The Review published at Jena is the principal, but not the only one. There are feveral others by no means deficient in merit. Its chief rival is the Gottingische anzeigen von gelehrten fachen, i. e. Gottingen's Tidings of learned Publications. These are publifhed in numbers, three or four times in the week, fo as to form about two hundred and ten in a year. This literary journal is upon a fmaller scale than the other. Not more than fix hundred, or fix hundred and fifty books are reviewed in it annually, but it is well conducted, I have lately feen propofals for a new Journal, under the title of Annalen des Geografifchen und Statififchen Wifenfchaften, i. e. Annals of Geographical and Statistical Science. It is under the direction of profeffor Zimmermann of Brunfwick. According to the plan of this work, its chief object will relate to geographical, political, and ftatiftical difquifitions; but a review of new publications in the german and foreign languages will not be omitted. A number of the literati are already engaged for the undertaking. It is to come out in monthly numbers of fix fheets each; fix numbers are to conftitute a volume. New maps will be occafionally added. The price is three dollars and a half per volume. I have not heard what degree of encouragement this undertaking has received. Notwithstanding the profeffor's known abilities in this department, I queftion whether the fubjects will be fufficiently popular for a periodical publication. If it be continued for years, as is the defign, I fear that the reader will be obliged to crawl like a fnail over the face of the globe, and feel himself wearied before he gets half way. To the above may be added the following account of publications exposed to fale at Leipfic in the courfe of the years 1790 and 1791. Their number at the autumnal fair 1790, was not more than one thousand and fifty-five: of these fixty-five were mufical compofitions, and forty-two tranflations from foreign languages, particularly from the english. But at the fair held in the fpring, the number was more than double, being two thousand three hundred and forty-eight. In the year 1791, the publications amounted to three thousand five hundred and four, exclufive of fchool books, fmaller pamphlets, and fome works that were published at the expence of their authors. It is obfervable, fays my author, that works of imagination, and political difquifitions, which were formerly the moft scarce, are now become the moft popular fpecies of writing." A ftory is next related of a quarrel between an orthodox and an hetical clergyman, in which is mentioned an introduction to a fermon written in imitation of Sterne. In the introduction the following incident is fuppofed to have given rife to the difcourfe. P. 270. Uncle Toby took a walk with his trufty corporal Trim. They met on the road an emaciated frenchman, in a tattered uniform, halting upon a crutch, as he had loft a leg. He took off his hat with down caft eyes, without uttering a fyllable; but his dejected countenance was truely eloquent. The major gave him fome fhillings without attending to their number. Trim took a penny out of his pocket, but called him, as he gave it, a french dog. The major continued filent a few feconds, and then turning to Trim, he faid, Trim, he is a man and not a dog. The french invalid was hopping behind them. Upon this fpeech of the major, Trim gave him another penny, B 4 and and again added french dog. This man, Trim, is a foldier! Trim looked at him ftedfastly, gave him another penny, and repeated french dog. And Trim, he has been a brave foldier, he has fought for his country, and has been defperately wounded. Trim preffed his hand, while he gave him a fourth penny, but repeated french dog. And Trim, this foldier is a worthy though unfortunate husband, who has a wife and four small children to maintain. Trim, with tears in his eyes, gave all that he had in his pocket, but ftill called him french dog, though in a fofter tone. When the major returned home, he mentioned the affair to Yorick. Yorick anfwered, it is plain that Trim, hates, with all his heart, the whole french nation, as being an enemy to his country, but he loves every individual in it that deferves refpect.' After returning from Franckfort to Mentz, our traveller took a boat and failed down the Rhine. Hints towards a defcription of this paffage are given in a humorous ftyle; and the reader is taken a few miles out of his way, upon the river Nahe, to the city of Kreuze nach, given by Charlemagne as a prefent to his fuppofed friend Erchard, bishop of Spires, to communicate to him the following af fecting anecdote. P. 303.. You recollect that the long reign of this emperor was marked with misfortunes, which are principally afcribed to his quarrel with the clergy, and the animofities they had excited against him for having reclaimed thofe poffeffions, which had been lavished upon them by his predeceffors; and yet terrified at the anathema of the pope, he was compelled to remain three days and three nights, in the depth of winter, in the court-yard of the pope's palace at Conofa, bare footed, imploring abfolution in the most humiliating terms. You may also recollect that he was afterwards dethroned by his fon, detained fome time in prison, and aiterwards reduced to the most abject poverty. In this ftate he applied to the fycophant of his profperity, who refided at Kreuzenach in luxurius eafe. Maier, a german hiftorian, relates the circumftance in the following manner. "The unfortunate emperor came to the caftie in as wretched a ftate as when he waited at the palace of Conofa, ftript to his fhirt, and bare footed. He had the attitude, voice, and humiliated afpect of a common beggar. He looked up with a timid eye to that bishop, who had been his moft intimate friend in the days of his profperity, and to whom he had been fo lavish of his bounties, in hopes to receive confolation and fupport in the countenance of his former dependant. He then glanced his eye over the stately dome which he himself had built, and feered to fay, behold my claim to commiferation! while the briny tear trickled down his grief-worn cheek, into the wounds which the heavy chains of his rebellious fon had inflicted. He now ventures to exclaim, with faultering accent, I have left empire and hope! For the love of God throw me a morfel of bread upon the ground I have given you! The fupercilious and inhuman prieft pretended that he could difpofe of nothing without the confent of his chapter, and finally difmiffed him with an oath-By the mother of Jefus I will not affift you." The caftle of Ehrenfels, and the town of Bacherach are next defcribed. Surrounded with vineyards, and approaching a rock, on which it is faid that an altar formerly ftood, whereon the romans ufed ufed to facrifice to Bacchus, a gentleman in the party fung a favourite german fong in praise of rhenifh wine: both the words and mafical notes of this fong are given. Other fongs in the same spirit are added. Thefe are very naturally fucceeded by a pretty long differtation on rhenish wine, which appears to have been written by a connoiffeur. Of the proteftant principality of Neuweid, under it's own prince, the fol. lowing pleafing account is given. P. 357. The prefent prince of Neuweid, in imitation of his an ceftors, is the friend and father of his people. Every plan is adopted to render them industrious and happy ;-not only is every species of manufactory encouraged, but every religious fect enjoys full toleration. Jews, hernhutters, or moravians, catholics, lutherans, and proteftants, are permitted to worship the one univerfal Father, each in his own manner, and are thus habituated to confider themselves as brethren, Being children of the fame parent, fubjects of the fame moral government, candidates alike for a future ftate, they are taught to reflect, that the articles in which they agree, are of infinitely greater importance than thofe in which they differ, and that the minutia of fpecu lative opinions cannot annihilate the primary duty of brotherly love. The proteftant is the established religion; but, as far as we could learn, it had no other external privilege, than that of tolling the bell to church; and the different fectaries, inftead of being difconcerted at the found, regulate the hours of their worship alfo by its fummons. ⚫ Several inftances were given us of the beneficence of this prince, and his paternal attention to the welfare of his fubjects, but I fhall only mention the following:-As he was taking a walk with his family, he ftopped at the workshop of a fmith, who was ftanding inactive before his door. "Whence comes it," fays the prince, that I have not heard the found of your hammers of late ?" Alas, fir, I have no Iron, and a lofs I fuftained the last week, has deprived me of the means to procure fome." "How much iron can you work up in a week?" To the value of about ten crowns." 66 "Well," anfwered the prince, "I fhall enquire whether this be a fact, or whether you tell me a falfehood to excufe your indolence." The prince, upon enquiry, was convinced of the truth of the fmith's affertion, and he fent him the ten crowns the day following. The fmith purchased the requifite materials: joy and gratitude gave fuch unusual strength to his arm, that the ftrokes of his hammer were heard much farther than ufual.' P. 364. To judge from external appearance, and alfo from the reprefentation of those who have enjoyed the best opportunity of knowing, the inhabitants of Neuweid may be faid to form one numerous and contented family. Induftry, good order, morality, and religion, are refpected; and vice never makes an accidental appearance without exciting indignation, and feeling a blufh. The city is fufficiently large for all the purposes of brifk trade; but not fo populous as to conceal or encourage immoralities. The enjoyments of the inhabitants are not of the moft gay and lively kind; they chiefly confist in health, peace, and competence. This place affords no room for the reftleffness of ambition, no place for fpecious eloquence, no opportunity for the exertion of thofe talents which have perfonal diftinctions, or the luft of power for their object. It affords little encouragement for the display of fruitlefs imagination, nor would it reward with its approbation, approbation, that clafs of ideas which fhine like a meteor for the moment, without diffufing permanent light, or producing fubftantial good. But every hint that can be fhapen into form for the comfort or elegancies of life; every idea that is the prototype of a fome- thing to be realized, is fottered and protected with care and with If we contemplate this community at Neaweid, in a political point of view, it affords an example and a leffon, for both princes and people. It demonftrates that under a wife and good government, the real influence and fubftantial happinefs of the fuperior, are rendered permanent, or rather progreffive, by the progreffive profperity of the fubject. It proves, that fubjects will be moft difpofed to obedience, where they are firmly convinced that their principal is actuated by an anremitted attention to their welfare. It proves, that refpectful obe- dience to wife and equal laws, is the fource of tranquil enjoyment, and the cement of fociety; and it manifefts, that fubjects, at large, are infinitely more fatisfied, and enjoy a greater portion of happiness, where they exercife a due confidence in their fuperiors, whofe po- litical knowledge muft exceed their own, than if every man was to become his own legiflator, or to be engaged in the purfuit of that fpe- cies of liberty, which is moftly accompanied with the latent defire of becoming his neighbour's fovereign; that is more eager to poffefs power than to poffefs competent knowledge, wifdom, and benevolence, to With thefe judicious reflections we close our extracts from these vo- hemes; which we without hesitation recommend to our readers, as containing a great variety of amufing and interesting matter. ART. II. Nenia Britannica: or a fepulchral Hiftory of Great Britain; THE ftudy of antiquities has in all ages engaged the attention of the learned and the curious, and, when directed to rational and proper objects, must be allowed to merit the gratitude of the public. The prefent author has chofen a fubject connected with our hiftory, which it feems to have been his defign to elucidate; and this will affuredly render the volume now before us more valuable to the inhabitants of this country, than thofe dry and unentertaining differtations, which have no other aim than to display an useless profufion of labour and of learning. The reasons, that have induced him to undertake this work, will however be best learned from his own preface, which, as it is fhort, we fhail here transcribe. • If the study of antiquity be undertaken in the cause of history, it will rescue itself from a reproach indifcriminately and faftidiously bestowed on works which have been deemed frivolous. In proportion as this ftudy has been neglected by ancient or modern hiftorians, authority will be found to deviate from conjecture, and the eye of reafon more or lefs taught to difcern the fable which the pomp of hiftory has decorated; it fhould therefore, inftead of being accounted the dreg, he ftyled the alembic, from which is drawn the purity or perfection of literature. The infcription or the medal are the only facts which can obviate error, and produce the fubftitutes for the deficiency of ancient records: when thefe are wanting, in vain will the human mind be gratified by the most acute investigation; incredulity will arife in proportion as the judgment is matured. By contemplating the relics difcovered in our ancient fepultures, the hiftorian may have an opportunity of comparing them with fimilar relics found in different places, and on which arguments have been grounded by authors who have written on the ancient inhabitants of Britain. If a medal or an infcription be found in a fepulchre among other relics, the undoubted characteristic of the cuftoms of a people at the time of the depofit, and the superfcription on the medal or the infcription evincing a low period, it will be a felf evident pofition, that fimilar relics under fimilar forms of fepulture, difcovered in other parts of the island, cannot apply to a period more remote; hence the moft trifling fact will invalidate many received opinions, and hiftory be reduced to a more critical analyfis. To explore this country in all directions, to violate the facred afhes of the dead, and which human nature must feel reluctant to undertake, to drag to light the concealed treasures of old times, were a labour beyond the capacity of one man; and as a fenfe of duty to his profeffional ftudies has confined the author to certain limits, much of this interefting purfuit has been left to other antiquaries, whofe labours will doubtlefs produce a fucceffion of difcoveries, which, by degrees, will convey a great acceffion of light to the dark pages of history. He is, however, amply gratified, if what has been hitherto accomplished will be deemed fufficient to acquit him of those obligations by which he ftands pledged to the public. No pofition in the work has been affumed on mere conjecture; and when deductions have been made, they have been founded on a fcrupulous comparison of facts; but, free to form his own opinion, the work has been arranged under fuch heads, that the reader may frame his own conclufions, without any apprehenfion of being involved in the confufion of felt opinionated theory. All nations deriving their origin apparently from one common ftock, have ufed in many refpects the fame funeral cuftoms; but the progrefs of fociety having evidently produced many fpecific diftinétions, they may be methodically arranged, and the identity of a people recognized.' Mr. |