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From the long silence of this facetious Bard, it may almost be matter of information to many of our readers that he yet lives to laugh, and laughs to live. His Muse is still as playful as a kitten, and sports more wit on the Carlton House Fête than was produced at it by all the fine company present. At his commencement, however, P. P. is rather unfortunate in his chronology, sending the sonR of Jesse to the Babylonish captivity: but the anachronism does not destroy his pleasantry. He affects disappointment at not being in vited to the Prince's Fete, and, in what he terms a long string of sharps' makes out a lamentable case of keen hopes and of nettling mortification:

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Sharp as the pining maid expects the Post,
That brings epistle full of love-sick-sighs;
Or as the dog in seeming slumber lost,

Who slily winks to snap the teasing flies:
Sharp as amid the fields of air a kite,

In hopes of feasting on a barn-door fowl;
Or as for mice, amid the dusky night,

O'er hill and dale the solitary owl:

Sharp as the bailiff for a hiding debtor :
Or as the hard churchwarden on the poor;
Or bilious critic on a word, or letter,

To scalp his victim author o'er and o'er :
Sharp as an Epicure upon the haunch,

His two eyes jealous of the fav'rite fat;
Or on the turtle, to enlarge his paunch,
With thrice the quantity would fill a hat:
Sharp as the Bank upon a doubtful note,
Or hungry Frenchmen for a limb of frog ;
Or Borough-monger for a casting vote,
Intent to sell poor Freedom like a hog:

Sharp as a trading Justice for a Bible,
To give the oath, no matter false or true;
Or dread Sir Vinegar to seize a libel,

And strike th' offending dog with vengeance due

Sharp as Sir Vinegar, who look'd in va'n
To shove his bottom into Mansfield's place;
Or as Jack Ketch surveys the felon train,
In hope of necks to meet his rope's embrace :
Sharp as Lord Puzzle, for his office fee,

To keep his poverty-struck house, so poor;
Where none, my Lord and Lady Puzzle see,
Saye keen Economy, who bolts the door:

Sharp as our Alexander, gallant York,
Look'd out for poor Sir David's, resignation;

Whe

Who now, (for merit miracles can work,)
O'er Slander triumphs, and resumes his station:

Sharp as Marcellus for the rapt'rous hour

That yields the Dame, whom every charm adorns ;
When kind Cornutus takes his prudent tour,
And calmly in his pocket puts his horns;

Exulting thus, in language rather coarse;

"What's wife to honours? - stuff, beneath my care?
Make me, ye gods, but Master of the Horse;
The dev'l may be the Master of my Mare;"

So sharp. I listen'd, yea with full stretch'd ear,
To ev'ry knock, no matter soft or hard;
At once in Fancy's eye, I saw appear

A Royal compliment to ME the BARD.
Said I, "if Sheridan a fav'rite be,

The moral Mentor of the Princely mind;
Some compliment will come to moral ME!.
The lyric moralist must favour find.”
Yes, to myself I whisper'd, (not in joke,)
At Carlton House, I sure shall eat, and quaff;
Although not cheek by jowl with Royal folk,
Yet under canvas with the canvas Raff;"
Raff, that we Britons with our freedom trust;
Yet now consider'd as mere reptile things;
Raff that can form a Monarch from the dust;
Raff that confers a MAJESTY on Kings.'

Here P. P. discovers that vein of satire and that originality of fancy which distinguish his Muse; but, though his powers of song are still vigorous, and every circumstance that occured at the Gala, on which he could satirically animadvert, is introduced,—not forgetting the gudgeons which in order to produce a lively effect floated with their white bellies out of water, in the capacious stream, nine inches wide, which ran down the middle of the principal table, the whole is too much spun out, and the Bard flags before he comes to the conclusion.

MEDICA L.

Art. 17. Pharmacopeiarum Collegiorum regalium Londini, Edinburgi, and Eblana, Conspectus medicus; virtutes, doses, et morbos quibus utuntur medicamenta et præparata ostendens. Edvard. G. Clarke, M. D. &c, &c. Auctore. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Cox.

1810.

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This little volume may be considered as not without its value, since it gives us in one view, and in a commodious form, the corresponding preparations of the three British colleges. The doses that are annexed to each article appear to be such as are sanctioned by the best authorities; and we have nothing specific to object to the account that is given of their virtues, and of the diseases in which they

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are to be employed; although any information that can be comprized in a line or two is necessarily so general, as to be of very little use.

In so small a work, we might have expected that every attention would have been paid to accuracy: but in this respect we have been disappointed. The typographical errors are numerous; and we have observed a few of a more important kind. The apology which is offered in the preface is by no means satisfactory, and only proves that the author has sent out his work into the world knowing that it was in an imperfect state.

Art. 18. Practical Remarks on Insanity; to which is added, a Commentary on the Dissection of the Brains of Maniacs; with some Account of Diseases incident to the Insane. By B. Crowther, Surgeon to Bridewell and Bethlem Hospitals, &c. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Underwood. 1811.

pp. 130.

The author of this treatise assures us, in more places than one, that he has little or nothing new to offer on the subject of insanity; and, on perusing his work, we must do him the justice to say that his opinion appears to be well founded. We cannot therefore but commend his candor in so very fairly stating his deficiencies: but we are at a loss to know why, under these circumstances, he determined on appearing before the public. The most correct motive for author. ship is the desire of communicating knowlege; a second, which is pardonable, although less commendable, is the desire of literary fame; a third motive, of a very different aspect, arises from feelings of profes sional jealousy or personal hostility. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the politics of Bethlem Hospital to offer more than a surmise on this subject but circumstances attend this work which bear a sus picious aspect. Mr. Crowther may be a skilful surgeon, and an accurate observer of those occurrences which fall within the immediate provinces of his profession; but he manifests a boldness of decision on the subject of controverted facts and opinions, which does not increase our respect for his talents as a medical philosopher; especially as he does not display either that cool judgment, or that extensive erudition, which should enable him to decide on questions which have been left in doubt by some of the most learned and judicious men of modern times.

Mr. C. determines, in a very summary manner, that insanity is not attended with nor caused by any organic affection of the brain: but he offers no new arguments for this conclusion. He indeed conceives that it is a point of no importance whether the brain be primarily affected or not; an idea which, we very confidently maintain, is a suf ficent proof of Mr. Crowther's unfitness for discussing the subject on which he treats. Cullen's opinion, to which he refers as substantiating his own, is delivered with that candid caution which is always found in the writings of this great physician, and for all Cullen's opinions we ought to feel respect: but the disease in question is one on which many valuable works have been published since the appearance of the "First Lines ;" and on which we consider ourselves as having obtained some information, of which our immediate predecessors were not in possession,

The

The observations of the present author on points of a practical nature are delivered with the same degree of rashness with those that refer to questions of a more speculative kind. We will quote a part of the section on vomits,' which may serve to convey an idea at once of the philosophy, the science, and the style of Mr. Crowther:

I embrace the consideration of this subject, to settle the discordant opinions of writers, as to the propriety of giving emetics in cases of madness.

In this investigation I feel a peculiar delicacy, having pledged myself to avoid personality, and hitherto, it is hoped, I have adhered to that determination.

But let me ask, is it any reason that, because the physician of one insane hospital declines the employment of any particular method of treatment, that another belonging to a similar establishment should deny himself the adoption of a plan, which his progenitors have exercised with advantage? Every intelligent reader will give his own answer to this question.

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From my own personal knowlege, I state, that vomits have their use; for the servants of Bethlem have repeatedly told me of the quantity of phlegm, with other offensive matters, which have been evacuated by them; in a degree that really excited their astonish

ment.

I will now pourtray a character of a maniac to my reader's mind. Let him view one reduced in health, of emaciated form, the eyes shedding tears, although the organs of sight be unimpaired, and the pal. pebræ in a healthy state.

To these symptoms, I add the snivelling condition of the nostrils, and the saliva flowing from the mouth, I ask my reader what remedies he would propose under such circumstances.

It is presumption in me to give even an opinion: but would the medical man employ the lancet in these cases? I think not: if he agrees with me, then what more suitable plan could he adopt than that of emetics ?'

Mr. C. concludes by giving a strong testimony in favour of emetics, from Drs. Monro, Cox, and Halloran. The merest tyro in medicine must perceive that the author does not make good his pretensions; if he knew nothing more about the effects of emetics than what the servants of Bethlem told him, he should not have given an opinion about them; much less, in the same sentence, have spoken of his ' own personal knowlege.' Even if he had himself seen the phlegm and other offensive matters which have been evacuated by them,' it would not have proved that emetics were of any advantage in curing insanity. It is to such vain pretensions, without any real foundation of knowlege, that medicine owes its imperfect state; and it will never hold its proper rank among the sciences, until those persons alone write books who are qualified to give information.

POLITICS.

Art. 19. An Address to the British Nation, on the accession of the Prince Regent to power. By Hugo Arnot, Esq. 8vo. pp. 32. 28. Sherwood and Co.

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Mr. Arnot can scarcely build a claim on his writings to the favour of kings or princes, since, in reviewing the leading transactions of the present reign, he appears to be out of humour with almost all of them. Coming down to the events of the present day, he exposes the contrast between our actual proceedings in Sicily and the whole of our former interference in European politics since 1792. In other countries, our object has been to uphold established governments against the people; while, in that, and in that only, have we ventured to take the side of liberality against prejudice and tyranny. At the same time, we are, in his opinion, weakly temporizing with the insurgents of Buenos Ayres, when we ought at once to acknowlege their title to independence. Our embarrassments in regard to Ireland and America are next discussed, but with no particular force or novelty of observation. From these ungracious subjects, Mr. Arnot proceeds to the still more alarming topics of riots among our manufacturers, and depreciation in our currency. The personal conduct of the Regent, and his repeated pledges to act on the principles of Mr. Fox, are next brought under review; and referring to the king's speech on his accession, and contrasting its delineations with the subsequent policy of his reign, the author appears to insinuate, with an air of prophetic shrewdness, the recurrence of similar inconsistency under our present

ruler.

This little tract is not destitute of well founded observation: but it possesses only a small share of originality, and is written in a quaint and peculiar strain.

LAW.

Art. 20. Report of the Proceedings at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County of Berks, held at Reading, Jan. 16, 1811, on the Appeal of William Kent, against a Conviction of William Henry Price, Esq. in the Penalty of 201. for teaching and praying in a Meeting, or Conventiclè, held in an uninhabited House, in other Manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England, where five Persons or more were present. Taken in Short-hand by Mr. W. B. Gurney. Svo. PP. 103. Sold by the Law Booksellers.

Well may the Methodists exult in the publication of these miserable proceedings against William Kent; and well is it for the community that, on the removal of them by Certiorari, into the Court of King's Bench, that court ordered them to be quashed. Poor William Kent's prosecutors (it should seem that they would be persecutors, were it not for the liberal spirit of the times,) make a wretched and ridiculous figure; and the Earl of Randor, who sat on the bench, does not appear in this instance to be "a second Daniel come to judgment." We wonder that his Lordship, instead of offering the singular opinion that "a man who reads an address to the Supreme Being in a congregation preaches," did not, on hearing the contemptible and paltry evidence adduced against Kent, rise up with indignation, and say, We will proceed no further in this business." Two evidences are called; the first deposes that Kent said that he did not care for Man or Devil;' and the second, that Kent uttered the words Damn and Curiosity,

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