He was born in a country full of the beauties of nature and of arts, of a wealthy, noble, learned family, folicitous to improve his various talents; had been inftructed by excellent mafters; recommended to notice by his birth, his talents, his knowledge, his temper, his friends; was ambitious of fame, docile to criticism, fevere to himself; by his liberal fortune exempted from the cares and drudgeries by which genius is fo often, not indeed crushed, but fettered, disheartened, eclipfed: his way of thinking had preferved him from the purfuits of felfishness and fordid intrigues; his character appeared worthy of the favours of fortune: he stood the hardeft tefts of profperity a general applaufe, a court-life, and the favours of the great; proved a dutiful son, an affectionate brother, a fincere and occafionally an active friend, always an agreeable and inftructive companion. From his first acquaintance with the prince, now king of Pruffia, he preferved the familiar and intimate friendship of the whole houfe of Brandenburgh, to the day of his death, uninterrupted and undiminished, and enjoyed one of the boldest wishes of Voltaire, fince • Pour lui le bon tonneau fût à jamais fans lie." Upon the acceffion of the present king of Pruffia to the crown, fignor Algarotti was called to Berlin, appointed one of the lords of the bedchamber, raised with his brother and their pofterity to the rank of counts of the kingdom of Pruffia, and got the new title of his family acknowledged by the fenate of Venice. He was alfo decorated with a ribbon of the order pour le Mérite, and his majesty moreover fent him a patent of an honourary privy-counfellor of war, accompanied by a curious copy of verfes*. It was, perhaps, this title that partly induced count Algarotti afterwards to write fo many learned effays relative to the art of war, which he dedicated to prince Henry and marthal Keith; his royal highnefs, however, in a very polite and obliging anfwer, feemed rather defirous of feeing him transformed into an actual privy adviser of peace t. Vous que les Graces et les Ris Cet emploi, ce caractére Plus digne de l'auteur du congrès de Cythere. La decoration des fots. Dans les lieux fimples que j'habite Ils ne s'accordent qu'au mérite.” Infenfiblement je suis entrainé à parler fur la manière dont on s'égorge. Qu'il feroit heureux on trouvoit l'art de porter les hommes à s'aimer en freres! Quelle fagacité ne faudroit il pas pour faire parler dans leur coeur l'importante leçon que fit Cinéas à Pyrrhus? C'eft une entreprife digne de vôtre attention, laquelle tiendroit une place distinguée dans le reste de l'humanité. Je fuis, avec toute la confideration, vôtre très affectionné ami & ferviteur, HENRL His love of truth and franknefs was not tainted by the air of courts, nor his modefty and moderation impaired by the favour of the great. When his Pruffian majefty invited him to Berlin, he wrote to him that he would find there la liberté pour devife.' Rich by birth, and still more fo by contentment, he asked nothing for himself, and exerted his credit only for others; and were it not that mankind are more fenfible to the reflexion of having needed, than to the glory of having deserved benefits, perfons might be named, to whom count Algarotti, when he could not otherwise affift them, affigned annuities for life on his own estate. His phyfiognomy was noble and open, his manners polite and obliging, his reasonings precife, his diction perfpicuous and eloquent; his converfation equally pleafing to philophers, beaux efprits, virtuofi, to perfons delighting in the defcription of foreign countries and manners, in literary or political anecdotes; and engaging for the fair sex. Though born with a delicate conftitution, he bad in his youth enjoyed a firm uninterrupted state of health; which, however, was, from the fatigues of study, of voyages and travels, the diverfities of climes and aliments, at length undermined and destroyed by hy. pochondriac and other diforders. This obliged him to return to Italy, where he lived for fome time in his family at Venice; then fettled at Bologna for the benefit of a purer air; and when he felt himfelf attacked by a phthific, probably caught from Maurino an ingenious painter and architect whom he had long employed and provided for, he retired at last to Pisa. Here he supported a lingering difeafe, and beheld the flow approaches of death with philofophical calmnefs and ferenity; fpending his forenoons in converfation with Maurino on painting and architecture; his afternoons in giving his works that were then reprinting at Leghorn, a laft revifal; and exhilarating his evenings by concerts of vocal and inftrumental mufic in his apartment. On being apprized of his ftate, Voltaire invited him to Ferney, under the care of Dr. Tronchin; and the king of Pruffia wrote him a moft affecting letter*: it arrived when he fcarce could hear it read, and was answered by tears of gratitude. • J'ai jugé de vôtre mal par la lettre que vous m'avez écrite. Cette main tremblante m'a furpris et m'a fait une peine infinie. Puiffiez vous vous rémettre bientôt ! avec quel plaifir j'apprendrois cette bonne nouvelle ! Quoique les médecins de ce pays n'en sachent pas plus long que les vôtres pour prolonger la vie des hommes, un de nos Efculapes vient cependant de guérir un étique attaqué des poumons bien plus violemment que ne l'étoit Maupertuis quand vous l'avez vû ici. Vous me ferez plaifir de m'envoyer vôtre flatum morbi pour voir fi la confultation de ce médecin ne pourroit pas vous être de quelque fecours. Je compterois pour un de ces momens les plus agréables de ma vie celui où je pourrois vous procurer le rétabliffement de vôtre fanté; je défire de tout mon cœur qu'elle foit bien tôt assez forte pour que vous puiffiez revenir dans ce pays-ci. Je vous montrerai alors une collection que j'ai faite de tableaux de vos compatriotes. Je dis à leur egard et à celui des peintres François, ce que Boileau difoit des poëtes, Jeune j'aimois Ovide, vieux j'eftime Virgile. Je vous fuis bien obligé de la part que vous prenez à ce qui me régarde. Au refte foyez perfuadé que la nouvelle la plus agréable pour moi fera d'apprendre par vous même que vous êtes tout à fait rétabli.* Q3 Thus Thus count Algarotti died as he had lived, in the arms of learning, polite arts, and friendship, May 3, 1764, at the age of 52 years, at Pifa. He left the bulk of his eftate to his brother; and feveral legacies, to the king of Pruffia, to lord Chatham, cardinal Malvezzi, general Monti, and others; efpecially to his friends at Pifa, and his domestic fervants; 3000 fequins to Maurino and his family, and 1000 fequins for a monument of his own invention, to be executed by Maurino, who was prevented by death. His Pruffian majefty, however, ordered it to be erected at his expence, of the fineft marble, by Carlo Bianconi, another celebrated painter and architect, with this infcription: Algarotto Ovidii mulo Newtoni Difcipulo And under the count's busto: Algarottus Non Omnis. To fuch a character it is needlefs to add, that his death was univerfally regretted. But a fhort copy of elegant verses to his memory we will here fubjoin from fignor Micheleffi's Memoirs concerning the Life and Writings of Count Francefco Algarotti, from whence this fhort account has been abstracted. Hæc Algarotti effigies, quo cive fuperbit Olli Ynchas, Romæque canunt præconia reges; Sed quid ego hæc retuli? Magno placuit Friderico FOREIGN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. 13. Chefs d'Oeuvres Dramatique, ou Recueil des meilleures Pieces du Theatre François, Tragique, Comique, et Lyrique, avec des Difcours préliminaires fur les trois Genres, et des Remarques fur la Langue et le Goût. Par M. Marmontel, Hifioriographe de France, &c. 4to. Paris. (with Plates and Decorations.) THIS first volume of a very valuable, and elegant, but expenfive work, contains its profpectus, and may ferve for a fpecimen of its execution. It is chiefly for thofe, who, on account of their age, their profeffion, their character, or their way of thinking, do not chufe to frequent playhouses, that Mr. Marmontel propofes to collect the belt French dramatic pieces, to illuftrate them with, critical difcourfes and remarks, and to enliven them by plates and decorations, difplaying the most picturefqne and interefting fituations in each drama. Every volume of this collection will contain four dramatic pieces of five acts each, or an equivalent number of acts acts, made up by fmaller pieces. Two volumes are to be published every year at the price of twenty four French livres each. This first confifts of 191 pages, and cotts twenty one livres. 14. Placide à Maclovie, fur les Scrupules. 12mo. Paris. The caufes and remedies of fcruples of confcience are here explained with perfpicuity and method, in an abridgement of the maxims of respectable casuists. 15. Inftruction Militaire, ou Explication par Demandes et Reponses d'un grand nombre de difficultés, rélatives à la Confcience qui fe rencontrent dans le metier de la Guerre, tant de Terre que de Mer; et leur Refolution conformément aux Regles du Droit canonique et civil, aux Principes de la Morale, et à l'Autorité de l'Hiftoire. Par le R. P. Jofeph d'Audierne, Ancien Provincial des Capuchins de la Bretagne. 2 Vols. 12mo. Rennes. This curious catechifm, defigned for the tender confciences of foldiers and mariners, has been abftracted from a work in three folio volumes, published by Father Anton. Thomas Schiarą, a learned Italian canonift, under the title Theologia Bellica. 16. Catéchisme d'Agriculture, ou Bibliotheque des Gens de la Campagne, dans laquelle on enseigne par des procédés très fimples l'Art de cultiver la Terre, de la faire fructifier, et de rendre les Hommes qui la cultivent meilleurs et plus heureux. On y a joint l'Art de cultiver les Fleurs et les Jardins Potagers, 12mo. Paris. Another catechifm, that bids fair to be of confiderable fervice to hufbandmen, their landlords, and the public, The author introduces a father instructing his fon in the several branches of hufbandry and afterwards pathetically laments the abuse and cruelty of engroffing farms, and defcribes its effects in fucceffively degrading the poorer clafs of farmers to labourers, idlers, vagrants, beggars, and robbers. 17. Lettres d'une Chanoineffe de Lisbonne à Meilcour, Officier Fran çois, précedés de quelques Reflexions. Paris. The well-known Portuguese Letters, verified by Mr. Dorat, in a very affecting and mafterly manner. 18. Recueil d'Antiquités dans les Gaules enrichi de diverses Planches et Figures, Plans, Cartes topographiques et autres Defins, pour fervir à rintelligence des Inferiptions des Antiquités de feu M. le Comte de CayJus. Par M. de la Sauvagere, &c. 4to. (with 29 Plates) Paris. Containing defigns of many decaying monuments of antiquity in France, accurately drawn and judiciously explained. 19. Defcrizione pratica e teorica d'un Modello di Macchina detto il Compallo per iscavare fango e arena dai porti, disegnato e fatto eseguire in Savona, dal Padre Giov. Domenico Gerra della Compagnia di Gefu, dedicata al nobiliffimo fignore Giambattista Grimaldi; del fe reniffimo Pier Francefco, In Genova. The contriver of this machine had been furiously calumniated and oppofed before he was allowed to benefit his country. But as M. Grimaldi, governor of Savona, and fon to the doge of Genoa, engaged, in cafe of a miscarriage, to pay for the model; it was pur chafed by the town of Savona, which now enjoys the profpect of feeing its harbour foon cleared and and restored by its prodigious effects. 20. Traduction en Profe de Catulle, Tibulle, et Gallus; par l'Auteur des Soirees Helvetiennes et des Tableaux. Paris, Rather elegant than faithful. 1 21. Hiftoire des Diables modernes par l feu M. Adolphus, Juif Anglois Docteur en Médecine. Troifieme Edit 8vo. Cleves. This hiftoriographer of modern devils feems to have been a native of Cleve. In his opinion the morals of his fellow-citizens, and especially thefe of the fair fex, had been exceedingly corrupted by the officers of the French garrifon during the late war. He, therefore, confiders them as fo many emiffaries of Satan, part of whofe hiftory he draws up from his archives in the college of the Jefuits at Paris, and refpectfully infcribes it to the king of Pruffia. The reformation of the morals of his native town, however, appears not to have been his fole purpofe in writing this volume. It was alfo intended to ferve its author for an opiate during the anguifh of the gout. Duplex ergo, nay, triplex libelli dos eft: at leaft, we may hope it has exhilarated fome gloomy fplenetic moments of its writer. MONTHLY CATALOGU E. POETRY. 22. Poems on various Subjects, Religious and Moral. By Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John Wheatley of Boston, in New-England. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Jewed. A. Bell. 'HE Negroes of Africa are generally treated as a dull, igno to incapable of any confiderable attainments in the liberal arts and fciences. A poet or a poetefs amongst them, of any tolerable genius, would be a prodigy in literature.-Phillis Wheatley, the author of thefe poems, is this literary phænomenon. She was carried from Africa to America in the year 1761, when the was between seven and eight years of age. In about fixteen months time, without any inftruction, befides what the received in her mafter's family, fhe was able to fpeak the English language, and read the Bible with furprifing facility. In 1765 he wrote a letter to the rev. Mr. Occom, the Indian minister, then in England; and foon afterwards began to make fome attempts in poetry. The pieces, of which this little volume confifts, are the productions of her leifure moments. And though they are not remarkably beautiful, they have too much merit to be thrown afide, as trifling and worthlefs effufions.. The following piece may ferve as a fpecimen it is the first, but not fuperior to fome others, in this collection. • Mecenas, you, beneath the myrtle fhade, While Homer paints, lo! circumfus'd in air, Celestial gods in mortal forms appear; Swift as they move hear each recefs rebound, Heav'n quakes, earth trembles, and the fhores refound, Great |