The following paragraph will be fufficient to convey an idea of Marcus Aurelius: of whom the foregoing eulogium on his predeceffor, must already have given us a favourable impreffion.

The reign of Aurelius was the reign of Philofophy; I ⚫ mean moral Philofophy, the only Philofophy esteemed by the Romans, as I have observed more than once. The Sovereign's tafte for this study could not fail of being imitated by his fubjects; wherefore his age produced a great number of Philofophers, at the head of whom he himself must be placed, not only as exhibiting in his conduct the most perfect model of practical Philofophy, but as the Author of an excellent work, which I have often cited, and which, more < valuable for its excellent maxims than stile, establishes the pureft morality human reafon can attain to. This work is wrote in Greek, the natural language of Philofophy.'

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Such was the father; how great a contraft to the fon! whofe difpofition may be gueffed at by the enfuing extract.

• Commodus died thirty-one years and four months old, having reigned after his father's death, twelve years, nine months, and fome days. Though his murderers were undoubtedly guilty of a very great crime, it must, however, be allowed, that never did man more deserve a fatal end. His misfortune was a kind of fignal and omen to his fucceffors of what they were to expect, who almost all fuffered a violent death. He had fet afide the laws, which are the only fecurity both to the fovereign and fubject, and was the first who fuffered the punishment of his folly. But the evil continued, and the contempt which he had drawn upon his perfon, fell upon the imperial dignity, which never raif⚫ed itself from that low ebb to which he had reduced it, but became the fport of the army, whofe licentiousness he had encouraged,

His memory was detefted. The Senate in their acclamations, which Lampridius relates at large, called him by a thousand opprobrious names, treating him as an enemy of the Gods, a parricide, a tyrant, more cruel than Domitian, and more debauched than Nero. They defired that his body might be dragged along the ftreets, and have no burial; and after Pertinax had caufed it to be interred, the • Senate ordered it to be taken up again, and his ashes feattered in the air. His ftatues were pulled down, and all the infcriptions on the public monuments which could do him honour, were erafed; and thus the unjust ignominy he had

thrown

thrown upon a number of innocent perfons, by taking their names out of the public annals, after he had put them to death, was retorted upon himself. The populace fondly • adopted the fentiments of the Senate. The foldiers alone. regretted a Prince, who loaded them with gifts, and fuffered them to live in effeminacy.'

What muft we, all this while, think of the Romans themfelves; whom such a fucceffion of good Princes could not reform; and who wanted but one monfter more, in Commodus, to reduce the empire to abfolute anarchy, which the future part of this Hiftory is to record? The prefent volume con-cludes with the following obfervation.

Thus the fciences came to an end, which for a long time had undergone great alterations. We have not feen among the Romans an Orator fince Pliny, nor a Hiftorian fince. Tacitus, nor a Poçt fince Juvenal. To polite Literature Philofophy fucceeded, to Philofophy Barbarifm.'

As to the Tranflation of this work, we have before hinted at fome defects in it; and there is yet room for amendment. In particular, we are forry to meet with fracas, ragouts, and fuch like Gallicifms, in a Roman Hiftory.

ACCOUNT of FOREIGN BOOKS. Memoire fur les Defrichemens. A Paris, chez Houry. 12mo. 1760. Or,

A practical treatife on clearing wafte Grounds.

THE

HIS work has been honoured in France, with the attention of the Ministry; made fenfible, without doubt, of the utility of a performance, tending to no lefs an object than the augmentation of real national wealth, by improving the wafte grounds in the feveral provinces of that kingdom. It merits, however, no lefs the regard of other nations, and particularly of ours; wherein, how great foever are our boasted advancements in Agriculture and Husbandry, there is yet great room for farther improvements; which the fweets we have already tafted of those hitherto made, fhould doubtlefs excite us to purfue, by embracing every opportunity of profiting by the example of others.

The Author of this piece does not confine himfelf, like many other Writers, to vague fpeculations on the utility of Agriculture in general, or the good confequences of encouraging, and the evil of neglecting it, but enters into a detail

2

of

of the particular inftructions neceffary to direct the labours the husbandman, in this useful employment. He profeffes: communicate only what he has himself experienced, and whi therefore may be fuccefsfully put in practice by others. H book appears, indeed, to be the refult of judicious obfervation and lucky experiments: to qualify himfelf for making which we are told, he previously travelled into feveral parts of Eu rope, exercifing that natural fpirit of curiofity, which is the fertile principle of knowlege; by obferving, comparing, and making experiments, of the different methods of clearing and improving wafte lands in different places.

His work is divided into two parts. The firft is pure! practical, and contains a circumftantial and methodical a count of the various methods of clearing different kinds of foil.

In the second, is laid down a theory, that ferves to confirm and extend, as well as to facilitate, the practice recommented, and render the advantages of it confpicuous; in order to encourage Land-holders and Farmers to clear their uncul tivated lands.

In the first part, after fome general reflections on the means of coming to the knowlege of the quality of different fouls, by boring them with an inftrument, of which he gives the defcription; he treats of the inconveniences of too great multiplication of game on eftates: and of the three grand obstacles which it is immediately neceffary to remove, when one undertakes the clearing of any fpot of ground; to wit, water, ftones, and roots.

He divides the foil of uncultivated lands into three kinds, the good, the indifferent, and the bad. Soils which he calls bad, are loose hot fands, fit to make mortar with, when mixed with lime. These are white, yellow, and red. They are generally extremely barren: the Author fhews, however, that they may be improved by cultivation; and that, indeed, there is no kind of foil, unpromifing however as it may ap pear, which will entirely difappoint the expectations of the Husbandman, in the recompenfe of his labour.

Under the general denomination of indifferent foils, he comprehends light, gravelly, and fandy earths; fuch, however, as are not proper to mix with lime for making mortar. This kind of foil is that which moftly abounds in France. Some being white, fome of a yellowish, and fome of a reddish caft. Some again is brown, and fome black: they are all more or less fertile, in proportion as a layer of earth, of a

ftiff, fat, or clayey kind, which is generally found underneath, is at a greater or less distance from the surface.

The third and laft fpecies, is that of good land. Under this term the Author comprizes ftiff, fat, and clayey foils, and in general all fuch as will clog to the fhoes. These are whitish, yellowish, reddish, brown, and black.

The Author lays down the means in treating all these kinds of foils, to remove the principal obftacles above-mentioned. He then enters into a particular illuftration of every thing that concerns the methods of rendering them arable, as well as the implements neceflary in grubbing up the roots, drawing off the water, and otherwife preparing the land for the plough.

In the second part, the Author gives an account of the experiments he made, for twenty-three years, on his own eftate at Anjou, as well of the unfuccessful as those which proved fortunate; the general fuccefs of which is an instance of the truth of what our beft economical Writers have repeatedly advanced, respecting the advantages of Agriculture, and its influence with regard to the population of States.

When first I set out with my schemes of Husbandry, fays he, the third part of the farms in my parish were untenanted, for want of Hufbandmen: the most part of my own tenants were also very poor, and in general did not raise more corn than would fuffice them half the year. They were, indeed, become fo idle, that rather than cultivate their own ground, which might furnish them with fubfiftence, they would go begging charity about the neighbouring country. At pre fent their circumftances are very different; they fubfist on the fruits of their labour, and follicit alms no longer. The parish at present produces more corn than the inhabitants confume, and furnishes also a quantity for the neighbouring markets; whence it used formerly to purchase. All my farms are now tenanted, and there is not a cottage empty: the inhabitants of this parish being increased to double the number fince the year 1737.

From this experience of our Author's it is, that he endea vours to prove to the government, the national profit that would arife from engaging the Proprietors and Farmers of landed eftates, to clear their uncultivated grounds; pointing out in a general but clear and diftinct manner, the methods that might be taken by the Miniftry, to accomplish that defirable end.

When

When the celebrated Rofny, fays he, was made Prime Minister of France, he was asked by the Courtiers, if he though to govern that monarchy in the fame manner as he did his eftate at Rofny? Without doubt I fhall, replied that excellent Minifter; and the happinefs which France enjoyed under his administration, is a proof, that his plan, however fimple, was juft. In this project, however, of cultivating wafte lands, now much neglected in that kingdom, the Author, tho' a Frenchman, admits not of any flavifh impofitions on the people; but, like a fenfible Politician, and true friend of Liberty, recommends the most gentle and encouraging methods, as the most likely to be attended with fuccefs. Agriculture, fays he, the mother of commerce and the arts, will lie under no greater restraint than her children. It is neceffary to cherish and encourage; but would you force her to comply with your wishes, the flies from your constraining arms, and difappears together with her offspring.

The firft ftep which the Author propofes to be taken by the Government, in favour of Agriculture, is to extirpate floth and idleness from among the peafantry. That Emperor of China, fays he, who, feeing one of his fubjects idle in the public streets of Peking expreffed great grief, because he conceived fome other of his fubjects might in confequence perish with hunger, in fome corner of his kingdom: were he now in France, (might we not add, in England too?) would have fufficient occafion to afflict himself.

The Author adds many fenfible and pertinent reflections, on the means of removing the nusance of common beggars; on employing the poor, and on the inordinate and destructive inclination in people of all ranks, to leave the country, and repair in fhoals to the capital;-all which are as applicable to this kingdom as to France.

La Logique de l'Efprit et du Coeur, a l'Ufage des Dames. Par M. D***. 12mo. A Paris. 1760. (i.e.)

The Logic of the Head and Heart. Written for the Ufe of the Fair Sex.

TH

HERE is fomething very fingular and curious in the notions contained in this performance; which, we are told, is written by Mr. Blanchet, Author of Les Principes Philofophiques du Chant.

Our