ledge, that has lately appeared, is the Munimenta Antiqua*, of the learned, pious, and acute Mr. King. Confidering the volume which has been published as the introduction to a confiderable work, when we wish fuccefs to the author's labours, we with only for a benefit to the public; and we fhall always feel a fatisfaction in being recalled to the confideration of fuch a book. To Mr. Reynolds's Iter Britanniarum†, we have thought ourselves obliged to make fome strong objections: yet we allow that the work has merit, and to an antiquary steady enough not to be mifled by its errors, it may afford an agreeable and ufeful occupation for fome hours. We fhall, however, have occafion to make further mention of it. GEOGRAPHY. To delineate the vast empire of the Ruffias, is a tafk which could not have been undertaken, with any profpect of fuccefs, had not the way been prepared by the publications of feveral well-qualified enquirers. With fuch a ground-work to proceed upon, Mr. Tooke has produced a work, entitled A View of the Ruffian Empire, which they who confult will feldom find deficient, and never unentertaining We have called it Geographical, confidering Topography as properly limited to a narrower circle; but it will be most fought as a companion or a fupple ment to the Memoirs of Catharine II, compiled by the fame author, and noticed in a former volume. TRAVELS. A more interefting way of deferibing the various regions of the world, is practifed by the writers of voyages and travels. The adventures of the in No. V. p. 457; VI. p. 603. P. 289; IV. p. 352.. + No. VI. p. 639. No. III. ૐ dívidual . dividual are there interwoven with the delineation of the objects, and the narrative approaches more nearly to the character of the novel, than any other book of information. Who can read the perils of the hardy, but plain and unaffected Mungo Park*, without feeling as anxious for his fafe return, as for the winding up of a well-managed tale or drama? We trembled for him among the inhofpitable Moors; and in his calm retreat in his native land, wenow rejoice to know that the fruits of his labours have produced the permanent fecurity of competence and comfort. Mr. Browne interefts the reader much less in his Travels in Africat, &c. yet curiofity cannot be indifferent to fome particulars, of which he is hitherto the only relator. In giving an account of his journey from England to Aleppo, and thence through the Great Defert to Bombay, Major Taylor‡ has judiciously illuftrated his modern views by remarks drawn from ancient hiftory; dwelling particularly on the circumftances of that communication between Europe and India, with a view to facilitate the practice of it. His work therefore may be regarded, in fome degree, as an official and fcientific document, rather than a mere book of travels. The Dutch Voyager, Stavorinus§, carries us into the midft of his country's ancient poffeffions, in the East-Indian Seas, and relates many particulars refpecting their fettlements, which, through the jealoufy of that people, have hitherto been little known. The transfer of national property, occafioned by the war, has given us a new intereft in many of these narratives; and the language of the poffeffors may foon, perhaps, be altogether that of the tranflation, inftead of that of the original. Tours may be confidered as the younger brothers of travels, and of courfe will obtain notice after the fuperior branches of the family. To this divifion No. IV. p. 341. No. I. p. 11. No. V. p. 502. + No. III. p. 220. belong belong the Letters of Mathifon*, tranflated from the German; and feveral excurfions made within the compass of our own ifland. Our Tourists are at prefent rather numerous, and at the head of them ftands a gentleman, whom we have formerly noticed as eminent in that line, Mr. Skrinet; a traveller of tafte and judgment, whofe remarks will be a pleasing guide to those who make the fame excurfions. The Hon. Mrs. Murray conducts her reader to the lakes of the northern counties, to the romantic wonders of Craven, and to the terrific grandeur of the highlands. Mr. Warner confines his Walks to Wales; while Mr. Pratt gleans the topics for his defuftory and often eccentric remarks, in various parts of England. All these may agreeably amufe an hour at home, or ufefully affift in forming the plan of an excurfion. To higher praise they probably lay no claim, or a claim that might reasonably be contested. The ancient Periplus of Hanno, tranflated by Mr. Falconer, should have ftood perhaps as an illuftration of ancient geography. It is however fo concise, that much difcuffion about the propriety of its place, would exceed the length of the tract itself; except that the judicious comments of the tranflator give it an extent more proportioned to its importance. We look now with increafing expectation to the more valuable Periplus of Arrian, the ample illuftration of which, we expect from the judicious and learned enquiries of Dr. Vincent. PHILOSOPHY. We commenced happily, in this department, by noticing the Philofophical Tranfactions of London** a work which, though of neceffity fluctuating, as * No. III. p. 247. 1 No. IV. p. 400. No. III. p. 239. + No. III. p. 253. See alfo vol. vi, P. 351. ** No. I. p. !.. every fimilar compilation must be, with refpect to the value of its contents, has always fufficient matter of the best kind to maintain its honourable place among the productions of learned focieties. Few private works of a philofophical kind have lately attracted our notice; and thofe that we have feen, are fuch as we cannot very cordially recommend. Mr. Walker's Treatife on the Magnet*, may be ufeful, as containing a collection of variations compiled from various authors, but of fcientific knowledge has little or none to impart. Mr. White's Account of the Gradation in Man, Animals, &c.t combines fome curious obfervations, but is by far too precipitate in its conclufions; which we are convinced ought, in many inftances, to be exactly the reverse of what the author has fuggefted. Two very small tracts, on the Motion of Fluids, and of Bodies floating in them, were mentioned in our fifth number. The one is tranflated from the French, by Mr. Nicholfont, the other by a Mr. Gore of Weimars. Small as they are, the philofopher may find in each something worthy of his attention. MEDICINE If our medical articles are rather lefs numerous than they have been in fome former volumes, they are ftill of fufficient value to atteft the diligence and ability of those who profefs the art of healing. The Annals of Medicine, for 1798||, a continuation, under a new name, of the Medical Commentaries, contains a few remarkable cafes; but not much befides, that may not equally be found in other periodical works. The investigation of the new difcoveries refpecting the Cow-Pox, has been further purfued, both by Dr. Fenner, who firft took up the fubject, and by Dr. * No. IV. P-337$ No. V. p. 557. + No. IV. p. 416, No. V. p. 555, Woodville*, whofe fituation, at two great hofpitals, enabled him to make very extentive experiments. It does not yet feem to be proved, that the advantages of this new mode of inoculation, are either fufficiently great or fufficiently certain, to fuperfede the former mode of practice. On the Ventilation of Hofpitals and Barracks, fome useful inftructions are given by Mr. Williamst, furgeon of the Norfolk Militia; and the fubject of Diabetes, receives a degree of illuftration from a work of Dr. Girdleftonet, occafioned by a cafe of that diforder; but extending its notices to an hiftorical view of it. The Medicina Nautica, of Dr. Trotter, has been purfued, by its active and intelligent author, to a fecond volume§; the first we noticed and commended in an earlier part of our work. Few Englishmen can be fo void of patriotic feelings, as not to with fuccefs to enquiries, intended for the advantage and prefervation of our gallant feamen. In the afflictive cafes of biliary calculi, Dr. Gibbons has been able to give effectual and permanent relief by falivating doses of calomel: and there are other intimations of importance in his Medical Cafes and Remarks. The diseases which have fo often baffled the art of medicine in the Weft-Indies, are confidered by Mr. Lempriere, with a judgment matured by long experience, in his Practical Obfervations, &c.** Another clafs of Practical Obfervationstt, is offered by Mr. Whately, furgeon. He recommends preffure, and defcribes a mode of applying it, which he found attended with very beneficial effects. Mr. Walker's Memoirs of Medicinett, form a book for the hiftorian or antiquary, as much as for the profeffors of phyfic. The fubftance of the work is an abridgment of the best writers on the hiftory of the medical art, + No. II. p. 192. ↑ Vol ix, p. 663. * No. IV. p. 432. No. III p. 304. ** No. VI. p. 663. the Legs;" No, V. p. 524. No. IIL p. 261, ++ Namely, "on Wounds and Ulcers of #No. V. p. 550. delivered |