M. ZIMMERMAN's fyftem, the original fpecies of animals were extremely few in number. Change of climate, of food, domeftication, intermixture, &c. &c. he deems abundantly fufficient to conftitute, by their continued influence, in process of time, the great variety of fpecific differences which we now obferve. He ftates the hypothefes of Linné and M. de Buffon in all their force; and adduces a number of powerful arguments to prove their incongruity with the phænomena of nature, or with the ideas which thefe gentlemen entertained of the original conftitution of animals. He argues against the principles of Linné, that the animals which are now, from the peculiarity of their conftitutions, as well as from the nature of their food, confined to the colder regions, could not poffibly have continued in exitence when, in defcending from the higher mountains, they would be obliged to pass through large diftricts of warmer climates, deftitute of the nourishment peculiar to their natures, in order to arrive at their proper homes. To the hypothefis of M. de Buffon, which peoples the animal kingdom from the northern pole, he objects, that this idea is equally inconfonant with the different degrees of fufceptibility which are obfervable in animals; that it does not explain wherefore America should have been deftitute of many of those animals which inhabit the three other divifions of the globe; and he inquires, why population did not commence from the antarctic as well as the arctic regions? He adopts the Mofaic account of the creation as the moft philofophical, and as moft correfpondent with the prefent ftate of things. He thinks that the part of Afia which is fituated between 32 and 44, or 50 deg. of N. Lat. and 95 to 125 deg. of Long. is peculiarly adapted to be the firft region inhabited by men, and terrene animals. It is much eafier, he obferves, to explain the emigrations of the human race from this quarter, than from any other part of the univerfe. Men being, from the increafe of population, and from various other caufes, gradually transplanted and expofed to the perpetual influence of the climate where they refided, were formed into the diverfities of fize, complexion, &c. He imagines a fimilar process to have taken place refpecting quadrupeds. Thofe wnich were noxious to the human fpecies would be chafed from the refidence of men, in proportion to the increase of the breed of mankind; and the breed of fuch as were ufeful and friendly would be culti Their further difperfion may be attributed to various accidental caufes. Thofe which are found on islands, if they be of fimilar fpecies to the animals of the adjacent continent, may be fuppofed feparated, with their parent earth, by earthquakes and inundations; which, philofophers agree, bave occalioned very important changes on the surface of the globe. This This work has already engaged too much of our attention, to permit us to defcend to further particulars. From this general analyfis, our readers will be able to form fome ideas of its nature and merits. Its being published at different periods, will, in part, apologize for the want of method: but the author's minute attention to facts which are too well known to be difputed; and his frequent digreffions, in almost every chapter, are no fmall fedatives to the pleafure which the publication is capable of affording; and induce us to regret, that fome portion of that time, which has been employed in collecting a fuperabundance of materials, was not devoted to a more perfpicuous arrangement. AR T. XI. Mélanges de Litterature Suédoife, &c. i. e. A Mifcellany of Swedish Literature. Tranflated by M. AGANDER. 8vo. pp. 198. Stockholm and Paris. 1788. HE many illuftrious men produced in Sweden, at dif ferent periods, demonftrate that neither genius nor inclination have been wanting, in that country, to cultivate the fciences. A laudable attempt was made, fome years ago, to collect the different efforts of Swedish genius, and to give them energy, by the influence of royal patronage, and honorary rewards. But the Academy of Sciences eftablished in the year 1739, for this valuable purpofe, was greatly impeded, in exerting this influence, by internal commotions. The ftill, fmail, voice of wisdom, could not be heard amid the loud clamours of difcord. Under the present reign, however, not only the more abftrufe, but the more ornamental fciences, engage their attention. The Mufes are courted with affiduity, and they begin to fmile on these frozen regions of the north. Guftavus III. is beheld by the literati of Sweden, both as the Cafar and the Macenas of the age; their hero in war, and their encourager of the belles lettres, in times of peace. In the publication before us, we are prefented with a fpecimen of the progrefs which some of the principal members of the fociety have made in ornamental literature. Many of the fubjects are confined to the peculiar circumftances of the academy, or to the events of the Swedish nation; but others are of a general nature. This fpecimen introduces us into a more immediate acquaintance with the talents of M. de Rosenstein, fecretary to the academy, M. le Comte J. G. Oxenftierna, Meff. Paykul, S.öberg, Clevberg, Kellgren, Thorild, Leopoldt, and Elers. It confifts, principally, of orations and odes; which, as they were compofed on particular occafions, and in celebration of certain events, muft lofe much of their force with those who are not interefted in these events. We are obliged, alfo, to view the poetry through the medium of a profe tranflAPP, Rev. VOL. LXXXI. Τι tion. tion. Hence two difadvantages neceffarily arife. Tranflations of works of taste and genius, where much of the beauty lies in the manner in which a thought is expreffed, require a fimilarity of genius to give us proper ideas of the original. Fidelity is not fufficient: by a literal tranflation, the finer fpirits of the original evaporate; and few are able to fubftitute an equivalent, particularly where the subjects are various, and the authors different. But a profe verfion of poetry muft, inevitably, be much inferior to its original, if the original had fufficient merit to authorise the attempt. Measure enables a common thought to flow with fuch eafe, that its tritenefs is not perceived; and with respect to rhyme, every poet-tafter who has any gratitude in him, will acknowlege the greatnefs of his obligations to it. It is of ten an apology for the introduction of a thought, which would otherwife appear as an intruder; and with the best of poets, it gives a fanction to expreffions which would have a very quaict appearance in profe. Notwithstanding these manifeft difadvantages, the tranflation with which M. AGANDER has favoured those who are converfant with the French language, and which appears well executed in general, gives us a very favourable impreffion of the genius and tafte of the gentlemen above-mentioned. The collection opens with a speech pronounced by his Swedish majefty, at the installation of M. le Comte C. Bonde de Biorsö of the order of Seraphims; which is not unworthy of his reputation for eloquence. This is followed by the very mafterly oration of M. de Rofenftein, on the celebration of the anniver fary of the academy, held in December 1786. Paffing over the panegyric on his majefty, which, like all other panegyrics, produces the defired effect only on minds prepared for the enthufiafm; and omitting other circumftances which refer to the bufinefs of the academy, we fhall felect the following paffage, as it gives us fome ideas of the prefent ftate of Swedish literature; at leaft it prefents us with the opinion of one, whofe judgment may be deemed as competent as pardonable prejudices will admit. May the language and the polite literature of the Swedish nation, under the aufpices which it now enjoys, attain their fummit by a progrefs as rapid as our military glory under Guftavus Adolphus!. This is no prefumptuous with, if we recollect the advances which the Swedish tongue has already made; and if we advert to the actual ftate of the belles lettres among us, we have inftances in which our language has expreffed, with an energy worthy of Greece and Rome, and perhaps furpaffing every modern language, the moft bold, fublime, and generous fentiments of liberty! We have heard it, by the irrefiftible power of eloquence, diffipate prejudices, convey truths, fupprefs one fenfation, excite another, fubdue inveterate hatreds, recall unanimity, warm, touch, tranfport; and by its varied, and yet united effects, infufe into the mind acquiefcence and conviction. We have works that excel, by their order, force, depth of thought, chaftity of expreffion, neatness, harmony, elegance, and variety of style. Some are diftinguished by that vigour, and that precifion of genius, in which the moderns have found it fo difficult to imitate the ancients. It is worthy of notice, that the authors who have charmed the public moft, are those who have had the leaft occafion to adopt foreign words. Our poetry, we can affert, without partiality, is in a higher degree of perfection, than the poetry of most other nations was at the period in which they began to cultivate their language. The epic poem, the ode, theatrical compofitions, fhew that the Swedish language is fublime, mafculine, pathetic, flexible, and fonorous; and our philofophic poems prove it to be energetic, ingenious, and perfpicuous. In Atis and Camilla (it is permitted to cite this mafterly performance, fince its author is no more) the warmth, the fire, impetuofity of love, the language of fentiment, the riches of nature, and the power of beauty, are felt and acknowleged. In other poetic compofitions, tenderness, vivacity, playfulness, and warmth, have united with terms the moft expreffive of delicate love, of elegance, of jocularity, and of mirth. Satire is not deftitute of point, tales are not wanting in elegance, nor fable in a noble fimplicity. If fome branches of Swedish literature remain as yet uncultivated, if feveral have not attained to perfection, we have till every thing to hope, when history, accompanied with the experience of every age, fhall perfuade genius to direct its attention to the objects where honours await it.' Some of thefe affertions are confirmed and illuftrated by feveral of the odes contained in this collection. Those of the panegyric or elegiac clafs must be fuppofed to contain many ideas which are common and trite. The fubject, as in love-fonnets, is nearly exhaufted; and invention is on the rack to find out new modes of expreffing old fentiments. Yet the anniversary poem. of Count Oxenstierna; the ode of M. Siöberg on the king's acceffion to the throne; and that of M. Kellgren, addreffed to the king, on his having honoured the University of Abo with his prefence, may be read with pleafure. M. Clevberg's elegiac ode on the death of the queen dowager, Louifa Ulrica, has many beauties. How far the following defeription of her youthful charms may be juft, we cannot pretend to fay; but it appears to us both novel and elegant. The years of infancy pafs fwiftly away. She now attains those happy days, in which life flows like a placid ftream through a flowery mead, to that period when the heart opens to a thoufand fentiments, and has not yet experienced the chagrin of disappointed hopes. Grace, which ornaments more than the robe of purple; the enchanting majesty of the eye, which extorts implicit obedience from the world; the brilliant fallies of genius which no one can refift; all thefe gifts were united in her perfon, and claimed the homage of all around her. Her own fex, charmed with her genius, forgave her being beautiful; and ours, charmed with her beauty, pardoned the rivalihip of genius. What fire, what extacy, pervaded T12 every every heart, when the chords of mufic vibrated under her touch. But the harmony of their founds was exceeded by the melody of her voice; and those who had once experienced the delectable glow, enkindled by a look of complacency, forgot her voice in the brilliancy of her eyes." The poem on Winter, the author of which is not specified, prefents us with the picturefque fcenes peculiar to northern climates, described in a lively and pleafing manner. The poem on the Pleasures of the Imagination, by M. Thorild, is not written in the elevated ftyle of our Akenfide, but delineates, in warm and glowing colours, thofe particular fcenes in life, by which the imagination is the moft feduced; nor is it deftitute of playful fatire. But the laft poem in this collection, by M. Kellgren, entitled My Smiles, is the moft replete with gaiety and humour. After ridiculing the follies of mankind in general, he concludes by laughing at his own: But thou, whofe hand, feeble as it is forward, to chaftife with fo much pride the follies of others; thou, most infignificant felf, do thou exhibit a figure lefs ridiculous, when furrounded with the rays of truth? Approach before the mirror of thy confcience, and eftimate the value of thy own fagacity. A ftranger at home, wilt thou expofe to light the faults of others? Say, what fatal blindness feized thee, when, ambitious of wealth and honour, thou reforted it to the path of Helicon, which leads directly to an hofpital? What melancholy madness was it, to attempt to fill thine hungry stomach with laurels, while those who chufe to be men of cyphers rather than men of letters, are rich as Crofus, and pamper their indolent bodies with the choiceft dainties. But enough. I perceive my error; I am neceffitated to pay, equally with others, the tribute due to human weaknefs; and while I laugh aloud at their foibles, I muft fecretly fmile at my own.' AR T. XII. Efai fur la Regeneration Phyfique, Morale, et Politique des Juifs, &c. i. e. A Treatise on the Restoration of the Jews to the Rights of Natural, Moral, and of Civil Society: which obtained the Prize of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences, at Metz, Auguft 23d, 1788. By M. GREGOIRE, Curate of Embermenil, &c. Metz and Paris. 1789. W people begin to partake, at laft, of our compaffion. E behold, with pleafure, this neglected and defpifed Preceding ages have fhewn a moft devout zeal to become the avengers of the divine caufe. With a malignant pleasure thev have been forward to fulfil thofe prophefies, which threatened the Ifraelites with being difperfed and perfecuted. Several recent attempts to wipe off their difgrace, mitigate their fufferings, and remind us that they are men and brethren, infpire us with hopes, that, fatiated with being the inftruments of divine vengeance, we become more difpofed to imitate the compaffion inculcated by the example and precepts of Jefus! It affords us peculiar fa tisfaction |