ever, he chiefly refts on Dr. Lind; and his remarks on the cause of this disease are just and accurate. He combats this laft branch of the humoral pathology, in our opinion, with fuccefs. Experiments on the Red and Quill Peruvian Bark: with Obfervations on its Hiftory, Mode of Operation, and Ufes. By Ralph Irving. 8vo. 35. in Boards. Robinfon. This fubject is almoft exhausted: each practitioner has by this time decided, and we can no longer dwell on it. In thefe Experiments, which gained the Harveian prize, the red bark feemed the richest in refin, and the brittlett feemed the most active part of it. The pharmaceutic treatment of the bark in general, forms a confiderable object of the author's attention; but of this we can only give a slender outline. The aromatic portion feems to be volatile; confequently the decoction contains the vegetable ingredients, in fome degree difunited, and the refin in a great measure feparates on cooling. In the in fufion, the cohesion of the feveral parts is unchanged; and, in our author's opinion, this is the best preparation. The infufion in cold water is preferred; that in lime-water is much lefs strong, and probably lefs active; but the fweet spirit of vitriol adds to the power of fimple water, as a menftruum. The author's experiments militate ftrongly, in almost every infance, against Dr. Percival's conclufions; and, on the fubject of vegetable aftringents, deferve attention. He clearly fhows, that the change of colour, from the addition of a chalybeate, depends on many circumftances befides the ftrength of the infufion; probably alfo, it may depend on the nature of the water employed. We fhould have felected fome of his obfervations on the aftringent principle; but they do not, in their present state, admit of any very useful conclufion: there are few fubjects which have yet been fo little elucidated, though fo much within our reach. It may be worth obferving, that Mr. Irving thinks fixed air, as an acid, conftitutes a great fhare of this principle; and that, with the effential oil, it may by fome particular modification confiitute the refin itself. We would recommend the last hint to his future confideration. In a late review of Dr. Kentish's pamphlet, our opinion on the comparative efficacy of the different preparations of the bark, differed from that of Dr. Kentish, which Mr. Irving follows. The accuracy of their experiments is admitted, but our conclufion is very different. We decided from their effects; and, though we have fince that time more particularly attended to the subject, we find no reafon for altering our opinion: perhaps the evolution of the active principles of the bark, in the decoction, may contribute to the efficacy of the preparation. It is however necessary to add, that both the infufion and decoction are very inferior in ftrength to the fmallest dofe of the fubftance; but few are aware that, in fubftance, the remedy is frequently neither digested nor carried off from the ftomach. It lies like a heavy cold load, and adds to the complaint it was intended In In the author's examination into the mode of operation of the bark, he chiefly follows Dr. Cullen, in thinking that it acts by a tonic power. His account of the uses of his remedy is very concife, and neither new, or particularly interesting. On the whole, the Experiments deferve attention; and we are glad to fee the Harveian nedal prove fo powerful, in drawing into action both genius and industry. A Tract upon Indigeftion and the Hypochondriac Difeafe. By James Rymer, Surgeon. Small 8vo. 15. Evans. The rules for dyspeptic patients, though not unexceptionable, are yet, on the whole, very proper. The author improves in his knowlege, in his language, and in worldly wifdom for this little tract is only to introduce the use of his tincture, which is prepared by himself. This gives a questionable appearance to the most falutary leffons. MISCELLANEOUS. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. The Second Edition, with confiderable Additions and Corrections. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Kearsley. As we did not particularly mention the errors of the first edition, we cannot be exact in enumerating the emendations: in general they are numerous, and the errors, of course, greatly diminished. The anecdotes give a very favourable view of Johnson's fhrewdnefs and benevolence. The account of Dr. Levet is humorous, and in a very different ftyle from other parts of the work. Dr. Robert Levet, to whom Dr. Johnfon very humanely gave apartments in his houfe for upwards of [thirty] years, hav ing moft of his practice amongst the poor and middling ranks of life, ufed to accept of gin, brandy, or any other liquor offered him, in lieu of his fee, fooner than have his fkill exerted without any recompence. This fingularity Johnfon ufed to rally with great pleafantry ;-at one time he faid, "though he hated inebriety, it was more excufable in Levet than in others, becaufe he became intoxicated on principles of prudence, and when a man cannot get bread by his profeffion, perhaps he is pardonable to accept of drink." At another time he would fay," Had all Levet's patients maliciously combined to reward him with meat and strong liquors inftead of money, he would either have burft, like the dragon in the Apocrypha, through repletion, or have been fcorched up like Portia by fwallowing fire." The following reply appeared fhocking to Dr. Johnfon; yet perhaps it has a merit which bons mots fometimes want, viz. truth. Among his fingularities, his love of converfing with the proftitutes he met with in the freets, was not the least. He has been known to carry fome of these unfortunate creatures into a tavern, for the fake of ftriving to awaken in them a proper fenfe of their condition. His younger friends, now and then, affected to tax him with lefs chaftifed intentions; but he would would anfwer" No, fir; we never proceed to the opus mag num. On the contrary, I have rather been difconcerted and fhocked by the replies of these giddy wretches, than flattered or diverted by their tricks. I remember afking one of them, for what purpose the fuppofed her Maker had bestowed on her fo much beauty. Her anfwer was" To please the gentlemen to be fure; for what other ufe could it be given me ?" The Life, in its prefent ftate, is not an unpleafing performance, and tolerably correct; but the language is not very accurate: the whole is probably not fufficiently extended, or relieved with a proper portion of variety. Much ftill remains to be known; and we need not fear, that information will be fparingly beftowed. After this literary meal, we shall probably rather refemble the dragon in the Apocrypha, than the lean kine of Pharaoh. Hiftorical Remarks and Anecdotes on the Caftle of the Baftile. 8vo. 6d. Cadell. This is a tranflation from the French formerly published, and for both which the public is indebted to Mr. Howard; whofe motive was to excite in his countrymen a deteftation of defpotifm, and a love for the laws which are the foundation of our liberty. Grammatica Queftiones, or a Grammatical Examination, &c. By the Rev. Mr. Morgan. 12mo. ts. 6d. Cadell. This publication is intended for the ufe of fchools, particu larly thofe where the Eton Grammar is taught. That it may be of fervice towards the object of its defign, we have not any doubt; but its utility might have been rendered more general, by adapting it alfo to other grammars, and by accompanying it with notes, in which we are forry it is defective. CORRESPONDENCE. WE have received Dr. Reid's complaifant Letter; and find, on referring to his Effay, the MS. of Dr. Stark quoted in the twenty-fixth page. This circumftance we did not recollect, in our review of the Medical Communications,' in the laft Number; and we may fafely add, that we did not particularly obferve the quotation, when we first read the Effay. Dr. Reid will recollect, that it is once only transiently referred to, in the middle of the chapter on Vomica; and we could not thence fuppofe that the fubftance of the whole chapter was taken from the manufcript. So much we would obferve in our own de fence at the fame time, we readily acquit Dr. Reid of endea vouring, unfairly, to appropriate the labours of another to himself. In this confidence, we fall wait for the work, preparing for the prefs,' in which it is explained, why the feveral paffages taken from Dr. Stark were not marked with inverted commas,' THE CRITICAL REVIEW. For APRIL, 1785. Artic Zoology. 2 Vols. 4to. 11. 135. 6d. in Boards. Large Paper zl. 5s. in Boards. White. THIS HIS work reflects confiderable credit on its author, who has already been fuccefsful in the fame purfuits. Mr. Pennant's first defign was to become the zoologist of North America, while, as a Briton, he could lay fome claim to the fovereignty of that vaft tract; but fince the revolutions on this continent have deprived him of his dominions, he is become a citizen of the world: he is now only confined by an imaginary limit, and occafionally fteps beyond it. Perhaps, on account of his first difappointment, he seems to show, in every line where the fubject will permit, the indignation and forrow which he feels for the feparation of America. To us, who wish to view every fubject in the most pleafing light, there are many fources of confolation. The prefent work affords one, which though inconfiderable, is worth mentioning; for had the firft defign only been com pleted, we fhould probably have been deprived of a great fhare of the information and entertainment which we received from the introduction: not to add, that the pleasure which we always feel from accompanying our intelligent naturalist muft increase with the extent of his refearches. His first object was to defcribe the animals of North Ame rica only; but he has extended his plan to the fartheft limits of the arctic world, including thofe of Kamtfchatka and the western coafts of America. These he examines not merely as a naturalist, but frequently as a philofopher: an union which is always defirable, though it be not a very frequent occurrence. The introduction contains a fancied voyage, which has great merit, as it comprehends a philofophical defcription. of the countries inhabited by thofe animals which the author afterwards describes. This kind of geography, though highly rational, and affording to the fpeculative mind great entertainment, has feldom been attended to. We gave a fpecimen VOL. LIX. April, 1785. of it in our review of captain Cook's laft voyage; for we thought it would be a more inftructive account of this celebrated navigator's great attempts, than we could give by extracting a description of the night-dance, or the proceffion of the chiefs of Owhyhee. To these articles, in the fifty-eighth Volume of our Journal, we shall have frequent occafion to refer. Our author fets out from London, and defcribes the eastern coafts of England and Scotland, the appearance of Shetland, the Feroe Hlands, and Iceland, which he fuppofes, with great reason, to be the Ultima Thule. From thence he returns to the ftraits of Dover, and examines the oppofite coafts of Flanders, Holland, Germany, and Jutland; the coafts of the Baltic, including the gulfs of Bothnia and Finland. He then goes along the winding and extensive coaft of Norway, to the North Cape. From thence he takes his departure' for the Cherie iflands, and Spitzbergen, and returns to the Cape, again to proceed in order to the White Sea, the mouth of the Lena, the Icy Sea, and Tíchutfki-nofs. From thence along a coast which we have already defcribed, he extends his voyage to the southern extremity of Kamtschatka, examining the intermediate iflands, and the famous freight. On the coast of America, he begins his defcription at California, and proceeds, in captain Cook's tract, to Icy Cape. From thence he fteps to Coppermine river, to Greenland, and America: the furvey of the eastern coaft of America is finished at the Bay of Fundy. This is an abstract of our author's philofophical voyage," which abounds with just reflections, accurate obfervations, and fplendid descriptions, in his own peculiar energetic language. By a modern polifh, the language would probably lose its force; but it would be alfo free from ftriking anomalies, both of fpelling and conftruction. We agree with him in many refpects, but fometimes think him mistaken. He chiefly fails, in confidering the objects in detail, without obferving the effects of each change on the neighbouring coafts. As our own fituation is of the greatest confequence to us, we shall felect a fpecimen from the firft-part; and it will give us an opportunity of explaining the objection which we have juft mentioned. • Let me take my departure northward, from the ftreights of Dover, the fite of the ifthmus of the once peninfulated Britain. No certain caufe can be given for the mighty convulfion which tore us from the continent: whether it was rent by an earth quake, or whether it was worn through by the continual dafhing of the waters, no Pythagoras is left to folve the Fortuna lucorum: Vidi ego, quod fuerat quondam folidiffima tellus But |