friends, according to the account of the editor, are as mad as himė felf, and expect, becaufe a copy of his verfes found their way into the paper of the " World," that he is to defcend undifputed to immortality. That we may help him with a fhove in this laudable bufinefs, we will prefent the reader with the two lines to which the book firft opens in our hands. They are a part of an elegy on rural fports.

The ftately flag falls butcher'd on the plains;
The dew of death hangs clammy on his cheeks."

DIVINITY.

ART. 24. Man naturally inclined to Religion; a Differtation by the Rev. John Steffe. Gray, Chelmsford.

This is a very curious and amufing pamphlet. To nothing," fays our author," is man more lothly than to devotion; in nothing is he fo dronifh and fleepy. Ignorance is the mother of devotion; of the true as well as the falfe. Learning fome how, debauches the mind. Nations, like individuals, grow lefs devout in proportion as they grow more learned and refined. The Greeks and Romans had most piety when they had leaft learning. How astonishing are the devotions of the Hottentots! How rapturous! What leaping and dancing all the night when worshipping the new moon! Nothing furely exceeds it, except the piety and zeal of the inhabitants of Whidah, who will not quit their devotions though their houses are on fire. So ftrong is our natural appetite for religion, that nothing is fo coarfe but it will go down. A god we must have, though we make him of a block of marble, or the flump of a tree. Mankind have a natural propenfity to religion, as much as to eating, drinking, or fleeping." Notwithstanding these ftrong declarations, our author is obliged to acknowledge the averfenefs of the prefent age to religious exercifes; to remedy which, he propofes that the churches fhould be converted into theatres, and fermons exchanged for tragedies and comedies taken from the fcrip

tures!

ART. 25. A Defence of the Doctrine of the Trinity, and eternal Sonship of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as revealed in the Scriptures, in Oppofition to a late Scheme of temporal Sonship. By a Baptift. 8vo. Is. 6d. Printed for the Author. Buckland. London, 1786.

The author of this treatife on the Trinity is well aware that every attempt to investigate or explain this fublime mystery is not only improper but indecent, being a prefumption to fathom the ways of Heaven which it has pleased God to keep concealed from us.

By eternal fonfhip our author means that relation of the fecond perfon in the trinity to the Father existing from eternity; whereas by temporal fonship he means this relation firft given to our bleffed Saviour on his taking upon him the human nature. The baptifts here held the doctrine of eternal sonship as a fundamental truth of the gofpel; but fome of the elders of their church have thought proper lately to introduce a new idea respecting this myftery, and to advance, that

this filial relation of our Redeemer did not take place till he was born of a woman, and thus became in reality, according to our notions of things, the fon of God. Many conferences of the baptist clergy were held upon this doctrine, the fubject was openly debated, and this new idea adopted; which occafioned a feceffion of the members in the oppofite way of thinking, which terminated, afterwards in the following agreement between both parties, viz. That a temporary. forbearance fhould take place between them till further enlightened on one fide.or the other.

Now, the chief arguments which prevailed with the majority of the baptist church, to adopt the fcheme of temporal fonship, having been fet forth in a manufcript letter, and argued on, it was taken afresh into confideration, and the majority became more convinced than ever of the doctrine of Christ's eternal fonship. This doctrine is here fet forth at large, and fupported by all thofe fcriptural paffages that refer to the fubje&t; the arguments in oppofition to it are refuted; and the original doctrine vindicated.

Such as wish to have any infight into the nature of this mystery will find it here ably and clearly fet forth, with all the arguments pro and con. It does not follow that the doctrine of the trinity, because it is paft our comprehenfion, is the lefs true. The Lord hath condefcended to declare it, and it does not become us, who are creatures only of an hour, to canvas and difpute his perfect word. His revealed name is infinitely beyond the reach of our finite capacities; and as myfterious as it may appear, we ought humbly to receive it upon the credit of his infallible teftimony.

ART. 26. Sentences, divine, moral, and biftcrical, in Profe and Verfe; with Copies for the Alphabet. Defigned for the Conduct of human Life, and particularly for the Improvement of Youth in good Senfe and correct English. The whole being the Beauties of Addifon, Johnjon, Rollin, Weftley, and other eminent Authors, accurately extracted from their Works, and arranged in alphabetical Order. For the Ufe of Schools. By Jofeph Longman, Writing-Mafter at Child-Okeford, near Blandford, Dorfet. 8vo. 5s. boards. Salisbury printed. Wilkie. London, 1786.

A collection of apophthegms, &c. confifting of paffages in profe, fome few in verse, and fome comprized in one line, arranged according to the letter which begins them. In order that each paffage fhould begin with a particular letter, the author has confined himfelf so as to felect thofe, particularly the poetic ones, as might very well have given way to better, had he thought proper to make fome little alteration in the beginning of them; and had he added the authorities from whom he took them, they probably would be better received. However, it is a work of labour, and will be found of use for if, inftead of fingle-lined copies, boys are exercised in writing these sentences, it will not only improve their minds, but accustom them to right spelling. On thefe confiderations the work before us deferves our commendation.

ENG. REV. Vol. IX Feb. 1787.

K

MEDICAL

MEDICAL.

ART. 27. Dr. Duncan's Heads of Lectures. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Murray, London; Elliot, Edinburgh. 1786.

It is not without the strongest reasons that this judicious author has deviated from the common mode of arrangement, in treating of the Materia Medica, in a courfe of lectures. He has preferred the method of treating each article as a separate and independent fubftance, and therefore arranged them in an alphabetical order. But, in fome degree, to unite with this the advantages of other arrangements, he has fubjoined to the alphabetical lift diftributions of the Materia Medica, both according to the natural orders to which the different articles belong, and to their medical virtues. One circumftance will render Dr. Duncan's lectures of particular advantage to ftudents; which is, that he means to confine his remarks, though not folely, yet principally to thofe articles of which he himself has had expe rience in practice. During the courfe of lectures, likewife, every ftudent will have an opportunity of examining, in the lecture room, not only fpecimens of the articles themselves, but of their different preparations With fuch advantages, and under a mafter fo confpicuous for his knowledge in the feveral departments of medicine, there is reafon to expect a high degree of proficiency from thofe ftudents who will induftrioufly avail themfelves of fo valuable an oppor. tunity of improvement.

ART. 28. Bizard's Lecture to the Scholars of the Maritime-School. 8vo. Is. 6d. Dilly.

An effufion of blood from the great arteries has often proved the means of destroying lives which might have been preferved by a proper application of the tourniquet. The truth of this remark is experienced in almost every military engagement; and likewife from numberlefs accidents, by which thofe veffels have been injured. To render the application of this ufeful inftrument, therefore, generally well known, especially amongst fuch as, from their profeffion, are peculiarly expofed to wounds of the great arteries, is a beneficial act of humanity, and merits the warmest encouragement. The present lecture is well calculated for this purpose. Mr. Blizard points out diftinctly, by verbal description, illuftrated with a plate, the courfe of the great arteries in the extremities; and fhews in what parts the tourniquet may be applied with advantage. The me thod of application is extremely fimple; the effects of it are invaluable; and we would therefore recommend this pamphlet to the general notice of readers, whether in the military, naval, or civil departments in life.

ART. 29. The Midwife's Pocket-Companion. By Dr. John Memis, Phyfician in Aberdeen, and a Manager of the Royal Infirmary in that City. Small 8vo. 1s. 6d. Aberdeen, printed for the Author. 1786. This treatife is divided into three parts. In the first, the author delivers an anatomical account of the uterus, and its fituation; in the fecond, he gives inftructions relative to the art of midwifery in

different

different circumftances; and in the third he teaches the proper management of the mother and child. We think the whole is, by its fimplicity, well adapted to the purpose intended. The author has thought proper to dedicate this treatife to his Majefty, of whom, after an address in the second perfon, he chooses to take his leave in the third.

ART. 30. A Practical Treatise on the Prevention and Cure of Difeafes in general. By Dr. John Memis, Phyfician in Aberdeen, and a Manager of the Royal Infirmary in that City. Small 8vo. 1s. 6d. Aberdeen, printed for the Author. 1786.

This treatife prefents us with many examples of bad grammar, incorrect printing, bad ftyle, and, we are forry to add to fo many blemishes, bad fenfe. For the juftness of this character we appeal to the following extract.

A proper attention on this fubject would enable us to improve not only the conftitutions but the characters of our prosperity *. Yet we every day fee very fenfible people who are cautiously attentive to improve the breed of their horfes and dogs, tainting the blood of their children, and entailing on them not only diseases of body, but madness, folly, and the moft unworthy difpofitions; and that too when they cannot plead being stimulated by neceffity, or impelled by paffion.

By the most accurate calculation, one third of mankind dies under two years of age. Of one hundred children born in the fame week, only forty are alive at the end of twenty years, and at the end of eighty-four, which fhould be the fhorteft natural period of human life, they are all dead. As this mortality is greatest among the moft luxurious part of mankind, and gradually decreases in proportion as the diet becomes fimpler, the exercife more frequent, and the general method of living more hardy; and, as it is altogether unknown among wild animals, the general foundations of it are difficultly pointed out. The extraordinary havock made by diseases among children, is owing to the greater delicacy of their tender frames, which are but ill fuited to fupport the male or bad treatment they meet with. Their own inftinct, and the conduct of Nature in rearing other animals, are never attended to (or have formerly been never attended to); and they are incapable of helping themselves when they are advanced in life; the voice of Nature is become too loud to be ftifled; and then, in spite of influence, of corrupted example, and adventitious or accidental tafte, will be obeyed.

We know not on what principle Dr. Memis affirms that eighty-four fhould be the borteft period of human life; but there is ftrong reafon to fufpect that even the ftricteft attention to the rules which he prefcribes for the prevention of difeafes, will feldom, comparatively,. extend human life to that date. This treatife contains nothing new, except the mode of printing, which certainly affords a curious fpecimen of the practice of the art at Aberdeen. Out of 111 pages,

Dr.

of which it confifts, little more than the half are of the fame fize; at page 59 there begins a very perceptible declenfion; and from page 75 they contain not more than one fourth of the original quantity. Memis's method of extending a pamphlet seems fomewhat analogous to his idea of human longevity.

ART. 31. Jones's Treatise on the Gout. Small 8vo. No Price. When this pamphlet has been advertised we shall take it into confideration.

ART. 32. Murray's Catalogue of Books in Medicine, Surgery, Anatomy, Natural Hiftory, &c. For the Ufe of the Faculty and Practitioners in general; and which are to be fold at the Prices marked against the feveral Articles. 8vo. 3d. Murray. London, 1787.

The great difficulty, on many occafions, of being supplied with particular medical books, is fo general a complaint, that the eftablifhment of a repofitory, where a large collection of such tracts might always be kept in readiness for demand, cannot but prove highly acceptable to gentlemen of the faculty. From this confideration Mr. Murray, not confining himself to the fale of works of a more general nature, has been induced to form a large collection of publications, either profeffedly medical, or written on fubjects intimately connected with that fcience. The Catalogue now before us contains 1960 different productions. It is already, we believe, by far the most numerous of any extant, of the kind, in this country; and, by the encouragement which there is every reafon to expect that the plan will receive from the faculty, to whofe convenience it is devoted, and to the forwarding of whofe literary pursuits it must effentially conduce, the collection, without all doubt, will yet be extended to a greater number, The great trouble and expence in forming fuch a repofitory of books, collected from various quarters, may be eafily imagined, but can only be rewarded by the generous patronage of those who are the objects of the plan.

ART. 33. Animadverfions on the Nature and Cure of the Dropy. 8vo, 3s. DodЛley.

The original of thefe Animadverfions, by Dr. Milman, was publifhed a few years ago. The author, upon the authority of fome cafes which he had known to be fuccefsfully treated on the continent, endeavours to introduce the method of curing the dropfy by allowing the patients the free use of drink during the evacuation of the water by purgative and diuretic medicines. This, however repugnant to eftablished prejudices, is clearly fhewn to have been the practice of Hippocrates; and the utility of it is farther confirmed by fome cafes, which were treated under Dr. Milman's own direction, in the Middlefex Hofpital, To render the Animadverfions more generally known, they are now tranflated by Dr. Swediaur, who, at the fame time that he has performed the talk with a precision suitable to his extenfive medical knowledge, appears as an additional evidence in favour of the practice recommended. A few foreign idioms-are obfervable in the verfion; but they are of fo trifling a nature that it would be fuperfluous to specify them.

ART.