bours, our readers may remember an English version to have been made a few years since from M. Bertrand's manuscripts; and it is designed in some measure, as he tells us himself, to exhibit "the wonderful resignation and pru dence of every class of the emigrants from France. In descri

bing,"continues he, "the difficulty of submitting to the reverses of for tune, I recollected their accommodating their desires and wants to their means." A striking portraiture of the late unfortunate Mr. Cowper is introduced into the body of the work, and not without considerable effect.

“A

GEOGRAPHICAL, Historical, and Political Description of the Empire of Germany, Holland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Prussia, Italy, Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. With a Gazetteer of reference to the principal places in those Countries. Compiled and translated from the German. To which are added, Statistical Tables of all the States of Europe. Translated from the German of J. G. Boetticher, of Konigsberg. With a Supplementary Table, showing the changes since the commencement of the present War. Dedicated to their Majesties and Royal Family." 24 Plans, and a threesheet Map; Royal 4to. 500 pages; 27. 12s. 6d.; or together with Capt. Chauchard's Maps of the above Countries, on twenty-seven sheets folio, half bound, S. Ss. Stockdale, 1800.

An apology may seem necessary for inserting at this time a critique on a book published in 1800. But although this publication of Chauchard's Maps has acquired such well-merited and great celebrity in England, yet we had hitherto omitted to observe that it was accompanied by the volume now un

der our consideration; and maps in general do not come within the meaning of our Register. At the present time, however, that the continental affairs of Europe attract the notice of the universe, by the tremendous positions of the combined and French armies, our review of this performance will not, late as the period is, be altogether out of time.

The book commences with Germany, its situation, boundaries, extent, soil, and productions, which, being so well known, occupy a very small portion. The history which follows is also concise, but extreme. ly satisfactory, and the arrangement is then continued in the following order:-Population; language, commerce, universities, arts, sciences, &c.; form of government, and religions; division of the country into circles, and an account of each circle separately; Bohemia, Moravia, Lusatia, and Silesia are succinctly described; and the German history concludes with the independent districts belonging to none of the circles.

Upon a similar plan of arrangement the other countries are next sketched in outline, which, how

ever, is rendered interesting by the occasional record of historic facts, yet recent in the recollection of us all, and which tend in a material degree to enliven the dullness of geographical nicety. In this part of the work is a most capital threesheet map of Germany, Italy, &c. from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. The mention in the titlepage that this work was compiled and translated from the German excited some degree of surprise, at least, if not of doubt; but when we had perused a few pages of the geographical reference or gazetteer of such places as appear upon the map, in letters of a moderately large size, all doubt was done away. We certainly had expected to have found this part of the work, in particular, little better than a servile copy of the errors which disgrace every gazetteer extant, in England. Here indeed very great praise is due. We assuredly have no work in this part of Europe that contains so accurate an account of the different districts, cities, towns, &c. of Germany and Italy; or, more correctly speaking, within the compass of the London edition of Chauchard's maps, as this. The inaccuracies of former compilers here seem to have been all rectified; nor could it have been done with"out intense labour. We do not indeed profess to have actually referred to the map, to compare the longitude and latitude of every place enumerated in the gazetteer, but we have referred to a very great number, and find that the reference uniformly agrees with the map, which must, in some respect, be considered as a corroboration, if not a test, of the accuracy of both.

With such a guide before them, it is by no means creditable to our modern gazetteerists, that they daily issue new editions, equally incorrect with those which have gone before, when, inasmuch as this book is concerned, they need only compare to correct. Interspersed throughout the " geogra phical reference," which is a term much too modest for the best ga zetteer that we have of the countries it comprehends, are twentythree plans of the principal cities and fortifications of the continent. That of the almost impregnable fortress of Mantua, though small, is by far the best that we have met with in this country. They are all on a sufficient scale to convey satisfactory information to the mass of politicians who lay siege to forts in their closets, and manoeuvre armies at their breakfast tables.

We now come to the statistical tables*, which form a valuable addition, and, to use the words of the translator, who seems thoroughly to understand the subject before him, "suggest a few observations, which, as they might not at first sight occur to every reader, the translator thinks himself justified in laying before the public.

"The population, commerce, and wealth of most countries, are continually either on the increase or the decline. The nature of things precludes the possibility of their being permanent or long sta tionary at any one point.

"The boundaries and forms of government are not subject to that imperceptible and constant change which takes place in commerce, population, &c.: but on the other hand they are liable to sudden and

Z 3

violent

violent revolutions; and, in fact, such is the mutability of human affairs, that the most perfect and accurate statistical tables must, in the course of a very short space of time, become incorrect.

"Our German author fixed on such a fortunate period for his compilation as may not probably occur again for many years, in consequence of the unexampled revolu tions which, since that time, have taken place on the continent.

"With respect to the present situation of Europe, it must be regarded as a temporary one; and as it has been the uniform practice of nations not to consider any aug mentation or diminution of territory as durable, until stipulated for or guarantied by a treaty of peace; upon the same principle it is impossible to have any statistical account posterior to the commencement of the French revolution.

"For the above reasons these statistical tables may be considered as the latest that could be composed; at the same time aware of the surprising changes which have happened since they were compiled: and with a view to give in one pub. lication every possible information, a table has been annexed, containing accurate statements of the losses or acquisitions of Great Britain, France, Germany, Holland, the Swiss cantons, and Sardinia; the Papal territory, and other states of Italy; including Malta, Naples, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the Turkish dominions in Africa; the changes in their government, revenues, forces, commerce, &c., till the commencement of the campaign of 1759. So that, without making any alteration in the excellent tables of the German author, the present state of Europe is exhibited as precisely as the fluc

tuating and confused situation of affairs will admit of, or as the uncertain nature of the durability of such tables requires.

"Should Europe return to some. thing like its former situation, these statistical tables will be found an excellent guide in calculating theimmense expense, devastation, and bloodshed, incurred by this horrible war; for by their means Europe, before and after it, may be compared and determined. But on the other hand, should it never return to a state similar to its for. mer one, it must be esteemed a fortunate circumstance that these tables were published previous to the destruction of that system which has prevailed for so many centuries, concerning which it will always be important to possess ac, curate information.

"As to the present state of Eu. ropean nations, though very change able, it is extremely interesting. Great Britain, in particular, ap pears as the most conspicuous figure in the grand picture of Eu. ropean politics. For her was reserved the glory of preserving Eu. rope, and all civilized society, from the impious and fanatic at. tacks of furious anarchists; or, at least, of having almost singly, and unsupported, made an attempt for that purpose, at an expense exceed. ed only by her resources, her for titude, and magnanimity. Thus, in the additional table, the increas ing commerce, the great naval and military armaments of Britain, &c. &c. are given with that accuracy which the importance of the subject deserves."

An andysis has now been given of the contents of a book of great and general interest to this country, wherein every inhabitant not only possesses, but exercises, the right

of

of freely commenting upon the transactions, foreign or domestic, in which those who direct its government, take, or are supposed to take, any part. We do not hesitate to recommend it to the perusal of our readers, the greater part of whom most probably already have it in their possession, as a necessary appendage to the library of a political reasoner.

Although the title might be thought to comprehend the utmost extent of what the work contains, that is by no means the fact. No inconsiderable portion of France is included in the alphabetical reference, as well as an account of the interesting island of Malta, &c. To sum up the whole merits of this work, the title promises nothing that it does not perform most fully; and so accurate, extensive, laborious, useful, and minute a map of those vast territories was never before completed in the British dominions.

Were any thing yet requisite to stamp the authority and reputation of the maps, for accuracy; it was done most unequivocally by the ARCHDUKE CHARLES of AUSTRIA, and GENERAL MOREAU, when they concluded the armistice which pregeded the treaty of Luneville, on the 9th of February, 1801. In one of the articles of

that armistice it was agreed that, should any dispute occur respecting the line of demarcation, it should be settled by a reference to Chauchard's Maps, which were thereby clearly held up to Europe as those upon which the greatest reliance might be placed.

HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY indeed seems to have been impressed with a sense of the magnitude of the undertaking, for the subscrip tion is not only honoured by His GRACIOUS SANCTION, but also by that of HIS ROYAL CONSORT, BROTHER, SISTER, and indeed ALL THE ROYAL FAMILY, amounting to twenty-four. The number of the other subscribers, amongst whom we observe the Archduke Charles, is about 3000. The preface thus, with much propriety, concludes→→→ "Great, indeed, beyond all example has been the countenance given to this undertaking, and equal to such encouragement is the publisher's desire to evince that it has not been bestowed on an object unworthy of it."

As this publication seems equally to belong to the domestic and foreign department of literature, and yet somewhat distinct from both, we have preferred to introduce it under a separate head, rather than to infringe the uniformity of the other classes.

FOREIGN

WE

TE shall adhere to the plan pursued in our Register for last year, and commence this department with the literature of Germany. Professor Paulus has not only published the fourth volume of his "Commentar über des Neuen Testaments," "Commentary on the New Testament;" but has begun a second edition of the earlier volumes; so considerable has been the demand for this work. M. Paulus has been lately, also, advanced to a professional chair in the University of Wirtzburg. M. Schweitzer of Zürich is engaged in a new version of the New Testament; which, from the specimen he has offered to the world, is likely to be a masterly performance: we think, however, from a casual glance, that he will be found too much dependent upon Dathe. Professor Justi of Marburg has given a new translation of what he denominates the "National Songs of the Hebrews:"-an attempt which bears no inconsider able resemblance to Mr. Green's version of the "Poetical Parts of the Old Testament," both in manner and merit, excepting that it is less comprehensive. M. Schuster, in

imitation, of Niemeyer, has published a work intitled "Aeltesten Sagen der Hebräer nach ihren Historischen und Praktischen Gehalte," "The most Ancient Traditions of the Hebrews in an His. torical and Practical Point of View." The traditions referred to extend from Gen. i. to Gen. xi. inclusively; and several doubtful points are here followed up with no inconsiderable portion of critical acumen. M. Jahn of Vienna has republished, with various additions and improvements, his "Einleitung in die Schriften des Alten Testaments," "Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament:" while professor Schmidt of Giessen has brought forwards his "Introduction to the New Testament." This last has been acceptably received, and is worthy of the abilities we have ascribed to this industrious theologian in our last retrospect. Professor Thiess has also published, in his retirement at Holstein, the first part of a new Commentary on the Old Testament, of which we shall give a more detailed account when the work has made a further progress.

The inspiration of the sacred scriptures