Retrofpeet of German Literature—Furifprudence. 
fwer to a London bookfeller to purchafe 
the plates and accompany them with a 
tranflated text. 
‘© Defcriptio Machine ad Combufti- 
onem Gas Inflammabilis et Vitalis Ido- 
nez, von J. 1. Maver.—This Machine 
may facilitate the admixture and accen- 
fion of the airs, and colle&tion and meafure- 
ment of the water precipitated or formed 
in the experiment; but it has afforded no 
new proof of the elemental fimplicity, or 
reputed compofition of water. 
Verfuche tiber die Farben des Lichts, 
_von C. E. Wunsca.”"—The object of 
this pamphlet is to prove that light con- 
fits, not of feven, but of three, primary 
colours, the red, the green, and the violet. 
By mingling prifmatic ftreaks of red 
and green, a bright yellow is produced ; 
‘by mingling green and violet, a bright 
blue. In paffing through fucceffive prifms, 
the yellow rays feparate into a fringe, 
edged with red and green; the blue rays 
into a fringe, edged with green and violet ; 
but the red, the green, and the violet rays 
do not feparate into fringes (?) by fuccef- 
five refra&tions, The author feems to 
think, that rays of the fame colour are not 
all equally refrangible. . 
“ Verfuche uber die Chemifche Zerle- 
gune des Luftkreifes, von A. v. Hum- 
BoLpT.’—Thefe delicate experiments 
chiefly relate to the analyfis of atmofphe- 
ric air, which is found, on the average, to 
contain three-twentieths of carbon. The 
boldett theory is that which fuppofes the 
folid parts of this earth to have been pre- 
cipitated from an aqueous folution of the 
whole mafs: and the moft probable is that 
which hints at the oxygeneity of light. 
JURISPRUDENCE 
Is fuddenly become a very produttiv 
field of literature; furely it is fymptoma- 
tic of great impending revolutions in the 
public conftitution of Germany, that the 
law of nature, of nations, of provinces, of 
cities, fhould on a fudden rind fo many ex- 
pofitors and fo many critics, and that fyf- 
tems for its improvemert fhould emanate 
from almott every univerfity in the empire. 
As moft law-books can excite but a local 
intereft, we omit the mafs, and feleét for 
notice thofe of the more cofmo-political 
kind. ; 
The philofophy of cofmo- political law, 
or of law univerfally binding, was founded 
by OLDENDoRP, who, in1539, publifhed 
his ** Tfagoge Juris Naturalis, Gentium, 
et Civilis.”"-—It was firfttreated in a wor- 
thy manner by Grotius, whofe principles 
Zouch of Oxford practically applies in his 
«¢ Juris et Judicii Fecialis Explicatio, 
1650.’*-—-Wolf, in his ** Jus Gentium,” 
and in his own abridgement of it, intitled 
Montuiy Mac, No, 75. 
645 
*< Inftitutiones Juris Nature et Gentium,” 
laid the plan and gathered the materials of 
that fyftem, which Vattel has fo perfpicu- 
oufly vernacularifed,and fo ably completed, 
and which has fuperfeded the fyftem of 
Grotius. : 
To the dry and gracelefs precifion—the 
ubiguitary refearch—the exhauftive fub- 
divifions and {cholaftic phrafeology of 
Wolf, the modern Germans feemingly 
look back for the model and the gnide of 
their compilations and refearches. The 
Englith writers, after Hobbes, moftly 
tranflate jus natura, jus gentium, by law 
of nature, law. of nations: the French, 
after Barbeyzac, by right of nature, 
right of nations: but feyeral Germans 
employ the phrafe, “* right of nature;” 
for on men and nations zatfure has confer- 
red rights, but not laws; and the phrafe, 
“*/aw of nations,” for on prefcription and 
convention, that is, on cOmmon or written 
Jaw, are founded the reciprocal duties-of 
nations. But we muft enumerate, not 
diffent. | 
“© Kanr’s Rechtflehre’’ is a methodi- 
cal condenfed exhauftive fyllabtis of a the= 
ory of jurifprudence, full of new words, 
Kant, like Cudworth, is perpetually mint- 
ing terms for purpofes of exact diftribu- 
tion. 
«* Ficute’s Grundlage des Natur- 
rechts’” has obtained great reputation. 
Fichte is the Dupont cf Germany: he 
was noticed by the King of Pruffia, that a 
gracious example might be given of re- 
ceiving tolerantly the utmoft licence of 
opinion. ‘The zeal of his fellow-feétaries 
may have had fome fhare in the magnifi- 
cation of his merit. He is a glowing 
writer, 
HUFELAND’s © Einleitung in die Wif- 
fenchaft des Privatrechts.”” : 
HureLanp’s ** Abrifs der Methodo- 
logie der Recnt{gelehrfamkeit.”” 
HUreLanp’s * Inftitutionen des Pofi- 
tiven Rechts.” 
HuFELAND’s “ Beytrage zur Berichti- 
gung der Rechtf{wiffenfchaften,”’ are all 
{poken of as the works of a man tedious, 
induftrious, and omnifcient in his line. 
The fecond-is a good introduétory work. 
<‘ Populeres Naturrecht, von J. P. 
LersLeR.”’—-A lucid, calm fiaterttent of 
the Theoretical Rights ofMian, hoftile to 
flavery, favourable to property, confiftent 
with order. This is the firft part of a 
larger intended werk. 
“* Verfuch einer Theorie des Gefell(i 
haftlichen Menfehen, von P. C. Rein- 
HARD.”’—-Such categorical diftributions 
recall Hartley’s Six Claffes of Intelleétual 
Pleafures; but perfpicuity never refults 
from methodic formality, where it does. 
40 not. 
