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general account of the undertaking, contained in the following paffage.

• Nimirum tam gravis argumenti tractationem univerfam in ordinem redegimus; etiam difcendi fubfidia ubique comparavimus; prætermiffa exprimendo; explicando ea quæ angufte ponebantur, & ubique commonendo lectorem, quo intuens, a vera Newtoni fententia minùs aberret.Eo denique confilio omnia concinnavimus, ut in pofterum nufquam aliâs confugiant, qui fublimioris geometriæ elementa penitus complecti fecum ftatuerint

At the end of the volume Dr. Horley has fubjoined two pieces written by himself. The firft is a fhort paper, under the title of Logistica Infinitorum, containing formula adapted to facilitate the computation, and particularly the multiplication and divifion, of feries. The other, intitled De Geometria Fluxionum, is intended as an addition to Newton's Tract on prime and ultimate Ratios.Having thus paved the way for the Principia, the Editor propofes next to attend to that immortal work.

ART. VI. A Treatise on the Malignant Angina, or putrid and ulcerous Sore Throat; to which are added Jome Remarks on the Angina Trachealis. By J. Johnstone, M. D. Phyfician at Worcester. 8vo. I s. 6 d. Becket. 1779.

THE

HE principal part of this treatise, we are told, was publifhed five years ago at Edinburgh, as a Thefis; and was favourably received. It exhibits a well digefted hiftorical and fyftematical, as well as practical, view of the disease of which it treats. In difcuffing the method of cure, the Author very justly reprobates evacuations, and particularly bleeding, which had been much ufed by the ancients, and recommended by every writer on the fubject, till the publication of Dr. Fothergill's ingenious treatife. He takes notice of Huxham's pernicious conceffion in favour of this evacuation, as well as of Dr. Ruffel's approbation of this injurious practice; the evil tendency of which the Author had had particular occafion to obferve; having been born in a fituation where, from the very great frequency of the difeafe, it was known in the neighbouring country, by the name of the Kidderminster fore-throat.So long as the prepoffeffion in favour of bleeding prevailed there, it was one of the most fatal of difeafes; but fince the lancet has been laid afide, and the antifeptic method only depended upon, it has proved one of the most certain and easy to be cured.'

The Author takes notice likewise of the bad effects refulting from the exhibition of Emetic tartar, and James's powder, in this difeafe; which fome practitioners had been induced to adminifter, on account of the advantages derived from the use of

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antimonials in other fevers. The confequences,' he obferves, were generally very bad; large evacuations by ftool commonly followed their ufe, to the certain deftruction of fome, and the great injury of others.'

The bark is the remedy which is moft to be depended upon in this as well as in other putrid and malignant diseases. Its efficacy in this difeafe,' fays the Author, has furpaffed the healing powers experienced from it in every other inftance. Thofe who have tried it moft in this complaint best know how abfolutely it fubdues the difeafe, which is more certainly cured by the early application of this remedy than any disease of equal confequence by any means whatever. This is the language of all thofe phyficians who have, from long experience, had the beft opportunities of learning the true nature of the diforder, and obferving the good effects of the bark; a medicine upon which great dependance has for many years been placed in this country.In fhort, the Author obferves that, in his neighbourhood, where the malignity of the difeafe had indeed been much abated for fome years paft, the management of it was become fo familiar in many places, that the good women themfelves cured it by means of the bark and antiseptic steams.

On the whole, this treatife contains a very judicious and well digefted account of the difeafe; both as defcribed by preceding writers, and as obferved by the Author himself. The principal purpose of it, to use the Author's own words, is to record the difeafe as it has appeared in this country (Worcefter), and to recommend to the public a method of treatment which has long been fuccefsful, and is now adopted by all the phyficians in this city and county.'

Some obfervations are added on the putrid or malignant Angina Trachealis, as diftinguished from the inflammatory and fpafmodic kinds. Here too he has collected into one view the accounts given of this disease by preceding writers, under the different titles of the Croup, Acute Aflhma, Hives, &c.; and briefly lays down the method of cure.

ART. VII. Guardian of Health. Vcl. 1. In Three Parts. 1. A Defcription of the Human Body, Anatomical and Phyfiological. 2. Of the Animal Economy, &c. 3. Of Regimen, Diet, and Rules of preferving Health. By N. D. Falck, M. D. 12mɔ. 3 s. bound. Law. 1778.

THIS

HIS Writer has pretty frequently fallen under our obfervation, on a variety of topics. At prefent, we know not whether we might not content ourselves with fuffering him to be his own Reviewer, by tranfcribing the laft paragraph of his preface, and leaving the reader to form his own judgment.Ex pede Herculem.

It is not my place to fet forth the merit of this little work; the benefit which it promifes to fociety must be determined by the philanthropic, the judicious, the true fons of EfculapiusTo them I appeal; they will, I know, view it with an eye of candour, and amend its defects with kindnefs-I plead my best endeavours to fulfil the important duties of my life.'

If we may be allowed to affume thefe flattering titles and attributes to ourselves, we fear that, with all our philanthropy, judgment, medical knowledge, candour, and even kindness, we cannot, with any degree of juftice, fulfil the important duties of our critical office, by recommending thefe fheets to the public, as well adapted to anfwer the Author's avowed defign in this publication. This is nothing lefs than the preventing thofe unspeakable mifchiefs in the community,' which arife, according to him, from mankind's remaining unacquainted with the wonderful fabric of the human ftructure, and continuing ignorant of the rationale on which depend the principles of prefervation of health-in fhort, the awakening mankind from this lethargy, and the inviting their attention to a subject fo immediately concerning their welfare.'

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In a work written to inform the rational mind' on this undoubtedly interefting fubject, plainnefs, and perfpicuity of diction, are effential requifites.-But what information, to give only one example, can a common reader, or indeed any reader, receive from the Author's chapter on conftitutions?—The choleric temperament for inflance:

The choleric exceeds the fanguineous temperament in irritability and fenfibility; to which is added a tenfeness and rigidity of the folids: and hence the blood leffons, and becomes rich to excefs. The circulation is full, hard, and quick; and the arteries upon an equilibrium with the veins: hence the fyftem hot, the perceptions and paffions ftrong, quick, and conftant; a love of pleafure prevails, but with a proneness to vice, fatire, and the irafcible paffions.'

We take no pleafure in pointing out defects;' and we hope we fufficiently conform to the Author's intimation to us, above quoted, to amend them with kindnefs,' when we content ourselves with quoting, and only flightly animadverting on the new advices with which he furnishes his phyfiological Catechumen, on the subject of Vision.

Speaking of the eye, he tells him- It is the general received opinion, from the doctrine of Sir Ijaac Newton, that objects are inverted in the reprefentation on the retina of the eye: this is, I prefume, an error which, I hope, in another work, to prove in a full and fatisfactory manuer.'

Dr. Falck has, however, been anticipated in this curious opinion by a former luckiefs inquirer on this fubject, whom out

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of tenderness we shall not name; as we hope we have long ago convinced him of his error.-With refpect indeed to medical opinions and fashions-" Nous avons changé tout cela" (as the Doctor in Moliere fays) may pafs very well for a reason: but the rays of light, we apprehend, have kept a conftant courfe ever fince light was created, and are not readily to be joftled out of it by Dr. Falck. Out of pure philanthropy,' therefore, we advise him to allow what he is pleafed to call the doctrine of Sir Ifaac Newton' to remain undisturbed; and to fuffer the rays of light to follow their long accustomed habits of turning the fpecies of objects topfy turvy, in paffing through the eye, and other denfe media terminated by convex furfaces. This is the second time that Dr. Falck has thus threatened to fubvert the first and plaineft principles of optics. We expoftulated with him before on this very fubject [Vol li. August 1774, page 160.]; but, as it now appears, without effect.

ART. VIII. Materialism philofophically examined, or the Immateriality of the Soul afferted and proved on philofophical Principles; in Answer to Dr. Priestley's Difquifitions on Matter and Spirit. By John Whitehead, Author of an Effay on Liberty and Neceffity. ovo. 2s. 6d. Boards. Phillips. 1778.

HOUGH Mr. Whitehead was, we believe, one of the

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contained in Priestley's Difquifitions, particularly with respect to the nature of matter, and of the fentient principle in man; his performance has, through accident, remained hitherto unnoticed by us. He not only confiders that work as containing doctrines • fubverfive of our common faith, and destructive of future happinefs; but he plainly enough, we know not on what grounds, infinuates that the Author was not altogether unapprifed of the deftructive and fatal confequences that refult, or may be drawn from them. He charges him too with indirectly befpattering the facred penmen with dirt;' intimates a fufpicion that he owes them no very good will;' and declares that he should not wonder to hear this learned Gentleman, armed cap-a-pee with logic and philofophy, represent his Lord and Saviour as a greater deceiver than Mahomet."

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Thefe and other fimilar paffages, as well as fome gross mistakes of Dr. Priestley's meaning, have been very properly noticed by him, in a letter addreffed to the prefent Author, and printed in the volume containing Dr. Priestley's Correfpondence with Dr. Price.-Verily these charges and infinuations are by no means agreeable to the genius of that religion which this Examinant undertakes to defend; or with the meek spirit of that particular religious community to which, from the ftyle used in his dedication, he appears to belong.-Into his argumentation we shall not undertake to enter, for various reasons.

ART.

ART. IX. Immaterialism delineated; or, a View of the first Principles of Things. By Jofeph Berington. Svo. 5 s. Robinson, &c.

1779.

TH

HE anonymous Author of the Letters on Materialism, and on Hartley's Theory of the Human Mind,' addreffed to Dr. Priestley, and of which our Readers will find an account in our 56th volume [February, 1777, page 81], has here chosen to make himself known as the Author of that performance. As he ftill thinks that the promulgation of the doctrine of Materialism may prove detrimental to many; though he conceives. that it may be approved of by a philofopher, without any practi cal detriment: he here again enters the lifts, after having before, as he fays, fingly provoked conteft with an enemy, too powerful and too well verfed in the wily arts of controverfy.' He confiders himfelf (in his Preface, dated May 1778) as having imprudently engaged with fuch an antagonist; and as having the misfortune ftill to fee himself quite alone, and unfupported. He enhances the perils of his fituation, by exhibiting the following sketch of the literary and philofophical character of his opponent.

The character of the man, who now stands forth the ftrenuous advocate for Materialifm, is of a magnitude in the literary world, fufficient to ftamp a dignity on any subject. Dr. Priestley, from the multiplicity, the ingenuity, the importance of his researches and publications, has juftly acquired a reputa tion, which every lover of fcience muft look up to with grati tude and respect. The furprifing verfatility of his genius, juftly levelled and proportioned almoft to every literary pursuit, at once evinces his vaft application, and is in my eye a practical refutation of the fyftem he now offers to fupport. It can never be, that the powers of matter may rife to the difplay of fuch a mental phenomenon!-But my admiration is not blind; I fee errors in his reasoning, which I have and will endeavour to expofe To err is the common lot of humanity-Nor will I hefitate to repeat that, as a Chriftian philofopher, I highly con demn many parts of his writings, and his too free deviations from the religious tenets of mankind.'

The Author profeffes himself, and feemingly exults in being a member of the Roman Catholic Church; which he reprefents as being, in thefe latter times, by no means intolerant, or averse to freedom of inquiry, as it has been generally reprefented, and as it might have been in former times, and as it may even now be with respect to fome individuals. Though he thus approves of this freedom of inquiry, our Philofopher declares his unhefitating affent to the mysterious doctrines, which he is taught to

* Mr. B. is faid to be of the priesthood. REV. July, 1779•

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