⚫cian illustrates this reasoning by a variety of excellent obfervations on the different manners in which the will is determined in the actions and purfuits of men, and he answers with great accuracy and evidence two objections. The firft and the only fpecious one is, that if the will be equally attracted by two dif .ferent objects, no choice or action will enfue, and confequently the general principle of the neceffity of a preponderating motive in order to act, fuffers here no exception.-He obferves, that in this cafe, though there be no preponderating motive to chufe A rather than B, yet there is a motive to chuse one rather than to be deprived of both-and he never meant to maintain, that in any cafe the will chufes without any motive at all; but how the mind decides its choice in that cafe is an object of deep and fubtile inquiry, which our Author thinks it fcarcely poffible to treat with a fatisfactory perfpicuity and evidence. MEMOIR II. Concerning the Problem of Molyneux*. By Mr. Merian. Firft Memoir. This famous Problem holds a distinguished rank in Modern Philofophy. It has been the occafion of very important difcoveries, which have produced confiderable changes in the sphere of human science, and more efpecially in the theory of fenfations, and it has exercifed the philofophical fagacity and penetration of Locke, Leibnitz, and other eminent men. Mr. Merian's defign is to give, in feveral Memoirs, a Scientific Hiftory of the different Solutions that have been given of this Problem, of the principles on which they have been founded, the arguments by which they have been fupported, the conclufions which have been deduced from them, and the new ideas and theories which have resulted from the jarring opinions of those that have employed their labours upon it. In this Memoir, the first thing our Academician does, is to propofe the Problem in the following terms: "Suppofe a perfon born blind, and arrived at manhood, who has been taught to distinguish, by his touch, a cube from a globe, of the fame metal and of much the fame fize, fo that he can tell, by touching the one or the other, which is the cube and which is the globe: Suppofe that the cute and the globe being placed upon a table, this blind man on a fudden acquires the fenfe of feeing; the Query is, Whether on feeing the two bodies already mentioned, without touching them, he will discern them, and be able to fay which is the cube and which is the globe? This Problem muft, prefent itself under different points of view, to thofe who undertake its folution, according to the different notions they form to themselves of figure, and their different opinions concerning the origin of that idea. Mr. This Problem is in Locke's Effay, &c, Book II, Chap, ix. §.8. Merian 1 Merian enumerates thefe different opinions; and observes, that trying them fucceffively in the folution of the Problem will be the best way of coming at the truth, which often comes forth at the conclufion of a series of hypotheses that have been fucceffively rejected, and appears in one that removes all difficulties, After thefe preliminary obfervations he enters upon his fubject, and confiders the previous conditions that Molyneux and Locke laid down in order to the folution of the Problem, and the folution they built upon them. As the writings of these two great men are in every body's hands, we need not abridge Mr. Merian's account of their reasonings and fentiments. It is well known that they resolved the Problem in the negative, Mr. Merian fhews, however, that Mr. Locke (who maintains, in his Eay, that the notions of extenfion and figure are acquired equally by fight and touch) could not form fuch a peremptory negative as that of his friend, and could only mean that the blind man would not discern the difference between the cube and the globe at the very moment that he acquired the faculty of feeing. In this Mr. Locke is confiftent with himself, and his hypothefis, according to Mr. Merian, may be supported by plaufible reafons. Our Academician mentions these reasons, as alfo the objections that may be alleged against them, and proposes to confider the matter more fully in a fubsequent Me moir. MEMOIR III. An Explication of the Notion of an Eternal Being. By Mr. Sulzer. In this Memoir we find the common proofs alleged in favour of the Eternity and necessary existence of the Deity, and some important conclufions deduced from thence with respect to his Unity, Spirituality, Infinity, &c.-There is only one obfervation in this piece that we fhall take notice of as fomething not fo common. It has been alleged by the generality of the Writers in Natural Theology, that the non-existence of the Eternal Being implies a contradiction, and this affirmation has not ufually been attended with all the evidence that might be defired on that head. Mr. Sulzer believes alfa, that the nonexistence of the Deity implies a contradiction, but observes that we can neither feel nor know directly that contradiction. And why? Becaufe (fays he) contradiction or impoffibility can never be directly perceived but in the cafe of two pofitive ideas, that mutually destroy each other, fuch as the ideas of a square and a circle applied to the fame object, We cannot therefore apply the ideas of contradictory, or impoffible, to a mere negation, fuch as non-existence is: the ideas of poffible and impossible are not applicable to a mere negation, because they fuppofe and require two pofitive things that are compatible or incompatible: Therefore the following propofitions; Abfolute Non-existence is 3 poffible poffible-Abfolute Non-existence is impoffible, are neither true nor Falfe, but are mere words without fenfe, founds that convey no fort of idea.. Mr. Sulzer concludes this Memoir by obferving, that Spinoffm is not fo much the effect of falfe reasoning, as the refult of that vexation and despair that seize the overcurious inquirer, when he cannot comprehend the production of a world whofe exiftence is diftinct from that of its Creator. Thus Zeno denied the real existence of motion, because he could not conceive how motion could commence in a body at reft. If this manner of proceeding (fays our Academician) were reasonable, we should boldly deny the existence of every thing, fince there is nothing more incomprehenfible and lefs explicable than this fact, that fomething exifts. MEMOIR IV. Defcartes and Locke reconciled. By Mr. Castillon. We hope and fuppofe, that these two great men have been before-hand with Mr. Caftillon, and that they were perfectly reconciled long ago: -Vident quanta fub noče jaceret. Hæc noftra dies-LUCAN. If Mr. Caftillon can reconcile their difciples he will do a good work, and no man is fitter for the task than this able and learned Academician. The origin of our ideas is the point in which this reconciliation is attempted. Defcartes faid, that fome of them were innate: Locke maintained, that none of them were fo. Now Mr. Caftillon proves that the innate ideas which Locke demolished, are not those which Defcartes maintained. He fhews that the innate and factitious ideas of the latter are the fame with what the former calls ideas of reflection; and that the ideas of fenfation of Locke answer to the adventitious ideas of Defcartes. We believe him to be in the right. MEMOIR V. Difcourfe concerning Cenforioufness or Evil-speaking. MEMOIR VI. A Difcourfe in which it is propofed to prove, that there are Circumftances in which we may speak Evil of Others without being chargeable with the Crime of Cenforiousness.(Who doubts of it?) These two Memoirs of Mr. Touffaint would be very good reading after breakfaft, for tattling ladies and gentlemen,--they would make a very good figure in a periodical paper fuch as the Idler; in a word, they are florid, fenfible, moral, and, here and there, witty; but we are at a loss to know what claim they have to be placed among the productions of a Literary Academy. MEMOIR VII. An Essay concerning Taxeometry, or the Measure of Order. By Mr. Lambert. This application of Algebra and Geometry to metaphyfical researches is not fufceptible of being abridged with perfpicuity. Q94 BELLES /a BELLES LETTRE S. MEMOIR I. A Difcourfe concerning Moliere. By Mr. Bitaubé, This is a laudable attempt to reftore the great comic writer to the vogue, which to the difgrace of the times, he appears to be lofing more and more, among the multitude, under which denomination the fashionable part of the French nation is comprehended. But Mr. Bitaubé will labour, we fear, in vain; there are some nations in which taste, fenfe, and virtue, have had their day. Be that as it may, his Memoir is a good Effay on the charter, fpirit, and writings of Moliere. MEMOIR II. Concerning the Philofophy of Hiftory. By Mr. We love to fee the empire of Philofophy rendered universal, and all the branches and kinds of human knowledge fubjected to its influence. And, indeed, its influence is univerfal. If, in the fciences, which are fufceptible of strict demonftration, it enables the philofopher to examine the quantity and quality of Beings, to range univerfal notions in their proper claffes, to difcover their relations, and thus leads to the knowledge of abfolute truth; it does not confine its fuccours here: no, it leads the 'man of taste to attend to that harmonious agreement of parts that conftitutes a whole, and to reunite the perfections of individual or particular things into an ideal tablature; and as to the Hiflorian, it gives him a clue to that moral evidence, fo (precious in hiftorical relation, and which refults from deep reRection upon facts assembled with care, digefted with order, and combined with judgment. This latter influence of Philofophy applied to Hiftory is de-veloped in the Memoir now before us, with learning and accuracy, but fometimes alfo with too much fubtilty, formality, and refinement. There are, however, excellent things in it relative to the concatenation of facts, to the arrangement of events in their proper feries, the connexion of morals with politics, or (as our Academician ftyles it) the "union of the events of the moral world, with the events of the political world, the -analyfis of events, &c." MEMOIR I. Concerning Phyfiognomies. By M. de Catt. MEMOIR IV. Second Difcourfe concerning Phyfiognomical Knowledge. By Dom Pernetty. MEMOIR V. Third Difcourfe concerning Phyfiognomical Science MEMOIR VI. Fourth Difcourfe concerning the Advantages of If this ardent Votary of Phyfiognomism does not knock down his Academical Brother with arguments, he may come, however, to overwhelm and fuffocate him with Memoirs. Between them fomething good may be ftruck out upon the subject, as their conteft conteft has hindered them from treating the matter coldly or fuperficially. Mr. de Catt, in the firft of thefe Memoirs, perfifts in maintaining, that the features of the face, though they may express the stronger paffions, and give sometimes a notion of internal meannefs or elevation of mind, yet lead us no farther with any degree of certainty; that they neither indicate the permanent and habitual character, nor affure us that the magnanimity and goodnefs they may indicate are really in the mind. He obferves, that before the expreffions of features and a countenance can be rendered the objects of a fixed and regular fcience, innumerable combinations and obfervations must be made by every phyfiognomift, (for the obfervations of others are not to be depended upon) and thus the life of the oldest man is infufficient to bring it to any degree of certainty and perfection. But he goes ftill farther, and proves, we think with great evidence, that if Phyfiognomy were reduced to a certain fcience, it would be fruitful of the moft pernicious confequences in human life.-Dom Pernety endeavours to combat all thefe objections in three ample and learned Memoirs, to which we refer the curious Reader. The three following volumes of this Academy are now before us; and we shall give an account of their contents as foon as poffible. M. The FOREIGN LITERATURE, as given Monthly, by our CORRESPONDENTS, continued; and inferted here, instead of the Review for July; that Number being published at The fame Time with this Appendix. ART. I. FRANCE. PARIS. FLOGE Hiflorique de la Raifon, &c. i. e. The Hiftorical Eulogy of Reafon, delivered at the Meeting of a Country Academy, by Mr. Chambon, alias VOLTAIRE. This agreeable piece of ingenious pleafantry fhews that eighty annual revolutions have not produced their usual effect upon the imagination and wit of Mr. DE VOLTAIRE. We find here an elegant tafte both in the management of fatire and panegyric, which are alternately employed in this allegorical romance, but are, fometimes mixed with disgusting marks of the Author's vanity, and -(what we may call) his felf-importance.. 2 It begins with a lively reprefentation of the barbarism and ignorance that reigned in Europe, and more especially in France, before the time of the Croisades, when REASON lay close at the bottom of the well with her daughter TRUTH, The two goddefles lay for a long time undiscovered there, until two or |