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and North Americans) is curious, and, we apprehend, may be safely de-
pended on. In the conclufion, he briefly difcuffes the three ways that
are commonly propofed, by which to extricate ourselves from our pre-
fent perplexed fituation; viz. 1. To enforce the Stamp act, 2. to fuf-
pend, or, 3. to repeal it; and he is clearly of opinion, that it ought
to be repealed: there being, in his judgment, not the leaft room to ap-
prehend any ill confequence, but, on the contrary, much good, from
fuch a mark of kind and candid indulgence of our fellow fubjects.—
On the whole, we earnestly recommend this excellent little tract, of which
our extracts can give but an imperfect idea, to the perufal of every Bri-
ton who is defirous of information, with regard to the real state of the
cafe, in this very intereft ng difpute between the head and the members
of the British body-politic.

Art. 19. The Claim of the Colonies to an exemption from internal
taxes impofed by authority of Parliament, examined. In a Letter
from a Gentleman to his Friend in America.
8vo. 1 s.

W. Johnston.

Controverts the Colonists claim to an exemption; and maintains the Parliament's right to a fupreme and uncontrolable jurifdiction, internally and externally, over the properties and perfons of the fubjects in the Colonies. The Author has stated fome material objections to the cuftomary method of requifitions; and gives a particular account of the behaviour of the Colonies and their agents, with regard to their oppofing the Stamp bill, before the act was paffed; from which he would have us infer, that if a precedent was not obtained on this occafion, in favour of America, the failure thereof, must be charged on the improper procedure of the Americans themselves.-The Author writes with judg ment and temper; and notwithstanding his difallowance of the claim of the Colonies to an exemption, &c. he concludes with expreffing his good opinion of the temper and moderation of parliament, and his confidence in the candor and perpetual regard which fome gentlemen bear to the Colonies; from whence he concludes, there is no room for apprehenfion, that advantage will be taken of the forwardnefs of their legitimate offspring; but that their dealing towards them will be like that of parents to their truant children, not rigorously juft, but forbearing and affectionate. May fuch a parental spirit ever prevail in this nation; and may her children ever make dutiful and grateful returns to fuch indulgence and tenderness!

Art. 20. A Letter from a Merchant in London to his Nephew in North-America, relative to the present posture of Affairs in the Colonies. 18vo. I'S. Walter.

On the fame fide of the question with the foregoing; but written with lefs moderation. The author treats the Colonists very cavalierly; talks in a pert affuming ftrain; and fhews a difpofition to cavil and fneer at the Americans throughout his whole letter: which, however, is a fmart and fhrewd performance; and will fcarcely fail to entertain those whom it may not happen to convince.

Art. 21. An Application of fome General Political Rules to the prefent State of Great-Britain, Ireland, and America. In a Letter to the Rt. Hon. Earl Temple. 8vo. I s. 6 d.

Almon.

Thera

ro

There is a great deal of fenfible judicious fpeculation in this pamphlet's which, however, we are afraid is too fpeculative, too general, and perhaps too moderate, to be much attended to, in our prefent political heat and hurry. This tractate, nevertheless, deferves to be read, and attentively confidered, on account of the variety of useful observations with which it abounds.

Art. 22. A plain and feafonable Addrefs to the Freeholders of Great Britain, on the prefent pofture of Affairs in America. 8vo. 6 d. Richardfon and Urquhart.

Ridicule of Mr. Pitt, and declamation against the Americans. Art. 23. Confiderations on the Propriety of impofing Taxes in the British Colonies, for the Purpose of raising a Revenue by Act of Parliament. By Mr. Dulaney of Maryland. Second Edition. 8vo. Is. 6d. Almon.

Of this notable pamphlet, which was published last month, without the Author's name, we gave some account in the Review for Jan. p. 65. Art. 24. The Anfwer to a Colonel's Letter. By a Wooden-legged Soldier in Gloucestershire. Wherein fome American Matters are flightly touched upon. 8vo. I s. Main.

This wooden-legged foldier is by no means a wooden-headed one. Core poral Oaktree is really a very clever facetious fellow. The purport of his pamphlet is- -But do-buy it, Reader, without farther recommendation. It will entertain you, to say the leaft; and poffibly it may alfo afford you a good fhilling's-worth of information: although, by the way, there is not more than a common fixpenny-worth of paper and print. But whether the corporal or his bookfeller be to blame, in this refpect, is best known to themselves.

MEDICA L.

Art. 25. A Letter from J. Keyfer, Surgeon and Chemist, of Paris, to Mr. Jonathan Wathen, Surgeon, of London, in Anfwer to his Pamphlet, entitled, Practical Obfervations on the Venereal Difeafe. 8vo. 6d. Nicoll.

If the Writer of this pamphlet expected that the publick fhould believe it to be bona fide a letter from Mr. Keyfer, the words tranflated from the French ought to have appeared in the title page, unlefs Mr. Keyser be an Englishman, Mr. Wathen having, in his Practical Obfervations pronounced Keyfer's pills to be a weak mercurial, in many cafes infufficient to cure the Venereal Disease, and by no means deferving the reputation they have acquired in France, this Author, in the name of Keyfer, fteps forth in vindication of the faid pills, fupported by the teftimony of Guerin and Le Cat. But the part in which he bears hardest upon his antagonist, is where he reproaches him with having formerly entertained fo different an opinion of thefe pills as to offer a confiderable fum in order to become a joint purchaser of the fecret. This is undoubtedly a home charge upon Mr. Wathen. How that gentleman de fends himself will appear in the following Article.

See Review, Vol. XXXIII. p. 371.

B-t

Art. 26.

Art. 26. An Anfwer to the Letter of Mr. Keyfer, in which the Infufficiency of his Medicine for the Cure of the Venereal Disease, is further confidered, &c. By Jonathan Wathen, Surgeon. 8vo. 6d. Rivington.

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This Writer's principal intention, in his Practical Obfervations, mentioned in the last article, was to prove that no noftrum whatsoever, or fecret, or known preparation of mercury, deferves to be exclufively confidered as a cure for the Venereal Difeafe. Away, fays he, with arcanas, noftrums, and curious preparations, &c. they have no value, but as containing fomewhat of this only remedy (mercury) for their bafis: nor have they any good effects but what are derived from thence, and as they are regulated in their operation.' In the courfe of that treatise, he animadverted on the particular mercurial preparations of which he had made trial in his own practice, equally condemning them all as general medicines, Keyfer's pills among the reft. This produced the letter reviewed in our laft article, and that letter gave rife to this reply. In regard to the accufation of having formerly offered to purchase the fecret, the Author ingenuously owns the fact, but tells us, at the fame time, that it happened feven years ago, when he really entertained a favourable opinion of Keyfer's pills; but that more experience hath fince obliged him to change his opinion, both in regard to thofe pills, and to every other fpecific for the Venereal Disease. Mr. Wathen has, throughout the whole, acquitted himself with judgment and propriety, his pamphlet being, in our apprehenfion, a fufficient and satisfactory reply to Mr. Keyfer's letter. B-t

Art. 27. Some Hiftories of Wounds of the Head, &c. with Obfervations: to which are added a few Remarks on the Convulfive Cough of the Year 1764, in Cornwall. By John Williams of Redruth, Cornwall. 8vo. IS. Falmouth printed, and fold by Baldwin in London.

The appearances exhibited in the operation of the trepan, convince me that the remark of a very ingenious modern author (P. Pott) concerning the dura mater, is premature, and carries in it a false idea. He afferts that the dura mater performs the office of periosteum within the craneum, in the fame manner as the pericraneum doth externally; now I think the fact is otherwife, and that the dura mater (unless at the futures) is connected with the fkull by fmall ligamentous veffels (if the expreffion is allowed) at uncertain distances; whereas the pericraneum, and all perioftea, appear to be in every point fo closely attached to their refpective bones, while healthy, that nothing short of much violence can divide them. In fome points thefe ligamentous veffels connect the skull and dura mater very tightly, fo as to occafion a difficulty in detaching them, and frequently the laceration produces a flight hemorrhage; but, generally speaking, they adhere flightly, as if ituck together with a kind of gummy fynovia, whofe tenacity gives way to the leaft force imaginable. So beginneth the notable production of Mr. John Williams of Redruth in Cornwall, who, if we may judge from his pamphlet, feems to be a very facetious kind of a gentleman. Nothing but his total ignorance of Mr. Pott's ftation, character and abilities, can excufe the familiarity of his attack upon that ingenious modern author, as he is kindly pleased to call him. But if he had been properly master of his fubject,

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he would not have ufed the word premature, as Mr. Pott, in confidering the dura mater as the internal periofteum of the cranium, does no more than follow the opinion of the belt anatomifts. Left Mr. Williams should difpute our affertion, we will tranfcribe a few paffages from fome of the moft celebrated, upon this fubject.

Ufus dura matris: loco perioltii cranio intus infervire. Heifteri Compend. Anat.

The dura mater lines the infide of the cranium, and fupplies the place of an internal periosteum. Winflow's Anatomy.

Now let us hear what the great Haller fays concerning the adhesion of the dura mater, which our Author afferts to be fo flight.

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Speaking of the cranium, he fays, huic fphæræ undique interius adnafcitur membrana firmiffima, ex duabus laminis futis diftinctis compofita, toti offeæ, fuperficiei infinitis vafculis, tanquam pedunculis pertinaciter adnata, & in fano homine nullibi fperabi is, paulo levius offibus tenuiffimis, tenacifime vero adhærens in offium commiffuris. In junioribus corporibus ita cranio adhæret, ut una adnexas fibras avellas. Prim. Lin.

• Caufa adhæfionis eft in arteriis venulifque a dura membrana ad os tranfeuntibus, & a cellulofo pariter textu, qui & alias inter periofteum & os, & inter duram membranam atque calvarium reperitur, &c.-Sed nufquam, unquam liberam reperi, aut abfque violentia craniam a dura matre avelli.' Elementa Phyfiol.

We have quoted thefe paffages in the original language, as the learned Author for whofe information they are intended, might have taken juft offence if we had prefumed to tranflate them. As to the rest of his pamphlet, we fhall continue our review of it from the next edition, which, we prefume, he will begin with a proper apology to Mr. Pott. We cannot help obferving, however, before we take our leave of Mr. Williams, that it was a little unlucky thus to ftumble at the threshold, as he might otherwife have paffed on without much animadverfion. Those who happen not to have had the advantage of a dancing-fchool education, would do best, when they enter a room upon business, to begin their narration without the ufual ceremony of a fine bow. B-t.

POETICA L.

Art. 28. Political Epiftles, on various Subjects of the prefent Times. 4to. Is. Nicoll.

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This pamphlet contains only the firft part, or opening, of the Author's defign; which, however, is not yet very clearly revealed. He is an obfcure writer; a very aukward verfifier; and the frequency of his no-rhimes is intolerable.This first part is addressed, by this political Poet, To his Country; and in it he proposes to explain the natural rife and courfe of GOVERNMENT and its THREE ESTATES, the perfection of the British CONSTITUTION, LIBERTY, PREROGATIVE both home and foreign, KINGS.'- -Such is the form of his Argument, as prefixed to the Epifle. Do you understand it, Reader? We do not, who have perufed the whole pamphlet! The following lines, extracted from what he fays of Prerogative, and applies to our prefent monarch, may ferve as a specimen of his poetry:

Britain! do not thou misguide
Thy reafon, by ill-manner'd pride.

The

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The trust thou giv'ft thy kings, give free:
Worthy of them, and worthy thee.
Where we half truft, we but infult.
Honour is honour's great refult.
The fov'reign dignity muft frown,
Beneath a hard brow-beating crown.
O! let it fit with royal grace,

With fafety, and with private ease,

On GEORGE's head.

There is fomething very like fentiment, in fome parts of this work; and pity it is, that every reader will not eafily find out what the Author would be at. Perhaps he will more clearly unfold his meaning in his. next epiftle.

Art. 29. Political Epiftles, on various Subjects of the prefent Times.
Epiftle the Second. 4to. 1s. Nicoll.

The Author is fill in the clouds; from whence he has let fall fome myftic lines, which, according to the argument prefixed, relate to party, faction, the merits of general warrants, the liberty of the prefs, and the late peace, confidered. A juft fenfe and understanding of rule and government, and the fureft means of not offending against them.' But, notwithstanding the affiftance we expected from this key, we have not been able to unlock this politico poetical cabinet; fo that the treafures of fenfe and wit which it may poffibly contain, are, as yet, concealed

from our view.

Art. 30. A poetical Sermon on the Benefit of Affliction, and the Rea
fonableness of an entire Refignation to the Will of the Supreme
Being. In Two Parts. By the Reverend Christopher Atkin-
fon, of Yelden in Bedfordshire. 4to. Is. 6d. Payne.
Mr. Atkinson may be a very worthy man, and his poetical fermon
might be published with the best intention in the world; but we are
forry that we can say nothing more in its favour.
Ն.

Art. 31. The Powers of the Pen, a Poem. Addreffed to J. Curre,"
Efq; 4to. 2s. Richardfon and Co.

The Author of this poem is one of thofe numerous maggots that have bred in the remains of Churchill; who, from the vain hope of acquiring fome confequence by it, have entered into his quarrels without his provocations, and inherited his fpirit of abufe without his capacity. The verfification of this poem is in fome places tolerable, and in others utterly defpicable; the title, however, is a mere gratis dictum, and the pamphlet ought properly to have been called The Poifon of the Pen.

L. Art. 32. The Birth of Chrift, an irregular Ode. By Thomas Gibfon, M. A. late Prebendary of Peterborough, and Rector of Paftof and Polebrook in Northamptonshire. 4to. IS. Wilfon and Fell.

It appears that this poem was written in the year 1715, when the Author was at Queen's-College in Oxford, and that it met with the approbation of the ingenious Mr. Tickell, who was then at Queen's. The

Editor,

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