FOREIGN LITERATURE Of the Year 1787. W rature, Ruffia, during the 7ITH refpect to Foreign Literature, Ruffia, during the prefent year, has contributed but a Imall share towards the general improvement of knowledge in Europe. We find, however, that the grand plan of the Emprefs for facilitating the progrefs of icience in that widely extended empire, which we announced in our laft year's Regifter, is carried on with activity and vigour. The labours of M. Pallas grow more interefting, as he proceeds in his philological enquiries, A fpecimen of thefe has beca published at Petersburg; and encourages us to hope, that when perfected, they will lead to fome cu. rious and important difcoveries. -The fecond and third volumes of "Obfervations made by the late unfortunate Profeffor Falk; intended to illuftrate the Topography of the Ruffian Empire," are, alfo, a valuable contribution towards the fame patriotic object. The fecond vo lume contains the obfervations that relate to the mineral and vegetable kingdoms; in which the plants are all arranged according to the fyftem of Linnæus. In the third volume we have the history of the animals, which are divided into fix claffes, comprehending the mammalia, aves, amphibia, pifces, infecta, and vermes, and accompa nied with a great number of plates. This important work has been pub. lifhed under the infpection and care of M. Georgi, who was eminently qualified to fuperintend fuch a publication, by his knowledge in philofophy and history, and his own travels through feveral parts of the Ruffian dominions.-At Riga, Mr. John Frederic Klauker has published "a Differtation on the Nature and Origin of the Doctrine of Emanation among the Cabbalists; or, An Anfwer to the following Prize-question, propofed by the So ciety of Antiquaries at Caffel: whether the Doctrine of the Cabbalifts, concerning the Emanation of all Things from the Subitance of the Deity, derived its Origin from the Grecian Philofophy." In this -Differtation the author enquires, first, how far it is true, that the Cabba lifts taught the doctrine of emanation, and what that doctrine really contained. Secondly, what relation that doctrine had to those contained in the holy fcriptures, and to the philofophy of the ancient nations. And thirdly, from what fource the Cabbalists drew the pe culiar tenets of their fyftem of emanation. Under thefe feveral heads the author difcovers great ingenuity as well as learning; and fhews himself to be worthy of the prize which was adjudged to him. In Sweden there hath been pub. lifhed "A Defcription of a Greek Manufcript Manufcript of the New Teftament, in the Library of the Academy at Upal, collated by Father Orvilliers"; which will prove an acceptable prefent to the lovers of biblical literature. This manu feript which was purchased at Venice, and prefented to the academy at Upfal, by M. Sparwenfeld, was written during the 11th or the 12th century; and from its agreement with fuch copies as are deemed the moft correct and valuable, appears to have been the work of an intelligent and careful tranfcriber. On this publication the editor has em ployed confiderable attention, as well as on his lift of the variations which he marked when comparing it with the edition of Stephanus. The volume of the "Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Stockholm, for 1785," is divided, like the former volumes, into four parts, relative to the four quarters of the year. The fubjects of the different papers which compofe thefe memoirs are, pure mathematics, meteorology, natural history, chemistry, mineralogy, and medicine. These labours of the fociety contain much useful information: and under the heads of natural hif tory and chemistry, in particular, many curious and important arti, cles will occur to the reader. Among the numerous contributors to this volume we meet with the names of M. Melanderhjelm, M. A. J. Hagstræm, M. Faxe, M, Thunberg, M. Edelfeld, M. Marelius, M. Scheele, M. Bergman, M. Gueyer, the Baron Clas Al ftroemer, Dr. Sparmann, Moneau, and M. Bjerkauder.-Dr. Sparmann, prefident of the royal aca demy of fciences at Stockholm, has allo rendered an acceptable fervice to the lovers of natural history, by .6 publifhing "A Collection of Rare Birds in the Poffeffion of Mr Guftavus Carifon, Secretary of State to his Swedish Majefty; engraved with their Natural Colours, and accompanied with a Concife Defcription of each." In this noble and iplendid work, these curious animals are arranged in the most judicious inanner; with accurate delcriptions of the character, structure, and native region of each. In the excellent plates accompanying these de'criptions, which are twenty-five in number, they are reprefented in their natural attitudes, with he circumftances that indicate the ufual places of refidence.- Dr. Herman Schutzencranz's Syftema ic Theory of Midwitery," is intended for the inftruction of young furgeons; and is illuftrated with cleven ufeful plates.-M. de Mouradgea D'Ohffon, knight of the order of Vafa, fecretary and late interpreter to his majesty, and chargè des affaires at the court of Conftantinople, has delivered proposals for publishing a magnificent work entitled "Tableau generale de L'Empire Othoman", which is intended to give a circumftantial account of the Mahometan legislation and history, This history will be chiefly extracted from the annals of the monarchy, and the collections of the ingenious author; who, from refiding the greatest part of his life in that country, and the character which he sustained there, poffeffed the greatest advantages for information, As we have been in formed that this interesting work is already in great forwardness, and that fome of the first artists in Paris are employed in engraving the nu❤ merous plates which are to accompany it, we hope to be able to gra tify our readers with a particular account of it in our next volume. -The "Eulogy on M. Tobern O-. lof Bergman, read in the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, by Mr. Hjelm," contains just tribute of respect to the merits of that celebrated philofopher. His papers on natural history and on aftronomy, which he delivered into the royal academy, gained him an early reputation among his contemporaries. But his inventions and improvements in chemistry and mineralogy are his greatest glory. On account of thefe, the distingu:fhed rewards which he received from his tovereign were decreed to him; and it remains a contest between his countrymen and foreigners, who fhall pay the greatest honours to his memory. In Denmark, a particular attention hath, of late, been paid to the interests of literature. When we pubished our history of the Foreign Literature of 1786, we had occafion to announce a valuable work of Mr. Thorkelin's, extracted from the legacy of Arnas Magnæus to the univer ty of Copenhagen. Since that time, the commiffioners appointed by the prefent king to fuperintend the publication of all the remains of that learned hiftorian and antiquary, have printed "An Hiftory of the Introduction of the Chriftian Religion into Iceland;"The Life of Gunnlang Ormftunga, an Icelandic Nobleman in the tenth Century; with Cuts;" "The Lives of the firft Six Bifhops of Schalholt in Iceland;" And Edda; or the Ancien Mythology: confitting of Songs colle ted by Soemund the Sapient, in the eleventh Century." There have alfo been published at Copenhagen, at the expence of lord Suhm, a muni ficent patron of literature, "The Hiftory of the Orkneys;""The Hiftory of the firft Settlement in Iceland, by Norwegians, Scots, Irish, and emigrants from the Western Islands of Scotland;" "Harnager Saga; or the moft Ancient Hillory of Sweden;" "Rymbagla; or the ancient Aftronomy;" "Eyrbyggia; or the History of the first Inhabitants of the Western parts of Iceland; and "Mifcellanies of Ancient Teutonic Literature, collected from Manufcripts which are preferved at Copenhagen." Of these various works, little more than the names have hitherto reached us: and we wait with impatience for an intimate acquaintance with fuch rich stores of knowledge.-But befides these curious works, there are several others published at the expence of his Danish majesty, which are equally entitled to our notice. Thele are "A Collection of Ancient Danish Writers, in ton volumes," o which fix only are yet unished; "A Collection of Danifh Coins and Medals," "Flora Danica; or a Defcription of Plants growing in his Majesty's Dominions, by Profeffor Vahl';" "Oeuvre de Conquillages; by Regenfus and Mr. Spangler;' "Danish Monuments, within and without Denmark, with Drawings by Mr Abildgaard:" to which fhould be added" Snorro Stubefon's History of Norway, written in the Icelandic Dialect, and now accompanied with Latin and DanifhTranflations," under the patronage, and at the expence of his royal highne's prince Frederic, brother to his majefty.-Mr. Fre deric Sneadorff has published at Copenhagen, a Latin Dissertation on the Hymns of the Ancient Greeks; to which are added Three Hymns attributed to Dionyfius," which the lovers of ancient literature will receive receive as a valuable addition to the learned labours of Meffrs. Hoeren and Groddeck on the fame fubject.-Mr. Johnstone, chaplain to his Britannic majefty's envoy extraordinary at the court of Denmark, has conferred a fresh obligation on his countrymen, by publishing, at Copenhagen, "Lodbrokar-Quida; or the Death Song of Lodbrog: now first correctly printed from various Manufcripts, with a free English Tranflation; with explanatory Notes." This cele brated fong is one of the most curious and valuable remains of Scandinavian antiquity. Lodbrog is believed to have reigned in Denmark about the clofe of the eighth century. After he had been diftinguished by a variety of warlike atchievements, he fell into the hands of Ella, a Northumbrian prince, by whom he was condemned to die by the bite of vipers. It was during the operation of their poifon that he is reported to have fung the Lodbrokar-Quida. This poem is valuable, not only on account of the beauties of the compofition, and the reprefentation which it gives us of the state of northern literature at that early period, but as it contains a narrative of real events, from which the hiftorian may derive information. And Mr. Johnstone's verfion has the meri of preferving more of the fpirit of the original, than is the cafe with molt tranflations; and of being illustrated by fuch critical notes as are proofs both of his learning and tafte. In turning our attention to the literature of the United Provinces, we meet with the fixth and feventh volumes of "Prize iflertations; relating to Natural and Revealed Religion; published by Teyler's Theoogical Society at Haarlem." The fubject propofed to the competitors whofe differtations appear in the fixth volume, was, to prove, that truc philofophy has no tendency to undermine divine revelation; and that a well-grounded, a real philofopher may be a true Christian, The gold medal, which is the first prize, was decreed to the reverend Cæfar Morgan, chaplain to the bifhop of Ely. For an account of this ingenious performance we refer our readers to our preceding hif tory of Domestic Literature. The fecond differtation in this volume is written by Mr. J. F. Lentz. This gentleman's production is diftin. guifhed by a liberality of fentiment, and strength of reafoning, which do him the greatest honour; and it would afford us confiderable pleafure to be able to congratulate our countrymen on its appearance in an English drefs. The third differtation, by Mr. Peter Verftap of Rotterdam, is alfo a performance of great merit; and the laft, by the Reverend M. Laurentius Meyer. though inferior to the preceding performances, affords ample testimony to the good intentions of the worthy author. The fubject propofed in the feventh volume, was, on the folly of fcepticism; the abfurdity of dogmatizing on religious fubjects; and the proper medium to be obferved between these two extremes. The differtation that obtained the gold medal was written in English by the Reverend William Lawrence Brown, D. D. minister of the English church at Utrecht, and lately appointed profeffor of moral philofophy and ecclefiaftical history in the univerfity of that city. In this performance the author purfues his fubject in an ingenious and fenfible manner, in the order pro. pofed by the fociety; and con cludes, that the only fure prefer vative against both a dogmatical and a fceptical fpirit, is the knowledge of the principles of pure religion, unfophifticated by the comments and inventions of men;" and that Christianity never will appear in its true luftre, till the most perfect unequivocal toleration be every where established; becaufe this alone will allow religion to exert its natural energy, and enjoy the fame advantage with every other: fcience, and by means of free enquiry, extracting fresh light and evidence, bring it nearer and nearer to the pure standard of divine truth." The differtation; in this volume, which obtained the filver medal, and was written by the reverend Gerrit Heffelink, A. L. M. and Phil. Dr. profeffor of divinity in the baptift congregation in Amfterdam, deferves alfo to be commended. for its philofophical accuracy, the great knowledge of the human heart which the author difplays, and the truly liberal and candid fpirit which reigns, in every part of it. The voluine of "Sermons on feveral Texts of Scripture, by the late Reverend Charles Chaife, Paf tor of the French Church at the Hague, and Fellow of the Philofophical Societies of Haarlem and Dublin," though they were proba bly written without any view to: publication, do great honour to the memory of their learned and pious author. The fubjects of them are interefting and important, and fuch. as come home to men's business and bofoms. Whether we confider them as argumentative difcourfes,, or, as eloquent compofitions, they: are deferving of our warmest com mendation, as they poffefs the excellencies for which the French preachers have been fained, without that extravagance of declama 2. 1. tion which render most of their difcourfes difgufting to an English reader.-TheObfervations on the Commerce of the Black Sea and the adjacent Country," printed at Amfterdam, confift of a short commercial defcription of the Crimea, and a minute account of the articles of trade there, and in various parts of Turkey and the Levant; with direc tions concerning the best methods of carrying on bufinefs in thofe countries The twenty-third and twenty-fourth volumes of the Memoirs published by the Philofophical Society at Haarlem," confift of a variety of papers, which may be claffed under the heads of philofophy, natural hiftory, and medicine. The most important memoirs to the Dutch, are the following: a prize differtation, which takes up the greatest part of the first of these volumes, by Jacob Otten Hutley, Architect, of Amfterdam, concerning the best method of preventing the encroachment of the fea on the dykes of the Texel and Marfdiep; and another, which states the reafous for Mr. C. Bruning's affirmative answer to the following ques tion propofed by the fociety: whether the general principle of hydrometry, that the greatest depth of water is always found in the narroweft parts of rivers, be applicable to inlets of the fea, where the ftream is occafioned by tides? But the philofophical world will receive the greatest pleasure from a differtation which is the result of the united labours and enquiries_of thofe ingenious philofophers Dr. Deiman, and M. Paets Van Trooftwyk, of Amfterdam. The object of this differtation is, to prove, that the feveral kinds of aeriform and elastic fluids, which are feverally denominated fixable, dephlogifticated |