among those, who, in modern times, are promoted to the first places of government. This Effay breathes a liberal spirit, and we cannot help regretting with our author, not only that eminent abilities alone fhould be an infufficient recom-. mendation to preferment, but that the useful sciences are not more generally cultivated by thofe in the higher ranks of life.

The fecond Effay may be considered in fome measure as an illuftration of the firft. The author here endeavours to shew, that, whatever prejudices men are apt to entertain against projects, it is to these we owe all the changes which have been made in the arts, fciences, religion, and government, and that they are always the invention of men of fuperior talents. Among feveral projects of a scientific or political kind, such as those of Bacon and Des Cartes for the advancement of philofophy, the expedition of Columbus, and the project of Colbert for establishing the arts and commerce in France, the au-, thor has mentioned the religious project of Mahomet as likewife worthy of attention. He afcribes to that impoftor, the merit at least of having rescued part of the East from a gross idolatry; of having spread the knowledge of the only God, and of having introduced a religion fimple in itself, little embarraffed with abftrufe dogmas, and which, freed from fome abfurd fables, would be one of the most reasonable among the falfe. But granting this eulogium to be juft, we cannot admit, that the project of Mahomet ought to be enumerated among those which merit approbation, or that it ought not to be ftigmatized with the fevereft cenfure. We are certain, that it not only was deftitute of all intentional advantage to mankind, which is the genuine characteristic of every laudable project, but that it obftructed the propagation of Chriftianity.

In the third Effay, the author examines the nature of the paffion of love, and the reciprocal influence between it and the manners and government of a nation. We fhall present our readers with a few of his obfervations on this fubje&.

There is an effect of thefe manners, ftill more fatal to, our happiness. The habit of that inconftancy, of that levity, entends to the whole conduct of life, even to the most effential duties, A paffion, which engroffes the years of our life the moft fufceptible of impreffion, gives the foul a turn difficult to be altered. By fuffering frivoloufness and levity to enter into the manner of treating love, men accuftom themselves to use it on all occafions. The tafte for virtue, which requires confiant culture, is loft: men grow more afraid of the imputation of ridicule, than of the reproaches of vice. Inconftancy, the daughter, and mother of weakness, enervates their fouls, and renders them incapable of any elevated fentiment.

It is hot with reason that the rest of Europe accufe the: French of having spoilt all nations, by infecting them with the taste: of foppery.

This influence is full as vifible in respect to the mind and talents. Somebody has said, that the introduction of coaches was the ruin of the feiences and of letters. One may fay with greater justice, that our falfe gallantry circumfcribes the talents, and contracts their sphere. Frivoloufnefs, by bringing into vogue, and conferring honours upon little talents, the. most easy to be acquired, discourages men from attempting great things, which require labour and application. Enervated minds, minds absorbed in trifles, will no longer be able to fubject themselves to that application, nor to attempt those things. We have amiable minifters, pretry captains, gallant philofophers, and a few great men.

We value only what interefts us, and felf-love readily places that interest in qualities fimilar to those we think ourfelves poffeffed of. The generality of the fex will efteem in men, only a merit analogous to that of women. We must allow the sex the amiable qualities, the agreeables ones of every kind: but, may it be faid without offending that fair half of the human fpecies, the fituation, and particularly the education of women, oppofe their acquiring those qualities which are truly eftimable and useful to fociety? A man, defirous to please all women, will neglect true merit, and fet a value upon those trifling qualifications only, which promife him the favour of the object of his adoration. How many do we see of these amphibious beings, more women than the women themselves!

That is not all the remains of this worship, extended to the whole fex in general, lead to a diffipation fatal to talents. To make one's felf beloved, it is necessary to go thro' the whole ritual of the ceremonies of gallantry, which, though now, abridged, requires time; and that time, precious and indifpenfable in order to acquire merit, is loft in the commerce of most women. That commerce throws a man into frivolous and unfatisfactory amusements. The women, to divert their idle hours, and fill up the chafms of their lives, give the name of pleasure to whatever can fatisfy their little fouls; and those empty pleasures are exactly calculated to run away with the time which men ought to employ in fitting themselves for folid qualifications. We grow deliciously weary of ourselves in the company of women, because they make us believe that we are receiving pleasure.

I know, that this lofs of time is thought to be repaid by the acquifition of a knowledge of the world, and of politeness.

I

Thefe

Thefe advantages are, however, more imaginary than real. The bad education of women gives a fameness of manners to their fex in general, which does not fuffer characters to display their diversity. It has been faid of the French, that' they are all birds of the fame feather: this faying may, with greater reafon, be applied to women.. By knowing fome, even of the moft celebrated, one knows them nearly all. The knowledge of human nature will be little advanced by studying the fair fex.

Politeness will gain perhaps full as little by their commerce. We become polite by frequenting thofe for whom we have à deference and efteem, who by their fuperiority crush our felf-love, and curb the effects of our pride. The generality of women, by their conduct and by the nature of their flender merit, exempt us entirely from that deference and esteem. Their turn of converfation, their manner of life, their long lifts of vilifying adventures, the fcandal of precipitate ruptures, fhew us fufficiently, what kind of fentiments are infpired by frivolous beings, defpotically fubjugated by others ftill more contemptible. This commerce keeps up, and fometimes overftrains civility true politenefs will make but little progress in it.

This spirit of gallantry, of which we have seen the effects on our manners, poifons alfo one of the fources of our greatest and moft rational pleasures, learning and works of genius of every kind, feel this infection, which deprives us of the fatisfaction attached folely to the imitation of nature. 'We lofe that noble fimplicity, fo charming to every ingenious mind, and inftead of true images and natural paffions, we form chimeras. If we take pleasure in them, we are in the cafe of our ruftic ancestors, enchanted by the gigantic adventures of knight-errantry.

Our dramatic works turn wholly upon a fophifticated paffion, most commonly painted in an affected ftile, composed of infipid madrigals. A cold metaphyfic of the heart and fentiments renders them languid. Thy writers of romance fall into the fame fault, or into the contrary one of a filthy licentioufnefs. Love takes the lead in all thefe works, and is the fpring of every action; the other paffions, more, noble, more ufeful to the happiness of the public and to that of individuals, act no longer any part in them. The poets keep up the de lufion of this amorous fanaticifm; and our youth, by reading these performances. accuftom themselves to look upon love as the principal affair of life; finding, when more advanced in years, the contradiction between the practice and the theory: they depart from the moral inftinet, to liften only to the phyfical; they abandon themfelves to debauchery. It is the na

ture

ture of errors to involve in their own ruin the truths which once accompanied them.'

After an ingenious enquiry into the nature and effects of this paffion, the author concludes, that it will be difficult for the legislation of a polished people to make use of love as the fpring of action; and, that in the prefent ftate of things, the legislature can only regulate this paffion, and turn it to the advantage of the manners and morality of the men, by the merit of the women, whofe education he justly confiders as extremely defective, and unfavourable to virtue.

In the remaining Effays, the author maintains, that though commerce and luxury in a certain degree may be advantageous to a nation, they muft for ever prove pernicious when carried beyond due bounds; but that agriculture is the fource of population, and of real riches.

The fubjects of the two laft Effays have been fo often treated, that there is now fcarcely room for any originality in these investigations; and accordingly we do not find, that this author maintains any principles which will not readily be admitted by the greater part of mankind, though denied by a few political writers.

The third Effay is particularly ingenious, and contains many just observations on modern manners. We may fay with juftice of the whole, that they discover the author to be a perfon of learning, tafte, and philofophical fentiment; and tho it be evident that he has availed himself of the French writers, we must own that he has improved upon their doctrine.

VI. Select Effays from the Encyclopedy. 8vo. 6s. Leacroft. THE

HE celebrated work from which thefe Effays are extracted, intitled, Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire Raifonné des Sciences, compiled by M. Mallet, Diderot, D'Alembert, and other eminent writers in France, confifts of twenty fix volumes in folio, In this extenfive performance there are many articles, which were not intended to be the objects of a continued reading or particular study, but only to be occafionally confulted. There are others, which can be understood, or at least read with pleasure, by thofe only, who are converfant in the more abftrufe fciences. But there are many, which are within the reach of almost all capacities, and are to be confidered as complete Effays on the most entertaining and inftructive topics. Thefe are the pieces which are prefented to the public in this volume..

Art. I. Academics, by the abbé Yvon. This article contains a fuccinct account of that fect of ancient philofophers who VOL. XXXIH. January, 1772.

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followed the doctrine of Socrates and Plato, concerning the uncertainty of human knowledge, and the incomprehenfibility of truth. The word Academic, in this fenfe, fignifies pretty nearly the fame thing as Platonift, there being no other difference between them, than the periods of their commencement. Those among the ancients, who embraced the system of Plato, were called Academics; but those who have adopted the fame opinion, fince the revival of letters, affumed the name of Platonifts.

Art. II, Academy. In this article, the abbé Mallet mentions fome of the principal academies among the moderns ; and gives a particular account of the chief academies in France.

Art. III. Conjugal Infidelity. The author, M. Touffaint, difcuffes this queftion: • Which of the two criminals does most harm to fociety, he who debauches another man's wife; or he who lives in habitual fornication, and, by declining the state of wedlock, is regardless of lawfully begetting fubjects for the commonwealth?' Mr. Touffaint afferts, that the latter is more injurious to fociety. He then makes fome curfory remarks on the pernicious effects of celibacy; and mentions the punishments which have been inflicted on adulterers, in different nations.

Art. IV. is a learned differtation on the Koran, by the abbé Mallet.

Art. V. Friendship. Anonymous.

Art. VI. Love, confidered in the most extenfive fense of the word. Anonymous.

Art. VII. Amulets. Under this head the use of amulets, phylacteries, talifmans, &c. is very justly exploded, by the abbé Mallet.

Art. VIII. Contains a fhort account of the general fentiments of Jews, Chriftians, Pagans, and Mohammedans, concerning Angels; by the fame.

Art. IX. Antediluvian philosophy. The anonymous author of this Effay maintains, that whatever has been afferted by Hornius and others, concerning the philofophy of the antidiluvians, is entirely groundless. Before the flood, he fays, we fee men careful in preferving a knowledge of the true God, and the primitive traditions; we find them employed in ferious and folid occupations, fuch as tilling the earth, and taking care of their flocks. But all this, he obferves, could be done without philofophy. We therefore seek for its origin and firft progrefs to no purpose in the ages preceding the deluge. The ftory of the pillars of Seth, which Jofephus mentions in the first book of his Antiquities, c. iii. is, with great juftice, represented by this writer as a fiction.

Art.