discourse more freely and with greater weight concerning the matters The event happen'd as the Author had foreseen for the Pope vindicated the persecuted Jansenists either as being of their opinion or designing by the Publick expressing of a Compassion that cost him nothing to strengthen his party with the acceâ—ssion of so considerable a number of Learned Divines and of he best Writers in France Whereupon the King being incenseâ—d that his Holiness should attempt as it were to prescribe Laws to him and should endeavour to withdraw his Subjects from their Allegiance to him took other measures and having Summon'd an Assembly of his Clergy †In the Year 1682. caus'd it to be declar'd therein 1. That the Pope hath no Authority directly or indirectly over the Temporalities of Kings 2. That much less hath he any power to depose them 3. That he is not infallible 4. That he is inferiour to a Council At that time the breach seem'd to be irreparable and it was generally believ'd that a Patriarch would e're long preside in France It is true indeed that the persecution of the Protestants whose entire Destruction was then hasten'd afforded but little hope of a Reformation to the moderate part of Roman Catholicks However many of them that were willing to flatter themselves with vain Expectations gave it out that none ought to be discourag'd by these rigorous Persecutions that the Court not being ignorant of the commotions that a too much precipitated Reformation hath produced in other places intended to proceed therein by degrees And that even on this account they had very good grounds to abolish the Exercise of the Reformed Religion either to avoid a Schism like unto that which vexes yet England at this present or insensibly to gain the consent of the old Catholicks by the Conversation of the new Upon the whole matter this is sufficient to induce us to believe that the Court of France is not unwilling that their Divines should take the Advantage of this Conjuncture obliquely to assault the Superstitions of the Church of Rome However Father Simon to vindicate himself in regard that our Author had refuted (a) 〈◊〉 4. Disseâ—â— Prol. P. 30.38 â—9 his too presumptuous Conjectures on the Pentateuch hath written against him with much animosity accusing him as one that had employed his Pen to revive Calvinism that was so lately extirpated Nevertheless all these loud Clamours produced no effect serving only to promote the Sale of the Book neither have they oblig'd Mr. Du Pin to blot out these passages that were offensive to his Adversary but only to add certain Notes in this Second Edition to prove that Moses really composed the Pentateuch And the Author is so far from having been reprehended for bringing allegations in favour of the Protestants that the Censors of Books have loaded him with extraordinary Commendations in the beginning of the second Volume which they conclude in these words That not being able to determine whether the vast extent of his Learning the Sagacity of his Judgment or the continual solidity of his Reflections ought most to be admin'd they find themselves oblig'd to declare that that which would serve for the Commendation of many is not sufficient to discharge all the Obligations that they judge to be due to his singular merit A large Preface is prefixed to the first Volume wherein the Author explains and justifies the Title that he hath given to his Book gives an account of his Design and Method and propounds certain Critical Rules to determine whether a Work be forg'd or whether it really appertains to the Person to whom it is Attributed This Preface is follow'd with a Preliminary Dissertation concerning the Books of the Bible in which he treats 1. Of the Authors of the Books of the Old Testament in general 2. Of the Canonical and Apocryphal Writings And indeed the judgment of Mr. Du Pin on this Article is very Remarkable seeing he is a Roman Catholick for according to his opinion the Six last Chapters of the Book of Esther are not extant in the Hebrew Text but were taken from divers places and contain several pieces apparently Collected by the Hellenist Jews St. Jerom expresly rejects the Book of Buruch as not being included in the Canon of Sacred Writings in his Preface to the Prophecy of Jeremiah The History of Tobit is likewise excluded in all the Ancient Catalogues from the number of Canonical Writings as well as that of Judith In a word Christian Antiquity hath follow'd the Canon of the Jews as to the Books of the Old Testament there are no others Cited in the New and a great part of these are often alledged therein Moreover the Primitive Catalogues of Canonical Books composed by the Greek and Latin Ecclesiastical Authors do not contain any others In the Chronicon of Eusebius the Books of the Maccabees are separated from those of the Holy Scriptures and placed in the Rank of Josephus and Africanus The Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are inserted in the Ancient Catalogues among those Writings that are esteem'd to be very useful but such as are not Canonical Nothing can be inferr'd to prove their being Divinely inspir'd from those passages that are produc'd by the Fathers in regard that Origen St. Jerom and St. Hilary by whom they are cited reckon them among the Apocryphal Writings Moreover these Books were not admitted into the Canon of holy Scripture even in the time of Gregory the Great Forasmuch as this Pope speaks to this effect †Greg. Lib. 12. Moral We do nothing that is unreasonable in exhibiting the Testimony of Books that are not Canonical since they were Published for the Edification of the Church Many Ecclesiastical Writers both Greek and Latin reckon only 22 Canonical Books annexing the History of Ruth to that of Judges and the Lamentations of Jeremiah to his Prophecies although they lived after the third Council of Carthage and after Innocent I. who is reported to have inserted the Maccabees and other Apocryphal Books into the sacred Canon which shews adds our Author that these definitions were not follow'd by all Authors and by all the Churches until this was at last entirely determin'd by the Decision of the Council of Trent Insomuch that these Ecclesiastical Assemblies partake of this general property with the others that the Decrees of the later should abolish all those of the preceeding or otherwise it is but just that the Church of Rome which hath a power to make new Articles of Faith should likewise be invested with that of causing the Books from whence they are taken to be esteem'd as Canonical In the third Article of this dissertation the Author gives us the History of the Hebrew Original of the Translation of the Septuagint and of other Greek Versions of the Old Testament 4. He discourseth anfterwards concerning certain Authors whose works have some Relation to the Sacred Writings of the Hebrews as Philo Josephus Aristaeus c. 5.
how reconciled to the Church of Rome Blasphemies of the French Panegyrists Pag. 1. II. A New Bibliotheque of Ecclesiastical Authors An History of the Author and his Book Canonical Scriptures Ancient Liturgies whether St. Denis was ever in France What Honour is due to the Saints No Bishop of Bishops Doctrine of the Three first Centuries Of the Power of Councils Invocation of Saints Worship of Images and Celibacy Pag. 2. III. Horatius Rodellii Whether Mecoenas was descended from the Kings of Etrury Deus esse Oculo irretorto Descendere Vinum Pag. 14. IV. The Comedies of Terentius by Madam D'Acier Character of Plautus and Terentius and their Comedies Contaminare New Explication of a perplex'd Passage in the Andria Pag. 19. V. Cornelius Nepos Nic. Courtin Pag. 23. VI. Juvenalis Persius Lud. Pratei Passage of Persius explain'd Pag. 3. VII A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy Opinions of the Independents Pag. 25. VIII Description of the United Netherlands c. Vsefulness of Travels London bigger than all the Cities of Holland together Pag. 27. IX Vauban's New Method of Fortification Character and Contents of this Book Original of Fortification Situation of Places to be fortified Orillon Flank retired Bastion c. Pag. 28. X. Haver's Osteologia Nova An Idea of the Formation of the Foetus of the Periosteum the Bones and the Teeth Of Growth and Nourishment Of the Marrow Of the Mucilage and Mucilaginous Kernels Of the Cartilages Pag. 33. 2. Ruyschius Observationes Anatomico-Chirurgicae Wonderful Cure of an Aneurisma Of the Membrant Hymen Pag. 46. XI Leonardi Plukenetii Phytographia Pag. 42. XII Praxis Mayerniana .. Whether the Smoak of Tabacco can reach the Brain Pag. 47. XIII Richerius De Potestate Ecclesiae Votes of the Third Estate in France against the Pope's Power The Doctrine and Practice of the Gallican Church prov'd agreeable with them Rules to examine whether a Doctrine be orthodox or no Whether it be lawful for the People to depose Princes Of Ecclesiastical Power and Excommication Sentiments of Marsilius of Padua Blasphemy of Pope Gregory VII against Royal Dignity Pag. 48. XIV An Universal Analysis of Equations Pag. 53. XV. Leybourn's Cursus Mathematicus How to know the Length of the Way which a Vessel makes XVI Some Observations made in the great Congregation of Waters communicated by the Honourable R. Boyle That Sta-water is colder on the deep below than by the Surface Pag. 58. XVII Inscriptionum Antiquarum Sylloge Whether the Daughter of the first Christian Emperour builded a Church to S. Agnes Whether the Idolatry of the Heathens be excusable Pag. 59. XVIII The Falshood of Humane Vertues Whether Subjects may rebel against their Kings Pag. 62. THE HISTORY OF LEARNING I. HISTOIRE DU ROY LOUYS LE GRAND par les Medailles Emblemes Devises c. History of Lewis the Great Taken from the Medals Emblems Devices Inscriptions Armories and other Publick Monuments Collected and Explained by Father CLAUDIUS FRANCIS MENESTRIER Jesuit A new Edition augmented with five Plates Fol. Paris 1691. F. 64. IF the Contents of this Work were answerable to its Title and if the Author had given us an exact and continued History of the Exploits of his Hero and had proved the most remarkable Actions that were performed under his Reign by the Medals that were coined and other publick Monuments that were erected on that occasion it would without doubt have been a very useful Book but nothing of all this is to be found therein for the Medals are confusedly placed the order of time which is the most principal matter in a History is not well observ'd and instead of a Commentary there is only a licentious Interpretation of the Latin Inscriptions or some other trivial Circumstances and that too but very rarely insomuch that it can neither be esteemed as an History nor a Panegyrick but a gross and imperfect Collection of whatsoever could be invented by Flattery to aggrandize the Idea of a Prince that delights in Vain-Glory and is perhaps too much addicted to the love of popular applause And indeed what can be devised more vain than the Medal (a) 25.5 wherein he is represented in the midst of the Cities of Genoua and Luxemburg turning the Globe of the World on the point of his Sword with this Motto Quod libet licet I do whatsoever I think fit Altho' the Character of a Jesuit and a Panegyrist doth not well agree with that of a sincere Writer never heless we are induc'd to believe that Father Menêtrier hath found it to be a very difficult task to produce these Medals as undoubted proofs of the Historical matters and facts related by him as being conscious to himself that the greatest part of them were founded only on Hyperbolical exaggerations or on the false reports of hired News mongers As for example it is well known to all the World that in the War that happen'd between England and Holland in the Year 1666 France amused this Commonwealth with feigned Succours that those few French Vessels that joyned with de Ruyter served only to molest and perplex him by breaking all his measures or giving an account thereof to the Enemies and that the Forces that were sent thither by Land marched only to espie out the Country and to contrive intrigues and plots against them as it afterwards appeared by the design which was discovered in the Year 1672. Therefore we may very well turn the reverse of the Medal and instead of (a) f. 13.2 Batavis terrâ marique desensis Religio foederum put Batavis terrâ marique proditis Derisio foederum There are others likewise that are absolutely repugnant to evident matters of fact particularly that which is consecrated to Lewis the Great for granting peace (b) p. 26.3 to the Hollanders whom he had Conquer'd to the Germans whom he had every where Vanquished and almost to all Europe that had combined together against him For without reckoning Switzerland Italy and the most part of the Princes of Germany Poland and Moscovy who were not engag'd in this quarrel France was assisted by England Sweeden and the Bishop of Colen and Munster through whose Territories they attacked the Hollanders at unawares Moreover in the beginning of the War all Europe seemed unanimously to concur in promoting the ruine of the United Provinces since Spain opened a passage to their Enemies and the Emperour for a long time stood still as it were a Spectator to which if we add the Intelligence that the French obtain'd within the Country and the Cowardise of some of those that had the Command of the Principal Posts it may well be concluded from thence that these Conquests are not so Glorious as they would have them to be believed But on the contrary there accrues to King William Everlasting Glory which cannot be eclipsed by the most inveterate Envy for rescuing by his Valour and Prudence at the Age of about 22 Years four Great Provinces out of the Hands of so Haughty and
He treats of the Authors of the Books of the New Testament And 6. of the Canon of these Books Let us now proceed to the Body of the Work Mr. Du Pin hath thought sit to reject the Liturgies (a) p. 8. that are attributed to the Apostles in regard says he that we need only to reflect a little on what we Read in the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians concerning the Celebration of the Eucharist and on that which hath been alledg'd on this Subject by St. Justin and the Primitive Fathers of the Church to be convinc'd that the Apostles and their Successors celebrated the Sacrifice of the Mass with great Simplicity A very small number of Litanies were recited therein but by little and little some other Collects were added together with certain exterior Ceremonies to render the Service more venerable to the People lastly the Churches proceeded to regulate and to commit these particular Methods to Writing and this is that which we call Liturgies Our Author is not only content to disallow the Works of the Counterfeit St Denis (q) p. 24. b but he likewise proves in one of his Notes (c) p. 38. that the true Dionysius the Arâ—opagite never was in France that Photinus first propagated the Christian Religion in that Kingdom and that in the time of St. Irenaeus his Successor Christianity was establishd only in that part of the Country call'd Gallia Viennensis Lugdurensis since there were no Martyrs any where but within the Limits of these two Provinces concerning whom he produceth (d) p. 50. an Epistle of the Church of Smyrna to those of Pontus which deserves to be remembred in more than one place The Pagans having hindred the Christians from carrying off the Body of Polycarp that remain'd entire in the midst of the Flames lest as was pretended by these deluded Heathens they should adore it instead of Jesus Christ the Church of Smyrna made this reflection thereupon certainly these People were possess'd with an extravagant frenzy as being ignorant that the Christians adore Jesus Christ only because he is the Son of God and that they honour the Martyrs who are his Disciples and followers only on the account of the Love that they testifie for their King and Master Afterward The Centurion having caus'd the Body of this Martyr to be burnt the Christians took away his Bones being more valuable than the most precious Stones and more pure than Gold which they BURIED in a place where they Assembled together to Celebrate with joy and Chearfulness the Day of his Martyrdom thus HONOURING the MEMORY of those that had fought Gloriously for their Religion to the end that they might confirm and instruct others by such Examples These are the Sentiments adds our Author of the Ancient Church concerning the Respect due to Martyrs and their Relicks explain'd after a very clear and distinct manner equidistant from the contempt that is cast on them by our Modern Hereticks and from the Superstition of some Catholicks But Mr. Du Pâ—n would have extreamly oblig'd the World in shewing who those Hereticks are who despise the Holy Martyrs and their true Relicks and refuse to afford them this sort of honour that was done to their memory by the Church of Smyrna In this Edition is an extract of Origen's Book concerning Prayer (e) p. 142.145 which the Author had not seen when he publish'd the first and on the occasion of the dispute that rose between St. Cyprian and the Bishop of Rome concerning the Repeating of Baptism he produceth a remarkable passage (f) 164 2. taken from the Acts of the last Council of Carthage holden in the Year 256. Wherein this Father exhorting the 87 Bishops that were there present freely to disclose their mind without any design of excommunicating those that were of a different opinion gives them this reason For none ought to Style himself Bishop of Bishops to endeavour to constrain his Colleagues by a Tyrannical Authority by reason that every Bishop hath liberty and power to make use thereof as he shall think fit and that he can no more be judg'd by another than he can judge him But we ought all to attend to the judgment of CHRIST who alone hath power to set us over his Church and to judge of our Actions In this Controversy both parties pretended to have Tradition on their side and St. Cyprian oppos'd to that which was alledg'd against him by Pope Stephen the truth of the Gospel and the Primitive Tradition of the Apostles The Edition of the Works of this Father which is declar'd by Mr. Du Pin to be generally most esteem'd is that which hath been Published some years ago by two English Bishops and Printed at Oxford but the Annotations of Pamelius are not much reguarded by reason that he applies himself rather to confirm the Doctrine and discipline that is received and maintain'd by those of his own Society than to explain the difficulties that occur in the Text of the Author Mr. Du Pin doubts (g) â— 199.1 whether the passage recited by Joannes Damascenus in his third Homily concerning Images appertains to Methodius it is declared therein that the Christians made certain Figures of Gold representing the Angels for the Glory of God if it were written by this Bishop it must be taken said he in another Sence different from that which is attributed to it by Damascenus and by these words Angels Principalities and Powers the Kings of the Earth are to be understood as may be inferr'd from the preceeding expressions Moreover he rejects all the Decretals that are imputed to the Primitive Popes and believe that they were forg'd by Riculphus and his Successor Benedict in the ninth Century Lastly he concludes this Volume with an Epitome of the Doctrine Discipline and Moral Instructions of the Church in the three first Ages thereof There are no notes subjoined to this Abridgment because it is taken for granted that sufficient prooss of all that is asserted therein have been already exhibited in the body of the Work Nevertheless it cannot be discerned by what Arguments alledg'd in the preceeding Treatise Mr. Du Pin supports the following Propositions that are afterward maintain'd by him in the said Epitome viz. 1 That altho' all the Fathers are not agreed that Infants are born in Sin and liable to Damnation yet the contrary opinion was more agreeable to the Church 2 That the Sacrifice of the Mass was Celebrated in Memory of the Dead 3 That the ancient Christians invocated the Saints and Martyrs deceas'd and that they were perswaded that they prayed to God for the living However there are other Principles that are grounded on better Authority and such as are of great importance with respect to the present differences among Christians 1 That the ancient Writers always mention'd the Virgin Mary with a great deal of respect tho' they have not exceeded their due bounds as it hath been afterwards practised
equal to that of the Gods Horace makes use of the same Figure twice in this Ode Me doctarum hederae praemia frontium Dis miscent superis And Sublimi feriam sidera vertice It is likewise known that this expression Deus esse is commonly taken to signifie to be esteemed happy moreover the Epithet of Terrarum Domini entirely determines the sense and it may justly be admir'd that M. Dacier hath not observ'd it since he hath so clearly explained divers passages that are far more difficult It is true indeed that he is not the first Interpreter who through a commendable emulation and earnest endeavour to offer somewhat that is new and to excel others hath been induc'd to deviate from his Authors meaning and to seek for too many Mysteries therein We are sometimes apt to lose our Subject by too intense an application of the mind and by how much the greater our efforts are so much the farther we depart from the true sense to which it is afterwards very difficult to return On the other side if we do not apply our selves with a great deal of attention to the reading of an Author either we understand not what he says or we let slip very considerable difficulties without illustrating them To be successful we must take care to keep the middle path between these two extremities but this precept is more easily given to others than followed by themselves However it may be observ'd much better than it is generally done if we could be perswaded to remain in suspense for a while as touching the meaning of those passages wherein we suspect that others have been deceived and in the mean time if it be possible often to read over that Paragraph concerning which we are doubtful But as soon as a new explication comes into our mind if it have never so little shew of probability we are immediately restless and impatient till we have committed it to Writing and when it is once written we find it to be extreamly difficult to deface or revoke it IV. TANAQUIL Faber had endeavour'd to shew in his Epistles that the 14. Ode of the 1st Book ought to be understood literally where it was generally believ'd that Horace designed to represent the State of the Roman Common-wealth that was ready to be engaged in a new Civil War after the defeat of Brutus and Cassius under the Idea of a disabled Vessel that was again to be expos'd to the tempestuous waves He affirmed that there was nothing Allegorical in this Ode but that the Poet address'd himself to the Ship that had convey'd him from Philippi into Italy and that was about to return by the same way with those that had accompanied him in this Voyage Father Rodellius who seems to fear lest there should be something of danger in opposing the Torrent of Interpreters as his Divines aver that it is not lawful to depart from the general consent of the Doctors maintains the contrary opinion viz. That there is an Allegory in this place They that are desirous to be further informed in this matter may at their leisure compare his assertions with the reasons that are alledged by Tan. Faber V. THERE is a passage in the 2d Ode of the 2d Book which hath very much perplex'd Interpreters and it is this Quisquis ingentes occulo irretortor Spectat acervos M. Dacier explains this Phrase Occulo irretorto with a streight or direct Eye that is to say without envy for the property of envy is to look askew and Rodellius insists that this is the Character of a man of whom it may be said That the brightness of Gold does not at all dazle his Eyes and he is never blinded thereby This indeed comprehends the sense in general and several Commentators have observ'd it before them as may be seen in an Ancient Edition of Horace's Works together with the Annotations of 40 Grammarians Printed at Basil in the year 1580 in Fol. But without injuring the reputation of those Gentlemen it may be justly affirmed or that they have not sufficiently express'd the sence of the word irretorto Torquere oculos signifies to turn our eyes to a certain place Oculosque ad maenia torsit Retorquere oculos is to turn the head backwards to look on something that we have left behind us thus Cicero in his second Oration against Catilina which he made after he had compel'd that Traytor to abandon the City of Rome from whence he departed with great indignation Retorquet oculos profecto saepe ad hanc Vrbem quam ex suis faucibus ereptam esse luget He often turns his head to view this City and grows desperate by reason that his attempts against it have failed It may be said of a man that leaves his Native Country without expressing any sorrow Spectavit maenia patriae exiens oculo irretorto or egressus maenibus non retorsit oculos Horace represents a man that despiseth Riches after the same manner as it were passing through vast Mountains of Gold but beholding them only whilst they are before him without vouchsafing to look back on them when he is past which shews that he doth not regard them for we are accustomed to turn our heads that we may retain those things longer in our sight which we are constrain'd to leave with much regret VI. IN regard that it hath been observ'd by those that have seen this Edition of Rodellius that he therein often opposeth the judgment of M. Dacier it might be expected that he should have made some Critical Remarks on a passage in his Notes on the 21 Ode of the 3d. Book but he hath taken no notice thereof Horace addressing himself to a certain Bottle or Pitcher hath this expression Descende Corvino jubente Promere languidiora Vina Go down since Corvinus hath commanded me to entertain him with the most delicate Wine M. Dacier observes on the word descende that the Romans kept their Wines in Ware-Houses built on the top of their Houses that they might be ripened with the Smoak He would have done well if he had quoted his Authors for none can imagine that Wine above twenty years old at least such as that which is here mentioned being as old as Horace should be kept in a Garret to ripen it with the Smoak This perhaps might have been a good method to make Vinegar thereof but by no means to render it more delicate He might then have affirmed on much better grounds that the Romans usually hung their Bottels on the walls of their Cellars as may be inferr'd from the 23. and 24. Chapters of Cato's Treatise de re Rustica This is one of those things which it were to be wished that M. Dacier had always observed at least to produce his Authors when he exhibits any remarkable circumstance or assertion for we live in an Age that is extreamly distrustful by reason that divers Criticks have been known to avouch those things whereof they could alledge no proof
to be somewhat unusual that he constantly makes it to consist of the third part of the Flank because it doth not seem to be necessary to erect a larger Orillon in a greater Fortification than in a lesser I am apt to believe that it is sufficient to allow it so much strength as to be able to resist the force of the Cannon Afterwards he causeth the two other parts of the Flank to return within the body of the Bastion assigning them the Figure of the sixth part of a Circle and this is what hath been lately termed the hollow Tower or Flank retired Lastly for the better covering of the Flanks he placeth the wings of the Works which he builds before the Curtain within the Faces at the distance of some Fathoms from the Orillon It hath been believed for a long time that double Flanks were of very great use in the defence of a place but they are wholly omitted by Monsieur de Vauban tho' his reasons are not as yet well known neither doth he regard False-Brayes which is not to be admir'd and to defend the Trench he makes use of a small and low Tenail to very good purpose which he placeth before the Curtain and is separated from it by a little ditch The Faces of this Work are in the same delineation with those of the Bastions The Flanks are distant from the others from 10 to 12 Fathoms and Monsieur de Cambray declares that this proves what he had before asserted concerning the Line of Defence for he had avouched in one of his Maxims that it ought not to exceed 125 Fathoms nevertheless it appears from his Tables that it contains from 126 to 138 Fathoms There needs not much pains to be taken with respect to the Angle of the Bastion only assigning to it from 60 to 100 degrees that it may be able to sustain it self and that the Bastion may be of a sufficient largeness But as for the Faces they seem to require more care to make them of an equal strength since they do not exceed at most above 50 fathoms Lastly touching the Trench the Author follows the opinion of Monsieur de Clermont who allots from 18 to twenty fathoms for its breadth and from 18 to 20 feet for its depth The Glacis's are made as large as they can be conveniently not allowing less to them than 36 fathoms but as for the Rampart its breadth is limited to 10 fathoms and Monsieur de Vauban derides their project that would have it proportioned to the largeness of the Polygons as if little places were not attacked with the same Arms as those that are greater In the fifth and last Book the Author shews (bb) 89. the structure of divers Fortresses erected in the Field and afterwards lays down (cc) 95. Rules for the fortifying of an irregular place But as to the method used by him it may be affirmed that he departs a little from his own Maxims and more especially from the first in regard that the Trench the Base of the Rampart c. are diminished proportionably as the side of the Polygon exceeds 180 fathoms unless one would say that in Triangles which are unequal there is the same proportion between their sides This Book is concluded with mentioning somewhat concerning Artillery whilst a larger discourse thereof is reserved to a Treatise wherein the Author promises expresly to inform us of the manner of attacking a place according to the judgment of Monsieur de Vauban the publication of which is impatiently expected X. OSTEOLOGIA NOVA Or A New Treatise of the Bones and the Parts belonging to them with the Manner of their Growth and Nutrition Communicated to the Royal Society in several Discourses By Clopton Havers M. D. Fellow of the Royal Society London for S. Smith 1691. Pag. 310. IT would require a Discourse as large as any of the Five Dissertations of Dr. Haver's Book should we go about to set down every Thing that is new and curious therein And therefore the extraordinary Abundance of Matter will enforce us to pass over many remarkable Things upon which we should have insisted much longer but that they are as we may say so heap'd up in Piles one upon another I. The First Discourse treats of the Nature of Bones and describes the Membrane which covers them their interiour Frame and Figure The Author begins with a kind of Prologue very significant to the purpose by giving an Idea of the manner of Generation according to the Principles of de Graef and Monsieur Drelincourt He supposes (a) p. 7. That all the Parts of the Creature are delineated in the Female's Egg while it is yet in the Womb and before the Seed of the Male has given it Life That the most volatile Parts of the Seed insinuating themselves into the Umbilical Vein of the Egg through the Pores of the Membrane of the Ovary that Vein carries those Particles to the two Ventricles of the Heart where they raise a Fermentation in the Humors which there they meet withal that rarifies and dilates them and putting the Fibres of the Heart upon a Contraction produces that Beating which is the Sign and Beginning of Life Part of these rarify'd Humors falling from the right and left Ventricles into the Aorta imparts its Motion to the Matter contained in it and in all the Vessels which depend upon it The Arteries being thus extended and the Liquor within them being agitated opens its self a Passage through the Veins and this compleats the Circulation These Humors thus circulating meet with Glandules in their way upon the sides and at the Extremities of the Arteries through which there is a necessity for them to pass These Glandules being a sort of Strainers the most subtle Parts and those which first get through the Glandules of the Brain are those which are call'd the Vital and Animal Spirits of which when there are sufficient to give motion to the Original of the Nerves then apparently it is that the Soul is infus'd into the Foâ—tus The Membrane (b) p. 14. which covers the Bone is very thin and exquisitely sensible and made up of most minute and curious Threds which deduce their Original from the Dura Mater and from several Muscles and Tendons Those that descend from the Dura Mater lie the nearest to the Bones and are all parallel but those which proceed from the Muscles take a different course according to the situation of the Muscle from whence they proceed This Membrane is fastned to the Bone by the nature of their Substance which is viscous and slimy and by certain little Fibres of that Membrane which enter into the Pores of the Bone It is appointed for Five several Offices 1. It serves to cover the Bones 2. It conveys Spirits into their Substance which preserve their Heat render them sensible and assist them in their growth and nourishment 3. It contributes to limit the growth of the Bones 4. It serves
THE HISTORY OF LEARNING OR AN ABSTRACT Of Several BOOKS Lately Published as well abroad as at home By one of the Two Authors of the Vniversal and Historical Bibliotheque LONDON Printed for Abel Swalle and Timothy Childe at the Vnicorn at the West-End of St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. To the Right Honourable the Earl of DORSET and MIDDLESEX Lord Chamberlain of Their Majesties Houshold My Lord THis Work does every way belong to your Lordship for besides the many Obligations your Honour has been pleas'd to lay upon me and to advise me to the composing of it I know not a Person more universally Learned and more capable of Judging all sorts of Learned Writings I doubt not My Lord but your wonted Goodness and Affability will vouchsafe me a favourable Acceptance of this Present Though I must acknowledge 't is with some Reluctancy that I make it There is so much difficulty in making Abstracts and one finds so rarely wherewith at the same time to Please and Instruct that I can hardly hope I have done any thing worthy to be Presented to so delicate a Judgment as your Lordship's I have been unfortunate in that I write not in my own Language by which Means some Improprieties may escape of which I am ignorant and which I hope your Lordship will pardon I presume to offer this Essay to your Lordship partly because I have the Honour to be known to your Lordship by other Works and that I hope under your Lordships Patronage to be assisted for the Future from Men of Parts and Learning with something more considerable and more deserving your Lordships perusal I am with all Duty and Respect My LORD Your Lordships Most Humble and most Obedient Servant J. D. de La Crose THE PREFACE THE following Essay is not as one lately Published a Translation of the Journals Printed abroad but a real Abstract taken from the best Books lately Printed both at home and abroad which if it finds Encouragement shall be continued as oft as Matter occurs Monthly or otherwise 'T will be unnecessary that I enlarge upon the great Vse and Advantage of these sort of Works the great Encouragement they have receiv'd in Holland France Germany c. does sufficiently evidence their Worth and seem to reproach us for having so long neglected it 'T is true it has been twice attempted here but those having been barely Translations and the Readers generally understanding the Original seems to be the Reason they were no better received But not to detain the Reader too long I shall pass over what might be more said upon this Occasion and proceed to give an Account of my Design in as few Words as may be I design then to Publish an Abridgment of all new Books as they shall appear in the World to which purpose I shall keep a Correspondence abroad in order to the being furnished with every thing rare with the first But in regard this Design is of too large extent that is the abridging of every Book that is Published especially in this Age where so many trifling Impertinencies pass the Press I shall chuse only such to insert in this Work as may most deserve the perusal of the Studious Reader I shall enlarge upon such as shall publish any Novelty to the World and such as discourse the most rationally upon any Subject and shall endeavour to mark out the most considerable Passages and the Places best writ of every Author The Reader must excuse me if I omit giving a Judgment upon the Style and Language of Authors which I shall avoid and chuse rather to give Account of Things than Words I shall also as little as possible take any Side in the Disputes of Learned Men or if it should happen that I adhere to one Party in such Disputes I hope the Ingenious Reader will believe it to be the Force of Reason and Truth that draws me to its side As for those Authors that fill the World with Books ill digested and wherein there is nothing to be learn'd they ought to esteem it a Favour in being passed over in silence Manuals of Devotions and Sermons we shall but rarely take notice of they being of such general Vse so well known and read almost in as little time as an Abstract Dictionaries Collections Abridgments and such like the Authors must pardon us if we take no notice of Also Law-Books Treatises of Practical Physick or any thing too particular in one Faculty will be improper for us to speak of for though they may be excellent in their kind yet their Abridgment will appear but tedious and dull to any not of that Profession But I would not be thought upon this Pretence to excuse my self from abstracting such ingenious Treatises as shall be Published in Anatomy Natural Philosophy Mathematicks c. For though such Abstracts may indeed be unpleasant to such as understand them not they must bear with the Evil and remedy it by turning over the Leaf to a Place that pleases them better for in a Work of this Nature which is writ for all the World and every Profession such inconveniences cannot be avoided And thus having given an Account of our Design we doubt not but all Learned and Ingenious Gentlemen will assist promote it by communicating to us such things as may be convenient to insert in this our Journal which if at any time they please to direct to the Publisher they shall be thankfully received and Published accordingly By this we mean in such Cases where a Person may have made any Discovery in Natural Philosophy Physick Mathematicks Critick or the like and would not give themselves the Trouble of Writing a Treatise upon it if they please to communicate it to us we shall give it place in our Journal and preserve and publish it to the World better by far than if it was Printed by it self Which Advertisement considering the present discontinuance of the Philosophical Transactions will not we hope seem impertinent to the Learned World The Reader must excuse the Imperfection of this first Essay it being but a rude Dranght of what we intend for the Future if the Author be so happy to see his Labour encouraged and his Design favoured by the Approbation of Worthy Persons This is all we thought necessary to tell the Publick at present only this we have further to say That the Abstract of the Phytographia is of another Hand and that through Inadvertency we sent the Copy to the Printer's without having digested it into proper Order but the like Fault shall happen no more We have added at the End a Catalogue of some Books which we intend for the next together with some others most eminently recommendable to the Learned The CONTENTS I. History of Lewis the Great taken from the Medals c. Character of this Book The French King's Religion toward his Allies Of his giving Peace to Europe and taking 200 Cities by Storm The immortal Man French Protestants