meteorological journal, kept at Umea, in 1798, by D. E. Naezen. 7. A description of some polypi of the lungs, by E. Acharius. 8. Some new species of insects, described from his own collection, by S. J. Ljungh; viz. scarabæus marmon, crysomela bivittata, cicindela varians, papilio brigitta.

The third trimestre contains comparative tables of births and deaths which occurred in Sweden and Finland from 1771 to 1795. by H. Nicander. 2. A species of aphrodita, described by Modeer. 3. A method of finding curves, by means of analytic expressions of their tangents, No. I. 4. Botanical observations, and a description of a spergula stricta, a Swedish plant hitherto unknown, by Olof Swartz, accompanied with a plate.

The fourth contains a continuation of the tables of mortality; from which it appears that the population of Sweden increased, in this period, 15 in every 100. 2. A description of some improvements, applicable to vessels employed in distilling water, by J. E. Norberg. 3. Relation of a journey, undertaken at the expense of the academy of Pello, to examine whether the measure of a degree of the meridian, taken in 1739 by Maupertuis and other French philosophers, was exact, by J. Svanberg. The result is not very favorable to their predecessors' accuracy. 4. Extracts of astronomical observations, made in the observatory of Stokholm in 1799, by J. Svanberg. 5. Extract of meteorological observations made at Upsal during the year 1799, by D. E. Holmquist. The volume terminates, as usual, by lists of works and natural objects presented to the society.

Forsoek om Skaldekonsten, &c. An Essay on the Art of Poetry, in four Cantos; followed by Remarks on the Swedish Versification. By the Count de Gyllenborg. Stokholm.-Our author is the patriarch of Swedish versification. Half a century is elapsed since the count and Creutz began to enrich Sweden with poetical compositions, which could vie with those of other polished nations. Such are the superiority and influence of these bards, that their works are still read as models of good style in that language. Gyllenborg has exercised his talents in many different lines. In the epic, in tragedy, and descriptive poetry, he has not attained the highest rank-nervi deficiunt animique: the spirit which should support the whole seems soon to flag. But in the lighter walks, where taste and good sense are chiefly requisite, he is excellent. His didactic satires, his philosophical odes, and his fables, merit our highest commendations.

The present poem is of this superior kind. The first canto treats of the general rules of poetry; the second and third of the different kinds, and their progress in different countries. In the fourth, he assigns to reason, to taste, and genius, their different offices. It may be observed, that he modestly calls his work an Essay on the Art of Poetry.

The count often imitates the grave good sense of Boileau, and the concise style of Pope, whom he calls the Homer of philosophy. But his own theory will not satisfy the philosopher. The definitions and classification proposed in the preface are vague and arbitrary.

The remarks on versification form the subject of a pamphlet. owing to a particular quarrel, which the author should not have raised into such importance as to give it a place in the art of poetry

Stokholm. 2 Volumes. 8vo. Stokholm.-Not long since a description of the city of Copenhagen was published by professor Nyrup; and, perhaps from the rivalship formerly noticed, the present author (M. Elers) now presents us with an account of the capital of Sweden. For this purpose he has united whatever the archives of the kingdom, public and private collections, could furnish; and though something may be deficient in historical accuracy and elegance of style, yet the work is amply rich in materials for the future historian.

Enough is already known of the situation and topography of Stokholm, the subject of the introduction. We shall speak rather of our author's account of the city and the castle.

The founder of the capital of Sweden is unknown. The æra is from about 1250 to 1260; and the habitations seem to have been first occupied under K. Knut, the son of Eric the Holy. About seventy years afterwards Birger Jarl introduced agriculture into Sweden, surrounded the city with walls, and built the castle. In the second and third chapters we find the progressive improvements described; but it was only in the reign of Gustavus I. that wooden buildings were forbidden, and various laws enacted for the security and ornament of the city. The great church was erected in 1160, by Birger Jarl, and it contained formerly twenty-three altars and other antiquities. Jn 1525 the first mass was celebrated in the Swedish language. The toleration was established in 1741, and in 1782 it was extended to the Jews. The marriage of a Jew with a Christian woman was at the same time allowed.

The fourth and fifth chapters contain an account of the establishment of markets, public places, fountains, bridges, churches, &c.

The sixth chapter offers a description of the statues erected in honour of the kings of Sweden. A great part of this would, to the English reader, be uninteresting; but we shall add a short account of that elevated to the honour of Gustavus III., which was completed in August 1799. It is situated on the shore, on the spot where the king landed after the war against the Russians; and it will be placed on a pedestal of porphyry. The height is eleven feet. The king is represented standing, holding in his right hand a branch of olive, and resting his left on the rudder of a ship.

In the seventh and eighth chapters the author speaks of some

public establishments and buildings. In the ninth, of the extent of the city, and its population, which is estimated at 80,000. The number of houses is classed at 6000, which gives more than ten persons to each house; but we believe the houses, like those in Edinburgh, contain more than one family. The tenth chapter treats of the ceremonies of coronation, holding of diets, and other solemnities. Eric Knutson was the first king, and was crowned in 1210.

The three chapters of the second part relate to the history of the castle, to the fortifications of the city, and the attacks to which it has been exposed, particularly at the time of the union.

The second volume, which contains an account of the suburbs, is divided into three parts. The first treats of the neighbouring islands. One of these is Ritterholm. In repairing a Franciscan church, the following singular inscription was discovered: Sex fuerunt eruntque causæ malorum in Sueciâ: 1. Proprium commodum; 2. Latens odium; 3. Contemptus legum; 4. Negligentia communis boni; 5. Favor improvidus in exteros; 6. Pertinax invidia in suos.'

The last two parts of this volume contain the history of the northern suburbs. We remark, in these, the monument erected to the memory of the abbé Micheliessi, the friend of Frederic the Great, by the counts Hoepken and Scheffer; a marble monument to the memory of a French actress, the inscription on which concludes with these remarkable words: Care viator, ut actâ vitæ tuæ fabulâ, felix decedas;' and the opera-house built by Gustavus III.

A subsequent volume is promised, which will contain the rest of the topography of Stokholm, the history of the government of this city, of its commerce, industry, &c. Should it offer any thing peculiarly interesting, we shall certainly return to it.

DENMARK.

K. A. Schonsboe Betrachbungen über das Gewachsreich in Morokko gesammelt. Observations on the Vegetable Kingdom, collected in a Journey through the Empire of Morocco, in the Years 1791, 1792, and 1793. By K. A. Schonsboe. Vol. I. 8vo. With two Plates. Copenhagen.-These Observations were originally written in the Danish language, and appeared in the collection of Memoirs of the Physical Class of the Royal Society of Copenhagen, published by M. Rafn. They are translated into the German by M. Markussen; and from this our account must be taken, as the original is not at present in our hands. The Observations, when complete, will form a Morocco Flora. The plants are characterised and described according to the Linnæan system, in Latin, and (in the present volume) in German. It extends only to the octandria, except a few plants added in a sup-plement.

We find, first, a description of the country. Tunis and Algiers, however, have been described by Shaw, Poiret, Vahl, and Desfontaines. Morocco has not yet been examined by a botanist. Its climate is temperate, and its soil fertile. The most comfortable season of the year is the rainy. Excellent fruits are produced by cultivation, except apples, pears, and cherries, which do not succeed. Tobacco and hemp will grow with luxuriance; but the cultivation is in general neglected. The forests are composed of trees of a moderate height only, and sometimes are only thickets of shrubs. The large forests on the northern coasts consist of different species of oaks and firs: on the south are date-trees.

Among the indigenous plants, some have not been described; and of these we shall mention a few. 1. Salvia interrupta, (plate 1st.) festuca alopecurus, bromus longifolius, distinguished from the bromus ramosus of Wildenow only by its long leaves; 2. Arundo donax, employed in making pens; 3. Plantago stricta; 4. Echium micranthum; 5. Anagallis collina; 6. Trachelium angustifolium; 7. Lonicera canescens; 8. Ziziphus lotus, the fruit of which is said, by the author, to be the true lotus of the ancients, from which they derived the name of lotophagi; 9. Eleodendron argan retz, a tree little known, whose fruit contains white kernels. These are dried, ground, and suffered to melt, in order to extract the oil of argan, used in cookery. The external shell is good food for camels and other cattle; 10. Illecebrum graphalodes; salsola verticillata; bupleurum canescens; cenanthe nodiflora; pimpinella villosa; rhus albidum; linum virgatum; leucoium trichophyllum; narcissus viridiflorus (plate 2.); 11. amaryllis exigua; 12. Scilla serotina, Mauritanica, Tingitana; 13. Juncus maritimus, differing from the juncus acutus by its less size and pointed capsules, equalling the calyx in length; 14. Lausonia inermis, a shrub known in Egypt, and cultivated here, to extract from its dried leaves, by means of acids, a fluid which dies the hands and feet of infants a reddish yellow.

Kongl Veteskcaps, &c. Memoirs of the Academy of Belles Lettres, History, and Antiquities. Vol. VI. 8vo. Copenhagen.The number of the memoirs is not so great as in the former volume, nor are they so extensive; yet some of them are interesting and important. The first, by D. Meleander-hielm, treats of the advantages of the study of astronomy in historical inquiries. These advantages relate to the geographical position, which if ascertained, the author thinks that some supposed discoveries will be found not to be so. He conceives that the Ophir of Solomon was probably Peru, and that the Carthagi nians were acquainted with America, which was the Atlantis of Plato, 2. A historical account of a convent of nuns near Aspenaes, by A. Scheneberg; a memoir of some importance in

the history of Sweden. 3. Some explanations to assist the geographical description of the north of Europe, in the History of Orasius, by professor Porthan of Abo. This work was attributed to Alfred; and Daines Barrington published at London, in 1783, an Anglo-Saxon translation of Orasius, accompanied with an English version, some observations of Mr. Forster, and a chart. Our author has given a Swedish translation of this work, with many historical and geographical remarks. 4. A discourse on poetry, by M. de Engestroem. 5. Extracts from the registers of the academy, in 1791, respecting the prizes then proposed. 6. Designs of some medals to be struck in honour of some celebrated personages in the time of Charles IX., by M. Kutstroem. 7. Discourse delivered by the secretary of state, Schroder-hielm, on the anniversary of the Academy, 24th of July 1791. This relates to the ancient court of Sweden, its diversions, music, tournaments, ceremonies of reception, and the gymnastic exercises of the times. In 1455, the king gave a dinner, in which 1400 silver plates were served. Under Charles IX. the first theatres were established, and the performances commenced in 1611. Queen Christiana contributed much to the progress of sciences and belles lettres: at the age of 65, she composed at Rome the opera of Endymion. Diversions multiplied during the first year of the reign of Charles XII., and the reign of Gustavus II. was the most brilliant æra of the Swedish court. 8. Extracts from the registers of the Academy of the 27th of March 1792. 9. A critical memoir on the antiquity of the provincial laws of Sweden, by M. Burmann. 10. Carmen in victoriam Helsinburgensem, 1710, auctore J. Lundblad. This poem, in honour of general Steenbok, received the prize in 1792. II. A design of an inscription for a monument of Linnæus, and of some medals in honour of celebrated persons of the reign of Charles XI. 12, and 13. Two discourses of M. Rosenstein; one delivered in 1792, on the presentation of the Academy to the king; and the other the 24th of July 1792, its anniversary. 14. Discourse on the progress of the belles lettres and arts among the Greeks, by Wilde. Our author examines the history of each, and shows that the belles lettres and fine arts have proceeded hand in hand. In Greece they were studied by persons of rank; in Rome, by slaves and freedmen; so that, on this account, the latter had no style of their own. In architecture they preferred solidity to ornament; they esteemed sculpture, but almost thought painting ars honestis non spectata manibus.' Lastly, M. Wilde defends the Goths and Aristotle from the imputation This was, of having contributed to the decline of the fine arts.

he thinks, rather owing to the ignorance and despotism of the monks, who impeded their progress till the æra of pope Nicolas, and after the conquest of Constantinople, when the Greeks became again the instructors of the Romans. 15. The discourse of chancellor Engestroem, on his reception into the Academy, Au