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MISCELLANIES.

ART. IX. Paris. Mélanges extraits des Manufcrits de Mme. Necker. Miscellanies extracted from the Manufcripts of Mme. Necker. Vol. 1. 8vo. 383 p. 6 [1798.]

Mr. Necker, the editor, has prefixed to thefe mifcellanies a cha racter of his late wife, by himfelf, and another by Thomas, both written con amore. The work itfelf contains detached thoughts, remarks, and fentiments, from the correfpondence and journals of the deceased, and fome letters entire. Among the letters are fome very interesting ones to Thomas, Schomberg, Buffon, Marmontel, Sauffure, Gibbon, and others. There are alfo fragments of letters to lord Stormont, Diderot, Grimm, Galliani, Chabanon, and St. Lambert with inftructive effays on reading; on the choice of books at different periods of life; on the manner in which books and authors are judged; on the influence of reading on our happiness; remarks and characters from common life; on the utility and neceffity of examining ourselves with attention; on the difference be tween wit and genius; on the ufe of images, fimilitudes, and allufions; and a portrait of Emilia. Jen. Allg. Lit. Zeit.

EDUCATION.

ART. X. Ratisbon. Ueber den nächsten Zweck der Erzeihung, &c. On the immediate Object of Education according to the Principles of Kant. By K. Weiller, Prof. at Munich. 8vo. 216 p. 1798.

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Though we have already many excellent works on the fubject of education, we do not know one, in which jufter notions are inculcated in a more impreffive manner, than in this of Mr. W. The author employs the expreffion, according to the principles of Kant,' because his fyftem is founded on the nature of the human mind; but the work has not the leaft trace of obfcure phraseology. The object of education, in the opinion of Mr. W., is to give the pupil a capacity of employing his faculties. He obferves: if you do not render your pupils ftupid, by endeavouring to make them learned prematurely, they will become intelligent of themfelves: if you do not render them wicked, by attempting to make them angels toa foon, they will naturally become good: if you do not render them miferable, by your defire to make them happy, they will of themfelves find the way to happiness. Inftead of your many arts to benefit them, learn the one greater art, not to injure them; and then nature will do the reft almoft without your affiftance.' We would willingly gratify our readers with the excellent paffage, in which the author endeavours to convince thofe of their errour, who confider the developement of reafon as dangerous; but it would take up too much room. Jen. Allg. Lit. Zeit.

FOR

FOR THE

ANALYTICAL REVIEW,

FOR OCTOBER, 1798.

RETROSPECT OF THE ACTIVE WORLD:

OR,

A GENERAL REVIEW OF DISCOVERIES, INVENTIONS, AND PRACTICAL CONTROVERSIES, AND CONTESTS.

Ar the defire of feveral correfpondents, we are now to give some ac count of the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES AND ARTS, at Paris, established by an article in the conftitution of the french republic, together with our obfervations on that plan, for collecting difcoveries, and the improvement of arts and fciences. This inititution we mentioned, in a very fummary manner, in our laft number: but of fo grand and comprehenfive a defign it is proper, agreeably to the fentiments of our correfpondents, that we should, in this paper, take more particular notice.

This establishment belongs to the whole nation. 1. It's object is the advancement of the arts and fciences, by a course of uninterrupted inquiry, and a conftant correfpondence with literary and philofophical focieties in foreign nations: and particularly to mark and record the literary and fcientific labours, that have for their object not only the general benefit of mankind, but the glory of the republic. 11. It is compofed of 144 members, refident in Paris, and an equal number of affociates difperfed throughout the different provinces of the republic. It's affo ciates in foreign nations are in number twenty-four: being eight for each of the three different claffes. 111. The inftitute is divided into three claffes, and each clafs into different fections; thus:

First clafs; fciences, phyfical and mathematical; comprehending, 1. Mathematics; 2. Mechanical Arts; 3. Aftronomy; 4. Experimental Phyfics; 5. Chymiftry; 6. Natural Hiftory, and Mineralogy; 7. Botany, and Vegetation in general: 8. Anatomy and Zoology; 9. Medicine and Surgery; 10. Rural Economy, and the veterinary Art.

Second clafs; moral and political fciences; comprehending, 1. The Analysis of Senfations and Ideas; 2. Morals; 3. The Science of the focial Order and Legiflation; 4. Political Economy; 5. Hiftory; 6. Geography.

Third Clafs; Literature and the fine Arts: comprehending, 1. Grammar; 2. Ancient Languages; 2. Poetry; 3. Antiquities and Monu

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ments;

ments; 4. Painting; 5. Sculpture; 7. Architecture; 8. Mufic and Declamation.

THERE is not any subject in the whole courfe of human study and contemplation, that can poffibly appear, to a cultivated and fpeculative mind, fo fublime, interefting, and advantageous, for the advancement of fcience and the improvement of human nature, as a just claffification of the different branches of knowledge and it may be faid, of the grandeft fcale as well as of particular fubjects of investigation, Qui bene dividit bene docet. This divifion of the arts and sciences, by the enlightened and excited genius of the french nation, at the prefent moment, cannot fail to attract the attention of the ingenious and learned. Every one who philofophizes, who fpeculates on general truth, makes, in his own mind, a claffification of the different objects of truth or knowledge, The ancient metaphyficians and logicians, as well as modern philofophers, had their divifions of arts and sciences. But the first treatife that was written formally, as far as we have been informed, and for the fole purpofe of marking out a plan of all the branches of learning of which man is capable, was that on the advancement of knowledge, by the immortal Bacon. His plan has been adopted, with very little alteration, by every author that has followed him, and, of late years, by the authors of the french Encyclopædia. Thefe gentlemen, however, acknowledge much embarrassment arifing from the circumftance, that, according to the arrangement of Bacon, it is poffible to refer the different branches of knowledge either to the beings which they have for their object, or to the different faculties of the foul: for the greater the latitude of will, the more arbitrary, and lefs scientific the arrangement. Still, it was this laft method they adopted: a method that involves many difadvantages; as we eafily could, and would readily fhow, if this had not already been done, with great perfpicuity of expofition, as well as folidity of judgment, and depth of penetration, by Mn Florian in his Effay on an analytical courfe of ftudies: which contains not only the beft plan for the liberal education of youth; but is an excellent companion and guide to thofe, who have made confiderable advances, and ftill purfue the paths of philofophy. It is with great pleasure, that we embrace the prefent opportunity of doing juftice to this learned and ingenious ftranger, whom the adverfity of the times, and the iniquity of fortune, have compelled to take fhelter in this country +. One brief quotation from Mr. Florian will thow the principle and fpirit of his reafoning on the fubject in queftion for a farther illuftration of which we must refer to the Effay. In general, the philofophers who have treated of the origin of human knowledge have reafoned thus-" We acquire our knowledge by thinking, and therefore we ought, in the first place, to inquire how it is we think." But the human mind does not appear ordinarily to follow this route. Our first observations are more naturally made on thofe fenfations which we receive from the objects that furround us, than upon the manner itself in which we receive thofe fenfations. In making that our first study, which affects our fenfes, we proceed with certainty from that which

* See introduction to this Retrofpect, in our number for january, 1797Mr. Florian propofes to carry his plan into execution, in an academy, which he is going to open at Bath; and in which we fincerely with bin all fuccefs.

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we know, to that which we know not: whereas if we begin by researches into the manner in which we receive ideas, and the faculty of acquiring knowledge, we at once find ourfelves caft upon a fea of hypothefes, with out rudder or compafs to direct us.'

It appears to have been under the fame, or very fimilar notions, that the enlightened legislature of France, in the formation of the national inftitute, have departed from the arrangements of lord Bacon, and the encyclopædifts; and followed the natural order, in which we, in fact, acquire knowledge, namely, through our fenfations. The mind is employed on matter before it is, or can be employed on itfelf. The national inftitute, therefore, with great propriety, places in the fame, and the first clafs, the ftudies that are, in part, objects of fenfation. It then goes on, in another, and the fecond clafs, to ftudies in which the mind is em ployed either on it's own operations or recollections; and lastly, it treats, in another, and third clafs, of fuch ftudies as are either acceffary to science, or pleafing in themselves. This claffification of ftudies, or the objects of human knowledge, is judicious, comprehenfive, profound, and worthy the moft enlightened nation in the world.

Although minerals form a part of the natural world, it is with perfect pro priety, that mineralogy is added in the fixth article of the first clafs to the general fubject of natural hiftory, because it holds both of natural hiftory and chemistry. We notice alfo the juft precifion of the feventh article in the fame class, botany and vegetation in general: for befides that there are bodies, which, in the opinion of fome, are organized by a process of vegetation, that do not properly fall under the denomination of herbs, or plants of any kind, the process of vegetation is, to botany, what chemiftry is to mineralogy.

The claffification of mufic with declamation, in the eighth and laft article of the third clafs, will, doubtlefs, attract attention, and may, perhaps, at firft fight, appear affected and whimfical. Nevertheless, on due confideration, the union of mufic and declamation will appear to be perfectly accurate, and founded on the nature of things: both being addreffed to the human paffions. The concord of fweet jounds is common to both and the moft touching part of mufic is the refemblance between it's various tones and the various expreffions* of grief, joy, love, and other emotions and paffions, in different nations. The power of oratory is fomewhere compared to mufic in the facred writings afcribed to Solomon.

The angel ended, and in Adam's ear

So charming left his voice, that he awhile Thought him ftill fpeaking, ftill flood fix'd to hear.' Parad. Loft. Book VIII. Indeed the comparison of impreffive and pleasing music is quite common, as it is quite natural.

If we might hazard a stricture on any article in an arrangement formed by fo accomplished a body, it would be on that of monuments and other antiquities,' in the third clafs, comprising literature and the fine arts. In our opinion, they would have been more properly placed in the fecond clafs, along with hiftory, to whom they are handmaids. The

From the various accents of various nations arife the characters of national mufic. The irish brogue and howl, and alfo the fcotch propunciation, are nearly akin to the plaintive, though affecting and pleafing frains, of both the fcotch and irish mufic.

schools,

fchools, repofitories, rewards, honours, and, in a word, all the various means and inftrumentality for carrying the defigns of the french in favour of the arts and fciences into execution, are worthy of fo intelli gent, fo active, ardent, and magnificent a nation.

The grand defign of the national inflitute is, to repair the ravages of vandalism committed in the fury of the revolution; to foften and hominize the public mind, by turning the attention and application of generous and fenfible fpirits to the arts and fciences as the nobleft, and only held (after war, with it's neceffity, fhall have ceafed) of emulation and glory; to add to the common stock of human knowledge, and multiply the comforts of mankind; and, at the fame time, particularly, to fearch for, and preferve fuch works, difcoveries, and inventions, as may contribute to the glory of the french republic.

It was impoffible, in this paper, to pafs by the national inftitute of France, without particular notice. If war fhall ceafe, and the republic be established and compofed under wife organical laws, the protection of property, juft reprefentation, and equal taxation; than which nothing is now to be more ardently wished for by all the furrounding nations: then may we expect, that this noble inftitution will advance the arts and fciences, and with thefe the refources of humankind, in a rapid progreffion; not only by the difcoveries, inventions, and compofitions of their own active and fertile minds; but by diffufing from the centre of France, a keener tafte, and a more animated application, to all kinds of improvement.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS.

We have promifed to compare the policy of the modern republic of PARIS with that of ancient ROME. Before we enter on this fubject, it will be proper to attend to the character of the french nation. That of the ancient romans we have all ftudied at fchool.

The general character of the french, from the period in which it was defcribed by Cæfar to the prefent day, has been invariably diftinguifhed by certain indelible features. Other nations have been moulded and changed by various political revolutions. The french, under every new form of government and religion, retain their characteristic difpofition, and genius. They are the most univerfally and the mott fenfibly and fuddenly alive to the paflion of the times. Whatever they wifh they purfue with ardour, and in a body. Supereminence is always their aim, whether in gayety and frivolity, or wifdom and arms. And fuch is the advantage of their local pofition in Europe, and fuch the energy of their action, and influence of their example, that in the midft of convulfion among themfelves, they imprefs their neighbours with the greateft alarm. This national fpirit was well understood by the ableft rulers of France in former times, and managed with much addrefs and wifdom. Henry IV fubdued it by his generofity: Sully governed it by his probity, his economy, and, above all, by his fteadinefs: Lewis XIV led it to conqueft: and, at a time, when France frequently fuffered the fevereft diftrefs in her interiour, he would have overpowered Europe, had not the policy of William 111, and the cooperations of Marlbo rough and Eugene interpofed to check his career. William, though feldom victorious in the field, was yet a hero, and he was great in the

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