Retrofpe? of Dometic Literature—Mathematics—Biography. 621 
and, as necefarily connected with their 
health their comfort. 
MATHEMATICS. 
« Recreations in Mathematics and Na- 
tural Philofophy ; containing amufing Dif- 
fertations and Enquiries, concerning aVa- 
riety of Subjects, the moft- remarkable and 
proper to excite Curiofity and Attention to 
the whole Range of Mathematical and 
Philofophical Sciences, Gc. Firft compofed 
by M. Oxanam, of the Royal Academy of 
Sciences, @c. lately recompofed and greatly 
enlarged by M. Montucla, and now tranf- 
lated into Englifh, and improved, with 
many Additions and Obfervations, by 
Cuarces Hurron, L.L.D.F.R.S. &c. 
Four large Volumes 8v0. with nearly one 
hundred quarto plates.” 
In thefe volumes we have the united la- 
bours of three celebrated mathematicians. 
Dr. Hutton the tranflator and editor of 
this new edition of Ozanam’s Recreations 
has given an account of the life and writ- 
ings of Ozanam himfelf, together with a 
neat fketch of the life of Montucla. It 
will not be improper to notice the contents 
of thefe volumes: the fir/f is divided into 
two parts, the former treating of Arith- 
metic, the latter of Geometry, in which a 
great number of well chofen problems are 
folved with much eloquence and fimpli- 
city. The fecond volume is divided into 
three parts, and prefents the reader with 
various problems and difcuffions relating 
to mechanics, optics, accouftics, and mu- 
fic. The third volume comprehends af- 
tronomy, chronology, gnomonics, navi- 
gation, architeéture, and  pyrotechny. 
The fourth is entirely devoted to Phyfics, 
or Natural Philofophy, and is divided into 
four parts; the firit of which Dr. Montu- 
cla ftates, in his preface, to be a kind of 
Philofophical Mifcellany, in which are 
collected the mof curious queftions of 
every kind. It commences with a neccef- 
fary introdu€tion, which contains an ac- 
curate account of every thing known and 
beft approved in regard to the properties 
of fire, of air, of water, and of earth. A 
view is then taken of the different branches 
of Natural Philofophy in general: experi- 
ments on air, hydraulic and hydrottatic 
recreations ; the hiftory of thermometers, 
barometers, and hygrometers, with the 
tiethod of conftrugting them ; remarkable 
problems in phyfical aftronomy, {clved ac- 
cording to their real principles ; curious 
obfervations on the divifbility of matter, 
the cenuity of odours, and that of light, 
&c. queftion refpeSting comets; an ac- 
count and examination of fame fingular 
and ingenious opinions on that fubject; 
- Monruty Mac. No. 103. 
explanation and hiftory of intermittent 
fpritgs, phenomena of ice, the method of 
produciag it, the analyfis of paper kites, 
&c. thefe are the principal articles which 
compofe this part; a proper idea of which 
can only be formed by confulting the table 
of contents. The principal phenomena of 
magnetifm, eleétricity, and  chemiftry 
occupy the remaining parts of this work, 
the laft of which concludes with a Differ- 
tationon the philofopHer’s Stone; on pot- 
able gold; and on palingenefy; with an 
inftructive hiftory of Chemical Prohlems, 
If the fubjeéts elucidated in thefe volumes 
are the mere recreations of men of {cience, 
what can we imagine to conllitute their 
ferious purfuits and their feverer futies ? 
“© Geometrical Propofitions demonftrated 
after the manner of the Ancients. Tranf= 
lated from the Latin of the late Dr. 
Stewart.” 
This is the title-page to a part only of 
the volume in which thefe propofitions are 
contained ; and it is the beginning of a 
feries of trats on mathematical fubjeéts, 
publifhed by Profeffor Leybourn, of the 
Royal Military College, in Buckingham- 
fhire. The propofitioas are followed by 
Playfair’s Origin and Inveltigation of 
Porifms ; Weallace’s Geometrical Porifms ; 
Hamilton’s Effay on the Principles of Me-~ 
chanies ; Landen onthe Mechanic Power, 
as faras relates to Equilibriums; Hellin’s 
Force of Olcillating Bodies on their Centres 
of Sufpenfion; Ivory’s Rectification of 
the Ellipf's; Herfchell on the Nature of 
the Sun and fixed Stars; Rumford on 
Heat by Friction and its Weight ; Gough 
on the Variety of Voices; Swayne on 
Glauber’s Salts; Collier on Iron and 
Steel; Tenant on the Ufe of Lime in 
Agriculture. All thefe are traéts of ac- 
knowledged merit, and deferving the atten- 
tion of mathematicians and philofophers. 
BIOGRAPHY. 
Mr. Mafon, (author of the Supplement 
to Johnfon’s Diétionary), has publifhed in 
a three-and-fixpenny pampliet the ‘* Life 
of Richard Earl Howe.” 
Surely the long and ative fervices of 
this venerable nobleman might have afford. 
ed materials for an bittorical memoir of con- 
fiderable intereft. It fhould ever be re- 
membered rhat Biosraphy is the hand- 
maid of Hiftory. Such as the prefent vo- - 
lume is, we are thankful for it: the fa@s 
relative to his Lordfhip,'rem his boy-bood 
till the year 1763, are given on the atittho= 
rityof Mr. Edward L’Epine, who was 
his Lordfhip’s private fecretary and ar- 
tended him in all his naval expeditions till 
that time; from which period the writer 
ids takes 
