nious, and feems likely to be effectual. The inftrument is called a compreffor, and is intended to be placed either on the arm or thigh, for it is applicable only to the extremities. The effect is to prefs on the nerve, and confequently to diminish the fenfibility of the limb. Mr. Moore candidly owns, that his experience, with this inftrument, is not fufficient to induce him to recommend it with confidence: the prefent pamphlet is published chiefly to introduce it to practice, and to procure evidence of its power, more unexceptionable than that of an inventor. This method is liberal and judicious; and the author discovers not only modefty and candour, in his little work, but a very competent fhare of knowlege refpecting the anatomy of the parts, which are the fubject of his trials.

Symptomatology. By John Berkenhout, M. D. 800.

Boards. Baldwin.

35. in The different fymptoms are arranged in this volume, ir an alphabetical order, and their feveral tendencies explained. The authorities are generally refpectable: we meet with the names of Hippocrates, Galen, and Cœlius Aurelianus, among the ancients; with Morgagni, Fothergill, &c. among the mo derns. The author claims thofe which appear without any other mark, and we fuppofe ratifies the others with his approbation. So far as we can perceive, the collection is accurate and judicious: we muft expect to find fome doubtful and fome erroneous fymptoms, fince the authorities are fo various; but there are very few of this kind. The definitions of diseases are thofe of Dr. Cullen, in his Synopfis.

The work is dedicated to the apothecaries, whom Dr. Berkenhout ftyles the phyficians de facto, while the title de jure belongs to a different clafs. The world would, he thinks, be benefited by trufting to old women only; fince more injury is done by the pretenders to the fcience, than by the judicious practitioners. In acute difeafes, the whole time, in which any thing of confequence can be done, is confumed in the triflings, perhaps in the mistaken efforts of the apothecary. This indeed is generally true, and requires the fevereft reprehenfion. The apothecary fhould be more or lefs fkilful than he is generally found to be he should be more fo, for the important period in which he is allowed to direct:; or lefs, if he is only to act in his original destination, as a compounder.

If there be no mifreprefentation in what I have written, it appears that the life of every individual in England is in the hands of fome apothecary. You fee, fir, the important, the awful trust repofed in you by the whole nation, and you cannot avoid perceiving your high confequence in the community. Members of parliament and minifters of state are the guardians of the people's property only.'

We have feledted this fpecimen of the lively manner of our author, whom we always wait on with pleasure. We feldom diftruft his judgment; but his vivacity and quickness sometimes will not wait for its cooler dictates..

An

An Efay on the Medical Character, with a View to define it. By Robert Bath. 8.0. 2s. 6d. Laidler.

The author has adapted his work to the dull, and to the afthmatic: for the former, he enforces his fentiments by tautology; for the latter, he has fo plentifully interspersed his stops, that the shortest breath can reach from the one to the other. A fhort extract will more clearly exemplify his manner than the longeft defcription.

Medical policy, in adopting a system of diet, so far, as it goes, to the exclufion of the common and general supports of life, is the most defective and contemptible, as well, as nugatory, in itfelf. The general irritability, induced by difeafe, will certainly, be increased, and not diminished, by a hafty, or, injudicious abridgment, of the common neceffaries and comforts of life; and, hence, great regard, must be had, to the means of keeping up, and fupporting the patient, fo that nature's intentions, may be foon, got at, or, pointed out, to us; and her powers must neither be obftructed, nor interfered with; in this cafe, the difeafe will more readily come to its crifis, and termination.'

As to his obfervations, they are good, bad, and indifferent; but much the greater number may be arranged in the two last claffes. In fome inftances, the obfervations are extremely er

roneous.

Some Confiderations on the different Ways of removing confined and infectious Air; and the Means adopted, with Remarks on the Contagion in Maidstone Gaol. By Thomas Day. 8vo. 15. 6d.

Wilkie.

Mr. Day has collected what different authors have written on this fubject, and related in perfpicuous, but not always exact language, the methods employed to correct the noxious air in Maidstone gaol, He chiefly ufed fhowers of lime-water, which feemed very refreshing, and, with changes of cloaths, bedding, &c. foon rendered the gaol more healthy. We are forry to obferve, that our knowledge on this fubject is not very accurate. Miafmata and contagion exist in the air; but we know not whether they are capable of a chemical combination with it, or are only mechanically diffufed: we know not whether they occupy the lower, or higher parts of the room whether they have a greater affinity to fixed, or to inflammable air. So far as we can afcertain, they feem only diffused in the air, fometimes combined with inflammable air, and generally in the loftier parts; though, if we can depend on M. Maret's experiments, of which we have many doubts, contagion, in its fpecific gravity, more ftrongly resembles fixed air, In this uncertainty, we are greatly comforted, by finding, that we can eafily difarm this formidable enemy by ventilation only. Free air either dilutes the poifon, or powerfully corrects it. The fumes of vinegar with aromatics, have very little effect; while the fhower of lime-water, at the fame time that it affifted venti

lation,

lation, cooled the air, and abforbed the fixed air floating in it: from thefe effects it feemed fo refreshing. In short, conftant fupplies of fresh air are only neceffary; they will fuperfede every fumigation, and the ufe of every corrective: without them, nothing will be completely effectual.

The active benevolence of the inhabitants of Maidstone, and the attention of Mr. Day ought, however, to be mentioned with the warmest commendations.

DIVINITY.

ม

Sermons tranflated from the original French of the late Rev. James Saurin. By Robert Robinson. Vol. V. 8vo. 55. 35, Dilly. Saurin's Sermons, in the original, are twelve octavo volumes, eleven of which are miscellaneous, and one contains a regular fet of difcourfes for Lent. The four English volumes comprehend a felection of fermons from the whole, ranged in fome fort of order; the first being intended to convey proper ideas of God, the fecond to establish revelation, and fo on. The prefent volume is miscellaneous, and confifts of fourteen fermons, on the fatal Confequences of a bad Education, General Miftakes, the Advantages of Piety, the Repentance of the unchafte Woman, the Vanity of attempting to oppofe God, imaginary Schemes of Happiness, Difguft with Life, the Paffions, tranfient Devotions, the different Methods of Preachers, the deep Things of God, the Sentence paffed upon Judas by Jefus Chrift, the Caufe of the Deftruction of impenitent Sinners, and the Grief of the Righteous for the Misconduct of the Wicked.

Though Saurin's views of religion are not always fuch as a rational defender of Chriftianity can approve, yet the vivacity of his fentiments, the importance of his obfervations, the weight of his arguments, and the energy and animation with which he treats his fubjects, entitle him to a place among the molt ufeful and diftinguished preachers of his age.

The tranflator appears to have performed his part with fidelity and spirit,

The Doctrine of a Providence, illuftrated and applied in a Sermon, Freached to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters, at Nottingbam, July 29, 1784; being the Day appointed for a General Thanksgiving, on the Conclufion of the late deftructive War. By the Rev. George Walker, F. R.S, 8vo. is. Johnson,

The topics, on which this writer infifts, a, a due acknow. legement of God as the great ruler of the world, a fubmiffion to his will, the confolation which the wifdom and rectitude of his providence infpires, and a thankfulness for the mercies which, in the midst of his chaftilements, he is fill pleafed to leave in poffeffion.

In treating of Providence, the author takes notice of feveral phenomena, which, he thinks, cannot be accounted for upon

nas

natural or mechanical principles. This is a common, but, we prefume, an erroneous notion. First, because there are many natural caufes, which we cannot at prefent either fee or explain; and, fecondly, becaufe we cannot poffibly fet any bounds to the energy of mechanical caufes; fince it must be univer fally allowed, that the mechanist is God.tovnéd vispaNTA The Sum of Chriftianity, in Four Books; containing the Faith, the Temper, the Duty, and Happiness of a true Chriftian, as beld forth in the Scriptures. By William Dalgliesh. In Two Volumes. Sve. 16s. in Boards. Dilly.

MISCELLANEOUS., tontour SEfprit de Meilleurs Ecrivains Francois.12mos. Dilly.

Our prefent collector is diffatisfied with the labours of his predeceffors, and prefents us with a different compilation. The great end is to collect from fuch authors as have written detached pieces, that the felected part may be one entire whole; and afford means to form the judgment, while the pupil acquires the language. Some moral reflections and maxims are confequently borrowed from Rochefoucault Saint \Real furnifhes reflections on the ufe of history, fciences &c. Saint Evremond and Pafcal their feveral thoughts the penetrating Bouhours, and the exact Rapin, their critical reflections. From Bruyere, the collector has borrowed general remarks on life and manners, without any particular characters from Boileau, the best fatires and epiftles; and from Corneille, the Cid. The views of this compiler, though exact, are imperfect. While he attempts to form the judgment, he neglects the ftyle of his pupil; though fome of thefe authors are valuable for their energy, yet they are not proper, models for a modern Frenchman. Perhaps the collector and ourselves, are too faftidious fince the pupil can never be wholly confined to the compilation

of

of a fchool-book; and, if it affift in teaching him the words and the idiom, more need not be expected, for more will be› ufelefs. The preface is well written, but fo much in the English ftyle, that if it be not the compofition of an Englishman, the author has neglected his own idiom to acquire ours. Sympofia; or, Table Talk in the Month of September, 1784. Being a rhapfodical Hodge-podge, containing, among other Things, Balloon Intelligence for the Years 1785, 1786, and 1787. 12mJ. 25. 6d. Bew.

This good-humoured author is rapt into future times.' He looks up to Merlin and Noftredamus as his great predeceffors; while Mefmer and Deflon only follow the reveries of Paracelfus, or the fancies of fir Kenelm Digby. This rhapsody' is indeed neither offenfive to the laws, religion, or politics of this kingdom' if it contains not the fmalleft fprig' of science, it abounds with novel, innocent, mirth.' The introduction is unfuitable to the work itself; and, though we allow with the author, that it is of no confequence in what part of a book a good thing may be, yet it contains too much of the depravity of mankind, to fuit with the harmless humour of the reft; and, in one or two places, it feems to lean towards perfonal fatire. He examines mankind, and finds in the human heart a great deal of avarice, prodigality, and oftentation; confequently the prodigal, the oftentatious, the avaritious, the fraudulent, and deceitful, will turn balloons to their own ufe. Quorfum hæc tam putida tendunt? There are the foundations of his prophecy; on thefe hinges turn the events, which are fuppofed to happen; and the conjurer, as ufual, only applies general rules to particular cafes.

We have already given our opinion on this fubject; but whether balloons are the popular amufement of the day, or a philofophical invention, capable of improvements, and probably of the greatest utility, our author's humour is agreeable, and his fancy copious. We fhall extract an article of intelligence from each year, as we think that the fucceffive ones are well adapted to a fcience fuppofed to admit of confiderable additions.

We are happy to affure our readers, that the air-carriages are found to be of fuch utility, that they are daily increasing in number throughout the kingdom: no lefs than fifty balloons were at their moorings in the various inns in Reading, in their way from Bath to London. It is computed that not less than Foo,000 horfes were formerly employed in conveying people from place to place on account of bufinefs, exclufive of those employed in the transportation of goods, and this number will appear exaggerated only to thofe who are unfkilled in political arithmetic; the reduction of horfes for this purpofe cannot but produce a reduction in the price of grain.-A confummation. devoutly to be wished."

In the year 1786, the following advertisement appears: