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defirous of extending his knowledge, from thofe of the mechanic, who wifhes only to acquire money. M. de l'Ifle's catalogues will always be confidered as interefting works, on account of the valuable obfervations which are found scattered throughout them.

In 1778 M. de l'Ifle, in conjunction with M. Demefte, published an explanation of the chemical theory then adopted by M. Sage, and in 1779 a memoir against the fyftem of a central fire. This memoir, which went to a fecond edition, accomplished its end fo well, that Buffon himself could not help praising it.

Thefe great labours did not prevent M. de l'Ifle from collecting materials for a fecond edition of his Chryftallography. This fecond edition, or rather this new work, for in its form it had no refemblance to the former, appeared in 1783, in three volumes octavo, and far furpaffed the hopes that had been conceived of it.

As M. de l'Ifle had never folicited for any place or penfion he had confequently never obtained any; but in 1785 his friends procured for him one of fix hundred livres from the public treafury, called then the royal treasury; and in 1789 another of four hundred livres from the king. Thefe fupplies came fo much the more feafonably as he had the misfortune to lose his patron M. d'Ennery in 1786, and at the fame time all the advantages which he derived from his friendship.

M. de l'Ifle being left executor to M. d'Ennery, he was under the neceffity of fufpending his usual labours in order that he might difcharge the duty impofed on him by his friend; but as he was intrufted with one of the richest collections of inedals ever formed, he had an opportunity of turning his thoughts towards new objects. By comparing the weight of fome large antique gold medals with that of common medals, and, above all, with the weight of the money ftruck in the time of the Roman republic, he conceived it poffible to discover exactly what proportion the Roman pound had with the French pound avoirdupoife; an attempt which, though made for almoft three centuries, had always mifcarried, and in which M. de l'Ifle had the good fortune to fucceed.

This discovery gave him reason to hope that he should be able to accomplish others. It had appeared impoffible, before this period, to determine the value of the coins of the different people who inhabited Afiatic and European Greece, on account of the great diversity in their weight; and no one had ever conceived that this diverfity arofe only from the cuftoms and laws of the nations where thefe medals had been ftruck. By a number of happy combinations and comparisons M. de l'Isle perceived

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that the Grecian money might be ranged into fourteen classes, all abfolutely diftinct from one another; and he formed as many separate tables, in which the drachm, with its divifions and multiples is reduced to its proper value in French weight and money.

After determining thefe objects with the most fcrupulous exactnefs, M. de l'Ifle undertook to publish a new Metrology, compofed of a series of tables which might greatly facilitate the ufe of it. This work was published in 1789, and addressed to the National Affembly of France, in order to affift them in reforming the weights and measures of that country. He there points out the proportion which the ancient weights bear to the modern, collects all the lineal measures of fuperficies and folids, compares them with thofe of Paris, and fhews the proportion which each of them has to the reft, from the dactyl to the circumference of the globe.

M. de l'Ifle's long and laborious exertions had for fome years previous to his death confiderably weakened his eye-fight; and the tedious calculations requifite for his work upon Metrology, added to the attention and care which he bestowed upon the correction of it, rendered him at length totally blind. After this diftreffing misfortune he could no longer enjoy the fatisfaction of furveying the different objects contained in his cabinet of mineralogy; but his zeal for promoting that science was not in the leaft abated, especially as he had a happy memory, which, in fome measure, compenfated for the lofs of his fight. Very fortunately the events of the French revolution engaged the attention of his moral faculties fo much that he was not fenfible of all the horrors of his phyfical fituation. His principal pleafures then confifted in converfing with his friends, and in making them read to him the operations of the National Affembly, in whofe fuccefs he heartily rejoiced. His zeal was ardent, his patriotism was pure; and those who gave him the laft proofs of their attachment will long remember with what warmth, the evening before his diffolution, he espoused the cause of humanity in behalf of the poor negroes, whose cafe, at that time, was fubmitted to the decifion of the National Affembly.

A fedentary life and clofe application to ftudy had greatly impaired M. de l'Ifle's health. His conftitution was naturally inclined to be dropfical; his legs were often fwelled, and he frequently experienced fits of illnefs which incommoded him much. He had just begun to recover from one of thefe, and his friends flattered themfelves with feeing him foon re-eftalifhed; but a relapse took place, and he expired on the 7th of March 1790.

Mineralogy

Mineralogy alfas fuftained another great lofs by the death of M. Ferber, counsellor of the mines of Pruffia, who died lately at Berne of an apoplectic fit.

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ART. 13. Doncafter Races; or, The Hiftory of Mifs Maitland: A Tale of Truth. In a Series of Letters. Published from the Originals. With interefting Additions. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. Stalker. Lon

don, 1790.

TH

HE abfurdity of this tale is aggravated by denominating it in the title-page a Tale of Truth. We are prepared to admit of every thing implicitly in a profeffed novel. We even expect fiction to be more or lefs fermented by romance. It is feldom at least the lefs relished that it is embellished by hyperbolical defcription, or crowded by furprifing incidents. But from a story which challenges our attention under the garb of reality, we look for nothing diffimilar to what has paffed under our own obfervation, or that of others. Every thing monftrous, improbable, or not conformable to our experience of human life, raifes fufpicion. The facts ftated in these letters are liable to this exception. Mifs Maitland, on the eve of her marriage to Clayton, difcovers his preference for another. His infidelity cofts her almost her life. He is perfuaded, by the influence of friends, to renew his addreffes for the completion of her recovery. But the refufes to have him, merely frem a generous apprehenfion that he may be happier with her rival. This rival, who has not one good quality but a fine perfon, is notwithstanding the fuc cessful candidate for Clayton's affections. He marries her, and she' cuckolds and ruins him at play. Mifs Maitland, who meanwhile becomes poffeffed of a great fortune, hears of his diftrefs, affumes the dress and gallantry of a young baronet, and, by intriguing with Mrs. Clayton, finds means to relieve her from her debts of honour, but is discovered by Clayton, who likewife accepts of her beneficence, retires from town, buries his wife, and renews his propofals to his benefactress, with whom he is married and bleffed. This ftrange nonfenfe is wrought up with confiderable genius; but all the genius in the world can never reconcile us to a flory in which the fundamental laws of compofition are fo grofsly violated!

ENG. REV. VOL, XV, JUNE 1790.

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ART. 14. The Duel; or, Nature will prevail. A Novel. 12mo. 3 vols. 9s. Bar. London, 1790.

The heroine of the piece is left an orphan. Her father, who fled the country in confequence of a duel, was fhipwrecked, and her mother fell a victim to the news of that fatal event. Her dependent fituation on a purse-proud uncle exposes her to a variety of misfortunes. She is enabled, however, to preferve her innocence; and her virtuous ftruggles under diftreffes peculiarly trying, are ultimately rewarded by many refpectable connections, liberal friendships, and a marriage with the man of her heart, of a noble title, and an ample fortune. Her ftory is pleafing and affecting, and will probably be read when many of our modern novels are forgotten.

ART. 15. Trentham Park; a Poem. By William Fernyhough, A. B. 8vo. Is. Smith, Newcastle. 1790.

The defcription, the imagery, and the machinery, of this production entitle it to no praife. It is because dulnefs is incorrigible that the blunders of mediocrity are beneath criticifm. Here is, however, profufion of adulation, in very infipid verfe, doing homage at the thrine of greatnefs. And the idolatry is fo debafing to our common nature, that we never wish to see such orgies more respect-, ably performed.

ART. 16. Original Novels, Poems, and Effays. By Harriet Squirrel. 12mo. 3 vols. 103. 6d. Sold by the Author, No. 7, DenmarkStreet, Soho. London, 1790.

Thefe volumes, though not the production of extraordinary genius, contain both amusement and inftruction for many readers. There are babes in literature as well as religion, who require to be fed with its milk and not its frong meat. To them the work before us may be acceptable. The effays will furnish them with morality, and even devotion; the novels will help them to kill their leifure hours; and the poems, which in truth are in fome places very pretty, must be agreeable to all who have tafte enough to relish them. We heartily with the fair writer all the fuccefs the deferves, both as an authorefs and bookfeller.

ART. 17. The Clandeftine Lovers; a Novel in a Series of Letters. 12mo..2 vols. 55. Noble. London, 1790.

Thefe letters are well written, but without incident. They confift of recriminations between relations concerning a girl in love with a worthy man who has no fortune. This defect is, however, remedied at laft by the decease of a tich uncle in India, who leaves all his wealth to his nephew. An end is confequently put to the clandeftine correfpondence of the lovers, who are reconciled to their friends, married, and all parties made happy. The flory is fimple, and deGently told, but has little interest.

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ART: 18. The History of Mifs Meredith; a Novel. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to the Moft Noble the Marchioness of Salisbury. By Mrs. Parfons. 8vo. 2 vols. 5s. Printed for the author, and fold by Hookham. London; 1790.

This volume, befides its own merit, which is by no means inconfiderable, has to plead in its behalf the peculiar distresses of its author, a widow with nine children, reduced from affluence to abfolate penury. We are much pleafed to fee fo refpectable a lift of fubfcribers, and hope the fale will continue in proportion to the merits of the work, and the wants of the writer.

ART. 19. The Addrefs of William Bull, Gent. to William Pool, Efq. Steward of the Manor of Bishop's Whitelands, in the fouth Part of Great-Britain. 8vo. 1s. Bath, printed. Dilly, London, 1790. This is an attempt at imitating Dean Swift's ingenious allegory contained in the Tale of a Tub; and alfo the Petition of Ireland ágainst her northern fifter. The author makes an apology for adding marginal explanatory notes, and pleads, we doubt not with truth, that his friends advised them. It is true Swift added fome, but not two or three in almost every page. However, our author being no longer deficient in perfpicuity, to make his work complete we would advise, in the next addition, a few more notes to direct us where we are to discover the wit of his performance; for want of these we have read the book through without discovering any; but as we are ready to impute this to our own dulnefs, we doubt not but his additional explanatory notes will furnish us with the necessary clue.

DIVINITY AND CONTROVERSY.

ART: 20. A Review of the Pamphlet entitled A Difcourfe on the Love of our Country, by Richard Price, &c. 8vo. is. Faulder. London, 1790.

The writer of this review chufes rather to give the name of pamphlet than difcourfe to a work he conceives infidioufly dignified with a portion of fcripture by way of text.' His remarks are, many of them, extremely ingenious, and often equally juft; but we with works of this kind to be always free from perfonal invective, and, above all, perfonal infinuation. By thefe means only can we expect truth to make its way through all the labyrinth of prejudice and party. It furely can be to very little purpofe to quibble on the terms whether the king be the fervant or the fovereign of his people; why may we not confider him as both? That he is the latter, no good fubject will for a moment difpute; and, while he receives a falary from the people for fervices expected of him, it is abfurd to difpute whether he is the former. Nor does this leave any doubt that his fupe riority and his majesty are his own?' Whofe elfe can they be? But let us not fall into the error we are accufing others of. We hall therefore conclude our remarks on this performance with obferving that we are highly pleased with the writer's loyalty, and the warmth and firmneis with which he expreffes himself on political fubjects; but that

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