of having broken, by its weight and action, the calcareous barrier which for a time retained it. VIII. From the abrupt ftate of the calcareous mountains which border the Mediterranean coaft from Nice to Savona; from their extreme height or elevation; from the depth of the fea which washes their bafis; as likewife from the direction of the rivers and valleys of that part of the chain, which is in general from north to fouth, and the vast number of gypfum quarries which are within a mile or two of the coaft; I am led to fuppofe, 1. That the major part of the fecondary and tertiary chain of the Alps ftill remains covered by the fea. 2. That it appears probable that thofe mountains may extend to the islands of Corfica and Sardinia. In fine, that a number of these calcareous mountains owe their abruptnefs to the laft retreat of the fea, which had, by infenfibly undermining their bafis, occafioned part of their mass to detach and fall into the water, from their not having at that period acquired the fame degree of confiftence which they now poffefs. IX. From not having been able, with the greatest care and attention, to trace or discover the leaft indication of volcanic operations from La Bouchette, near Genoa, to Mont Vifo in Piedmont, which are the two mountains which terminate the Maritime chain, I think myself authorized to fay that there does not appear to have exifted any volcanos in that part of the Alps, except in the valley of Fontaine du Temple, mentioned in the last chapter, and which, from not having been able properly to inveftigate, I cannot to a certainty venture to give my opinion. Thefe are the conclufions I deduce from the foregoing premises, and which I offer to the confideration of the public with fome diffidence, fenfible of the difficulties which attend the ftructure of all the theories of the earth; but, if I fhould be thought to have failed in any of my inferences, I have ftill the fatisfaction to know that, without any view to fyftem, I have endeavoured faithfully to collect and to record natural facts, of which others may probably make a better ufe than I have made myfelf, and to which the attention of fcientific men may not unprofitably be directed. It is not for me to pronounce how far I have fucceeded; but as Sir William Hamilton's object has been to trace the operation of fire in the formation of the great fea tures of nature, fo it has been mine to trace and to notice the operation of water; and, perhaps, when the power of these two mighty elements are (is) duly confidered, great light will be thrown on a subject hitherto imperfectly inveftigated. I fhall be happy fhould my works, with their embellishments, be allowed the honour of standing as an invitation or introduction to the study of that part of the Alps, where the few flowers and ears of corn which I have gathered may ferve as a fpecimen of their richness and fertility, as a field of fcience, and whofe harvest I must leave to be reaped by others more converfant than myself in the philosophy of natural history.' The plates embellishing this work are numerous, and for the moft part well executed in acqua-tinta, and the plans appear to be be accurate but in all three of the latter, the arrow which marks the line of north and fouth has its feathered end, instead of the point, as is ufual, turned towards the north. There are allo fome errors of the prefs. We notice these trifles because works of this kind, diftinguished as they are from the common productions of the prefs, cannot be too perfect. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For OCTOBER, 1795. MARTIAL LAW. Art. 13. Minutes of the Proceedings at a Court Martial for the Trial 3s. 6d. The fentence of the court martial was that the charges had been proved against Capt. A. J. P. Molloy: but, as it appeared to the court that, in the actions of the 29th of May, and ift of June last, as well as on many former occafions, his perfonal courage was unimpeachable, they did adjudge him only to be difmiffed from the command of his Majefty's fhip Cæfar.'-in the Order from the Lords of the Admiralty for inftituting a court martial, on this occafion, the charge against Capt. M. runs thus: "That Capt. Molloy did not ufe his utmolt endeavours to pafs through the enemy's line on the 29th of laft May, and did not appear to have taken proper station for coming to close action on the 1ft of June, &c. in compliance with the fignals made," &c. Art. 14. The Proceedings of a General Court Martial, held at the Caftle of Edinburgh, Jan. 6, &c. 1795; on the Trials of Donald McCullum, John Scrymgeour, John Malloch, Ludovick M'Naughton, Duncan Stuart, John M'Martin, and Alexander Sutherland, all private Soldiers in the 1st Battalion of the 4th Fencible Regiment, FOR MUTINY.' Published by Authority. 8vo. is. 6d. Edinburgh, Hill;, London, Stockdale. This appears to be an authentic account, and contains the proceedings at large. Sutherland was the only perfon who fuffered death; the other convicts were fentenced to ferve in the 60th regiment, different battalions of which are ftationed in the West Indies, and in North America. TRAVEL S. Art. 15. A Picturesque Tour through Part of Europe, Afia, and Africa: containing many new Remarks on the prefent State of Society, Remains of antient Edifices, &c. With Plates after Defigns, by' James Stuart, Efq. F. R. S. & F. A. S. and Author of the Anti quities of Athens. Written by an Italian Gentleman. Small 4to. Pp. 241. 15s. Boards. Faulder. 1793. A picturefque Tourist, according to the common acceptation of the phrafe, is one who travels with his pencil as well as pen in his hand; who delineates as well as defcribes; and who, in publishing his remarks, accompanies them with plates from the drawings in his portfolios. The work before us, if this definition be admitted, cannot be faid to accord with its title; for the few plates which are given with it are not from defigns of the traveller, but are copied from plates (not from defigns) in the first volume of Mr. Stuart's Antiquities of Athens. This, however, is only a part of the artifice. The whole title is intended to cover a literary theft, and to give a foreign appearance to a piece of home manufacture. The work, here called a Picturefque Tour,' was originally published in 1791, under the title of Lettres fur divers Endroit de l'Europe, de l'Afie, et de l'Afrique, parcourut en 1788 1789, with the author's name affixed, Alexandre Bifani; and fome account was given of it by us in M. R. vol. vi. p. 447, New Series. Even as a tranflation, this volume has more claim to cenfure than to praife. Art. 16. Philofophical, Political, and Literary Travels in Ruffia, during the Years 1788 and 1789. Tranflated from the French of Chantreau. With a Map, and other Plates. 8vo. 2 vols. 10s. Boards. Perth printed. Vernor and Hood, London. 1794. There is much of entertainment and of information in this work, though the greater part of its matter confifts in compilation from other authors rather than in original obfervation. We are forry that we cannot speak very favourably of the tranflation. For our very brief account of the French edition, printed at Hamburgh, and imported by De Boffe, fee Appendix to vol. xix. p. 521. AMERICA. Art. 17. An Oration delivered on the Anniversary of American Independance, July 4, 1794, in St. Michael's Church, to the Inhabitants of Charlestown, South Carolina, by David Ramfay, M. D.. Prefident of the Senate of South Carolina. 8vo. 15. Ridgway. 1795. After the experience of eighteen years, America has some reason to exult in her independance, and may be excufed if she holds a public celebration of its eftablishment. The firft oration on this great event, fpoken in the United States, was delivered by Dr. Ramfay. After a lapfe of fixteen years, he is again called to perform the fame office, and he treats the fubject with good fenfe and manly eloquence; ftating, perhaps with fome degree of partiality, but not without an appeal to facts, the fuperiority of the American conftitution above that of any European government. Among the privileges enjoyed by the citi zens of the United States, Dr. Ramfay particularly infifts on the freedom of the prefs; the exemption from ecclefiaftical establishments, This information has been conveyed to us in a letter from Sig. fani himfelf. and and from many occafions of war; and the fcope and encouragement which their plan of government affords to the exertions of genius and induftry, &c. The oration abounds with excellent advice to cultivate industry, frugality, and temperance, to promote domeftic union and harmony, and to encourage the univerfal diffufion of knowlege. From the prefent ftate of America as reprefented in this oration, the European governments may gather many ufeful hints for the neceffary improvement of antient establishments. Art. 18. The Speech of Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, in the Houfe of Reprefentatives of the United States of America, on the Reduction of the Public Debts, December 1794. 8vo. Is. Debrett. 1795. In perufing this piece of incorrect oratory, the following remark particularly ftruck us: After a furvey of the ftate of our burdens, a picture which, however unavoidable, and the neceffary price of our liberties, was still an unpleasant one, it must be highly gratifying to every patriotic eye, to furvey the interesting pi&ure which the prefent ftate of our revenues exhibited. The beauty of this picture was confiderably heightened by contrafting it with the gloomy fcenes difplayed in the old world, where the great and powerful nations of Europe were heaping burden upon burden on their diftreffed fubjects, and exhaufting their refources and their ftrength in a conflict the most bloody and obftinate that hiftory had recorded, while this happy country, under the aufpices of peace and the fmiles of Providence, was encreafing in its population, its commerce, and its ftrength in a progreffion which outran all calculation.' The above paragraph may ftand as a reply to many reports which have been industriously circulated in Great Britain, refpecting the actual public circumstances of the government of North America, un der the United States. SCHOOL BOOKS. Art. 19. Walkinghame's improved Arithmetic; for the Ufe of Schools: put into a more easy, ufeful, concife, and methodical Form than any extant. 12mo. 2s. fewěd. Knott. 1794. This book of arithmetic, in its prefent improved state, appears to be very well adapted to the purpose of teaching fuch parts of arithmetic as are most useful in bufinefs. Rules and questions of a lefs practical nature are omitted, and the former part of the book is confiderably enlarged, and disposed in a more advantageous form. Art. 20. The Conjugation of French Verbs, regular, and irregular, fimplified, on a Scheme entirely new. By J. Evans. 8vo. 6d. Faulder. 1795.. In order to expedite the learning of the French verbs, Mr. Evans presents the public with two tables. In the firft, by an ingenious arrangement of the terminations, the four conjugations are nearly reduced to one. The fecond points out the coincidence of the variable parts in the fame tenfe of different conjugations, and in different tenfes of the fame conjugation. An úfeful table of irregular verbs is added; and a confiderable portion of elementary matter is here, very conveniently for the learner, brought within the fmall compafs of half a sheet. ARTS. Art. 21. The Art of Etching and Aqua Tinting, ftrictly laid down by the most approved Mafters. With a Specimen of Landscape and Profile. By F. Yrubflips. 12mo. IS. Barker. By the directions here given, Mr. Yrubflips profeffes to enable amateurs in drawing to tranfmit their works to pofterity:' at least we may allow that the practice of the elegant art. here recommended, even when merely intended for amufement, is both innocent and ingenious, and fo far laudable:-much more fo than the filly boy's play of attempting to difguife a name by the tranfpofition of the letters which compofe it, fo (for inftance) as to transform Spilbury into YRUBSLIPS! LAW. Art. 22. An Account of the Proceedings on a Charge of HIGH TREA SON, against John Martin, Author of the following Works, 1. An Inquiry into the State of the legal and judicial Polity of Scotland*; 2. A Letter to the Earl of Lauderdale +.' 8vo. Is. Smith, &c. Mr. Martin's narrative is introduced by a copy of his discharge from the King's Bench prifon, by a warrant of Privy Council ; at the foot of which he adds the following paragraph: The proceedings of my profecutors against me being at an end, it now becomes a duty which I owe to MY COUNTRY, to lay before THE PEOPLE the proceedings of those to whom the Adminiftration of the Government is intrufted, in a case in which THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE are so much involved. It is a duty which I likewise owe to MY COUNTRY, and to MYSELF, to endeavour, in a judicial way, to punish the profecutors of thefe flagitious proceedings, and to obtain such redress for the injuries which I have sustained as by THE LAW I am entitled to. THESE DUTIES I SOLEMNLY PROMISE TO PERFORM TO THE UTMOST OF MY POWER. May 8, 1795.' The narrative itfelf contains many very remarkable particulars; affording a striking proof (if any fuch proof were wanting) of the narrator's abilities. Art. 23. The Laws refpecting Wills, Teftaments, and Codicils, and Executors and Adminiftrators, laid down in a plain and easy Manner; in which all technical Terms of Law are familiarly explained; and in which the Statute of Wills, and fuch Parts of the Statute of Frauds and Perjuries as relate to the Subject of Devifes, are particularly confidered and expounded. Collected from the feveral Reports and other Books of Authority, up to the Commencement of the prefent Eafter Term 1795. By the Author of the Laws re See Rev. N. S. vol. x. p. 217. + Ibid. vol. xiii. p. 84. fpecting |