pofe, and are relative principally to manufactures, agriculture, all the branches of medicine, and partly to belles lettres, hiftory, and the antiquities of India. Befides thefe difcourfes, there are memoirs compofed by the members of the fociety. Those contained in the volume before us are as follows:

I. An accurate Account of the Poffeffions of the Dutch Eaft India Company, together with a Defcription of the Kingdom of Faccatra, and of the City of Batavia. By Meffrs. RADERMACHER and HOGENDORP. The facts contained in this Memoir are to be found, with very few exceptions, in the General History of Voyages, published formerly at the Hague, and at Paris, and whofe enormous and ill-digefted mafs was lately reduced to twenty volumes, in large 8vo. by M. De LA HARPE, whofe elegant abridgment was mentioned in a former Review. They are alfo to be found in the Abbé RAYNAL's Philofophical and Political History. But the Authors of

the Memoir before us are more worthy of credit than either of these writers, as they are nearer the fources of information, not to mention other reasons known to us.

II. Refearches concerning the Nature of the Small Pox at Batavia, together with Obfervations on Inoculation, as it has been practifed in that City. By M. VAN DER STEEG. It appears from this Memoir, that the fmall pox which attacks the Europeans in that warm climate with lefs malignity than in their native land, makes dreadful havock among the flaves and the natives at Batavia. This M. VAN DER STEEG attributes partly to the manner of treating the diforder ufual among these latter, who, during the fever that accompanies the variolous eruption, make ufe of heating diet and medicines, and plunge themselves in cold water in the hotteft fits, but principally to the density and callofity of the cuticle or epidermis of this clafs of perfons. Inoculation appears to have met with much oppofition to its progrefs in the Isle of Java, whofe inhabitants are not more free from narrow prejudices in this refpect, than many of our enlightened European cities and provinces, who, in enumerating the victims of this dreadful malady, do not seem poffeffed of arithmetic enough to know the difference between one among eight, and one among a hundred; and who are afraid of offending God, by performing falutary acts of beneficence to man. For the reft, the Author of this Memoir feems to be a generous and intelligent operator, as well as a fuccefsful one, and, by his difinterefted proceedings, has given a progreffive motion to the cause of inoculation.

III. Concerning the different Methods of calculating Time, that are employed in different Parts of Afia, together with a Comparison of their Results, for the Years 1779 and 1780. By M. RADERMACHER. This Difquifition is accurate, and may be

uletul;

ufeful; but it is not fufceptible of abridgment. It is concluded by an observation that deferves notice. It relates to the very imperfect manner of reckoning which is employed by the Chinefe, and the Gentoos, whofe intercalations are irregular, and whofe year is compofed fometimes of 354, and at other times of 384 days, and is thus founded on no fixed aftronomical principles. It is no wonder, therefore, as M. RADER MACHER justly obferves, that thefe two nations carry up their chronology beyond the flood, fince their defective manner of reckoning must naturally expose them to the most extravagant errors.

IV. The Commencement of a Javanese Hiftory, entitled, Sadjara Radja Djawa, with a Preface. By M. VAN IPEREN. This is a fable that feems to belong to the facred hiftory of the Javanefe. But we cannot make much out of it, as we do not fee the end of it; and if we did, perhaps we should not be much wifer. There are paffages in it that carry fome diftant fimilitude to incidents and pallages in the Mofaic hiftory, and to the circumstances of initiation into the Egyptian myfteries; but these affinities are too feeble to admit of any conclufions of confequence to the illustration of facred philology.

V. A Differtation on the prefent State of Agriculture in the Country about Batavia. By JOHN HOOYMAN. This Writer is really eloquent, but not laconic; he is, however, well-informed and inftructive, and his Memoir feems to exhibit a very accurate, judicious, and interefting account of the subject he treats. It contains eighty-nine pages, and of thefe, feventy-four are employed in an ample defcription of the fugar plantations and mills, in which the natural hiftorian, the manufacturer, and the merchant will find both curious and ufeful information. Our Author propofes continuing the fubject in the second volume. In that now before us, he begins by an eulogy of agriculture, well compofed, and happily expreffed. He fhews, that zeal for its improvement was the character of ancient states and kingdoms in the true periods of their grandeur; and that the Dutch have done more to encourage and propagate it in their colonies, than any other nation. He does not deign to compare the Dutch improvements in the ifland of Java, with thofe that are obfervable in the meagre colonies of the French and Danes; but he compares them with the rural improvements and œconomy that are carried on at Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, and other parts of the British empire in India, and afferts their fuperiority. He gives the Abbé Raynal a rap on the knuckles for his account of Batavia; obferving, however, that a man must be on the spot, in order to give an accurate description of that city and the adjacent country. The Chinese, who traded in feveral parts of India, before the difcoveries of the Portugueze, and the fettlement of the Dutch in that country, were numerous in the Isle

of

of Java, before the arrival of the latter there. They were alío active and induftrious; and our Author gives an account of the progrefs that was made in agriculture in that fettlement from their time to the prefent.

VI. A Defcription of the Island of Timor, as far as it is hitherto known. By M. W. VAN HOGENDORP. The Academician divides this island into four diftricts, thofe of the Hollanders, the black or inland Portugueze,-the white or European Portugueze, and the original natives, who have no dependance but on their own kings. After an hiftorical account of these different nations, he treats of the nature of the climate, the rivers, the gold and copper mines (which are not worked, from a fuperftitious notion, that their treasures are the property of certain fubterraneous inhabitants); the trees, plants, and pearls, that form objects of commerce in that island; the complexion, character, clothing, and nourishment (which is very poor) of the ignorant and lazy inhabitants; the fruits that grow in the country; the tobacco and indigo which it produces in large quantities; and animals and infects, among which ferpents, fcorpions, and poisonous flies are very numerous.

VII. A Defcription of a white Negro in the Ifland of Bali. By M. VAN IPEREN. This is a curious piece for the lovers of natural history; it overturns the hypothefis of certain authors, who think that the white-negro forms a distinct and permanent fpecies, for the man animal in queftion was born of black parents. He is married and loves his wife. His breaft resembles that of a woman: the lower part of his body is covered with hair, his feet excepted; and his head is almoft hid under a load of hair, whofe colour is a mixture of white and red of a yellowish hue.

All things confidered, this firft Volume is a proof of the merit, and an omen of the future fuccefs of the Batavian fociety, which confifts of 192 members; of this number 103, befides the 16 directors, refide in Batavia. Their undertaking is intitled to the applause of all who have a zeal for the progrefs and improvement of knowledge, in the dark corners of our globe; and we hope the return of peaceful times will contribute to the fuccefs of their generous efforts.

ART. XII.

Journal d'un Voyage fait en 1775 et 1776, dans les Païs Meridionaux de l'Europe. i. e. The Journal of Travels through the Southern Countries of Europe. By the late M. JOHN GEORGE SULZER. 8vo. Hague. 1781.

WH

HATEVER bears the name of this excellent philofopher, this good man, has a claim to the attention

of those who are acquainted with his eminent merit. Even this Journal of a Voyage, undertaken for the recovery of his health, during which he made curfory remarks on the moft interesting objects that came in his way, fhews both the writer and the man in a very advantageous point of view. There is an agreeable variety in thefe Remarks; they are relative to the ftate of arts, fciences, agriculture and commerce, geography and politics, in the countries through which he paffed. In his route from Berlin to Leipfic, and from thence by Francfort, and the fouthern parts of Germany, to Bafil, he makes several obfervations which we read with pleasure in the Journal itself, but which would lofe a part of their merit, if feparated from their place, their connexions, and the incidents that occafioned them. We fhall not therefore follow him step by step, but select here and there fuch facts and obfervations as we think may prove either agreeable or inftructive to fome of our Readers.

The peafant (fays M. S.) feems more induftrious and intelligent, the more we advance towards the fouthern parts of Germany. The villages of Swabia appear to be towns, when compared with thofe of Saxony and Brandenburg: agriculture in Swabia is upon a much better footing, and the people of that diftrict are more induftrious, active, frank, polite, and better clothed than in the northern parts of Germany. Our Author's defeription of the beautiful and romantic views in the environs of Bafil is quite picturesque. Such also is his account of the Canton of Bern, of Morat, Laufanne, the country of Vaud, Vevay, and the delightful rural scenes which transport the traveller between Laufanne and Geneva; as also of the little town of Aubonne, from which a view opens of the whole Lake of Geneva, of the Duchy of Chablais, of an innumerable multitude of villages, caftles, and country feats. It was here that Tavernier fixed his refidence, confidering Aubonne as the most beautiful fpot he had seen in all his travels.

At Nyon our Traveller vifited M. l'Efpinaffe [who was formerly honoured with the inftruction of our prefent Sovereign, and his royal brothers, in experimental philofophy], and found his collection of inftruments (many of them his own invention), and his electrical apparatus fuperior to any that he had ever feen. Among other excellent inftruments in this collection, he obferved a micrometer, conftructed after the divifor in the cabinet of the Duke de Chaulnes. A fquare line of an inch (Paris measure) was divided with this inftrument, by the point of a diamond, into 400 fmall fquares. M. SULZER examined thefe divifions with a microfcope, and admired their accuracy.

Our

Our Author's account of Geneva is very interefting. It is well known, fays he, that Geneva is, confidering its fize, one of the richest cities in Europe. As the traveller approaches it, he perceives marks of its opulence; and its environs announce a people living in the midft of plenty. I had feen, adds M. Sulzer, no where so many country- feats as in the territory of this little republic: the borders of the lake are covered with them, and they exhibit charming points of view. All these rural buildings have an agreeable afpect; they are neat and elegant in their fimplicity. Each houfe has a hand fome garden: many are fituated in the midst of vineyards, meadows, and arable land. Almost all are placed with fuch magnificent views of nature before or around them, as would render the artificial beauties that are often introduced into country feats, infipid. The high roads fwarm with comers and goers, on horseback, on foot, in carriages, and are as much frequented here every day, as they are in other countries on holidays. (M. SULZER had lived many years at Berlin.) The lake grows lefs broad as it approaches the city; and this circumftance contributes greatly to the beauty of the profpect, which is exhibited by the oppofite fide of that noble fheet of water. The city, which is placed at the mouth of the Rhone, occupies the centre of this magnificent landscape, and rifes with an air of dignity, in the midft of its fmiling territory, fupported, as it were, by a high mountain, which forms the back ground of the delightful piece. The whole excites a pleafing and fublime emotion. The entrance of the city does not by any means counteract this impreffion. Art, in its fphere, has done its business here with elegance, and even with a degree of fplendor. The city is well built, and there is a good, and often a grand taste of architecture in the houses. There is alfo a certain air of liberty, eafe, and gaiety in the external appearance of the inhabitants, that forms immediately a prepoffeffion in their favour. I have scarcely feen any where, more energy of features, more liveliness in the eyes, and more expreffion and spirit in the countenance. There are also very few places, perhaps none, where a taste for literary improvement, and the defire of inftruction, is so generally diffufed among the common body of the citizens, and where it is fo ufual to see the tradefman paffing his evening leifure in the perufal of fome work of merit; feveral branches of hiftorical, literary, and even of philofophical knowledge, are familiar to this clafs at Geneva, in a degree, that would do honour to perfons of the firft rank in other countries.'

To this well deferved eulogy we may add, that, confidering the extent of this little republic (the number of whose inhabitants does not exceed 24000), it contains more eminent men APP, REV. Vol. xlv.

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