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FOREIGN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. (Continued from p. 145.)

TH HERE is a Society on the continent, which, from their particular connections, are better known in England than fome others of greater note, and whofe objects are of greater importance. We mean the Theological Society at Harlem, called, from its inftitutor and principal benefactor, Teyler's. We mention it, to give an account of the prize-differtations, published some time lince, on a question relating to the state of Christianity, particularly in the caftern churches, about the time of Mahomet, in order to afcertain the influence which that state had on the progrefs of his religion. The volume, published by the Society, contains four Differtations: the first in order is written Michel Paps Szathmari, profeffor in theology and ecclefiaftical history in the Proteftant college of Claufenburg, in Tranfylvania. It is preferred by the judges to the others; but from a punctilio, needlefs to explain, it did not receive the gold medal. It is full of information; but the au thor's learning appears to be fuperior to his judgment, and to his liberality. The odious Arian herefy,' he confiders as the chief affiftance to the progrefs of Mahometanism; and he feems very apprehensive that we fhall fall from Arianifm into Socinian ifm, and from thence into deifm. We must leave Dr. Priestley to fettle this account with the profeffor, for it is not within the province of our fhort explanation. The popular doctrines of Mahomet, the allowance of polygamy, and a little less feverity than was exercised by the Chriftians againft unbelievers, are confidered by the profeffor as the great inducements which led people to the mofque. Fatigued with difputes about religion, they were glad to embrace that which not only allowed them reft, but indulged them in fenfuality.

The next Differtation is a very able one, by M. Jerome de Bofch; but it is full of digreffions, and well contraffed by the third, which is defignedly concife, though fufficiently clear. The great aid which Mahomet received, in M. Hugenholtz's opinion, was the divifions of the Christian church, and the rebellions in the state.

The last Differtation is written by M. Slothouwer, master of the grammar school of Leuwaarden: it is a clear, methodical, mafterly performance; and Mahometanifin, in his opinion, is founded on the corruptions of Chriftianity. A religion, whofe origin is divine, may, he thinks, be equally injurious with a fyftem derived either from enthufiafm, folly, or knavery, if the divine religion is fo far corrupted, that it is not indisputably clear from what fource the knowlege of it is to be derived à fecondly, if its profeffors piety and goodnefs are estimated only by their violence in defence of fpeculative doctrines, or by their intolerance: thirdly, when fpeculative doctrines, in themfelves unintelligible, are erected into articles of faith: fourthly, when VOL. LXIII. March 1787.

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perfecutions are excited between members of the fame communion, on account of trifling and accidental differences of opinion. This was the state of the Chriftian church in the time of Mahomet; and from thefe divifions, that of Mahomet flourifhed. Thefe Differtations are printed in the Dutch language; but the first was originally written in Latin, and fince tranflated.

We must not leave Harlem, without alfo mentioning the twenty-fecond volume of the Memoirs published by the Philofophical Society in that city. The most interesting effay is that written by M. Caftillon, profeffor at Berlin, on a question propofed by the Society: What are the Principles and Characters of Analogy, and how fhould the Philofopher apply it in the inveftigation of phyfical and moral truths' On the characters and principles of analogy, we perceive nothing new. It is founded by our author on mathematical ratios. Its ufe is faid to be, to correct our own judgment on intelle&ual subjects by the affiftance of our fenfes, and then the judgment of others; fecondly, to deduce general truths from particular ones; thirdly, to prove the truth or falfhood of propofitions which cannot be otherwife demonftrated; fourthly, to discover new truths in natural or moral philofophy.

This Differtation is followed by another, of profeffor J. Paps de Fagaras de Vafarhely, on the fame fubject; which contains good obfervations, but not very clearly digefted. In our opinion, either affords a very imperfect and inadequate answer to the queftion. The next two hundred pages are taken up by a Theological Differtation of M. Lambert Meyer, on the Moral State of Infants after this Life; and the volume is concluded by a Differtation on the Panicum crus Galli, by profeffor de Gorter; and Meteorological Obfervations, made in the Years 1782, 1783, and 1784, by M. Bruyninps.

At Paris, the publication of a new work, by the abbé Ray, is daily expected. It is entitled Univerfal Zoology, in a portable Form, arranged in alphabetical Order, and each Animal referred to its Place, in the beft Syftems. Though called portable, it is to make a volume of feven or eight hundred pages; and the publication is chiefly carried on by fubfcription. The author's fituation, as keeper of the chemical and phyfical cabi-, nets of the Lyceum, together with his general character, will' probably render this work very valuable. It is eagerly wifhed for by fome of the best naturalifts. The fyftem we have mentioned naturally directed our attention to the fame subject; and we have recurred to the various difcoveries with which we have lately been prefented in that part of natural history. On the continent they have had many mifcellaneous affiftants, but few great works. Linnæus and Buffon defcribed, comparatively, but few fpccies; and M. Erxleben, in his Hiftory, published in the year 1782, enumerated 342. The number described by Mr. Pennant we have not counted; we fuppofe them to be more than

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than thofe of Buffon, and lefs than M. Erxleben's collection. Later obfervations have not only added to the number, but to our more intimate acquaintance with the forms and manners of thofe before defcribed. We fhall mention a few of the new kinds; and muft begin with one which humbles the pride of man by its fimilitude.

The apes have generally flat nofes; and the perfection of Grecian forms was most unlike, in this refpect, to that disgusting animal, which approaches fo near us in others. There has, however, a fpecies of fimia been prefented to the king's cabinet at Paris, which has a long well-formed nofe, refembling that feature in the human race, except that it is flightly flattened, The feptum narium, which, in this kind, is generally thick, in the new fpecies is as thin as in man. M. Daubenton has named it fimia nafalis.

M. Desfontaines has brought, from the coaft of Barbary, the true winnos of Ariftotle: every naturalift knows how many dif putes the doubts about the real animal, which the Grecian na turalist described, have occafioned. This ape is of a moderate fize: it has twenty-eight teeth, of which four are canine, very like thofe of man. He lives in fociety, in the woods; is eafily tamed; lives upon fruits, and even herbs; and attaches himfelf to his mafter. It is, however, remarkable, that, in their domefticated ftate, they never produce young. The fame naturalift has brought from Barbary, a tiger, a little larger than the ounce, but effentially different from it: fecondly, a new variety, if not a new fpecies of fox; it is larger than our's'; its hair is yellow, and ears black: thirdly, a new variety of otter, larger and of a lighter colour than our's; fourthly, two new fpecies of rats. We fhall not dwell on these subjects, because our author has promised us a particular account of his travels very foon.

M. Vaillant has difcovered a new fpecies of mole; and, to the collections of this kingdom there have been four or five fpecies lately added, of which it is not our prefent business to give any defcription.

The difputes which have arifen between Dr. Girtanner and M. Van Berchen, concerning the Alpine goat, the wild goat of Pennant, and the capra ibex of Linnæus, have greatly illuftrated the natural hiftory of this animal. Dr. Girtanner's remarks were made in a journey through Switzerland, the Grifons, and part of Italy: they contain alfo fome obfervations on the mar motte, which we have already had occafion to mention. M. Van Berchen confounded the animal named by Pallas the Siberian goat with the Alpine goat, from which it differs very materially. From this difpute, the difference is more clearly afcertained; and there are at prefent, in the British Mufeum, the horns of both fpecies. The Siberian goat is that which is faid to come from the ifle of Cyprus. It fhould, however, be owned, that Van Berchen has tranflated a valuable memoir, by M. Guildenstedt, from the twentieth volume of the New Peterburgh Commen

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taries, on the jackal, with fuccefs; and added to it fome very, valuable notes. In this Memoir there is a very accurate and judicious defcription of the animal; and, in the notes, an entertaining account of its manners, taken from the Ruffian Travels into Perfia. The great object of the annotator is to render the opinion of Pallas, that the jackal is the origin of the race of dogs, improbable. In its habits, appearance, and manners, it is not unlike the wild dogs, which greatly refemble the common. fheep dog.

M. Van Berchen propofes to publish a very useful work on zoology, as a guide to travellers. Their vague, uncertain, contradictory, and fometimes falfe accounts, have given great trou ble to naturalists, and have led them into error; therefore this author proposes to enable them to distinguish the known fpecies of animals, without a deep knowlege of the fyftems of zoology. In his system, the different parts of animals are examined, and they are to be claffed according to their refemblances. The. figures to illuftrate it are to be very exact. By this method travellers, he thinks, can first recognize any animal, or determine whether it is unknown; fecondly, diftinguish its manners, and afcertain how far they have been already understood by naturalifts; thirdly, determine its place in the order of refemblances, that is, its resemblance to, or its difference from, other known animals. The work is to contain many more animals than the fyftem of Buffon, and to be printed very foon. The author fpeaks with much confidence, but we cannot decide till we have feen the fyftem. He feems to promise too much.

One of the most refpectable provincial focieties in France is that of Lyons: we shall abridge their last programma, which we have just received.

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The question relating to lichens, was the following: What are the different Species of Lichens ufeful in Medicine and the Arts It was expected, that the authors fhould determine the properties of thefe plants, by new enquiries and experiments. Three Memoirs were diftinguifhed on this occafion. was written by M. G. Francois Hoffman, doctor of phyfic in the univerfity of Erlang; the next, by M. Amoreux, junior, M. D. of Montpelier; and the third, by M. Willemet, fenior, botanical demonftrator at Nancy, who formerly received the prize for a Memoir on indigenous remedies from the vegetable kingdom. Dr. Hoffman is well known in Germany, for various works in botany and medicine, particularly one, entitled Enumeratio Lichenum.' Thefe Memoirs, we hear, are to be printed, and we shall then give fome farther account of them: the lichens are ufed chiefly in dying; and we have much reason to think, that very useful medicines may be drawn from this family of plants.

The prize given by the duke de Villeroy was likewise allotted at this feffion, viz. in Auguft of last year: it was on the

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following question. Are the Experiments, on which Newton eftablished the different Refrangibility of heterogeneous Rays, decifive or délufive?' The examination of the queftion was expected to be deep, and the affertions to be founded on fimple experiments, whofe refults were uniform and conflant. The event was fingular; there were eight Memoirs; four on each fide. Two of each, however, on either fide, were of inferior merit, fo that they were laid afide; and the Academy, with becoming care, repeated the experiments of the other four, to which new ones were added. The victory was decidedly in favour of Newton; and his two advocates were diftinguifhed. The author who received the first prize, was M. Flaugergues, junior, of Viviers, in Vivarais, member of many focieties; the fecond was M. Antony Brugman's, of Groningen. The authors are defired alfo to publish thefe two Memoirs. M. Brugman's Memoir was fecond only because it was lefs extenfive, not that it was lefs valuable.

The mathematical fubjects, propofed for 1787, are, 1. To explain the advantages and inconveniencies of particular vaults (des voutes fur-baiffeès) in different buildings, either public or private, where they are commonly employed. 2. To determine where they are preferable to vaults à plein-centre. 3. To deter mine, geometrically, what degree of curvature will give the leaft elevation, with the neceffary folidity. The prize confifts of two medals, of 200 livres each.

A patriotic and benevolent citizen has offered a prize of 609 livres for the best effay on the following question: Can travelling be confidered as a Means of perfecting Education?? A prize, founded by the abbé Raynal, will be diftributed alfo this year. It confifts of 1200 livres, for an answer to the following questions.

Has the difcovery of America been useful or injurious to Mankind? if it has been useful, what are the Means of preferving and increafing the Advantages? If injurious, what are the proper Remedies?' Those who have already fent differtations may make any additions to them; but it is hinted, that a new copy would be more agreeable.

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As the Academy has allotted a prize to a Memoir which pointed out the dangers of diffolving alum in wine, they now propose a prize for additional information on the fubject. What is the moft fimple, eafy, and accurate manner of difcovering alum, and its quantity, when diffolved in wine, particularly red wine, of a deep colour? The experiments must be uniform in their refult, fimple, and eafy. The prize is 600 livres, to be diftributed in their ufual feffion in 1788.

In the department of Natural History, the new question is, What are the different Infects of France reputed poisonous? The Nature of their Poison and its Remedies? The genera and fpecies of the in ects are to be mentioned; and the enquiries and experiments are expected to be new. The prize is a medal

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