The whole of this work is divided into fix chapters.

Chapter firft, contains the theory of artificial electricity, de duced from the circulation of the electric fire in an ordinary' apparatus. This apparatus he defcribes. It confifts, he fays, of one electrical fubftance, which he calls ifolante, and two conducting fubftances, ftiled by him deferenti. His ifolante is a glafs cylinder, which he prefers to a globe. His first deferente for prime conductor) is a tin tube twelve feet long and one foot in diameter. This through the whole of his work he ftiles la catena. His other deferente fubftance, is what answers in our machines to a cufhion that is not infolated, but in his apparatus is the body of a man who holds his hands upon the cylinder, by the revolution of which the fire is transferred from him to the prime conductor. By this it will appear, that the Italian artifts have not as yet arrived at the fame perfection in conftructing electrical machines as ours have.

The Author begins by laying down some general principles or axioms.

ift, That every body is poffeffed of electrical matter. 2dly, When this matter is diftributed in an equal proportion it remains in equilibrium, and makes no impreffion on our organs.

3dly, But when it is forced to occupy a smaller space than is natural to it, or when this equilibrium is destroyed, it then exerts itself to expand on all fides, till the equilibrium is restored.

Artificial electricity he defines to be the science of the effects which electrical fire produces when it is excited by art: and natural electricity the knowledge of thefe effects, when it is excited by nature.

It is impoffible to give any tolerable account of this work, without a number of engravings to illuftrate the variety of experiments it contains. However, as we are confiderably before the Italians in the fcience of electricity, the greatest part of these are already to be found in the works of Dr. Franklin, Dr. Prieftley, and others of our great electricians; to whom the Author conftantly refers, in almoft every page of his book.

The fecond chapter contains the theory of electric bodies, with regard to the charging and discharging them.

In the third he treats of the electric atmofphere, which he terms elettricita premente.

The fourth gives an account of the fcintilla, or electric spark, which he calls elettricita viva.

In the fifth he treats of the different methods of exciting electricity.

The laft chapter is divided into two parts.

The fubject of the first part is the motion of the electric Buid in the deferenti or conducting fubftances.

That

That of the fecond, the motion of the fame fluid in the ifolanti, or electric fubftances.

Each of these chapters are fubdivided into a number of arti cles; and, in the courfe of the work, the Author introduces a great variety of curious experiments, which although many of them are already known, yet as he has arranged them fo as to reflect a mutual light on each other, it is probable, that, in the hands of skilful electricians, his work will tend greatly to promote the knowledge of that science.

The Author's character for candour and ingenuity has long been established. It were greatly to be wished that he were a little more concife, and would guard against repetitions. For altho' his work contains much matter, yet it certainly might have been communicated in fewer words. His language too, is often obfcure, and without the plates would have been unintelligible. This, indeed, was almoft unavoidable, from the variety of words and phrafes which he has been obliged to adapt, and fometimes to invent, for the explanation of the different pheno, mena of this new science.'

ART. XVIII.

Traduction du 34, 35 & 36 Livres de lline, &c.-A Translation of the 34th, 35th, and 36th Books of the Elder Phiny, with Notes, by M. Falconet, one of the Profeffors of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in France, and Honorary Member of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts at Petersburgh. To which are added, Reflections on Sculpture, firit printed in 1761. 8vo. Amfterdam. Rey. 1772.

HEY who are poffeffed of a tafte for the writings of the antients, joined to a love for the fine Arts, will receive the prefent partial tranflation of Pliny with pleafure. It is intended to convey a juft interpretation of what that venerable ancient has written on the fubjects of ftatuary and painting:-this tafk too is executed by an artist of eminence, competently verfed in claffical literature; and accordingly, fufficiently able to explain his Author's fenfe in the eafy paffages; and better qualified, in confequence of his practical knowledge of the art, to throw light on many of the obfcure parts, than the mere scholar, who is greatly his fuperior in the knowledge of the antient languages. Such nearly are the Tranflator's own ideas, and they must in general, that is, with the proper and obvious modifications, be acknowledged to be just.

He who writes upon a fubject, our Tranflator very properly obferves, which he does not understand, whatever may be his genius and acquirements on other fubjects, expofes himself to the danger of writing nonfenfe, and he writes nonfenfe accordingly. This, it feems, was the cafe of Pliny, whofe knowledge

5

knowledge, according to M. Falconet, in the arts of painting and fculpture, was very fuperficial. The Tranflator gives feveral ftriking proofs of the juftice of this charge, as well as many inftances of his want of exactnels, and of hyperbolic, indifcriminate and contradictory commendations bestowed by him on different artifts and performances.

The notes attending this translation are numerous and well written. In feveral of these, the Author very freely criticites many modern connoiffeurs and writers on the fubject of the fine arts; and, among the reft, we find ourselves animadverted upon, with regard to the very juft ftrictures we threw out upon Dr. King's defcription of the Author's equeftrian ftatue of Peter the Great *; and with refpect to which we have nothing to retract.

ART. XIX.

Syfteme Social; ou Principes naturels de la Morale et de la Politique; avec un examen de l' influence du Gouvernment fur les Maurs. The focial Syftem, or the natural Principles of Morality and Politics; with an Examination of the Influence of Government upon Manners. 8vo. 3 Vols. Paris. 1773.

THIS, work is faid to come from the pen of the Author of

Systéme de la Nature +, (fee the Appendix to volume xlil. of our Review) and indeed this is highly probable. The fame atheistic principles, the fame diffufe and declamatory manner of writing, the fame want of order and precifion, the fame fpirit of railing at priests and prieftcraft, the fame gro's mifreprefentation of the Chriftian fyftem appears in both productions, together with the most outrageous blafphemy. But while we think ourselves obliged to mention this, in juftice to our Readers, and to the cause of truth and virtue, we cannot help acknowledging in juftice to the Author, whoever he is, that a love of liberty, of virtue, and of mankind, breathes through the whole of his performance, with an utter abhorrence of every species of tyranny, both civil and ecclefiaftical. He appears to have a very extenfive knowledge of hiftory, and to be well acquainted with the manners of the age we live in, of which he draws fome very just and ftriking pictures. What we chiefly lament is, that while he is an advocate for virtue, and feems warmly and earnestly to recommend the practice of focial duties, he endeavours to weaken, or rather utterly to fubvert the only fure and folid foundations of them. A fyftem of morality that

* See Monthly Review, vol. xl. Feb. 1-69. page 122. N. B. The Author's note mistakenly refers to January for this article.

+ Published under the fictitious name of Mirabaud.

excludes

excludes the very idea of deity, is furely a very abfurd and ro mantic fyftem! The man who believes that a fupremely wife, and good Being prefides over the whole of nature, directing and fuperintending all events; that he is accountable to this Being for his conduct; and that he will be rewarded or punished in a future ftate according to his behaviour in the present, has certainly motives to the practice of every moral and focial duty, infinitely fuperior to any that can poffibly be fuppofed to influence the man who denies the existence of fuch a Being. Whoever has carefully ftudied human nature, and attentively examined the fprings and motives of human actions, will, we are perfuaded, readily allow that no principles are capable of infpiring fuch noble and generous fentiments, or of raising the human character to fuch a degree of perfection, as thofe that are derived from religion: nor can any principles poffibly enable a man to bear up under the various diftreffes and calamities to which the lot of humanity is fubject, with fuch firmness, fortitude and patience, as religious principles. For the truth of this we may fafely appeal to every competent and unprejudiced judge of the subject. In a word, to separate religion from morality is to destroy both.

That religion has too frequently been reprefented in such colours as conceal its native beauty and genuine charms, -is a melancholy truth; nor can it be denied, that the general conduct of those whose business it has been to teach and defend it, has, in every age and every country, reflected dishonour on themselves and on the caufe of religion. It is equally true, however, that many of this class of men have been the brighteft ornaments of human nature, perfons of diftinguished abilities and integrity, of exemplary virtue both in public and private life, active and diligent in promoting every valuable intereft of fociety; nor is it lefs certain, that their fuperior virtue and usefulness has been principally owing to the influence of religious principles upon their minds. Had the Author of the fyftem before us duly confidered this, he would have spoke of religion in very different terms, and would never have represented its minifters, as he always does, without any distinction, as the most inhuman, unfociable, and deteftable of all men. How confiftent fuch conduct is with candor, or with juftice, which he makes the foundation of all virtues, we leave to himself, and to his Readers to determine.

His work is divided into three parts, in the first of which he treats of the natural principles of morality; in the fecond, of the natural principles of politics; and, in the third, of the influence of government upon manners, or the caufes and remedies of corruption. Each part is fubdivided into chapters, in which he gives us his fentiments upon many very curious and impor

3

tant

tant fubjects; his manner of treating them is loose and superficial; he feldom advances any thing new; but many of his obfervations are extremely juft, pertinent, and ftriking; his manner is lively and animated, and his ftile eafy and perfpicuous.

As a specimen of his fentiments, and in order to justify the cenfure we have paffed upon his Syftem, we fhall lay before our Readers part of what he advances in the third chapter of his first volume, wherein he treats of Chriftian morality.

In order to render men better, fays he, we must lead them to the fearch of truth, make them cultivate their reafon, place experiments before their eyes, fhew them the dangerous effects of vice, and make them feel the advantages of virtue. Such is the object of morality. In order to render them more happy, we muft make their interefts the fame, unite them in the clofeft bonds of fociety, invite and oblige them to do good and to abftain from evil. This is the object of every government, which is only the power of a fociety placed in the hands of one or more.citizens, with a view to oblige every member to practife the rules of morality.

Morality is the art of living happily with our fellow creatures. Virtue confifts in rendering ourfelves happy by making others happy.

Every perfon acknowledges the ufefulness of morality; and yet its true principles feem ftill involved in fuch darkness as the moft piercing eyes can fearce penetrate. Every man extols the advantages of virtue, though there is very little agreement with relation to the ideas that ought to be formed concerning it: to the generality of mankind it is a vague, empty term, which they admire, without being able to annex any determinate fenfe to it. Whence can this ignorance and uncertainty arife in regard to objects, which all men allow to be both important and neceffary? To what muft we impute the little knowledge we have of our duty, after all the profound refearches and indefatigable labours of fo many fages, who have made man, and the relations wherein he ftands to his fellow creatures, the objects of their study? On the one hand, theology, by its obfcure and often contradictory notions, has thrown palpable darkness over a branch of science, the most plain, the most easy, the most intelligible, and the moft capable of demonftration. Civil policy, on the other hand, far from lending its aid to morality, contradicts it every moment, and renders its principles and maxims totally ufelefs: both vifible and invifible powers feem to have combined in order to turn the heart of man from the pursuit of those objects which are most effential and neceffary to his happinefs in the prefent life.

APP Rev. Vol. xlvii.

PP

Lyftead