Von. VI] Retrofpec? of Portuguefe Literature... Sciences. 
To give a circumftantial account of the 
typographical hiftory, from its introduc- 
tion into Portugal to the prefent time. 
To prefent a view of the Portuguefe 
military eftablifhment at different periods, 
mentioning the number of which it was 
compofed, the different kinds of troops, 
the arms of which each kind made ufe, 
the manner in which each was organized 
and commanded, and in which it per- 
formed its military fervice, from the be- 
ginning of the monarchy till the invafion 
of Philip IT. 
To determine the era at which the code 
of Juftinian was introduced into Portugal, 
and the degree of authority it obtained 
in that kingdom. 
To write a panegyric on fome of the 
eminent perfons who have added luftre to 
the Portuguefe name, and whofe actions 
merit celebration. 
Befides this, the academy propofes an 
annual prize to the author of a Portu- 
guele tragedy, as alfo to the author of a 
comedy, cither in verfe or prole, reprefent- 
ing Portuguefe charagters ;_ and laitly, it 
offers filyer medals to each of the authors 
of the four beft poetical compofitions, be- 
ing neither epic nor dramatic. 
This abftra& will ferve to convince fo- 
reigners that the academy of Lifbon, 
which is far lefs known than it deferves 
to be, does not neglect any means of en- 
Jightening its countrymen, and of awaken- 
ing them from their torpid ftate. Phy- 
#icks, political economy, agriculture in 
particular, navigation, aftronomy, me- 
icine, national literature, hiftory, the 
art of war, typography, jurifprudence, 
all the fpeculatiye and praétical {ciences, 
are the ebjects of its folicitude and en- 
couragement. The chairs of its acade- 
micians are by no means foporific, as 
thofe of certain other literary bodies have 
been. Its members join example to pre- 
cept. Their country is indebted to them 
for feveral valuable papers on a variety of 
fubjects. Alex. Anton das Neres Portugal, 
Domingos Vandelh, Eftevaon Cabral, oan. 
de Loureiro, Fos. Foag. de Barros, Anton. 
Riveiro dos Santos and, above all, the per- 
petual fecretary of the academy, Correa, 
diftinguifh themfelves among the mott la- 
Dorious, and mott enlightened. The duke 
of Alafoens, who travelled a long time in 
Europe, and with great profit, may be 
confidered as the real founder of this li- 
terary body ; and his intimate conneGtion 
with the court affure to the aeademy of 
Lifbon the particular proteftion of the 
fovereign. It muft, however, be confefled, 
that thefe paid eftablifhments, the publi- 
MONTHLY Mag, No, XL, ; 
525 
cation of thefe papers, and the awarding 
of thele prizes, wiil go but a little way 
toward the deliverance of the Portuguefe 
nation from its prejudices and its igno- 
tance. Moreaétive means are required 
for its regeneration. The light as yet 
only fhines upon privileged heads, which 
nature has favoured, or education has 
taken care to cultivate, as the rifing fun 
only gilds the tops of the highef moun- 
tains. The reft of the nation is fill en- 
veloped in darknefs, like the deep vallies, 
that wait a long while for the rays of the 
lamp of day. 
Portugal has, however, fince 1 773, pro- 
duced feveral agreeable and uieful works, 
to the printing of which the academy has 
not dire&tly contributed. 
In 1785, a fecond edition appeared of 
the “ Defcription of Portugal,” contain- 
ing an account of its produétions, plants, 
minerals,’ fruits, &c.- To this was 
added a brief notice of the heroes of 
Portugal, and of other eftimable perfon-= 
ages, among whom, as may be naturally 
fuppofed, the Portuguefe {faints are not 
forgotten.. 
About 1782, Captain Manuel de Souza 
publifhed a * French and Portuguefe Dica 
tionary; and Antonio Viera, an Eng _ 
Sli and Portuguese Dittionary;°’ Jos. de 
Cardofo the Elements of the Art of 
War 5” and M. La Croix, the «¢ Elements 
of the Rights of Nature and of Nations.” 
Manoe de Faria y Soufa had publifhed in 
1779, an ** Abridgment of the Hiflory of 
Portugal ;” and ten years after there ap= 
peared a Portuguefe tranfiation of an Eng- 
lifh work in three volumes, bearing the 
fame title. 
Among the good modern works that 
have appeared in Portugal ought alfo to 
be included that of Yellozo, who has given 
a very good defcription of the plants of 
Braiil ; and the effay concerning the come 
merce of Portugal and its colonies, by 
J. Joaq. de Cunha, bifhop of Fernam- 
bouc. 
Among the recent tranflations of foreign 
works, both ancient and modern, are, 
Longinus on the Sublime; the Manner of 
Writing Aiffory, by Lucian; the Four Sirft 
Comedies of Terence ; the Paradife Loft o€ 
Milton ; the Pafforals of Gefner ; and feve- 
val of the beit French tragedies, &c. &c. 1 
We might extend this lift a great way 
further without proving, that the litera- 
ture of the Portuguefe deferves to hold a 
diftinguifled place in the European re~ 
public of letters. When we have named 
firft Camoens, and then in the fecond line 
Joao de Barros, author of the Decades of 
3X ALG pe 
