The National Register.
London, England, 1816-08-12 00:00:00

t?l6

REVIEW OF LITER.I7I7IIE.

THE HISTORY OF ALL NATIONS; OR, THE NEW UNIVER-
SAL HISTORY, IN NHICH THE ORIGIN, PROGRESS, AND PRE-
SENT CONDITION UV EVERY NATION IN THE WORLD, EI:071
TILE CREATION TO THE PRESENT PERIOD. ARE FAITHII/1 LT
EXIIIIIITED„ KY G. ROBINSON. ESQ. PART:: I. AND 11. P.P.
194, PRICE 4p. EACH PART. LONDON :W. PINNOCE AND CO.
LAW AND WHITTAXER, I h 16.

There are few works of more importance to the wel-
fare of mankind than those which treat of piateral sub-
jects; and are intended to be extensively circulated ;
such are daily issuing. from the press, and eyed with in-
difference by the world, who scarcely pause to rAcct
upon the influence they are likely to have, nor to think
It ew .iiiiete the flame happiness of posterity may be affected
bs• the opinions imbibed from writings, which have no precise
oisj•et in vicw. Iltlwy do ma assist the juil4nient, they may
mislead n; snice disease. whether mental or folpOlVill, is
more chatty prevented than cored, we cannot be too careful
in the choice of hooks. kfow ;:s malty are too touch engaw,e(l,
awl others have needle r toe means nor inclination to attend
to so important a task. list elon,d do better taut consult those
who have Seism r and atality to tc.sist and direct tliClll in the
eleMee of such works as are nitexceptionahle in their character,
stud may with safety, be pot taco the of the youth of both
Sexes. For this purpose we Ir.ve lately perused several pit,-
heat' s, particularly Parts I. and 11. of a new hook, cailed
IC:L.II3Ow. Ilsetory .if Notionc; in which is contained a
4' incise attri."gment u f every material tvent connected with •
meiversal history. The tendency of good or ill conduct, as it
respects the individual, or society, is exhibit( J. Ever) lode-
lioate es lir...skin f.•1111l1 ill ancient records, esplinged; and all
that is worth trea.surimr in die mind. in dime order and con.
sue sion, carefully- preserved. To this end, the work is divided
into distinct pet hats, the history of every separate nation is
explicitly written; and the events which have changed the
aspect of the world are narrated iii appropriate and impressive
lang.,pige, with clearness, brevity. 41111 precision. Ity thoie
means, the useful study of general historyi, rendered easy;
and the objections of those who are deterred firm entering on
it from its being too extensive and too laborious, arc complete-
ly remove:l.
The following extract, (which is a fair sample of what may
b.. foand its every chapter) will, we doubt not, confirm the
opinion that we have given :
The Egyptian priests were the first who inculcated the
ductrioes of the immortality of the soul, which they imagined
pa,sed from the bodies of men into those of animals; but they
asserted that these transmigrations did not take place till after
.the corruption of the body; for which reason, they were very
but.. •• • • fl. •y spa neadtm mower
oust expense bt the construction of their sepulchres; and they
carried the art of embalming to so great a perfection, that the
bodies have remained entire to the present time_ The liar of
their eye he ows suffered no alteration, and the features were
so :terfretly preserved, that the person might be recognized.
After the body had been embalmed, it was out sw,ficicnt to be
:admitted into the sacred asylum of the tomb, till it had re•
eeived a solemn trial, which is one of the most curious customs
of the Egyptians. At the time appointed for the interment,
n• ..tot forty judges 11s4Cillillcd near a lake. over *loch the hotly
to be carried io and every one aas at liberty to accuse the
& ceased. If et was proved he had led a wicked life, his me-
mory was condemned, and he was refused the usual ;
tint if, on the contrary, no aciaiser appeared, his relations pro-
n.mneeil his eulogy, and he was inten•ed in an honourable 111411-
al .r. The hope of leaving a good name behind him was alrery
g.-eat consolation to a dying matt; and they were accustomed
t t say, thlt it was the only 11111114ln blessing of *inch death
4 Mill deprive them."

_ .
We concha:le by observing that there is no species of ',Mi-
ll ..ttion au beneficial as well wiittea histoi Teal woe ksr tt hieli
o mow ise a Ilkilitipileity of books in few volumes.
• " The person who sat at the beim of the bout in which the holy
was carried mer th.., bike w..s called Charon, in the Egyptian language;
and this fact gave the h;nt to the Grecians. who travelled into Egypt
t • invent the fiction ofCharon'oboat, in which the departed spirits were
krried over the river Styx.

A Dutch Mail has brought intelligence, that the
cx_Trable 1,,w of the Conscription is about to be re-
vived in France; ani that, in September next, it is in-
tended to raise by its operation 60,000 young men.
An article from Cagliari, of the 221 July, says, that
t;::: American st!muiron was met with, steering fur Al-
giers, which they were to attack before Lord Exmouth's
:,rrival.

A young prophet, of lea years of age, has been ar-
r. sted in the Department of Yonne. It appeal, how-
ever that ths youngster deals in sedition.
Letters from New South Wales state, that nearly the
1v:tole of the natives of the Wand of Eimo, in the South
St•as, near Otaheite, have renounced ithdatary, and em-
braced the Christian faith. Si% hundred and sixty attend
the Felieol. _ _ _

Sir Eyre Cnnte has accepted the Stewardship of the
( hiltern Hundreds ; in consequ .nce o' which, his scat
f r the Bomuth of Barnstaple be •oints vacant.
The Lord Chancellor has ordered the Opera Flouse.to
be .14; put up and re-sold, in c n equence of the pro-
pert.• nut being fulticiently described in the particular.
A melancholy accident took place at the launching of
the Royal Sovereign yacht on Thursday last, at Dept-
ford. About 16 or 17 persons had placed themselves on
Atonic plunks, inscturely connected with a vessel in the
encl, ; which, on the immersion of the Royal Sovereign,.
ovei.ig, to the agitation of the Waiter ; the ves-
sel connected wi.h the seaffilt being tlins rolled about in
its turn by tisi• swell, the aidisrtunate spectators fell in
one mass, with the s4aTolding, into the water ; eleven
were tat en out alive, some of witoru were much bruised;
one Lt y was taken out quite dead.