commission of murder was inevitable. Although we have an undoubted right to preclude such unfortunate people from the possibility of gratifying their desires, yet punishing them would be both unjust and useless. I shall, at some future time, explain this singular and melancholy phenomenon, for the information of judges and physicians."

Having thus silenced our opponents, we have to solve the subsequent queries: In what manner are the capacities and inclinations of men and brutes interwoven with their nature? Are they the effect of a merely self-acting power of the soul? or is the soul dependent upon some physical constitution? and in what does this constitution consist? Hence arises the second principle:

II. The capacities and inclinations are seated in the brain. This can be proved in the following manner: 1. The operations of the soul are interrupted by any injury which the brain sustains, but suffer no immediate obstruction by inju ries which the other parts of the body receive. 2. The brain is not necessary for the continuation of life. But as nature has not produced any thing in vain, the brain must be intended for some other purpose: 3. namely, the capacities and inclinations of men and brutes are partly multiplied and partly exalted, as the brain gradually increases, in proportion to the bulk of the body, especially in proportion to the mass of nerves. In this respect we are in the same situation with the boar, the bear, the horse and ox, with the camel, the dolphin, and a silly old woman. Hence, we may conclude, that a man like yourself has as much brains again as a stupid devotee, and, at least, two twelfths more than the most sagacious elephant. This being the case, we are inclined to adopt the second principle.

III. IV. The capacities are essentially different from and independent upon the inclinations, and the inclinations, as well as the capacities, are essentially different from and independent upon each other; consequently, they must originate from different parts of the brain, independent upon each other.

Proofs.-1. The faculties of the soul, as well as of the mind, may alternately be put into a state of rest and activity; so that the one, after having been fatigued by exertion, rests and regains new vigour, whilst the other is in action and becomes tired. 2. Capacities as well as inclinations are found in very different proportions, in men as well as in brutes of the same genus. 3. Some capacities and inclinations are totally unconnected in several genera of animals. 4. Capacities and inclinations

inclinations unfold themselves in unequal stages, as the former decline while the latter do not decrease, nay even are acquiring strength. In diseases and partial hurts of the brain, individual faculties are injured, irritated, suppressed, and apparently destroyed, but on the return of health recover, in the same partial manner, their natural state. I do not fancy myself so great a man, as to claim the privilege of venturing such an assertion without proving it; I have therefore endeavoured to substantiate each of these respective proofs by facts. Notwithstanding, many a tender conscience objects, that the spiritual nature of the soul, and, consequently, its immortality, is attacked, if we maintain that its operations are performed by means of organs.-To this objection we may reply, that the enquirer of nature investigates the laws of the physical world, only taking it for granted that no natural truth can come in contradiction with one that has been revealed. Nor is he ignorant that neither spirits nor bodies can be annihilated contrary to the will of God, and that he is incapable of forming a decision with regard to spiritual life. He only sees and hears that in this world the spirit is fettered by physical regulations. Besides this general reply, we might also alledge, that in this objection the acting principle is confounded with the organ by means of which it operates. All the observations upon the internal senses which I have made in No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, apply also to the external senses. Whilst, for instance, the tired eyes are resting, we can attentively hear; the faculty of hearing may be destroyed without any injury to sight; some senses may be imperfect, whilst others are acute to a high degree. Worms do neither hear nor see, but have an extremely nice perception; a puppy remains deaf and blind for some days, whilst his taste is already complete. In hoary age the faculty of hearing commonly is sooner impaired than the sight, and the taste generally remains perfect to the last. Here you have proofs of independence and selfsubsistency, which no one can deny.-But has any one, on this account, ever concluded that the soul must be material or perishable? Is the soul that hears different from that which sees? But let us pursue this comparison a little farther!

1

(To be continued.)

ART. IV. Auswahl kleiner Liebesgeschichten, Sc. A Selection of short Love Tales, tending to promote Morality. Vol. I. pp. 240, 8vo. Berlin, 1799.

THIS little volume contains three tales sufficiently interesting to satisfy the expectation of readers who wish for rational amusement. The first tale, intitled the Power of Prejudice, is very well calculated to afford both amusement and instruction. The second, superscribed Fortune and Misfortune, is designed to prove how nearly thoughtlessness and crime are related. The scene lays in England, and the manner in which the author has drawn his picture clearly proves that he must have bestowed considerable pains upon the study of the cha racteristical features of our age. The melancholy catastrophe of this little tale is extremely affecting, though it does not agonize the reader's feelings. The third tale is justly intitled The dangerous Trial, and pregnant with truths of the first importance. The chaste diction which characterizes this small collection, the lively interest which the author contrives to excite in the heart of every sensible reader, and the moral tendency of these tales, render it far superior to the numerous, unnatural, and monstrous productions of this kind, which the German presses of late have vomited forth, to the great injury of good taste.

ART. V. Die neue Zauber Flote, &c. The new Magic Flute, or Emily and Soden, by J. ALGAROTTI. Leipzig, for Cru sius, 1799.

THE style of this novel is elegant and animated; we must, however, observe, that the pleasure which we derived from the perusal of it was frequently damped by the improbabilities with which it abounds. We have great reason to think, that this is the author's first attempt; and the manner in which he has acquitted himself leads us to predict, with a considerable degree of confidence, that he one time, will excel in this kind of composition, when his imagination shall become less extravagant. The novel is intitled, The Magic Flute, because there occurs in it a flute that produces the most wonderful effects. The unexampled applause with which Mozart's excellent composition, known by that title, was received in Germany, notwithstanding the absurd poetry which it contains, will, without doubt, procure it many readers. A very innocent artifice, especially in the present case, when

A.

no

no one will have reason to complain of having been imposed

upon.

}

ART. VI. Die Cremoner Geige. The Cremonese Violin, a Comedy, in one Act, by Dr. F. LINDHEIMER, pp. 70. 8yo. Die Leikbibliothek. The Circulating Library, a Comedy, in two Acts, by the same, pp. 128. 8vo. Frankfort on the Mein, for Zessler, 1798.

THESE two little picces are not without merit. The characters are, indeed, not new, but well drawn, and the dialogue is smooth and correct. The Cremonese Violin is b far the best of the two, though we must observe that the language is frequently rather affected, a defect which ought to be avoided with particular care in theatrical compositions.

ART. VII. Die Colonie an der Donau, &c. &c. The Colony on the Banks of the Danube, a domestic Drama, in five Acts, by A. LINDEMANN. Altona, printed for Hammerich, 1799, pp. 118. 8vo.

THE author possesses in an eminent degree the gift of affecting the heart. He pourtrays with great skill the blessings of domestic life, as well as the generous sentiments which it excites, and never loses sight of his grand aim to promote the sacred cause of virtue. This laudable endeavour, in addition to his energic, though natural, style, and an easy dialogue, render this piece highly superior to many of Kotzebue's dramas, which are more calculated to palliate licentious practices than to counteract the spreading immorality of our age.

ART. VIII. Weichnachtabend, &c. Chrismas Eve, or the Nobleman and Tradesman. A Drama in five Acts, by G. HAGEMANN. Eisenach, printed for Wittekind, 1800.

THE title of this drama excites no great expectations as to the importance of the subject, but we can assure our readers that it will afford them an high degree of rational pleasure, as the characters are extremely well delineated, and prejudices of the most hurtful nature ably combatted, while the whole drama abounds in scenes highly affecting, and most successfully calculated more closely to contract the ties of mutual benevolence between the higher and the lower classes, which of late have been loosened to a most alarming degree.

ART. IX.

Das Mutterferd.

The Mare. A Comedy in two Acts, by C. C. ENGEL. Berlin, printed for Maurer, 1799. pp. 104. 8vo.

THIS interesting piece is founded upon a real fact, which happened a few years ago in the vicinity of Mainz. A party of French soldiers had plundered a village, and amongst other robberies which they had committed in the house of the rector of the place, had also robbed him of a mare, which they loaded with the booty made in their depredatory excursion. One night, whilst the plunderers were amusing themselves with singing and dancing, the horse broke loose, and returned with her valuable load to the stable of her master, who by this fortunate accident obtained possession of a considerable sum of money, and other articles of great value. Upon this basis Mr. Engel has founded a play highly interesting, abounding in humourous scenes, and executed in that chaste and ele gant manner for which he is justly celebrated.

PHILOLOGY.

ART. X. Die Ethik des Aristoteles, &c. The Ethics of Aristotle, translated and illustrated, by C. GARVE, Vol. I. containing the two first Books of the Ethics, together with a Treatise on the different Principles of Morality, from Aristotle to the present Time. Breslau, for Korn. pp. XIV.

and 656. crown 8vo. 1798.

THE Venerable Garve, who died at Breslau, in Dec. 1799, has left an honourable monument of his genius and erudition in this elaborate translation of Aristotle's Ethics. He died when the first volume had scarcely made its appearance. Laus in amore mori.

This translation is preceded by a faithful representation and critical examination of the moral principles adopted by the different philosophers from the time of Plato to that of Kant. The author proceeds from the principle of the Aristotelian ethics, that virtue lays in the middle between two extremes, and enquires how far it may be applied as a general principle? He then enters into an examination of the moral system introduced by Plato, because Aristotle borrowed many of his leading ideas from the system of his master, and in attempting to refute it lighted upon other ideas. After having Explained the Platonic moral system, he examines the prin