represents a fection paffing over the fummit of Chimborazo, carried from the coafts of the South Sea to the fhores of Brafil. It indicates the progreffive vegetation from the interiour of the foil which contains cryptogamous plants, to the perpetual fnows which are the limits of all vegetation. Among these is distinguished the vegetation of palm trees, &c. that of fern-trees, quinquina, and gramineous plants. The name of each plant is written at the height at which it is found, according to the measures determined by M. von Humboldt. Fourteen fcales, placed on each fide of the table, relate to the chemical compofition of the air, of its temperature, of its hygrofcopical and cyanometrical state, of the electrical phenomena, of the horizontal refraction, of the decrease of gravitation, of the culture of the foil, of the height at which the different kinds of tropical animals live, &c. It is, without doubt, the most general phyfical table, of any portion of the globe, ever attempted. The fame bookfellers are likewife printing two other works, which belong to defcriptive natural hiftory; one on botany and the other on zoology. The herbary which thefe travellers brought from Mexico, the Cordilleras of the Andes, the Oronoko, Rio Negro, and the river of Amazons, is one of the richest in exotick plants that was ever conveyed to Europe. Having long refided in countries which no botanist had ever vifited before them, it is easy to conceive how mary new genera and fpecies there must be among the 6300 kinds which they collected under the tropicks of the new continent. Were they to publish at once the fyftematick defcription of all thefe vegetables, they would employ feveral years in afcertaining what is really new, or they would run the risk of publishing, under new names, plants already known. It therefore appeared preferable to give, without any regular order, the defigns of the new genera and fpecies, which they have been able fufficiently to determine, and to publish at a fubfequent period, a work without plates, which contain the diagnoses of all the fpecies, systematically arranged. It is with this view that they publish the Equinoctial Plants collected in Mexico, the Island Cuba, the Provinces of Caraccas, Cumana, and Barcelona, in the Andes of New Grenada, Quito and Peru, on the banks of Rio Negro, the Oronoko, and the River of Amazons. Meffrs. Humboldt and Bonpland have been equally fortunate in making interesting difcoveries in zoology and comparative anatomy. They have collected, in great numbers, descriptions of animals hitherto unknown; monkies, birds, fish, amphibious animals; for example, the axalotl of the lakes of Mexico, a problematical animal of a nature fimilar to the cameleon. M. von Humboldt has made drawings of numerous objects of comparative anatomy, relative to the crocodile, the fea-cow, the floth, the lama, and the larynx of monkies and birds. He has brought over a collection of skulls of Indians, Mexicans, Peruvians, and natives of the banks of the Oronoko; and thefe drawings are not lefs interefting for the history of the different races of our fpecies than for anatomy. Thefe materials, among which will be found a notice on the foflile elephants' teeth found at the elevation of 2600 yards above the sea, will appear in numbers, under the title of Collection of Obfervations in Zoology and comparative Anatomy, made during Travels between the Tropicks. While thefe various works are in the courfe of publication, M. von Humboldt will complete the engraving of the Geological Atlas of the Cordilleras of the Andes and of Mexico, containing profiles founded on measured heights; of the Effay on geological Paligraphy, or on the manner of reprefenting the phenomena of the stratification of the rocks, by perfectly fimple figns and of the Geographical Atlas, which will contain a map of the river la Madelaine, in four plates; others of the Oronoko, Rio Negro and Caffiquiare, and the general map of the kingdom of New Spain: the latter will be accompanied with a statistical account of the country. All thefe maps were drawn by M. von Humboldt himself, from his own aftronomical obfervations, and a great number of interefting materials which he collected. He will, at the fame time, put the finishing hand to the firft volume of his Travels. To the fubjects already mentioned as being particularly treated of in that work : fhould be added, obfervations on the climate relative to organifation in general; confiderations on the ancient state of civilization of these regions and detailed notices on the management and produce of the mines. A folio volume of engravings will exhibit feveral views of the Cordilleras, and valuable designs of the antiquities of Mexico and Peru, fuch as the elegant carabefques which cover the ruins of the ancient palace, feveral enormous pyramids conftructed of brick, ftatues, and chronological monuments, which have a very striking analogy to those antiquities of Indoftan with which we are acquainted. Several of these plates are already engraved with great care. As M. von Humboldt publishes thefe different works at the fame time in German and French, both editions may be confidered as originals. The Equinoctial Plants, by M. Bonpland, will appear only in French; a great part of the text being in Latin, it will therefore be understood by the literati of all Europe. A Collection of Letters, which paffed between Leibnitz and feveral of his correfpondents,and which had not hitherto been given to the world, has lately been published at Hano ver. By an Imperial Ukafe in the Court Gazette of Petersburg, the rights of citizenship have been given to the Jews throughout the whole extent of the Ruffian dominions. The children of the Jews will, henceforth, be admitted, like the other Ruffian subjects, into the schools, colleges, and univerfities. The Hebrews will be divided into four claffes; viz. of farmers; artificers and workmen ; merchants; and citizens. The farmers will be free, and, as well as the artificers, may purchase lands; and thofe who with to engage in agriculture, and have no fortune, are to have a certain portion of the crown lands. Thofe who will establish manufactories are to enjoy, in their commerce, all the franchifes of Ruffian fubjects. Profeffor Kiefewetter has made a variety of obfervations on the Deaf and Dumb, at Berlin; and he has difcovered, that, when taught to fpeak, they have a great tendency to speak in rhyme ! ACCOUNT OF THE REV. DR. PALEY, THE chapters in which he difcufles the duties and interefts of those who govern kingdoms are no lefs worthy of attention; and in the latter part of the volume he inveftigates the caufes of national profperity, and the means by which they may be rendered most efficacious, with a degree of skill and originality which may justly intitle him to be ranked among the greatest masters of the fcience of political economy. The political writings of Dr. Paley have been ftudied and admired by the most illuftrious ftatefmen of the prefent times. It would be ufelefs to enume. rate the praises with which they have been honoured; but the laft and perhaps the most enviable that were beftowed on them, were connected with circumftances fo peculiar as to be de Continued from p. 443. ferving of mention. In the debate on the Catholic Question twelve days be fore his death, Mr. Fox in the House of commons read two paffages from his work which contained the leading ideas of the celebrated fpeech delivered on that occafion. Both of thefe Mr. Fox prefaced with very high compliments. and when fpeaking of the firft faid that the author, though living, ought not to be defrauded of his due praife, and that he therefore would not conceal his name. This expreffion was imperfect. ly understood by most of the reporters. who in their accounts of the debate reprefented Mr. Fox as defcribing him to be not living, and fpread about the kingdom falfe intelligence that he was dead juft when he was labouring under the illncfs which was the caufe of his death. His friends had scarcely enjoyed the pleasure of contradicting it, when they heard another report which could not be doubted of. The illness was violent, and continued three weeks; Dr. Paley therefore probably never felt the fatisfaction which the honours paid to him on that night must have communicated, had they been made known to him. For what writer, however diftinguished his talents, and however exalted his reputation, could be infenfible to its having been pronounced by such an eulogist as Mr. Fox, on fuch an occafion, and in fuch an affembly, " that no man who valued genius, no man who valued learning, no man who valued moderation, could hear his opinions without deference and refpect!" It would argue a want of merit in a work fuch as Dr. Paley's, deciding on the questions which have most divided and agitated mankind, if it had not excited a great body of oppofition. This proof of its merit has not been wanting; but it has now flourished twenty years in the approbation of the world, a length of time in which it has outlived most of the treatises in which it was attacked, and their titles can scarcely be recollected. Mr. Gisborne is the most known opponent of Dr. Paley, but his reputation is not owing to what he has written against him. He has endeavoured to fhew that Dr. Paley intended to establish the principle of his philofophy in entire independence of the chriftian rules, and deduces a frightful train of confequences from the fuppofition; though its application is exprefsly confined to thofe cafes in which chriftianity has left us without any rules to guide us, and it furely can never be at war with that to which it was formed to yield. That this important reftriction, which is not only laid down in the plaineft and most decifive terms, but is interwoven throughout the introductory chapters of the work, fhould have been overlooked by Mr. Gisborne fhews a degree of inattention not quite excufable in a writer who undertook to confute Dr. Paley; but that the error growing out of the overfight fhould be infifted on in an edition published ten years after the firft, is an inexplicable difficulty in the production of a man whofe moral character is high ly refpectable and whofe literary reputation is not contemptible. Mr. Gifborne has alfo endeavoured to terrify his readers by an enumeration of the eyils which will refult from the general adoption of the principle; but the principle is, that in order to determine which of two actions is the most virtuous, we should confider which will most contribute to the happiness of mankind both in its immediate and general confequences. Whenever therefore Mr. G. has fhewn the evils which will refult from the preference of any mode of conduct, he has given reafons why it should not be preferred. Dr. Paley's next publication was of the "Hora Pauline." This is not the most popular of his works, though it perhaps is that which is most admired by his judicious readers for the originality of the defign and the vig our of the execution. It is an expofition and confideration of the evidences of the truth of the chriftian religion, which may be derived from the converfion and ministry of St. Paul. Not long after this work had made its appearance (in 1789) Dr. James York, the prefent Bishop of Ely, offered him the mastership of Jesus College, Cambridge, of which he has the disposal in right of his fee. This was a fingular instance of honourable and difinterested. patronage. His lordship had never feen Dr. Paley, he had no knowledge of his friends, he was influenced folely and entirely by the reputation of his talents, and by a wifh to render them ferviceable in a high academical fituation. His preferments in the north of England and the engagements they impofed upon him, induced him to decline the offer after a very long hefitation, which, he has been heard to say, would probably have terminated otherwife, if he had not accidentally overlooked a fmall field belonging to the mafter of Jefus, and he exprefied his gratitude to the Bishop in a dedication of the "Evidences of Chriftianity." The "Evidences of Chriftianity" was published in 1794. This is one of Dr. Paley's most elaborate and fuccefsful performances. Containing a general view of the evidences of our religion, it is better adapted to the wants of the common reader than an argument, how ever mafierly, which is confined to a ed until the end of the year 1802. He profeffes to have chofen this subject, because, with those he had already treated of, it formed a fyftem which was complete, though its parts had been produced in an inverted order. In his Natural Theology, Hora Paulinæ, and Evidences of Christianity, he proved the truth of religion, natural and revealed; and in his Moral and Political Philofophy taught the duties which refult from and are fanctioned by the proof. He had undoubtedly another reason for the choice of this fubject, that it was eminently adapted to his talents. To reason perfpicuously and illuftrate happily, were the powers by which he was moft diftinguished, and what other fubject offered fuch admirable materials to exercise them? He has traced and fhewn the marks of wifdom and design in various parts of the creation, but has dwelt principally on thofe which may be difcovered in the conftitution of the human body. The book contains almost a complete treatife of anatomy, which, by the obfervations he has interfperfed, and by the excellence of his defcriptions, he has contrived to render interefting even to those who read without any previous knowledge of the science. To be fecure of immortality an author muft be recommended either by ftriking excellencies of language or of sentiment, or by an happy arrangement of the parts of his fubject, which renders them necellary to each other and incapable of feparation. Valuable matter cannet alone preferve the name of the author, for of that he may be plundered by the writers of a fucceeding age, who being able to confult its tafte,will neceffarily be more popular than an ancient whofe productions have not some intrinfick fuperiority. Dr. Paley is not remarkable for elegant periods or fplendid fentiments. He feems to have been lefs ambitious of pleafing the ear than of informing the understanding; for if we except the dedication of the "Moral and Political Philofophy," fome chap fingle fubject. It is distinguished in an eminent degree, by that happy combination of fagacity, force and perfpicuity which appears in all his writings. The publication of the " Evidences of Chriftianity" feems to have rouzed those who had the difpofal of the great preferments of the church, into fome notice of Dr. Paley; for excepting Dr. Edward Law, the late Bishop of Carlifle, Dr Vernon, the prefent Bishop, who had given him a living before it took place, and the Bishop of Ely, whose intentions in his favour have been mentioned with their due praife, no one of the episcopal bench had hitherto shewn any fenfibility of his merit. The Bifhop of Lincoln fet an example and offered him the fubdeanry of Lincoln, but with a condition that he should vacate his ftall in the cathedral of CarJifle, and procure the Bishop the liberty of naming his fucceffor, with which Dr. Vernon enabled him to comply. Soon afterwards the Bishop of Durham promifed the prefentation to the valuable living of Bishop-Wearmouth, in the county of Durham, if he fhould be allowed to prefent to two other livings then held by Dr. Paley, and on that occafion Dr. Vernon and the Dean and Chapter of Carlife, who were the patrons, very readily transferred their rights to his lordship. What he owed to the Bishops of Lincoln and Durham was to difference between what he received, and what they required the power of difpofing of and although that difference was confiderable the fact is deferving of mention; because it would be injuftice to Dr. E. Law, Dr. York, Dr. Vernon, and the Dean and Chapter of Califle, who were the only difinterested patrons of Dr. Paley, to allow others to partake of that honour, who did not make the neceffary facrifices to deferve it. After Dr. Paley had become fab-dean of Lincoln and re tor of Bishop-Wearmouth, his relidence was divided between thofe two places, his fummers being spent at the latter, and his winters at the former. He now undertook and proceed-ters in the fame work, (particularly that ed flowly with his laft work the "Natural Theology," which was not publish *The Bishop of London gave him a prebent of Mt. Fauls, which was of very small v "On reverencing the Deity,") and the conclufion of the Natural Theology." which contain fome of the most elegant and dignified paffages to be found in the language; the general characteriflick He has of his writings is plainnefs and fimplicity. But this is the genuine didactick ftyle, he has imparted to it all those numerous graces of which it is capable. It will be univerfally allowed that no author ever wrote fo pleasingly on the fubjects he has treated of. The force and terfeness of his expreffions is not lefs admirable than the ftrength of his conceptions, and there is both in his language and his ideas a peculiarity of manner ftamped by the vigour and independence of his mind, which cannot be borrowed, and which will therefore perpetuate his reputation. merit to deferve readers, and allurements to attract them, and will preferve a high rank among the writers of his country, who can command the attention of pofterity. Dr. Paley was twice married, and has left eight children by his first wife, four fons and four daughters. In private life he had nothing of the philofopher. He entered into little amufements with a degree of ardour, which, when contrafted with the fuperiority of his mind, had a pleasing effect and conftituted a very amiable trait of his character. He was fond of company, which he had extraordinary powers of entertaining; nor was he at any time more happy, than when communicating the pleasure he could give by exerting his unrivalled talents of wit and humour. No man was ever more beloved by his particular friends, or returned their affection with greater fincerity and ardour. That fuch a man and fuch a writer fhould not have been promoted to the Bench of Bishops cannot be esteemed crditable to the times in which we live. It is generally understood that Mr. Pitt recommended him to his Majesty some years ago for a vacant bishoprick, and that an opposition was made from a very high quarter of the church, which rendered the recommendation ineffectual. All thofe great fervices which demanded a large debt of gratitude both from his profeffion and from mankind, were not it feems, thought fufficient to atone for having advanced fome opinions, of which the tendency was at the worst only doubtful, and which, thofe who condemned the author, could not perhaps have proved to be worthy of reprobation. Mon. Mag. |