* Whig and Tory.have certainly departed from their original fignifications, as Curi fus justly obferves. Perhaps it would be" beft to drop the terms. But, at prefent, their general meaning feems to be, that the one wishes to fupport, the other to weaken the power of the Crown.

. A Correfpondent informs us (in answer to our statement at p. 560, vol. xiii) that labourers, where he lives, must pay from s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. for ftrong fhoes. It is certainly not fo where we are best informed.

We fhall be happy to receive the favour of Academicus, under the provifos mentioned in his Poftscript.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

In the courfe of next winter will be published a curious account of Thibet, by Captain Turner.

Mr. Hoole is preparing to reprint his former translations. from Metaftafio; with which will appear feveral additional dramas, and other poems from that admired author.

Mr. Marsh, the learned tranflator of Michaelis, has publifhed, in German, "A Hiftory of the Politics of Great Britain and France, from the Time of the Conference at Pilnitz to the Declaration of War against Great Britain;" which has had a most excellent effect upon the Continent. It will fhortly appear in English, by the author himself, a great part being already printed at Leipfic.

In about three weeks may be expected, An Epitome of the ancient Hiftory of Perfia, tranflated by Major Oufely, from the Perfian MS. called the Jehan Ara.

A tranflation, by Dr. Hunter, of Sonnini's Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt, which are supposed to have given rise to Bonaparte's expedition, will foon be published.

Another tranflation is announced, by Mr. Debrett."

Captain Chauchard, Military Engineer to the Count d'Artois, is preparing fome fine Maps of Germany, Italy, &c. ̧

ERRATA..

In our laft, p. 655, l. 1, for Dr. Wintle, read Mr.
Alfo, p. 672, 1..3, for; Charton, read Churton.
So alfo, in Art..33, of the Table of Contents.

ART. I. Encyclopædia Britannica, or a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Mifcellaneous Literature; conftructed on- a Plan, by which the different Sciences and Arts are digefted into the Form of diftinct Treatifes or Syftems, comprehending the Hiftory, Theory, and Practice of each, according to the latest Difcoveries and Improvements; and full Explanations given of the various detached Parts of Knowledge, whether relating to natural and artificial Objects, or to Matters ecclefiaftical, civil, military, commercial, &c. including Elucidations of the most important Topics, relative to Religion, Morals, Manners, and the Economy of Life: together with a Defcription of all the Countries, Cities, principal Mountains, Seas, Rivers, &c. throughout the World; a general Hiftory, ancient and modern, of the different Empires, Kingdoms, and States; and an Account of the Lives of the most eminent Perfons in every Nation, from the earliest Ages down to the prefent Times. Compiled from

H

BRIT. ERIT. VOL. XIV. AUG. 1799.

CRINTED BY T. RICKABY, PETERBOROUGH-COURT, FLEET-STREET,

from the Writings of the beft Authors, in feveral Languages, the most approved Dictionaries, &c. &c. The Third Edition, in Eighteen Volumes, greatly improved. Illuftrated with 542 Copper Plates. 4to. 181. 18s. Bell and Macfarquhar, Edinburgh. 1797-1798.

THE

HE Iniquity of the French Atheistical Philofophers, in forming a vaft Univerfal Dictionary, in order to have an effectual vehicle for their pernicious doctrines, has produced in the end this accidental good, that it has excited in other places the fpirit of scientific compilation; which, taking the good part of the defign without the bad, exerts itself in efforts very beneficial to mankind. Of this latter character is the great work at prefent before us, which now, in a very improved and augmented ftate, is prefented complete to the public. Since the publication itself was clofed, a fupplement has been undertaken by Dr. Gleig, one of the principal authors of the Dictionary, which we shall notice in due time. At present we fhall confine our attention to the volumes here announced.

The plan we have taken up, for reviewing a work of fuch extent and variety, is that of forming a few principal heads, and digesting our remarks under thofe regular divifions. We fhall, however, premise a few more general remarks, before we enter upon that particular examination.

This work, in its actual form, may with more propriety be called a collection of treatifes on different fubjects, alphabetically arranged, than a regular dictionary; and it might even be queftioned, whether the contents are intended only to explain the meaning of the terms of science, or are defigned to inftruct the reader in any particular fubject, which he may be willing to learn. If the former be the real purpose, it might be objected that the contents are too extensive and intricate; if the latter, that the treatifes are too fhort and imperfect. In this cafe, a gloffary, or alphabetical index, to a collection of treatifes of established reputation, might perhaps have answered the end almost as well.

The book however, fuch as it is, undoubtedly contains a great store of information. It comprehends moft of the late improvements, and the treatifes are, in general, well compiled and clearly written. The errors of the prefs, or of any other fort, are not more numerous than might be expected, in a work fo diverfified and extenfive. The number of articles perhaps exceeds that of any other publication of the fort; fo that, upon the whole, the book must be highly useful; efpecially to those persons who have not the advantage of an extenfive library.

What

What feems most likely to ftrike the reader, in the occafional examination of this Dictionary, is the difproportion which exifts amongst the articles; fome of which are immoderately long, while others are fhort and imperfect. Though this inequality may in great measure be attributed to the various genius and knowledge of the perfons concerned in the compilation, yet it is perhaps undeniable that popularity, which enfures the fale of the book, rather than fcientific information, which enhances the real value of it, has often been the principal object of the publisher.

The article Legerdemain takes up 19 pages, while 3 pages only are bestowed on the Conic Sections, and 5 pages on the important and abftrufe Doctrine of Fluxions. The articles Britain, England, Scotland, and London, occupy all together 338 pages. The article War fills 92 pages; Medicine, 309 pages; Metaphyfics, 129 pages; Oratory, 100 pages; but Meteorology only 8 pages. In fome inftances, we have found that an unfair liberty has heen taken with authors, by inferting the whole of a treatife feparately publifhed; and even without acknowledgment. We proceed now to our more particular examination.

PHILOSOPHY.

The philofophical part contains a great variety of good and indifferent articles; though they feldom defcend below mediocrity. In fome, the difficulties are left unnoticed; in others, the want of examples renders the fubject obfcure; the quotations from other books, which indeed fill up the greatest number of pages, are frequently placed without proper connection or difcrimination. But, on the other hand, it must be acknowledged, that fometimes the neatnefs of the arrangement, and the judicious felection of the materials, manifest the masterly hand of the compiler.

Acoustics is a tolerably good article; but, in p. 92, it defcribes a machine (No. VI.) to play tunes by the action of the wind, which effect, the conftruction cannot admit.

The fubject of Aerology is well arranged; but, amongst the discoverers of the properties of aerial fluids, no mention is made of Dr. Mayow, who is certainly entitled to a considerable fhare of praise on that account.

Aeroftation is not long, but fufficiently comprehenfive.

Atmosphere ought to have been treated in a more particular

manner.

The article Blind is entertaining as well as inftructive; and having been furnished, as we are informed in the Preface, by two blind perfons, Dr. Blacklock and Dr. Moyes, is rendered peculiarly useful and interefting. The contents of

H 2

this

this article may be derived from its preamble, which is as fol→ lows:

Blind, an epithet applied to a perfon or fenfitive creature' deprived of the ufe of his eyes; or, in other words, to one from whom light, colours, and all the glorious variety of the vifible creation, are intercepted by fome natural or accidental disease. Such is the literal acceptation of the term: but it is likewife ufed in a metaphorical fenfe, to fignify mental or intellectual darkness; and frequently im-plies, at the fame time, fome moral or spiritual depravity in the foul thus blinded, which is either the efficient or continuing caufe of this internal malady. Yet, even in metaphor, the epithet of blind is fome'times applied to a kind of ignorance, which neither involves the ideas of real guilt, nor of voluntary error. It is, however, our prefent intention to confider the word, not in its figurative, but in its naturàl and primary fenfe. Nor do we mean in this place to regard it as a fubject of medical fpeculation, or to explore its caufes, and enumerate its cures. Thefe are in the department of another fcience. It is rather our defign to confider, by what means this inexpreffible misfortune may be compenfated or alleviated to those who fuftain it; what advantages and confolations they may derive from it; of what ac quifitions they may be fufceptible; what are the proper means of their improvement; or by what culture they may become useful to themfelves, and important members of fociety."

Barometer is a good article.

The articles Catoptrics and Dioptrics, are short and trifling; their deficiencies, however, are coinpenfated by the treatise on Optics.

Chemiftry is a long and valuable article. It gives a diftinct view of the modern theory, and a fufficiently extenfive defcription of chemical operations.

The effay on the art of Dyeing is not very extensive, either in the theoretical or in the practical part. Some useful drugs, and several approved proceffes, have been omitted. The compiler might have derived confiderable information from Dr. Bancroft's excellent publication on the fubject.

The article Electricity is long, and of courfe it contains a great deal of the fubject. But it is rather in want of method, and fometimes of perfpicuity. The most intricate parts have been either omitted, or flightly touched upon. Upon the whole, the materials are not arranged in a manner most proper for inftructing a perfon ignorant of the subject.

The article Heat wants further elucidation, and a more extenfive application.

Hydroftatics, Hygrometer, Magnetism, Mechanics, Metallurgy, and Microfcope, are good articles; yet it may be obferved of them, as well as of many others, that they generally contain much more of the fuperficial than of the fubftantial part of Lcience.

The