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mufic, dancing, and archery, which the most elegant; but all of them

comprize the whole art of war and architecture, under which the fyftem of mechanical arts is included." -"Infinite advantage may be derived by Europeans, from the various medical books in Sanferêet, which contain the names and deferiptions of Indian plants and minerals, with their ules, difcovered by experience, in curing diforders." Of the Sanfcreet language he obferves, "that its profody contains almost all the meafures of the Greek; and that it is remarkable, that the language of the Brahmans Funs very naturally into Sapphicks, Alcaicks, and lambicks." Aftronomical works in this language are exceedingly numerous : feventy nine of them are specified in one lift; and if they contain the names of the principal ftars visible in India, with obfervations on their potitions in different ages, what difcoveries may be made in fcience, and what certainty attained in ancient chronology!"

The other tracts in the first vo-, Jume confift of fome remarks on the Second Claffical Book of the Chinefe; of a Scientific Diflertation on the Lunar Year of the Hindus; of a Treatife on the Mufical Modes of the Hindus; of a Philological Account of the myftical Poetry of the Perfians and Hindus; of the Island of Hinzuan; of a Converfation with an Abyffinian concerning the City of Gwender and the Source of the Nile; and fome Remarks on the Courfe of the Nile, of a Treatife on the Indian Game of Chefs; and of five or fix fhort Mifcellaneous Eflays on Oriental Subjects. Ofthefe tracts, that on the mufical modes of the Hindûs, is the mofi interefting, and by far

contain much curious informatie, and manifeft the universal learing and ftrenuous diligence of the author.

The fecond volume of thee works contains feveral valmis botanical effays, comprising obervations on Indian plants, together with a catalogue of them, grag their Sanferêet, and as many m their Linnæan names, as 'could with any degree of precision be alcetained. After thefe effays, folow his celebrated grammar of the Perfian language, the univerfally acknowledged merits of which render it altogether ufelefs to praife. The preface to the grammar is one of the moft masterly, spirited, and degant of all fir William Jones's pri lological compofitious.

To the Grammar, the editor of thefe works has added, a history of the Perfian language, which it was fir William's original intention to have annexed to it in the year 1771, when the grammar was fitti printed. In this treatise, he takes a comprehenfive view of his fubject, traces the progrefs of the Perfian language through a period of two thoufand years, and relieves the drynefs of the narrative by interfperfing it with pleafing citations from the poets and moral writers of Pertia.

The laft tract in this volume is a Commentary on Afiatic Poetry, written in the Latin language, and it is no lefs diftinguished for various and extenfive learning, than for pure tafte, and correct and elegant compofition. Our only material objection to this treatife, is, the language in which it is written, Surely the English tongue is fufficiently copious to exprefs our

ideas on any fubject whatever. Why then render a work of this nature repulfive to men of the world, by writing in a language in which, it is well known, they are not converfant? It has indeed been faid, in defence of the practice of writing on learned fubjects in the Latin, that, as it is a general language, it introduces a performance at once into the great commonwealth of letters. But as the French language is univerfally known throughout Europe, and as moft English works of any importance, have, for thefe twenty years paft, been tranflated into that tongue, we confefs we can discover no poflible utility in compofing interefting works in Latin, efpecially on Oriental fubjects, which it should be our firft endeavour to clothe in an agreeable and familiar attire.

In the third volume of thefe works, we come to the moft important and valuable of all fir W. Jones's tranflation, namely, his Verfion of the Inftitutes of Hindû Law, or, the Ordinances of Menu, according to the Glofs of Calluca, literally tranflated from the Sanfcreet original. This work is a compendium of that fyftem of duties, religious and civil, and of law in all its branches, which the Hindus believe to have been promulgated in the beginning of time by Menu, the grandfon of Brahmà, and the oldeft and holieft of legiflators. According to the calculation of the learned tranflator, it received its prefent form about 880 years before the birth of our Saviour, and about 300 years fubfequent to the promulgation of the Védas, or Hindu fcriptures. No production of the prefent age contains fo much new and curious matter. It throws more

light upon the Hindû fyftem than all the publications that haye heretofore appeared on the subject; and it proves beyond all difpute that the people of India had made great advances in civilization, at a period when the nations of Europe were in the rudeft ftage of focial life. But it is peculiarly worthy of obfervation, that in many parts of it we find much of the wildom, fublimity, and eloquence of the facred fcriptures; and though the text be deformed with innumerable abfurdities, it always breathes the spirit of legiflation and the fervour of a pious morality.

The last tracts in the third volume are, The Mahommedan Law of Succeffion to the Property of Inteftates, in Arabic, from an original manufcript, with a verbal transiation, preface, and notes; and, The Mahommedan Law of Inheritance from the Arabic text of Sirajiyyah, with a preface and commentary. Both these tracts are of the utmost importance towards the due adminiftration of civil juftice in India, inafmuch as it regards upwards of three millions of British Mahommedan fubjects; and they ought therefore to be ftudied with the greatest attention, by all gentlemen intending to enter the civil fervice of the hon. company.

The three remaining volumes, confift of many elegant compofitions in Hindû literature, and fome interefting tranflations from the Sanf créet?

Afiatic Refearches; or, Transactions of the Society infituted in Bengal, for inquiring into the Hifiory and Antiquities, the Arts, Sciences,

and

and Literature, of Afia. Vol. V. Printed verbatim from the Calcutta Edition. 8vo.

WHI

HILE we look with fatisfaction to the progrefs of this ufeful fociety, we cannot avoid repeating our concern for the lofs of the amiable and excellent inftitutor of fo liberal a plan, which has been productive of fo much information. The inveftigations of this fociety are bound only by the geographical limits of Afia. The field of their refearches is not only immenfe, but fertile in every topic that can excite curiofity or furnish entertainment. The members are not confined to Hindoftan, but extend to China, to Japan, to Tartary, to Tibett, to the fterile deferts of Arabia, and to the beautiful provinces of Perfia.

A fpace fo unbounded has engaged the attention and care of the Afiatic fociety fince its firft inftitution, and the topics of their inquiry have been vaft and without measure. They have examined whatever is performed by men, or produced by nature, within the limits they have preferibed to themselves. They have exhibited accounts of natural productions; have examined the records of empires and fiates; they have di entangled the perplexities of pure and mixed mathematics;

have fpeculated on ethics and law; and, to unbend, in the fofter amule ments of literature, have difplayed the beauties of imagery and the charms of invention.

Objects fo interefting cannot but excite a defire for a farther ac quaintance with them; four volumes have been already publifhed, and the fifth now makes its appearance; but the lucubrations of the Afiatic fociety have not been fo widely diffufed as their merit deferved Nearly the whole of the impreffion is diftributed in the Eaft Indies, therefore very few copies reach Europe; and this, amongit other reasons, has given rife to the prefent re-publication, which contains the whole of the tranfactions of the fociety, without abridgement or mutilation.

We cannot difmifs this article without obferving that in the five volumes of this work may be found nearly all the truly valuable articles which compofe the pompous and expenfive work we have juft reviewed, that is to fay, all those publications of fir William Jones, on fubjects connected with Oriental Literature, Natural History, or Antiquities, which received his last corrections, and were prefented by him in a finithed state to the fociety, of which he was fo diftinguished a member.

For an accourt of the third and fourth volumes of this work fee our Regliter for 1.

CONTENTS.

CONTENTS.

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

A general View of the Year 1799.-Hazardous Situation of Buonaparte,. in confequence of the Defruction of the French Fleet.-Prefent State of Egypt.-Mammalukes.—Beys.—Arabs.-Jews.—Greeks.—Cophts.— Force, Land and Marine, under the Command of Buonaparte.-Various Cares of Buonaparte.-Means of maintaining the Army.—And of recruiting and preferving it.-Buonaparte refpects himself, and gives Orders to his Officers to refpect, the Prejudices of all the Egyptians.—His Proclamation to the People of Egypt.-Al great Pains to propagate, in all Mahometan Countries, a Belief of his Veneration for Islaumism and the Prophet. -Treachery and Punishment of the principal Sheick, or Shereef, of Alexandria.—Endeavours of Buonaparte to blend and harmonize the French and the Egyptians.-Meafures taken for the Accomplishment of that Defign.Grand Feaf at Cairo, on the Anniversary of the French Republic. -Great Ceremony at the annual opening of the Grand Canal of Cairo.-Liberality of Buonaparte to the Egyptians.-Ufeful Inftitutions.-Government of Egypt attempted to be affimilated to the new Government in France. Notables.-Departments. And a general Affembly, or Divan, in Egypt. -Difficulty of operating and producing any permanent Change in the Minds of Barbarians.-Jealousies of the French.-Difcontents.-Mur-And Infurrections.-Particularly at Cairo.-This, with the others, fubdued.-A general Amnesty -Murad Bey defeated, with great Lofs. And forced to retreat to the Mountains.-The French, under the Command of Deffaix, in Poffeffion of the best Part of Upper Egypt

murs.

CHA P. II.

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The French keep their Ground in Egypt.-Yet many Coufes remain of Alarm.-Means ufed by Buonaparte, for obviating or encountering thefc.An Alliance, offenfive and defenfive, between the Turks and Ruffians.-Expedition of the French into Egypt.-Objects of this avowed.-Or probable. -Preparations for the Expedition. Difpofition of the Troops. And March. Oppofed by Mammalukes, Arabs, Samaritans, and other Syrian

Tribes.

--

-

Tribes.-Battle of El-Arijch.—El-Arisch taken by the French-Progres
of the French Army to Gaza.—Of which it takes Pision without Read
tance. And of Jaffa (the ancient Joppa), after a desperate Refinance.-
Importance of Jaffa. — Letter from Buonaparte to Ghezzar, Bajhan of
St. John d'Acre.-Ghezzar's Anfæer.-March of the French Army along
the Roots of Mount Carmel.-Towards St. John d'Acre.—Dejcription and
Hiflory of Acre. - French encamp before Acre. And open Trenches
against it.-Project, combined by the British and Turkish GoverAMENÍS,
for a general Attack on Bucnaparte, by Sea and Land.—A French Flailla,
with Battering-cannon, Ammunition, and Stores, taken by Commodore Sir
Sidney Smith.-Breach effected in the Wall of Acre.-Repeated and s

of the French, on Acre, repuljed.—Immenfe Midtitudes cfembled on the

furrounding Hills, waiting for the Lue of the Contest, with a Determ use

tion to join the Victors.-Circular Letter from Sir Sidney Smith to the

Princes and Chiefs of the Chriftians of Mount Lebanon.—Their friendly

Anfwer.-Sallies from the Garrijon_of_Acre.—Account of Ghezzar Ba-

Shaw.-Difcomfiture and Retreat of the French from Acre

CHA P. III.

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CHAP. IV.

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