cher, who has confined himself to rendering his original with minute exactness, has not in the least degree varied from this division.

As to the style of this translation, M. Boucher, considering with as much propriety as taste, that it would have been highly improper to give a modern gloss to a gothick composition, and wishing even to respect the defects of this venerable pile, has preserved the Catalan construction, as far as it was possible, deviating from it only where it cast too great an ob scurity upon the subject. We cannot forbear expressing our gratification at his talent of preserving to his text the stamp of the age in which it was written, characterised by those natural expressions, and that attractive simplicity which we find with such pleasure in ancient writers.

As M. Boucher wished to establish several positions relative to the time and place, in which the Consolato was first digested, and to the grounds of the decisions contained in it; and also to explain several points there decided, and to notice some apparent omissions, he found it necessary to add an entire volume of dissertations, in which, this learned man has displayed much erudition. The second volume presents us with a pure and plain text, containing rules of conduct for the lawyer, the magistrate, and the merchant, while the first offers to the man of letters a varied and instructive entertainment. Among other subjects, he will there see with pleasure and interest, the researches into the Catalan dialect, which the author proves not to be, as has been supposed, the Limousin altered, but that they are different dialects, both derived from the Latin, corrupted by the Teutonick. Then follow the chapters upon the code of Justinian, the compilation called the Rhodian laws de jactu, and the regu lations and ordinances of Wisbuy; in which it is shewn, that the Rhodian laws, whose origin is lost in the remotest antiquity, the ancient customs of the east, and the laws of Justinian, formed the basis of the Consolato, which in its turn became the foundation of the laws of Oleron, and of the ordinances of Wisbuy ; articles upon Spain, the Moors, the maritime cities of Italy, the Eastern and Asiatick countries; details relating to the isle of Rhodes and its ancient power, in which mention is made of the famous colossus, as well as of the obelisks brought from Egypt to Rome, and of the construction and dimension of the vessels used for their transportation; dissertations on the Chinese, the mariner's compass, the usagé of flags, the origin of different marine officers, upon punishments and exe. cutions; upon the state of navigation in the middle ages, pilgrimages, coins, weights and measures, We have then something upon feudal anarchy, and many of its institutions, and a concluding chapter upon the origin of bills of exchange, in which we perceive, against the received opinion, that the Jews are not the inventors of them, but that they take their rise from the highest period of antiquity in India, besides having been used under different forms, from time immemorial.

It would be tedious even to mention here the great number of other subjects which the translator of the Consolato has laboured to collect; and which he has thought necessary to the elucidation of his text. We will not conceal our belief that this part of the work might have been greatly compressed. The author leaves his subject very frequently; he cites to little advantage ancient verses, songs, old histories; and all this to embellish an ancient maritime code! But the second volume makes amends for the rambling and extravagance that is found in the first.

*It is with peculiar satisfaction, that we announce to our juridical friends the appearance, in a more modern dress, of that monument of the perfection of the jurisprudence of the early ages, usually called Il consolato del mare.

There has scarcely been an edition of this desideratum within the last century; and even Mr. Abbot, the speaker of the English house of commons, in bis treatise on the law of shipping, &c. laments his inability to consult this earliest maritime code of modern Europe.

This work is so rarely to be met with, that we do not believe that more than one copy has ever found its way into this part of the country; and when this

+ It belongs to the late President Adams.

PUBLICK ECONOMY.......The French government employs itself in the reestablishment of its forests with the same ardour that it infuses into all its operations which tend to the increase of publick prosperity. Several are restored every year, and those frightful wastes, memorials of the negligence of former administrations are gradually disappearing. The police of the forests is directed with a vigilance that secures it from trespasses, and preserves that valuable portion of the publick domains,from those dilapidations to which it has been so long a prey. The study of correct principles relating to the culture of forests begins to take place. In short, the art of managing the forests has become a science, highly worthy the attention of our publick officers.

All the principles of this science are found collected in the new Forester's Manual. This work is extracted chiefly from the German publication of M. de Burgsdorf, grand maître of the Prussian forests. But M. Baudillart, who has abridged it, has made it a manual for the use of French foresters by means of the notes and observations which he has added to it. Every part of the science of managing forests is methodically arranged in this work. The general principles upon the management of forests are first laid down, and the knowledge necessary to be possessed by a forester, It then treats of the properties of vegetables and of the natural history of forests; as respects their soil and the different species of forest trees and shrubs.

The second volume contains a treatise on geometry and mechanicks, as they are applied to this subject, instructions for ship timber, with engravings which exhibit the form of the trees fit for this purpose; a classification of the kinds of wood that can be wrought; some principles of hydraulick architecture in its relation to forests; the art of cultivating a sandy soil; accurate instructions for the culture of wood in general, and on that of many separate species; general principles for the raising of the shady and resinous trees; a discussion of the best system of machinery adapted to agriculture; the manner of gathering and preparing the principal produc

copy was recently introduced into one of our courts of justice, it was regarded with astonishment.

Although we cannot speak of the merits of the edition, here noticed, yet as there has been only a superaddition to the original, it must be a valuable acquisition to legal science. It would be presumption in us to contradiet the fact that professor Boucher has traced the compilation of the present Consolato to Celelles; still we can not but express our doubts on this head; and more particularly as we find, that the host of jurists who have appeared within the three last centuries (among whom were men whose learning was as extensive as it has been unrivalled) were unable to explore its origin in the recesses of antiquity.

Dr. Arthur Browne, in his Lectures on the civil and admiralty law, speaking of the Consolato del mare, says, "It has been termed by a most respectable writer, a venerable pile of maritime and commercial law, whose origin is of such remote antiquity, and rooted so deeply in the annals of time, that no one can tell with certainty at what period it was composed. It was certainly approved and adopted as their maritime law, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, by the free states of Italy, which, with some cities of Spain, then possessed almost exclusively the maritime commerce of the south of Europe, as the Hanse Towns did of the north. It contains the constitutions of the Greek and German emperours; of Minorca and Majorca; of the Venetians and Genoese. It is abused by Bynkershoek and Hubner as a farrago, ou un recueil assez mal choisi; but it is in general, and justly, respected as a most valuable treasure, and Giannoni highly commends it.

"Those who have procured the Consolato might almost imagine that the calumniators of the work had never read it with care. To my humble judgment, it appears a work of surprising merit, when we consider the period in which it was composed; clear, concise and judicious. The copy which I have used was lent to me by the favour of a friend; for the book is now extremely scarce, and is in the Italian language, printed at Venice, in 1737, with the Spiegazióne of Casa Regis, and the Portoláno of Da Mosto, annexed. I have since procured a copy, but without the Spiegazióne."

FED.

tions of the forest, such as resin, potash, tanner's bark, turf, &c. &c. general observations on the improvement of forests, and the necessary course to be pursued in the maintenance, preservation, and police of them, their boundaries and contents; the prosecution and punishment of offences, the periods of fishing and hunting. The customary rights, and the abuses to which they are subject. The work ends with a transcript of the laws regulating the management of the forests, and of the ordinance of 1669. This brief narration of the subjects contained in this work will shew its importance to foresters of all grades, to ship builders in their selection of timber, to the owners of forests and all those who are employed in their cultivation.

The approbation which the government have bestowed on it by causing it to be published, is, besides, a proof of its correctness, and of the care which has been taken in its composition.

HISTORY......The last edition of the Tablettes Chronologiques of Langlet Dufresnoy, was published by Barbeau de la Bruyère to the year 1778. M. Picot, has brought them down to 1808. He has thus augmented this work with an addition of the events of thirty years, independent of others, incorporated into the body of it.

The first volume consists entirely of ancient history. The second contains a summary of the events of modern history until the 24th of March, 1808, and a chronological table of kings.

The third terminates the work with a general alphabetical table, and is devoted to literary modern history.

ELOQUENCE....If ever there was a nation unfortunate throughout every period of its long existence, it is undoubtedly that of the Jews. In order to be convinced of this, it would be only necessary to read the little book that has just been published under the title of " A picture of the misfortunes of the Jewish people," "* the author of which has designated himself merely by the initials N. R. C. We find, by turns, almost every nation on earth leaguing itself against the Jews, who, indeed, shew themselves to be isolated and intolerant; they are driven from their own country and are held in servitude; they escape, and, in traversing frightful deserts, become the prey of every pain; they are constantly building their temple and cities, which are invariably destroyed without being finished; they recommence the building of their cities and temple, as soon as their enemies, wearied with their slaughter, afford them the respite of a few years. When foreigners do not massacre them by thousands, they destroy one another; tribes arm themselves against tribes, and their kings are more barbarous towards their subjects, than their most cruel enemies. What bloody annals! Each page presents to our view crimes of the blackest die * **** Mr. N. R. C. has not endeavoured to weaken the colours of this repulsive picture. His authorities are Bossuet, and the historian Josephus. He acknowledges in his preface all the quotations he has made from them. In doing this he has only discharged his duty, which he would have done more fully had he marked those quotations in the course of his work,

The picture is, in fact, an imitation of the Discourse upon Universal History. The author avows at the beginning that he is a novice in the art of writing. We perceive it very frequently; his style, however, possesses sprightliness and clearness; but we must perhaps believe, what he him. self asserts in his preface, with much more modesty than elegance; the good is from Bossuet and Arnauld d'Andilly; the bad belongs to myself. However that may be, we have viewed this picture with much interest; it gives rise to reflection *****

But what could have induced the author to add to this small book twelve pages of poetry, indifferent enough, and which have not the least

*

Tableau des Malheurs du peuple Juif depuis sa sortie d'Egypte jusqu'à la prise de Jérusalem inclusivement; suivi de quelques vers, avee cette épigraphe. Qui seminat iniquitatem, metet mala. PROVERB.

A Paris, chez les marchands de nouveautés. 1808. 70 pages d'impression..

connection with the Picture? Perhaps these are all the works of the author; and he was anxious to empty his port folio at once. Through regard to his reputation, we could have wished that he had published only

his prose.

POETRY.....How happy the task of a compiler! Without any labour of the mind, without any other trouble than that of collecting a hundred volumes on his table, he may give to the publick, every month, a new work, full of old ideas, it is true, but which may be announced as extremely useful. This was the occupation in which the late M. Alletz employed his time, with a talent and conscientiousness peculiar to himself. The new editor of his Ornaments for the Memory,* reckons nearly eighty different works published by this laborious compiler in less than forty years; and some of these works consist of four and five volumes each!

That which has been just republished is short enough; and we own that it may even be useful in the instruction of youth. It is a selection made with taste, and contains some brilliant passages (as the title tells us) from the most celebrated French poets This book has had several impressions, but with little attention. The new edition is correct; and as many good poets have arisen since Alletz first published his collection, the editor has very properly drawn from their treasures. Piron, Gilbert, Le Brun, are, however, almost the only modern poets whom he has put under contribution. He has required nothing of the living. Does he fear the embarrassment of their riches?

ROMANCES....The Library of Romances, after having experienced pretty good success during many years, has seen, we know not why, the number of its partisans decrease. It has ceased and reappeared at two or three different times; we believe it, at this time, at least suspended. A skillful editor, thinking without doubt that it was a dead work, has thought proper to resuscitate it under another title. Les Mille et une Nouvelles have appeared, and have already reached the eighth volume. There is, however, this difference between this new publication, and the Library of Ro mances, that in the latter we found an abstract of ancient as well as modern romances, selected from works forgotten or little known, whilst the former is a collection of little novels, the greater part of which have never been before published.

We shall only notice the number that is just published. It contains seven novels, among which we remark Flavilla, an English production. In this is represented a young female, whose frivolous propensities precipitate her into an abyss of misery. The subject is not new; but the characters are pretty well drawn, and the scenes natural.

The Athenian novel, which is the third in this number, does not discover any knowledge of Grecian manners. La Garaibe, an American novel, is a ridiculous caricature. The author has attempted to imitate the manner of Voltaire: instead of a gay and philosophick picture, he has presented us with a most miserable daubing.

The editor is, not withstanding, continually in ecstacies, at the end of each novel, at the beauties he has discovered in it. How well related this is, says he to the publick; nothing can be more entertaining. He has always in his mouth the vos plaudite cives. Then he remarks upon its moral tendency, and sometimes adds a short sermon, in a most simpering style. To what purpose are these editorial notes? If a novel be moral, and well written, must the reader be informed of it? Every one of them might tell him, We can easily discover it. Besides, he runs the risk of seeing his opinions very often combatted by the publick; this is what we have just done here; and it is an unpleasantness he might easily avoid.

Les ornemens de la Mémoire, ou les traits brillans des poëtes Francais les plus célèbres; avec dissertations sur chaque genre de style; pour perfectionner l'éducation de la jeunesse, taut de l' un que de l'autre sexe. Par P. A. Alletz; nouvelle édition, revue avec soin, considerablement augmentée et précédée d'une notice sur la vie de l'auteur. Un volume in 12. A Paris, chez Capelle et Renand, libraires-commissionaires, rue J. J. Rousseau. 1808.

SCULPTURE.

WHILE innumerable treasures of ancient art have been accumulated in France by the great plunderer of the territory, the wealth and the liberty of nations, England, if not wholly neglectful, has appeared in general very little solicitous to enrich herself by the pursuit of merely ornamental acquisitions. And, in truth, if they can be obtained by such means only as have been employed by our rival, the more destitute we remain of them the better.

Amidst this boasted superiority of the various museums and cabinets of the French capital, it is no small compensation to the English admirer of sculpture, to find so great a treasure as the Elgin collection safely deposited in our own. We reflect, with pleasure, that, instead of a gratification procured by an unlicensed system of publick extortion and plunder, the mansion of this nobleman has been enriched, it is to be hoped, by the fairest means, and the most friendly negotiation. The services rendered by our country to the state, in which his lordship was resident in the character of a publick minister, are said to have facilitated the project of transporting the treasures of Athens to London. A detail of the measures, by which the removal of masses of the most refined art (at once so valuable and so weighty) was obtained, would not be without considerable interest.

There can be no fear of exaggeration in asserting, that the various fragments (for there is scarcely a figure in a perfect state) which compose this collection, present one of the finest assemblages of monuments of ancient sculpture, unquestionably, in England, and perhaps in the world. Mutilated as the statues are, without heads, without arms, without legs, and their surface impaired by the corrosive influence of the air and rain, they still hold their place in the classes of the most perfect art, and fully answer the mighty fame of the age in which they were produced, and of the all-accomplished sculptor under whose superintendance (and probably from whose designs) they were wrought.

The statue of THESEUS represents the hero seated on a lion's or tiger's skin. The large, majestick forms of the limbs, indicate his elevated character. The neck rises from the trunk like a beautiful column; the air of the head is composed and dignified. The chest, back, thighs, all have the same large and massy shape. In nothing they deviate from nature, except in their consistency; so entire a correspondence of beautiful limbs being seldom found in real life.*

It is to be remarked, that this statue, executed under the eye of the immortal Phidias, is not of that species of form which artists and connoisseurs have denominated ideal. It exhibits a pure and intelligent representation of beautiful nature. Such as Theseus is here shown, such Theseus might have been.

* The Earl of E. has several times procured the attendance of some of our famous pugilists in his gallery, for the purpose of comparing them with the forms of the Theseus. The Royal Academicians have been invited to this interesting exhibition, and the general report is consistent with the above remark. The body of Gregson, for instance, is said to yield nothing to the Greek hero in strength or symmetry; his legs are not of equal beauty.