chafed from their haunts, and compelled to feek fhelter in motley affemblage, by fubmarine volcanic commotions:-but they rushed on their doom, and a fecond eruption closed the turbid fcene. The quarries of Bolca are to be regarded as only the fragments disjoined from their native bed. After the calcareous depofit was confolidated, portions were detached and heaved up from the bottom of the ocean by the refiftless force of fubterraneous fires. Several very diftinct engravings of the objects defcribed are annexed to this paper. This ingenious theory is developed with perfpicuity and elegance. Yet fome may object that principles are too lightly affumed, and inferences too haftily drawn. The author evidently leans to the fyftem of the igneous origin of minerals; and perhaps he ought with confiftency to have borrowed more from that plaufible hypothefis. How could the inclofing ftone imbibe animal fat without the affiftance of heat? The empyreumatic fmell clearly betrays the action of fire. Hence likewife the confolidation of the ftrata;-and the lamellar ftructure appears to indicate repeated depofits of calcareous matter. Nor is the fuppofition neceffary that the bodies of the fish were fuddenly and completely embedded. Putrefaction is not the invariable confequence of death. The accefs of air principally haftens that process. A certain measure of compreffion will obftruct the extrication of the gafes, which is effential to the progrefs of corruption. Fomenting liquors fupply a familiar and parallel inftance. Carcafes buried at a fufficient depth, and in humid fituations, are actually converted by degrees into a fatty fubftance. 3. Obfervations and inquiries made on and concerning the coalworks at Whitehaven, in the County of Cumberland, in the year 1793, by Jofeph Fisher, M. D.-The colliery in the neighbourhood of Whitehaven is faid to be the most extenfive in Great Britain. It contains five principal feams or bands of coal, varying from two to twelve feet in thickness, and of which the deepest is one hundred and fixty fathoms below the furface. Thefe mines are much infefted with the fire-damp, or collections of hydrogene gas, and moft remarkably in the works carried on at a confiderable depth under the level of the fea. The fame obfervation holds true at Newcastle. The approach of lighted candles frequently produced the most violent and dangerous explofions. Mr. Spedding, late engineer at Whitehaven, difcovered that the ignited fpark of fteel was much lefs apt to kindle the inflammable ftores. He therefore contrived a machine, by means of which a number of flints, in rapid fucceffion, were ftricken against steel, and elicited light fufficient to direct the workman in his fubterraneous labours. [To be continued in another Article ] ART, ART. III. Memoirs of Planetes; or a Sketch of the Laws and Manners of Makar. By Phileleutherus Devonienfis. 8vo. pp. 143. 3s. 6d. Boards. Johnfon. 1795. PLATO fet the example of defcribing an imaginary commonwealth, in order to explain his idea of what a people may become, if the rulers fhall philofophize, or philofophers rule. The intolerance of the patriarch Gennadius configned to the flames a fimilar production of Gemiftus Pletho. More's Utopia has had an extenfive circulation in many languages, and was imitated by M. de Fontenelle, under the title of Republique des Philofophes, ou Hiftoire des Ajaoiens. The travels of Gaudentio di Lucca, and fome fimilar publications, have acquired among us an inferior celebrity. Wieland and Stolberg are faid to have laid before the Germans philofophical romances of this kind. The most attractive, which has fallen under our infpection, is the memoirs of the year 2140, by M. Mercier. It defcribes rather the manners of a civilized nation, than the laws and regulations which are neceffary to prepare the decrease of barbarifm. The latter tafk is taken up and well executed by the author of the memoirs of Planetes, He is, however, too learned and philofophical for a novelift; and, in order to inftruct, he continually forgets to entertain. He appears well read in the more abftrufe volumes of political fcience, and abounds with obfervations which the reformer fhould bear in mind: but he feldom delights the imagination by delineating the beautiful in manners and inftitutions: he feldom invites the Graces to wreathe garlands around the columns of the temple of liberty. The following extract affords no indiftinct glimpse of the political and religious inclination of the author it forms the whole 24th chapter. Never was a country more populous, or fo richly cloathed; not a fpot of ground was to be feen uncultivated. The first fifteen miles were almost one continued garden of olives, vines, and corn, interfperfed with innumerable farms and villages. Contentment fmiled upon every face we met, and beggary and poverty were unfecn. Good God! exclaimed I, how is all this poffible? I furely am dreaming, and this is Paradife. You may well be furprized, returned Othono, this was not fo formerly. My father, who died about ten years ago, ufed frequently to tell me, that all this country which we have now paffed was, when he was a young man, in the poffeffion of five or fix petty Schums, and its chief inhabitants were, the poor half-ftarved families of hard-working labourers, and about a dozen rich over-grown farmers. A great part of the land lay either defolate or only half tilled, or was laid out into extenfive parks, beautiful indeed to the eye, but ufeful only to the few; it is now, as you These answer to cur great Lords.' fee, fee, divided into thoufands of fmall freeholds and fupports millions. As we proceeded, my attention was arrefted by fome inclosures that I perceived at a little distance from the road, which from several spots of earth newly turned up, and a few upright ftones fcattered here and there, I imagined to be burying grounds. True, faid Othone, they are the burying-grounds belonging to Euthus-town, fo called from my worthy friend, where we fhall foon arrive; and the few upright ftones that you fee, are the remains of the old fuperftitious practice of monuments, which fome people cannot yet forfake. The Makarians think it unwholefome to bury their dead in towns amongst the living, and therefore carry the bodies to a diftance. Your having mentioned fuperftition, Othono, brings to my remembrance a queftion that I have for a long time been defirous of asking you. Pray, what is the religion that chiefly prevails among the Makarians? Every kind of religion, Planetes, being admiffible, you may readily fuppofe that various opinions are held among us. Some men for inftance believe in the existence of two Gods, others in that of three Gods and a Goddefs, and there are fome who believe in two Gods and a half; but all these opinions are in their wane, and the prevalent belief is that there exifts only one Supreme, whofe nature is totally unknown to men, and from whom are fuppofed to be derived the primary laws which direct and regulate the univerfe. It is believed that prayers, facrifices, offerings, and fupplications, are of no avail, and that the only road to happiness is, to practife juftice and benevolence to our fellow-creatures. And have you, faid I, no priefts nor bishops? No! thank truth! replied Othono, nor creeds, nor collects. The Makarians are too wife to hamper their intellectual faculties by fuch clogs. Why furely, you must perceive, Planetes, that religion, like all other things, has hitherto been perpetually varying; and to what caufe can you attribute fuch variation, but to fynods, and ftate politics? where the interference of thefe is annihilated, religion will foon find its proper ftation. But priests and bifhops are not the only beings whose political existence is deftroyed. That arch-enemy of freedom, and friend of ufurpation and aristocracy, the political Schum of evil, Oonnanoo, finding no fupport in a government founded on the rights of man, has abdicated his throne for ever. As the difcourfe now began to grow unpleafant, I was not a little rejoiced that Euthus-town appeared in view. It was market day when we entered; and if I was pleafed with the cleanliness and regularity with which every thing was conducted, I was quite charmed with the honefty and integrity of the people. No one demanded either more or less for his goods than their juft value, nor was a man to be found that would receive two-pence for a dozen of yams when they worth only one penny. Surely, faid I, things are not always thus; you must undoubtedly, Othono, have fome examples of difhonefty and injustice. Difhonefty and injustice, Planetes, are looked upon as wonders, and I do not fuppofe that there are ten inftances to be found in the whole nation of vicious or depraved persons. We have prifons, it is true. but they are empty. Among a people that are taught from their infancy to love and practife truth, where do you think difhonefly can rest herself? If any man were fo unprincipled as to commit an act of injuftice, C 4 injuftice, he would meet with a monitor in every perfon he faw; and if he were not altogether dead to a fenfe of fhame, he muft either instantly reform or quit the country. Juft heaven! faid I, and is human nature capable of fuch perfection? Capable! Planetes, abolish unjust and oppreffive laws, leave mankind to themfelves and virtue, and the work is half done.' The style of this volume is throughout fimple and pure; and the typography is very neat. ART. IV. The Adventures of Telemachus, the Son of Ukes. From the French of Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon, Archbishop of Cambray. By the late John Hawkefworth, LL. D. Corrected and revifed by G. Gregory, D. D. Author of Effays Historical and Moral. With a Life of the Author, and a complete Index, Historical and Geographical. Embellished with Twelve elegant Engravings. 4to. 2 Vols. pp. 260 and 220. Small Paper 11. 68. large 31. 35. Boards. Kearsley. 1795. THE "HE high eftimation in which the admirable poetical romance of Telemachus has been always holden, and the universal approbation with which Dr. Hawkefworth's tranflation was received, render it needlefs for us to enlarge much on the prefent edition; which does not require to be examined as a new tranflation, but merely demands notice as the correction and revifion of Dr. H.'s performance. In this point of view, we need only place before the reader Dr. Gregory's fhort account of the alterations which he has made : In order that the prefent publication might be prefented to the public in as perfect a form as poffible, the editor has carefully compared it with the original; and, to the beft of his ability, has rectified whatever appeared capable of correction. In the courfe of this revifal, a few mif- tranflations were found; and wherever the language of the tranflator appeared affected or turgid, the editor has endeavoured to reduce it to the fimplicity of the author.' The biography of Fenelon, prefixed to the volumes before us, is written by a friend of Dr. Gregory, and is compofed. with elegance and fpirit. It therefore deferves our attention; for, to a well regulated mind, no pleafure can be greater than the contemplation of the life and conduct of the man who was eminent for his virtues as well as for his talents ;-both of which were remarkably difplayed in the viciffitudes to which his life was fubject. The following particulars will probably be acceptable to the generality of our readers. FRANCIS SALIGNAC DE LA MOTHE FENELON was born at the Caftle of Fenelon, in the province of Perigord, in the year 1651. His father, Pons de Salignac, was Marquis of Fenelon ; * See Rev. Vol. xxxix. p. 237. his mother was Louife de la Cropte, fifter to the Marquis de St. Abre. He received the rudiments of his education at home, where the native fweetnefs of his temper, and the delicacy of his fentiments, were fondly cherished and improved. The early dawn of his genius proved an unerring prognoftic of his future. reputation. He might, indeed, be faid to have inherited both, from a long roll of illuftrious ancestors; his own being the ninth literary name that has reflected luftre on the house of Salignac. At the age of 24, Fenelon was ordained a priest, and engaged in the duties of the facred office with exemplary atten tion. We find him not long afterward fent by Lewis XIV. at the head of a million for converting the Proteftants in Saintonge and Aunis. • That unfortunate fect had experienced all the rigours of perfecution, under the influence of old Tellier, the Chancellor, and Louvois, his fon. The fcaffold, the gallows, and dragonade, incefantly dif played the barbarous impolicy of the French court, and the conilancy of the martyred Hugonots. The king, perceiving at laft the pernicious effects of this depopulating cruelty, difpatched Fenelon to combat heresy in thofe provinces, with the gentle arms of eloquence and ability. This amiable ecclefiaftic, therefore, having obtained a promife, that the bloody arm of coercion should be fufpended within the precincts of his miffion, preached peace and good-will to the long perfecuted Calvinifts. His converts, it is true, were not numerous, but they were the converts of conviction or of perfuafion at least. Even fuch as rejected his doctrine, could not help efteeming the man, and wondering how fo much charity and benevolence could be united with fo unmerciful a religion.' We pass over the events of Fenelon's life from this period. to the year 1689, when, having juft completed the thirtyeighth year of his age, the king appointed him preceptor to the Duke of Burgundy, the prefumptive heir to the crown. Some of the most amiable and accomplished men in the kingdom were affociated with him, in forming the mind of a young prince, on whofe propenfities, whether good or evil, the fate of millions was afterwards to depend. The celebrated Fleury was fub preceptor; Langeron, the faithful friend of Fenelon, was reader, and Valois, an honeft and learned Jefuit, was confeffor to the Duke of Burgundy. Among all the members of this affociation, the moft perfect unanimity prevailed. They feemed actuated by one mind, and labouring only for one object, the improvement of their royal charge. Though the foil on which thefe virtuous fellow-labourers were employed was not ungrateful, it yet abounded with rank weeds, produced or cherished by early indulgence and flattery. The Duke of Burgundy, then in his eighth year, was quick, penetrating, and remarkably diligent for fo early an age, but he was alfo choleric, impetuous, haughty, and capricious. The good fenfe and tenderness of the inftructors, as well as the elevated rank of their pupil, forbade the adoption of corporal chaftife |