gacity which infpired an Ariftotle and a Bacon, like nature's oracles, A Differtation on Medical Experience. By Mr. Zimmerman. In treating of the ufe of knowledge, and its influence on phyfical obfervation, Mr. Zimmerman makes a very juft diftinction between erudition and feience; advising the medical student to apply himself rather to the useful than the ornamental parts of learning. A proper courfe of reading, fays he, may fupply the place of whole years of practice; but, it would not only require a very extraordinary natural genius, but a longevity of many centuries, to acquire by practice alone all that is already known in the art of healing. It was a faying of Rhazes, that, he fhould rather prefer a learned Physician, who had never feen a fick perfon in his life, than a practitioner who should be ignorant of the discoveries and practice of the antients. Mere Practition ers, fays Mr. Zimmerman, decry that kind of knowledge which is acquired by reading; and to prove it useless endeavour to propagate the notion that the art of Phyfick fhould always vary with the climate. In answer to this, he justly remarks, that the different appearance of distempers in different ages and climates, may create a neceffity for varying the dofes, times of application, and even fometimes the choice of our medicines; but the effential characters of a disease remain ever the fame, nor can require any effential variation in the method or the remedy to be employed against it: We treat for inftance the dyfentery in the fame manner and with the fame fuccefs in Europe as in India, and the bark is a fovereign cure for the ague in every country upon earth. We ftill discover moft difeafes by the fymptoms, by which Hippocrates defcribed them of old, and the ableft phyficians in Europe Nn4 continue continue fuccefsfully to adopt the principles of that great antient in all important cafes. Art. 13. Abregé Chronologique de l'Histoire de Pologne. 12mo, Warfaw. A Chronological Abridgment of the History of Poland. This abridgment is written in imitation of Henault's Hiftory of France, and appears to be well executed; which is paying the Author no little compliment, if Mr. Bayle's obfervation be true, que bien abréger eft de tous les ouvrages de plume le plus difficile. Art. 14. Diatribe de Cepotaphio*, &c. A Differtation on the Cepotaph, or the ancient Method of Burying the Dead, among the Egyptians, Hebrews, &c. By M. B. M. Van Goens. 8vo, Utrecht. 1763. This learned, and not incurious, differtation, is faid to be written by a young lad of fourteen. It is remarkable that the United Provinces have produced a number of thefe juvenile Geniufes; witness the celebrated Grotius, the three brothers William, Theodore, and Andrew Canter, with many others: Scaliger indeed mentions, as a thing incredible, the great number of learned youth that abounded in his time, in this Country. Whether it be owing to physical or moral causes, that the Dutch literati are in their youth fo much before, and in age fo much behind thofe of other nations, we prefume not to enquire. As to the defign of this tract, next to that of difplaying the learning of its author, it appears to be a well-intended remonstrance against the horrid and deteftable, modern cuftom of burying the dead in churches, and church-yards, within the walls of populous cities. Κηποταρίου, from Κηπος a garden, and Ταφος a tomb. Art. 15. Difcours Moraux, pour fervir de fuite a Philofophe Chretien. Moral Difcourfes, intended as a Supplement to the Chriftian Thefe difcourfes differ from thofe of the three preceding volumes, published under the above-mentioned title, in nothing more than the form. These are confeffedly downright fermons, and may therefore poffibly have more weight than the former difcourfes; but, like other heavy bodies, we do not think they will circulate so fast as works of a lighter turn. Art. 16. Die Gefchichte des Kunft des Alterthumbs, &c. 4to Drefden. 1764. An History of the Arts of Antiquity. By M. Winkelman. The very learned Author of this work treats of the rife and progress of the ufeful and polite arts, from the earlieft ages to those of ancient Greece and Rome, in a very fatisfactory and entertaining manner. Art. 17 Art. 17. Oeuvres Diverfes de M. de Joncourt, Docteur et Profeffeur en Philofophie. The Miscellaneous Works of M. de Joncourt, Profeffor of Philosophy at the Hague. 2 Vols. 8vo. 1764. The talents of the ingenious and learned M. de Joncourt are too well known, in the literary world, to need any information from us on this head. The volumes before us contain, among various tranflations from English authors, the following original pieces. Maxims Philofophical and Moral, in imitation of the reflections of the Emperor Antoninus.-Hercules's Dream, an imitation of the Greek of Xenophon. An Effay on Infinity.-An Arithmetical Paradox.—An Essay on Harmony-A Preface to a tranflation of the Dialogue of the Dead. -Obfervations on certain maxima and minima in common life.-On the Eloquence of the Fair Sex.-An Effay on Hope.-A Discourse concerning those who think themselves ill-treated by the world.-An Effay on the Deity.-On moral obligation. On the art of dying well. The Reader cannot expect to find fuch a variety of fubjects treated very much at large; our Author however, is never fo concife as to become obfcure; but difplays with equal fuccefs throughout this entertaining and inftructive mifcellany, the various abilities of the Philofopher, the Moralift and the Divine. Art. 18. Entretiens entre un Solitaire et un Homme du Monde. Dialogues between an Anchorite and a Man of the World. 12mo. Cologne. 1764. If M. de Voltaire, who has lived much longer than most of his contemporaries, were actually no more, and we had fo much faith in Ghofts, as to think they could affume the genius, as they are faid to do the figure, of perfons defunct, we fhould be apt to think his shade had here taken up the pen, as a proof that the grave could not conquer his indefatigable activity and industry, We know there are people who would be ready to fay, and with juftice enough in that cafe, Peace, peace, perturbed Spirit! But, as we believe and hope Mr. de V. is ftill living, and as we have no faith in ghofts, we muft look upon the Writer of thefe dialogues as a living counterfeit, and not a dead one. Dialogue I. Between Solitaire and Mundofo. So!. Ha! fon! By what wonderful providence do I fee thee among thefe rocks? Mun. Ha! father! How the devil came you here? S. I hope, fon, for your relief and comfort-You feem in diftrefs. M. Yes, faith, I'm in bad cafe enough. I was ship wrecked on the coaft two days ago, about three leagues off. S. In the late ftorm! I faw your veffel in diftrefs, and put up my fervent prayers to St. Anthony for your relief. M. We were obliged to you, father, but I fancy St. Anthony was otherwife employed; for he fuffered our veffel to go to the bottom. Nay, if praying to the Saints could have done, we had enough of that on board. Tho' it poffibly was not their fault neither; we had not a good feaman in the fhip. With the help of half a dozen English fai lors, lors, St. Anthony might have got us off the coast, but it was not to be expected that the Saints fhould heave out an anchor or work the ship. S. And are you the only furvivor of the perfons on board? M. No. There were four of us, till like fools we went to loggerheads about the few trifles we faved from the wreck. S. Is it poffible? M. Yes, very poffible, father; but, as I thought it idle to quarrel about property, till I had found fome means of preferving life, I left my comrades to decide the dispute by themselves. S. Bless me! What a world have I escaped ! M. Why, father, was you caft away here too? S. No, fon, not literally; but, difgufted with the world, I retired to this place, to avoid its temptations, and to contemplate on the things of Heaven. M. A very proper fpot! For you can fee little elfe than the sky. I dare fay you may fee a ftar at noon-day, almost as plain as if you were at the bottom of a well. But pray, good father, cannot you help one to a little fuftenance? I have eat nothing but a few shell-fish these three days. S. Gladly, fon, walk in, there is my cell; I was just going to dinner, when I first heard you.. M. I thank ye, father.--Ha! fine fish! good fallad! wine too! a fnug retreat! You would live here very comfortably, father, if you had any body to converfe with now and then. A pretty little pratling female might make e'en this folitary fpot agreeable: but I have no notion of a man's living, like an unit, by himself. S. Religion and Philofophy furnish me with reflections that supply the place of conversation. M. As to Religion, I made a vow to St. Dominic, when I was laft at Lifbon, that fo long as his Inquifition endured, I would never open my lips about the matter. But, with regard to Philofophy; I have been in England, father, and have laid in fuch a cargo, that I believe I am your match. Come, let us start a fubject of dispute. S. I mean not to differ; what should I dispute for? M. To fhew your Philofophy, certainly. S. And is that the use of Philofophy? M. Doubtless. S. Then an Anchorite cannot be a Philofopher, as he has nobody to difpute with. M. True, and I will undertake thereupon to convince you that a life of folitude is the most useless life in the world. You are welcome. S. I hope not altogether. Drink, son, eat. M. Excellent wine, this! I did not think thefe rocks produced fuch refreshing fallads, Yes, father, your folitary philofophy is all out of fashion. It is difcovered by the moderns, that a man may be as devout in a cathedral as in a cell, and may cultivate philofophy as well on the Exchanges of Amfterdam and London, as if he were caft away on Robinson Crufoe's ifland. In a word, father, it is to be demonftrated-delicate fifh!-that an Anchorite is an ufelefs being, and cannot poffibly be of fervice to any human creature. Most delicate fish, indeed! S. Not even to a fhip-wrecked mariner M. Egad, M. Egad, father, you have caught me. I fee that a man should be filent at meals: his brains are not worth a farthing while he is filling his belly. I beg your pardon. It must be owned, you have very ef fentially ferved me, as my late craving, and now fated, appetite can tellify. S. Learn hence, fon, how readily ingratitude arifes from want of reflection; you may from this inftance alfo learn the vanity of that philofophy which confifts only in words. Know that, as Nature hath made nothing in vain, fo Providence will not fuffer any thing that is innocent to be useless. "Virtue, fay you men of the world, confists in doing good to others, and how can a man do good to others who lives by himself?" Great, however, is the merit of him that hath Courage to withdraw himself from temptation and does no harm. If [ do little good to my fellow-creatures, 1 do them lefs ill. In the world I should do more of both. But, even fuppofing the love of folitude an errour, let the providential service I have now afforded you, in this defolate fituation, teach you, that Heaven will not permit even the blindness and errours of mankind to render them totally useless to each other. In this dialogue, the Hermit appears to have the advantage of the Voyager; but in the fucceeding, the latter reaps the greater triumph for this flight defeat, and prevails on the former to return again to' Society. Art. 19. Verhandelinge over de Eigenfchappen, &c. 4to. Leyden, 1764. A Differtation on the Attributes which neceffarily flow from the Existence of a neceffary Being. By Mr. Witteveen. To which are added three other Differtations on the fame Subject. Written by the other Candidates for the Stolpeian Prize, given by the University of Leyden. If the difcuffion of metaphyfical queftions ferved to no other end than, as logical exercises, to employ the diftinguifhing faculties of the mind, we could not deny their utility. It is certain also that this is generally the best use that is made of them; the ideas applied to the terms, in fuch difquifitions, being for the moft part arbitrary and chimerical: fo that though the fcholar may not advance in real knowlege, he may acquire an habitude of acutenefs and precifion in thinking, which he could acquire by no other means. We think therefore the Legacy, made by the late M. Stolp, for fupporting an emulation in the ftudents of Leyden, with regard to metaphyfical difquifitions, extremely useful; and are glad to fee that the judges, who difpofe of the prize, difcountenance the unneceffary introduction of theological subjects. Art. 20. Verhandelingen vitgegeeven door de Hollandfche Maatfchappy der Weetenfchappen te Haarlem. Vol. 7. 8vo. Haarlem. 1763. The Tranfactions of the Philofophical Society of Haarlem. This volume, which is the feventh, contains twenty memoirs, on different fubjects; among which is one, by Profeffor Camper, on the fenfe |