The Young-students-library containing extracts and abridgments of the most valuable books printed in England, and in the forreign journals, from the year sixty five, to this time : to which is added a new essay upon all sorts of learning ... / by the Athenian Society ; also, a large alphabetical table, comprehending the contents of this volume, and of all the Athenian Mercuries and supplements, etc., printed in the year 1691.

Isaaci Vossii Variarum Observationum Liber, at London, 1685. in Quarto.

MR. Vossius begins this Book with a Discourse upon the greatness of the Antient Roman City, upon which he has several Thoughts which appear incre∣dible to many Men; for he says, That in the time of Augustus, the Walls were above thirty thousand Paces round, al∣tho' they enclosed not that part of the City that was situated upon the Confines of Tyber, which contain'd twenty thou∣sand Paces. And if so, the Circumfe∣rence of Rome wou'd be above fifty thou∣sand Paces without the Suburbs. Our Author in taking them into the Compu∣tation, found that the whole contain'd 72 thousand Paces, in so much that its Area or Content was greater by 3/11 than that of Babylon, which was a square City of sixty thousand Paces about. Rome ap∣pears to us already of an excessive great∣ness, but what wou'd it be if we added to it that part beyond the Tyber, which has not yet been counted? Because they did not formerly look upon it as a part of the City. The Palace of Nero encompassed Rome on that side; and it was of so prodigious an extent, that Mr. Vossius did not believe that there was then any City in Europe so large. He durst not say positively that the Quarter on that side the River extended even to the Ocriculum for the space of 36 thousand Paces; but he shews, that it took up much Land upon the Ianicule, the neigh∣bouring Mountains, and along the way of Flaminius, which being that whereby Men entred in Triumph into the City, 'twas necessarily full of Houses.

He proposes some considerable Diffi∣culties, and answers them very learned∣ly. He says, amongst other things, that the Walls of Rome must be distinguished from the Pomaerium, which being at first without the City, was afterwards one part of it within the Walls, and the o∣ther without; because that those that enlarged the Walls, was also obliged at the same time to enlarge the Pomaerium, the Augures so managed the matter, that all which had this quality before preser∣ved it self. He also says, That when they made their City bigger, they pro∣portionably removed certain places, with∣out taking from them their Ancient Names. For Example, the Grove of the Muses, and the Cave of Egeria, or Numa, was often removed, being once but a little distance from the Gate of Capena, which in the time of this King was not very far from the middle of Rome. But after a while this Grove and this Cave were found at Aricia, near the outmost parts of the City, fifteen thou∣sand Paces from the place where the Gate of Capena anciently stood. This Observation may serve for an Answer to a Passage in Pliny, where it is said, That Rome was limited at the East by the Caprice of Tarquin the Proud; for if any wou'd infer from thence, That the Limits of the Town were only distant from the Center about two thousand Paces, he may be answer'd, That this distance which was effectively so once, is so encreased in proportion to the en∣largement of Rome; because the Monu∣ment which bears the Name of Tarquin, was always extended to the utmost bounds of the City. Our Author adds, That 'tis vainly alledg'd, that there's no Trace left at this Day of the prodigious Bulk of Rome, for (says he) if one wou'd find any Marks of it, he must dig sixty foot deep, and to find any of the Ruins of Nineveh or Babylon, which were built upon soft Foundations, he must dig two hundred foot deep.

What he says afterwards, is not less common, viz. He brings a long List of the numberings of the Roman People from the time of Servius Tullius, to the Year of Rome 667. The first Account gives 130000 Citizens, that of the Year 667 affords above 46000. In respect of the Inhabitants, 'tis hard to give a positive determination, because they were never reckoned; but our Author affirms they were of a far greater number than Lip∣sus believed; for if the proportion be∣tween the Slaves and Citizens, was the same as betwixt those of Rome, and A∣thens, where for 20000 Burgesses there were 400000 Slaves, it wou'd follow, that Rome contain'd 8000000 of Slaves, a greater number than any Kingdom of Europe whatsoever has in it. He assures us in another place, That before the Ty∣ranny of Sylla, the City of Rome by it self had as many Inhabitants in it, as the Moiety of Europe has at this day.

But to the Computation he brings, he supposes, that the City of Paris, and that of London, joyn'd together would fill an A∣rea of six thousand Paces Square. And that the City of Rome, with its Suburbs, and that Quarter beyond Tyber, wou'd take up twenty times a greater Square than those six thousand Paces. He sup∣poses also, that Rome was at least as well Peopled as Paris and London, and grounds his Opinion upon the Prodigious height of the Houses, as appears by Augustus taxing them at 70 foot apiece; Now we may well suppose here with those who are not carry'd away with the Multitude in their Computation, that there are not more than six hundred thousand Inhabi∣tants in each of those Cities that I have named. In another place he is not so liberal, he allows only that number to two Cities joyn'd together, he concludes this following Proposition, That there was in Rome fourteen Millions of Inhabi∣tants,

a Number (says he) that the three most Populous Cities of Europe will not supply us with.

For after having related many fine things upon the manner how Rome fell to decay, upon the greatness of Babylon, Nineveh, Thebes in Egypt, Alexandria, Carthage, Cairo, and some Cities of Chi∣na, thus he divides the different Nati∣ons of Europe; he gives to Spain, two Millions of Inhabitants, to France five Millions, to Italy, to the three Isles of Sicily, Corsica, and to Sardinia two Milli∣ons, to Great Britain and Ireland two Millions, to the Low Countries two Mil∣lions, to Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary five Millions; to the Estates of the King of Denmark, excepting Norway, four hundred thousand, to the Estates of Sweedland and Norway 600000, to the Estates of Poland, a Million and an half, to Turkey, &c. five Millions and an half, adding as he goes along all Muscovia to Europe, and supposing 3000000 of Inha∣bitants in Muscovia, from whence it follows, That all Europe has not above thirty thousand persons Inhabi∣tants.

He does not believe that if we shou'd joyn the Inhabitants of Africa to Ameri∣ca, they wou'd amount to an hundred Millions, but that Asia is more populous; for altho' the War with the Tartars hath destroyed at least an hundred Millions of the Chinese, yet there remains above three hundred Millions of Inhabitants, tho principal part whereof are in the Eastern Regions, and in the Isles. He cannot determine of the Southern parts, but sup∣poses that all the persons in the World do not exceed 500000000. He adds that one might place 'em all standing on a Superficies, which contain'd a German League in length, and as much in breadth, giving to each person a Foot square, from whence he concludes, that Lucan had great reason to say, that Rome wou'd contain all Mankind.

—Urbem Populis victisque frequentem Gentibus & generis, si coeat turba, capacem Humani. —

For according to his Calculation, the Ground of this City contain'd at least twenty German Leagues square, which divided between five hundred Millions of Men, wou'd allow to each person twen∣ty Foot square. Mr. Vossius is of opini∣on, that the World is much diminished, and has lost a great part of her Inhabi∣tants; he believes there were formerly more Men in Sicily, than there are now in Sicily and Italy too; and that the number of Persons was greater in Athens only, than now it is in all Greece, which is probable enough, and therefore we cannot dispute it: But when he allows Paris but Three hundred thousand per∣sons, and to Holland but Five hundred and fifty thousand, Four hundred and fifty to the Cities, and an Hundred thou∣sand to the Country, he is very far from multiplying upon the matter: And when he speaks of China, he thinks he cannot number too many. He believes that in the last breaking in of the Tar∣tars there were in China an Hundred and seventy Millions of Inhabitants. He supposes the Town of Hancheu (for so it ought to be call'd, and not Quin∣zai, as in some corrupted Copies) was inhabited with near twenty Millions of people, without reckoning the Su∣burbs; and with taking them in, with more than all Europe besides, and that it was larger without the Suburbs, than Rome was with them. When he speaks of that Country, the Men cost him no∣thing, but he is afraid that all the Europe∣ans will complain of his division, without excepting even the Spaniards, altho' he has been pretty bountiful to them.

What he says of the Manners and Wit of the Chinese, is admirable; they keep no Memoirs of their Warlike Prin∣ces, and reserve their Elogies for the Peace Makers and Righteous. They never delighted in Conquests, unless the desire of living under so wise a Govern∣ment, invited by their Neighbours to submit; but they constrained none, being only concerned, if men who wanted this hap∣piness, refused to participate with them.

They acknowledge none as Gentle∣men, but Men of Learning; tis derogatory amongst them, and reduces them into a Plebean state, to forsake this profession. The Counsellors and Favorites of the Prince, are all Philosophers, and when he commits a fault, they reprehend him with so much Liberty and Freedom, that the Prophets took not more in respect to the Kings of Iudah. If they don't make use of this Priviledge, the People cen∣sure them, and look upon 'em as weak Men, and degenerate from the Courage of Confutius, and other Philosophers, who have retired from the Court in a time of Tyranny. They reproach them to their face with Cowardise, and say that they are neither Philosophers, nor Men of honour, since for their own private In∣terests, they abandon the good of the Publick. As for their Wit, Mr. Vossius believes they surpass all the World, and that after having learnt from 'em the Compass, Printing, and many other admirable things, he doubts not but there remains much finer Inventions amongst 'em, than we have borrowed of 'em: He tells us wonderful things of their skill in Physick; and above all their Art, in knowing the Diseases by the differences of the Pulse. They are so admirable in that respect, that they look not upon a Man to be a good Physitian, if after having felt divers places of the sick persons Arm, he does not without asking Questions, discover from what

part of the Body the Distemper proceeds, as well as the nature of it. 'Tis very pleasant to read all the curious things that Mr. Vossius has related upon this sub∣ject, and upon the Ability of this Nation in all the noble Arts. He pretends that they made use of Powder and Cannons many Ages before the Europeans were ac∣quainted with them; and adds to it, the Original and Progress of Powder amongst the people of Europe.

The other Pieces which compose Mr. Vossius's Works, are not less worthy of particular observation; but having been long upon this, there's a necessity of being brief upon what follows:

1. He treats upon the Constructions of Galleys very learnedly.

2. On the Reformation of Longitudes. The Author maintains that the observati∣ons of Eclipses have more confounded this matter than any thing whatsoever, because they have not sufficiently re∣garded either Refractions or Shadows.

He corrects many errors that concern the extent of the Mediterranean Sea, which has been render'd much less than really it is; he shews also, that the like faults have been committed upon many Eastern parts of Asia, and says, that the dispute betwixt the Portuguese and Spani∣ards, touching the Division of the New World, has produced strange Alterations both in Longitudes and Geography.

3. He speaks of Navigation into the Indies and Iapan, by the North: this Treatise contains many curious and useful observations.

4. He examines the cause of the Cir∣cles, which appear sometimes about the Moon: Upon which he has some thoughts perfectly new; for he be∣lieves these Circles proceed from the Mountains in the Moon, because they produce their Images reverst in the Air, that is under them, which he maintains by some experiments. Amongst others he relates this, that some English Mer∣chants, being on the Pick of Tenariff, ob∣served, that as soon as the Sun arose, the shadow of this high Mountain convered not only all the Isle of Teneriff, but also the great Canarie, and all the Sea, even unto the Horizon, where the top of the Pick seem'd to appear reverst, which sent back its shadow into the Air. He tells us a very surprizing thing, viz. that the shadow of this Mountain extended as far as the Levant, to the place even from whence the Light came, since the great Canarie, which is at the East of this Pick, is covered with the shadow. What he adds concerning the Sea be∣tween this Mountain, and the grand Canaries, is very remarkable; for he says, it appears not larger than the Thames, although there is fourteen Leagues be∣tween these two Isles.

5. He treats of the fall of heavy Bodies, and explains it according to the Cartesians, by the Diurnal Motion of the Earth upon its Center; but establishes a Principle un∣known to Mr. Des Cartes, viz. That a Body which is moved Circularly, approaches nearer to the Center than is possible when its Axis is perpendicular to the Horizon▪ But if its Axis is parallel to the Horizon, then it is removed from the Center as far as 'tis possible. He relates an Experiment that he says, was made some times agoe, and which is quite contrary to Mr. Hugens's, given us by Mr. Rohault; for whereas Mr. Hugens says, that the Particles of Spanish Wax dipp'd in a Vessel full of Wa∣ter which is turn'd upon a Pirot, are re∣moved farther from the Center and soon arrive to the extremities of the Vessel, Mr. Vossius has found out that Balls of Leed and Iron thrown into a Vessel of Water which is moved circularly, tend towards the Center of the Vessel, where∣as Bowls of Wood which float upon the Surface of the Water make towards the sides of it.

The rest of the Book is a Treatise up∣on the Oracles of the Sybils, which Mr. Vossius published in the Year 1672. There's also the Answer that he made sometime after to the Objections of Mr. Simon scatter'd throughout his Critical History of the Old Testament, and a Re∣ply to that part of the Discourse which concerns him in Father Simons's Disquisitio∣nes Criticae de var••s Bibliorum Editionibus.