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FOREIGN LITERATURE

Of the Year 1787.

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lifhed under the inspection 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 publifhed 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 Society of Antiquaries at Caffel: whe ther the Doctrine of the Cabbalifts, concerning the Emanation of all Things from the Substance 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 rela tion that doctrine had to those con tained in the holy fcriptuies, and to the philofophy of the ancient nations. And thirdly, from what fource the Cabbalis drew the peculiar tenets of their fyftem of emanation. Under thete several heads the author discovers great ingenuity as well as learning; and fhews himself to be worthy of the prize which was adjudged to him.

ITH refpect to Foreign Literature, Ruffia, during the prefent year, has contributed but a fmall fhare 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 last year's Register, 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 been published at Petersburg; and encourages us to hope, that when per. fected, 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 volume contains the observations 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 hiftory of the animals, which are divided into fix claffes, comprehending the mam malia, aves, amphibia, pifces, infecta, and vermes, and accompanied with a great number of plates. In Sweden there hath been pubThis important work has been published "A Defcription of a Greek

Manufcript

Manufcript of the New Teftament, in the Library of the Academy at Upfal, collated by Father Orvilliers"; which will prove an acceptable prefent to the lovers of biblical literature. This manu fcript which was purchafed 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 deemned the most correct and valuable, appears to have been the work of an intelligent and careful tranfcriber. Ou 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. Thefe labours of the fociety contain much ufeful information and under the heads of natural hiftory and chemistry, in particular, many curious and important articles will occur to the reader. A mong the numerous contributors to this volume we meet with the names of M. Melanderhjelm, M. A. J. Hagfræm, M. Faxe, M. Thunberg, M. Edelfeld, M. Marelius, M. Scheele, M. Bergman, M. Gueyer, the Baron Clas Alftroemer, Dr. Sparmann, Moneau, and M. Bjerkauder.-Dr. Sparmann, president of the royal academy of fciences at Stockholm, has alfo rendered an acceptable fervice to the lovers of natural history, by

publishing "A Collection of Rare Birds in the Poffettion of Mr. Guftavus Carifon, Secretary of State to his Swediflr Majefty; engraved with their Natural Colours, and accompanied with a Concite Defcription of each," In this noble and iplendid work, these curious animals are arranged in the most judicious manner; with accurate defcriptions of the character, ftructure, and native region of each. In the excellent plates accompanying thefe defcrip tions, which are twenty-five in number, they are reprefented in their natural attitudes, with the circumflances that indicate their ufual places of refidence.- Dr. Herman Schurzencranz's "Syftematic Theory of Midwifery," is intended for the inftruction of young furgeons; and is illustrated with eleven ufeful plates.-M. de Mouradgea D' Ohffon, knight of the order of Vafa, fecretary and late interpreter to his majefty, and charge des affaires at the court of Conftantinople, has delivered propofals 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 collec tions of the ingenious author; who, from refiding the greatest part of his life in that country, and the character which he fustained there, poffeffed the greatest advantages for information. As we have been informed 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

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account of it in our next volume. -The "Eulogy on M. Tobera Olof Bergman, read in the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, by Mr. Hjelm," contains a juít tribute of respect to the merits of that celebrated philofopher. His papers on natural hiftory and on aftronomy, which he delivered into the royal academy, gained him an early reputation among his contemporaries. Bat his inventions and improvements in chemistry and mineralogy are his greatest glory. On account of thefe, the diftinguished rewards which he received from his fove reign 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 interefts of literature. When we pubished our hiftory 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 university 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 first Six Bishops of Schalholt in Iceland;" And Edda; or the Ancient Mythology: confifting of Songs collected by Soemund the Sapient, in the eleventh Century." There have alfo been published at Copenhagen, at the expence of lord Suhm, a muniAcent patron of literature, "The

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History of the Orkneys;" "The Hiftory of the first Settlement in Iceland, by Norwegians, Scots, Irish, and emigrants from the Western Islands of Scotland;" "Hernager Saga; or the moit Ancient History of Sweden;" "Rymbagla; or the ancient fronomy;" "Eyrbyggia; or the History of the first Inhabitants of the Western parts of Iceland; and Micellanies of Ancient Teutonic Literature, collected from Manufcripts which are preferved at Copenhagen." Of thefe various works, little more than the names have hitherto reached us: and we wait with impatience for an intimate acquaintance with fuch rich ftores of knowledge.-But befides these curious works, there are feveral others published at the expence of his Danifh majefty, which are equally entitled to our notice. Thefe are "A Collection of Ancient Danish Writers, in ten volumes," of which fix only are yet finished; "A Collection of Danish Coins and Medals,"" Flora Danica ; or a Defcription of Plants growing in his Majefty'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 Hiftory of Norway, written in the Icelandic Dialect, and now accompanied with Latin and DanifhTranflations," under the patronage, and at the expence of his royal highness prince Frederic, brather to his majefty.-Mr. Fre deric Sneadorff has publifhed at Copenhagen, a Latin Differtation on the Hymns of the Ancient Greeks; to which are added Three Hymns attributed to Dionyfius," which the lovers of ancient literature will

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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 pub. lihing, at Copenhagen, Lodbrokar-Quida; or the Death Song of Lodbrog: now firft 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 historian may derive information. And Mr. Johnftone's version has the merit of preferving more of the fpirit of the original, than is the cafe with molt tranflations; and of being illuftrated by fuch critical notes as are proofs. both of his learning and taste.

In turning our attention to the literature of the United Provinces, we meet with the fixth and feventh volumes of Prize flertations; relatingto 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 true philofophy has no tendency to undermine divine revelation; and that a well-grounded, a real philo. fopher may be a true Chriftian. 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 re fer 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 distin guifhed by a liberality of fentiment, and ftrength of reasoning, 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 differta tion, by Mr. Peter Verstap of Rotterdam, is also a performance of great merit; and the last, by the Reverend M. Laurentius Meyer, though inferior to the preceding performances, affords ample tellimony to the good intentions of the worthy author. The fubject pro pofed 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 hiftory 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 concludes, "that the only fure prefer

vative against both a dogmatical tion which render most of their and a fceptical fpirit, is the know- difcourfes difgufting to an English ledge of the principles of pure reli- reader.-TheObfervations on gion, unfophifticated by the comments and inventions of men;" and that Chriftianity never will appear in its true luftre, till the most perfect unequivocal toleration be every where established; because 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 volume of "Sermons on feveral Texts of Scripture, by the late Reverend Charles Chaife, Paftor of the French Church at the Hague, and Fellow of the Philofophical Societies of Haarlem and Dublin," though they were probably written without any view to publication, do great honour to the memory of their learned and pious author. The fubjects of them are interesting 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 commendation, as they poffefs the excellencies for which the French preachers have been famed, without that extravagance of declama

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 bufinefsinthofe 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, natu ral history, 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 Hufley, Architect, of Amfterdam, concerning the best method of preven'ing the encroachment of the fea on the dykes of the Texel and Marfdiep; and another, which states the reafons for Mr. C. Bruning's affirmative anfwer to the following quef tion propofed by the fociety: whether the general principle of hydrometry, that the greatest depth of water is always found in the narrowest parts of rivers, be applicable to inlets of the fea, where the ftream is occafioned by tides? But the philofophical world will receive the greateft pleasure from a differtation which is the refult of the united labours and enquiries of thofe ingenious philofophers Dr. Deiman, and M. Paets Van Troof-. twyk, of Amfterdam. The objec of this differtation is, to prove, that the several kinds of aeriform and elaftic fluids, which are severally denominated fixable, dephlogifticated

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