This paper was read before the Royal Society in the year 1779, and published in the Philofophical Tranfactions for the fame year. It contains feveral ingenious methods of correcting the extreme mobility of the magnetic needle.

Experiments on Manganese, and on the Properties of the dephlogifticated Marine Acid.

This memoir may prove acceptable, even to those who are totally unacquainted with the fubject. It gives a fummary of the experiments and difcoveries made by Pelletier, Berthollet, Scheele, and Bergman; of the process by which marine acid is made to imbibe the vital air from manganefe*; and treats of the explosive properties of the new falt, formed by the union of this dephlogisticated acid with vegetable alkali, termed in the Nomenclature of LAVOISIER, Muriate oxygené de potaffe.

Confiderations on the Theory of the Detonation of Gunpowder, the Pulvis Fulminans, c.

The theoretic part of this paper was read before the Royal Society in 1779, and afterward published in their Tranfactions. The difcovery of the fulminating properties of the new falt, mentioned in the preceding article, which are confiderably greater than thole of nitre, has induced the author to fuppofe that it may be employed to form gunpowder of fuperior force. The too great facility with which this fpecies of gunpowder catches fire, he thinks may be corrected by omitting the fulphur, which is of no other ufe in the common powder than to promote ignition.

Remarks on the Malleability, Fufibility, and Ufes, of Platina.

These remarks are a continuation of the Doctor's account of this metal, published in the German language, about five years ago, in which he relates the method ufed by Count Sickingen, to render platina malleable. It was diffolved in aqua regia, and afterward precipitated by a folution of phlogisticated alkali; and then, by a procefs which the Doctor has not repeated, it was rendered perfectly ductile and malleable: but it has not been rendered completely fufible by the ftrongest heat hitherto excited in a furnace. M. Lavoifier has melted it, by laying it on a burning coal, which he animated with vital inftead of atmofpheric air. M. INGENHOUSz has alfo melted it, by twining an iron wire round a thin portion of platina, and immerfing thefe in vital air, which he illumined by the Leyden phial. M. Achard has melted it with arfenic, and afterward diffipated this volatile mineral by gentle evaporation. By fome experiments made by M. Pelletier, read before the Royal Academy of

*See Monthly Review, vol. lxxviii. p. 623, for the particulars of this procefs. Sciences,

Sciences, we learn that phosphorus purifies this new metal from every particle of iron. A mixture of twelve ounces of platina, with an equal quantity of phosphoric glass, and twelve drachms of powdered charcoal, and expofed to the fame degree of heat that is requifite to melt gold, yielded a mass of metal weighing twelve ounces and five drachms. This mafs was brittle, harotsthed ftruck fire with flint. By expofing it to the fire, and k wrnif it in fufion, the phofphorus was obferved to burn on theveyral;, leaving a blacknefs on the mafs. By thus repeatedly buileg it to fufion, the glaffy fubftance became of a lighter colet, all at length it was perfectly white and traníparent; an ence that all the iron which had given the colour to the vitrifying fubftance, was deftroyed. M. Pelletier observed, that the quantity of glass produced by the combuftion of the phofphorus, augmented in proportion to the length of time in which the phosphorated platina had been expofed in the fire in the fame veffels; till at length the platina being enveloped in a bed of glass, was no longer in contact with the air which feemed neceflary for the confumption of the remaining phofphorus. He thought that crucibles of calcined bones might absorb this. He placed, in a crucible of this kind, a cake of phofphorated platina, weighing twelve ounces and three drachms, which was the product of twelve ounces of common platina, and kept it for the space of twelve hours exposed to a fire which was ftrong enough to melt it. The mass was covered with a reddish efflorefcence, and was diminished a drachm in weight. He then expofed this mafs, in a fresh crucible, to a fire capable of keeping it in a state of fufion, for eight hours. The mass loft four drachms of its weight, and the crucible was penetrated with a reddish glass. He repeated the process in another crucible for twelve hours; this was now penetrated with a glass of a greenish blue, and the metal weighed eleven ounces and three drachms. The mafs was again expofed for fix hours, in another veffel: but now it did not melt, being deprived of the larger portion of the glaffy fubftance that had ferved as a flux: it had loft three drachms more. The mafs became white, the natural colour of the metal.

The mafs of metal now yielded to the hammer without breaking, when cold: but when heated, it cracked under the ftroke; an indication that it was not perfectly clear of phofphorus. By expofing it again to heat for a confiderable time, white vapours arofe, which indicated the prefence of phosphorus: but at length it became perfectly malleable.'

On the particular virtues of this valuable metal we fall not enlarge, as they are generally known. From fome experi

ments

ments made by M. INGENHOUSZ, it appears that platina is even a worse conductor of heat and cold, than lead.

The great and merited reputation of Dr. INGENHOUSZ has forbidden us to omit the mention of any one article in the voluminous publication under review: but although we receive, with the utmost attention, every information given us by this experimental philofopher, or even douho and conjectures that may animate to further inquiry, yea fe cannot altogether approve the method by which he cotier, is this knowlege to the world: which is by fcattering fmanents in every part of the globe, in various languages, rent vehicles, and by confounding new food with crambe is cocta. 'This affiduous attention to multiply himself, is in our opinion unworthy of the real dignity of his character. It favours fomewhat of the vanity of a petit-maitre in a Paris coffee-house; who, by a profufion of mirrors placed in every part of the room, cannot move without beholding himself reflected, as a fresh object, every moment:-Nor do we fee the neceffity of adding to his works, thofe of even his best friends, that have already appeared in other literary connections.

ART. XII. Von den Ursprung und den Abfichten des Uebels, &c. i, e. Of the Origin and Design of Evil. By M. VILLAUME. 3 Vols. 8vo. About 400 Pages in each. Frankfort, and Leipzic. 1786, 1787.

THE

HE queftion concerning the origin, nature, and defign of evil, has engaged the attention of moralifts and divines, from the earliest period of time; and has given rife to various hypothefes to explain the introduction of fuch an unwelcome gueft, fo as to vindicate the perfections of Deity. Most of thefe fyftems being founded in ignorance, have gradually vanifhed on the progrefs of knowlege. In proportion to our advancement in natural philofophy, the mind is become more reconciled to phyfical evils; from a conviction that they are the neceflary refult of caufes, whofe operations are moitly beneficial, and productive of infinitely more good than of evil. In proportion to our advancement in the science of ethics, we learn that many extravagances of conduct, with their pernicious effects, are the natural refult of ignorance, paffion, and an abuse of that freedom, without which men would be incapable of moral virtues; and that they are, in the hands of Providence, the occafional caufes of much good. In proportion as more confiftent ideas of the divine perfections have been obtained, men have become more reconciled to those disorders

which they are not yet able to explain, from a conviction that infinite Wisdom cannot err, that infinite Goodness has designs infinitely benevolent, and that these, in conjunction with irrefiftible power, will profecute to the utmost extent, the most perfect plan of creation, which they have united to form.

The extenfive work before us may be confidered as an affemblage of the moft material fentiments that have been advanced concerning the introduction, and permiffion of evil, natural and moral; and on a felection of thefe materials, M. VILLAUME builds his own hypothefis. He advances, with much boldness, and fupports with ingenuity, the fyftem, not that the introduction of evil is an unavoidable imperfection, but that what we term evil, is a very important part of the plan of Providence; that God is the benevolent author of it, and that it is the neceffary medium through which the Deity effectuates the effential good of created beings.

Metaphyfical works, like heavy bodies, always move flow. They are read by comparatively few; nor is every one that reads them able to appreciate their merits. They cannot fly over to us from the Continent, like a light-winged romance; and they require a confiderable space of time to creep from under the rubbish of numberlefs inferior publications; or to be heard amid the clamour of those which are of a more popular nature. From these causes, works of real merit, particularly in the German language, which is not an univerfal vehicle, lie for a confiderable time, and ripen their reputation, before we are able to learn how far they are worthy of our notice. The treatise under confideration has placed its author on one of the foremost feats among metaphyfical writers, according to the opinion of German philofophers; and his bold attempt totally to fubvert the kingdom of Satan, (for he ftrenuously maintains that the devil is too highly honoured, by being confidered as the author of evil,) has fpread an univerfal alarm among the orthodox divines. Induced by these various confiderations, we fhall attempt to give our readers fome general ideas of this celebrated performance.

We are told, in the introduction, that,

It is not the author's object to vindicate Providence, which requires no vindication; nor to inquire whether the conduct of the Supreme is always wife and good: for this is manifeft of itself:but to confirm the faith of himself and brethren, which faith is the true fource of wisdom and of comfort. To remove the evil is not always neceffary, in order to adminifter comfort. Every misfortune is rendered more fevere, by the manner in which it is borne, than by its own powers; and the manner of fuftaining it depends on our conceptions of evil, and of the fource whence it is derived.'

APP. REV. VOL. III.

The

The work is divided into five books. The firft contains an explanation of evil; the fecond, the valuation or estimate of evil; the third, the origin of evil. These conftitute the first volume. Book the fourth, on the neceffity of evil, conftitutes the fecond; and the third is appropriated to the fubject of the fifth book, on the utility of evil.

On fubjects of this nature, a concife statement of the general plan and mode of reasoning, will give our readers a more complete idea of the nature of a work, than many extracts from particular parts.

The author profeffes to demonftrate, that radical evil cannot exift: but that all evil, natural and moral, is an accidental aberration, or mifapplication of thofe powers which are implanted in mankind, and in nature; and which have good for their object. This doctrine he illuftrates and confirms by numerous inftances. The inferences are, that the Creator can have no bad intentions toward his creatures; and that there can be no powerful enemy of man, to whom God has given permiffion to injure him. To the queftion, whether this accidental evil could not have been avoided, he anfwers, in the fecond volume, that it is totally unavoidable; nor was it in the power of Omnipotence to prevent it, if we admit the following propofitions: first, that the Creator governs the world by ftated laws; for, according to this conceffion, it was impoffible, confiftently with these laws, to make an adequate provifion against the numberless incidents, and infinite combinations, that muft occur from the various collifions, and erroneous exertions, of the powers in action: fecondly, that the Creator governs the world by an immutable concatenation between caufe and effect. Without this, there could be no certainty, no ftated rule for the expectation of events, nor for judgment concerning them. Thus, in natural evils, no interference could take place to ward them off, without deftroying our confidence in the good expected. If waters were incapable of drowning, we should be deprived of all the advantages derived from their depth or volume, or the human body would be disqualified for its natural element, and thus lose the advantage of its make. Moral evil could not be avoided, as long as it is the constitution of nature, that man fhall not, from his birth, be endowed with infinite wifdom, by which alone many errors can be avoided: or while men are not governed by fimple propofitions, but are rouzed to action by fenfations and fufferings. Thefe confiderations fhould teach us refignation to the inconveniences, for the fake of the infinitely fuperior advantages: but mere refignation is not fufficient. This plan of Providence is the genuine fource of fatisfaction; for every fpecies of evil is pro

ductive