Vol. V.] Retrofpett of German 
fide their peculiar induftry, perfeverance, 
and a fingular propenfity to abftrufe in- 
quiries, alfo poffefs tafte and genius.—We 
cannot, Without injuftice, omit to men- 
tion in this place the name of ADELUNG, 
the excellent and profound philologift, 
of whom the Germans have juft reafons | 
to be proud. By his indefatigable ex- 
ertions to improve his native language, 
he has produced fuch works, as whole 
academies and roya/ focieties, convened 
for that purpofe in other countries, have 
not been able to accomplifh. We allude 
to his ‘* Elementary Grammar of the Ger- 
man Language, in two Volumes, large 
Oétavo,’ which may ferve as a model of 
_ @ fyftematic grammar in any language ; 
and to his “ Complete Didtionary of the 
High-German Language, in frve Volumes, 
Royal Quarto,’ of which, the fecond edi- 
tion is already in the prefs. As this 
would not be the moft proper place to 
expatiate upon the merits: of this extra- 
ordinary publication, the work of a 
fingle man, who {pent the greater part of 
thirty years in the compofition of it; 
we muft content ourfelves with briefly 
faying, that this diétionary contains a 
greater ftock of words than any other 
yet publifhed fince the invention of the 
art of printing ; that every word is {ci- 
entifically arranged as to its real and me- 
taphorical fignification; that the words 
are either clearly defined, or amply il- 
lnftrared with the moft appofite exam- 
ples; and that the various ufes of them 
are unequivocally determined. It is to 
this incomparable work that the Ger- 
mans are chiefly indebted for the ortho- 
graphy, as well as the fyntax, of their 
language, which by it have been fettled 
on the moft folid bafis of juft etymology 
and found analogy. Animated by the 
inceflant efforts of fuch a leader, his 
countrymen have of late years beftowed 
a laudable degree of attention to the im- 
provement and refinement of their co- 
pious and energetic language. Hence 
the numerous grammars and dictionaries 
of all fizes, publifhed during the laft 
twenty years; hence the endlefs va- 
riety of philological queftions propofed 
by, academies and focieties in every part 
of Germany ; hence the great diverfity 
of critical effays on language, which con- 
tinually appear on the Leipzig book- 
fairs; and hence, laftly, the bold at- 
tempts of their. dramatic and poetical 
writers, to delineate the genuine fenti- 
ments of the heart, and to exprefs the 
various emotions of the mind, in words 
MontTrHtuy Mac. No. XXXIII. 
Literature—Hiffory. 513 
and phrafes that cannot be /atisfadiorily 
tranflated into foreign languages. 
In this place, however, it behoves us 
for the prefent, to afford only a concife 
view of the ftate of Literature in Ger- 
many, during the laft fix months. 
HISTORY. 
Although the Germans cannot boaft 
of many good hiftorians, and, perhaps, 
of none who writes with the elegant fim- 
plicity of a Robertfon, or the powerful 
colouring of a Hume, there neverthelefs 
have lately appeared feveral valuable 
publications in this department. At the 
head ftands the veteran SCHLOZER, 
aulic counfellor, and profeffur of univer- 
fal hiftory, in the univerfity of Gottin- 
gen, whofe acute and chaftifing pen has 
long been dreaded by the arbitrary prin- 
ces of Germany. We hope, for the good 
of his country, he will continue. his 
monthly  Statiftical Accounts,’ begun 
about 20 years fince, and containing every 
information required by foreigners upon 
the true ftate of Germany, in its po- 
litical relations to foreign ftates, as well 
as to the different fovereign co-ftates of 
the German empire. His lateft work, 
under the title of ‘Critical. and Hif- 
torical Difquifitions in Leifure-Hours,’’ 
contains three very interefting articles ; 
namely, 1. ‘ Origines Ofmanice, or an 
Inquiry into the Origin of the Ofma- 
nian Hiftory;” 2. “ Proofs, that the Mon- 
gols have been the Inventors of Paper- 
money, in the thirteenth Century ;” and 
3- “© An Introduétion to the Knowledge 
of the political Hiftory of Afia.”— 
Prof. MANGELSDORFF’s “ Epitome of 
univerfal Hiftory, &c.’’ in one volume, 
Svo. is a concife and elaborate abftraét 
from his larger work, on the fubject of 
ancient hiftory, and well adapted for 
the ufe of academies, and as a compene 
dium for private ftudy ; it is written in 
a pleafant, eafy, and inftructive ftyle, 
and contains no tenets adverfe to the 
prevailing religious and political opinions. 
—Another valuable work, but confined 
to a particular province, is, “ Wi- 
ARDA’s Hiftory of Eaft-Frifia ;” the 
feventh volume of which appeared lately, 
and brings it down to the year 1734. 
The author is fecretary to the States of 
Eaft-Frifia, and a man of unqueftionable 
veracity ; his fources are genuine, as he 
has free accefs to all the archives of the 
ftate. ‘Prof. WoLTMANn’s Hiftory of 
France,’ being the firft volume of a 
“ Hiftory of the European Srates,’’ is 
likewife a book of great merit; in as 
3U much 
