and we do not think that Dr. Ferriar has thrown any great light on the subject. We agree with him in confidering the dread of water as a fymptom, and in thinking that fpontaneous hydrophobia does not exift. On the other hand, in endeavouring to bring the disease within the reach of his proximate cause, our author has omitted fome neceffary diftinations. In inflammations of the pharynx and of the hungs, there is undoubtedly a difficulty of fwallowing; and this fymptom alfo occurs in fome diseases of the ftomach and of the cheft. In thefe, however, it is an inability from pain or from obstruction: in the disease from the poison of a rabid animal, it is from convulfion, feemingly in confequence of increased irritability. When the convulfion is conquered by refolution, the liquid is fwallowed without obstruction. When we pursue this idea, we shall find the disease attended with fymptoms of increased irritability in every organ. Light polifhed furfaces, cold air, and acute founds, are painful, and excite ftartings and fpafms; and melancholy is a certain attendant. The whole disease is evidently in the fyftem of the nerves; and a definition which we have read in manuscript is more characteristic of this complaint than any that we have feen. Melancholia, lucis, aëris, et aquæ averfatio, ex morfu animalis rabidi. For these reasons we cannot acquiefce in our author's propofed plan of bleeding and bliftering; yet, for curious facts collected, and for fome judicious obfervations upon the works of other authors upon this subject, we own ourselves indebted to him.

The establishment of fever wards in Manchefter' is an undertaking of great utility, and is conducted with judgement and liberality. Dr. Ferriar's able account of the plan, and of its fuccefs, cannot conveniently be abridged. We obferve with pleasure, that cotton-mills and works, under proper regulations, are not injurious to health, and that the idea of fevers, imported with cotton, is unfounded.

An affection of the lymphatic veffels, hitherto misunderftood,' is the fubject of fome remarks. This lymphatic affection is the fhining, white, elastic fwelling of the extremities. It is most common after child-birth, in the lower extremities, and was fuppofed by Mr. White to proceed from a rupture of the lymphatics; an opinion which we opposed on the first publication of his effay. Dr. Ferriar attributes the fwelling, with more reafon, to an inflammation of the lymphatics, and has found the topical application of leeches, with cooling remedies, very useful.

The tenfe fwelling of the limb clearly marked the diftinction. between the class of veffels affected, and thofe of the fanguiferous fyftem. The abforbents were rendered incapable of performing

their functions by the thickening of the vefiels, and the obftruc.. tion of the glands; but the arteries being in a found state, the exhalents continued to pour out their fluid, which, not being abforbed, muft stagnate in the cellular membrane. The theory and : the fact accord perfectly with each other. The difference between this state of accumulation, and that of common dropfy, feems to be this, that when the lymphatics are generally inflamed, abforption ceases entirely, for the time; but that in cafes of oedema, or anafarca, abforption goes on, though imperfeâly, while there is any vigour in the habit. At length, abforption is ftopped, in dropfical cafes, and the integuments give way; but before this event, takes place, I have generally found the fwellings affume the tenfe, fhining appearance, accompanying the lymphatic infiammation."

P. 100.

We regard Dr. Ferriar's opinion as highly probable, and . would recommend this plan of treatment to the attention of practitioners.

Our author's great object, in the cffay on the croup, is to recommend early and large bleedings, with a blifter, and, foon after, an emetic. He does not think the difeafe contagious. The complaint refembling it, from ulcers in the throat, extending to the trachea (the trachealis cynanche of nofologifts), is certainly a perplexing coincidence;' and, in. thofe cafes, he trufts to leeches, emetics, and blisters.

In the whooping-cough, Dr. Ferriar recommends a folution of arfenic. He does not fay, whether he means Dr. Fowler's folution, but he advifes one drop, which, either of Dr. Fowler's or the common faturated folution, is a full. dofe for an infant.

In fyphilis, our author has tried the nitrous acid, and thinks that it leffens the irritability of the system.' From his experiments, and thofe of Mr. Simmons, it feems to have been moft ufeful in the firft and third ftages; but our author appears not very fanguine in his expectations of benefit from this medicine.

The obfervations on the treatment of the dying' are hu mane and juft. He advifes that they fhould not be moved for fome hours, as the fenfation of pain may remain, when life is apparently extinct, or nearly fo. But the ufual fuperftitious practices are now almoft exploded. One effort of well-meant affection, however, continues, that of pouring down a little wine, or wetting the lips with it by means of a feather. This cannot do fervice, even fhould life remain, and is often painful. While the patient can eafily fwallow, to adminifter frequently fome moderately cordial or nutritious food, may be

highly useful: to do more, is to give unealinefs, and injure thofe whom we most wish to affift.

The appendix confifts, first, of advice to the poor during the prevalence of epidemic fevers, and of directions refpecting the best means of prefervation from fever. This part deferves great attention, for the directions are very judicious. In the second number Mr. Simmons recommends the kali perum as a cauftic in bites of the mad dog. The difeafe did not occur in above forty inftances, where it was ufed after the bite. But we confess, that we are unwilling to throw out any hint that may prevent what we confider as the only certain preventive, complete excifion. Where this, perhaps, cannot be practifed, the kali purum may be tried; though, when we confider how feldom the disease follows the bite in the human fubject, and how feldom a dog, reputed mad, is really fo, we may hint a little doubt of the efficacy of the cauftic, even after forty inftances. Mr. Simmons' trials with the nitric acid we have noticed, and shall conclude with fome general remarks on the utility of this remedy, in his own words.

Although it has failed me in fecondary fymptoms, when the conftitution has been much exhaufted by previous difeafe, and a long courfe of mercury, it has had a fpeedy and permanent effect in reftoring the health and ftrength. Under circumftances where a mercurial courfe cannot be entered on, it arrefts the progrefs of the disease. An example of this may be taken from a perfon labouring under lues venerea, being feized with typhus-the venereal ac◄ tion is fufpended during the fever, and is again renewed on its termination; in this cafe, mercury must be of doubtful propriety; the acid, however, will not only relieve the venereal affection, but restore the patient's ftrength, and coincides admirably with any tonic plan that may be adopted.

In ulcers, remaining after a mercurial courfe, and which, though for a time relieved, are aggravated by the further use of mercury, I have derived much benefit from it.' P. 230.

Letters written from various Parts of the Continent, between the Years 1785 and 1794: containing a Variety of Anecdotes relative to the prefent State of Literature in Germany, and to celebrated German Literati. With an Appendix. In which are included, three Letters of Gray's, never before publifhed in this Country. Tranflated from the German of Frederick Matthiffon, by Anne Plumptre, Tranflator of fiveral of Kotzebue's Plays. Svo. 85. boards. Longman and Rees. 1799.

'

AT

a

time when German literature has become fo much the

fubject of public attention in this country, it is hoped and pre

fumed, that a work like the prefent may not be unacceptable to the English reader. The author is a man, whofe taste and talents, and more than all, whofe urbanity of manners and benevolence of difpofition, have rendered him an object of general esteem in Germany and Switzerland; and fo confpicuous do these amiable qualities appear throughout his works, as to give them a peculiar degree of intereft,' P. iii.

These letters certainly form an interesting volume. The names of living perfons of celebrity and eminence frequently occur in them; and the authors of Germany are fufficiently known in England to render our countrymen curious for anecdotes respecting fuch writers. Matthiffon's teftimony, however, must be received with fome caution, as it was understood during his travels that his letters would be published: of course he was graciously received every where, and every where well-pleafed: the traffic of praise is openly carried on in Germany; and Matthiffon's letters are the puff general of all his literary acquaintance.

A work like this, neceffarily deftitute of plan and connexion, can fcarcely be the fubject of criticism, We will felect from it fome of the most interesting and characteristic parts as fpecimens. The following anecdote is ftriking it is one which Wieland should perufe.

In paffing through Eimbek I inquired after my former schoolfellowwhose father was in the miniftry here and died fome years ago. The tragical hiftory of this young man I heard with feelings of the deepeft horror. He poffeffed uncommon talents, and had acquired a confiderable degree of knowledge, as he evinced by incontestable proofs while he was at school at KlofterBergen. In his early years, Crebillon's romances had fallen into his hands; the feducing fcenes drawn by that writer, with such exquifite brilliancy of colouring, made an indelible impression upon his ardent imagination, till, with increafing years, his paffions increased beyond the power of control. I had never seen or heard any thing of him fince his difmiffion from school, till now, in his native town, I learnt that he returned home from the university with his faculties blunted by exceffes, to a degree nearly approaching to infanity. From that time he lived in a conftant state of disagreement with his mother-in-law, to escape from whom, he enlifted among the Heffian troops deftined for America. When his father was informed of this circumstance, diftreffed at the idea of the perils he was about to encounter, he purchafed his discharge, and the young man once more returned under his paternal roof, But on this re union, the animofity between him and his motherin-law was renewed with fuch added violence, that he one day ftabbed her with a knife, and immediately ran away. He then enlifted again as a foldier, and paffing over a bridge, in the course

of a march, was feized with a paroxyfm of despair, threw himself into the water, and there ended his life.' P. 43.

One letter contains the fragment of a treatise upon the best mode of ftudy to be purfued by a rifing poetical genius. This fragment is attributed to Klopstock.

• Oriental poetry,' he fays, muft always be the first studied, not merely on account of its antiquity, its fimplicity, and exceffive imagery, but rather because we, who have no national poetry, nor any mythological language of our own, must thence receive our first impreffions. For it is impreffions fuch as these which can alone awaken the genius of the poet, and whoever has had his imagination thus called forth, is unfortunate if it fhould be fmothered again amidft a mafs of fcientific trafh, foreign conceptions, or falfe tafte, nor can do better than immediately endeavour to regenerate it, as much as may be in his power, by new images and impreffions derived from the fame fource. And as thofe taken from religion always ftrike the foul most forcibly, let him begin with studying fuch fentences, hymns, grand maxims, and fongs, as though not poetry themselves, infpire the youthful mind with poetical ideas, and give it a general tone for fublimity and harmony: from fuch a stock which lies like a chaos at the bottom of the foul, he may felect with skill as inclination or opportunity shall offer, and in due time produce works of his own.' P. 75,

But the richeft difcovery of our century, and which in every respect may be called a treasure, are the remains of ancient Celtic, Scotch, or Erfe poetry, publifhed by Macpherson, and on the authenticity of which, Gibbon fhould be heard before all others, They had best be read in the English translation, from which the German tranflations are taken, but otherwife that of Denis is very ufeful, particularly on account of Blair's treatife, who in his province is not inferior to Lowth. In this people were united a ftrength of feeling, an elevation of character, and a liveliness of imagination, with a foftnefs and tenderness of heart, not to be found in other Northern nations, among whom all is flint-ftone, and ready to strike fire. Their images are very simple and often repeated, but they are ftrong, juft, and ftriking, Oh, they are Nature! Nature!--for which reafon they in many refpects approach the Orientalifts very nearly, There cannot be a greater contraft than between Offian and Milton, as to poetical invention; and the time will come when, in more than one point of view, we fhall fay, we fhut up Homer, Virgil, and Milton, and read Offian over and over.' P. 80.

This enthufiaftic and blind admiration of Offian is very prevalent in Germany. In England Offian is the favourite of Lays; maturer judgment difcovers the impofition and the