By annulling this marriage, to declare fome hundred thousands of marriages, celebrated by proteftant minifters in France, illegal and void-to degrade above two millions of children, born under thefe circumstances, to the state of baftardy,-to deftroy the domestic peace and happiness of three millions of protestants;-and, perhaps, to risk the internal tranquillity of the kingdom: or, By acknowledging Mr. Roux's marriage as legal, to allow the proteftants in France, at once, the free exercise of their religion. In pleading before a catholic court the caufe of protestantism, of humanity, of innocence, Meffieurs Trouffel and Mazer were, indeed, fully fenfible of the importance, the confpicuoufnefs, the dignity of their parts; accordingly they exerted their virtues, their talents, their genius, with fuch foundness of judgment, integrity, and warmth of philanthropy, as must endear them both to the affections of proteftants, and the esteem of fenfible catholics. In his first speech, Mr. Troussel demands Madame Roux to be fhut up in a convent until the determination of the lawsuit In the fecond, he, with great intrepidity, enters into the question concerning the validity of marriages celebrated by proteftant minifters-From the laws of nature, from the Roman law, from a bull of Benedict XIV. from the canons of the council of Trenthe evinces these marriages to be true, lawful, and valid to all intents and purposes; he even afferts them to be tacitly acknowledged as fuch by the laws of France. For, fays he, the royal laws which command every marriage to be celebrated in a catholic church, regard only catholics, or profelytes to the catholic faith; they do not regard proteftants Un proteftant est un homme--et un homme malheureux eft un être facré. His peroration is in the highest degree pathetic; he paints the dreadful confequences of a fentence in madame Roux's favour, with strokes of eloquence worthy of Cicero or Demofthenes; and with a fpirit, ftrength, and energy that can hardly admit a doubt of the fentence being ever given against the validity of proteftant marriages. Nor has Mr. Mazer acquired lefs honour by the fpeech in which he fums up the arguments on both fides, and prepares the judges for pronouncing the fentence; whofe difficulties he evades by a very dextrous turn. The validity of this marriage itfelf, fays he, cannot as yet be decided; the children alfo are particularly interested in the fentence, they too must first be heard; confequently we must either wait till they are of age, or appoint them a guardian to plead their caufe:' His fpeech breathes an awful respect to religion, a warm partiality. to protestants, an heroical devotion to truth: fome paffages in it are equal to any malter-ftrokes of eloquence in any age or country. For their liberal fentiments and integrity of conduct, Meffieurs Trouffel and Mazer were, by the clergy, flandered at court, and fummoned to Paris to give an account; where they were very favourably received, and difmiffed with a gentle advice, never to plead in fo important a caufe without previously informing the court. Souvénes vous, faid the keeper of the feals, que vous étes fujets du roi très-chretien et fils ainé de l'eglife.' Madame Roux was by a lettre de cachet, fent into a convent at Vienne, and the judges were ordered to proceed no further in that caufe. The rapidity of the deviations of a wife and mother from virtue and happiness-perhaps for the fake of an infignificant fribble of a clerk-the enormous effects often refulting from the moft trifling caufes the happy contraft of the actual liberality of fentiments in France, with the furious and fatal bigotry of former times - the pleafing profpect into an approaching futurity, where the proteftants will again enjoy liberty of confcience in France-are themes which we leave to the reflection of our readers, XVI. Hiftoria Reformationis Ecclefiarum Ræticarum. A Petra Dominico Rofio de Porta, Jefu Chrifti in Ecclef. Scamff. Miniftro, et vener. Colloq. Sup. Oengadinæ Cancellario. 2 Vols. Quarto. Chur and Lindau. T HE fituation of the Grifons between Italy and Swifferland, and the obfcurity in which the tranfactions at the reformation in Rhætia have hitherto been involved, make this work a very interefting and important addition to modern ecclefiaftical history. By far: the greater part of its contents is taken from MS. records, and authentic documents, that had never been used before, and the accefs to which was made very difficult to the rev. Mr. de Porta. He has prefixed fome concise differtations on Rhætia, and the ftate of religion in that country down to the beginning of the fixteenth century; where he enters on his chronological hiftory: the reformation in that country was begun very early by the divines of Zurich; and afterwards ftrongly supported by the learned Italians who fled from Italy into Valtelin, Chiavenna, and other districts; its progrefs was in these parts, comparatively gradual and flow, and obftructed with great zeal, violence, and the bloodiest perfecutions, by the catholic inhabitants, the bishops of Chur, and the neighbouring Italians, especially the archbishops and the governors of Milan. To these obstacles must be added the internal diffenfions between the first proteftant minifters and their immediate fucceffors; the tumults raised by the anabaptifts; the disorders arifing from the open or fecret inclination of the Italians towards Socinianifm ; the democratical constitution of the country; its political relations to Spain, Venice, France, Swifferland, Auftria, that could not but influence its ecclefiaftical state; and that forward intrusion of the religious reformers into political affairs-in order to form fome idea of the effervefcence of minds and passions, of the busy and remarkable scenes in thefe volumes. The first proteftant minifter in Rhætia was Comander, alias Dorfman. Among the first Italian refugees in that country, Camillus Renatus appears to have acted the chief parts. He ftrongly denied the communion to be a facrament, and vehemently cenfured the Swifs divines for their affertion of its being one. The confeffion of the proteftant Grifons was written and subscribed in a fynod held in 1552, approved by the ministers at Zurich, and tho' ever fince confidered as the fymbolic confeffion of the Rhætian church, and fubfcribed by all its fucceffive minifters, has yet in this work been printed for the first time. The three ancient fymbola are prefixed to it. The Rhætian confeffion appears to be rather unfavourable to the dogma of a predeftination; but very explicit a gainst anabaptifts and Socinians; on which account feveral minifters, and. Vergerius among the reft, refufed their subscription, and were in confequence banished from the country. The most violent perfecutions against the proteftants on the frontiers of Italy began under under the famous Charles Borromæus, archbishop of Milan, who was afterwards canonifed; and the proceedings of these inquifitors gave rife to the famous internal commotions in Valtelin; and to the horrible maffacre of the proteftants in that country, by the catholics, in 1620. FOREIGN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. 17. Le Courage dans les Peines de l'Esprit, Ode qui a concouru Infru&ueufement pour le Prix de l'Académie Françoife, remis à l'Année prochaine. Par M. l'Abbé de Launay. 8vo. Paris. MR. Launay feems to have been grievously disappointed in not obtaining the prize. His ode contains fome fine verfes how. ever; for instance, En vain la force tyrannique Veut elle enchainer la raifon; Du pouvoir qui les fit mourir.' There were heroes indeed, with whom we must not forget to rank our poet. For, fays he, Je prêche d'exemple. J'ai eû le courage de faire cette piece dans une pofition fâcheufe. J'ai eû celui de l'envoyer à l'académie, dans une affreufe incertitude et d'en apprendre l'infortune fans abattement. J'ai encore celui de l'expofer au pub. lic fans me flatter d'encourager à me lire ceux qui ont peur de s'ennuyer. Je joins à cette ode un poeme (les Plaifirs de l'Esprit,) qui fait pendant. C'est un contre tableau que je mets en vue d'oppofition, pour la fymmetrie. Il faut paffer par les peines Pour arriver aux plaifirs. Hélas! J'ai fait tout le contraire, j'ai marché en écreviffe.' Upon the whole, we are not furprifed to fee the poetical prize deferred, and reserved for fome more poetical performance. 18. L'Archivifte François, ou Méthode fûre pour apprendre à difpofer les Archives et à déchifrer les Anciennes Ecritures. Ouvrage orné de cinquante deux Planches en taille douce. 2de Edition, révue et corrigée par M. Battheney, Archivifte et Feodifte. 8vo. Paris. This work, which must have coft its author a great deal of attention and trouble, is valuable for its method and perfpicuity. 19. Recueil des Lettres de Mde. la Marquise de Sevigné, à Madame la Comteffe de Grignan, fa Fille. Nouv. Edition augmentée. 8 Vols. Paris. The completeft, moft correct, and elegant edition that has hitherto appeared of these celebrated letters. 20. La France illuftre, ou le Plutarque François, (par M. Turpin) Année 1775. 4to. With Portraits. Paris. This firft volume of an interefting French biography contains the lives of marechal de Saxe, chancellor D'Agueffeau, and marechal de Belle-IДe. The diction is warm and rapid, though fometimes incorrect; and the portraits are finely engraved. L 3 21. Dictionnaire 21. Dictionnaire des Mots Homonymes de la Langue Françoife, c'eft à dire de ceux dont la Prononciation eft la même et la Signification différente. Par M Hurtaut, &. 8vo. Paris. This dictionary is well calculated for the ufe of youth, and especially for foreigners. 22. Dictionnaire Poetique d'Education, où, fans donner de Préceptes, on fe propose d'exercer et d'enrichir toutes les Facultés de l'Ame et de l'Efprit, en fubftituant les Exemples aux Leçons, les Faits aux Raifonnemens, la Pratique à la Théorie. Par M. de la Croix. 2 Vols. 8-va. Paris. An alphabetical collection of odes, fatires, fonnets, epigrams, madrigals, and dramatic fragments, on moral fubjects, from the best French poets; with an alphabetical and critical account of their authors. 23. Le Mauvais Négociant, Comedie, en trois Actes, en Vers. 800. Paris. The chief perfonnage of this comedy, Cleon, is a mixture of Moliere's Tartuffe, Rouffeau's Flatteur, and Greffet's Mechant; a cheat and impostor in his dealings, a dangerous character in fociety, and to all intents and purpofes a villain; contrafted with a Chevalier du Kerlon, an honeft man, his rival; who, being fuddenly obliged to depart for the army, writes to his mistress Julia, to inform her of the unavoidable neceffity of his leaving her for time. Kerlon's letter falls into Cleon's hand, who, fuppreffes it; accufes him of inconftancy and faithfulness, and very nearly fucceeds in robbing him of Julia. Kerlon however returns a conqueror, juft in time to expofe, confound, and defeat the basenefs of his flanderer. For the honour of humanity, it were to be wifhed, that characters like Cleon's might be rarely found, and always meet with their deferts. 24. Saggio fopra la Religione, del Conte Giovambattista Giovo, Cav, del S. M. Ordine di S. Stefano. 8vo. in Milano. A learned confutation of ancient and modern attacks on religion, by a young nobleman. 25. Regola ftabilita per la publica Scuola Veterinaria inftituta del Senato per Decreto del 9 Sep. 1773, nella Citta di Padoua. Quarto. This feminary for ftudents of the veterinary art, inftituted and fupported by the republic of Venice, is fubjected to very strict reguJations. The ftudents wear an uniform; have their board at the public expence; are not allowed to go out of their feminary without permiffion; are annually examined, &c. Their apprenticefhip lafts four years; of which three are spent on anatomy and the materia medica, and the fourth in practical exercises, for which purpose they attend an hofpital for cattle. They are under the tuiton of a profeffor, and two penfioned affistants. 26. Danielis Wilhelmi Trilleri Clinotechnia Medica Antiquaria, f. de diverfis Agrotorum lectis fecundum varia Morborum Genera in fruendis, Commentarius Medico Criticus. 40. Frankfurt on the Mayn. A medley of critical erudition and unprovoked rancour, very unbecoming in a man at the age of four core. 27. Probléme réfolu, où Verités aux quelles tout le Monde ne croit pas. 8vo. Laufanne. The author of this performance accounts for the victories of his Prufiian majefty from other caufes than thofe that have hitherto been fuppofed, and concludes with feverely cenfuring his country men, even on account of their irreligion and libertinism, 8. Pauli Jofephi Bardez, in Univ. Med. Cancellarii Judicis, &c Nova Doctrina de functionibus Nature Humanæ. 4to. Montpellier. A remarkable sketch of a phyfiology, fraught with a variety of new ideas and notions. 29. De' Bagni freddi Tratt. del D. Filippo Baldini. 8vo. Napoli. A complete panegyric on the virtues of cold baths, and their ufefulness to all ages, fexes, and conditions. MONTHLY CATALOGUE. POLITICA L. 30. The Rights of Great Britain afferted against the Claims of America: being an Answer to the Declaration of the General Congress. 8vo. 25. Cadell. Y an advertisement prefixed to the fifth edition of this were derived from the best and most incontelible authorities. The author had access to original papers, accurate estimates, and authentic difpatches. He has alfo availed himself of the records of both houfes of parliament; and examined attentively fach printed tracts as might contribute to throw any light on the fubject. He further informs us, that he has lately been favoured, through the hands of the bookfeller, with communications relative to important facts, by perions eminent for their knowledge in the affairs and interests of Great Britain and America; and thefe he has made use of in the edition of the pamphlet now before us. The author begins with refuting the claim of the Americans on the ground of taxation and reprefentation being infeparable; proceeding from that argument through the other claufes of the declaration of the continental congrefs, on which this production is a comment. He clearly evinces, by an appeal to various ftatutes, from the Restoration down to the prefent reign, that parliament has uniformly exercifed its fupremacy over the colonies, in matters of revenue, commerce, civil, and all judicial regulations. He then enters into a variety of confiderations refpecting the prefent war, and prefents us with an appendix, containing an account of money voted for the forces employed in the defence of America fince the acceffion of the family of Hanover; a lift of the acts establishing the fupremacy of par-. liament over America; the declaration of the congrefs, relative to the causes of their taking up arms; and the articles of their confederation. 31, Some Obfervations on a Pamphlet entitled, "The Rights of Great Britain afferted," &c. 8vo. 15. Donaldson. The remarks of a writer ftrongly tinctured with prejudice in fayour of the Americans, and who profeffes to be fo extremely apprehenfive of the fituation of Great Britain, that he informs us he fhould not be furprised to fee France in poffeffion of London within two or three months after the laft of our ships fhall fail for the 'Western continent. We, in our turn, fhould not be furprifed to fee the advocates for the colonies relinquish their cre duiity nearly about the fame time. L 4 32. Rey |