Rude ages exhibit the triumph of auharity over reafon. Philofophers anciently were divided into fects: they were either Epicureans, Platonifts, Stoics, Pythagoreans, or Sceptics. Men relied no feher upon their own judgment than to chufe a leader, whom they implicitly folbowed. In later times, happily, reafon hath obtained the afcendant, Men now affert their native privilege of thinking 1 for themselves, and difdain to be ranked in any fet, whatever be the science. I mut except criticism, which, by what fatality I know not, continues to be not lefs flavifh in its principles, nor lefs fublive to authority, than it was original ly. Boffu, a celebrated French critic, gives many rules; but can difcover no e better foundation for any of them, than the practice merely of Homer and Virgil, fupported by the authority of Ariftotle. Strange, that in fo long a work, the concordance or difcordance of these rules with human nature, fhould never once have entered his thoughts! It could not furely be his opinion, that thefe poets, however eminent for genius, were intitled to give laws to mankind. and that nothing now remains but blind obedience to their arbitrary will. If in writing they followed no rule, why fhould they be imitated? If they studied nature, and were obfequious to rational principles, why fhould these be concealed from us? With refpect to the prefent undertaking, it is not the author's intention to give a regular treatife upon each of the fine arts in particular; but only, in general, to apply to them fome remarks and obfervations drawn from human nature, the true fource of criticism. The fine arts are calculated for our entertainment, or for making agreeable impreffions; and, by that circumftance, are diftinguifhed from the ufefal arts. In order then to be a critic in the fine arts, it is neceffary, as above hinted, to know what objects are naturally agreeable, and what naturally difagreeable. A complete treatife on that fubject would be a field conffitution, delicacy of taste to calmness and fedatenefs. Hence it is common to find genius in one who is a prey to every paffion; which can Scarce happen with respect to delicacy of tafle. Upon a man poffeffed of this bleffing, the moral daries, as well as the fine arts, make a deep impreffion, fo as to counterbalance every irregular defire. And even fuppofing a strong temptation, it can take no fast bold of a calm and fedate temper. by far too extenfive to be thoroughly cultivated by any one hand. The author pretends only to have entered upon the fubject fo far as neceffary for fupporting his critical remarks. And he affumes no merit from his performance, but that of evincing, perhaps more distinctly than hitherto has been done, that the genuine rules of criticism are all of them derived from the human heart. The fenfitive part of our nature is a delightful fpeculation. What the author hath difcovered or collected upon that fubject, he chufes to impart in the gay and agreeable form of criticism; because he imagines, that this form will be more relished, and perhaps be not lefs inftructive, than a regular and laboured difquifition. His plan is, to afcend gradually to principles, from facts and experiments, instead of beginning with the former, handled abstractly, and defcending to the latter. But though criticism be thus his only declared aim, he will not disown, that all along he had it in view, to explain the nature of man, confidered as a fenfitive being, capable of pleasure and pain. And though he flatters himself with having made fome progrefs in that important fcience, he is however too fenfible of its extent and difficulty, to undertake it profeffedly, or to avow it as the chief purpose of the prefent work. To cenfure works, not men, is the juft prerogative of criticism; and accordingly all perfonal cenfure is here avoided, unlefs where neceffary to illustrate fome general propofition. No praife is claimed on that account; becaufe cenfuring with a view merely to find fault, is an entertainment that humanity never relishes. Writers, one would imagine, fhould, above all others, be referved upon that article, when they lie fo open to retalia. tion. The author of this treatife, far from being confident of meriting no cenfure, entertains not even the flightest hope of fuch perfection. Amufement was at first the fole aim of his inquiries. Proceeding from one particular to another, the fubject grew under his hand; and he 'was far advanced before the thought ftruck him, that his private meditations might be publicly ufeful. In public, however, he would not appear in a flovenly drefs; and therefore he pretends not otherwife to apologise for his errors, than by obferving, that, in a new fubject, not lefs nice than extenfive, errors are in fome measure unavoidable. Neither pretends he he to juftifhis tafte in every particular. CISM, meaning the whole, is a title too affuming for this work. A number of these elements or principles are here e- volved; but as the author is far from i- magining, that he has completed the lift, CONTENTS. 1. Perceptions and i-113. Wit. deas in a train. 14. Cuftom and habit. 10. Congruity and pro-24. Gardening and ar- 11. Dignity and mean-125. Standard of taste. The theory and cure of the diffemper called a COLD. From A treatise of the difeafe called a cold. By John Chandler, of Lon- don, apothecary, F. R. S. 2 s. 6 d. Millar. HE matter which perspires from the human body is not excrementitious, but is the refult of the last and most per- This juice therefore permeates, or paffes But the pores and excretory ducts through which the fuperfluity of this juic This juice, as well as all other juice This juice may be rendered thick and in this cafe, the infpiffated perfpirable organs on which the affection falls: and, matter forms the tenacious fubftance that appears upon the furface of blood which is taken from perfons who are difordered in confequence of neglected colds, and which is called fize; the fame matter thus morbidly inipiflated, alfo forms the tough membranes and adhesions of the lungs with the pleura, after peripneumonies and pleurifies, as well as all other adhe- fions after inflammatory disorders of dif- This morbid infpiffation of the perfpi- rable matter from a chill in fome internal or external part, therefore, produces the difeafe called a cold, and when it falls on the pituitary membrane, which is most fubject to this accident, the most imme The pituitary membrane is fo called, lecule it fecretes the pituita or mucus the nose and mouth. Part of it is also te immediate organ of fmelling. It is great extent, and lines not only the sirils, but all the adjacent cavities calldinufles. It it full of blood-veflels and erves; and the hinder part of it contains great number of glands, each of which ceives into its cavity, the thin lymph reted or perfpired from the minute caaries, which by cooling, and by the orption of its aqueous parts, becomes the mucus already mentioned. The calary arteries that cover other parts of this membrane, alfo ooze out their lymph, which is thickened by the action of the air, and by its being intangled in the glandular mucus. When the pituitary membrane is affected a cold, the capillary veffels, and ducts of the glands, are obftructed; which prodaces an undue fullness and diftenfion of the seffels, with a conftriction of the membrane, a ftimulation of the nerves, and, at last, an immoderate distillation and eflux of humour; in other words, the head is ftuffed, the party fneezes, and the Sole runs. All this is frequently occafioned by breathing cold air; and forms adiforder which was formerly called a ca, and erroneously fuppofed to be deTwed from the brain. As the blood-veffels which are spread wer this membrane, communicate with ach other, and are derived from differet trunks, the obstruction fometimes fits from one part to another; the difCarge from the noftrils will ceafe, and aboarfenefs or cough come on; and vice sería. That part of the body on which cold is aken, or on which the perfpirable matter morbidly thickened by a chill, will firft affer, and fhew the first figns of the difder, which originally is local. It is common for perfons coming out of very warm room into the open air, with the whole body heated infide and out, and the perfpiration every where increa, to wrap themfelves up, fo as to preeat a chill on the furface of the body; but it is alfo common to take no precaufon for the defence of the paffages by Which we breathe; fuch perfons therefore heathe a cold damp air, which is repeat edly drawn up the noftrils. Thus they take cold, which immediately affects the pituitary membrane; in about twelve surs the head is stuffed, with difficulty of breathing through the nofe, lofs of fimell, frequent fneezing, a diftillation of a thin humour frorn the nose, and a heavinefs or pain in the forehead. If proper care be taken, the humour will flow more readily and plentifully; in five or fix days it will begin to thicken, and at last become concocted mucus; the fneezing, and pain in the forehead, go off, the discharge of thick mucus gradually diminishes, and health is perfectly restored. This fpecies of cold is called a coryza, and is a mere local affection of that part of the pituitary membrane which is fpread over the nottril and frontal finuses. The coryza, however, is fometimes produced by a more general check of the perfpiration, from wet linen, or damp beds: for this check will cause a superabundance of the peripirable matter, by repelling what thould have been thrown off, and nature will eafe herself of the fu perfluity, where the readieft outlet is to be found, which, from fome predisposing causes, may happen to be this emunctory. To facilitate the cure of the coryza, it is often neceflary to take away blood, and to empty the bowels by gentle aperitives, in order to ease the pituitary membrane of that load and tenfion, which would otherwife be too great for the elasticity of the veffels to overcome; and which, therefore, might multiply the obstructions, break the veffels, inflame the membrane, and produce a fever. If cold damp air received into the mouth, affects that part of the pituitary membrane which lines the mouth and throat, the palate, the uvula, or the tonfils, thefe parts will then become the feat of the cold, the tonfils and uvula will (well, a difficulty of fwallowing and discharging the vifcid phlegm, with which the parts are loaded, will come on; and the diforder is then diftinguifhed by the name of a fore throat. The fore throat is fometimes cured like the coryza, by refolution, relaxation, or a difcharge of mucus; and fometimes by fuppuration, and purulent discharges. It fometimes also happens, but never without ill treatment, that the tonfils remain enlarged and indurated, which may produce bad confequences; and if the chill happens between the tonfils, and affects the protuberant mouth of either of the Euftachian tubes, it will occafion an acute pain ftretching into the ear, especially in the act of fwallowing; a circunftance which ought always to be attended to, left left the obstruction fhould extend inward, and inflame the tympanum. If the chill attacks the epiglottis, and upper part of the larynx, a hoarfenefs or lols of voice follows; if it penetrates deeper into the glottis, a difficulty of breathing will be added; if the mufcles of the larynx are chilled and stiffened, this difficulty will increase; and if the circulation of the blood there fhould be obstructed to a great degree, through neglect or ill treatment, a tumour and inflammation will arife, and a true inflammatory quincy will be produced, one of the most immediately dangerous of all diseases. When the chill happens on the afpera arteria, it produces an effort to pump up and throw off the vifcid obstructing mucus, which effort is called a cough. A cough is cured like other fpecies of cold, by a refolution of the obftructions in the capillaries, by an eafy expectoration, and by a recovery of strength in the folid parts that are affected; but great care must be taken not to use provocative expectorants, for they always do harm, and are fome times fatal. Either of these fpecies of a cold, the coryza, the fore throat, and the cough, may happen feparately, and all conjunctly, without affecting the trunk, limbs, vifcera, or general habit of the body; but when they are not foon relieved by nature or art, they lay the first foundation of dangerous local inflammations, particularly in the head and lungs, and of fevers of the whole habit. A cold stream of air received on any part of the integuments about the eyes, produces that fpecies of a cold called a blight. This generally goes off eafily with proper care, but if neglected, fometimes degenerates into an erysipelas. A cold wind driving upon the infide of the eye. lid, or the tunica adnata of the eye itfelf, will fometimes caufe an acute pain, like that occafioned by fand, or grit, getting into the eye. This generally goes off in a fhort time, by keeping the eye thut, and frequently applying the warm hand to it; but fometimes will caufe a fuffufion of red over the whole white of the eye, with great heat and pain. This diforder thould be immediately and carefully attended to: confinement, repole, exclufion of light and air, abilinence, proper evacuations, and lenient applications, are neceflary to prevent the most terrible mischiefs; and all cold flyptic cellyriums must be avoided, as pernicious in the highest degree. If the chill falls upon the lower parts the face, the integuments will be inflat from ear to ear, and the lips and noftri become fwelled and hard. This diford is called a fwelled face; and, if negled ed, the fwelling fometimes fuppurates, an breaks either inwardly or outwardly, wit very difagreeable circumstances. When the chill falls on the neck, th glands fwell and harden; and then gai the denomination of kernels. Sometimes by ftiffening the mufcles of the neck, produces what is called a crick. Some times it renders the muscles, both of th head and arms, rigid; and this rigidity if it meets with any idiofyncrafy of th habit, fometimes degenerates into a fpe cies of the tetanus, or irrefoluble rigidity followed by convulfions and death. If the chilling stroke is received on th ear, the wax is rendered too thick, an then, by obftructing the paffage, it dul the hearing. If the blood in the veffe of this organ be chilled, a painful tumo will follow; which, if neglected, or i managed, by hot, acrid, ftimulated appli cations, will probably terminate in in flammations, impofthumations, wakeful nefs, delirium, convulfions, fwoonings and death. The structure of the ear is extremely delicate, its parts fo numerous its veffels fo minute, its investing mem branes fo exquifitely thin, and its con nections fo important, that no rafh empi rical practices thould ever be tried upon it If the chill ftrikes the whole trunk an limbs of the body, as is frequently th cafe, by going warm on the river, fittin in damp rooms, going too thinly clad, continuing up late at night without a fire the whole body will be thrown into a fpaf modic fhivering, the first and most ufua fign of this fpecies of a cold, which, if no immediately taken care of, is a certai prelude to a fever, if it be not a fever al ready begun. It fometimes happens, that when a col is taken, a gentle fever fupervenes, at tended with no other complaint than flight pain ftretching in a straight line up on the head, in the direction of the longi tudinal finus; the fleep is interrupted fud denly by unusual, though not by confufe or frightful dreams; and in this ftate th diforder will continue for feveral days without alarming the patient by any vio lent fymptom. Let it, however, be re membered, that, in this fituation, he in the most imminent danger; and that i he is not relieved by the most skilful atlitt ance mee, a delirium will foon come on by fits; which at length will become perpetual, or attended by alternate ftupors, and end in waltions and death. It is of the utmost importance, upon the first approach of a fever, to take to a warm bed, to use abftinence, diluting fiquors, and fome appropriate evacua tions; which will almost always carry it in a fhort time. The danger is from delay: for a fever, though eafily cured a the beginning, will often baffle the moft powerful remedies, adminiftered with the greateft fagacity, when it has been fuffered to advance without a check. When the body is preternaturally beated, the air is always of itself futhi cient to produce an obstructed and inpifated perfpiration for, with re pect to a body fo heated, the air is al ways cold. We should never therefore expofe ourElves, in a state of reft, to the air, when we are hotter than common cloathrg, without artificial heat or exercise, vill make us. We fhould never accuftom ourselves to fit in a room more than temperately warm, nor to fit near a fire, or hover over it. We should never go very warm into he cold; but wait till the ftate of the body is nearer to that of the air into which we are going. All currents of air are to be avoided. When we go out of a playhouse in cold weather, we should always throw on fome additional garment, and never for get to guard the mouth and noftrils with handkerchief or muff, against the paffage of a cold air into them, and down the throat and windpipe. It is dangerous for valetudinary perfons to go to church in cold weather, because an abfurd custom univerfally prevails, of walling the church little more than twelve hours before the meeting of the Congregation. In wet or damp weather, whether hot or cold, it is adviseable to bave a fire in the rooms where we fit or deep. Our cloathing fhould always be increafed in proportion to the coldness of the weather. room, practise strict abftinence, and drink warm diluting liquors, fuch as may raife and continue a moderate sweat till the symptoms vanifh; then drefs in dry warm cloathing, and keep house, till twenty-four hours or more fhall fhew longer confinement to be unneceflary. By this method, colds, and the fevers they produce, fo fatal when fixed by delay, will fcarce ever fail of being removed; but heating liquors and medicines, fo often adininiftered on this occafion, fhould be carefully avoided. This little work is written with great knowledge of the fubject, with a minute attention to all its circumstances, with a benevolent folicitude for the ease and health of mankind, with a precifion that may inftruct the practitioner, and a perfpicuity that will render it useful and entertaining to all who are fuficiently acquainted withthe technical terms of phylic and anatomy, which, in a work of this kind, it is impollible to avoid. It is alfo remarkable, for a delicacy extremely difficult to be preferved, and therefore very rarely found in medical treatises. It would, however, be injurious to clofe this article, without adding, that it appears by a cafe which Mr Chandler has related of one of his own patients in a note, that we owe the knowledge of the true nature and cure of the putrid fore throat, concerning which Dr Fothergill publifhed a treatife in the year 1748, to the learned and ingenious Dr Leatherland, who had made the difcovery nine years before, on occafion of the death of the two fons of the late Rt Hon. Henry Pelham. G. Solyman and Almena. By John Langhorne, moft foothing felf adulation, whether we refer to life or to literature: in the former we intimate our own virtuous inclinations, by the admiration and esteem which we profefs for virtue; in the latter, we proclaim our taste, when we exprefs the fatisfaction we receive from any production of genius. It is fufficient proof of the fhare which vanity hath in the homage paid to worth or talents, that half our pleasure vanishes, if we are deprived of the means of communicating our fenfations. Without ftopping, however, to examine how far we were influenced by felfifh confiderations, when we first recommended the ingenious infant publications E |