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not neglected this part of the defence of Christianity, though he takes in a larger field, and anfwers all the most fpecious objections of unbelievers. His work is learned, solid, judicious, and ample.

IV. We cannot give the following work, though it is far from being deftitute of merit, fuch an high commendation. Entretiens Philofophiques & Critiques fur plufieurs Points de Morale & d'Hiftoire, ou Examen des Principes de la Philofophie Moderne, &c. i. e. Pbilofophical and Critical Conferences on feveral Points of Morality and Hiftory, or an Examination of the Principles of a certain Modern Philofophy with respect to Religion and Criticism. By M. M. P. P. C. 1775. This work confits of two parts. In the first we have a series of converfations between a Philofopher and a Divine; in the fecond a Count and his Lady, bold unbelievers, are introduced on the scene, feconded by a WIT. The Abbé Couet fights them all by turns. There are many good things in the book, and it reads pleafantly. Moft of the objections against the Chriftian religion are produced and refuted in the eafy style of familiar converfation; but there is ftill, here 1 and there, a fmell of Popery that comes in, and taints the pure flavour of genuine Christianity.

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GERMANY and the NORTH.
VIENNA.

V. Who would believe that we are in the eighteenth and not in the fourteenth century, when he fees ANTHONY DE HAEN, aulic counfeller, and first physician to her Imperial Majefly the em prefs queen of Hungary, and first profeffor in the university of Vienna, publishing an octavo volume of 316 pages in defence of the fupernatural fcience of magic. It is really true. The title of the book is ANTONII DE HAEN, De Magia Liber. Mr. D'Alembert efteemed it as one of the marks of the little progrefs true philofophy had made in the Roman-catholic univerfities in Germany, that a book was published in the year 1750 at Vienna, upon the Ariftotelian hypothefis concerning subfantial forms and abfolute accidents; in this, perhaps, he carried things too far. We have a late proof that the transforming power of genius can prefent, under very interesting points of view, even the long exploded predicaments of Aristotle; and this proof is given us by the learned, ingenious, and refpectable Author of the Philofophical Arrangements. But a book upon magic! nay, in defence of magic-and that compofed by the first phyfician of a fplendid court; this, indeed, we fear is a fhrewd proof that the literary and philofophical taste at Vienna, is far from being as yet difengaged from the fuperftition and barbarifm of the fourteenth century. It will, however, prove, at the fame time, that profeffor DE HAEN is no forcerer; this he has already fhewn upon feveral occa

fons, and particularly by his virulent, devout, voluminous, and impotent oppofition to the falutary practice of inoculation. Be that as it may,-this work (not in defence of the practice, but of the exiflence of magic) confifts of three parts, and each part confifts of three chapters; that is, three times three, a number that favours fomewhat of incantation. Our profeffor, indeed, gives the matter a fair hearing. He begins by defining magic to be, the power of performing, with the permiffion of God, but in confequence of a convention made with the DEVIL, things advantageous or detrimental to mankind, which exceed all human ability. In the three chapters of the first part he enumerates the arguments of those who maintain the real existence of magic, thus defined, arguments drawn from the three following fources, the Old and New Testament—the doctrines, customs, and laws of the church, and the opi nions of the fathers-and from the experience of eminent - phyficians, the obfervations of wife men (i. e. wifeacres) and from the untainted credit of the most accurate hiftorians. In the fecond part he gives us a lift of the principal authors who have denied the reality of a magical power, produces their objections which are drawn from the fame fources that its abettors appeal to, and he answers these objections with much zeal, little knowledge, and lefs judgment. In the third part, the firft chapter is employed in fome illuftrations (if we must call them fo) of the doctrine laid down in the preceding part of the work. In the fecond, the Author (who after all is not fond of burning witches) fhews with what caution and circumfpection we should proceed, when rumours of magic begin to be spread; and enumerates the multitude of false pretenfions to magic that have deceived the world, and brought numbers of innocent perfons to the ftake. He alfo lays down the marks that may be of ufe to diftinguish the pretended forcerers from the real ones; and this he does with a rich effufion of fcholaftic jargon and fuperannuated erudition. But nothing is more ridiculous than the third chapter of this third part which concludes the work, in which magical difeafes are diftinguished from natural ones, and a threefold method of cure is exhibited. Here we have the cream of monaftico-medico-nonfenfico-theology.

STRASBOURG.

VI. Mr. SCERER of this city has published an interefting work entitled: G. W. Steller's-Beschreibung Vandem Lande Kamchatka, &c. i. e. A Description of the Country of Ramfchatka, by the late Mr. Steller, Afifiant Member of the Imperial Academy, with Fourteen Copper-plates. 8vo. The editor of this pofthumous work, who paffed a confiderable time in Ruffia, and acquired, during his refidence there, an extenfive know

ledge

ledge of that vaft empire, has prefixed to this publication the Life of Mr. STELLER, who was one the most inquifitive and laborious men of his time. He was fent twice to Irkuzk, and during the fecond voyage died in his fledge, where his guides had left him expofed to the cold, while they were gone to drink in a village at a fmall distance. Befide this defcription of Kamfchatfka, he left behind him an account of a voyage to America; and though thefe works have not received the finishing hand of the Author, yet they contain interefting materials, and bear evident marks of an intelligent and judicious obferver.-The former alone comes under our confideration in this article.

The people that inhabit the extremities of the fouthern promontory as far as the river Tigil, call themselves by the name of Italman, and it is not the Peninfula, but the principal river that goes by the name of Kamchatka. Our Author does not judge very favourably of the difcoveries made by Spangenberg; he acknowledges, however, that the weftern islands of fefe are larger, warmer, and more fruitful than has generally been imagined: they produce lemon trees and bamboos. There are feveral volcanos in Kamfchatka. Toward the fea-coaft the earth never thaws beyond the depth of a foot, or a foot and a half; below that, all is folid ice. Neverthelefs barley grows very well in the diftrict of Stilchney, atd our Author is of opinion that the whole country might be cultivated fo as to yield a comfortable fubfiflence for its inhabitants. Mr. Devrier, who fettled there not long ago, had I both cows and horfes; and there are as fine meadows in Kamfchatka as any in Ruffia. Turnips and radishes are the ve getables that grow beft in that foil. In the country that lies about the river of Kamfchatka, are beautiful woods of larch-trees, and in feveral places there are medicinal plants. Hail and thunder are very rare in that region, and the fnow falls in greater abundance in the fouthern part of it than to ward the north.

The inhabitants are healthy and live long. Their principal diforder is the fcurvy, which attacks, however, the ftranger with more violence than the native; and which, in both, may be diminished or cured by various antifcorbutic vegetables which grow in the country. There is another diforder, known there, which manifefts itfelf by ulcers, that break out over the whole body, and may eafily prove mortal. The people of the country are, generally fpeaking, pretty good botanists; they feem to be fufceptible of inftruction in other fciences, and are easily converted to Chriftianity. They are remarkable for industry and patience, and difcover a fingular dexterity in fpinning nettles. They make ufe, for food, of feveral plants, that APP. Rev, Vol. lii.

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are never placed elsewhere in the clafs of eatables, and among others the Biflort (Alp. minor) whofe root is juicy, and which has nearly the taste of a nut. They have also poisonous plants, which they reduce to powder, and rub with it the points of their arrows, in order to render their wounds mortal.

The fea along the coaft is full of fish. Among the inhabitants of the ocean there is one frequently obfervable here, which has hitherto been unknown: it is called the Bieluga, and has a good deal of the refemblance of an ox; it has a white and fhining mane, and forms, perhaps, a clafs in the fpecies of the fea calves, or phocæ. Among the quadrupedes of this country, are black bears, of a very fierce and untractable kind. The dogs do the bufinefs of horfes, are put to the fledges, and four of them will draw a weight of four hundred pounds. The rivers abound with excellent falmon, and the dodeco grammos, a fish little known to the writers of Natural hiftory, is to be found here. The inhabitants of the Peninsula live almost entirely upon fish, but they eat it in the moft difgufting manner imaginable. As they neither have falt, nor care for it, they let their fifh rot in ditches, and then feed upon it. When they smoke it, or roaft it immediately, it is eatable enough.

GOTTINGEN.

VII. The following work is every way worthy of the reputation of its learned Author: Summarifche Gefchichte von Nord Africa, &c. i. e. A Compendious Hiftory of Northern Africa, viz. of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoly; compofed for the Use of the Public Schools. By M. AUG. LEWIS SCHLOZER. Gottingen. 1775.

This work is divided into fix periods: the 1ft contains the ancient history of these countries, as far down as the Christian

The 2d, 3d, and 4th exhibit a view of the northern regions of Africa under the domination of the Romans, Arabians, and Fatemites. The 5th, which begins with the year 1120, prefents them under the government of the Muthedians, or Al Mohdians; and the 6th and laft comprehends the history of the fame parts of Africa under the empire of the Ofmans and Shariffs.

ZAGRAB.

VIII. A writer diftinguished by his industry and erudition, has published at Zagrab, (where is that? in Sclavonia; is there a printing-prefs there? yes;) a Latin work of very confiderable merit under the following title: De Regnis Dalmatia, Croatia, Sclavoniæ, &c. i. e. An Introduction to the Hiftory of the Kingdoms of Dalmatia, Croatia, Sclavonia, divided into four Periods, and published under the auspicious protection of her Imperial and Royal Majefty, by the Honourable BALTH. ADAM KERESELICH,

Mitred

Mitred Abbot of Kaes, Affeffor of the Royal Tribunal, and Canon of the Cathedral of Zagrab. In Folio. The printing-prefs, which brought forth this production, was erected at Zagrab by the Author himfelf, under the protection and munificence of the Emprefs-queen. The work is the refult of the moft indefatigable inquiries, made, by the Author, after all the papers, coins, lapidary infcriptions and other monuments of ancient times, that were to be found in the countries, whofe history he writes; thefe, and the manufcripts of Baron Paul Ritter, are the materials from whence his relations are principally drawn. It is true, that in his refearches in Dalmatia, Croatia and Sclavonia, he met with many difficulties and much oppofition. Some of the inhabitants wrote libels against him, that were burnt by the hands of the common hangman; others, confidering him as a traitor to his country, concealed, or deftroyed many of the intcriptions, records and ancient monuments, from whence Mr. KERESELICH expected information. It is not difficult to perceive from what principle all this oppofition proceeded. It is probable that the free and independent fpirit, that is not as yet annihilated, in thefe countries, even by the weight of the Auftrian yoke, indifpofed the people against a work, which is principally defigned to prove, that the kings of Hungary have always had an undoubted and an uninterrupted right to all the territories of Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Servia and Bofnia. It is with this view, that Mr. KERESELICH examines and appreciates, with a critical fagacity, a multitude of facts and relations, true and falfe, probable and doubtful, and gives a new afpect and form to the hiftories of thefe countries, even in this introduction,-which will be followed, it is hoped, by a complete hiftory, when more favourable times and circumstances shall enable our Author to execute his general plan.

NUREMBERG.

IX. The bookfellers Lochner and Mayer have publifhed the following work which will be a delicious morfel for the antiquaries: Dem Munkvergangen gewiedmete nebenslunden, &c. i. e. Numifmatical Recreations: or, a Defeription of 100 rare and

arkable Gold Medals. By M. MATTHEW HENRY HEROLDT. 1775. The Author of this Work is a perfect adept in numifmatical fcience, and affociates the labours and the pleasures of this fpecies of erudition with the occupations of commerce. He poffeffes the greatest part of the antiques of which he treats, has had them all engraven, and has accompanied the copper plates with ample defcriptions of these medals, and with critical remarks upon their merit and rarity. To all thefe are added fatisfactory accounts of the perfons, in Rr 2 whole

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