feffions. He, for fome time, has retired, and is allowed to live in quiet at Saxe-Gotha; but feveral of his difciples in this country have been severely punished, and fome of them are now in prison.' Of the regulations of Leopold, while Grand Duke of Tufcany, the following particulars are related: The Grand Duke has wifely reduced the formerly unrestrained power of his nobles within regulated limits and laws. He protects, and encourages, the useful and induftrious body of peasants, who are in more easy and happy circumstances than under any other fovereign prince in Italy. He has retrenched the exorbitant papal power, and made a great progrefs in correcting the abufes; and leffening the number of idle and fuperftitious convents.-In the course of this truly noble and beneficent defign, he was interrupted, fome years ago, by a fudden and tumultuary infurrection of about ten thousand common people, excited by the fecret arts and emiffaries of Rome. As they had no formed plan, nor leader, they were eafily fuppreffed, and fome of them were punished.-The particular occafion of this difturbance was a circumstance of a ludicrous nature. In one of the convents, within ten miles of Florence, a very fhabby piece of cloth, hung up at an altar, had, for ages, been revered as the original girdle of the Virgin Mary. None of the people doubted, that many miracles, and wonderful cures were, from time to time, performed by the virtues of this facred relic; a prevailing apprehenfion for the lofs of it was the caufe of this infurrection.-Such was the vox populi upon this occafion in Tufcany; and it is often fimilar in other countries.It is, for the most part, the diffonant voice of prejudice and delufion, infinitely varied through the world.' In the midst of many articles, which by themselves might appear of little confequence, the reader will here meet with much curious information and many just and useful reflections. FOREIGN LITERATURE. ART. XVIII. Bibliotheca Claffica, five Lexicon Manuale; qua Nomina Propria Pleraque, apud Scriptores Græcos et Romanos Maxime Clafficos, obvia illuftrantur. 8vo. PP. 555. Daventriae, (Over-Yiel.) IN 1794. N forming accurate claffical fcholars, perhaps there is nothing more defirable, after the firft grammatical preparation is completed, than that the learner fhould be obliged to rely as much as poffible on his newly-acquired ftrength, with no other aid than a correct text and the neceflary lexicons. Among many other inconveniences, which attend the method of putting into the hands of boys thofe editions of school-books which have interpretation, notes, and other apparatus for the purpofe of expediting their labours, (fuch as the editions of Minellius, Farnaby, and those in ufum Delphini,) one of the principal is that they gather up, in a curfory way, and often from very de fective fective or falfe fources, mutilated accounts of perfons or places mentioned in their authors: whereas, if they be accustomed to confult a good dictionary for these articles, the entire explanation, coming frequently before their eyes, is fixed in their memory, and recurs in an unbroken form to their recollection. The dictionaries, however, which are in common ufe in fchools, not excepting the beft edition of Ainsworth, are too concife in their mythological, hiftorical, and geographical explanations, completely to anfwer the purpose. On the other hand, fuch large works as thofe of Stephens and Lloyd are too cumbrous for hourly use, and are more adapted to affift the ftudies of the learned than to facilitate the progrefs of the learner. To fupply the wants of the fcholar in this refpect, several very laudable and fuccessful attempts have been made in our own language. As far as concerned the geographical part of learning, a very ufeful manual has been provided by Mr. M'Bean in his dictionary of Antient Geography, printed in the year 1773, by which the barren alphabetical lift, known by the name of Eachard's Geographical Dictionary, was fuperfeded. In like manner, the defects of more general claffical dictionaries of proper names, particularly thofe of Danet's Dictionary of Roman and Greek Antiquity, (drawn up in French for the ufe of the Dauphin, and tranflated into English in the year 1700,) have been of late years very happily fupplied, in the English language, in part by Wilfon's Archeological Dictionary, published in 1783t, and ftill more extensively in Lempriere's Claffical Dictionary, published in 1789. The prefent work is intended to furnish the fchools in general with a lexicon of this kind in the univerfal language of scholars. The compiler informs the reader that he at firft proposed to give a direct tranflation of Mr. Lempriere's book, but, on a close examination of the work, found fo many errors, and fo many articles of dubious credit, that he was under the neceffity of changing his plan. This charge is unfupported by any particular inftances; and, notwithstanding the faults which he finds with this work, he makes it his principal guide. It should be remarked, alfo, that in 1792 was published a fecond edition of Mr. Lempriere's work, greatly enlarged; and which is a much thicker volume than the one now before us, and on a smaller type. It does not appear that the Deventer editor ever faw that impreffion; and we fhall not, therefore, decide on the comparative merits of the two performances. * See Review, vol. xlix. p.155. Vol. Ixviii. p. 537. Vol. lxxx. p. 452, and New Series, vol. xii. p. 115. Where Where Mr. L. had tranflated from Stephens, Lloyd, or Hoffman, the present author has indeed copied their words, except where these were manifeftly erroneous: but, in other parts, he has followed Mr. Lempriere, with fuch abridgements and corrections as he found neceffary: not, however, without calling in the aid of the commentators and other writers on Greek and Roman antiquity, to improve the work. The explanations are juftified by particular references to authors; and, where the pronunciation of the names might appear to the learner uncertain, the quantity is marked. On the whole, we see much reafon to recommend this work to the attention of preceptors, as a very useful manual for the illuftration of the claffics. ART. XIX. Pieces Intéressantes, &c. i. e. Interesting Pieces, ferving to authenticate the principal Events which happened under the Mayoralty of J. PETION, Member of the Conftituent Affembly of the National Convention, and Mayor of Paris. Vol. IV. 8vo. pp. 415. Paris. London, imported by De Boffe. WE E formerly noticed the preceding volumes of the works of this celebrated but unfortunate magiftrate*, whofe principal error appears to have confifted in forming too favourable an opinion of human nature in general, and particularly of his fellow-citizens. This fourth part may be confidered as a chronological statement of the important events which happened at Paris during his mayoralty, accompanied with such observations as feemed neceffary to place actions and characters in their true light. Among thefe detached pieces, we diftinguish three which appear to us peculiarly worthy of attention. The first contains the account of his own conduct in office, and explains the duties required from a mayor of Paris. The second relates to the accufation of Robespierre, with M. PETION's opinion of the character and views of that unfeeling and blood-thirsty demagogue. The third is entitled a few words on an important truth;' from which, as it is peculiarly applicable to the recent ftate of things in France, we fhall give the following extract, freely tranflated: At the time when we are giving a new government to France, founded on the eternal bafis of morality and philofophy, the light of knowlege feems daily to decline. The public in general pay too little attention to this retrograde motion, and to the empire which ignorance is beginning to anume. I fpeak not of the lethargy which has feized the arts. Thefe children of leifure and luxury can only profper in the bofom of peace and abundance. The ftorms of a revolution are unpropitious to their welfare: but, when the calm returns, * See Rev. vol. x. p. 515. there there is reason to hope that they will revive and flourish, and affume a greater character. I speak of that general darkness which thickens and fpreads, which every day marks with deeper tints the horizon of our moral and political knowlege, and threatens finally to overwhelm both the agreeable arts and the useful fciences. This triumph of ignorance depends on several causes, but there is one principal cause that merits all our attention. During thefe laft four years, the elements which compofe fociety have been in a perpetual agitation. There was a neceffity for preparing the minds of men for liberty. Papers, journals, writings of all forts have been circulated and diffufed even to the extremities of the provinces. Men, who before blindly obeyed the will of defpotic authority, have been brought to think and to reafon; focieties for inftruction have been formed; apostles of freedom have taught; men have been collected into affemblies for exercifing their political functions; functions which formerly were engroffed by the few, but which are now communicated to the people at large. Thus it has happened that liberty, if we may fo exprefs it, has been ripened in a hot-house. Before the revolution, the science of government was ftudied by a few philofophers; it has now become at once the ftudy of all the citizens of France. What is the confequence? These citizens, just emerged from the Dunghill of prejudice and abafement, are incapable of exalting themselves to the height of their prefent fortune. They take their firft notions for knowlege; their crudeft conceptions for refults of experience; and the groffer is their ignorance, the greater is their prefumption. Men, deftitute of intellectual culture, harangue the multitude, and confidently decide the most difficult queftions. Their hearers receive and convey their errors through a thousand channels; and thus the public opinion, taking a falfe direction, overwhelms the constituted authorities, and hurries them captive in its wild but irrefiftible torrent.-If there be cafes in which the people are better conducted by instinct than by reason, they are not thofe which relate to objects demanding accurate obfervation, combination, and reflection :--let us examine the characters of those who afpire to high political functions. They are men fluent in popular jargon, deflitute of capacity, devoured by ambition, and who think no fituation above the level of their talents. By flattering the people, they obtain an afcendency over them: but, ftripped of their calumnies, perfonalities, accufations, and a few common phrafes, what are thefe men in themfelves? Have they difcovered a single truth, have they advanced one ftep toward principles, have they written any ufeful work, or even delivered any one ufeful difcourfe? No! but they have driven, from the fervice of the public, men of fenfe and virtue, who, provoked and difguiled at their impertinence, grofinefs, and abfurdity, retire with a figh, waiting better times, and hoping that the excefs of the evil will cure itfelf." It remains for time to reveal whether the proceedings of the Indulgents will juftify thefe remarks, as fully as they were illuftrated by the conduct of their predeceffors. MONTHLY MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For OCTOBER, 1794. LAW. Art. 20. Term Reports in the Court of King's Bench; from Michaelmas Term, 26th George III. to Eafter Term, 27th George III. both inclufive. By Charles Durnford and Edward Hyde Eaft, of the Temple, Efquires, Barristers at Law. The Fourth Edition, corrected, with additional References. In Two Volumes. Royal 8vo. pp. 840. 195. Boards. Butterworth. 1794. THE prefent publication is a handfome and convenient edition of the first volume of thofe Reports which originally came out in folio in the year 1786, and which are now continued at the clofe of every Some references to later decifions are introduced in the margin of thefe volumés. term. Art. 21. The New Natura Brevium of the most reverend Judge, Mr. Anthony Fitzherbert. To which is added a Commentary, fuppofed The Ninth to be written by the late Lord Chief Juftice Hale. Edition, collated with former Editions, and corrected; fome Notes and References added; and the Index confiderably enlarged. Royal 8vo. 2 Vols. 11. 4s. Boards. Butterworth. 1794. This is a very learned work on an useful, though abstruse, part of the law, and the prefent editor has corrected feveral inaccuracies which appeared in most of the former impreffions.-The Index is confiderably enlarged and improved. Art. 22. Cafes argued at Nifi Prius, in the Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, from Eafter Term 33 George III. to Hilary Term 34 George III. with fome additional Cafes of an earlier Period. By Ifaac 'Efpinaffe of Gray's Inn, Efq. Barrifter at Law. 5s. Boards. Butterworth. 1794. Royal 8vo. pp. 145. To perpetuate points of evidence is fo ufeful, that we have often wondered that Reports of Nifi Prius Cafes have not been more frequent in the profeflion.-Lord Raymond and Sir John Strange have left fome few Reports of this defcription, but their example has never, as far as we can recollect, been followed until the appearance of the prefent publication. We think that the plan deferves encouragement, because it may be accompanied with many advantages; and the execution of this volume is entitled to approbation. Art. 23. The Trial of John Froft for feditious Words, in Hilary Term 1793. Ridgway. 1794. The following are the words on which the prifoner was indicted: "I am for equality; I fee no reafon why any man fhould not be upon a footing with another; it is every man's birth-right;" and, on being afked what he meant by equality, he replied, "Why no Kings;" and, again being asked if he meant no King in this country, he faid, Yes, no King; the conftitution of this country is a bad one."The defence fet up by Mr. Erfkine, in one of his most eloquent and able |