Ties of Savoy, &c." Ia this volume the author gives a moft magnificent view of thefe tremendous mountains, which he defcribes with philofophical accuracy and precision; while the various fituations in which he appears in his dangerous and fatiguing excurfions, render his publication peculiarly intereftings To thefe defcriptions he hath added an account of a read recently difcovered by which future naturalis may af cend the mountains with greater eafe and fafety."The Literary Hif tory of Geneva, by the Rev. M. John Sennettier, in three volumes," is a publication that will be very acceptable and entertaining to the scholar, and to the philofopher. The whole work is divided into four books. In the firft, the author carries down the literary hiftory of Geneva from its origin, which he dates about the middle of the fourth century, to the conclufion of the fixteenth. In the fecond, he brings it down from that period to the Reformation; an æra diftinguished by a va number of learned and eminent men, by ufeful discoveries, and great improvements in general knowledge. The third book is chiefly employed on an hiftorical portrait of John Calvin, whofe virtues and faults are fairly and equit ably appreciated; and on interefting particulars refpecting Beza, the Stephens's, and other eminent men. The fourth book gives an account of many learned men fill alive, or lately deceafed, whofe charater and writings do honour to Geneva. With this admirable work are connected two ellays, one "On the Utility which the Inhabitants of a Country may derive from the Knowledge of its Literary Hillory;" the other "On the Influence of Letters on Religion, Commerce, Arts, and Manners, especially in Geneva,"

which do great credit to the judg ment and tafte of the learned author, and are deferving of the atten tion of men of letters in every country.

It is with great pleafure that we are able to announce, in the beginning of our catalogue of Italian Lis terature, a fecond volume of M. Roffi's "Various Readings of the Old Teftament, drawn froin a great number of M.S.S. and Verfions &c.", and our hopes of feeing this important work foon brought to a conclufion. This volume contains the Books of Numbers, Deuterono my, Jofhua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. - Biblical learning in this country hath alfo derived confiderable acquifitions from a laborious "Commentary on the unpublished Greck Commentaries of Gazeus, or the Hentateuch and Canticles, by J. Chrift. Gottlieb Ernefli ;" and from Dahler's Animadverfions on the Proverbs of Solomon, from the tenth to the twenty-fourth chaps ter," according to the Greek Ver fion, lately published at Venice.— Nor ought we to omit mentioning in this place, the "Fafciculi of Fragments, from the Remains of the Egyptian Books in the Collection of Signior Nani," many of which contain curious fpecimens of the Thebaic and Saidic languages, from which may be derived many confiderable advantages in the fludy of facred philology.The Pleatures of the learned Tufcans, of which we took notice on a former occation, fuggefted to F. Fontani, keeper of the Riccardi Library, the delign of forming "A New Collection of the Pleafures of the Learned," confiiting of anecdotes and treatifes, drawn from the treatures of antiquity, to be elucidated by notes, and a commentary. The first article contains a Diflertation on Photius the Patri

arch of Constantinople, about the end of the ninth century, and his writings; in which feveral queftions on ecclefiaftical fubjects are difcuffed. This is followed by four Epiftles of Michael Glicas, a Silician annalift, who probably flourished in the thirteenth century.-In Natural Philofophy, the following work is much applauded, and firongly recommended by good judges: Ge neral and particular Views of Natural Philofophy, in feveral Eilays, by Father Cailo Barletti, Profeffor of Natural Philofophy at Padua, in four volumes." The firft of these volumes contains an Analytical Effay on Heat; the fecond, the Principles of Meteorology; the third, the Principles of Aerology and Optics; the fourth, preliminary Difcourfes on general Phyfics: and two Lectures on the fame fubject, which is to be continued in future volumes.-F. Scipio Brieflai's Mineralogical Obfervations, &c." contain an accurate account of the fothis, minerals, and other natural curiofities, in thofe of the Pope's territo. ries, which lie between the Appenines and the Mediterranean. This beautiful part of Italy has been exof Italy has been explored by our learned author, with a curious and philofophical eye; who concludes, from the number of vol. canic productions found in every part of it, from the flructure, fituation, and firata of the hills and rifing grounds, that the whole was formerly covered by the fea, and elevated above it by the efforts of fubmarine volcanos. The "Philofophical Thefes concerning the Nature of Fire, by Count Charles Refta, Patrician of Milan," derive their principal merit, from the author's judicious arrangement of materials for a complete Treatife on that Element, in his reafonings on the experiments which have been

3.

made by Priestley, Black, Crawford, Bergman, &c. - The abbé Fontana in "A Letter to the Che valier de Lorgna," gives an account of feveral experiments which he had made, with the utmost care and accuracy, relative to the decompofition of water. The refult of them has been a conviction, that Mr. Cavendish and Mr. Lavoifier, have been mistaken in their conclufions; that the water in paffing through heated iron tubes, does not undergo any decompofition; and that the addition of weight gained by the tubes, arifes from the water loft in the experiment, which has entered into the fubftance of the iron, and not, as was fuppofed, from dephiogifticated air. This question remains yet undecided; and fince the accuracy of Mr. Cavendish's experiments, and his reafonings from them have been difputed, a number of combatants have entered the field, among whom we find the refpectable names of Mefirs. Giorgi and Ciogni of Florence, M. de la Metherie, M. Adet, M. Meunier, and M. Berthollet.-The abbé Fortis, hath published at Vicenza, "A Memoir concerning the Bones of Elephants and other Natural Curio fities found in the Mountains of Verona," which will be an acceptable and entertaining paper to the foffiologift.-The Phyfiological Letters" of Dr. Rofa, Prefie dent of the College of Phyficians at Modena, afford us additional teftimony of the application and abili ties of that learned character. They contain accurate accounts of feveral of his experiments, and the refults of his attentive obfervations, which tend to throw confiderable light on that useful fcience.-Profeffor Maf cagni of Sienna, hath published "A Profpectus of a Work of Lymphatics, illuftrated by three plates,"

which

only; and, therefore, though the prefent auditors have paid an attention beyond their predeceffors, by regulating their offices, acceleJating the public accounts, and bringing up the arrears, yet, fhould men lefs active hereafter fill the le flations, they may again fink into finecures, and exceffive ftipends be paid every year to officers unprofitable to the public. In the year 1782, one of thefe officers received net 16,5651. 8. 8d. the other, 10,3311. 5s. 11d. in the year 1783, the one received net 16,230l. 4s. the other, 16,3731. 35. 4d.

The public cannot afford to maintain officers of any defcription at fuch an expence. This nation is in debt above 230,000,000l. it raifes every year, to pay the intereft and charges attending that debt, above 8,700,000l. of which above 19,800l. the bank fee alone, is to be paid every year to thefe officers, for bufinefs from whence the public derive no benefit; and, fhould additions be made this year to the public debt, unless the legislature will interpofe their authority, thefe fee of office will have their addition likewife: the profits of the auditors

of the impreft rife in proportion to the increafe of the public diftrefs. Upon thefe reafons we ground our opinion, that the public good requires that all fees and gratuities in the office of the auditors of the impreft fhould be forthwith abolished; that the profits of the auditors themselves fhould be reduced to a reasonable standard; and that every officer and clerk in the faid office fhould be paid, by the public, a certain fixed annual falary, in proportion to his rank and employment, in lieu of all falaries, fees, and gratuities whatfoever and we continue to adhere to the opinion we have stated in our laft Report, feeing no reafon to depart from it, that no right is vested in the auditor, either by the letters patent by which he holds his office, or by ufage, that can be oppofed to this reduction and regulation. Office of Accounts, SurryAtreet, June 8, 1784. T. ANGUISH, A. PIGGOTT, RICHARD NEAVE,

(L. S.)

(L. S.)

(L.S.)

SAMUEL BEACHCROFT, (L. S.)

(L. S.)

GEORGE DRUMMOND, (L. S.) WILLIAM ROE,

MARCH 2.

£. S. d. 936,000 0

692,326 18 8

war, &c.

800,000 o o