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none of that unhappy race of men which we call labourers, who do not even enjoy the advantages of their fervitude. Reduced to the neceffity of cultivating the earth, and gathering its productions for others; oppreffed with the burthen of public taxes, expofed to all the accidental loffes occafioned by the rigour of the fealons; defpifed, infulted, and unconscious of any grete pleasure, than the mere animal enjoys in digefting its food, and propagating its fpecies, I cannot conceive the value of their pretended liberty, But I imagine, that the flavery which we impute to a frate of barbarifm, is in reality lefs barbarous than that ftate of meannefs and fervility in which two thirds of mankind a&tually languish at this day.'

We learn from the dedication of this performance, to the King of Poland, Duke of Lorrain, that the name of this ingenious young Writer, is Linguet; and are informed by the preface, that he is now engaged in writing the Hiftory of the Age of Auguftus, on the fame plan; in the completion of which undertaking, we wish him all that fuccefs to which his rifing merit. feems to entitle him.

Introductio ad Philofophiam Naturalem. Autore Petro Van Muss chenbrock. Or,

An Introduction to Natural Philofophy. 4to. 2 vols. Printed for Luchtmans at Leyden, 1763.

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Na preface to this work, by Mr. Lulofs the Editor, is given a sketch of its hiftory, from the first publication of the Author's Epitome Elementarum Phyfico-Mathematicorum, in the year 1726, to that of the prefent performance; his plan having been gradually improving, as may be feen by his Elementa Phyfica, of 1734 and 1741, and his Inftitutiones, publifhed in 1748 the latter work having been tranflated into moft of the European languages, and univerfally taught in our academies, as a compleat fyftem of phyfics. Our laborious Profeffor, however, ftill making daily acquifitions in the fcience, and accumulating a number of new experiments, conceived the defign of improving his plan ftill farther, in the prefent Introduction; which, it must be allowed, is, in every respect, greatly fuperior to any of his former publications, and had been probably much more fo, had he furvived to put a finishing hand to the work. But this talk was referved for his ingenious Colleague above-mentioned, whofe high opinion of the whole, may be learnt by the following paffage,

"Licet fortaffis pofterioribus capitibus quædam adjeciffet Cl. Auctor, fi ultimam in iis limam adhibere ipfi licuiffet; omnia

tamen

tamen quæ ad integrum fyftema phyficum pertinent, five utiliffima humano generi et perfpicuis demonftrationibus munita theoremata, five notatu maxime digna recentiorum obfervata et experimenta confideremus, in hac Introductione adeo copiore expofuit, ut pauciffima reperiantur fcripta, quæ hacce opus præftantiâ æquiparare poffunt, utque, fi illud conferamus accuratius cum anterioribus Cl. Viri fyftematibus eximia ac ingenti labore nata huic incrementa acceffiffe facili negotio deprehendamus."

With due deference, however, to our learned Editor, and without meaning to detract in the leaft from the merit of his induftrious and indefatigable Author, we do not think any of the voluminous performances we have feen of this kind, entitled to the appellation of Phyfical Syftems. Phyfics, indeed, hath been fometimes called an experimental fcience, because it is founded on experiments; but there is a material diftinction between experiment and fcience, as there is between the rules of practical mechanics and the theory of natural philofophy. Our celebrated Profeffor hath, like many others, laid down the principles, and illuftrated the theory of mechanics, with fuccefs: but neither are the phyfical principles he hath affumed, juftly founded on experiment; nor do the experiments he hath recorded, ferve to confirm fuch principles. Add to this, that occult qualities are no more admiffible as phyfical, than as mechanical elements; nor do any number of irreconcilable and indigested experiments, form a theory of any kind whatever. But, to explain ourfelves more fully on this head; which is the more neceflary at this time, as our Natural Philofophers, as they are called, follow each other implicitly in the fane beaten track, without feeming to fufpect the fallibility of their predeceffors. Thus our learned Profeffor, in the beginning of his performance, makes no hefitation to adopt the regula philofophandi of Sir Ifaac Newton, and thence mistakenly to deduce, what he calls, the univerfal qualities of all bodies. Let us examine, however, how fome of thefe qualities agree with the nature and laws of motion, as laid down by the fame Philofophers.

It is, from an erroneous conclufion, taken for granted, that the elements of a body are folid and impenetrable, and that they move about in a perfect vacuum. It is alfo fuppofed, that motion may be given to them, when at reft in fuch a vacuum; through which they will move quicker, if urged by a greater impulle than if by a lefs, and vice verfe. And yet our Author declares, that all motion, however quick, muft take up fome time. "Omnis inotus, utcunque celer fuerit, fit in tempore, nec ullus motus fieri poteft in intianti." But, if an impenetrable body exift at reft in a perfect vacuum, what reafon can polibly be given, that it is not moved by a small impulfe, (if moved

at

at all) as quick as by a great one? Or that, when impelled by either, it would not move through fuch a vacuum inftantaneoufly? The resistance to such impulfe, being null, it would bear the fame proportion to a greater as to a smaller one; fo that, if the impulfe had any effect to make the body change its place, what should hinder it from doing fo inftantaneously, and that to any distance indefinitely? Where there is no refistance to an impulfe, what fhould occafion the motion, confequent thereon, to take up any certain time? Will it be faid, the vis inertia of the body? What is that vis inertia? Or how can it exift in an impenetrable body, lying at reft in vacuo? That all palpable bodies have a quality, which, with no great impropriety, may be termed a vis inertia, is certain; and alfo, that the motion of fuch body muft neceffarily take up time. But, if a physical cause can be affigned for both this quality and phenomenon, it is quite unphilofophical to fuppofe them phyfical principles. And whether this cause suggest itself or not, it is certain that mechanical principles being dependent on physical, should never be inconfiftent with them. The truth is, that the laws of motion, affumed by our Author and others, are not arbitrary principles, to be attributed immediately to the Deity, as they fuppofe; but are merely fecondary mechanical principles, flowing, as a neceffary effect, from others ftill more general. Thus the elements of body take up time, in moving from one place to another, and that in proportion to the momentum of the impulfe given them; because they move in a resisting medium; which must be made to give way fucceffively, and cannot overcome a great impulfe in the fame time as a small one. We throw out these hints, however, only by way of caution to the young Student, that he may not mistake a fyftem of practical mechanics, for a fyftem of natural philofophy.

With regard to many of our Author's experiments also, we think them too vague and incoherently related, to be of much fervice to phyfical theory; particularly fome of his electrical obfervations, and his remarks De corporibus lucem bibentibus. But, notwithstanding thefe and ether fimilar objections, that might be made to this work, confidered as a fyftem, it is undoubtedly the beft and compleatest Introduction to Phyfical Science now extant. The experiments are numerous, and are illuftrated by a great variety of plates, well defigned and engraved; the whole doing honour, in this refpect, as well to the Editor as to the Artifts concerned in the execution of this elegant work.

Extract

Extrait des Affertions dangereufes et pernicieufes en tout genre, que les foi difans Jefuites ont, dans tous les tems et perfeverament, foutenues, enfeignées et publiées dans leurs Livres, avec l'Approbation de leurs Superieurs et Generaux. &c. Or,

Extracts of Affertions of the most pernicious and dangerous Tendency, held by the Jefuits, and conftantly maintained, taught, and published in their Writings, with the Approbation of their Generals and Superiors; ftated and authenticated by the Commiffioners of the Parliament of Paris, appointed to execute the Refolution of the Court of the 31st of Auguft, and the Arrêt of the 3d of September following, on the Books, Thefes, and other Works of the Jefuits. 12mo, 3 Vols. Paris and Amfterdam, 1763.

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HE great avidity with which this work hath been received in France, where four editions were bought up as faft as they iffued from the prefs, feems to be a proof how well fatisfied the public in general are, with the meafures lately taken in that kingdom, to extirpate this famous Society. To give every one his due, however, we cannot help thinking this reverend Fraternity a little hardly dealt by, in the prefent inftance. The virulence, at leaft, with which they have been profecuted, doth no honour to the motives for precipitating their deftruction. The measure of public hatred to this Society, and probably of its own iniquity, hath indeed been long fince full; and it is not uncommen, in the courfe of Providence, to fee those who have long triumphed over juftice with impunity, meet condign punishment in falling themfelves a victim to injuftice. The Jefuits have certainly played their own game a confiderable while, as well as feveral other religious orders of the church of Rome: at the fame time, however, it cannot be denied but they have been as ufeful to community as moft others; and though fome of the latter may poflibly be mistaken enough to rejoice in the fall of this. Society, it may, in all probability, be only the fpeedy forerunner of their own ruin; for let them think of their inftitutions as they will, fuch is the end which, as the thief faid to his comrade, they must all come to.

If the Jefuits were the worft of the religious orders in France, they were undoubtedly very bad indeed; but they were affu-· redly the most politic, and confequently the moft difficult to be dealt with, by those who might have an ecclefiaftical revolution in view. It was expedient, therefore, for the latter, to embrace the firft opportunity to difable fuch powerful opponents. The difgrace which this Society lately fell into in Portugal afforded an occafion not to be neglected. Every inftance of their misconduct therefore has been collected and charged upon them; and, as if this were infufficient, behold, three volumes of propofitions, artfully extracted

extracted from their numerous and various writings, with a view to represent them as advocates for all the crimes, and even more than all the crimes, forbidden in the Decalogue. Give a eur an ill name, fays the proverb, and hang him. This, indeed, feems to be the cafe with the French Jefuits; who, notwithstanding they have been so long eftablished in France, and entrufted with the education of the principal youth of the na tion, are now discovered to be all, without exception, a parcel of traitors, conjurers, and infidels, who inculcate the principles of idolatry, blafphemy, facrilege, perjury, theft, and murder. What adds to the merit of this difcovery, alío, is, that it is made from books which have been printed, fome of them, at least an hundred and fifty years.

We hope none of our readers will here fo far mistake us, as to think we ftand up in general as advocates for the Jefuits. Right glad are we to find the ftrongeft pillar of the church of Antichrift fo effectually fhaken by thofe who fojourn under its own roof: but though, for the fake of community, we fhould be glad to have a notorious malefactor brought to juftice, we should be particularly defirous that he should be clearly found guilty of the crime for which he might fuffer. With regard to the extracts contained in these volumes, it is certain there are many very ftrange, unjustifiable, and even horrid propofitions among them; but we fhould not be furprifed that many well-meaning and even fenfible people fhould be fcandalized at the matters frequently contained in cafuiftical debates, or fcruples of conscience, even when the doctrine they are intended to illuftrate is unexceptionable. In points of cafuiftry the fubject of fcruple is often too impious, indecent, or fcandalous in itself, to admit of inveftigation our reverend Fathers, however, do not appear to have poffeffed much delicacy in this refpect; preferring their talents for the exercife of logical fubtilties to every other confideration. There is one thing, however, remarkable in the conduct of the Jefuits, and which diftinguishes them from all the other orders of the Romish clergy; this is, that the former have refolved their whole fyftem of morality into cafes of confcience; whereas the latter feem to think their penitents obliged as implicitly to obey their injunctions as if they had no confcience at all. It would be difficult alfo to determine which hath contributed moft to the corruption of mankind, the ftrange lengths which the Jefuits have carried the matter of conscience, or the abominable proftitution of confeffions, pardons, and indulgencies. When the morality of any action is ultimately referred to the confciences of men, it is highly neceffary that their confciences fhould be fufficiently enlightened to perceive the natural obligation or prohibition of it, as well as to judge of the good or evil confequences of fuch action; without which, it is an abfolute abufe of words

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