MEDICA L. Art. 63. Some Account of the Walton Water, near Tewkesbury. With According to Dr. Johnftone's analyfis, the Walton water contains a fmall quantity of iron diffolved in fixed air, abforbent earth diffolved in hepatic air, vitriolated mineral alkali, vitriolated magnefia, and muriated mineral alkali. We could have wifhed that the learned Author had afcertained the quantities of the component parts of the water; its qualities are, however, accurately determined, and experience afcertains the dofe much better than theory could do. The water is principally efficacious in glandular diseases, efpecially in their obftructions. This circumftance leads the Author to offer fome thoughts on the ufe and difeafes of the lymphatic glands; he thinks that the use of these glands is to intercept, as fponges, and to alter, as digeftive organs, whatever is unfit to enter into the mass of blood. In ordinary cafes this is effected without obftruction, but in extraordinary cafes the noxious matter remains in the gland, deftroys its powers, fubftance, and organization, and by re-abforption, contaminates the habit. Art. 64. The Gentleman's experienced Farrier; containing the Methods of Diet, Exercife, Bleeding, Purging, &c. of Horfes ;the Anatomical Parts defcribed;-the Disorders incident to Horses, and their respective Cures, &c. By William Fofter, Farrier. 8vo. 6s. fewed. Robinfons. In this age, when the arts are making a daily and rapid progress toward perfection, we expected to find that a treatise on farriery would have contained the latest improvements of the art, In this performance, we meet with feveral good directions, but few, if any of them, are new. The modern practice, for instance, of treating bruifes, and the ufe of Goulard's extract as a moft powerful refolvent and difcutient, ought at leaft to have been mentioned. Art. 65. The Gentleman's Stable Directory; or, Modern Syftem of Farriery. Comprehending the prefent entire improved Mode of Practice; containing all the most valuable Prefcriptions and approved Remedies, &c. &c. By William Taplin, Surgeon. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Kearsley. 1788. If the qualifications of a farrier confift in abufing preceding authors on the fame fubject, and in boafting his own fuperior skill, Mr. Taplin must be placed in a very diftinguished point of view. His abilities, as a theoretical farrier, are unknown to us, because he has almoft wholly confined himself, in this publication, to the practice of the art-In fome inftances, indeed, he attempts the inveftigation of the caufes and the theory of diseases; but in these he frequently errs. A remarkable example of this occurs in p. 228, where, treating of the jaundice, he talks of the gall-bladder. When we ftudied equeftrian anatomy, a horfe had no gall-bladder: but perhaps Mr. Taplin will fay with the man in the farce-" It used to be fo, but the college have altered that matter now.” Though we have discovered this, and fome other flips, we cannot pass a general cenfure on the performance before us. Moft of Mr. Taplin's 7 " Taplin's practical directions are excellent, especially those which relate to feeding, and condition, and bleeding. As to purging, though we are inclined to doubt the propriety of the practice, from the length and structure of the inteftinal canal, and from the difficulty as well as the danger of the operation, yet, fpeaking from practical experience, we must admit its good effects; we must also acknowlege that Mr. Taplin's receipts, according to the trials which we have made of them, are good ones. We shall not enumerate all the particulars of Mr. Taplin's practice: we could have wished to have feen more of theory, and less dictation. The book is nevertheless a good one. Art. 66. Firft Lines of the Theory and Practice in Venereal Difeafes. By William Nisbet, M. D. Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons at Edinburgh. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Elliot, &c. 1787. The numerous capital works which many able authors have published concerning this malady, feem, in the opinion of feveral writers, infufficient for explaining the nature of the disease, or for giving the neceffary inftructions to the tyro, for forming a rational method of cure. The prefent performance appears to be the production of a young writer, who difplays an intimate knowlege of the fubject, and gives fome ufeful practical directions for its cure. We wish we could ftop here; but we are under the neceffity of denying our affent to the greatest part of the Author's philofophy concerning the mode of the operation of mercury in curing venereal complaints. It is a dark and intricate fubject, and ought to be treated only by fuch as have made the more, abftrufe parts of natural philofophy, chemistry, anatomy, &c. &c. their peculiar ftudy. Mercury, which is at least ten times the specific gravity of the blood, muft, on its introduction into that moving fluid, confiderably increase its momentum, and confequently the fymptoms which fucceed the ufe of quickfilver ought to be referred to the momentum of the blood. Few phyfiologifts, however, in explaining the circulation of the blood, and the effects produced by it, have ever taken the momentum into confideration. Art. 67. Curfory Remarks on the New Pharmacopaia. By Liquor Volatilis Cornu-Cervi. 8vo. Is. Stalker. 1788. Abufe of the College and Dr. Healde, should have been the title of this fcurrilous pamphlet, which is below criticism. Art. 68. Obfervations on the Medical Practice of Dr. Brown; or, An Inquiry into the Abuse of Stimulants in Fevers. 8vo. 1S. Gardner. 1788. Dr. Brown's practice being built on an hypothefis contrary to that which has lately been maintained by the Edinburgh profeffors, it is no wonder that his doctrine fhould be oppofed by the difciples of those from whom he diffents. The Author of the pamphlet before us reprobates the practice of giving opium in fevers; he mentions alfo the harm that may enfue from the ufe of wine; but on this fubject he is a little more moderate, probably because many of the Edinburgh profeffors have acknowleged its efficacy in certain fpecies of fevers. Although every rational practitioner must in general difapprove the Brunonian doctrine, yet many fevers (we believe the greateft greatest part of them), in this country at leaft, require a liberal ufe of cordials and ftimulants: but in faying this we are alío aware that exceffive quantities may be attended with the moft fatal confequences. It is no less an old than a true adage, Omne nimium nocet. ANTIQUITIES, HERALDRY, &c. Art. 69. Preftwich's Refpublica; or a Difplay of the Honours, Ceremonies, and Enfigns of the Commonwealth under the Protectorfhip of Oliver Cromwell, &c. 4to. 75. 6d. Boards. Nichols. 1787, The firft article in this collection is a genealogical table, in which Cromwell is derived from Blethin ap Kynwyn, prince of Powis. The furname of Cromwell was introduced into the family by William, the Protector's great grandfather, who married the fifter of Thomas Crumwell, Earl of Effex. The fon of this marriage was furnamed Cromwell. He was gentleman of the privy chamber to Henry VIII. The fecond article is an account of the ceremony of the very folemn inveftiture and installation of Oliver into the protectorship. The title fays, written by me Edmund Preftwich, of the city of London, an eye and ear witness to all that paffed on this glorious occafion.' Then follow the defcriptions of the flags and armorial bear. ings of 458 commanders and captains of companies in the army of the commonwealth-a lift of the provincial governors - -an account of the military establishment-a lift of the navy-a lift, titled, the loyalift's bloody roll, or a lift of the lords, baronets, knights, &c. with their king and archbishop, that were flain in the late wars, or executed by the high courts of justice,'-another lift, titled, the names and armorial bearings of fundry noble and worthy perfonages in the commonwealth, with fome account of their families.' The next article defcribes the death and funeral of Oliver Cromwell, with engravings of the funeral enfigns of honour which were carried in the proceflion. To this is fubjoined a lift of the members of the parliament which began January 1658 and was diffolved April 1659, being the laft parliament of the commonwealth. The next article is a treatife on the English conftitution and government, at the conclufion of which we find a very minute and particular account of the prefent royal family, with the arms of all its branches. The volume concludes with a few articles of a work, called the Alphabetical Roll.' This is a curious performance, and must be acceptable to genealogifts and heralds. It contains the names and a fhort history of the most refpectable families in England, with a defcription of their arms. This roll extends no farther than to Afpinball; but the remainder of the alphabet is promised in the second vo lume and in the mean time the communications of the curious are -requested by the Author, Sir John Preftwich, directed either to himfelf at Bath, or his publisher in London. zd. or Art. 70. Abort Difcourfe on the Sabbath: By a Member of the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowlege. 12mo. 129. per 100. Johnfon. 1787. Serious without enthufiafm, and plain without meanness; therefore well adapted to the defign for which it was written, Art. Art. 71. A Letter to the Caput of the University of Cambridge, on the Rejection of the Grace for abolishing Subfcription. By a Member of the Senate. 8vo. Is. Johnson. 1788. This is a fpirited, fenfible, and well-written remonftrance. The author confiders the paffing of a rejection (Dec. 11, 1787) in the caput, to a grace for the removal of fubfcription to the thirty-nine articles, at the time of taking the degree of Bachelor of Arts, as a defpotic exertion of an arbitrary power, vefted in the caput in dark and arbitrary times, What apology the refpectable body, against whom this charge is brought, may chufe to offer for them felves, we cannot take on us to fay. Confidering the matter in the light of a general queftion, in which the public is materially interested, we muft, however, exprefs our hearty concurrence with the anonymous author of this letter, in the opinion, that the requifition of fubscription at the time of conferring degrees, is an encumbrance on learning, and a fnare to integrity, which, in the prefent ftate of knowlege, might without the fmalleft inconvenience, or hazard, be abolished. Art. 72. A Recommendation of Brotherly-love, on the Principles of Chriftianity. To which is fubjoined, an Enquiry into the true Defign of the Inftitution of Masonry. By James Wright, A. M. Minifter at Maybole. 8vo. 4s. Boards. Edinburgh, printed. London, fold by Murray. The general fubjects of the treatife are, the obligations of brotherly-love; its nature and proper expreffions; with the pleasures which flow from it. Thefe fubjects are confidered and illuftrated with good fenfe, judgment, and animation. The author difcovers He appears to be a a pious, a benevolent, and a liberal mind. friend to peace and liberty, and all the real interests of mankind. They who perufe his book can hardly avoid the wish at least to cultivate the spirit and pursue the practice it recommends. The argu ments are powerful, and the ftyle and manner, on the whole, are agreeable. Yet, it must be said, that there is fometimes too much appearance of negligence, or too much repetition of the fame thoughts; perhaps, occafioned by the differtations having originally borne the form of fermons; compofitions which require to be fometimes diffufive in order to be the more useful. The latter part of this work is devoted to the fraternity of FreeMafons. Brotherly-love, it may be thought, has no more immediate or neceffary connection with Masonry than with other arts or focieties among mankind. Nay, it might be apprehended that fuch an affociation would promote too much a kind of party-spirit, and abridge or prevent fuitable regards to the human race in general. On this point we fhall not determine. We have not the honour to rank with the Brethren of the Trowel. Our author, we conclude, is one of the initiated: he delivers to them fome excellent advice; but his principal purpofe is to point out a method by which he thinks their inftitution might be rendered of the most extenfive and important fervice: it is by making it a means of fpreading the chriftian doctrine among thofe who are at prefent unacquainted with it. He apprehends that a book on brotherly-love, as a branch of chriftianity, could be easily introduced to the acquaintance of the Brethren Brethren of all mafon-lodges, which, being to be found in almost every part of the world, might thus prove of use in propagating the religion of Jefus * ! Mr. Wright, poffibly, may have a view to his own book; and we do not think it ill calculated for the purpose; but it must be tranflated into different languages.-Whatever are his particular views, his general intention, whether vifionary or folid, is undoubtedly good; and we heartily and fervently with well to whatever may contribute in a smaller or larger measure to the comfort and welfare of mankind. Art. 73. Social Religion exemplified, in an Account of the first Settlements of Chriftianity in the City of Caerludd. Written originally by the Rev. Matthias Morrice. Fourth Edition. Revifed by Edward Williams. Small 8vo. 3s. Shrewsbury printed: London, fold by Longman. This book, we are told, has been long out of print, and much fought after, by perfons of different religious fentiments and perfuafions. Mr. Morrice, the author, was a diffenting minifter, firft in South Wales, his native country, and afterward at Rothwell, in. Northamptonshire, at which place he finished his days, in the year 1738. The work is, in fact, a view of the difcipline, form of government, and religious worship among thofe chriftian churches which are termed congregational, or independent. We make no doubt that Mr. Morrice was a man of real piety and goodness;-that he had a warm and zealous attachment to the fentiments and mode, which are here fo particularly defcribed, is fufficiently apparent from this performance. It carries fome face of originality, and may be perufed with entertainment and improvement by those who do not concur in all the author's opinions. There is fomewhat ingenious in this plan, which is laid in the very early times of chriftianity, and fuppofes that two gentlemen (pagans) travelling from Caer-ludd (London) into Wales, there fell into the company of fome chriftians, and were introduced to their worshipping affembly, by which means they were converted, and were afterward the caufe of erecting a chriftian church in the city to which they returned. If we have been rather amufed and pleafed in running through the volume, and think there feems more of chriftian fimplicity in the fcheme than in that of fome other churches which might be named; if also we can make allowance for the tenacioufnefs which is expreffed or implied as to that fide of difputable points which has been accounted orthodox; at the fame time we cannot withhold our disapprobation and our cenfure of the treatment, which fome perfons, in the church at Caer-ludd, are faid to have met with, for what were deemed beretical opinions, and which proceeded to excommunication.-It may be urged, indeed, that the harshest measures here faid to be employed, and employed with a great appearance of humanity, are far preferable to fpiritual courts and star-chambers. But when once How far this would be confiftent with the original fundamental principles of the fociety, which is faid to be much older than christianity, we know not. |