\ we e. 2 Ss ' \ 
 Retrofpe& of German Literature... Politics. 
eminent female charaéters, and has omit- 
‘ed to point out the hiftorical fources of 
his intelligence. 
“« Germanien’s Urverfaffung,”’ von Dr. 
J.C. Mazer. Hamburg, 1798. pp. 203. 
8vo. The Ancient Conftitution of Ger- 
many,. The prefent work of Dr. Maier 
18 defigned to exhibit a picture of the firft 
period of the German hiftory, of its an- 
cient conftitution, which leads us to hope 
‘that we have to expect a new hiftory of 
the whole German empire. Although 
Schmid and Heinrich have already treated 
very ably upon this difficult fubjeé, yet 
this field of hiftory ftill is capable of fo 
much improvement, that a work like 
the prefent cannot. but be highly accept- 
able to the hiftorian, efpecially if the 
Jearned author would beftow a littlé more 
Care upon his ftyle in a future continua- 
tion, and diveft it of thofe rhetorical 
flowers which are beneath the dignity of 
the grave hiftoric mute. | 
‘* Hiftorifh-mahlerifche, Darftellungen 
aus Bohmen,” von A. G. MEISSNER, 
1798. pp. 267. 4to.  Hiftorico-piétu- 
refque Defcriptions of Bohemian Caftles ; 
with 14 coloured plates. Mr. Meiffner, 
whofe name is already honourably known 
in this country by his Alcibiades and Bi- 
anca Capello, furnifhes us in this work 
with feveral fpecimens of an animated, 
interefting, and inftruétive reprefenta- 
tion of the hiftory and the traditions of 
the middle age. We hope and wih, for 
the fake of returning good tafte, that 
this work, which is to confift of five or fix 
volumes, may meet with the fupport 
which it merits. Deferving as the lite- 
rary part of this work is of applaufe, we 
can beftow no degree of praife upon the 
engravings, which moftly do not rife above 
mediocrity. | 
> 
POLITICS, 
** Vorleftingen iiber einige Politithe 
Materien,” &c. &c. yon G. H. Bramt, 
Prof. in Ziirich. 1. u. 2. Heft. 1798. pp. 
119. 8vo. Leétures upon fome Political 
Subjefts, with regard to the late Revo- 
lution of Swifferland, Nos. 1 and 2. The 
author was requefted to read the le€tures 
which he communicated in the two num- 
bers before us, and deferves praife for 
having exerted himfelf to reftore, by gen: 
tle perfuafion and prudent advice, order, 
peace, and concord, which had been di- 
fturbed by the violent and farguinary con- 
vulfions of the revolution of his native 
country. Having premifed fome gene- 
ral obfervations on revolutions, Mr. Bra- 
miexpounds, in the firft le€ture, the prin- 
ciples of lawful liberty and equality, cau- 
Monrury Mage. LIV. 
10e!t 
.tioning his fellow-citizens’ againft the 
dangerous abufe of the rights of men, of 
the negleét of civic duties, and againft 
anarchic licentioufnefs, by which whole 
nations have been ruined,, and explains 
the ideas of legal property, and the rights 
and duties azifing from the poffeffions of 
individuals——In the fecond le@ure, he 
takes up again the thread of the latter 
fubjeét, proving the inviolability of pro- 
perty according to the principles of the 
natural ahd pofitive legality of ancient 
compaéts, &c. &c.—The third leéture 
refers dire€ily\to the new Swifs conftitu- 
tion, treating upon the unity and indivie 
fibility of the Helvetic republic, as efta- 
blifhed by it. He animadverts on this 
occafion on the oppofition which is made 
by fome cantons to this new order of 
things, and points out by what means 
this difference of opinions may be recon- 
ciled. Amongft others, he recommends 
for that purpofe a more general diffufion 
of popular and literary culture, rationat 
and prudent religious illumination, &c. &e. 
The fourth le€ture expounds the princi- 
ples which a lawgiver, on framing a new 
confitution, has to obferve with regard 
to thofe points which were authorifed by 
the former order of things, &c. &e. We 
muft here conclude our account of thefe 
interefting le€tures, which breathe. @ 
truly philofophic fpirit of moderation. 
“ Ueber die Zweckividrigkeit eines 
neuen Kriegs gegen die Franzéfifche Re- 
publick;?”? &c, &c.' 1798. pp. 70. 8vo. 
On the Ufelef{snefs of a Renovation of the 
War againft the French Republic; and 
on the Danger which it threatens to the 
German Empire. The author fays in 
the preface: ‘* The emigrants’ and 
‘the clergy, fearing the fecularifation of 
their eftates, circulated the doctrine that 
war was the only mean of preferving 
all thrones, and the conftitution of the 
German empire :”’ he wifhes, therefore, 
to call the atrention of his country to the 
reafons wich lead him to think that the 
continuation of the war againft France 
will ferve no falutary purpofe, and be 
productive of the moft dreadful and ruin« 
ous confequences. for Germany.—Iin 
order to effect this. he anfwers the fub- 
‘fequentyqueries : What obje@ do the Ger- 
man powers bxped to gain by the continu 
ation of the evar? Is that obje& founded 
in reality, or exifting only in imagination ? 
Can they gain nw? What have they ta 
apprebend-in cafe they /bould once more 
be unfuccefful? What wll be the fruit 
of the nofti{plendid vitories ? Ts war the 
only mean by which that obje& can be 
6Z gained? 
