with an enlightened zeal, and a virtuous ardour, by a noble Au thor, who is on the road to fovereignty, and has only one step to make in order to arrive at it *. In this difcuffion he fhews, that politics and morality, inftead of ftanding in oppofition to each other, are rather intimately connected, and exhibit the relation which the part bears to the whole; that is to fay, that politics are only a part or a branch of morality. No truth can be more evident than this; for as morality is the guide of human life, the principle of order, and the univerfal source of real improvement and genuine happiness to all mankind, every thing relative to the direction of individuals, or the government of nations, must be comprehended within its fphere, and be fubfervient to its laws.-Our Author fhews, that all the schemes and projects of pretended political wisdom, that deviate from, or violate the rules of this mafter-fcience, turn out, in the iffue, often to the detriment of their contrivers, always to that of the nation; and that it is a palpable and abfurd error to think of advancing the happiness of one country at the expence of the general good of mankind. The experience of ages, and the hif tory of the world, confirm these affertions; and we have only to caft an eye across the water, to see their truth displayed in a palpable example. We fhall fee what an artful nation has gained by the plans of this kind, which it has been forming and executing for feveral years paft; and we fhall obtain a new proof of the wisdom of the good old maxim, both in its application to individuals and to nations, that "honefty is the best policy." Art. VII. De Hymnis veterum Græcorum. Scripfit FRID. SNEADORFF, accedunt tres Hymni Dionyfio adfcripti: i. e. A Differta tion on the Hymns of the ancient Greeks; by M. FREDERIC SNEADORFF. To which are added three Hymns attributed to Dionyfius. 8vo. Copenhagen.

This fubject has been lately treated by two learned men (Meff. Hoeren and Groddeck), and yet M. SNEADORFF, who is an adept in ancient literature, has found gleanings enough after them to render his work interefting and inftructive.

Art. VIII. Symbola ad Literaturam Teutonicam antiquiorem ex Codicibus Manu exaratis, qui Havnia affervantur, edita fumptibus P. FRED. SUнM: i. e. Mifcellanies of ancient Teutonic Literature, collected from Manufcripts which are preferved at Copenhagen, and published at the Expence of the Editor now mentioned. 4to. Copenhagen. 1787.

The publication of this collection was undertaken by the late learned M. SANDWIG; after whose death it was completed by M. NYERUP.

*This noble and learned Author, whofe high birth is adorned with all the virtues that give birth a genuine luftre, is Coadjutor to the Electoral Archbishop of Mentz.

Art.

Art. IX. Uber die Natur und den Ursprung der Emanationslehre, &c. i. e. A Differtation on the Nature and Origin of the Doctrine of EMANATION among the Cabbalifts; or, an Answer to the folJowing Prize-queftion, propofed by the Society of Antiquaries at Caffel: Whether the doctrine of the Cabbalifts, concerning the emanation of all things from the fubftance of the Deity, derived its origin from the Grecian philofophy? By M. JOHN FREDERIC KLEUKER. 8vo. Riga. 1786.

The prize was adjudged to this mafterly production, in which the Author enquires, firft, How far it is true, that the Cabbalifts taught the doctrine of emanation, and what that doctrine really contained.-Secondly, What relation that doctrine had to those contained in the Holy Scriptures, and to the philofophy of the ancient nations.-And, thirdly, From what fource the Cabbalifts drew the peculiar tenets of their fyftem of emanation?

Art. X. M. De Mouradgea D'Ohfon, Knight of the order of Vafa, Secretary and late Interpreter to his Majefty the King of Sweden, and Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of Conftantinople, has published propofals for printing a large work entitled, Tableau général de l'Empire Othoman. In the firit Part, the Author purposes to give a circumftantial account of the Mahometan legislation, entering particularly into the defcription of its religious, civil, criminal, political, and military codes.

The fecond Part will be wholly confined to the hiftory of the Ottoman empire. This hiftory will be chiefly extracted from the annals of the monarchy. M. D'Ohffon propofes to fhew the origin of the empire, its progreffive increase, its eftablifhment in Europe, the rapidity of its conquefts, the fuccefs of its arms, the genius of its Sultans, the character of its generals, minifters, &c. He promises to communicate many fecrets relative to the feraglio, to the private life of the monarch, to the Sultaneffes, and the haram; which he informs us have been collected partly from the officers of the court, and partly from female flaves of the haram, who have obtained their liberty, on being married to fome officer of the court.

The plates which are to accompany this work are now engraving at Paris, by able artifts, under the direction of Meffrs. Cochin, Moreau, and Le Barbier. They are numerous, and reprefent most of the religious and civil ceremonies of the country, befide portraits of the principal perfonages mentioned in the hiftory, views of palaces, remarkable buildings, beautiful landfcapes, &c. &c.

The fubfcription is opened (at the Author's and M. Didot's the printer's) only for the first and fecond volumes, which contain the first section of the first part, viz. the religious code of the Mahometan legiflation. Each volume, in folio, will coft 150 livres, to be paid on the delivery of the books, at Paris.

Seventy

Seventy plates will be given with these two volumes, which, with the neatnefs of the impreffion, and the goodnefs and fuperior fize of the paper, will not allow the Author to afford the work at a lower price.

Since writing the above, we have feen an advertisement in the public papers, ftating, that an English translation of this fuperb undertaking is in the pref, and carrying on by the order and under the infpection of the Author. A profpectus of the work is to be had of Mr. Cadell in the Strand.

FOREIGN BOOKS, of which ENGLISH Tranflations have just appeared.

Travels through Syria and Egypt, in the Years 1783, 1784, 1785. By M. Volney. Tranflated from the French, illuftrated with Copper-plates. 2 Vols. 8vo. 14s. Boards. Robinfons, London. 1787.

M.

VOLNEY, as we learn from the preface to this work, is a gentleman of fome fortune. In the early part of his life, he had habituated himself to ftudies of various kinds. He had read, and often heard it afferted, that travelling was the beft method of adorning the mind, and forming and improving the judgment. He thought that his own country, and the neighbouring nations, were too well known to require examination, and that they would not afford fufficient objects for the full employment of his attention, which feems to have been particularly turned toward political and moral inveftigations. The rifing ftates of America, and the favages of that continent, were not without temptations to draw him thither. Afia, however, had more powerful attractions. There a large field prefented itself to be explored; and the confideration of the former greatness of Syria and Egypt, contrafted with its prefent ftate, as described by modern travellers, induced him to vifit thofe countries, in preference to any other part of the globe.

Our Traveller, accordingly, fet out for Egypt toward the end of the year 1782. After continuing feven months at Cairo, finding too many obstacles to a thorough examination of the interior parts of the country, and not having proper opportunities of learning Arabic, he determined to proceed into Syria. Eight months refidence among the Druzes. in an Arabian convent, was employed in rendering the Arabic familiar to him; and,

* Of these people, the Druzes, a curious account was lately given by another modern Traveller, the Baron de Tott; and from him, many particulars were given in the Appendix to volume 76. of our Review, p. 626. :

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with

with a competent knowledge of that language, he was enabled to travel through Syria and Egypt with great advantage.

Travellers, in general, have been deficient in the two princi pal means of acquiring a knowledge of the country they pafs over, viz. time, and the vernacular language. Without the latter, it is impoffible to appreciate either the genius or character of a nation. Interpreters cannot give fuch adequate ideas, on any fubject, as a direct verbal communication. Without fufficient time, no found judgment can be formed, because the novelty of moft objects confounds and aftonishes the traveller. The firft impreffions and ideas which prefent themselves, must be repeatedly examined before he can fatisfy himself that the notions which he has formed are juft and accurate. In these refpects, M. Volney's journal must be valuable; for he was upwards of three years on his journey, and he feems to have acquired a competent acquaintance with the language.

As to the form of the work, the Author has not followed the ufual method observed in most books of travels; he has rejected the order and details of an itinerary, as too prolix; and he has only exhibited general views, which, indeed, are better calculated to combine facts and ideas, and may fave the reader the unneceffary trouble of referring from one chapter to another.

In the first chapter, the Author treats of Egypt in general, without repeating the descriptions which former travellers have given of the remarkable antiquities in which that country abounds. In this and the two next chapters, are many valuable obfervations on the natural hiftory of the country, and its GREAT RIVER. He frequently corrects the opinions of a late traveller (M. Savary), especially thofe relative to the enlargement and rise of the Delta. In this part of the work, the learned Hiftorian will find much entertainment, and the Naturalift many curious remarks. In the fourth chapter, M. Volney defcribes the winds which are prevalent in Egypt. As a fpecimen of the Author's manner, and of the tranflator's ftyle, and alfo for the entertainment of our readers, we fhall transcribe what is said of the hot wind called Kamfin.

The foutherly winds, of which I have been speaking, are known in Egypt by the general name of Winds of 50 days; not that they laft 50 days without intermiffion, but because they prevail more fre quently in the 50 days preceding and following the equinox. Travellers have mentioned them under the denomination of poisonous winds, or, more correctly, hot winds of the defart. Such in fact is their quality; and their heat is fometimes fo exceffive, that it is difficult to form any idea of its violence without having experienced it; but it may be compared to the heat of a large oven at the moment of drawing out the bread. When these winds begin to blow, the atmofphere affumes an alarming afpect. The fky, at other times fo clear in this climate, becomes dark and heavy; the fun lofes his

fplendor,

fplendor, and appears of a violet colour; the air is not cloudy, but grey and thick, and is, in fact, filled with an extremely fubtle duft, which penetrates every where. This wind, always light and rapid, is not at firft remarkably hot, but it increases in heat in proportion as it continues. All animated bodies foon discover it, by the change it produces in them. The lungs, which a too rarified air no longer expands, are contracted, and become painful. Refpiration is fhort, and difficult; the skin parched and dry, and the body confumed by an internal heat. In vain is recourfe had to large draughts of water; nothing can reftore perfpiration. In vain is coolnefs fought for; all bodies, in which it is ufual to find it, deceive the hand that touches them. Marble, iron, water, notwithstanding the fun no longer appears, are hot. The ftreets are deferted, and the dead filence of night reigns every where. The inhabitants of towns and villages fhut themfelves up in their houfes, and those of the defart, in their tents, or in wells dug in the earth, where they wait the termination of this deftructive heat. It ufually lafts three days, but if it exceeds that time, it becomes infupportable. Woe to the traveller whom this wind furprizes remote from shelter; he muft fuffer all its horrible effects, which fometimes are mortal. The danger is most imminent when it blows in fqualls, for then the rapidity of the wind increases the heat to fuch a degree, as to caufe fudden death. This death is a real fuffocation; the lungs, being empty, are convulfed, the circulation is difordered, and the whole mass of blood driven by the heart towards the head and breast *, whence the hemorrhage at the nofe and mouth which happens after death. This wind is especially deftruative to perfons of a plethoric habit, and thofe in whom fatigue has deftroyed the tone of the mufcles and the veffels. The corpfe remains a long time warm, fwells, turns blue, and is easily feperated +. Thefe accidents are to be avoided, by stopping the nofe and mouth with handkerchiefs; an efficacious method likewife, is that practifed by the camels. On this occafion, thefe animals bury their nofes in the fand, and keep them there till the fquall is over. Another quality of this wind is its extreme aridity; which is fuch, that water fprinkled on the floor evaporates in a few minutes. By this extreme drynefs, it withers and ftrips all the plants; and, by exhaling too fuddenly the emanations from animal bodies, crifps the fkin, clofes the pores, and caufes that feverish heat which is the invariable effect of fuppreffed perspiration."

The Author proceeds to defcribe the climate and ftate of the air in Egypt, and afterward gives a minute account of the various inhabitants of that country. In the fubfequent chapters, we have a fummary of the hiftory of the Mamluks; of the hiftory of Ali Bey; a detail of occurrences from the death of Ali Bey to the year 1785; and an account of the prefent political and commercial ftate of Egypt.

*We do not approve of the whole of the Author's phyfiology, either in this or in other parts of his work.

+ We fuppofe the Tranflator meant to fay easily fuppurated; or very foon reduced to a putrid ftate.

Conftant would be better here than invariable.

1

The