1799.]- Tranflation of fome German Hiftorians recommended, 
value, which is prejudice. 
dition, therefore, to the vulgar definition 
of infanity is merely werbal; and leaves 
it, of courfe, precifely as liable to objec- 
tion as it was before. 
The Dogtor next remarks, “I have laid 
the ftrefs upon thizking differently from 
the bulk of mankind, becaufe fimply acting 
differently does not conftitute infanity..”’ 
Now, on the-contrary, it would feem, that 
if a man acted differently from the reft of 
mankind, without thinking alfo differently, 
the incongruity and inconfiftency of his 
condu& in this refpeét would, fo far. from 
being an evidence againft, prove an addi- 
tional prefumption of, his derangement. 
A ftriking and an habitual oppofition be- 
tween opinions and actions cannot fairly 
be regarded as any argument in favour of 
foundnels of mind. 
Dr. Sims obferves, in the next place, 
that “¢ a highwayman is not. infane;”’ 
and for this reafon, ‘‘ becaufe he is not 
convinced that he acts right.” A high- 
wayman, therefore, in thofe cafes where he 
is convinced that he atts right, of courfe 
falls under the imputation of infanity. If 
a man, for inftance, having a numerous 
family ready to perifh for want of pecu- 
niary aid, fhould fancy that he was, by 
the-cruel neceffity of his fituation, juftified © 
in deduéting from the purfe of an opulent 
perfon a few unnecefiary guineas, in order 
to ref{cue from prefent mifery, and an im- 
-pending death, thofe who are, and ought 
to be, moft dear to him, this man would 
deferve the title of a maniac! Affaffins, 
who have a&ed without a confcioufnefs of 
criminality, and the pious perfecutors of 
hevefy, in every period of the church, who, 
in the indulgence of their fanguinary zeal, 
have thought that they did God fervice, 
are all likewile involved in the fame /wweep- 
ing definition. 
Dr. Sims’s very next obfervation ap- 
pears, if poffible, ftill more remarkable 
than any that has preceded it. ‘¢ Whereas 
infane perfons ever act from a thorough 
conviction of rectitude.” What an en- 
viable and what a refpeétable clafs of men 
are maniacs! Formerly we have been 
told, that there was a pleafure in madnefs 
which none but madmen knew; and now 
we learn, that for their bappinefs they are 
not more diftinguifhed than for the uxzzform 
uprightne/s of ikeir intentions. The main 
object of all education ought te be the pro- 
duction of moral merit; the moral merit 
of any character mult be allowed to confift 
in the acting uniformly from a thorough 
conviction of reétitude, and the acting 
gniformly from a thorough conyittion of 
Monruity Mac. No.Lu, 
Dr. Sims’s ad- ~ 
rectitude is, according to Dr. Sims, the 
happy prerogative of madnefs. What 
hence are we to conclude, but, that inftead 
of attempting to cure, we ought, if it were 
poflible, to inftitute {chools for teaching 
infanity, or flver medals for the difcovery, 
of a matter by which we might inoculate 
fo defirable a difeafe. 
Loudon, Nov. 16. Joun Rep. 

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazines 
SIR, 
ie demand for German plays and 
novels is fufficient to call forth tranf- 
lations of the more eminent produétions of 
that clafs with all defirable rapidity. May 
it not be hoped that for compofitions of a 
more foJid kind a market might alfo be 
found in Great Britain ? 
* The. opinion of Gibbon has affigned 
high Value as an hiftorian to Michael Ige 
natius Schmidt; whole Hijffory of the Ger- 
mans fills four large oftavo volumes, and 
extends to the reign of Charles the Fifth. 
An Englifh tranflation of this found na- 
tional hiftory would certainly be inftruc- 
tive, and furely acceptable, to the public. 
JF. W. von Archenholtz has compofed a 
moft lively Antigallican Hijfory of the 
Seven Years War in Germany, from 1756 
to 1763. This original document (for 
the author was himfelf a diftinggifhed of- 
ficer in the Pruffian fervice) is remarkable 
for natural narrative, for epic bufinefs and 
buftle, and for that attaching fympathy 
which only an agent, not a by-ftander can 
excite. ‘IThefe three hundred pages, pub- 
lifhed in 1788, were tranflated in 1789 
into French, and in 1790 into Latin. 
Frederic Schiller’s Hiftory of the Thirty 
Years War could not but intereft * atten- 
tion by the celebrated name of the author, 
by the great refemblance between our own 
times and the anarchic period of which it 
treats, and by that Tacitus-like diétion, 
where every epithet hits and brands as a 
dart of fire. The fame author has begun, 
but not completed, an account of the Ke- 
volution of the Netherlands. 
Fohn Miller's Hiftory of the Stvifs Con- 
federacy merits and requires abridgement. 
Konrad Mannert’s neat and learned Hif- 
tory of the Immediate Succefors.of Alex- 
ander will, it is to be hoped, be refumed 
and continued te the expiration of the 
Ptolemaic Dynafty, when his geographical 
excurfions are ended. His Hijfory of the 
Vandals alfo is a little work of merit. 
Antiquaries only would purchafe the 
* A tranflation has recently been announced 
by Colonel Blaquicre. 
5 5 U voluminous 
829 

| 
| 
6a Oe | ot oe oe eee 
