We have ventured to tranflate M. CAMPER's geometrical proportions into the above concife narrative, not to fatisfy, but to excite, the curiofity of artifts; that they may examine for themfelves, into principles propofed by a gentleman of acknowleged talents, in order to make a very confiderable change in the mode of exercifing their profeffion, and to folve difficulties which have hitherto been deemed inexplicable. To facilitate this end, we wish to see an able and faithful translation of this work.

While we endeavour to do juftice to the merits of the prefent performance, we must obferve, that fome parts indicate an unneceffary parade of learning; and that the Profeffor has laboured, with more affiduity than will be deemed neceffary, to confute the fentiments of the ancient phyfiologifts and naturalifts; who contended that the different fhapes of heads and features are to be afcribed to arts employed for the purpose, and to prove that the notions of the existence of the Achephali, or a people without heads, and of others whose ears were fufficiently large to invelope the whole body, are mere fictions or extravagant exaggerations. The references, alfo, to many of the figures, are very incorrect, without any notice being taken of this embarraffing defect in the lift of errata.

A&T. XXII. Expofé de la Revolution de Liege, &c. i. e. An Account of the Revolution at Liege in 1789; and of the Conduct of the KING OF PRUSSIA in that Bufinefs. By M. DE DOнM, Privy Counsellor to his Majefty, and his Minifter Plenipotentiary for the Dukedom of Clêves, &c. Tranflated from the German by M. REYNIER, Citizen of Liege, and Perpetual Secretary to the Society of Emulation in that City. 8vo. pp. 248. Liege. 1790.

IN

times like the prefent, when men feem wifely determined to obtain for themselves fome portion of that freedom, which, formerly, they were contented to fee others enjoy, it is a fub ject of the most material confequence, to afcertain what it is that conftitutes the true advantages of men in fociety. This publication, therefore, is interesting and. important: for here we fee that question agitated, as far as it applies to a particular fociety; and though the fociety itself be not of the first magnitude, yet the difputants are perfonages who must be allowed to have confiderable influence over the political state of Europe.-. The point in debate was fimply this; the inhabitants of Liege, had differences with the reigning Prince Bifhop, who was fupported in his conduct by a decree of the IMPERIAL CHAMBER of Wetzlaer; which was ordered to be carried into execution by the King of Pruffia, as Duke of Clêves, affifted by the Bishop of Munfter, and the Duke of Juliers: the King ac

9

cepted

ment.

cepted the office; and the queftion was, whether, by force, he fhould enable the Prince to opprefs and tyrannize over his fubjects; or whether, by pacific meafures, he fhould bring about a fair accommodation, and affift in eftablishing a free governThe court of Berlin has been ftigmatized as one of the moft defpotic in Europe: in the prefent cafe, to the general happiness of Europe, and to the peculiar honour of itself, it has acted a part, difinterefted, liberal, and enlightened. The King of Pruffia and his Minifter (M. DE DOHм) appear to have adopted the pureft fentiments, and to have purfued them without paffion, and with real bene olence toward all parties.

Before the author proceeds to treat on the Revolution (as it has been termed,) at Liege, he takes a general furvey of the conftitution of that principality. Its original conftitution, he argues, was a proof that, in the middle ages, the ages of darknefs as they are ftyled, thofe great and inalienable RIGHTS, which are common to all mankind, were ascertained and regarded. They were not, indeed, as at prefent, enumerated and registered, but they were not the lefs remembered: the executive power was confined within ftraight bounds, which could only be extended in confequence of the confent of the whole nation.-The fundamental law, or agreement, in which the conftitution of Liege refted, was called the treaty of Fexhe it was formed, in 1316, between the Bishop, the Chapter, the Chevaliers, the towns, and all the inhabitants of the country. It confirmed all the liberties and ancient ufages at that time eftablished it decreed that no one should be judged but according to the laws, administered by competent judges; it forbade, under fevere penalties, the executive or judiciary power to interfere in preventing this decree; and, in cafe of fuch interference, it gave the privilege of refiftance, and fpecifically ordered the Chapter to ftop, in its illegal proceeding, the tribunal which was in fault. It determined thofe cafes in which the Prince Bishop was allowed, for the general fecurity, to act from his individual authority; and finally, it enacted that no change in the laws, nor in the eftablifhed cuftoms, could take place without the general confent and exprefs will of all the country.

Such, obferves M. DE DOHм, was the fimple and rational fcheme of civil liberty, enjoyed by the country of Liege: nor, continues he, was this in any way disturbed by that jealousy, which is perpetually recurring, on account of incroachments, either real or fuppofed, made on the privileges of the people by the fovereign. Jealoufies and difputes of this nature cannot be avoided by any fundamental laws whatever; and, indeed, if this were poffible, it would not be expedient: they are the im

mediate

mediate confequences of the active difpofition of mankind, the natural effects of changes of circumftances, and the regular attendants of increafed knowlege, and of proportionably increafing wishes and wants: they are, in fact, the nourishment which gives life and health to every free government.

Difputes had, for fome time, fubfifted between the prince and the people, concerning the exclufive right, claimed by him, of licenfing places of public diverfion at Spa. Thefe were unfortunately increased by the fcarcity of provifion during the fevere winter of 1789: when, it being neceffary to prohibit the exportation of corn, an edict had been pafled for that purpose, but which was rendered null by the omiffion of fome neceffary forms by the Prince. The minds of the people were in this ftate of agitation,when accounts were received of what had paffed in Paris, in July 1789. The inhabitants of Liege, from their situation, and from the fimilarity of their manners and language, were naturally partial to the French nation: they now alfo traced a fimilarity in their griefs, and feit a defire to procure a fimilar remedy. Two principal points, in the new regulation of matters in France, particularly affected the people of Liege: the equal contribution of the clergy toward the expences of the ftate; and the more equal reprefentation of the people.-Twa thirds of the territory in the principality of Liege belonged to the clergy, and the clergy scarcely paid any taxes.

The reprefentatives of the nation confifted of the three eftates: the chapter of the cathedral, the nobility, and the deputies of the capital, and of twenty-two other towns. Thefe deputies were originally elected by the bourgeoisie of each town, till, in 1684, Maximilian Henry, the then bishop, who was likewife poffeffed of other confiderable territories, contrived, by the affiftance of his foreign poffeffions and troops, arbitrarily to claim for himfelf and his fucceflors the right of nominating one half of the deputies from the capital; while he procured fuch an influence over the election of the reft, as to fecure the return of what men he pleafed. The fame changes taking place throughout most of the towns in the principality, the third estate, confifting of the great body of the people, as far as concerned their voice in the government, was annihilated.-To redress these grievances, would, of course, be the natural defire of a people, animated by the example of a great and favourite nation.

The reasonableness of this with was, in part at least, evident to the bifhop; who, nobly, and without folicitation, fummoned the clergy, and invited them to contribute an equal share of the taxes, and to renounce for ever, without condition, or referve, the privileges by which they were exempted. He moreover convoked the aflembly of the ftates, fo long defired,

5

whole

whose first attention was by himself directed to the relief of the moft indigent and moft numerous clafs of his fubjects. From a conduct like this, every thing was to be hoped; and the people looked forward with eagerness to the re-eftablishment of their civil liberty, by the abolition of the arbitrary proceedings of 1684; without which, every relief was trivial, and with which, there was no burthen but what was fupportable. Their wishes, on this head, were no fooner made known to the prince, than he gave his confent, in writing, to whatever might encrease the general good, and fulfil the defires of his people. In confequence, the ancient magiftracy was depofed, and a new one elected. The prince approved every measure: he came from his caftle to the capital, and was received with fhouts of joy, by a people who felt themselves free and happy, and who refpected him as the cause of their freedom and happinefs. He was thus conducted to the Hotel de Ville, where, with his own fignature, he confirmed the late election.-If more could be wanting to teftify his perfect agreement with the views of his fubjects, he gave it, by offering to dwell in the capital, or to accept a guard, compofed of the citizens, at his feat in the country. A reconciliation like this,' fays M. DE DORм, between a good prince and a good people, so publicly, fo clearly manifefted, could not fail, even in foreign countries, to excite the warmest fatisfaction, and to merit the moft general applaufes.'-What then must be the astonishment and regret of his fubjects, to hear, within a few days, that their fovereign had quitted his caftle like a fugitive, accompanied only by his nephew, and directing his flight no one knew whither! The only information to be gained concerning this strange event, was from a paper left by himself; in which he faid, that the fear of a tumultuous meeting, at the approaching affembly of the states, had determined him, for a time, to quit a fcene which would be prejudicial to his health: but that he affured the nation, whom he loved, that he had no design of foliciting foreign fuccours, nor of preferring any complaint either to his Imperial majefty, to the diet, nor to any other tribunal of the empire. He had given no authority to make any fuch complaint, and he difavowed, in the face of the world, all thofe which might be made in his name, &c.

During this ftate of fufpence and uncertainty, news was brought to Liege that the IMPERIAL CHAMBER, without receiving any application on the fubject, had taken into confideration what had paffed, regarding it as an infringement of the public peace; that, on the very day of the prince's departure, they had given a commiflion to the princes of the circle of the Lower Rhine and Westphalia (the Bishop of Munster, the Duke

Duke of Juliers, and the Duke of Clêves,) to protect, with fuch forces as might be neceffary, at the expence of the rebellious inhabitants of Liege, the prince-bishop, his household, &c.—to restore the form of government as it was before the rebellion; to reinftate the magiftrates in their offices; to fearch after the authors of the rebellion, and to punish them by imprisonment, &c.

The King of Pruffia had been informed of the tranfactions at Liege, to which were given the names of a revolution, and a rebellion: the flight of the prince and the decree of the chamber had, however, fo far altered the face of matters, as to render him defirous of fearching more deeply into their real ftate: he, in confequence, ordered M. DE DOHм, his minifter for the dutchy of Clêves, to fix his refidence at Liege.

The retreat of the prince was now known to be in the neighbourhood of Treves; where a deputation of the three eftates immediately waited on him to induce him to return to his country. This proving fruitlefs, was followed by more preffing inftances, which were equally difregarded. In the mean time, M. DE DоHм had a conference with the chancellor of the prince, and explained to him the King's defire of a peaceable arrangement, requefting to know his highness's fentiments with regard to the means by which it might be procured. Inftead of pointing out these means, the prince addreffed himfelf by letter to the King, claiming the plenary execution of the decree of the chamber. The King's anfwer fhews in what fense he was determined to undertake the execution of that decree; and, accordingly, the letter of his minifter, which accompanied the firft mandate of the co-directors *, invited the prince to propose, without referve, the terms of accommodation. In reply, the prince declared himself willing even to facrifice fome of his own rights for the fake of establishing peace. From this declaration, it could not be doubted that the prince, though he had before denied the validity of the affembly of the ftates, as convoked by himself, would nevertheless ratify the re-eftablishment of the conftitutional mode of electing reprefentatives, of which he had fo often and fo folemnly teftified' his approbation: the arrival of the troops furnished by the codirectors, feemed, therefore, alone wanting to enfure fuccefs to the conciliatory propofitions, which the Duke of Clêves intended to offer.

The arrival of the troops happened about the latter end of November 1789; when the King of Pruffia furnished 5000

Such is the name given to the three powers, charged with the execution of the decree.

men,