ductam, et ab illuftri astronomo perfectiori longe telescopio facilè dimenfam opticæ legibus et experimento confentaneum videtur, folis diametrum radiorum lucis, qua circumdatur, veluti productione, auctam, majorem minori et minus perfecto, et contra minorem majori infpectam telescopio, magifque exquifito apparituram, quod fcilicet telescopium hoc apparentis productionis annulum illo magis imminuat. Solis itaque diameter infpecta quadrantis noftri telescopio, fimplici lente objectiva inftructo, majorem illa, quæ ex tabulis defumpta, fpectatoris oculo fefe oftendere debebat. Si jam radiorum lucis apparens annulus quadrantis tubo quinque minutis fecundis plufquam Mayeri tabulis productus ponatur, folis femidiameter juxta eafdem tabulas quinque pariter fecundis minor illa erit, quæ ad quadrantem vifa. Ex hifcé fequiter æstivi folstitii tempore, cum ab obfervata folis limbi fuperioris declinatione folaris tabularum femidiameter fubducta fuir, folis centri declinationem et obliquitatem eclipticæ quinque fecundis majorem vera colligi debuiffe, et contra quinque fecundis vera minorem cum folis declinationem, tum ecliptica obliquitatem deductam fuiffe, tempore hyemalium folftitiorum, quibus limbi fuperioris obfervatæ declinationi eadem femidiameter ex tabulis erruta addita fuit. Unde hybernis "folftitiis obliquitas eclipticæ decem fecundis minor, quam æftivo in hâc hypothefi obfervari debuit, mediaque inter utramque erit obliquitas vera. Defcripta modo theoria ad feverius examen, quod in pofterum fiet, facilime revocabitur Si enim fuperior folis limbus æftivo, et inferior hyemali folftitio obfervetur, ecliptica obliquitates æquales quidem, fed vera majores; at fi æftivo folftitio inferior, et brumali fuperior limbus fumatur, obliquitates denuo æquales, vera autem minores colligentur."

1

Volgarizzamento delle Favole, &c.--A Tranflation of the
Fables of Efop. 12mo. Florence.

Mr. Dominique Manni is the editor of this translation. The manufcript itself, belonging to Mr. Farfetti, a Venetian nobleman, has been wrote many years ago in the Toscan language, which is looked upon as the moft refined of the dialects spoken in Italy: the ftyle of this tranflation is therefore unexceptionable, but the writer feems to have hardly confulted, or understood the original.

Opere teatrali, &c.-The dramatic Works of Abbate André
Willi. 2 vols. 8vo. Venice.

The

The Italians have not yet produced a tolerable dramatic writer, and the Abbate Willi feems very ill qualified to claim any diftinction in that walk. His plays are imitations, or rather tranflations, of fome of D'Arnauld's fentimental and very fomniferous novels. The first volume contains two tragedies, the one in profe, the other in verfe. The latter intitled Caroline and Mexicow begins thus.

"We cannot be faid to have conquered, as long as flight fets Orwitz beyond our reach, and screens him from our wrath and the punishment he deferves. What does it avail to have routed those timid hares, who have no other law but the natural pride of acknowledging none, and blindly follow whoever feeds them with vain hopes, if their leader breathes in fecurity.

How tragically fublime are thofe cowardly hares, who have laws, and have no laws, and who feed on vain hopes! This, indeed, beggars all comment.

Libro de Novelle, e di bel parlar Gentile, &c.-A Collection of Novels and Bons Mots, containing one Hundred Novels, which ferved as a Model to Bocacio in his Decame ron, published in the fixteenth Century, by Charles Gualteruzzi. A new Edition. 2 vols. 8vo. Florence.

This curious work was published for the first time at Bologna, by Charles Gualteruzzi in 1525, and though reprinted feveral times at that period, was become very scarce. We are indebted for this new edition to the care of Signor Dominique Manni. At the head of the first volume, befides the dedication of the editor to Prince Bifcari, and that of Gualteruzzi himself to the Bishop of Fano, we find the explanation of fome obfolete words by Signor Vincent Borghi; with a differtation on the merits of the work itself, and how far it may ferve to elucidate feveral hiftoric facts of that early period, by Mr. Manni. The author of the novel is unknown, but it seems that he was a Florentine, and flourifhed fome years before Dante.

GERMANY.

Phyfiognofmifche Fragmente zur Bafchilderung, &c.-Phyfiognomical Effays, calculated to promote the Knowledge of Man, and the good will they owe to each other, by Mr. Lavater. Large 8vo. with cuts, Leipfic.

VOL. IX.

M'm'm

Mr. Lavater

Mr. Lavater has been long in poffeffion of holding in fi. terature the leaden fceptre of Morpheus, and might have dreamed unmolefted, had he not thought proper to trouble the world with printed copies of his ill-digefted reveries.. Curiofity, the patronefs of every mad writer, has recommended his works to public notice, and every body would read them because the notions of the author were as oddly expreffed as conceived. What else indeed, than a very idle curiofity could induce any one to perufe his publication? The fairy-tales are far more entertaining, and convey more useful inftruction. That numberless number of faces heaped up together, prefent us with the idea of a raree-fhew rather than the repofitory of any profitable knowledge.

This volume is ufhered to the world under the patronage of the Prince and Princefs of Anhalt Deffau: it is divided into fections, thefe fubdivided into fragments, but in fo great a number, that were we fo inclined it would take us near two hours in only perufing the index. However we have felected the following paffages, or fragments, to fhew the futility of the author's imagination, and prevent our readers throwing away their money in fo useless a purchase.

"The likeness which we obferve between the animals, in regard to their figures, bears a great analogy to the resemblance which is confpicuous betweeen them in point of nature, character, ftrength and feelings. I am of opinion that, were it poffible to fhave clofe the head of the Queen Bee, and then, by means of a folar microfcope, trace her fhade, as we do profiles, the difference between her and the common bees would be so striking that one might easily obferve the flamp of royalty."

Speaking of the effects of a pregnant woman's imagination, the author relates the following facts.

"A woman very far gone with child, was playing at cards with the greatest eagerness. The ace of fpades was wanted for her to win the game. She took up the cards one by one, 'till fortune favouring her wishes threw that very ace in her way. Her joy was fo boundless that the child came into the world with an ace of Spades stamped between its eyes.- A lady of quality being prefent at the execu tion of a malefactor, whofe hand was cut off by the executioner, was fo affected at the fight, that fhe brought forth a child with one hand only; the other remaining in the womb, came out with the afterbirth."

Mr. Lavater expreffes himself as follows, concerning what he calls National Phyfiognomies:

"The French I easily diftinguish by their teeth and manner of laughing; the Italians by their nofes, fmall eyes and a chin sticking out; the English by their forehead and eye-brows; the Dutch by their round heads and softness of their hair, the Germans by the

wrinkles

wrinkles in the cheeks, and a fomething about the eyes; The Ruffian by their inverted nose and their black or fair hair. The shorteft and most vaulted forehead is that of the English, their noses are feldom sharp, but mostly round, except the Quakers and Hernuters, (Moravians) who are every where confpicuous by their mouths without lips, but in general, English faces are grand in their cut. As for English women, one would take them to be made up of nothing but nerves and marrow, they are taper in their make, and their form is lovely and engaging. The Swifs are the raw work of Nature, having no particular or characteristic phyfiognomy, &c.

Ein Liebenfwurdiger und Glucklicher Schullehrer au dem Lande, &c.-The amiable and happy Country-School-Mafter: a Work worthy the perufal of all Country-School-Mafters in Christendom. 8vo. Hamborough.

The above work, we must confefs, is the ftumbling-block of our fagacity. We are at a lofs to account for the author's motives, and whether he wrote it in joke or earnest. He gives us to understand that he is himself a fchool-mafter; he no doubt thought this fuppofition would better inforce his precepts. Whatever may be his views, it is but justice to say that his manner of writing is very pleafing, and that his precepts fpeak powerfully to the heart and reafon of his readers.

The whole work is divided into two fections. In the first, the author treats of the means of rearing a young man, endowed with the neceffary qualifications, to the business of a school-mafter; in the fecond, he examines and points out what should be the school-mafter's conduct, in order to conciliate the love of his pupils, and render his lectures of more general utility.

He would have a young man of fixteen, to be taught for three or four years, and married when twenty at farthest; the following are the maxims which he lays down for the newfchool-mafter in the choice of a wife.

"Firstly, Let her be pretty enough, for him to love, and be beloved; but let him not content himself with the outward perfections : beauty is tranfient and the defects remain to the last.

"Secondly, Let her be known for her good fenfe and found morals, industrious and not peevish. She must be a good proficient in fewing, fpinning, netting, darning, &c. A notable housewife, keep her kitchen clean, and maintain regularity in her houfhold. Let her bake good bread, and cook wholesome food. She muft have at least one cow, understand the dairy, fpeak to the purpose, but no Mmm 2

blab :

blab: it would be no fmall addition to her other qualifications, if fhe understood a little gardening.

"Thirdly, If he fhould meet with fuch a woman, he must secure her love, and have reafon to think that by marrying he shall not only get a good fchool-mistress, but alfo a loving wife.

"Fourthly, If the be rich, fo much the better, yet this fhould be the laft inducement; induftry and economy are fufficient to the maintenance of a family. The fear of God, mutual love, wifdom and content, are the only true riches.

"Fifthly, The young woman muit be wholfome, fresh-coloured, gay and lively no idier: no alliance with fpleneticks, or fuch whofe parents are afflicted with diforders which are entailed on their pofterity. The young couple are now linked to each other: let them live foberly, and not spoil their ftomachs by unwholfome or uncleanly food: let the apartments be properly aired; air gives joy to the mind and frength to the body. They will beget children like themfelves: the little things will fkip about their parents, and let these bestride, with their playful infants, a wooden horse,' and share in their other fports."

After this very ferious addrefs, we come to that part which gives us room to fuipect that the anonymous author meant to rally the profeffion, rather than recommend it in good earneft.

"The mafter must be a man of profound thoughtfulness, a philofopher; well verfed in the law, phyfic, and attrology; have geography at his finger's end; be acquainted with all the riches concealed in the bowels of the earth, and in the deep; he fhould know hiftory like a politician; agriculture, planting, gardening, are fciences to which he must be no ftranger; and fhould know enough of the veterinary art to manage his own cattle, and occafionally that of his neighbours; it is equally neceffary for him to be versed in anatomy, pficology, ethics and divinity; no lefs expert calligrapher than deep arithmetician; he must be equally great as a writingmafter and author; to an excellent voice, a profound knowledge of mufic and poetry, he fhould add a competent knowledge of drawing and architecture. Then his religious principles, which fhould be his forte, will, no doubt, be conformable to Christianity, but founded on natural religion."

Our author feems to be a latitudinarian in his ideas of the Chriftian tenets, the Divine Author of which he only reprefents as a refined teacher, but fpeaks not a word of our redemption through his merits. After what he fays of the neceffary accomplishments of his hero, it would be fuperfluous to atk where fuch inatters can be found? and, if they were to be met with, whether they would, or rather could, discharge the duties of a country school-mafter ?

Statiftifche