moirs difplay the marvellous fecundity of Euler's genius.

"It was with much difficulty that this great man obtained, in 1766, permiffion from the king of Pruffia to return to Petersburgh, where he defired to pass the rest of his days, Soon after his return, which was graciously rewarded by the munificence of Catherine II. he was feized with a violent diforder, which terminated in the total lofs of his fight. A cataract, formed in his left eye, which had been effentially damaged by a too ardent application to ftudy, deprived him entirely of the ufe of that organ. It was in this diftreffing fituation, that he dictated to his fervant, who had been a tailor's apprentice, and was abfolutely devoid of mathematical knowledge, his Elements of Algebra; which, by their intrinfical merit, in point of perfpicuity and method, and the unhappy circumftances in which they were compofed, have equally excited applaufe and aftonishment. This work, though purely elementary, discovers the palpable characteristics of an inventive genius; and it is here alone that we meet with a complete theory of the analyfis of Diophantes.

"About this time, M. Euler was honoured by the Academy of Sciences at Paris with the place of one of the foreign members of that learned body; and, after this, the academical prize was adjudged to three of his memoirs, concerning the inequalities in the motions of the planets. The two prize-queftions, propofed by the fame Academy, for 1770 and 1777, were defigned to obtain from the labours of aftronomers a more perfect theory of the moon. M. Euler, af fited by his eldeft fon, was a competitor for thefe prizes, and obsained them both, In this last me

moir, he referved for farther confideration, feveral inequalities of the moon's motion, which he could not determine in his first theory, on acconnt of the complicated calcu lations in which the method he then employed had engaged him. He had the courage afterward to review his whole theory, with the affiftance of his fon, and Meff. Krafft and Lexell, and to purfue his refearches, until he had conftructed the new tables, which appeared, together with the great work, in 1772. Instead of confining himfelf, as before, to the fruitless integration of three differential equations of the fecond degree, which are furnished by mathematical principles, he reduced them to the three ordinates, which determine the place of the moon : he divided into claffes all the inequalities of that planet, as far as they depend either upon the mean elongation of the fun and moon, or upon the excentricity, or the parallax, or the inclination of the lunar orbit. All these means of invefligation, employed with fuch art and dexterity, as could only be expected from an analytical genius of the first order, were attended with the greatest fuccefs; and it is impoffible to obferve, without admiration, and a kind of astonishment, fuch immenfe calculations on the one hand, and on the other, the ingenious methods employed by this great man to abridge them, and to facilitate their application to the real motion of the moon. But this admiration will become aftonifhment, when we confider at what period, and in what circumstances, all this was effectuated by M. Euler. It was when he was totally. blind, and confequently obliged to arrange all his computations by the fole powers of his memory and his genius. It was when he was em

ba

longer period, was univerfally lamented as a public, no less than a private lofs; and fcience, genius, and worth, will long weep over his grave.

"Dr. Gregory married in 152, Elizabeth, daughter of William lord Forbes he loft this amiable lady in 1761 fhe left the doctor three fons and three daughters, viz. James Gregory, M. D. now profeffor of medicine in Edinburgh Dorothea-Anne-Elizabeth William, ftudent of Baliol College, Oxford, and now in orders :-John -all now living, except Elizabeth, who died in 1771.

"His works.

"I. Comparative View of the State and Faculties of Man with those of the Animal World.

"This work was first read to a private literary fociety at Aberdeen, and without the most diftant view to publication. Many hints are thrown out in it on fubjects of confequence, with lefs formality, and more freedom, than if publication had been originally intended. The fize of the book may have fuffered by this circumftance; but the value of the matter has probably been increased, by a greater degree of originality, and of variety. The author indulges himfelf in the privileges of an effayift; he touches many interesting fubjects, but with a mafterly, a bold, yet a judicious hand. This work, like another of great fame, may be called a chain, the links of which are very numerous, and yet all connected toge ther. We know the author the better for the rapid judgment he paffes, and cannot help admiring the goodness of his heart, and the benevolence of his views, which have an obvious direction to raise the genius, and to mend the heart; and we concur with him in think

ing that, "That view of human nature may be the fafeft, which confiders it as formed for every thing that is good and great, and fets no bounds to its capacity and power; but looks on its present attainments as triffing, and of no account.'

"The comparative anatomy of brute animals has (as obferved by our author) been the fource of moit useful difcoveries in the anatomy of the human body; but the comparative animal economy of mankind, and of other animals-comparative views of their states and manner of life, have been little regarded. Instinct is a principle common to us, and the whole animal world: to animals, as far as it extends, it is an infallible guide. In man, reafon is but a weak principle, and an unfafe guide, when compared to instinct. Of this, curious inftances are mentioned. In the bringing forth, and in the nurfing of their young, the advantages of brute intinct over the euftoms which have been taken up by rational beings, are placed in a strong light. Numbers of mothers, as well as infants, die by the management of prepofterous art in childbearing, and afterwards, by mothers omitting the duty of nurfing. A natural duty and obligation, which contributes no lefs to the fafety, health, and beauty of mothers, than it does to preferve the lives and health of their offspring.

"The recent improvements which have been made in the art of midwifery, and in the methods of nurfing children, are owing to the obfervations of nature, and the imitation of its inftinctive propenfities.

In this first difcourfe, our au thor propofes many improvements of the health and faculties of the

human

human race, by deferting a luxurious and artificial, and following a natural courfe of life. In this manly way of thinking, he is constantly alifted by keeping in view the natural history of animals, and the manners of favage nations, which resemble them, in following their inftinctive propenfities.

"In the fucceeding difcourfes, in which he treats with great perfpicuity, tafte, and difcernment, of the fuperior faculties which diflinguish man from the rest of the animal creation, and of the sciences and arts founded upon them, he diverges from this comparative view, and lofes fight of the inferior part of the creation, until he arrives at the following conclufion of this entertaining and ingenious work. "The advantages which arife to mankind from thofe faculties which diftinguish them from the rest of the animal world, do not feem correfpondent to what might be reafonably expected from a proper exertion of these faculties, not even among the few who have the greateft abilities, and the greatest leifure to improve them. The capital error feems to confift, in fuch men confining their attentions chiefly to inquiries, that are either of little importance, or the materials of which lie in their own minds. The bulk of mankind are made to act, not to reason, for which they have neither abilities, nor leifure. They who poffefs that deep, clear, and comprehenfive understanding which conftitutes a truly philofophical genius, feem born to an afcendency and empire over the minds and affairs of mankind, if they would but affume it. It cannot be expected, that they fhould poffefs all thofe powers and talents which are requifite in the feveral ufeful and elegant arts of life; but i is they

alone, who are fitted to direct and regulate the application."

"The author put his name to the fecond edition of this work; many additions are alfo joined to it; and it is dedicated to George lord Lyttelton, who always profeffed a high esteem for the author and his writings. This work, in fine, if the author had left no other, must convince every one, that, as a man of fcience, he poffeffed extenfive knowledge, exquifite tafte and judgment, and great liberality of mind and thought; and that, as handfomely faid by our inftructive poet, Mr. Hayley, in quoting this engaging little volume, in his Effay on Writing History," He united the noblest affections of the heart to great elegance of mind; and is justly ranked amongst the most amiable of moral writers."

"II. Obfervations on the Duties and Offices of a Physician, and on the Method of profecuting En quiries in Philosophy.

"This work was first published in 1770, by one, who heard the profeffor deliver them in lectures; but they were acknowledged, and republished in a more correct form, by the author, in 1772. In the first lecture, the profeffor, in reprefenting what the character of a phyfician ought to be, displays the most noble and generous fentiments on that fubject; and all that knew him allow, that no one bore a more exact refemblance to the fine picture which he here draws, than himself.

"The true dignity of phyfic is to be maintained by the fuperior learning and abilities of thofe who profefs it, by the liberal fentiments of gentlemen, and by that openness and candour which difdain all artifice, which invite a free inquiry, and which, by this means, boldly

bid defiance to all that illiberal ridicule and abufe, which medicine has been fo much expofed to.

"In the fecond lecture, he fhews the method of profecuting inquiries in philofophy, with an obvious direction to medicine, as one of its principal branches.

III. The next work publifhed by profeffor Gregory is intitled, Elements of the Practice of Phylic for the Ufe of Students, 1772, republished 1774.

"The doctor intended this work as a text book, to be illuftrated by his lectures on the practice of phyfic; but he died before he had finifhed it, and before he had finifhed the first course of lectures, which he gave on that text. It is written with great perfpicuity and fimplicity: the author has intentionally avoided fyftematical arrangement, perhaps from an opinion, that the art of medicine was yet in too imperfect a ftate, to admit of any perfect fyftematical form. However this may be, the work evidently difplays the author's great fitnefs to teach that art. A truly practical genius appears confpicuously in that part of the book, which is thrown into interrogations. Into thefe, our fagacious author has thrown every thing which had importance to require peculiar attention, as well as thofe things, which are ftill matters of doubt and uncertainty, in the practice of medicine.

"The doctor's death happened while he was lecturing on the pleurify. His fon, Dr. James Gregory, finished that courfe of lectures, to the general fatisfaction of the univerfity; and he therein gave ample proof of his fitnefs for the ftation of profeffor of medicine, which he now fills with great honour to himfelf, and to the universityNon deficit alter aureus.

This gentleman published in 1774, a fmall tract of his father's, entitled "A Father's Legacy to his Daughters :" which was written folely for their ufe (about eight years before the author died) with the tendereft affection, and deepest concern for their happiness. This work is a most amiable difplay of the piety and goodnefs of his heart, and his confummate knowledge of human nature, and of the world. It manifefts fuch folicitude for their welfare, as ftrongly recommends the advice which he gives. He fpeaks of the female fex in the most honourable terms, and labours to increafe its eftimation, whilst he plainly, yet genteely and tenderly, points out the errors into which young ladies are prone to fall. It is particularly obfervable, in what high and honourable terms he speaks of the Holy Scriptures, of Chriftian worthip, and faithful minifters ; how warmly he recommends to his daughters the ferious and devout worthip of God, in public and pri vate. He dwells largely on that temper and behaviour, which were particularly fuited to their education, rank, and circumstances; and recommends that gentleness, benevolence, and modetty, which adorn the character of the ladies, and do particular honour to their fex. His advices, with regard to love, courtflip, and marriage, are peculiarly wife, and interefting to them. They fhew what careful obfervation he had made on female domestic conduct, and on the different effects of poffeffing or wanting the virtues and qualities which he recommends. There is fomething peculiarly cu rious, animated, and ufeful, in his directions to them, how to judge of, and manifeft an honourable paffion in, and towards the other fex, and in the very accurate and useful di

ftinction

chancellor of England, an office which he never had an opportunity of exercifing. Having retired into France, A. D. 1463, with queen Margaret, and her fon Edward, prince of Wales, he remained there feveral years, affifting them with his councils, and fuperintending the education of that hopeful young prince. It was for his inftruction, to give him clear and just ideas of the conftitution of England, as a limited and legal, and not an abfolute monarchy, that he compofed his admirable little treatife De Laudibus Legum Angliæ; which, for the excellence of its method, the folidity of its matter, and the just nefs of its views, excels every work on that fubject, in fo fmall a compafs, and must endear the memory of this great and good man to every friend of our happy conftitution. This excellent treatife, after remaining too long in obfcurity, was printed, and hath paffed through feveral editions. Sir John Fortescue accompanied queen Marga ret and prince Edward in their last unfortunate expedition into England, and was taken prifoner, after the defeat of their army, at Tewkfbury, May 4, A. D. 1471. Though Edward IV. made rather a cruel ufe of his victory, he fpared the life of this venerable fage; and, after fome time, restored him to his liberty, and probably to his eftate, and received him into favour. Sir John, like a wife and good man, acquiefced in the decihon of providence in the fatal contest between the houses of York

and Lancafter; and confidering the laft of thefe houfes as now extinct, he frankly acknowledged the title of Edward IV. to the crown, and wrote in defence of that title. But he ftill retained the fame political principles, and particularly his zealous attachment to a limited and legal government, in oppofition to abfolute monarchy. This is evident from his excellent treatife, on the difference between an abfolute and limited monarchy, which, after remaining long in MS. was publifhed by an honourable defcendant of the author, A. D. 1714. This treatife is written in English, was defigned for the ufe of Edward IV. and is valuable as a fpecimen of the English of thofe times; but much more valuable on account of the many curious particulars it contains concerning the conftitu tion of England, and the condition of its inhabitants. I heartily fubfcribe to the character given of this treatise by a very good judge of literary merit. Take it altogether, and it will appear to be a work which affords as full evidence of the learning, wisdom, uprightnefs, public fpirit, and loyal gratitude of its author, as any that is extant in our's or in any modern language." This learned judge compofed feveral other works, which are ftill extant in MS. and fome which are probably loft; and, after a long, active, and virtuous life, chequered with profperity and adverfity, he paid the laft debt to nature in the ninetieth year of his age."

*་ I The