636 
gin of fociety, but the various inftitu- 
tns of mankind, as they develope 
themfelves, during their progrefs and 
decadence, their excellence “and de- 
generacy. He examines modern go- 
vernments, for the exprefs purpofe of 
inquiring whether the happinefs of a 
nation be commenfurate with the power 
of its governors, and endeavours to 
deduce fixed and invariable principles 
from acknowledged facts. - He alfo at- 
tempts to exhibit correét and pre- 
cife ideas on the fubjects of property, 
leciflation, commerce, taxes, banks, 
and feminaries for public education. 
It feems to be candidly avowed, that, 
after an awful ftruggle of ten year, 
France, in fome refpects, has returned 
to the exact point whence fhe had fet 
‘out; and that pait misfortunes de- 
monftrate one primitive and efflential 
truth: that a ftate can never be fup- 
ported, but by a religions refpect for 
Shean: a neceffary and reafonable 
influence on the part of proprietors 
upon public affairs, and the exercife 
of a {uperior power, deftined {pecially 
to protect all interefts and all claffes 
of citizens. 
After aes on thé neceflity, as 
well as policy, of religious toleration 
the author recurs to the erganization 
of the public force, and infifts that 
the armies of a ftate, without being 
leffened, may be renderéd, lefs expen- 
five. For this purpofe, he enters into 
a differtation relative to the clothing, 
€quipment, and arming, of troops, the 
economy of military hofpitals, &C. 
In refpect to naval affairs, he infifts 
that failors are formed by praétice ; that 
the number and excellence of feamen 
depend on the extenfion of maritime 
commerce ; and that France, inftead 
of adding to, is, in fome meafure, un- 
der the neceflity of creating every 
thing appertaining to this fource of 
national profperity. Upon the whole, 
. he is of opinicen, that it: is lefs the in- 
tereit of France at this moment, to fit 
out a great navy, than to eftablifh ex- 
dellent commercial inftitutions, and 
civilife and improve her foreign pof- 
feffons. 
The author, towards the conclufion, 
enquires into the prefent ftate of the 
French colonies ; and, like Raynal, he 
declaims loudly againft the flavery 
of the negroes, and he afferts, that 
nothing appears more defirable for the 
interelts of humanity, the ftate, and 
even the benefit of the planters them- 
Retrofpest of French Literature—Watural Bi iffory. 
felves, than ste: annihilation of fuch 
an odious fervitude. He is of @pinion, - 
that recent events in fhe Weft Indies 
render thofe fettlements itill more cri- 
tical than before; and he thinks, that 
a portion of the ancient flaves of St. 
Domingo ought to be tranfported to 
Mada agafcar ; ; there to be replaced by 
importations from the coaft of Africa. 
NATURAL HISTORY,’ &c. 
‘¢ Hiftoire Naturelle des Volcans, 
comprenant les Volcans fous-marins, \ 
ceux de Bouche et autres Phénoménes 
analogues; par C. N. ORDINAIRE, Cl- 
devant Chanoine de Riom. Paris, et @ 
Strafhourg, 8vo. avec une Carte.”— 
\ 
‘Natural Hiftory of Volcanoes, &c. 
The author begins by giving an ac- 
count of the internal formation of ca- 
vernous mountains, compofed of fub- 
ftances which are not homogeneous. 
He then enters into a: differtation on 
pyrites, coal, 
which follows a -defcription . of the 
crater. 
Having laid down certain principles, 
€.N. Ordinaire explains feveral of the 
phenomena of antiquity, known ‘to, 
and mentioned by, Pliny, Leo Afri- 
canus, &c. He then makes mention 
of the central fires, whence he deduces 
earthquakes; and remarks that, in their 
immediate ’ neighSourhood, volcanoes 
are ferviceable, ‘by conducting away 
that matter, eafily and without da- 
mage, which would otherwife explode, 
and produce inevitable deftruction. 
The conyulfions incident to, volca- 
noes, are attributed 
xr. To the introduction or lee: 
which becomes evaporated by means 
of heat ; and, 
2. The accidental intervention of a 
new bed of fulphur, or melted metal. 
We are told, that, in 1669, the tor- 
rents of lava undermined and carried 
away a little hill in Sicily, to the dif- 
tance of half a mile, without burting 
the vines with which it was clothed. 
According to a calculation here pre- 
fented to the reader, Vefuvius, i 187275 
difplaced near three milliards, feventy- 
five millions, of cubic feet af matter s 
and we are told of one volcano at 
Arragona, and anotherin the ifle of 
Taman, the eruptions: of which, in- 
ftead of cinders, &c. confifted of earth 
or dirt; the laft of thefe phenomena 
occurred in 1794, ands fuppofed, ac- 
cording to an eftimate made by Pallas, 
to have fpouted up 100,000 aa a 
thoms of matter. j 
4 t 
and mineral waters; after __ 
a OE ee 
