would engage in that war or not, and that the honour and security of his country prevented him from granting peace on other conditions than those on which it was concluded; and the other, that all military enterprizes might be recorded with as much clearness and precision as possible, so as to furnish posterity with an accurate description of the favorable and unfavorable positions to be met with in those provinces. and countries where the war will be carried on, whenever the house of Brandenbourg shall become involved in disputes with Austria. This history has been executed by him in as masterly a manner as he conducted that extraordinary war. It is indeed most instructive for officers; but also offers to the Much politician ample matter for important reflexions. more instructive, in this respect, are, however, the memoires from 1763 to 1775, and the memoires of the war in 1778, contained in the fifth volume. But particularly interesting to all classes of readers is his account of the partition of Poland. Anecdoten von Köing Frederich II. &c. Anecdotes related of Frederic II. and of some persons who were frequently near him; together with corrections of some_anecdotes already printed. Published by FR. NICOLAI, Berlin and Stettin, 1788-90. Nr. 1-4. pp. 512. 8vo. Several favourable circumstances, related by the author in the preface to the first number, contributed to make him acquainted with a great number of incidents that occurred dur"If I" says he, ing the reign of the great king of Prussia. amongst others: "know any thing interesting relative to many important subjects, as for instance: to liberty of speech, mental illumination, morality, &c. &c. I owe this knowledge to my constant observation of this man, who was even greater in peace than in war, and to a twenty years attention to his regulations and the consequences thereof, which could be perceived." The study of Frederic's character had been the author's favourite occupation for a great number of years'; and the study of the actual state of his native country was, at bottom, closely connected with it. Amongst other advantages he had the good fortune to be intimately acquainted with three men who had been near the king's person for many years, namely, Mr. Quanz the flute-player, the marquis d'Argens, and colonel Quintus Icilius; who communicated to him a great deal of information that enabled him to form correct notions of the king's real character, and of the connexion connexion of numerous important incidents. The fourth number of this collection deserves particularly the attention of Englishmen, as it gives an account of several English books and pamphlets that treat of Frederic the Great, and corrects many erroneous statements concerning that monarch, which they contain. De rebus gestis Frederici Magni, Borussorum regis; iunctis cohaerentibus eis rerum in Germania gestarum. Pars I. 1788. Hildburghausen, Hanisch. pp. 240. 8vo. The anonymous author relates in this volume the events of the first five years of Frederic's glorious reign, in five books, in chronological order, in a flowing and artless stile. Though we cannot say that he has imitated any particular author of ancient Rome; yet Cæsar and Livy seem to have been his leading patterns, but more especially the former. His account appears to us impartial in every respect; and it is but rarely that he betrays a predominant predilection for any particular hero. Göttingishes Historisches Magazin, &c. &c.---Göttingen, Historical Magazine. By C. MEINERS and C. T. SPITLER. Vol. IV. No. 1-4. Hanover, Helwing, 1788. It is impossible for us to give an account of the subjects of this periodical work, as its contents are too various and numerous to be enumerated here, consistently with the plan of our supplement. But if our Museum should continue to meet with that patronage of a generous public, which it has hitherto experienced, we shall in some future numbers give summary account of the most important and curious articles contained both in this and in the other volumes of this instructive magazine, which in point of universal utility has not as yet been excelled, nay we may say equalled, by any literary publication of a similar nature. Die Römische Religions kasse, &c. &c.---The Roman ecclesiastical treasury; or a developement of the principles of the Roman court. Extracted from papal bulls; in three volumes. Carlsruhe, 1787, 1788. The first volume of this interesting work is chiefly intended to afford a correct idea of the enormous sums which the papal papal treasury derived within 600 years from all Roman catholic countries. The author computes that these sums amounted to no less than 1,019,690,000 guilders, or 101,969,000l. sterling. As many accidental revenues of the papal treasury, drawn from the Roman catholic countries, are not included in this astonishing sum, the author has rated it rather too low than too high. Besides this computation, which occupies about one half of the first volume, the author also treats in it of the generals of the different monastic orders, and of the Roman receivers, and shews how much they have contributed to enrich the papal treasury; adding at the same time an illustration of the Roman tenets, and setting forth the influence which they had upon the enrichment of the Roman See. This volume concludes with an account of some remarkable events that occurred during the life of Gregory VII,, and is throughout enriched with observations that render it uncommonly interesting and instructive. The second and third volumes contain extracts from the larger Bullarium. Those that wish to form a correct idea of the pernicious principles of the Roman court, will in these volumes find the most satisfactory information. LITERARY HISTORY. Franscisci Faustini Prochaska de Saecularibus liberalium artium in Bohemia et Moravia fatis commentarius. Prage apud Widtmann, 1788, pp. 464. 8vo. In this work the learned author has delineated in a very solid and elegant manner a critical history of the fate of the arts and sciences in Bohemia and Moravia, from the most remote times to the year 1787. He calls his work in the preface: tabulam parvam, a miniature picture. But it is, nevertheless, as complete as it could be expected. The author has frequently applied the most glowing colours, without, however, deviating from the strait path of truth. His stile is truly classical, and this instructive volume deserves a distinguished place in the library of every friend of literary history. In order to give our readers a specimen of the author's stile, we beg leave to transcribe the following passage: "Hodie inter omnes linguas maxima studia Sermo germanicus habet. Quod mirum forsitan videatur in Bohemis populoque Slavo. Sed omnes res fortuna libidinose vertit, multaque efficit, quæ non putes: ubi habentur, novitate placent placent, miraculum consuetudine atque usu usque eo consenescit, ut etiam vitio item non fære detur. Per me quod cuique placet institutvum, persequi licet, idemque licere mihi arbitror. Varia ingenia omnes mortales sumus, diverseque probamus, atque hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. Illud memorabile, germanica lingua scriptores nostros rectius majoreque cum cura et religione scribere, quam aut sua aut latina. Multi, quamquam a barbarie abhorrere videntur, tamen ne norunt quidem, quid sit latine scribere." M. J. G. A. OELRIH'S commentatio de doctrina Platonis de Deo a Christianis et recentioribus Platonicis varie explicata ct corrupta Marpurgi, typis novæ typograph. Academicæ, 17.88 pp. 142. 8vo. The author enquires in this little volume how Plato happened to be declared a defender of three substances in the Godhead, by the fathers and the Alexandrinian philosophers. The lovers of the Platonic philosophy, and, in fact, every lover of science, in general, will derive no small degree of pleasure and instruction from this elegant tract. M. G. W. PANZER'S Annalen der ältern Teutschen Litteratur, &c. &c.---M. T. PANZER'S Annals of ancient German Literature; or an enumeration and description of those books, that from the time of the invention of the typographic art to the year 1520, have been printed in German. Nürnberg, Grattenauer, 1788. pp. 464. 4to. The indefatigable zeal and the great ability with which the learned author has cultivated this thorny field, intitles him to the thanks of his countrymen, who are indebted to him for many valuable contributions to the literary history of their country. Historish-litterarisch-bibliographisches Magazin, &c.---Historico-literary-bibliographical Magazine. Established by a society of literary friends in Germany and other countries; conducted by J. G. MEUSEL. No. I. 178g. Zürich, Füessly. The enormous fabric of literary history has never had a more able and industrious architect than Mr. Meusel, who now has laboured more than 40 years to bring this gigantic edifice edifice nearer to perfection. To effect this the more easily with the assistance of ethers, was the principal reason why The established this magazine. The worthy conductor of this meritorious work was even in the beginning of it assisted by no less than 40 regular contributors, dispersed over Germany, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and other countries; whereby he was enabled to render it more perfect and interesting in its progress, and a most indispensable assistant for all literati who are desirous of exploring the extensive Feld of literary history. BELLES LETTRES. DRAMA. Hinterlassene Werke Frederichs II. &c.---The Posthumous Works of Frederic II. king of Prussia (containing his correspondence and poetical and philosophical writings.j Berlin. Voss and Son, Decker and Son, 1788. The eminent merits of Frederic's historical works are almost universally acknowledged; but the rest of his posthumous writings stand in a different predicament. Although his philosophical tracts, his poems and letters are excellent in many respects; yet they interest the world less on account of their intrinsic value, than because they have been composed by him, and furnish the biographer with the most important documents of his uncommon talents, as well as of the goodness of his heart. Only a person totally blinded by prejudice, after having attentively perused this part of Frederic's works, but more especially his correspondence, and compared his words with his actions, can deny any longer that this monarch with the most extraordinary intellectual endowments united an excellent heart, susceptible of the most tender sentiments of love, friendship and humanity, and was far from being an atheist. Kleine gesammelte Schriften des Herrn von Kotzebue, &c.-- A collection of the miscellaneous writings of Mr. von &c. 8vo. The author began already in the first years of his academical career, at the university of Jena, to entertain the VOL. II. 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