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any part of the Author's original design, viz. to prove, from experience, the exceeding pernicious tendency of our prefent fyltem of poor laws. To a well-informed reader the greatest part of the evils complained of, are fo plainly deducible from thefe laws, and are fo abfolutely infeparable from the principle on which they are founded, that nothing lefs than a radical alteration can prove in any refpect beneficial. The well-intended amendments propofed by Mr. Gillingwater, and many other writers, are like the ufelefs attempts to prop up, and render perfect, a mouldering fabric founded on fand, and cemented with mire. They may amuse for a time, but cannot be productive of any latting advantage. What idea can the reader entertain of an improvement whofe principal merit must confift in the virtue, integrity, and humanity of the perfons who are to carry the regulations into effect?

MEDICA L.

Art. 30. Experiments on the Red and Quill Peruvian Bark : With Obfervations on its Hiftory, Mode of Operation, &c. Being the Differtation which gained the Prize given by the Harveian Society at Edinburgh for the Year 1784. By Ralph Irving. 8vo. 35. fewed. Robinfons. 1785

Thefe experiments are numerous, and properly adapted to determine the conflituent parts, and the qualities, of the bark. Many of them, indeed, tend to explain the phenomena and properties of vegetable adftringents in general, rather than of the bark in particular; an error into which writers on the materia medica eatily fall; the confequence of which is, that they often attribute to a particular and favourite medicine the qualities and virtues of a whole class. Mr. Irving has, however, done the materia medica great fervice by thefe investigations, for he has not only determined the properties of Peruvian Bark, but pointed out an excellent method of examining vegetable fubftances, and afcertaining their conftituent parts.

Art. 31. The Family Medical Inftruor; containing a Selection of interefting Subje&s, calculated for the Information and Prefervation of Mankind, &c. To which is added, an Appendix on Canine Madness. By C. Hall, M. D. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Shrewfbury printed, and fold by Stockdale, London.

A compilation from different authors on medical fubjects calculated for the general ufe of country families; but the fubjects are fo few, and they are treated in fo fuperficial a manner, that we are apprehenfive the Author's good intentions and inftructions will not be productive of much real fervice to mankind. The Appendix, relative to canine madnefs, contains nothing new. A cafe of a fatal hydrophobia is given, but without any circumstances that render it remarkable.

Art. 32. A Treatise on the Mineral Waters of Balaruc, in Languedoc, in France. By M. Pouzaire, M. D. With an English Tranflation, and additional Cafes, &c. By B. Pugh, M. D. 8vp. 35. fewed. Chelmsford printed, and fold by Goldsmith in London. 1785.

The publication before us, contains the French of Dr. Pouzaire, written, as we learn by an advertisement annexed to it, at the de

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fire of Dr. Pugh, who wished to tranflate it into English, and make it public in his own country, for the good of humanity.' Dr. Pugh gives, therefore, a tranflation of M. Pouzaire's treatife, and adds fome cafes that occurred during his refidence at Balaruc, while he was there attending his patient, Mr. Woolation. The properties and qualities of the waters of Balaruc have been fufficiently defcribed by many medical writers; and the difeafes in which they may prove ufeful, are pointed out by most of the authors at Montpellier; especially by the eminent Sauvages (in his Nofologia Methedica), who is not wanting in his commendations of the therma Bellilucane.

The prefent performance contains nothing of confequence; the analysis of the water is very imperfect, in an age when chemistry is brought to fuch perfection; and the medical ufes of it are related, without any theoretical investigation.

Dr. Pugh's defcriprion of Montpellier, and the adjacent country, may be entertaining and useful to fuch travellers as wish to visit the fouth of France, especially the defcription of the road, prices of ftage coaches, lodgings, &c. all which are here particularly noticed. Art. 33. A Treatise on Cancers, with an Account of a new and fuccefsful Method of operating, &c. by which the Sufferings of the Patients are confiderably diminished, the Cure greatly accelerated, and Deformity prevented. By Henry Fearon, Surgeon to the Surrey Difpenfary. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Johnson. 1786.

The method of operation here recommended by Mr. Fearon is the fame which, on account of its fimplicity, we approved in our account of the first edition of this performance. We are happy to find, that experience has established our Author's method: many additional cafes are inferted, fully confirming its fuccefs. Art. 34. Obfervations upon the new Opinions of John Hunter, in his late Treatife on the Venereal Disease. Part the Second. By Jeffe Foot, Surgeon. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Becket. 1786.

In our Review for October laft we mentioned the first part of Mr. Foot's Obfervations; and what was there advanced is applicable to this part. Why will not difputants confider, that the intention of controverfy fhould be the advancement of Science, and that it should never be used as the vehicle of perfonal abuse? Our Author's juft frictures lofe much of their weight and force by the virulence of the manner in which they are delivered.

Art. 35. Cautions concerning Cold bathing, and drinking Mineral Waters. By William Buchan, M. D. Being an additional Chapter to the Ninth Edition of his Domeftic Medicine. 8vo. 6d.

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Thefe obfervations are juft, and if the cautions of our Author were strictly followed, we are confident that the melancholy confequences of injudicious cold-bathing and water-drinking would be lefs frequent. In this little treatife our Author alfo points out the cafes in which the use of these remedies is proper, and fhews the manner in which they ought to be employed, either for curing dif eafes, or establishing the health of weak and relaxed conftitutions.

* Vid. M. R. vol. lxxiii. p. 302.

HORTICULTURE.

Art. 36. Mifcellanies, on ancient and modern Gardening, and on the Scenery of Nature. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Walter. 178;.

A canto of fcraps, in profe and verfe, from writers who have, profeffedly or incidentally, expatiated on the beauties of ornamental gardening and natural fcenery: as-Homer, Virgil, Taffo, Petrarch, Bacon, Shakespeare, Milton, Addifon, Thomfon, Whateley, the foreign Encyclopedies, and Journals, the Defcriptions of Dovedale, Kefwick, &c. &c.

Art. 37. A Method to preferve Peach and Nectarine Trees from the Effects of the Milder; and for destroying the Red Spider in Melon Frames, and other Infects, which infeft Plants in Stoves, and Trees, Shrubs, &c. in the open Garden. By Robert Browne, Gardener to Sir Harbord Harbord, Bart. at Gunton in Norfolk. 12mo. 5s. fewed. Printed by Subfcription for the Author, and fold in London by Walter. 1786.

Mr. Browne's methods feem to be effectual, if thoroughly perfifted in; but the gardener muft not grudge his labour;-that labour which, if repaid by plenty of fine fruit, will certainly be well beftowed. The fame remark will equally apply, with refpect to the high price of this very fmall book for who can deem a crown too much for good inftruction, in order to preferve what is fo expenfive to raife; and which, as the event fhews, is often raised, only to feait infects and vermin?

MATHEMATICS, &c. Art. 38. A Key to Hutton's Arithmetic; containing the Solutions, at full Length, of all the Questions propofed in that Work. By Charles Hutton, LL. D. F. R. S. &c. 12mo. 3s. Boards. Robinfons. 1786.

A ufeful publication for thofe fchcol-maflers who ufe the compendium, to which this is a Key.' We can give no other account of this work than what is contained in its title-page, except that, in those parts which we have examined, it appears to be free from

error.

Art. 39. A Sylem of Mechanics: being the Subftance of Lectures upon that Branch of Natural Philofophy. By the Rev. T. Parkinfon, M. A. Fellow of Chrift's College, Cambridge. 4to. 16s. fewed. Cadell.

This performance, fays the Author in his preface, claims little more than the inferior merit of facilitating the progress of the fladent, by a selection from the works of others, which may fupercede the neceffity of applying to a multitude of books. To be of fervice to the ignorant and uninformed was the chief motive for undertaking this work, and the fole object of attention in the execution of it and Mr. P. has very commendably adduced his authorities, by mentioning at the bottom of his pages, the books from which he has felected his matter. He begins with an Introduction, containing fome of the chief phenomena of nature, the rules of philofophizing, and the doctrine of ratios, which is very clear and just.

The subjects of the different chapters into which the work is divided, are, 1. Of Matter, in general. 2. Of Extenfion. 3. Of Solidity;

Solidity; but comprehending alfo the general doctrine of abfolute and relative Motion. 4. Inertia of Matter. In this chapter are found fome very juft obfervations on the vis motrix, or vis viva, of a moving body, being that by which it communicates motion, or change of motion to another body. Indeed we have never met with any thing more fatisfactory on the fubject. Then follow the general laws of motion, and the doctrine of the compofition and refolution of forces. 5. Attraction of Gravity. 6. Attraction of Cohe fion, with fome general Remarks on Hardnefs, Softnefs, and Elafticity. 7. and 8. Mechanical Powers. Under the article Wedge, the miftakes of feveral authors are rectified, and the whole placed in a clear light. 9. Centre of Gravity. 10. Communication of Motion by direct and oblique Impact. This alfo comprehends the doctrine of the fpontaneous centre of converfion of a body. 11. Centres of Percuffion, Ofcillation, and Gyration. 12. Rectilineal Motion of Bodies; containing the general laws of accelerating forces. 13. Pendulous, and, 14. Projectile Motion. The Author appears to have a clear idea of things himself, and alfo to poffefs the art of communicating it to others.-His work contains 24 plates, neatly engraved.

Art. 40. The Rudiments of Mathematics; defigned for the Ufe of Students at the Univerfities: Containing an Introduction to Algebra, Remarks on the firft Six Books of Euclid, and the Elements of Plain Trigonometry. By W. Ludlam, late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 8vo. 3s. Boards. Cadell. 1785.

This is a work of very great merit. Mr. L. obferves, in his preface, that no man can get any credit by making an horn-book for the babes in mathematics, though it may be an ufeful work.' Which is but too true, and has probably been the reason why the talk of writing elementary treatifes, has fo often fallen to the los of unfkilful hands: but when a master of the subject will deign to undertake it, the Public are much benefited, as in the prefent intance. The book begins with the doctrine of vulgar fractions, which being well understood, a learner will find little difficulty in comprehending the elements of algebra, as here laid down. The remarks on Euclid are, in general, very juft, and will help young fudents to comprehend the drift and defign of that celebrated Author. The trigonometry is brief, but eafy to be understood; and, in particular, here is an excellent elucidation of the feveral changes in the algebraic figns, of the cofines, tangents, &c. fo neceffary to be obferved in the folutions of aftronomical and phyfical problems. ANTIQUITIES.

Art. 41. Nenia Britannica, or an Account of fome hundred Sepulchres of the ancient Inhabitants of Britain. In Numbers. By the Rev. James Douglas, F. S. A. Nos. I. II. and III. Fol. 55. each. Nicol. 1786.

As this is a fingular work, peculiarly adapted to illuftrate the early part of the history of England, and of great importance to the antiquary, we have deviated a little from our plan, for the purpofe of announcing to our readers (efpecially thofe who admire the study of antiquity) a publication which will afford both pleasure and profit,

The

The Author has opened feveral ancient tumuli or fepulchres, in which are found, depofited with the dead, according to the cuftom of the times, a variety of inftruments of war, culinary or domeftic utenfils, rings, gems, coins, &c. Thefe and every circumftance relative to the tombs, are particularly defcribed, and the tombs themselves, with all their contents, are reprefented in aquatinta plates, which are admirably adapted for conveying an accurate idea of antique relics. Mr. Douglas propofes to complete this curious performance in twelve numbers, each of which will contain three plates, the Author's own etching, and the written defcription of what they reprefent.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Art. 42. Abort Effay on the Propagation and Difperfion of Animals and Vegetables, being chiefly intended as an Anfwer to a Letter lately published in favour of Equivocal Generation. 12mo. is. 6d. Wilkie. 1786.

Omne vivum ex ovo is an axiom fo univerfally received by naturalifts, that every attempt to contradict it will be treated with ridicule. The idea of equivocal generation will be easily refuted by repeating the arguments of Ray, Harvey, Linnæus, Derham, and others, whofe opinions are fufficiently known.

NEGRO-SLAVERY,

Art. 43. An Apology for Negro-Slavery: or the Weft India Planters vindicated from the Charge of Inhumanity. By the Author of Letters to a young Planter. The fecond Edition with Additions. 8vo. 19. 6d. Strachan. 1786.

We noticed the first edition of this work in our Review for June laft, and explained the defign of our Author; who now, in addition to what he formerly advanced, makes fome fenfible remarks on a late pamphlet, entitled, An Efay on the Slavery and Commerce of the human Speciest. He charges the Author of that work with having mifreprefented the treatment of negro-flaves in the West India iflands, moft of the affertions of that gentleman being, in his opinion, founded on the reports of people who had never been eye-witneffes to the circumstances they have related.

We give the more credit to the facts related in the prefent publication, fince the Author has been candid enough to fubfcribe it with his name, Gordon Turnbull. Anonymous information is always fufpicious; but when a man fupports his affertions with the credit of his name and character, no respectable court of criticism' can queftion the truth of them-unlefs the ftrongeft grounds of fufpicion appear.

VOYAGES, &c.

Art. 44. A Journal of Captain Cook's last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, on Difcovery, performed in the Years 1776-to 1780. Illuftrated with Cuts and a Chart, fhewing the Tracks of the Ships in this Expedition. A new Edition, compared with, and cor

* See our strictures on Mr. Jackfon of Exeter's letter in fupport of equivocal generation, Rev. vol. Ixviii. p. 394 and 395, and again vol. lxxi. p. 346.

+ See Review for Nov. laft, page 364.

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