622 
greatef% evil in a ftate confifts in the im- 
proper choice of fuch individuals as are 
deitined for its various official employ- 
mients. 
In Part IT. he treats of the proper ob- 
jets of finance; and in Part III. he con- 
fiders the national riches, and credit of a 
‘community. In the laft feétion of this 
work, he points out the propriety ofa 
Jand- bank, for which he is a very pow- 
erful advocate. 
Théorie de la. Mufique Vocale; ou, dix 
Recles, &c.—Theory of Mufic; or, ten 
Rules neceffary to be known and obferved 
by all thofe who with to fing in a {cientific 
Manner, by FLoripo TomEont, Profef- 
for of Mufic. Paris. 
This work is written by a profeflional 
man of fome eminence in the mufical 
world. He. begins by regulating the 
principles on which a pure and natural 
found depends; he rejects that bad talte 
which induces many to affume a falfe _ 
woice, and points out the true principles of 
the Italian {chool. Like Rouffeau and 
D’Alembert, he confiders the principal 
difficulty, in refpect to the attainment of 
mufical knowledge, as originating in the 
complex and vicious methods hitherto re- 
curred to, which, according to him, are 
at once voluminous and obfcure. He is 
alfo of opinion, that his own fyftem will 
fupply whatever is deficient in that of 
Rameau. His doétrines are fupported and 
illuftrated by the authorities of Piccini, 
Sacchini, and Gluck® 
‘Manuel Cojmetique, &c.—A Cofimetic 
and Qdoriferous Manual-; or, a Treatife 
on fuch Plants as may ferve for Adorning, 
Painting, and Perfuming the Ladies,*&c. 
to which is added the fourth Edition of 
the Toilette of Flora, by J. B. Bucuoz, 
i vol. 8vo. 
The title of this book fufficiently in- 
dicates the purpofes, for which it was 
compofed. 
Memoires Secrets fur la Ruffe, &c.— 
Setret Memoirs relative to Ruffia, more 
particularly duricg the latter Part of the 
Reign of Catherine I]. and the beginning 
of that of Paul I. 2 vols. 8vo. Paris, 
#800. 
The author of this work feems to have 
been irritated into the publication of it, 
by the extraordinary conduct .of. the 
late emperor, who, after carefling’ and, in 
{ime meafure, overwhelming him with fa- 
vours, at length drove him trom his’ ter- 
ritories, without the. afignment of any 
juft or competent caufe. 
anecdotes are calculated to excite curiofi- 
Many of the 
Retrofpeét of French Literature Mifcellaneous. 
ty, and we fhall perhaps give a fuller ace 
count of the work hereafter. ~ 
Premiere Seance de la Commiffion nom- 
mée pour la Radiation des Athées, &c.— 
The firft Meeting of the Commiffion no- 
minated for the Erafure of Atheifts. 
This pleafantry has been publithed in 
confequence of the appearance of a work, 
intitled “ the Dictionary of Atheifis.” 
It is pretended that a multitude of protefis. 
have been prefented from a variety of per- 
fons, in oppofition to varicus names, un- 
juftly infcribed on the lift of Atheifts. 
«© Every reclamation” (fays the narrator). 
was fubmitted to deliberation, and here 
follows the refult of the difcuffion that en- 
fued. 
«© A Jefuit, who petitioned in favour of 
Jerome Lalande, afferted that he had feen 
him affifting at mais, along with the fa- 
thers of the company of Jefus at Rome ; 
and that he had cited, in his Elements of 
Aftronomy, the following line: 
‘¢ Cseli enarrant gloriam Dei.” 
Notwithflanding this was urged with 
great warmth, yet, the committee having — 
heard proofs on the other fide, wé are told, 
«¢ that Jerome Lalande is irrevocably 
maintained on the roll ;”* and the following 
report publithed relative to others : 
1. ** Voltaire, Rouffeau, and Raynal, 
are placed ina ftate ot furveillauce. 
2. * Boffuet, Fenelon, and Pafcal, are 
erafed definitively, and reftored to the pof- 
feilien of that glory, of which it had been ’ 
vainly attempted to defpoil them. 
3. ** Mercier is provifionally excluded 
from the lift, with an invitation not to 
fpeak againft Newton, or the fine arts, 
in order that doubts may no longer be 
ftarted either againift his reafon or his 
faith. 
4. * A report fhall be immediately de- 
livered in, relative to Afpafia, the Empe- 
ror of China, the Publicift, Albert the 
Great, and alfo the Great Mogul, all of 
whom have been infcribed in the Dictio- 
nary of Atheifts. 
5. ** The greater part of the protefts 
that arrive daily, appear to be well found- 
ed, and it is believed, that no more thar 
five or fix Atheifts will remain on the lift, 
out of which there are at leaft. three or 
four, who have not acted honeftly, and 
with good faith,and who will moft afluredly: 
become men of God, the moment they per- 
ceive themfelves deprived ef the efteem of 
the public and their friends.” ‘ 
The Dictionary in queftion is too ab- 
furd to imerit a ferious refutation, and it 
, a would 
wi * 
5 
