authors of antiquity is profound; and he has confulted the Greek writers with an industry and skill that are very uncommon. His information has every where the claim of exactnefs; and he has diftinguifhed himfelf by the ferioufnefs and gravity which become fo well the hiftorian. His impartiality and candour are examplary; and his judgment is correct. His book, however, is not to be claffed in the nobleft order of hiftorical compofitions. His ability is more to be admired, than his genius; his learning more than his penetration. His manner is equal and uniform. His diction, though full and fometimes harmonious, is deficient in dignity; and we no where perceive in it that fplendour which befits occafionally the hiftoric mufe. He excels in defcription, and fights' his battles with a propriety that discovers a knowledge in military affairs. Good fenfe and erudition are his leading, and peculiar characteristics; and, while he wants the bold and thining prerogatives of high genius, he is free from their exceffes. He has no affectation of paradox, no contempt of religion, no unnatural and faftidious refinement. Anxious' for the truth, he has attained it. Laborious, perfevering, and intelligent, he is a fagacious and inftructive guide. And, it may be affirmed without the fufpicion of flattery, that no author in the English language has yet exhibited a more perfect performance on any topic of the Grecian ftory. It is to be hoped, accordingly, that he will continue his researches, and complete the undertaking he has begun with fo much fuccefs. ART. III. A Treatise on the Rectilinear Motion and Rotation of Bodies, &c. By G. Atwood, M. A. F. R. S. Late Fellow of Trinity-College, Cambridge. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Boards. Cadell. THE Author of this volume is well known and highly refpected in the philofophical world. Mathematicians. were flattered a few years ago, with the hopes of receiving from him a complete fyftem of the four branches of Natural Philofophy. Propofals were actually printed, and fubfcriptions taken in for that purpofe. But whether the patronage, ne ceffary for a work of fuch expence, was not fufficiently am-ple, or whether the Author was difcouraged by the labour and magnitude of fo extenfive a performance, we are unable to determine. It feems too true, however, that the inten-, tions which he had then formed concerning this exertion of his faculties, are at prefent laid afide. This treatife contains the principles of rectilinear and rotatory motion. Thofe parts of it, in which experiments are concerned, were delivered by Mr. Atwood in a much admired admired courfe of lectures, in Trinity-College, Cambridge. The principles of motion have been treated of by many writers, with extent and capacity. Their labours have not, however, rendered the further exertions of men of genius unneceffary. In this volume, whatever has been borrowed from others, claims attention from the clear and precife manner in which it is demonstrated; and what is new, demands refpect from its usefulness and ingenuity. In the first and fecond fections of this volume, are contained the elementary propofitions on which the theory of mechanics is founded. In the third fection, the rectilinear motion of bodies, impelled or refifted by forces which act uniformly, is confidered Our Author has endeavoured in this and the preceding fection, to remedy that ambiguity which too often attends the doctrine of ratios. He reprefents each ratio by a fraction, the numerator of which is the antecedent, and the denominator the confequent of the ratio. The fourth fection contains propofitions which determine the motion of bodies, produced by forces varying in fome ratio of the diftances from a fixed point. The theory of refifting forces which vary in a direct duplicate ratio of the Velocities, is confidered in the fifth fection. In the fixth, the principles of rotation are demonftrated. This theory is applied to explain the motion of pendulums which vibrate in circular arcs; to eftimate the effects produced by the mechanic powers, or combinations of them, and to the folution of various problems. In books of mechanics, Mr. Atwood obferves, many experiments have been defcribed by which the equilibrium of the mechanic powers, the compofition and refolution of forces, and other ftatical principles are explained and verified; but no account is to be found of methods by which the principles of motion may be fubjected to decifive and fatisfactory trials. To fupply this deficiency, our Author has attempted in the feventh and eight fections of this treatife. The feventh contains the defcription of experiments on the rectilinear motion of bodies, both accelerated and retarded; and the experiments on the principles of rotation, including those which relate to the vibrations of pendulums are inferted in the eighth fection. Thefe experiments feem to have been made with a degree of minutenefs and accuracy, which reflects great credit on the Author's genius and attention. The purpofe of the ninth fection, is to detect the fallacy of thofe hypothefes which afcribe permanent quantities of motion to bodies moving with given velocities. Thefe, as ENG. REV. FEB. 1785. G Mr. Mr. Atwood juftly obferves, feem to have been adopted for the purpose of avoiding the difficulties which occur in folve ing most cases in practical mechanics; for if the effects of forces could be truly estimated by a measure, confifting of the quantity of matter moved and any power of the velocities, there could be no occafion to confider the variation of the forces of acceleration or refiftance, fince the ultimate. effects produced would be known, without further inveftigation, from the due application of the hypotheses. In the tenth and 'laft fection, the principles of rotation in free space are deduced from those which our author has demonftrated in the fixth fection, concerning the rotation of bodies round fixed axis. The confined limits of our review, prevent us from giving any extracts from this ingenious publication. We will venture to recommend it, however, to our philofophical readers, as a work well worthy of their attention and regard. ART. IV. Firft Principles of Philofophy, and their Application to the Subjects of Tafe, Science, and Hiftory. By John Bruce, A. M. Profeffor of Philofophy in the Univerfity, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Third Edition. 12mo. Edinburgh, Creech. London, Cadell. OUR UR Author having obferved the imperfection of the art of logic, comparatively with other branches of knowledge, and that the treatifes on this fubject are ufually commentaries on the fyftems of antient philofophers, or detached difquifitions into metaphyfics and criticism, was induced to find out a remedy to a defect that appeared to him to be grofs and illiberal. Accordingly, he confiders logic as the comprehenfive science which explains the method of difcovering and applying the laws of Nature. The fubject in his opinion, divides itfelf into two branches. Under the one branch, he treats the natural hiftory of the faculties of the human mind; the method of applying them for the purposes of discovery; and the foundation of the fciences, with the evidence which eftablishes the laws of Nature, and renders them rules in the arts. Under the other branch, the Author applies the firft principles of philofophy to the fubjects of tafte, fcience, and history. The prefent volume contains only heads or difquifitions, which are meant to affift the attention of the Author's pupils. It is not, therefore, our bufinefs to exert any anxious care in its examination. It is our duty, notwithstanding, to ob ferve, that it affords a flattering promife of his prelections. He He aims at originality of thinking; and this is a great praise to any member of an Univerfity. For, in general, the learned fraternity of profeffors are the laft to adopt the rifing improvements of the times, or to deviate from the paths of confecrated error. It would feem that they were intended to embalm the follies of the age that preceded them. With the heads of our Author's lectures on taste and criticifm, we are particularly pleased. His ideas appear to follow in a train, and if we may be allowed to judge from his divifions and definitions, his rhetorical fyftem muft poffefs that ripeness of investigation, and that fpirit of philofophy, which we in vain fought for in the lately published Lectures of Dr. Blair. In an age fo luxurious in literature as the prefent, it is a pain to us to remark, that books are too often fent into the world, without adding to information. Original writers are not common in any age; when they show themselves, neither fashion, nor caprice, nor party can opprefs them. If the lectures of our Author correfpond with his pro fpectus, we have not any doubt, but that he will establish the point that he belongs to the clafs of writers who think for themselves; and not to that order of Authors, who fancy themselves immortal when they adopt the inventions, and fteal the fentiments of other men. ART. V. The Hiftory of Scotland, from the eflablishment of the Reformation till the Death of Queen Mary. To which are annexed Obfervations concerning the Public Law and the Conftitution of Scotland." By Gilbert Stuart, Doctor of Laws, and Member of the Society of Antiquarians at Edinburgh. In Two Volumes. 2d Edition. 8vo. 13s. boards. Murray. IT [ Continued from our laft. ] T is with particular pleafure that we attend this hiftorian, in his candid and liberal reprefentations of thofe parts of Mary's conduct which have been fo grofsly distorted hitherto. And we are happy to fee a woman and a queen, a worthy woman and a refpectable queen, after two centuries of obloquy, rifing bright at laft under the hands of impartial history. In vol. 1. 355. Dr. Stuart enters thoroughly into the nature. of the Famous Letters. He difcuffes the fubject with great judicioufnefs and vigour. And we fhall therefore exhibit a part of his account. • The xx. day of June June MDLXVII. is fixed as the æra af the difcovery of the letters. If this difcovery had been real, the triumph of the enemies of the Queen would have been infinite. They would G 2 not not have delayed one moment to proclam their joy, and to reveal to her indignant fubjects, the fulness and the infamy of her guilt. They preferved, however, a long and profound filence. It was not till the Iv. day of December MDLXVII. that the papers receceived their first mark of notice or diftinction. From the xx. day of June to the Iv. day of December many transactions and events of the highest importance had taken place; and the most powerful motives that have influence with men had called upon them to publish their difcovery. They yet made no production of the papers, and ventured not to appeal to them. In the proclamation which they iffued for apprehending Bothwel, they inveigh againft his guilt, and exprefs an anxious defire to punish the regicides; yet though this deed was pofterior to the xx. day of June, there is no affertion in it to the dishonour of the Queen; and it contains no mention of the box and the letters. An ambassador arrived from France in this interval, to inquire into their rebellion, and the imprisonment of the Queen; yet they apologized not for theit conduct by communicating to him the contents of the cafket. Sir Nicholas Throgmorton was fent to Scotland by Elizabeth with inftructions to act with Mary as well as with her adverfaries. They denied him the liberty of waiting upon her at Lochlevin where the was detained a clofe prifoner; and they were earneft to imprefs him with the idea that her love of Bothwel was incurable. He preffed them on the subject of their, behaviour to her. At different times they attempted formally to vindicate themselves; and they were uniformly vehement on the topic of the love which the bore to that nobleman. There could not poffibly, therefore, have been a happier period for a display of the box and the letters. They yet abitained from producing them to him. They were folicitious to divide the faction of the nobles for the Queen; and there could not have been a measure fo effectual-for this end as these vouchers; yet they called no convention of her friends to furprize and difunite them with this fatal discovery. They flattered the proteftant clergy, attended the affemblies of the church, and employed arts to inflame them against the Queen; but they ventured not to excite the fury of these ghoftly fathers, by exhibiting to them the box and the letters. They compelled the Queen to fubfcribe a refignation of her crown; and they had the strongest reasons to be folicitous to justify this daring tranfaction. The box and the letters would have ferved as a complete vindication of them ; yet they neglected to take any notice of thefe important vouchers; and were contented with reiting on the wild and frivolous pretence that the Queen from fickness and fatigue was difgufted with the care of her kingdom. In fine, when the Earl of Murray went to Lochlevin to pay his very remarkable vifit to the Queen, and proceeded to extremities the most rude, indecent, and cruel, he did not reproach her with the box and the letters. Yet, if these papers had been real, it is incredible to conceive that he would have abstained from preffing them upon her. For it was his purpofe to overwhelm her with diftrefs. It was not long after this vifit that he accepted the Regency, and completed his ufurpation of the government. The conclufion to be drawn from this enumeration of concurring particu lars, |