646 
of the moft diftinguifhed fcientific charac-. 
tefs, whofe works are noticed in the 
Tranfaétions, continued to the beginning 
of the prefent century, This volume 
alone comprizes notices of about one hun- 
dred of the more early authors. On the 
whole, there is great reafon to believe, 
that under the care, judgment, and know- 
ledge of the three gentlemen whofe names 
appear at the title-page of this work, it 
will be carried on to theiy own honour 
and the advantage of [cience. 
We mul apologize for net having men- 
tioned before, ‘* Tae Natural Hiftery of 
O-vipar ous Quaprupeds and Serpents. By 
ghe COUNT DE La CEPEDE, Keeper of the 
Royal Cabinet, &c.; tranflated by Mr. 
Kerr: in four ogiavo Volumes with 
Plates 
When the Count de Buffon conceived 
his plan of writing an ex:enfiye hiltory of 
Hature, he was aware of the impoflibility 
that it fhould be completed by the efforts 
of an individual. He was obliged to en- 
truit the execution of feveral of the fubor- 
dinate parts, therefore, to different perfons, 
in whofe abilities he could confide. Vo 
the Count de la Cepede, the materials of 
the prefent work were entrufted, and by 
him they have been arranged and alge 
mented, fo as to ferve as a continuation of 
the Fijltory of viparous Quadrupeds and 
Rirds, which were given by Buffon him- 
felf. This work, however, is in every 
re(pect extremely infer ior to that of which 
it forms the continuation. ‘The two firft 
volumes contain the natural hiftory of 
Oviparous quadrupeds and bipeds, pre- 
ceded by a prelimmmary difcourie on their 
nature, and is followed by a feparate in- 
dex of thefe animals. The third and 
fourth volumes contain the natural hiftory 
of ferpents, an introduétory diflertation 
on their nature, with an effay on the no- 
menclature end arrangement of them pre- 
ceding the particular hiflory of the feveral 
fpecies ; and the whole concluding with a 
feparate index of thefe animals. “Vhis lat- 
ter is the molt interefting part of the work, 
which, however, will not be found to im- 
art much new knowledge to the Engiiih 
naturaiift. Many exploded opiniens are 
Yetained, and the author is too vifionary 
and hypothetical to rank highly as a 
icientific man. ‘The tranflation is exe- 
cuted in a hafiy carelels manner, and 
fome undue liberties are taken with the 
original. 
_ A new edition is publifhed of ¢ Imifon’ 5 
Elements of Science and Art, Gc 
It is Obviouily neceflary that a work of 
this fort fhould every now and then be 
Retrofpedi of Domeftie Literature.—Natural Hj iftory, &e. 
republithed, with alditions and alterations 
corréfponding with the improvements 
which are daily taking place in {cience.—~ 
In the prefent inftance, this has been 
ably executed by Mr. Webfter, who was 
affiitant to the late Dr. Garnet, at the 
Royal Inflitution. Mr. Webiter has now 
given a comprehenfive treatife on chemiftry, 
an account of manufaéture and arts, fuch 
as bleaching, dyeing, refining metals, var- 
nifhing, &c. 3 in which it has been his 
objec to point out the conne¢tion of natu- 
ral philofophy and mechanics, with their 
application to the improvement and ex- 
tention of arts. 
A fifth volume is imported of the 
nde Tranfactions of the American P bilofo- 
phical Society.” 
It is indebted for (ome of its moft va- 
Iuabie papers, to the pen of a man whe 
has done more for {cience and philofophy 
than any individual, yerhaps, in any coun~ 
try of the world ; of aman who was the 
orrament of his age, and who fied, 
an exile, from the bigotry and perfecuting 
{pirit of a country which, to ws utter dii- 
grace, feared, and was made afhamed by 
his virtucs, while it was compelled to pay 
homage to his {urpafling talents. Itneeds 
not be added that we allude to Dr. Prieft- 
Jey. He lately paid the dey of nature, in 
Ametica—fato profugus!—in the bofom 
of his own family, who had the melan- 
choly fatisfaGtion to clofe his dying cyes.* 
We have accidentally delayed to notice 
the publication of the fiift volume of Count 
Rumford’s ** Philofophical Papers 3°” moft 
of them have already been printed im the 
Tranlagtions of the Royal Scciety,they are 
now revived and corrected, however, and 
notes and fupplements are annexed to many 
of them. The fecond volume, we are in- 
formed, will coufitt chiefly of original 
letters, written on various {cientifical tub. 
jects, and on ufeful inventions and im- 
provements. ‘* I have it in contemplation, 
(lays the Count) to publifh, at fome fu- 
ture period, a work et ed uniformly 
with this volume. and with ay cflays) on 
origical mechanical inventions ; which 
weit, together with the continuation of 
my effays s, and the memoirs of my life, 
(which Jaft, it is probable, will not be~ 
pudlifhed till after my death) will be alt 
the publications I have at prefent any in- 
tention of giving to the wor!d.”’ 
Dr. Turron (author of the Medical 
Gloflary) prefented the public, about a 
* A brief biographical] memoir of Dr. Priett- 
ley has appeared in our Magazine, from the 
pea of Dr, Aikin. | 
ne year 
