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trary, into a regular fyftem, scientifically combined, which had its foundation in nature. The four hundred thoufandth part of a degree of the meridian was pitched upon as the prototype of ftandard of vulgar meafures; and from hence a commodious and eafy fyftem was derived for the use of the people, and fubjected to the common proportions of the human body. Thus the prototype was called foot, cubit, &c. Our Author unfolds, with great erudition and ingenuity, this philofophical origin of menfuration, points out its progrefs from the remoteft antiquity, and treats of measures in all their connexions with agriculture and legislation. In the introduction, after having defined meafures in general, and fhewn the usefulness of invariable standards derived from nature, and the advantages that refult from a univerfal measure, he confiders the legiflation of measures in France, treats of the decimal and logarithmic calculus, which' he ordinarily makes ufe of in this work, and gives an ample table of the abfolute weights of a cubic foot of different folid and fluid fubftances, with fome applications of thefe weights to the ftrength of animals. This is followed by another table of the marks of measures, weights, and numbers in ufe among the Greeks and Romans.

The Work is divided into Thirteen Chapters. In the 1ft, M. PAUCTON lays before us the refults of the obfervations made by modern geometricians, both on the length of the pendulum, vibrating feconds, and the quantity of a degree of the meridian. He proves, that a univerfal measure, taken from the dimenfion of a degree of the meridian, would be as perfect as that which is derivable from the length of the pendulum, and that in the remoteft periods of antiquity, even before the existence of Nineveh, Babylon, and the pyramids of Egypt, the circumference of the earth was measured as exactly as it has been in our times. He fhews, that this standard of menfuration, which is founded in nature, was almoft univerfally received in Afia, Africa, and Europe; that it was the standard of the Perfians, Arabians, Jews, Egyptians, and Spaniards, who preferved it in its primitive integrity; and that it was alfo employed by the Gauls, Bretons, and Germans, among whom it is to be found, at this day, in the greatest part of their cities. The Author compares this univerfal measure with ours, and with other particular measures of antiquity: The 2d chapter contains an application of these measures to the illuftration of fome curious points of ancient legiflation and philology. The' 3d treats of the measures used in surveying lands by the Egyp tians, Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, Gauls,Spaniards, and other ancient nations. The 4th treats concerning measures of capacity, of which, according to our Author, the cubature of the univerfal lineal measure already mentioned was the fand

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ard among the Egyptians, Hebrews, Arabians, Greeks, and Romans. The ancient weights of these nations are the subject of the 5th chapter; and in the 6th we have a learned account of their coins. The theory of ufury and anatocism among the Greeks and Romans is laid down in the 7th chapter. In the 8th the Author treats of the whole extent of the earth's furface, of the dimenfions of its parts in its divifion into ftates, of population in' modern times, confidered both in the whole of each state, and in its principal cities. The quantity of flour and bread produced by a certain measure of corn, the manner of grinding and baking among the ancients, the confumption of the inhabitants of a ftate, the wages of day-labourers, and the expences of individuals, are matters difcuffed in the 9th chapter. The difquifitions of the 10th and 11th chapters are elaborate and curious. Here we learn the quantity of feed that is to be employed by the hufbandman, which, in the temperate zones, must be increafed in proportion as the lands between the tropics and the polar circles approach towards the latter; and we learn alfo the different kinds of grain that were cultivated by the ancients. The Author here returns to the fubject of ancient population, enlarges on the productions and riches of Babylon, the moft fertile country in the world; meafures the extent of the habitable parts of Egypt; defcribes its fertility, its agriculture, its population, its divifion under Sefoftris, and alfo the fruitfulness of the adjacent countries. He measures alfo and defcribes the Holy Land, its fertility, population, and Agrarian laws, the domains of its prince, its priefts and Levites; the tithes, firft-fruits, and other objects of civil and political economy. From thence he paffes into Media, repaffes into Spain, defcribes its fertility, population, the excellence of its productions, and the extent of its territory. Then we find him in fome fruitfel diftricts of Africa, defcribing the territories of Carthage and Tacape and the plains of Byzacene. Sicily comes next; from whence he carries us into Greece, Thrace, Afia Minor, the Ifles of Lefbos and Cyprus, Armenia, Hircania, Margiana, the Cimmerian Bofphorus, and Illyria. Italy comes laft. The defcription of the fertility, extent, natural productions, and political administration of that country, is ample and circumftantial, and is terminated by an enumeration of the principal caufes of the decline of the Roman empire. The 12th chapter contains an account of the relations of ancient authors concerning the fertility and extent of Gaul, and is terminated by particular obfervations on agriculture, as it was practifed by the ancients. The 13th chapter is an Introduction (as our Author calls it) to the study of the ancient coins of France. This introduction is a complete treatise on every thing that relates to coinage, the qualities of

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the metals, the mines that produce them, the characters and denominations of different monies, their valué, &c.

Eleven ample and commodious Tables, containing the evaluation of meafures, weights, and money, ancient and modern, form the conclufion of this vaft and elaborate performance. Thefe Tables, which are excellent in every refpect, are the fruit of indefatigable industry and patience, and are alone fufficient to render this work an important and valuable present to the public.

XII. Le Genie de l'Architecture, ou l'Analogie de cet Art avec nos Senfations: i. e. The Genius or Spirit of Architecture, or the Confideration of that Art, as it bears an Analogy to our Senfations or natural Feelings. By M. Le CAMUS DE MEZIERES. 8vo. 270 pages, with a Plate. Paris. 1780. Price 3 livres (about 3 fhillings).It is certain, that of all the objects and productions of the fine arts, there are none concerning which our judgments of appróbation or diflike are fo capricious and ambiguous, fo indeterminate and wavering, as thofe of architecture. It is alleged by fome, as a reafon for this, that imitation, which is the foul of poetry, painting, and, more or lefs, even of mufic, is not applicable to architecture, which has no model or prototype in nature, and can therefore have no principle or guide in its operations, but the general rules of fymmetry and proportion, which belong, in common with it, to all the other arts. It has no peculiar and determinate object but conveniency; and therefore, in point of ornament and beauty, its operations, though often animated by tafte and genius, are directed by fancy and caprice, which in numberlefs cafes render our judgment concerning the execution ambiguous and uncertain. The Author of the Work before us endeavours to remove this uncertainty, and to establish sure principles of judging with respect to the beauties of architecture, by contemplating the happy productions of great ge niufes, and attending to the caufes by which they produce pleafing and powerful impreffions on the mind. The analogy of the proportions of architecture with our fenfations will fuggeft a series of reflections, on which we may eftablish the philofophical principles of this elegant art. Such is the defign of this ingenious effay, in which the Author treats, first, of the different orders of architecture; and unfolds, fecondly, the ge-, neral rules of the art of pleafing in its various productions. He enters into an ample detail on this fubject, and afcertains his theory by a variety of examples which illuftrate his difcuffions, and render them agreeable.

XIII. De l'Electricité du Corps Humain dans l'Etat de Santé et de Maladie, &c. i. e. A Differtation on the Electricity of the Human Body in Sickness and Health; in which the Electri

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city of the Atmosphere, and its Influence and Effects on the Animal Economy, are particularly confidered. By M. BERTHOLON, Priest of St. Lazarus, and Member of feveral Academies. 12mo. Paris. 1780.This Prize-Differtation, which was crowned by the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts, &c. at Lyon, cafts feveral rays of new light upon the myfterious fubject of electricity. In this ingenious piece Mr. B. begins by afcertaining the electricity of the atmosphere in confequence of the experiments and obfervations of Monnier, Franklin, and others; and by pointing out the indications which the electrical fluid gives of its exiftence, not only in tempests and thunder-ftorms, but even in the calmeft weather. He then proceeds to examine in what manner the electricity of the atmofphere communicates itself to the human body. He fhews, that not only by the pores, but alfo by the lungs (which he looks upon as the fecretory organ of aerial electricity), the human body must receive, with the great quantity of air it breathes, an aftonishing quantity of the electrical fluid when the atmosphere is pofitively electrified, and muft communicate to the atmosphere when its electricity is negative, a proportionable quantity of the fame fluid. This leads our Author to confider the principal effects of the electricity of the atmosphere on the animal fyftem, and confequently on the vital and animal functions; fuch as, mufcular motion, the circulation of the blood, refpiration, digeftion, and the various fecretions; as also its moral effects, combined with the qualities and effects of the air on the human body. He afterwards treats of spontaneous electricity, or of that which is peculiar to the human body, examines its cause, and proves its existence by a great number of curious experiments and obfervations. All these difcuffions form the contents of the first feven chapters. The electricity peculiar to different animals is the fubject of the eighth, in which the Author relates his own experiments on the torpedo. The ninth chapter contains the means of preferving health, as relative to the fluid in queftion, and to certain qualities of air and food, that are more or less adapted to diminish or augment human electricity.

The body in a difordered ftate, and more efpecially those diforders which proceed from the abundance or defect of the electrical fluid in the human body, and the means of remedying both this abundance and defect, employ our Author in the fecond Part of this Differtation. A great number of observations and experiments have been made, and the labours

The motion of refpiration is repeated 28,800 times every day, and the lungs receive in the fame fpace of time one million one hun dred and fifty-two thousand cubic inches of air.

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of above two hundred and fifty philofophical or medical writers have been laid under contribution to complete this fecond part, in which we find an account of all that has been hitherto written on the subject of animal and medical electricity. The Third Part, which treats of the influence of atmospherical electricity on different bodies, contains Tables relative to births, deaths, certain diforders and evacuations, which correfpond with the alterations that happen in the state of the atmosphere. XIV. Le Brigandage de la Mufique Italienne: i. e. Of the Robberies committed by Italian Mufic. I2mo. Paris.This is a very fingular performance. It contains an uncommon mixture of profound musical knowledge, fine taste, and the moft facetious pleafantry. The principle of the Author is, that every country has its own mufic; that is, a mufic fuited to its climate, genius, character, language, and manners; and that therefore the party at Paris who are for forcing the Italian mufic upon the French, are guilty of great abfurdity. On this occafion the very elegant and witty writer enters into extenfive and ingenious difcuffions relative to mufical harmony, melody, and expreffion; and much inftruction and many a laugh will be obtained from the perufal of his moft entertaining performance. But it is no laughing matter to confider the extravagant contributions that eunuchs and fidlers have drawn from the treasures of fovereigns, which would have been much more humanely employed in appeafing the hunger of their famished fubjects, than in tickling their own royal or princely ears with tweedle dum and tweedle dee. The late King of Poland paid an hundred thoufand crowns for the reprefentation of each new opera; the King of Portugal threw away a million of crowns upon five or fix degraded men, who fung a few airs to amuse his Majefty, while his people were howling miferere; and the opera of Paris cofts 35,000 pounds annually.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For JUN E, 1781.

POLITICAL.

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Art. 14. The Revolution of America. By the Abbé Raynal, Author of the Philofophical and Political Hiftory of the Eitablishments and Commerce of the Europeans in both the Indies. 2 s. 6 d. Davies. 1781.

12mo.

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HERE is fomething myfterious in the manner in which this publication is introduced to the world. It was expected that the Abbé Raynal would fubjoin, to his Hiftory of the Indies, an account of the difpute between Great Britain and her Colonies. Of this defired Work, before it made its appearance from any prefs, the tranflator, on his travels was fo fortunate as to obtain REV. June 1781. a copy.

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