Few authors, even in Germany, have produced a greater number of works than Busching. The entire number, as enumerated by Meusel, in his Lexicon of German Authors, amounts to more than a hundred. They may all be classed under the following heeds: 1. Geography and History. 2. Education. 3. Religion. 4. Biography. The first class comprehends those upon which his fame chiefly rests. He possessed not, indeed, the geo graphical genius, if we may so speak, of D'An vile ; his skill in the construction of maps, his quick eye, or his sagacity in eliciting the truth from hints and imperfect notices. He may be regarded, however, as the creator of modern Statistics,—that science which exhibits the present state of every king dom, its civil and political constitution, its wealth, the productions of nature, the exchanges of commerce, and the establishments for public instruction : all these particulars are detailed in his works in the full est manner, and from the most careful investigation of original materials. His works, devoid of the orna ments of style, and composed of minute details, are ra ther useful to consult, than profitable to read ; but this is a fault to which most writers of his country are liable. His grand work is the Neue Erdbeschreibung, New Geographical Description of the Globe. The four first parts, which comprehend Europe, were published in four successive volumes, from 1754 to 1761, and have been translated into all the European languages. They appeared in English, with a pre
face by Murdoch, in six volumes 4to, London, 1762. He published also in 1768 the fifth part, being the first volume upon Asia, containing Asiatic Turkey and Arabia. It displays an immense extent of research, and is generally considered as his masterpiece; but has not been translated either into French or Eng lish.
Besides this great geographical work, Busching was the editor of a valuable collection, entitled Ma gazine for the History and Geography of modern times, 22 vols. 4to. 1767-88 ; also of a Journal ap propriated to the Notice of Maps, Berlin, 1773-87.
The elementary works on education, published by Busching, are very numerous, and have long held a distinguished place, even in a. country so emir vent as Germany, in this branch of literature. -If, in some departments, better works have now been produced, it is by labouring on the foundation of Busching. His theological writings are not very highly. esteemed. In biography, he wrote a num ber of articles for the Historical Magqzine ; also A Collection of Biography, in six volumes, 1788-9, including a very elaborate life of the great Fre derick. (a.)