fome happy fpot, or the convenience of wood and water. They lived upon milk, and flesh procured by the chace; for corn was fcarcely known among them. What cloaths they wore, were fkins of beafts, but a great part of their bodies was left always expofed to the injuries of the weather; all that was naked being painted with blue. This cuftom of painting was univerfal among them, either in order to ftrike terror into their enemies, or to defend the pores of the naked fkin from the viciffitudes of the feafon.

Their towns, if a collection of huts could deferve that name, were moftly built upon the coafts, in fuch places as ftrangers generally reforted to for the fake of commerce. The commodities exported, were chiefly hides and tin, and, probably, other fpontaneous productions of the foil, which required no art in the preparation.

Their government, like that of the ancient Gauls, confifted of feveral petty principalities, which feem to be the original governments of mankind, and deduced from the natural right of paternal dominion: but whether thefe little principalities defcended by fucceffion, or were elected by the confent of the people, is not recorded. Upon great or uncommon dangers, indeed, the chief commander of all their forces was chofen by common confent, in a general affembly, as Cæfar relates of Caffibelanus, upon his invafion. The fame was done upon their, revolts against the Roman colonies, under Caractacus and their Queen Boadicea; for among them, women were admitted to their principalities, and general commands, by the right of fucceffion, merit, or nobility.

Such were the customs of the ancient Britons, and the fame may ferve for a defcription of every other barbarous nation, of which we have any knowlege. Savage man, is an animal in almost every country the fame; and all the difference between nations, refults from cuftoms introduced by luxury, or cultivated by refinement. What the inh..bitant of Britain was at that time, the inhabitant of South America, or Cafraria, may be at this day. But there was one cuftoin among the ancient inhabitants of this ifland, which feems peculiar to themfelves, and is not to be found in the accounts of any other ancient or modern nation. The custom I mean,, was a community of wives, among certain numbers, and by common confent. Every man married, indeed, but one woman, who was always after, and alone, efteemed his wife: but, it was ufual for five or fix, ten, twelve, or more, either brothers or friends, as they could agree, to have all their wives in common. But this, though calculated for their mutual happinefs, in fact proved their greatest disturb

ance i

ance; and we have fome inftances, in which this community. of wives produced diffentions, jealoufies, and death. Every woman's children, however, were the property of him who had married her; but all claimed a fhare in the care and defence of the whole fociety, fince no man knew which were his own.'

The following paffage is taken from one of the Letters imputed to the Editor. In fpeaking of the adminiftration of Sir Robert Walpole, he gives an account of the project for licencing the Theatre; a blow, fays he, levelled at the little wit remaining, which has effectually banifhed all tafte from the Stage, and from which it has never fince recovered. When Walpole entered into power, he refolved to despise that set of under-rate Writers, who live by arraigning every Ministry, and diffeminate scandal and abuse. For a time he prosecuted that intention; but at last found it neceflary to employ a fet of mean hirelings, to answer calumny with calumny. He wanted judgment to diftinguish genius; or none poffeffed of fuch a gift were mean enough to applaud his measures. From hence he took an implacable averfion to the prefs, which fo feverely expofed his corruption, and branded his follies. But the Prefs alone was not the only scourge he had to fear; the Theatre joined all its ridicule, and he faw himfelf expofed as the object of scorn, as well as hatred. When licence once tranfgreffes the rules of decency, it knows no bounds. Some of the pieces exhibited at that time, were not only fevere, but immoral alfo. This was what the Minister held to; he brought in a bill to limit the number of play-houses; to fubject all dramatic writings to the infpection of the Lord Chamberlain, whofe license was to be obtained before any work could appear. Among those who undertook to oppose this bill, was the Earl of Chefterfield, who observed, that the laws already in being for keeping the Stage within due bounds, were every way fufficient. "If, fays he, our stageplayers at any time exceed thofe bounds, they ought to be profecuted, and may be punished. A new law, therefore is, in the present inftance, unneceffary; and every unneceffary law is dangerous. Wit, my Lords, is the property of those that have it; and it is too often the only property they have.. It is unjuft therefore to rob a man at any rate of his poffeffions; but it is cruelty to fpoil him, if already poor. If Poets and Players are to be restrained, let them be reftrained like other subjects; let them be tried by their Peers, and let not a Lord Chamberlain be made the fovereign judge of wit. A power lodged in the hands of a fingle man to determine, without limitation or appeal, is a privilege unknown to our laws, and inconfiftent with our conftitution." The Houfe applauded his wit and eloquence; and the queftion was carried against him.'

1

The Reader will fee that this work promises more entertainment than those Hiftories which are divided into Question and Anfwer; it is, however, much to be doubted, whether many of the reflections interfperfed throughout thefe Letters, are not too far-fetched and refined, for the comprehension of schoolboys. It is alfo farther to be doubted, whether a fimple narrative of facts, without the intermixture of political obfervations, and delineation of characters, would not be much more ufeful, if it were made equally engaging.

K-n-k.

An Efay on the more common West-India Difeafes; and the Remedies which that Country itself produces. To which are added, Some Hints on the Management of Negroes. By a Phyfician in the Weft-Indies 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Becket.

TH

HE Writer of this judicious little treatife, probably intended the impreflion, or much the greater part of it, for our American islands within the Tropic, for which it is properly calculated, and where it cannot fail of being very useful as no Phyfician, who had not refided for fome time there, could have been fufficiently acquainted with the difeafes peculiar to the Negroes in that climate, and with all the indi-genous medical productions of it, to have given fuch full and particular directions. It is adapted, with a judicious plainnefs and fimplicity, to the understanding of all Proprietors, Managers, and even Overfeers of flaves; being, as the Author fays in his preface, wholly divefted of the parade of learning, and purpofely written with as much fhortnels as was confiftent with perfpicuity.'

Three or four of the fections are employed in directions for choofing Negroes; for the treatment of their infants; and on the proper domic regulations, particularly of new, or, as they are called, falt-water Negroes, and on the conftruction of a particular house for the reception of thofe that are fick. About thirty other fections are appropriated to other difeafes, and chiefly fuch as the flaves are moft liable to, with their proper regimen and remedies; a large proportion of which are of the growth of the climate, and fome of them confiderably powerful.

In treating of the leprofy, which our learned and humane. Writer laments, as too generally incurable, he fays, page 54,

I am, notwi hftanding, perfuaded, that the antidote of the leprofy is to be found in the Weft-Indies. What profit, what pleasure would accrue to the happy Difcoverer! And, in his preface,

7

* Dr Grainger

preface, he feems to think, a fuitable encouragement for difcoveries in the Materia Medica, a great Defideratum; as if every art,' he adds, (with refpect to their various premiums) was more neceffary than phyfic, and every object more confiderable than the health of the community.' On this occafion we may reflect however, that the multitude, and many pretenfions, of Noftrum-mongers, and imaginary Difcoverers, would cost no little time and trouble to difcufs properly; and that the real Discoverers of a certain cure for any reputedly incurable disease, would be fure to find their account fufficiently, in the gratitude and munificence of their wealthieft Patients.

The conclufion of this treatife gives a catalogue of fuch Officinal Simples and Compofitions, as have not medicines equivalent to be fubftituted for them, in the medical productions of that climate; mentioning alfo the fmall, but neceffary, apparatus, for the exhibition or application of them: of all which our Author thinks no plantation fhould be unprovided.

K.

A Treatife on Fevers in general, their Nature and Treatment. On Fevers in particular, as the Intermittent and Rheumatic Fevers, and their Cure, by Means abfolutely new, &c. &c. By John Hawkridge, Surgeon. 8vo. Is. Printed at York. Sold by Crowder.

TH HIS pamphlet prefents us an uncommon, yet confiderable proof, that a writer's practical notions in his business may be generally right, and his ideas diftinct and rational, even while his expreffion of them is very defective. It alfo fhews, that where a perfon's experience and correfpondence are much limited, he may fuppofe he is teaching his Readers, of the fame profeffion, fomething new (which may be true with respect to a few of them) but of which many others could have informed him, before the birth, and even before the very conception, of his performance. This laft affertion is clearly proved from his preface, which affures us that the frequent outcries and prejudices against the grand febrifuge [the Bark] firft induced him to write and publish this treatife;-and which prejudices he thinks to lie not in the medicine, but for want of knowing how to use it.' This is the ignorance then he determines to cure, by informing them, p. 27. & feq.-that they are to give in the intervals, between two fits of an intermitting fever, fix drachms of the Bark in fubftance, or ten in decoction, to a common adult patient; but to a lufty ftrong boned man, a good deal relaxed, one full ounce in fubftance, within the fame interval: and that,

if the intermiffion is fhort, the fame quantity is to be taken, as if it was long.'

The publishing of this grand practical fecret, then, as Mr. Hawkridge probably thought it, having been the avowed purpofe of his treatife, he obferves, verbatim. If the leaft degree of felf-intereft had been moving, it might, with many of the fecret-mongers, been kept clofe.' But we hope we shall occafion more pleafure than difappointment to a gentleman of his profeffed humanity, by affuring him this has by no means been an extenfive fecret for near forty years paft: but that patients in London and its environs, and many thousand miles beyond them, have taken nearly the fame quantities, in the fame interval of an intermitting fever; and have alfo repeated the like precautionary doses, (a term which has escaped Mr. H.) seven or eight days after, juft as he advifes them. So that these patients have been full as fpeedily and effectually cured in all those places, as his patients in Yorkshire, and probably before some of these last were born. But fuppofing this unknown to our Author, mankind are not the lefs obliged to him, for intending to let them into fo falutary a fecret. We may add too, that this practice feems to have been full as cautiously exercised in thofe different places, by very generally, if not always, premifing a vomit to the Bark, which our Author only advifes if the liver gives bile fharper than common, and hence vellicates the stomach fo as to caft up its contents.'

His title-page, which we have contracted, and his introduction, gave us fome expectation of his entering upon the rationale of the operation and efficacy of the Bark, and even of mercury, as he fays, p. 6, I hope we shall cease to speak any longer of their fpecific ufes, as their effects are no more occult, but manifeft and felf-evident,'-whence perhaps he thought it fuperfluous to enter upon fuch a difquifition, as could difclofe no fecret. Yet with regard to the Bark he fays, in a note, p. 30, It is well worth obferving, if this valuable medicine doth not difturb the prima via, but pass the lacteals, bread itself is not more friendly to our conftitution. It is never known to vellicate any one fecretion, during its whole abode in the mafs of fluids.'

We confefs we were at a lofs to understand this vellication of a fecretion: but we apprehend Mr. H. meant, that the Bark did not increase any fecretion by irritating the glands and ducts employed in the fecretions and excretions. Yet we may obferve, by the way, that although the Bark does not increase any fenfible fecretion or excretion by ftimulation, as vomits, purges, diuretics, and fudorifics do, it is probable, that in confequence of its ftrengthening the tone, and promoting the ofcil

lation,