perties of the atmosphere. Werner regards the atmosphere of the globe as the fourth natural kingdom; and in following up this idea, M. Lampadius has produced the work before us, which he divides into the following chapters. I. Of the Atmosphere in general. II. Of Meteorology. III. Of Climatology. IV. Of Meteoromancy. V. Of the reciprocal Influence of the Atmosphere and the other three Kingdoms of Nature. In the same department we have met with M. Haüy's most admiraable "Traité Elémentaire de Physique;" which we shall only now glance at, as we have already had to give it the very high share of praise to which it is most justly entitled, in Mr. Gregory's English version. We shall therefore merely observe that this elementary treatise on physics was drawn up at the express command of the present ruler of France, and that it is in every respect worthy of the talents of the author of the well known and justly celebrated Traité de Mineralogie. In the mathematics we perceive that M. Peyrard, mathematical professor at the Lyceum, has been engaged in an useful but arduous task, and that the result of his labours is the "Euvres d'Archimede, traduites litteralement, avec un Commentaire, &c." "Works of Archimedes, literally translated, with a Commentary; to which are prefixed an Account of his Life and an Analysis of his Works." So far as we have compared the version with the original, M. Peyrard has executed bis task faithfully, and performed a service which cannot fail to prove highly acceptable to geometricians. M. La Place has published a very valuable Supplement au dixieme Livre, &c." "Supplement to the Book of the Treatise on Celestial Mechanics." The tenth book of the elaborate performance here referred to, examines the phænomena which may be ascribed to the refrac tive action of bodies on the particles of light; and the author here gives a second cause of the variety and extent of the dependant phænomena, more remarkable than the former, viz. that of capillary action, a process by which the attraction becomes sensible only at insensible distances. The application of the law of capillary attraction to the refractive action of bodies on the particles of light, is new and ingenious; it is highly plausible, and we trust the idea will be pursued by the philosophic world. "Manuel de Trigonométrie Pratique, &e." " Manual of Practical Trigonometry; by the Abbé Delagrive, F.R.S. Lond. &c. revised and augmented by Tables of Logarithms for the Use of Engineers; by A. A. L. Reynard, Professor at the Polymatic School." This is also a useful practical work; and will easily teach students the processes which are necessary in measuring an arc of the meridian, in reference to which a set of very comprehensive and useful tables are here laid down and constructed. To the tables of logarithms, sines and tangents, the editor has prefixed a ready explanation. CHAPTER III. MORAL AND POLITICAL. Containing a Glance at the principal Productions of Germany, France, Rus sia, Denmark, Italy, Holland. N the historic department which IN the historic department which commence with a brief survey of what has occurred in Germany. "Beitrage zu einer statistisch-historischen Beschreibung der Moldau." "Memoirs, designed to contribute to an historic and statistic Description of the Principality of Moldavia; by Andr. Wolf, 2 vols. 8vo. Hermanstadt." The present situation of Moldavia and the adjoining territories, subject to the declining power of the Ottoman Court, gives considerable importance to whatever information can be obtained in relation to them; and hence the work before us may be regarded as a valuable political performance, the author having rendered himself well qualified for writing it by a residence for many years in Jassy and other Moldavian districts; having acquired a perfect knowledge of the Moldavian dialect, and having had access to the most learned natives and the best public documents. He estimates the population of Moldavia at two hundred and twenty thousand individuals; and the present capitation tax at one million three hundred and fifty thousand piastres. "Beitraege zur Geschichte Westphalens, &c "Memoir on the History of Westphalia; or Essay on the History of the County of Bentheim, by Raet de Boegelescamp, 2 vols. 8vo. Munster." In the course of this history we learn that disas trous as the continental war has been to almost every petty prince as well as superior sovereign, the original, dynasty of this district has derived advantage from it. It appears that in 1502 the county of Bentheim was pledged to the House of Hanover for a considerable sum of money, and the pledge not having been redeemed, it has continued in the possession of the Hanoverian government till the present tines. On the last irruption of the French, however, into Germany and their seizure of the Hanoverian dominions, Count de Bentheim Steinfurt applied to Buonaparte for a restoration of his paternal territories, and upon payment of the balance which he asserted to be due to the House of Hanover, he was reinstated in the sovereignty of that country. "Beschreibung der hampt und residenzstadt Munschen, &c." "Description of the Town of Munich, the Capital and Residence of the King of Bavaria, and of its Neighbourhood; with a History of the same: by L. Aubuer, 2 vols. 8vo. This work is not yet complete, ano ther, and perhaps a fourth volume, may be necessary to perfect the plan. The history of Munich is introduced as a prolegomenon, and contains notices relative to its geographical situ ation, and the nature of different soils in its neighbourhood: a description of the town then follows in the first section of the work; and an account of its commerce and manufactures in the second; in a sub sequent sequent section we are to be informed concerning its ecclesiastical, civil and military constitution. Versuch einer Geschichte des Bauernkriegs."" Essay on the History of the War of the Peasants in Upper Austria, and beyond the Eur: by F. Hurk." This was an obstinate insurrection which broke out, in consequence of misconduct on the part of the Austrian government, in the beginning of 1626, and continued, with alternating success, for nearly a twelvemonth. The history is here well and impartially given, and annexed to the history is a variety of documents several of which have never been published before. "Historischen versuch über die Römischen Finanzen." "Historic Essay on Roman Finances; by D. M. Hegeswick, professor at Kiel, Altona, 8vo." The author of this essay is well known by his excellent history of Charlemagne, and is, in reality one of the best statistic writers on the continent. The pre ters on the domestic Relations of the Prussian court since the death of Frederick II. 8vo." It is no small proof of the tyranny exercised over the German press that we are not informed of the place in which this interesting volume was published, or of the name of the publisher. The whole tendency of the work demonstrates that the author feels deeply for the recent evils that have befallen the Prussian monarchybemoans the misfortunes of his country with a truly patriotic spirit, and developes with an eagle eye, and a full insight into the interior of the cabinet of Berlin, the causes to which the late catastrophe, and the issue of the battles of Jena and Auerstadt is owing. The author promises to continue his very important information in a second volume and we are impatient for its appearance. Where will he now presume to print it? Gottenburg, however, and London are still open to him-and we trust will ever be. sent work has great intrinsic merit," Was hat Europe zu hoffen und and is the more valuable as it treats of a subject which has only been incidentally noticed in preceding publications. The history of Roinan finances is here divided into four periods; of these the first is from its origin to the year of the city 348; the second to the end of the great civil wars in the year 730: the third to the era of Dioclesian about the year 250 of the christian epoch; the fourth to the fall of the western empire towards the latter end of the fifth century. We shall proceed with our review of the German literature appertaining to the present chapter, that we may not have to return to the same quarter. "Vertraute Briefe über die innern Verhlätnisse am Preussischen Hofe seit dem tode Frederick II." " Confidential Let zu furchten?" "What has Europe to hope and fear? or the Political State of Europe before and after the Peace of Presburgh?" It is useful to learn truth even from an enemy. The author of this volume has a clear head but a dependant spirit: he is one of the multitude who are disposed to lick the feet of the conqueror and to boast of the glitter of the fetters that enslave him. He sees no mischief in the yoke that at present bows down the continent" all the springs of national prosperity, says he, will flow more plentifully than before" and "under the protection of France the temple of Janus will now be shut for ever." It well becomes the man who could write this fulsome panegyric upon Buonaparte, to assert a few pages afterwards, that the reformation reformation effected by Luther was the most disastrous political event that ever befel Germany, or rather Europe at large-the greatest check to the progress of civilization and the diffusion of truth the world has ever encountered; the prime promotion of moral and religious indifference, and the grand stimulus to the most enervating luxury. We are sorry that this writer should have advised the British cabinet, as the only means of supporiing the influence and dignity of the nation, to do that which has now been carried into effect very fully in spirit, if not in letter; and that is, to make war against all the nations of Europe whether neutral or not, excepting Russia; to destroy all commercial intercourse; and to send two powerful fleets with troops to take possession of the Brazils and of South America. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. "System der Politik und des Handels von Europa, &c." System of the Politics and commerce of Europe; by John Joshua Shutzman LL.D. of the University of Erlangen, 8vo. Nuremberg." At a time when many politicians are too much disposed to accomodate their opinions to the circumstances of the day, and hence to maintain that commerce is rather a source of impoverishment than of wealth to a nation, the work before us, written, without any reference to this fashionable but temporary controversy, is well worth perusing. One of the chief objects of the writer is to prove that" a direct diminution of the commercial superiority of Great Britain would be highly injurious, not to that country only, but to the common welfare of Europe, for the advantage likely to accrue to other nations from such an effect, would be a mere delusion. To weaken England, therefore, as circumstances now are is to weaken Europe. The industry and riches of that country belong to all others. The manufactures of the value of at least thirty millions which England furnishes annually to the commerce of the world are a great and important accession to the general property of nations." He proceeds to state that while it is owing to the immense amount of the national debt of Great Britain, and the vast disproportion of even the present revenues of France to her expences, that the contest between the two empires is thus tremendously protracted, the former in order to be able to pay the interest of her debt is obliged to engross the commerce of the world, without relaxing her exertions for a moment, while the latter is equally forced to look for ways and means beyond her own territories to defray her current expences, and hence to have recourse to exactions and imposts upon her neighbours. There is, we verily believe, much truth in this representation, and it deserves to be seriously pondered. Before we take our leave of this section of German literature, we shall observe that amidst the biographies that have occurred to us, M. J. A. Von Halem in bringing to a close his "Leben Peter des Grosser."" "Life of Peter the Great" of which he has now published the third and last volume, has performed a very acceptable service to the republic of general literature. The work contains more original matter and authentic documents than any we have seen devoted to this truly illustrious character. We shall observe also that professor Garlitt of St. John's College, Hamburgh, has written in the same language a very interesting life of Aonius Palearius, one of the restorers of letters in Italy in the middle of the sixteenth century, author author of a beautiful Latin poem "on the immortality of the soul," which he published under the sanction of cardinal Bembo; and who afterwards suffered martyrdom for having spoken favourably of Luther and his tenets, at the instance of that bigotted Dominican, Pius the fifth. We shall close with noticing that the " Nekrolog der Teutschen." "Necrology of the Germans for the nineteenth century by Fred. Schlichtegroll, 4 vols. 8vo." is upon the whole a spirited and well arranged work; full of characters, but often, delineating them too concisely. The biographies published in France are, also, many of them interesting and instructive. We may enumerate as the chief the "Memoirs of Henry de Campion, Lord of Fecquerei, of Boscferai, de la Lande, and of Feuc, &c.:" containing facts relative to a part of the reigns of Louis XIII. and Louis XIV., drawn from original documents; and interspersed with a variety of curious anecdotes of the dukes of Vendome and Beaufort, as well as of Cardinal Mazarin: and embracing the general politics of the middle of the seventeenth century. "Essai sur la vie du Grand Condé." Essay on the life of the Great Condé; by Louis Joseph de Bourbon Condé his fourth descendant," which we have already noticed with applause in its English translation. Of the territorial or national histories we shall commence with M. Cl. Rulhiere's Histoire de l'Anarchie de Pologne, &c." "History of the Anarchy of Poland and of the dismemberment of that republic. To which are added Anecdotes relative to the revolution in Russia in 1762, 4 vols. 8vo." The anecdotes here mentioned were published separate ly some years ago, and had so fas yourable a reception as to be translated into our own tongue. We noticed the version at the time of its appearance, and made various extracts from different parts of it, The preceding part of this work is worthy of the same author: it is ela borate, instructive, and curicus, yet it did not receive M. Rulliere's finishing hand: unhappily he died before he had consummated it. "Histoire du Bas Empire depuis Constantin jusqu'à la prise de Constantinople, &c." "History of the Lower Empire from the epoch of Constantine to the capture of Constantinople in 1453, by Jacques Casentin Royon, 4 vols. Svo." One of the first historical works in point of classical merit which has been put forth from the French press since the historical novels of Anacharsis. The period delineated is highly important, and full of incident; and from the beginning to the end the author's manner is dignified and unaffected. He appears to state facts faithfully, but like the rest of his countrymen too generally omits to quote his authorities, which renders the authority of the work too little to be depended upon. We nevertheless hope to meet with this history in the language of our own country. "Histoire Critique, &c." "Critical History of the Roman Republic; by P. C. Levesque, member of the Institute, &c., 3 vols. Svo." We have a good opinion of M. Levesque's classical taste and talents; but in the work before us, he appears to have perverted them to the political purposes of his day. As long as France preserved a shadow of liberty, she was fond of boasting of her resemblance to ancient Rome; but now that the last shadow has fled away, this resemblance must be forgotten, and the |