These were, 1. A machine for cutting hay and fodder for horfes 2. An inftrument for folving the common problems in trigonometry without calculation. 3. A regulator, for moderating the motion of mechanic engines. 4. A new improvement in clockwork, by the Sieur Ridrot, clock-maker. 5. New invented ftays and bufkins to prevent children from growing crooked, or to relieve them when deformed, by the Sieur Offemont, maftertaylor. 6. A portable barometer, by M. de Boiftiflandeau. Many attempts have been made to render this inftrument portable, but most of them as unfuccefsfully as we conceive this of M. de Boiftiffandeau. Indeed the beft method of making this inftrument completely portable, and at the fame time accurately useful, is that defcribed in the Gentleman's Magazine for February 1755, faid to be invented by an English artist in Holland, and which we have fince feen imitated in fome of our inftrument fhops.

There are among the memoirs fome other articles, not noticed in the hiftory; particularly a fecond memoir on inoculation by M. de la Condamine, but the very immethodical method practifed by the academicians of dividing the hiftory and memoirs, prevents our giving fo regular an account of the several pieces as we could wish.

The volume for the year 1761, being not yet come to hand, we must defer our account of it to a future opportunity.

La Defenfe du Paganisme par l'Empereur Julien.

The Emperor Julian's defence of Paganifm, tranflated by the Marquis D'Argens. Printed with the original Greck. Berlin, 1764.

D

Eiftical as the principles of the Marquis d'Argens have been fometimes fuppofed, it will hardly be imagined that he fhould give himself the fruitlefs trouble of tranflating this tract of the apoftate Julian, with any fimilar view to that with which it was originally written. Our modern efprits-forts, if they are bad Chriftians, are at least as bad Heathens, and are no more defirous of adopting the mythology of the Pagans than the theology of our canonical divines. The Marquis's view in this publication appears, indeed, to have been a very laud able one; his defign being to inculcate the political neceffity of religious toleration.

As to the piece itfelf, there have been many theological writers, and particularly father Petau, who conceived it might

be

be made of fingular ufe to the Chriftian caufe, though written profeffedly against it. It is indeed remarkable that it would, in all probability, have been totally loft to pofterity, had it not been for the refutation of it publifhed by St. Cyril, in his large and elaborate work in defence of Chriftianity, throughout which it was interfperfed in occafional fragments, by way of quotations. It hath been the care of the prefent Editor to collect those several fragments, and to comment on the most remarkable paffages; his remarks all tending, to defend the cause of Christianity against the arguments of the apoftate. In refpect to the character of Julian, however, M. d'Argens appears to be of opinion with Mr. de Voltaire, and many others, that he was by no means that horrid perfecutor of Chriftians, as he hath been represented. The oration of Gregory Nazianzen muft, therefore, be looked upon as mere declamatory invective. Julian (fay thefe advocates for his moderation) gave into all the fanaticifm of the eclectic philofophy, and the most extravagant exceffes of fuperftition; infomuch that his people faid of him, had he returned victorious from his expedition against the Parthians, he would have wanted animals to facrifice on his fuccefs, having already flaughtered fo many thoufand victims to read his destiny in their bowels, or to render the gods propitious to his arms. Nay, fo abfurd was his fanaticism, that, like Plotinus, Jamblicus, and Porphyry, he boafted of having an immediate commerce with celeftial beings and the divinity and yet this Prince, fuperftitious and fanatical as he was, never employed violence, much lefs tortures, to force Chriftians to change their religion. The philofopher Libanius, fay they, had taught him, that, though violent remedies. may be fometimes applied with fuccefs to defperate difeafes, religious prejudices were not to be eradicated by fire or fword.'

It is pity that the advocates for toleration have not a better precedent in this Emperor, whofe example is very unworthy fo good a caufe.

CATALOGUE OF FOREIGN BOOKS. Art. 1. Gerardi L. B. Van Swieten, &c. Commentaria in Her manni Boerhaave Aphorifmos de cognofcendis et curandis Morbis. Van Swieten's Commentaries on the Aphorifms of Boerhaave. Vol. 4. 4to. 4to. Printed at Leyden. Imported by Becket and de Hondt.

HE great reputation our illuftrious Commentator hath acquired by his obfervations on the Aphorifms of Eoerhaave, renders any

TH

002

thing

thing we might offer on that head fuperfluous. It would also be im poffible for us to give the medical Reader any fatisfactory abstract of thefe before us; we fhall content ourselves, therefore, with a bare mention of the fubjects of the feveral chapters contained in the prefent volume of this ineftimable work. Thefe are the Phthifis Pulmonalis. -Phthifis Aliae-Hydrops-Podagra-Morbi Virginum-Morbi Gravidarum-Partus difficilis morbi puerperii-Morbi Infantum.

Another volume, containing a general index to the whole, will conclude this e'aborate work.

Art. 2. Nouveau Elemens de Dynamique et de Mechanique. Par M. Mathon de la Cour, de l'Academie des Sciences, &c. De Lyon.

New Principles of Mechanics. Lyons, 1763.

The principles here laid down are by no means new, although it must be admitted, there is fome novelty and much ingenuity in the application of them to the general theory of motion. This theory is here inculcated, as it is deducible from the first great principle in nature; the equality of action and re-action. Our Author difplays in this treatife a compleat knowlege of practical mechanics; but we conceive him to be miftaken in fome of his notions concerning the vis inertie of bodies, which we apprehend to be as much a mechanical effect of the motion of the primary elements of matter, as many other more palpable pha

nomena.

Art. 3. Effais metaphyfico-mathematiques, fur la Solution de quel ques Problemes importans, qui font encore a refoudre. Effays, phyfico-mathematical, on the Solution of certain important Problems that are yet to be refolved. By M. de Freval. 8vo. Amfterdam. 1764. Imported by Becket and de Hondt.

It is greatly to be feared that the mathematicians will not have altogether fo high an opinion of the importance of all † our Author's pro blems, as he appears to have himfelf. If they have, they will not fail to regret, that, after having taken fo much pains about them, he fhould leave them ftill to be refolved. But though Mr. Freval hath not been able to untie all the Gordian knots he hath been trying at, his work contains a number of curious reflections, from which the ingenious may reap fome advantage.

+ One of them being a demonftration of the quadrature of the circle.

Art. 4. L'Homme des Lettres, &c.

The Man of Letters, &c. By Mr. Garnier, Profeffor-royal of Hebrew, and Member of the royal Academy of Infcriptions and Belles-Lettres. 2 vols. 12mo. Paris, 1764.

There cannot poffibly be two characters more effentially different than the Man of Letters, as here defcribed by M. Garnier, and thofe petit-maitres, or fops in literature, which abound all over Europe, and correfpond or herd together under the general name of literali. At

the

the fame time nothing is farther from our Author's intention than to include, under this denomination, the profound and pedantic eruditi of the colleges. A man of letters, according to Mr. Garnier's ideas, should poffefs a confiderable degree of felf knowlege, as well as knowlege of the world; he should have an earnest zeal for truth, and a difpofition capable of facrificing every thing, and undertaking every thing to attain it. He fhould not be deftitute of quick and lively paflions, but fhould have them under the government of reafon, and always directed to fome ufeful end. Add to this, that he should entertain a fovereign contempt for all those cafual advantages which it is in the power of for. tune to give or to take away. Such a character as this, our Author obferves, could never be ufelefs on account of time, place, or circumftance. He would doubtless prefer, were it in his choice, the calm of a peaceful retirement, to the buffling tumult of the world: but if his country fhould require his affistance, he would be ready to facrifice his inclinations, his pleasures, his happiness to its fervice: he would be content to govern like an Epaminondas or an Ariftides, and, in case of neceffity, to die like a Socrates or a Cato. M. Garnier appears to be a zealous Platonift, though lefs florid and chimerical than his master, and lefs fantastical and abfurd than most of his fellow difciples. method he lays down to form a Man of Letters, is exceeding commendable; the principal objects of his application and ftudy, evidently tending to render himself and his fellow creatures more benevolent and happy.

The

Art. 5. Dictionaire Univerfel des Foffils, &c. An Univerfal Dictionary of Foffils. By Mr. Bertrand, Minifter of the French Church at Berne. 2 vols. 8vo. 1763.

If the model of this work were followed in the compilation of dictionaries of other arts and sciences, we should not have them fo voluminous, nor stuffed with fuch an abundance of useless matter as they generally are. The fenfible and induftrious Author of this performance, hath indeed collected, with great judgment all that was neceffary for him to fay on the various fubjects of the fofile or mineral kingdom: in doing which, however, he hath not merely compiled his works from the writings of others, but from his own experience; being possessed of a very curious and valuable cabinet of natural curiofities.

Art. 6. Principes politiques fur le rappel des Proteftans en France. Political Reasons for recalling Proteftant Refugees back to France. 2 vols. 12mo. Paris. Imported by Becket and de Hondt.

Religious toleration feems at prefent to engage, in a particular maŋner, the attention of Europe.-In France the boldeft things are thrown out on this delicate fubject We call it delicate, because we conceive it a very nice and interesting point to government. Accustomed, in a

great degree, to the free enjoyment of liberty of confcience, Englishmen are apt to think their brother Protestants in France, extremely opprefed, and deprived of the natural privileges of mankind: they think

i juft they should be reftored to thofe privileges, and, perhaps, fee no difficulty the French government would be under in fuch refloration; but if an advocate for the Irish Papifts, tells us they have the fame right to be delivered from oppreffion as the French Proteftants, we can immediately fee a number of difficulties and inconveniencies arising from that conduct we recommend to others.

The arguments contained in the work before us, are both religions and political, and are equally applicable to all nations. The Writer prudentially affumes the character of a Roman Catholic; but from feveral paffages in the work, we conceive him to be a Proteftant; or, perhaps, one of thofe politico-philofophical men of genius, who, from obferving the ill-effects of fome religious fyltems, become very inconclufively, totally indifferent to all. Be this, however, as it may, it is plain that he knows how to profit by the validity of religious arguments in favour of the point in question. The enemies to toleration, fays he, affect to be apprehenfive that the granting liberty of confcience to Proteflants, will introduce disturbances into church and state, and reduce both to the greatest extremities. But have they forgotten the promife made by our Saviour to St. Peter, when he affured him that the gates of heil fhould never prevail against his church? The affurance here given by our Saviour, ought furely to be fufficient to diffipate all fuch illgrounded apprehenfions.'

When fhall we fee the Chriftian religion cultivated in its purity, and unfophifticated by thofe political views, which have almoit obli terated its effence, and confounded it with human inflitutions!

Art. 7. Nutuurlyke Hiftorie, &c. volgens het Syftema Van Linnæus. The Natural Hiftory, or accurate Description of Animals, Plants, and Minerals, according to the System of Linnæus.. 8vo. Amfterdam. 1763.

This work which is published in feparate parts, the three first of which only are as yet come to cur hands, is well executed, and deferving the encouragement of all thofe who understand the language in which it is written.

Art. 8. L' Anti-Financier, &c.

The Anti-Financier; or, a Detection of the many Oppreffions daily committed by the Farmers-general of the Cuftoms throughout the feveral Provinces of France. Being a Refutation of a Pamphlet, entitled, A Letter, in Anfwer to the Remonftrances of the Parliament of Bourdeaux. To which is prefixed, An Epifle to the Parliament of France. With hiftorical Notes. 12mo. Amfterdam. 1764.

To hear fome Englishmen talk, a perfon who knew no better, would be apt to imagine, that all the rest of the world were abfolute flaves, and that the French, in particular, however voluble we find their tongues among us, were as mute as fifhes when their Grand Monarch enjoins them filence. They may learn, however, by the prefent performance, that the truth is, tout ou contraire, and that the French are as fufceptible of oppreffion, and as fenfible of the injuftice of it, as any other nation pon earth. The low ebb, to which the late war reduced the French

govern