Such are the outlines of the dying Hero. It will be doing no injuftice to the Writer to obferve, that, though his poem may contain many good lines, it is, upon the whole, a crude and hafty performance: in few refpects equal to what might be expected from the known abilities of the ingenious Author.

MEDICAL.

Art. 33. Synopfis Medica, or, A Short View of the Modern Practice of Phyfic: with a Pharmacopoeia Extemporanea. In 2 Vols. Vol. 1. izmo. 6s. Bew. 1779.

A catchpenny publication, copied chiefly from Dr. Cullen's First Lines, and other works: the fubftance of which, the inftructed reader will perufe much more to his fatisfaction in the original writings; and the uninftructed will not be able to comprehend in any form. The judgment and understanding of this compiler may be estimated from the following claufe. Speaking of the measles, he fays, they attack with rigor ;' inftead of a rigour or fhivering. Art. 34. An Answer to Baron Dimfdale's Review of Dr. Lett fom's Obfervations on the Baron's Remarks, refpecting a Letter upon General Inoculation. By John Coakley Lettfom, M. D. F. R. S. and S. A. 8vo. Dilly, &c. 1779.

We

More perfonal altercation, of a very difagreeable kind. fincerely with this may be the laft publication in this very unimportant and degrading fquabble.

Art. 35. Confiderations on the Propriety of a Plan for Inoculating the Poor of London at their own Habitations; with a View, particularly, to the Arguments urged in Defence of it, by the Author of a late anonymous Letter to Dr. J. C. Lettfom. 8vo. 6 d. Baldwin, &c. 1779.

In our laft Month's Review, fpeaking of the letter to which this publication is an anfwer, we gave it as our opinion, that the Author had hit upon the grand and folid argument upon which promifcuous inoculation was to be defended; and notwithstanding the prefent Writer has raised plaufible objections to feveral points in the Letterwriter's reafoning, we ftill think the fame. If there were any plan, public or private, for preventing the spread of the fmall pox in London, we acknowledge, that interfering with it by unguarded inoculation would be highly culpable and injurious; but while the people in general are left to all the hazards of natural contagion, which fooner or later they muft fall a prey to, we cannot but think, that fnatching a great number of them from the dangers of the difeafe by inoculation, will much more than compenfate any bad confequences from diffufing, or rather anticipating the infection. It appears evident to us, that the caufe why inoculation has already fo little benefited the public, has been the want of an eafy introduction of it among the poor; and till fome better plan than that of the Society is propofed, we cannot fee the propriety of debarring the most numerous and ufeful clafs of people from its advantages. Hofpitals, in a place like London, are utterly inadequate to the purpofe. It would, however, be worth the confideration of the Society, whether, by inoculating only at certain feafons, or in certain diftricts where the natural difeale

already

already prevails, they might not more effectually obviate all the objections of their opponents. Art. 36. A Synopfis of a Courfe of Lectures on Anatomy and Surgery. By Magnus Falconar, Surgeon, and Profeffor of Anatomy. 8vo. 6s. bound. Longman, &c. 1778.

In order to fave young ftudents the trouble of perufing treatifes of anatomy; to give them a knowledge of all the technical terms used in the fcience; and to remove the neceffity of taking notes in time of lecture, a practice peculiarly hurtful where the eyes ought to be continually employed, as in anatomical demonftrations; Mr. Falconar printed thefe very copious heads of lectures, which contain a full and complete reference to every object defcribed or exhibited, and every opinion advanced, either fpeculative or practical, during his courfe. The utility of fuch a work to fudents must be obvious; and it may prove very ferviceable. to those who have gone through their ftudies, in order, occafionally, to renew in their minds, ideas which ought to be familiar to every medical practitioner.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 37. Characteristic Strictures; or, Remarks on upwards of 100 Portraits of the most eminent Perfons in the Counties of Lancaster and Chefter; particularly in the Town and Neighbourhood of Manchetter. Now fuppofed to be on Exhibition. Addreffed to John Aftley, Efq; of Duckinfield-Lodge. In Imitation of a late ingenious Publication, entitled, Sketches from Nature. Interfperfed with critical and explanatory Notes. 4to. 2 s. 6 d.. Millidge.

1779•

With refpect to the pieces that form the prefent exhibition, it is but justice to acknowledge, that many of them are truly characteriftic of the different mailers whofe works they are fuppofed to be.. How far it is defenfible, thus to compel them to exhibit before the public, is what we fhall not take upon us to determine: we cannot, however, but think, that to gratify perfonal spleen at the expence of private character, is mean and ungenerous.

Art. 38. Hiftoire d'un Pou François, &c.-The History of a French Loufe, or the Spy, of a new Species, in France and England; containing Pictures of the most interefting Characters of the Two Kingdoms, and affording a Key to the principal Events .which have happened in the Year 1779, as well as of those which are to happen in 1780. 8vo. 3 s. Paris. Imported by Becket, London.

The French Loufe is produced on the head of a woman of pleafure; but is foon obliged to abandon the place of his nativity by a peftilential diforder, arifing from the exhalation of certain mineral vapours, which infected and defolated the whole country. After a: variety of adventures, fcarce worth relating, he becomes acquainted with the Queen of France, Madamoifelle D'Eon, Dr. Franklin, M. De Sartine, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Shelburne. Inhabiting the neighbourhood of the brain, the Loufe difcovers the moft fecret thoughts that pafs in the minds of thefe diftinguifhed perfonages. We cannot venture to fay, that the discovery is of much

* See Review for June, p. 474.

confequence.

confequence. The Loufe has a great deal of ill-nature, a great deal of impiety, and very little wit.

N. B. A tranflation into English is published.

Art. 39. Cafe Tables at Five Pounds and Fifteen per cent. on the Duties of Excife and Malt. Alfo at 24 and 14 per Cent. or 6 d. and 3 d. per Pound, chargeable on Eftates, Goods, and Effects, fold by way of Auction. Calculated with the greatest Exactnefs, from a Farthing to a Pound, at one View, and from one Pound to Ten Thoufand, to the Hundredth Part of a Farthing. Defigned chiefly for the Officers, &c. belonging to the Excife, and alfo for the Ufe of Auctioneers and others. By John Crofs, Clerk to Benjamin Willis, Efq; Collector of Excise for Durham Collection. 8vo. Is. Newcastle upon Tyne, printed. London, Sold by Johnfon. 1779:

Thefe Tables will, undoubtedly, be useful to thofe for whom they are intended.

Art. 40. Rules for reading Italian. By John Povoleri. 4to. Is. Cadell, &c.

Thefe rules contain nothing of importance, that is not to be met with in every common Grammar.

LA W.

Art. 41. The Law of Outlawry, and Practice in Civil Actions. By Thomas Legge. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Baldwin. 1779.

Mr. Legge difcovers a vehement anxiety to revive the old law and practice of outlawry, in all its rigors, and to arm it with all its antient feverity. But as he confeffes, that the prefent practice is confonant to general precedent for fome time laft paft,' it is not very likely that he will infpire many of his readers with the fame zeal. Outlawry (fays this eloquent attorney) in a civil action, at leaft, is become a fhadow instead of a fubftance, and though originally intended as an especial handmaid, is now become a common proftitute to the fuitors; and the King's prerogative and interest therein thereby totally loft; and of thefe proceedings, we apprize the Attorney General (who by duty is bound to preferve every prerogative of the crown), that he take heed that that which appertains to this matter (although it feems little more than an ideal one) be not suffered to be annihilated by his not being party to reverfals, &c.'

We cannot honeftly fay, that we with our Author much fuccefs in this attempt to refufcitate the prerogative of the crown: nor do we imagine, that the Attorney-General, and other law-officers, would be inattentive to its emolument, and their own fees, unless the furtherance of civil juftice required a relaxation of ancient strictness. -So much as to the design and tendency of this work. With refpect to the execution, Mr. Legge has bestowed a confiderable degree of attention to it, and collected many ufeful cafes on the fubject As a Writer, he is sometimes cenfurable for an unfeafonable profufion of words on matters that are not fufceptible of ornament, and that require only plainnefs and precision.

SCHOOL-Books. Art. 42. A Treatise on the Elegance of the Latin Tongue. Wherein Rules upon every Part of Speech, the most obvious in good Authors, and the most neceffary to be known, are fet forth in the

shortest

479 fhorteft and plaineft Manner, and fupported by Examples, all taken from Cicero. Proper to be perufed and learnt by Heart, by young People who have acquired a fufficient Knowledge of the Syntax. To which is added, a very concife Treatise on Numbers, thewing in the fulleft Light, the Way of expreffing them in Latin. With the Roman Manner of counting the Days of Months. By A. De Burcy. 12mo. I s. 6d. Printed for the Author. Sold

by Fielding and Walker.

This work is divided into five chapters. The first confifts of fuch general rules as were reducible under no particular head; the fecond is confined to nouns; the third to pronouns; the fourth to verbs ; and the fifth to conjunctions, prepofitions, adverbs, and other particles. The rules are drawn up with perfpicuity and brevity, and in general, are judiciously exemplified. There are fome, however, which we think not altogether unexceptionable; those we mean, in which the young pupil is taught, that words are fometimes added in Latin merely for the Jake of ornament. In this point, we apprehend the Writer to be mistaken. Whatever is merely useless, can never by good writers be confidered as ornamental. It is poffible, indeed, that in a dead language, there will fometimes be shades of meaning, too faint to strike the eye of a modern obferver. Yet we may affure ourfelves, that what may now appear to be altogether expletive, was originally intended to give fulness to the fenfe as well as harmony to the period, either to add energy to the expreffion, or to render it more emphatical. That this, indeed, was the cafe, is obvious from many of the examples which Mr. De Burcy introduces as proving the contrary.

The Treatife on nouns of number will be very useful to young beginners, who generally find the Latin numerals extremely perplexing.

Art. 43. Inftitutes of Arithmetic, elementary and practical; defigned as a Text-Book, for the Ufe of Schools. By William Gordon, Author of the Univerfal Accountant. 12mo. 2 s. Edinburgh printed: London fold by Richardson and Urquhart. 1779. There is a kind of claffical elegance, if we may fo exprefs ourfelves, in the method ufed throughout this book, which is not only new, but pleafing also. The definitions and rules are brief, clear, and diftinct: but, as a fchool-book, we cannot help thinking, that there is a deficiency in the number of examples; unless we are to fuppofe it intended for youth of a riper age, than that at which with us they usually fet to learn arithmetic.

SERMON.

1. The Magiftrate's Duty with refpe&t to Vice and Immorality, fet forth. -By a Minister of the established Church. 8vo. 6d. 1779Sold by Evans in Pater-nofter-row.

Whether this fermon was preached, or if preached, at what place, does not appear; it is, however, feasonably offered to the confideration of the public, particularly thofe to whom it is immediately addreffed, viz. all the magiftrates of the kingdom.

After confidering the magiftrate's duty to punish vice, and enumerating feveral irregularities which call for his particular regard;

fome objections to the exertion of his authority for this purpose, are answered; and among the reft, the common, but often futile plea, that the magiftrate is not called to act, unless fome complaint is brought before him.

This Writer infifts, that there are feveral cafes in which it is the magistrate's duty to vifit fufpected places, and fearch out offenders. He obferves particularly, that the legislature has laid a pecuniary penalty on mayors, fheriffs, &c. for not fearching places suspected of unlawful games. On the whole, it is to be doubted, that there are magiftrates, who might profit (in the virtuous fenfe of the word) by a careful attention to the reprefentations and advice delivered in this 'ufeful fermon.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the AUTHORS of the MONTHLY REVIEW. GENTLEMEN,

A

Correfpondent in your laft, p. 399. maintains from Bingham, that "the use of organs came into the church fince the time of Thomas Aquinas, anno 1250, and that they were introduced into churches by Martinus Sanutus, about the year 1290." But I think I can trace them at least a hundred years higher, on the authority of Gervas, the Monk of Canterbury, who wrote about the year 1194. In his defcription of Lanfranc's church, as it was before the fire in 1174, he has thefe words, "Crux auftralis fupra fornicen organa geftare folebat *." And the ornamental foundation of this organ loft, being a projection faced with wainscotting painted, on which are the figures of St. Auguftine and St. Gregory, may fill be feen in that cathedral, over St. Michael's chapel, and is defcribed by Mr. Gottling, in his ingenious Walk,' p. 238. fecond edition. Yours, &c. CANTUARIENSIS,

We have read our worthy and learned Correfpondent's letter, concerning the Doctrine of the Eternity of Hell Torments, with attention, but not with conviction. What we advanced upon that fubject, in the Article concerning Bishop Pearce's Sermons, was not hastily thrown out; but was the refult of long and deep enquiry and reflection. We cannot, however, as Reviewers, enter into pri vate controverfies. If our Correfpondent fhould refolve to lay his fentiments before the Public, we shall give them a candid and impartial confideration.

ttt J. D.'s letter, relative to the want of a GENERAL INDEX to all the volumes of the MONTHLY REVIEW, has afresh excited our attention to that defign; concerning which we shall speedily come to a final determination.

*+* Mr. Knox's Effays, Moral and Literary, Vol. H. in our next.

• Decem Scriptores, p. 1293.