70g 
hat of nature; the fovereignty, confided to 
an affembly, is formed on the model of 
the god of Spirofa. Political liberty is 
svholly impraéticable, both in law and 
fact; there is no equality but under a 
monarchy: republicanifin, even in {pie of 
the magiitrate himfelf, engenders, from its 
very nature, oppreffion and inequality ; 
there is no republic but under the govern- 
ment of a high perfon,” &c. 
** Des Bois Propres aux ConftruSions 
Navales, Manuel! des Agens Foreftiers et 
Maritimes; contenant les Lois, Régle- 
mens, et Toitructions relatifs 4 la Difpof- 
tion et al’Uiage des Bois de Marine. Ac- 
compagné de vingt-fept Figures, gravées 
e: chluminées, éduites fur celles données 
ar P Adminiftration Génerale des Foréts, 
a la Suite de (es Infrutions Officielles du 
zo Meffidor An XT; fuivi d’un Diion- 
naire des Principaux Terms d’Architec- 
ture Navale ; par Goujon (de la Somme) 
ancien Juritconfulte, Editeur du Mémorial 
des Fo:éts.”—Of the Woods proper for 
Naval Purpofes, a Manuel for the Agents 
ermployed in Forefts and Maritime Affairs, 
containing the Laws, Regulations, and In- 
ftruétions relative to the Ule and Difpofi- 
tion of thofe termed Maritime Woods ; 
accompanied with twenty-feven Figures, 
engraved and illuminated, &c. &c.: to 
which is added, a Dictionary, defcribing 
the principal Terms of Naval Architec- 
ture; by Goujon, (of the Somme) 
formerly a Jurisconful, and Editor of the 
Memoria! relative to Forefts. 
This manual contains: 
1. An account of the ordonnance re- 
fpecting waters and forefts, in 1669 3 and 
alfo the woods referved for building the 
royal palaces and hips of war. 
2. ‘Two arretés, or orders of the king’s 
council: one of the aft of September, 
1700, which regulates the formalities pro- 
per to be obferved relative to the affairs of 
the marine; the cther of July 23, 1748, 
probiting ecclefiaftical as weil as fecular 
communities, and even private perfons, 
from cuiting down afiy foreft trees, which’ 
had been previovfly marked by the officers 
of the royal marine, 
4. The laws relative to the exportation 
ef wood. 
5. An arreté of the confuls pubtifhed in 
the year 311, concerning wood proper 
for knees and ribs for men of war. 
6. Regulations relative to the national 
woods. 
7- Twenty-feven illuminated plates of 
fkeietons of veflels. And, 
8. A dictionary of the technical terms 
employ:d in the forefis and dock-yards. 
Retrofped of F: vench Literatare.— Mifcellanies, 
It appears by a law of the oth Floread 
of the rath year: 
1. That the payment for the wood ap-« 
pertaining to individuals, will be made 
previoufly to its being taken away. 
2. That the carriage is not to be de« 
layed more than a-year after its being cut. 
«¢ Analyfe des Opinions diverfes fur 
l’Origine de Imprimerie,’ &c.—AnAna- 
lyfis of the different Opinions entertained 
relative to the Origin of Printing, by 
Daunou, Member of the National Infti- 
tute. 1 vol. 8vo. 
The prefent and laft age have derived 
fuch fignal benefits from the difcovery of 
the art of printing, that it is impoffible to 
be indifferent relative to its origin. The 
event Is not very remote, for it cannot be 
_ dated further back than three centuries and 
a half; yet, although Europe at that period 
poffeffed feveral literary men of fome emi- 
nence, yet we are not poftively acquainted. 
either with the name of the real inventor, 
or the firft proceffes, or even the firft pro~ 
duéts of the art. 
The obfcurity in which all thefe obje&t¢ 
is enveloped, proceeds from the genuine, 
difpofition of mankind, in refpe& to new 
difcoveries and their inventorg. Someare 
indifferent, not a few jealous, and many 
are prejudiced. Nor oughtit to be omit- 
ted that the firft inventors concealed their 
difcovery, with an affeéted air of myflery ; 
and it has been faid that they wifhed to im- 
pofe fo far on the world, as to fell for ma- 
nufcripts, and at a high price, thofe bookg 
compofed in a far more expeditious mode. 
The earlieft eflays might alfo have prov. 
ed too unpromifing to fix the attention, and 
it was not until after the moft decifive 
fuccefs, that a contention arofe relative to 
the firft difcovery. It then unfortunately 
occurred, that the names of the perfons 
who made the original attempts, thofe who 
created the art itfelf, as well as thofe wha 
perfeéted it, together with the names of 
the places where the firft eflays took place, 
and the cities where the firft theets were 
worked off ; in fhort, every thing effential 
became fubjeét of difpute. En fine, print- 
ing has not only become an objeét of adif- 
cuffion, but even of a ferious quarrel be- 
tween Harlem, Strafburg, and Mayence, 
while Cofter, Guttemberg, Fuft, and 
Scheffer, have all had in their turn their 
refpective partizans and enemies. 
In this predicament, M. Daunou hag 
ftepped forward, and ating in the capa- 
city cf an advocate general, or a magif. 
trate of the ancient parliaments, has drawn 
up and delivered in a report, in which he 
has difcovered not only much knowledge, 
