tion of its Author, exhibits every where a series or concatenation of phenomena, fucceeding each other without interruption, and which are regularly derived the one from the other.

But 2dly, as it is not poffible, in an infinite number of cafes, to follow the procedure of nature from moment to moment, nor to distinguish and difcern (with fenfes fo imperfect as ours) all the fhades and gradations through which an effect or being paffes, before it comes to its proper perfection, the Obferver muft fupply this defect by the following method: he must behold the object under all its afpects, decompofe (as it were) the phenomena, in order to force nature to unfold her fecret operations, and the laws by which they are directed. The explication of this requifite, in the work before us, drawn from the manner of inveftigating the laws of motion, and its application to the vegetation of plants and the generation of animals, are curious and interefting.-3dly, The Obferver must turn his attention to the objects which furround that which he is principally employed in contemplating; and remark what paffes in them before, during, or after the production of the phenomenon which he examines, as obfervations of this kind often repeated will affift him in foreseeing certain changes, and in tracing frequently effects to their caufes. Our Author fhews, by many examples, the advantages of this method of obferving, and, at the fame time points out, by way of warning, the hafty and erroneous conclufions to which it may lead.--4thly, To difcern with any tolerable degree of accuracy the procedure of nature, and to fee how far a conftant uniformity is perceivable in her operations through innumerable diverfities and inequalities; it is neceffary to tranfmit to fucceeding times, a long series of obfervations, continued without interruption, fince it is well known that experiments and obfervations, made at different times, have furnifhed different refults.-5thly, To avoid conclufions and affertions of too general a nature, and to discover several phenomena, which can only be perceived by comparing the obfervations that have been made in different countries, the Obferver muft fhift the fcene of his operations, and view the fame object in different places: this is illuftrated by Halley's obfervations on the mariner's compass, and those of Newton and Huygens on the pendulum, which led to their fublime fpeculations on the effects of the centrifugal force, that arifes from the earth's rotation; as alfo to their determinations of the figure of our globe, and to the confirmation which their reafonings received, after their decease, by measuring different degrees of the meridian in the moft diftant climates.6thly, Our Author fhews how the Obferver muft proceed in order to diftinguish the changes which bodies have undergone

in

in confequence of inundations, earthquakes, and volcanoes; and points out, 7thly, how an affiduous obfervation of the procedure of nature may tend to render her operations beneficial to organized bodies, either by preventing the alterations, or by remedying the diforders to which they are expofed. His judicious reflections on this part of his fubject, open feveral views of great importance to the improvement of agriculture and medical science.-The changes which happen in the intellectual and moral state of man, or in the human mind, and the method of obferving them with difcernment and fuccefs, are the subjects treated by our Author in the conclufion of this chapter.

In the third chapter Mr. CARRARD fhews how, amidst the illufions of the fenfes, a careful Obferver may form a certain eftimate of every thing relative to the fize, diflances, figure and arrangements of bodies, diftinguish their real from their apparent motions, and difcern clearly the curves they defcribe. The illufions which our Author has here in view, are those that arise from the fense of seeing, and the methods of correcting them are prefented with great perfpicuity and extent of knowledge in this excellent chapter; at the end of which we find an enumeration of the rules that are proper to direct the philofopher in the choice of thofe methods of obfervation, which are fuited to the various cafes prefented to him.

The fourth chapter treats of the choice of the inftruments to be employed by the Obferver, and the attention and precautions that are required in the use of them. Here we find many excellent inftructions relative to the nature and ufe of telescopes and microscopes, of the barometer and thermometer, of the various inftruments of chemistry, &c.

In the fifth and laft chapter of this first part, the Author confiders the difpofitions and frame of mind effentially required in the obferver of nature. Thefe difpofitions are, a bold curiofity, an habit of close and affiduous attention, an ardent defire of difcovering truth and rifing to new ideas, a mind difengaged from thofe paffions, notions, or prejudices, which ferve to difguife the objects of obfervation, or to make them appear different from what they are in reality. There are many excellent reflexions in the detail into which the Author enters, on all thefe heads.

The fixth chapter treats of the nomenclature, or the methods that have been contrived to diftribute with order into certain claffes, the productions of nature.

SECOND PART.

In the fecond Part of this ingenious and learned effay, Mr. CARRARD inquires how far the art of obferving may contribute to

improve

improve and perfect the understanding. The perfection of the understanding confifts in four points, which are the subjects of the four chapters into which this second part of the work before us is divided.

The first circumftance that contributes to the improvement and perfection of the understanding, is the acquifition of as great a number of ideas, as is poffible in this ftate of infancy and imperfection; and this is the subject of the first chapter. The fecond treats of the influence of the art of obferving in accuftoming us to compare our ideas, in rendering that comparifon easy and familiar; and the Author fhews, how, by this it leads us to the acquifition of real knowledge, or at leaft to estimate the degrees of probability in those things, where certainty and demonftration are unattainable. Here we find an inftructive exposal of the knowledge, which the philofopher may acquire by this art, of the feries and connexion of caufes and effects,-how it renders the judgment clear and penetrating in the sciences of medicine, metaphyfics, legislation, politics, and pure mathematicks; and how it enables us to appreciate he with accuracy many things, whofe extent and degree feem, at first fight, fcarcely fufceptible of being exactly meatured and eftimated; fuch as talents, genius, &c. which vary as to their measure and quantity in different individuals.

In the third chapter, the Author fhews us how far the art of obferving may enable the human mind to feparate or combine, with fuccefs, the objects of its refearches, either to fatisfy the tafte for what is beautiful, or to turn the productions and operations of nature to the improvement and ufes of human life. Thus the fine arts, which come within the province of imagination; and the ufeful arts, which are fubfervient to public and private utility, are equally perfected by the knowledge and views, which are acquired by the diligent and fagacious Obferver.

It was the contemplation of nature that fuggefted the first idea of beauty; it is from the treafures of nature, that the poet and orator, the painter and the fculptor collect that precious fund of true ideas, that affecting affemblage of noble, tender, pleafing images, that animate and enrich their refpective arts-it is by the ftudy of the paffions, and the obfervation of their language and accents, that the mufician is inftructed to captivate the heart, and to excite in it such feelings, as he thinks proper to raise.

How then comes it to pass that many have complained of the decline of the fine arts under the empire of philofophy? The complaint has certainly been made and repeated. It has been faid that the fevere analytical method, the auftere precision of the philofophical fpirit, have intimidated imagination in her airy

7

flights,

of which

flights, and terrified the Mufes and the Graces, by holding over their heads the formidable ftandard of Demonstration and Evidence. Our Author forefaw this objection, and he ftates and answers it with fome fpirit, fagacity, and tafte. He fhews that Poetry, Eloquence, and the fine Arts, can never lose aught of their fublimity, grace, and beauty, by the progress of true philofophy, and that they can only be degraded by that falfe, fophiftical, obfcure dialectic which is not as yet entirely banished from the philofophical world. He acknowledges, however, that the progrefs of philofophical researches, and of a fpirit of observation, gives new force, fagacity, and nicety to the fpirit of criticifm, renders the Reader more difficult to be fatisfied with poetical productions, and makes it more neceffary than ever to fupport the empire of the Muses, by productions recommendable by folidity in the thoughts, fublimity or grace in the expreffions, and novelty in the images employed by the modern bard. And it is dubious whether this is not as much adapted to clip the wings of fancy in many poets, through diffidence and fear, as it may be to animate fome bold geniufes to acquire glory by triumphing over thefe difficulties. This is a delicate fubject, and we do not think Mr. CARRARD has treated it in such a masterly manner as that in which he has difcuffed thofe points which belong entirely to the sphere of philofophy.

The part of this chapter that relates to the advantages arifing from the art of obferving, confidered in its influence on the useful arts, on the improvement of the practical science of the mechanift, &c. is treated in a fuperior manner, and exhibits ingenious views of nature, her agents, her productions, and the methods of employing them to beneficial and important purposes; for a farther account of which we must refer the Reader to the work itself.

The defign of our ingenious Author in the fourth and lat chapter, is to fhew how the art of obferving presents to the underflanding reflexions and views that have an immediate tendency to better the mind, to give it thofe elevated ideas of the Supreme Being that ennoble our frame and fentiments, and are adapted to lead us to true and eternal felicity. This religious and moral part of the excellent work we have been now confidering, does great honour to the good understanding and the pious and feeling heart of the Author, and fhews that he has ftudied and obferved nature with uncommon application and talents, and to the beft and worthiest purposes.

ART.

ART. IV.

Lettres fur l'Origine des Sciences & fur celle des Peuples de l'Afie; adreffeés, &c.-Letters concerning the Origin of the Sciences in Afia, as alfo of the Nations fettled there; addreffed to M. Voltaire, by M BAILLI. To which are prefixed, fome Letters of M. de Voltaire to the Author. 8vo. 1777.

IT

T is no small recommendation of thefe Letters that they come from the pen of M. BAILLI, the learned and acute Author of the Hiftory of Aftronomy*. They contain ingenious and entertaining illuftrations with respect to a people more ancient than the Egyptians, Indians, and Chinese, who, according to M. BAILLI, made their exit from this globe, and disappeared entirely, after they had inhabited a dif trict near Selinginfkoi, in the 50th degree of North latitude, and communicated to the world the firft inftructions in aftronomy and the sciences. It may be asked, and it has been asked, how M. BAILLI knows that fuch a people ever exifted, fince he acknowledges that there is no trace or veftige of them left in the remembrance of mankind? He might anfwer, that he read it in the stars; for aftronomical obfervation is one of the fources from whence he draws his proofs of their existence; but it is not the only one; for in these Letters he draws his proofs of the existence of the people in queftion from circumftances of various kinds, fuch as the fables of the golden age and the giants, natural philofophy, natural hiftory, the bones of elephants found in Siberia and the northern parts of America, the ftones of S. Chaumont, the cornu ammonis, the central fire, the hypothefis of the refrigeration (or cooling) of the earth, commencing at the Poles.-Ail thefe and more heterogeneous objects have been laid under contribution to give evidence in favour of M. Bailli's discovery of a new nation.

The indefatigable old man of Ferney has, however, thrown out, in three letters, prefixed to M. BAILLI's work, fome objections to the hypothefis of this eminent aftronomer, which (like all the other effufions of Voltaire, however ferious,) are tinged here and there with pleasantry. The fummary of Voltaire's reflexions is as follows:-that he has long confidered the Brahmins as the primitive people that instructed and misled the reft of the world, by tranfmitting to different nations the records of their knowledge, their fables, and their superstition ;— that aftronomy, aftrology, the metempfychofis, &c. came to us from the banks of the Ganges, and that the inhabitants of Indoftan, on whom Nature has lavished her richest productions, had more leifure to contemplate the ftars than the Kal

• Vid. Appendix to the 54th volume of our Review.

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