Vol. V.J = Retrofpett of German Literature—Natural Phiiofophy. 517 
TAINES, Masson, LAPEYROUSE, 
SCHRADER, and others, are highly in- 
terefting. Before we conclude this arti- 
cle, we muft notice a work lately pub- 
lifhed in Latin, at Nirenberg, and which 
contains a feleétion of fome very valuable 
and partly fcarce botanical effays, rela- 
tive to Spanifh plants; it is entitled, 
“* Scriptores de Plantis Hifpanicis, Luftta- 
nicts, Brafilienfibus, adornawvit &S recudi cura-. 
vit F.F. ROMER,M.D. cum tab. en. viil.” 
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 
This is one of the favorite purfuits of 
the Germans, and it is uniformly al- 
‘lowed that, in phyfics, they are fecond 
to none: we fhall mention a few of their 
Jateft publications. ‘* The Outlines of 
Natural Philofophy,’”’ by Dr. D. L. 
BourGvueEt, prof. of chemiftry, in the 
royal Medico-chirurgical College at 
Berlin, 326 pp. octavo, with two plates 
(1798), is a very excellent compendium 
' for ftudents. And though the author 
does not throughout claim the merit 
of originality, as he has chiefly fol- 
lowed the principles cf Gren and 
KLuGEL, two naturalifts of the firft 
rank ; yet, upon the whole, his book is 
one of the beft.and concifeft on that fub- 
ject. Another work of a fimilar nature, 
is, ** The Elements of experimental Phi- 
lofophy, fketched in its chemical Depart- 
ment, according to the modern Theory, 
and defigned for a Guide to academical 
Leétures, as well as for the Ule of 
Schools,’> by J. G. F. ScurRapeER, Dr. 
and Prof. of Philofophy at Kiel, 18 
fheets, with 66 cuts printed on the pa-. 
In this ufeful 
per with the letter-prefs 
compilation, too, the editor has chofen 
Gren and LICHTENBERG as his guides; 
but, with refpeét to the external form, 
and the internal arrangement of the 
work, Dr. S. appears to have adopted 
ACHARD’Ss elementary book on the fame 
fubjeét,ashis model. Although we cannot 
pronounce this fmall book altogether free 
from errors and inaccuracies, it {till remains 
one of the moft inftruétive, and unquef- 
tionably the cheapeft kook of the kind. 
«© The Pocket-book for the Ufe of Che- 
mifts and Apothecaries, for the Year 
1793, p p- 212. with a plate,’’ continues 
to furnifh a feleét variety of chemical 
and pharmaceutical treatifes, as well as 
the lateft difcoveries made in thefe fci- 
ences, It may, perhaps, not be known 
to every Engltth reader, that the prefent 
already is the rgth continuation of this 
‘ Pocket-book,’ which is edited by the 
celebrated Mr. GérrLinG, prof. of 
chemiftry atJena, ) 
‘that geatleman. 
ASTRONOMY 
has been cultivated among the Germans 
with uncommon induftry and fuccefs. 
Since the davs of Copernicus and 
GALIL«oO, this has been one of the moft 
fafhionable purfuits on the continent, and 
particulariy in Germany, where, ata very 
early period it aflumed a fyftematic form. 
It is with pleafure we find the indefa- 
tigable Bone, aftronomer to the king of 
Pruihia, continuing his ** Colleétion of af- 
tronomical Effays, Obfervations, and 
Accounts, being the third fupplementary 
Volume to his Alttronomical Annals.” 
This volume is chiefly indebted for its 
rich materials to the learned major v. 
Zacu, who has furnifhed the ediror with 
the greater number of the facts here 
ftated ; for among the twenty-five ar- 
ticles contained in this continuation, 
twenty of them are communicated by 
We muft further an- 
nounce the appearance of Mr. Bopt’s 
‘¢ A (tronomical Annals for the Year 1890; 
togerher with a Co leétion of the lateft 
-Treatifes, Obfervations, and Accounts, 
relative to the aftronomical Sciences.’* 
As the merits of this author, and efpe- 
cially his incomparable accuracy, are ful- 
ly eitablifhed and acknowledged by all 
the literati of the age, it. is needlefs to 
enlarge upon them in this place. We, 
however, think it our duty to remark, 
that Mr. B. would be not a lictle puz- 
zled at the queft.ons lstely agitated in cer- 
tain (iterary circles in this country, re- 
{pecting the beginning of the nineteenth 
century!!! Yo thofe curious, gentle- 
men, therefore, who are in good earneft 
refpeéting this frivolous problem, we 
mut refer Mr. B.’s Aftronomical Alma- 
nack, which, it is to be hoped, will dif- 
tinctly explain to them, that the nine- 
teenth century cannot begin before the 
eighteenth is actually expsred, i. e. after 
the la& hour of the 31ft of December, 
1800; or with the firt hour of the rit 
of January, “1801. Another’ work of 
original merit, of at leaft a new edition 
of it, is IMMANUEL Kanr’s “ General 
Hiftory of Nature, and Theory of the 
Heavens; or, an Effiy on the Conftitu- 
tion and mechanical Origin of the Fa- 
bric of the World, according to the 
Principles of Newton.” The firft edi- 
tion of this prafound work appeared at 
KGnigfberg, in 1755; but as it. has of 
late years become {carce, the author was 
prevailed upon to revife the work him- 
felf, and’ to prefent the public with a 
corrected edition. The rank which K. 
holds among the philofophets of the pre- 
fent 
