the fame feas. They are written, however, in a modeft and fenfible manner, and contain fome facts and circumstances which are curious and worthy attention.

"The Discoveries of the French in 1769, and 1769, to the South Eaft of New Guinea, with the fubfequent Vifits to the fame Iflands, by English Navigators, &c." tranflated from the French, will not afford much entertainment to thofe who are converfant with the voyages of Cook, Bougainville, and more recent navigators. But it does not feem to be fo much the defign of the author, to convey new information refpecting thofe countries, as to fupport the claims of the French in the prefent, and of the Portuguese and Spaniards in former centuries, to geographical difcoveries, the merit of which has been fhared by different English navigators. Whether the author be fuccefsful, or otherwife, we leave to thofe who are better acquainted with fcientific details, without a knowledge of which it is impoffible to draw a fair conclufion. What is moft new and interefting in this work, the author has extracted from the original journal of M. de Surville, and of the officers who commanded under him. The charts which illuftrate this volume are numerous and useful.

The Journal kept in the Ifle of Man, &c. by Richard Townley Efq. in 2 vols," contains a variety of obfervations on the foil, climate, and natural productions of that ifland; as alfo on its antiquities, the manners and cuftoms peculiar to the inhabitants, and numerous other topics, from which we have received both inftruction and amufement, But what is valuable in thefe volumes, is fo intermixed with what is frivolous, uninterefting, and foreign

to the hiftory of the Isle of Man, and the whole is fo wretchedly ar ranged, that we found the entire perufal of it a very unpleasant task.

The Travels through Cyprus, Svria, and Palestine, with a general Hiftory of the Levant, by the Abbe Mariti, tranflated from the Italian, in 2 vols," we have read with much pleafure and fatisfaction. The first volume is entirely employed in deferibing the iftand of Cyprus, where the Abbè refided fome time. It includes an accurate and particular account of the face of the country, its natural produce, the towns which it contains, its antiquities, hiftory, the manners, cuftoms, and religion of the inhabitants, their government and commerce, and the office, power, and privileges of the different European confuls refiding in the ifland. The fecond volume opens with an account of the different people who inhabit Syria and Palestine; and afterwards gives the refuit of our author's obfervations and enquiries in his excufions to Acre, Mount Carmel, Nazareth, Tiberias, Tyre, Cefarea, JerufaIem, Jericho, the river Jord in, the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, and the environs of those refpective places. An account of travels through countries which have made fuch a confpicuous figure in facred and profane hiftory, and which have undergone the inoft extraordinary revolutions recorded in the annals of mankind, cannot but greatly excite the curiofity of the public. And when undertaken by an intelligent obferver, of unfufpected fidelity, they must prove highly gratifying. The Abbè Mariti appears to have been well qualified for fuch a task; and the honorary rewards which have been conferred on him by fe veral learned academies, for the able manner in which he hath perform

'ed

ed it, are very flattering to the author, and to his work. In our opinion, he richly merited fuch rewards. His travels abound in curious and ufeful information, lively and interesting description, and in obfervations and remarks which prove the author, notwithstanding that he is an Italian Abbè, to have a mind truly liberal and philofophical. The original work is in five volumes, two of which only are here tranflated. We doubt not, however, but that it will meet with fuch a reception from the English reader, as fhall encourage the speedy appearance of the remaining volumes.

The "Lettres fur divers Endroits, &c. i. e. Letters concerning feveral Parts of Europe, Afia, Africa, &c. which were vifited in 1-88, and 1789, by Alexander Bifani," are written in eafy, unaffected language, and contain the remarks of an intelligent and lively traveller, in paffing over many claffic and interefting fcenes, from which we have received much pleasure and entertainment. The principal places which he defcribes are, Palermo, Agrigentum, Malta, Salonica, Athens, Smyrna, Conftantinople, Tripoli, Tunis, Carthage, Gibraltar, Toulon, Leghorn, and Sardinia.

From the Travels round the World, in the Years 1767, 1768, 1769, 17-0, 1771, by M. de Pags, Captain in the French Navy, &c. in 2 Vols," we have received much inftruction as well as amufement. The first volume gives a very interefting account of the author's travels from New Orleans, across the vaft North American continent, by Mexico, to Acapulco; at which place he embarked for the Phillipine Idlands. Thefe fcenes, feldom if ever visited by any Europeans, excepting the Spaniards, who are not

communicative of information, pre. fented M. de Pagés with many fingular and ftriking objects, which he describes in a manner that cannot fail to gratify the most ardent curiofity, while his judicious and fenfible obfervations contribute to the extenfion of natural and philofophical knowledge. His account of the Spanish Indies is particularly valuable. In the fecond volume, M. de Pagés conducts his readers from Manilla to Batavia, Bombay, Surat, the country of the Mahrattas, Bafforah, and through the defarts of Arabia to Syria; many parts of which he vifited before his return to France. Notwithstanding that these routes have been followed by many other travellers, there is a degree of novelty in our author s manner of defeription, and in fome of the circumstances which he met with, that will amply repay the reader for perufing thefe volumes. the whole, we think this work a valuable addition to those publications, which tend to increase our knowledge of the globe we inhabit, and to enlarge our acquaintance with the human character.

On

The Picture of Italy, tranflated from the original German of W. de Archenhoitz, &c. by Jofeph Trapp, A. M. in 2 Vols." contains an outline of that celebrated country, fo often vifited by inquifitive and fcientific travellers, which appears to be accurately drawn, and has afforded us confiderable pleafure in the examination of it. It prefents us, likewife, with fome interefting circumftances, and curious information, which we do not remember to have met with in preceding writers.

In our account of the literature of France, for the year 1789, we announced the publication of “Travels in Barbary, &c. in 2 Vols. by

the

the abbe Poiret." Of this work, that part which is defcriptive and relates to the customs and manners of the inhabitants, has been published in an English dress, in a small volume, which appears to have been tranflated with attention and fidelity. The marquis de Langle's "Picturefque Defcription of Switzerland, tranflated from the French," confifts of remarks written, fometimes under the fhade of a tree, and at other times at the fide of a rivulet, in different rambles which the author made on foot through that country. It was his object "briefly to narrate every thing that occurred to his fugitive ideas, and vagrant perambulations." Order and method, therefore, will not be expected in fuch a performance; and it will be natural to imagine that it will of ten be found very unequal, if not fometimes very defultory. It is, however, but juftice to add, that it is frequently interefting and amufing. Many of the author's obfervations are original and inftructive; and his turns of wit, with which they are intermixed, will afford entertainment to the reader.

The Political publications of the year 1791 have been very numerous, owing, partly to the peculiar circumstances of the times, and partly to that growing fondness for discuffion, which in a free country it is defirable to encourage rather than controul. But, from the nature of our work, we are precluded from entering into the merits of the different queftions which agitated the public mind.

Even on the fubject of the French Revolution, great and important as that event is likely to prove in the history of mankind, fuch is the accumulation of materials with which our catalogue might be enlarged

1791.

fince the last year only, that we are obliged to restrict ourselves to the notice of a very few of the principal treatifes which have interested e attention of the public.

Among thefe, the firft in chronological order, are the "Letters to the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, occafioned by his Reflections on the Revolution in France, &c. by Jofeph Priestley, LL. D, F. R. S. &c." Thefe letters are thirteen in number. The first five contain animadverfions on thofe paffages in Mr. Burke's book which relate to the revolution of France, and fome circumftances attending it, the rights of men and of kings, the revolution in England in 168, the revolution fociety, and Dr. Price. In these letters the author very fatisfactorily expofes the incongruities which abound in Mr. Burke's Reflections, together with the illiberality and injuftice with which he treats the friends to improvement and reform'; and by a feries of acute perfuafive arguments, fupports the whig fide of the queftion relative to the origin and principles of civil government. what Dr. Priestley more particularly difcuffes is, the ecclefiaftical part of Mr. Burke's Reflections, and what he has written on the fubject of the ci vil establishment of religion. On thefe difcuffions he is employed in the fixth letter, and the following ones, to the twelfth inclufive. The various topics connected with this part of his fubject, our author treats with his accustomed fhrewdnefs and freedom; and aflails his adverfary, not only with the wea pons of forcible reafoning, but of keen and pointed irony. The laft letter, in which Dr. Prieftley delineates the profpect of the gene ral enlargement of liberty, civil and religious, opened by the revolu

R

But

tions

tions in America and France, is an animated and pleafing compofition, and will warm the heart of every benevolent perfon, even of thofe who may not be equally fanguine with the doctor in the hopes which he indulges. On the whole, we conceive that the author has given a fatal blow to the renowned champion of paradox and prejudice.

The next publication which we have to mention is "Rights of Man; being an Anfwer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution, by Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Congrefs in the American War, &c." This work is partly narrative, and partly argue mentative. In the narrative part, the author developes the fprings and fources of the French revolution, and details the progrefs of events by which it was marked, with equal acutenefs and perfpicuity. For this part of his work Mr. Paine was peculiarly qualified, by his refidence at Paris, and his intimate connexion with the leading characters in the grand political drama, particularly M. de la Fayette. In the argumentative part, the author steps forward as a bold and intrepid defender of the principles which Mr. Burke endeavoured to confign to deteftation and contempt; and delivers a num ber of jutt and important political truths, in a style and language which though not elegant or correct, are peculiarly forcible and interefting. His defence of religion, liberty, and of the right which God and harme have given to every man, to worhip his creator in his own mode, without incurring any political difability, or forfeiting any advantages of a citizen, is original and incontrovertible. With his arguments, likewife, Mr. Paine intermixes a fufficient quantity of farcafm and ridicule, which are very properly

oppofed to abfurdity and fophiftry. Many of his readers, however, who approve, in general, of the great principles for which he contends, will fometimes think with us, that thefe ingredients are too highly feafoned, or too coarfe; and applied in a manner that is not warranted by the ftrict rules of propriety and decorum.

The Letters on the Revolution of France, and on the new Constitution established by the National Affembly, occafioned by the Publications of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, and Alexander de Calonne, late Minifter of State, &c. by Thomas Chriftie," Part I. are written with great temper and moderation, by an author of ftrong manly fenfe, who poffeffed the beft opportunities for acquiring information on the fubjects which he difcuffes; and who is as liberal and difpaffionate, as his antagonists are prejudiced and interefted. To this work is annexed a chart, exhibiting in one view all the different branches of the new conflitution; and an Appendix, containing the moft interefting declarations, decrees, refolutions, and addreffes, of the affembly; the reports of felect committees; and fome animated fpeeches of the most diftinquifhed members, as well as of the king. To thofe who would with to have an accurate knowledge of the French conftitution, and a regular ftatement of the meafures which were adopted by the conftituting national affembly, we warmly recommend the perufal of thefe excellent letters.

The treatife entitled "Vindicia Gallice; Defence of the French Revolution and its English Admirers, against the Accufations of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke; including fome Strictures on the late Production of Monf. de Calonne,

by