PHILOSOPHY.

ART. 48. An Account of the Irides, or Corence, which appear around, and contiguous to the Boares of the Sun, Moon, and other luminous Objects. 8vo. 46 pp. Is. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1799.

Four principal forts of Irides, or Coronæ, fuch as are frequently formed in the clouds and vapours of the atmosphere, round the bodies of the fun, moon, &c. are mentioned in this fhort effay; namely, 1. Thofe which confift of many coloured circles contiguous to the bodies of the fun and moon; 2. The Iris of 45° in diameter, which has the fun or moon in its centre; 3. and 4. The two rainbows, whose diameters are about 84° and 100°, and which appear oppofite to the linous body that produces them.

Wing refpect to the explanation of thofe phænomena, this author (of whofe rame we know only the initials. viz. G. W. J. which are figned at the end of the tract) obferves that the principles, upon which the first depends, have been difcovered only within thefe few years; and for thofe principles he refers the reader to a work entitled New Obfer vations concerning the Inflections of Light, which, we have fome reafon to believe, was written by himself; and of which due notice has been taken in a former number of the British Critic.

The fcond, he thinks, has not been fatisfactorily explained; but he allows that fome fuccesful approaches have been made towards an explanation of the other two; namely, of the primary and fecondary rainbows.

This defcription of thefe appearances is followed by a statement of their various breadths, which were measured by means of a fextant. "The general refult of many obfervations and measurements was, that mott frequently the breadth of the first order was rather more than forty-five minutes, or once and a half the breadth of the moon's difc; the fecond not fo broad; the third lefs broad than the fecond; and the fourth lefs broad than any."

Several pages of this tract are employed in refuting Sir I. Newton's attempt to explain the phænomena in question, after which," the only true principles of explanation" he fays" are to be found among thole new obfervations concerning the inflections of light before referred to." Thefe he proceeds further to ftare in pp. 30, 33.

In the fequel, the above-mentioned explanation is illustrated by referring to a diagram in a plate fubjoined to the tract. To this are added feveral particulars, and collateral obfervations, respecting the fame phænomena.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 49. The Cambrian Regifter, for the Year 1796. Vol. II. 575 PP. 9s. E. and T. Williams, 11, Strand. 1799.

8vo.

This work has fomething of the form, and fomething of the tardinefs of an Annual Register, yet why it fhould be annual, it is not

I

eafy

eafy to fay, fince nineteen twentieths of its contents refer to years long pa. Its divifions are, 1. Hiftory of the very Ancient Britons. 2. Biography of various times. 3. Antiquities. 4. Ancient laws of Wales. 5. Statistical accounts written in 1792, &c. 6. Topography. 7. Naval Affairs. 8. Review of Two Books. 9. Letters chiefly of the 17th Century, and early in the 18th. 10. Poetry. 11. Seffions. Of all thefe articles, the laft only, which occupies 6 pages out of 575, is particularly applicable to the year of which the book is ftyled a Regifter. Confequently we have much over-done the matter in faying, that one twentieth part is what it ought to be, to correfpond with its title. The collections in themfelves are not deftitute of local intereft.

ART. 50. The Annual Hampshire Repofitory, or an Hiftorical, Economical, and Literary Mifcellany; a Provincial Work, of entirely original Materials, comprising all Matters relative to the County, including the fle of Wight, St. under the following Heads: County Hiftory, Chroni cle, Registry, Navy, Army, Church, Law, Civil and Municipal Affairs, Public Works, Commerce, Schools, State of the Poor, Economy, Charities, Agriculture, Natural Hiftory, Philofophy, and Curiofities, Antiquities and Topography, Arts and Sciences, Letters, Biography, Projets, Mifcellanies, Notices to Correfpondents, &c. &c. Vol. 1. to be continued Annually. The whole Work under the Direction of a Conductor, with the Affiftance of regular Contributions, and occafional Communicators. 8vo. About 465 pp. Robbins, Winchester; White, London, &c. 1799.

This compilation is not liable to the cenfure paffed upon the preceding. The chief part of its contents are temporary, as well as local; and the inhabitants of the county would probably feel much intereft in it. Much diligence and ingenuity appears to have been exerted in forming the work: and it contains a good deal of poetry, though none is promifed in the long enumeration of the title-page.

ART. 51. Reprefentation of the Millers in the Vicinity of London, against a Bill now pending in Parliament, intitled, "A Bill to incorporate certain Perfons by the Name of the London Company for the Manufacture of Flour, Meal, and Bread. With an Appendix. Folio. 36 pp. 25. Richard fons, &c. 1800.

The Bill, here remonftrated againft, having paffed into a law (and we hope it will prove a falutary one) it is fufficient to say of this tract, that it is drawn up with acutenefs and plaufibility. We must note, however, a remarkable contradiction betwixt the feveral declarations of thefe millers at different periods. In the year 1784, when a charter was refufed to the Albion Mill Company; who perfifted in their undertaking, "without the aid of a charter," thefe worthy gentlemen "refolved unanimously, that the carrying on the faid scheme and undertaking tended to a monopoly of a very alarming nature; and that the uniting of fo many perfons concerned in intereft together, would, by means of the capital proposed to be employed by them, and the extenfive

extenfive powers of their works, be enabled to buy up, and manufac ture weekly, fuch a large proportion of all the British wheat brought to the port of London, as frequently to govern the price thereof." P. 35. But, in the prefent year, their tone is lowered; and they fay, "the millers have no right, nor will they ever prefume, to obstruct the speculations of perfons who may think proper to enter into any, or all the branches of the flour-trade." P. 1.

ART. 52. Picture of Palermo; by Dr. Hager. Tranflated from the German, by Mrs. Mary Robinfon. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Philips. 1800. This we understand to have been the laft publication of the ingeni ous, but unfortunate, tranflator. Dr. Hager has confiderable reputation as a man of ingenuity and learning; and this little sketch of Palermo is agreeable and interefting. The Advertisement ftates, that it has been read with much avidity in the native language. It may be fo; but there feems to us nothing in the work itfelf, or the tranflation, to juftify avidity. There is a neat frontifpiece, exhibiting a sketch of Sicily.

ART. 53. A Selection of the Lives of Plutarch abridged, containing the moft illuftrious Chara&ers of Antiquity; for the Ufe of Schools. By William Mavor, LL. D. Vicar of Hurley, &c. &c.

Philips. 180c.

Izmo. 4s. 6d.

We have often commended the labours of this unwearied author, in behalf of the rifing generation. This work is no lefs entitled to praife, nor at all lefs calculated to obtain and facilitate the end propofed, than the numerous publications of Dr. Mavor, which have been noticed on various occafions by the British Critic.

ART. 54. The modern Traveller; Vol. I. containing the compressed Tra vels of Mungo Park. Vol. II. thofe of Ledyard, Lucas, and Sonnini, in Africa. Vol. III. thoje of Browne, Savary, and Volney. And, Vol. IV. containing thofe of Vaillant in Africa. 12mo. Wright, 125. 1800.

Thefe are modeftly called compreffed Travels, but nothing of material importance appears to have been omitted. We much approve of this publication, which will prove an acceptable companion to the Travels publifhed by Dr. Mavor, which we have before commended. A very good map of Africa is prefixed, upon which the routes of the different travellers are delineated. This publication has alfo the merit of being well and perfpicucully printed.

ART. 55. Marengo, or the Campaign of Italy, by the Army of Referve, under the Command of the Chief Conful Bonaparte. Tranflated from the French of Jfph Petit, Horfe-Grenadier in the Confular Guard; with a Map of the North-West Part of Italy, fhewing the Route of the Army. To which is added, a biographical Notice of the Life and Military Ations of General Defaix. By C. Foudras. Svo. 2s. 6d. Jordan. 1800.

From two French pamphlets the tranflator has contrived to make one, which, confidering the importance of the fubject it profeties to difcuts,

will probably have some degree of circulation. The reader will, however, do well to remember, that the narrator of the first part aims at no higher character than a horfe-grenadier. General Defaix appears to have deferved what is here faid of him; we understand he was both a gallant officer, and a man of amiable private character.

ART. 56. An hiftorical and practical Effay on the Commerce and Culture of Tobacco. By William Tatham, 8vo. 330 pp. 75. Ver.

nor and Hood. 1800.

Having lately feen a few plants of American Tobacco growing cafually in a gentleman's garden near London, and perceiving that very little is generally known in Europe concerning the hiftory and ordinary culture of an article of commerce, which has occupied a confiderable capital in tranfatlantic traffic for about two hundred years; and indeed a plant which is peculiarly adapted for an agricultural comparifon of elements; without entering fo far into the fubject as to conder it a staple produce of the nation, I beg leave to communicate a few particulars in refpect to the hiftory and culture of this luxuriant commodity, which i am enabled to ftate from authorities, and from what I recollect to have noticed during twenty years refidence in Virginia, where it is a principal export."

The author then handles, in fix diftinct parts, 1. The botanical Defcription, and the Culture of Tobacco. 2. The Manner of Housing, Curing, &c. in Virginia. 3. The public Warehouse and Infpection. 4. The Progrefs of the Culture and Commerce of Tobacco. 5. Of the Tobacco-Trade of Great-Britain. 6. Culture and Commerce, according to Mr. Anderfon. He profeffes to have been compelled by time and circumstances to curtail his book for the prefent; but promifes a fupplementary volume, if encouraged by public approbation. The work contains four well-executed plates; the first coloured, and reprefenting the flower, leaf, and botanical characters of Tobacco; 2, the tobacco worm or caterpillar, and its moth, alfo coloured; 3, the tobacco-houfe, and its vicinity; 4, the conveyance of it to market. Mr. Tatham has certainly collected already a great abundance of materials; and we do not very well anticipate what can be referved for his fupplementary volume.

ART. 57. The Teacher's Affiftant in English Compofition; or eafy Rules for writing Themes, and compofing Exercifes, on Subjects proper for the Improvement of Youth of both Sexes at School. By John Walker, Author of the Critical Pronouncing Dictionary, &c. 12mo. 212 PP 3s. 6d. Robinsons, Cadell and Davies, &c. 1801.

There is no exercife in which young perfons fucceed at first so ill, nor any in which it is fo difficult to give them affiftance, without doing their work for them, as the compofition of themes. Mr. Walker finding, by experience, the want of fome book tending rationally to thefe ends, has been led gradually to compofe one; and few perfons will doubt, on hearing the author's name, that the task has been executed with judgment. He begins with the common general rules of dividing the fubject, and then proceeds to give a great variety of exemplifications. Teachers will find much real affittance in the use of this work.

FOREIGN

FOREIGN CATALOGUE.

FRANCE.

ART. 58. De l'influence des paffions fur l'ame dans les maladies, et des moyens d'en corriger les mauvais effets, par C. J. Tiffot, Médecin des armées françaises." Paris and Strafburg. 296 pp. in 8vo.

The author begins by exhibiting to us a picture of the moral man' in the fate of health and of fickness; he afterwards fhows what are the paffions which characterize every conftitution; what belong to different ages, and what are peculiar to women; thofe which the various conditions and fituations in life either produce, or modify, &c. In the third part, he treats of the means which may tend to correct the bad effects of the different affections of the mind. The author then gives rules for discovering their moral caufes; pointing out likewife the choice, the direction, and, if we may be allowed to use the exprefion, the amalgamation of the phyfical and moral aids. We fhall quite a fragment from the Introduction, calculated to give an idea of his plan, and of his views.

"L'honice vivant fous le domaine des paffions elt, fi on permet Fexpreffion, un inftrument à cordes, qui frémit fous l'archet et rend des vibrations plus ou moins fortes, plus ou moins durables. La tenfion et le relâchement alternatifs de là corde; voilà tout le mystère de la formation des différens tons: c'eft le même métanifme dans les corps animés..

"Dans toutes les paffions, je ne vois qu'un mouvement imprimé à la fibre, en vertu duquel elle fe hauffe ou fe baiffe: auffi n'y at-il aucun doute qu'il n'exille un régime propre a exciter les paffions, comme il en eft un pour les modérer. Tout l'art confiftera, dans le premier cas, a donner à la fibre ce degré de ton qui la rend plus fenfible et plus active; comme dans le fecond, à diminuer de fon énergie:, et voilà la méde cine des paffions toute faite.

"Le corps a-t-il reçu une fecouffe vive de la part de l'ame, toutes les cordes font-elles tendues? Il faut délayer, tempérer, détendre par tous les moyens poflibles. La fibre bien abreuvée, bien aflouplie, n'aura plus cette réaction qui entretient le mouvement d'abord imprimé par l'ame, et les impreffions s'affoibliront infenfiblement comme ces ondulations circulaires que la chûte d'un corps dans l'eau a fait naître.

"Les pallions, au contraire, ont-elles occafionné dans la machine en affaiffement, une forte de découragement? Il faut réveiller le jeu des organes, développer un feu qui alloit s'éteindre, ftimuler en un mot et redonner, pour ainfi dire, à l'ame une nouvelle existence, en change. ant l'état d'un corps qui paroiffoit lui devenir étranger.

"Quelquefois il ne faut pas fe borner à agir fur le phyfique de T'homme, il faut s'emparer un quelque façon de fon moral et lui facili

ter