by.celebrating the greatnefs of God, and the wonders which he has wrought in favour of his faithful fervants. He then proceeds to the praifes of Mohammed, and the moft diftinguished Imans, or founders of the Mohammedan fects. After this exordium, he diftinguishes, minutely, the characters of true piety, and folid devotion, with the long train of virtues and vices, and the figns by which they may be recognised. He next defcends to precepts of policy, and maxims of health, cleanlinefs, decency, and urbanity; and the whole may be regarded as a complete fynopfis of the moft refined doctrines of the Mohammedan religion.

The collection before us is richeft in the article of Oriental learning. M. de Guignes has given us an interefting account of Arabian, Syrian, Armenian, and Perfian typography fince the reign of Francis I.; in which we learn, incidentally, that the famous Greek types, employed by the Stephens's, are not loft, as has been long fuppofed, but may, be ftil feen at the royal printing

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printing office. Among the Greek manufcripts brought to light, is a Lexicon, which, though of an uncertain date, is valuable on account of the author's knowlege in grammar and etymology.

On the whole, however, we expected more entertainment than we have derived from the first volume of this great undertaking; the defign of which cannot be too much commended: and it is to be wished that the genius, which presides over letters, may direct the future researches of thefe induftrious Academicians to manufcripts ftill more deferving of their attention, and of the eye of the public at large.

A tranflation of this work has appeared, fince the preceding
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article was written.

ART. VIII.

Difcours prefenté à l'Academie de Châlons-fur-Marne, &c. i. e. A Dif courfe prefented to the Academy of Châlons fur-Marne in 1787, upon this Question, What are the best Methods of exciting and en couraging Patriotifm in a Monarchy, without refraining or weaken ing the Extent of Power and of Execution peculiar to this Species of Government? By J. DE MEERMAN, Signeur de DALEM. To which is annexed, the Difcourfe of MMATHON DE LA COUR, of the Academies of Lyons and Villefranche and Member of the Royal Society of Agriculture at Lyons &c. which gained the Prize. 8vo. pp. 78. Leyden. 1789.

TH

HAT each form of government hath its advantages and diladvantages, is a truth which no one will difpute. The principal fubject of inquiry among politicians has been, which form is, on the whole, beft calculated to fecure the greatest quantum of good to a community? Although it is not to be expected that any government, that has been long eftablifhed, will be new modelled according to the refult of thefe inquiries, yet occafions fometimes prefent themselves (of which we have had a recent inftance on the other fice of the Atlantic), where fpeculation may be reduced to practice; and thefe inquiries are at all times ufeful, as they et forth to our view the natural rights of mankind, and the true ends of government, But the question propofed by the Academy of Châlons-furMarne hath the peculiar advantage of being immediately applicable to governments, as they actually exift; and it inquires in what manner the form established can be rendered most conducive to the public good.

The publication before us contains two differtations on this very interefting fubject. The firft is written by M. DE MEERMAN, whofe literary abilities are well known, and who has diftingu fhed himself as an able politician in a treatife concerning the Achæan, Helvetic, and Belgic confederacies, which obtained the prize propofed by the Royal Academy of Infcriptions and

Belles