This day is published a new Treatife on the Upper Régions of the Air, being the refult of many obfervations thereon during a confiderable time of refidence in the Upper Regions of the Atmosphere, upwards of ten miles diftant from the earth. -Together with fome few remarks on the means of preferving a due refpiration in a pure æther: calculated principally for the ufe of the gentlemen now engaged to make a journey to the moon. By T. B. member of the Lunatic Society in Moorfields.'

But in the year 1787, the invention feems to be almost completed; and our author, if he indeed believes his own oracles,. might have exclaimed with Pope,

Think what an equipage thou haft in air,

And view, with fcorn, two pages and a chair.'

Advertisement. Mr. Stargazer, of Half-moon-ftreet, being allowed by all thofe he has the honour to be acquainted with, to be the completeft builder of caftles in the air of any architect in this kingdom, begs leave to acquaint the nobility and gentry, that, should he meet with proper encouragement, he could fix places of refreshment in the middle regions of the air, at feveral stages in the courfe to Bath, whereby they might, on travelling thither, be accommodated with any thing they may want on the voyage, without the trouble of defcending to the earth-which cannot but be agreeable during the hot fummer months:'

We fhall take our leave of this merry author, by returning now, as we had not an earlier opportunity, his compliment of merry Christmas and a happy new year.'

a

Birth-day Converfation anticipated; or, a Peep into the DrawingRoom, on the 18th of January. 4to. Is. 6d. Smith.

This author has contrived to bring together a number of eminent perfonages of both fexes; but their conversation is far from doing honour to the British court, either in point of ingenuity or delicacy. Should he ever be admitted to more than an imaginary peep into the drawing-room, he foon would become fenfible that he has entirely mifreprefented the dialogue of that elegant affembly. In the mean time, as we wish him not to incur any disappointment, we hope he has not also anțicipated much profit from this production. 'Tis well if it can afford a bottle of honeft port to celebrate her majesty's birthday.

An Addrefs to the Officers of the British Army; containing a Sketch of the Cafe of Capt. Kenith Mackenzie, who was lately tried by a Special Commiffion at Juftice-Hall in the Old-Bailey, for the Murder of Kenith Mackenzie, at Fort Morea, on the Coaft of Africa. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Kearsley.

While the cafe of captain Mackenzie excites univerfal commiferation, it also exposes a very important defect in the criminal jurifdiction of this country, fo famed for the equity of its decifions, both in refpect of what concerns the property and the life of the subject, The mode of trial by a jury is the invaluable

.

privilege of Britons; but this privilege, however highly and justly prifed, would become of little avail to the public, should either the integrity or the understanding of juries ever be found defective. Of the integrity of the jury which tried captain Mackenzie, we do not imagine that the fmallest degree of doubt can be entertained; but, without any impeachment of their natural understanding, their competency for judging in fuch a cafe as the prefent may reasonably be called in question. There is a palpable impropriety in trying by a civil jury the conduct of a military officer for an act committed in the difcharge of his profeffional department. In a trial of fuch a kind, the prifoner is, in fact, not judged by his peers, and is therefore denied the protection of that principle which is regarded as infeparable from liberty.

The author of the prefent addrefs has placed this circumftance in a very clear light; and his reafoning is, in our opinion, fo forcible, that it must meet with general acquiefcence. If we are not misinformed by the news-papers, an enquiry, at the command of his majefty, has lately been made into captain Mackenzie's conduct by military officers. The refult of the investigation has not yet tranfpired, but there is the strongest reason to expect, that by a tribunal so constituted, the offence will not be deemed capital. From all the circumstances of the cafe, it appears that the conduct of captain Mackenzie was dictated by neceffity; and that, had he not exerted himself in the manner he did, not only his own life, but the poffeffion of the fortrefs, would have fallen a facrifice to that daring fpirit of mutiny discovered by the deceased, and with which the e was reafon to fear the whole garrifon was deeply contaminated. That captain Mackenzie will receive his majefty's pardon is not to be queftioned; but we cannot help regretting, that any fubject of the realm should be reduced to the fituation of a capital convict, under circumstances which strongly plead for a deviation from the ufual mode of trial in indictments of this kind.

A genuine Detail of the feveral Engagements, Pofitions, and Movements of the Royal and American Armies, during the Years 1775 and 1776; with an accurate Account of the Blockade of Bofton, and a Plan of the Works on Bunker's Hill, at the Time it was abandoned by his Majefty's Forces on the 17th of March, 1776. By William Carter. 4to. 25. 6d. Kearsley.

The information afforded by thefe letters may be true, but they feem not to relate the whole truth; and Mr. Carter's authority is in general too vague to convey any fuch idea of the military tranfactions, as might enable us to judge with regard to the conduct of the commanding officers on either fide. The letters are fhort and diftinct, but fo inconfequential, for the reason we have mentioned, that we shall make no other observation to Mr. Carter than

-jubes renovare dolorem.'

COR.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the EDITOR of the CRITICAL REVIEW.

SIR,

As you were fo obliging as to announce my intention to revive the Theological Repofitory, I hope you will indulge me once more with leave to acquaint the friends of free inquiry, that the First Number of it was published on the 1ft of December laft, the Second will be ready for publication on the 1ft of February next; and that it will continue to be published occafionally, as proper materials are received for it. Several very important articles are already in the course of difcuffion; and as it will be open to any query, or difficulty, relating to religion, and it is wifhed that the writers fhould conceal their names, it is hoped that many perfons may derive great affistance from it in their enquiries. A particular account of the plan of the work may be seen in the Introduction to it. I am, Sir,

Birmingham, 25th Jan. 1785.

Your obliged humble fervant,

J. PRIESTLEY.

To the EDITOR of the CRITICAL REVIEW.
SIR,

AS you have admitted into your candid and ufeful publication, a cenfure on the (fuppofed) indelicacy of those who, during the life-time of the authorefs of the Introduction to the reading of the Scriptures,' have printed a new edition of that little piece, with defalcations and alterations,' fome of the perfons involved in that cenfure, request the favour that you would make their apology to the lady and the public, by flating the real fact in your Review.

They folemnly declare that they neither knew from what hand that work had proceeded, nor whether the writer of it was aliye. Much pleafed however both with the plan and the execution of the work, and urged by the defire of farther extending its utility, they formed the refolution of publishing a new edition of it; in which defign, as well as in a fufpicion that the writer was dead, they were confirmed, by understanding that the work had been out of print for fome years.

Under thefe circumftances, the production feeming to them to have become publici juris, they refolved that the new edition fhould be improved with fuch alterations and remarks as would accommodate it more generally to the different fects of Proteftants. Having been actuated neither by motives of emolument nor fame, but merely by benevolence, and a regard to the interefts of Chriftianity, they flatter themselves that their conduct will not incur the difapprobation of a lady who has herfelf difplayed, in that cause, so much zeal as well as abilities.

This, Sir, is the true ftate of the cafe; and if you will be fo good as to communicate it to the public, you will do a favour to all concerned, and particularly to the

EDITOR of the Introduction, &c.

THË

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For FEBRUARY,

1785.

Medical Communications. Vol. I. (Concluded, from p. 14.)

XI.

Deglutition. By the late William Keir, M. D.-The difficulty of degulition was attended with cough, and the fluid fwallowed was rejected, feemingly before it reached the ftomach. The caufe was a fingular one. A large ulcer in the upper and back part of the lobe of the lungs, had penetrated through the cefophagus, and partly through the fubftance of the trachea; fo that fluids paffed into this cavity, which extended from the first to the fourth vertebra of the back, instead of the ftomach. The fubfequent cough is eafily explained.. The cafe is related with fingular precifion and perfpicuity.,

XII. A Cafe of Afcites, in which the Water was drawn off by tapping the Vagina. By Henry Watfon, F. R. S.-The. afcites was a compound one; for, befides the ufual collection, of water in the cavity of the peritoneum, one of the ovaria was much enlarged, and filled with a fluid. The chief curiofity in this hiftory is the mode of operation, which the author thinks more convenient than the common one, on account of the part being more depending than that ufually punctured. To the method, with the precautions which Mr Watfon recommends, we at prefent fee no objection. We fhall not abridge them, left we might undefignedly mifreprefent.

XIII. A Cafe of Peripneumony, attended with Emphyfema. By George Hicks, M. D.-Inftead of a Cafe of Pe ripneumony, attended with Emphysema, we think it may, be more properly styled a Cafe of Emphysema, producing appearances of Peripneumony. The explanation of the fact feems to be, that by too great exertion, fome of the fmaller veficles of the lungs had burft: the air, efcaping into the cellular texture, preffed on the veffels, and impeded the cir culation through this organ. The author obferves, that on the return of the emphysematous fwelling about the breast and Vol. LX. Feb. 1785.. neck,

G

neck, there was a conftant exacerbation of the peripneumonic fymptoms; and the disease yielded only to a continuance of the remedies for emphysema. The expectoration might be a fymptom of the cure, as well as the cause of the relief.

XIV. A Cafe of Emphyfema, brought on by fevere Labour Pains. Communicated by Samuel Foart Simmons, M.D. F. R. S. -This Cafe was suggested by the former: the veficle burst from the ftraining of labour in the upper part of the lungs; but the air did not diffuse itself through the lungs. It paffed immediately through the cellular texture of the furface, and confequently did not produce any peripneumonic fymptoms.

XV. An Account of a large Aneurism in the Abdominal Portion of the Aorta; with fome introductory Reflections on the Artery in its difeafed ftate. By Henry Watfon, F.R. S.

The introductory remarks on this fubject are not very important: the case itself is neither void of curiofity, nor of utility, fo far as it is ufeful to be able to diftinguifh difeafes, whofe appearance is equivocal, and which we cannot cure. The pain, from too great exertion, was firft confined to the patient's back, it then extended to his left fide, and afterwards through the whole abdomen. The swelling first appeared under the falfe ribs of the left fide; and at length a pulfation was to be felt in it. If we except the laft, neither of thefe fymptoms would be readily attributed to an aneurism. On diffection however, it really appeared to be an aneurism of the aorta, extending from about one inch and a quarter above the coeliac artery, to fome way below the mefenteric trunk. The difeafed portion was in length about two inches and three quarters. It lay acrofs the fpine, and had forced the left kidney from its place, which formed the anterior part of the

tumor.

XVI. An Account of the Effect of fome Medicines employed in the Cure of Cutaneous Difeafes. By James Car michael Smyth, M. D. F. R. S.-Every one, frequently engaged in practice, las experienced the obftinacy of cutaneous difeafes. They often feem to yield, but it is to return again with the moft tiresome perfeverance. The ufual medicine is mercury, with which we fometimes cure the complaint at the expence of the conftitution. Plummer's alterative pill is the moft innocent form. Dr. Smyth's views have been properly turned to other medicines. In one cafe, the tincture of cantharides fucceeded; but, except in this inftance, he never completely cured the herpes with this medicine alone. We have been more fortunate; and when the patient could bear it in a large dofe, have not often failed. It feems however more Frequently useful in the moist, than the dry herpes. Dr.

Smyth