Itructing the peafantry of his neighbourhood in the science of botany, by actual obfervation, and thus to warn them against danger. As every difinterested effort which is much for the benefit of mankind deferves praise and patronage, the prefent treatise, on account of its utility, is certainly entitled to its thare of approbation: the author's principal aim being to adapt his work more particularly to the capacities of children, he has printed the text in the form of tables, for the purpose of fufpending them in school rooms.

We have often had occafion to lament the dilatory manner of publifhing which feems to be prevalent throughout Germany, and to be confined to that country alone: a method fo unreafonable, and, we think, detrimental to the cause of literature, cannot be eafily accounted for; but certain it is that we have had the first and second volumes of various works in our poffeflion fince the first appearance of our Review, the fubfequent parts of which have not yet been received nor even published on the Continent. This fingular delay is not confined to extenfive productions alone; it is the cafe even with the trifling tract now before us, the firft number of which containing only two fheets of letter prefs as appeared long fince as the year 1796, while the third number was publifhed only at the clofe of 1799.

No. I. contains fome inftructions for preventing the deleterious effects of plants, together with the name, defcription, and operation of each fpecies reprefented in the plates, nine of which are given in each number. The plants reprefented and defcribed in No. I. are the Atropa Belladonna, Ethufa Cynapium, Datura Stramonium, Hyofciamus niger, Conium maculatum, Cicuta aquatica, Aconitum Napellus, Colchicum autumnale, Digitalis purpurea.

În No. II. are given the Solanum, Paris quadrifolia, Ranunculus acris, Agaricus mufcarius, Agaricus piperatus, emeticus, cærulefcens, fimetarius et torminofus.

In No. III. which is the latest we have received, are the Afarum Europeum, Charophyllum fylveftre, Cyclamen Europæum, Daphne Mezereum, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Lolium temulentum, Nerium Oleander, Oenanthe fiftulofa, Pedicularis paluftris, Phyfalis Alkekengi, Plumbago Europaa, et Polygonum Hydropiper.

The plates of this work are so miferably executed that it is fcarcely poffible to recognize the plants they reprefent; but the defcriptions are well adapted to the capacity of the unlettered claffes of the community. The author however appears to have paffed over many varieties of the common fpecies of poisonous plants, the infertion of which would have been an additional recommendation to his work; while on the contrary he has mentioned several which are innocent in their nature, as the Phyfalis Alkekengi, &c.

In the general study of botany we appear to be far behind our continental neighbours; a work therefore fimilar in its nature to that above described would doubtlefs be well received, if executed by a skilful perfon, though under all the circumstances of locality, &c. we do not imagine that a tranflation would be equally ferviceable.

Simplicii

Simplicii commentarius in Epicteti Enchiridion. Accedit Enchiridii paraphrafis chriftiana et Nili Enchiridion. Omnia ad veterum codicum fidem recenfuit et varietate lectionis notifque illuftravit J. Schweighaüfer. Argentor, &c. Lips. 1800. In Librar. Weidmannia. 2 Vols. fix rix-dollars."

Sim

THE "HE latest edition of the remains of Epictetus's Philofophy was that published by M. Schweighäufer, in 1799; and the work is now completed by the volumes before us, which contain the remarks of former commentators on the Manual of Epictetus. plicius, a philofopher of the fixth century, published a commentary on Epicteti Enchiridion. He made feveral judicious corrections in the text of that work, which was confequently at that time well received by the public. But Fabricius, in Bibl. Gr. L. V.C. 29, certainly expreffes too favourable an opinion of the improvements. Thefe philofophical commentaries, which were last published by Salmafius, in the year 1640, are alfo given by the author of the prefent edition, who has extracted them from fome manufcripts preferved at Paris and Strafburg, and published them with confiderable and numerous improvements: of the latter is an infertion in the Commentary to C. 31, p. 246, et feq. confifting of 60 printed pages, procured from fome of the Paris manuscripts beforementioned. The author's corrections are also in many instances judicious and worthy of notice; for example, in p. 47 we meet with Eveva inftead of εκείναι: Ρ. 272, μεταγγίζει for μετεγγιζει:Ρ. 417, τ. συνηρημένου for συνημμένον. Several paffages are also restored, by an accurate interpretation of words; as in pp. 173, b. and 428, c. where the words χάουν χαύσαι, σκευωρειν, are fatisfactorily explained.

The contents of the fecond volume are, firft, the Paraphrafin Chriftianam Enchiridii, which title was given by Cafaubon. The work was written for the use of monafteries; but we are neither informed of the time when it was compofed nor the name of the author. To this the editor has alfo made many improvements, principally taken from four manufcrips preferved at Paris. The next article is Nili, Afceta. Enchiridion Epicteti, in ufum juvenum Chriftianorum accommodatum. Father Nilus, an erudite and pious writer, lived in the fifth century, and was the author of feveral ascetic works, which were published at Rome by Suares, in the year 1673; and from this edition M. Schweighaüfer has not merely copied the text, but also enriched it by corrections from the manufcripts at Paris and Copenhagen in thefe paraphrafes the notes are placed immediately under the text to which they belong. The volume concludes with the explanations of, and notes upon, Simplicius, which do great credit to the claffical editor; though we are of opinion that many of the notes might have been much more concife, without detriment to the accuracy of the edition.

APPENDIX, VOL. VIII,

Na

Elife

Elife Duménil. By Marie De Comarrieu, Marquife De Montalembert. 5 Vols. Dulau. 1800.

LFRED, fon of Count de Boran fac, and Elife, daughter of M. Dumenil, are brought up in the fame village. The mother of each of them is dead; and, from their infancy, their fathers had intended that Alfred fhould marry Elife. In order to form the mind of the young gentleman, he is fent on his travels, at the age of seventeen; and, between him and Elife, who is two years younger, the principal correfpondence in this work takes place. Several letters alfo pafs between Elife, Adelaide d'Arfilly, and Madame de Preffange, the aunt of Madamoifelle Dumenil; and between the two friends, Alfred, and Ferdinand d'Arfilly, the brother of Adelaide.

The first letters of Alfred and Elife teem with fentiments of pure and fimple affection. The. lady bids her lover to remember, that their union is to take place as foon as they have completed their education; defcribes to him, in the most artless manner, the avidity with which the pursues her studies, and begs of him to be equally fedulous. Alfred, in return, describes the feelings of his heart on the fame fubject, and affures Elife, that his diligence fhall haften, the defired period.

Alfred proceeds, through the fouth of France, to Naples; and is there introduced to Prince Orfinelli, who has been requefted, by the Count de Boranfac, to take him under his protection: not, as we are afterwards informed, from the knowledge he had of the Prince's virtue, but from the fplendor of his title. M. Dumenil, pleased with the account which he receives of Alfred's conduct, begs he may return; and the Prince accordingly proceeds homewards with him by the way of Paris. At Paris, however, Orfinelli engages in play, lofes, and decamps; leaving Alfred as his fecurity for a confiderable fum.

The news arrives at Kez-the refidence of M. Dumenil-and Ferdinand d'Arfilly immediately fets off to relieve his friend. M. Dumenil, who is reprefented as a man poffeffing a ftrong mind, and an ardent affection for his daughter, though defirous of her union with Alfred, had determined not to permit it, fhould he act unworthy of his character. Alfred returns; but M. Dumenil, for the prefent, forbids his vifits; alledging, that he has no felf-command, is easily feduced into diffipation and vice, and therefore unfit to marry his daughter. The Count de Boranfac is offended, and threatens to break off the match. He alfo gives encouragement to a Madamoiselle Belvall, to expect the hand of Alfred; and Madame Granval, a true French coquet, endeavours, by every means in her power, to draw him into an intrigue.

Alfred is conftant to Elife. He fees her by ftratagem; affures her of his unalterable affection, and induces her to correfpond with him.

Shortly

Shortly after, he accompanies the ambassador to England, where his conduct is fuch, that M. Dumenil confents to the marriage of the young couple, and Alfred returns for that purpose.

Unfortunately, just before the time of his intended marriage, the father of Alfred is taken dangerously ill. Madame Granval, who exerts herself to prevent the approaching nuptials, is particularly attentive during the old gentleman's illness; and, on his recovery, he detains Alfred a confiderable time, to repay, by entertainments, &c. the kindness of that lady. In one of their evenings of pleasure, a difpute arifes between Alfred and Count Valferre, a devotee of Madame Granval, which terminates in a duel. This intelligence, greatly magnified, reaches the ear of M. Dumenil; who, exafperated, not only refuses his daughter to Alfred, but compels her to a union with a M. Coulanges. It appears, however, that an illicit connection had previously taken place between Alfred and Elife, and that Elife is then pregnant. The lovers are diftracted at this dreadful ftroke; and the Count de Boranfac, from an imprudent impulfe of revenge, forces his son to marry Madamoiselle Belval. But, alas! at the moment when he approaches the altar, he hears the bell toll for his Elife, who had died in childbed! Alfred becomes frantic, and fhortly after puts an end to his existence.

Such is the outline of this performance, from which it appears difficult to draw any direct moral.

The characters of Alfred and Elife are well fupported throughout. In M. Dumenil there is fomewhat of inconfiftency. He regards youth with a feverity, not in the leaft tempered by that confideration of human nature, which all his letters fhow that he poffeffes. Ferdinand is gay, fincere, and noble. He is a faithful reprefentative of a French officer, under the old government. But M. Coulanges is the most perfect character. He feels, he thinks, he acts, like a philan thropist.

In this work, the reader will find confiderable information relative to Naples and other parts. The English national character is very happily drawn; and the principal buildings in this country are accurately defcribed. The ftyle is animated, the fentiments good; and, notwithstanding the mournfulness of its catastrophe, the admirer of fimplicity, and the lover of sentiment, will peruse it with delight.

Les Petits Emigrés. The Little Emigrants; or, Correspondence of Children. A Work intended to promote the Education of Youth. By Madame De Genlis. 2 Vols. 12mo. 1798.

THIS

HIS novel, as to its mechanical ftructure, has nothing of originality to boaft; but is calculated, nevertheless, to afford confiderable inftru&tion and amusement. All its virtuous characters, the author informs us, are drawn from life. Adelaide, the heroine of

Nn 2

the

the piece, is intended for a portrait of Madamoifelle d'Orleans; and is truly a moft interefting and amiable girl. Lord Selby, her lover, is an English nobleman, whofe character forms a combination of the liberal virtues and his mother, Lady Elizabeth, is a pattern of maternal affection, accompanied by dignity and fortitude.

:

But the principal excellences of this performance are, the fentiments, and moral inftructions which it conveys; attended by valuable remarks on many important fubjects.

The exiftence of a God, the neceflity of religion, the goodness of a protecting Providence, the uncertainty of worldly affairs, and the fuperior advantages of virtue, in whatever fituation we may be placed, are ably enforced; and the whole work has confiderable claims to public attention.

Lettres de la Vendée, &c. i. e. Letters from La Vendée, written in Fructidor, in the 3d Year. An Historical Trait. By Madame E. T***. 12mo. 2 Vols. Plates. Paris. 1800.

FROM the mere perusal of this book it is easy to perceive that the author is a woman, and a woman very little accustomed to write. The story is briefly this-A young woman on the point of being shot, is rescued by a young officer who falls in love with her. A brutal officer, who had before treated her with disrespect, is killed by her lover, when they both seek for safety in flight. On the conclusion of peace the parties are married.

It will be easily conceived that on such a basis it would be impossible to form a sufficient number of incidents to supply materials for two volumes. But what is wanting in incident is supplied by sentiments and a repetition of ideas that is extremely tiresome. The book displays a variety of grammatical errors, and idiomatic inaccuracies; and the denouement being easily foreseen by the reader, at the very opening of the work, all interest is destroyed.

Voyage de Sophie en Prusse, &c. i. e. Sophia's Journey to Prussia. Translated from the 12th Edition of the German. By P. B. Lamarc. 8vo. 3 Vols. PP. 1171. 12 livres. Paris. 1801.

THIS book is the production of a Protestant Clergyman in Germany, who composed it for the instruction of youth, and the melioration of manners. The moral is good, and the principles are sound. The translator, deeming the most serious parts of it, particularly those which relate to theology, not suited to the tale of the French public, has abridged the original so as to reduce it to one half of its primitive size, and to cut out many of the incidents.--The translation is tolerably correct, though not free from Germanisms.

TO