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Half-yearly Retrofpect of British Literature.

Elements of Chemistry," with very confiderable acutenefs, in a fmall octavo pamphlet. His remarks are principally confined to the Nomenclature; they expofe a variety of inconfiftencies on the part of M. Lavoifier, and well merit to be bound up with the chemical elements of that illuftrious and unfortunate man. Dr. CARRICK'S " Differtation on the chemical and medical Properties of the Bristol Hot-well Water" is ingenious and ufeful. The author appears to have conducted his analyis with care, and on the most approved principles of modern chemistry. The Prefident of the Linnæan Society has collected from the obfervations of Mr. JOHN ABBOT, "The Natural Hiflory of the rarer Lepidopterous Infects of Georgia," in which country the latter gentleman refided many years. If the prefent magnificent work owes little to Dr. SMITH on the fcore of original matter, it is entirely indebted to him for the ftyle and arrangement of the unmethodized memorandums of Mr. ABBOT, as well as for the fyftematic names and definitions; which laft and neceffary appendix was left totally unattempted by the author. It is with pleasure we obferve the fuccefsful progrefs of the Linnæan Society: a third volume of their "Tranfactions" has appeared, in which much acute and laborious investigation is evinced on various fubjects connected with natural history. We are feldom favoured with a work in which splendour and usefulness more happily unite, than in Dr. PATRICK RUSSEL'S "Account of Indian Serpents, collected on the Coast of Coromandel." In this publication, fo honourably patronized by the Directors of the Eaft India Company, forty-three fpecies of ferpents, belonging to the three Linnean genera of Boa, Coluber, and Anguis, are reprefented by coloured draw ings, and are accurately described. Experiments and remarks on their feveral poifons are added, and the noxious clafs of reptiles is diftinguished from the innocent: not more than feven of these forty-three are furnished with poisonous organs; they poffefs two rows of finall teeth in the upper jaw, and are diftinguished from the reft by their fangs or canine teeth. Venomous ferpents of the fame, fpecies, when made to bite each other, produce no farther effect than that of a fimple incifion. Mr. MASSON, long refident at the Cape, as collector of rare exotics for Kew-garden, has published "Stapelia Nova, or a Collection of feveral new Species of that Genus, difcovered in

the interior Parts of Africa." The de fcriptions are precife, and the plates are beautiful. Mr. FREEMAN has published the first number of " Sele& Specimens of British Plants." He fuperintended the engraving and colouring of the plates," which are taken from the drawings of two ladies, whofe names will be announced to the public in a future number, fhould the prefent be received with approbation: it contains five plates, all of which are executed with the utmoit chaftenefs and elegance. It must not be omitted, however, that the work is extremely dear, (21. 28. a number) and all the plants, namely, the faxifraga gra nulata, faxifraga hypnoides, ferapias latifolia, and two plates of braffica oleracia, have been repeatedly reprefented before. Dr. AIKIN's elegant and popular little work, "The Calendar of Nature," hav ing paffed through five editions in its original ftate, is now republished by his elder fon, Mr. ARTHUR AIKIN, with confiderable and very useful enlargement : for the purpose of rendering the volume more valuable, this latter gentleman has enriched it with remarks from Pennant, from Bomare, from White, and with many obfervations of his own. It will not be deemed extravagant to fay, that there are few works in the English language better calculated than the prefent to promote its object, namely, to inspire young perfons with a taste for natural history. "The Botanist's Calendar" is an ufeful publication: our indigenous plants are arranged in the natural order of flowering, fo that in any particular feafon of the year a young botanist may know to what plants his attention ought to be moft affiduously directed. The author in his preface apologizes for his partial notice of the graffes, and total omission of the clafs cryptogamia.

Dr. PRIESTLEY'S "Experiments and Obfervations relative to the analysis of Atmofpherical air, &c." are reprinted in England: the Doctor continues moft heartily attached to his favourite doctrine of phlogifton, which, it is well known, has been abandoned by most of the philofophical chemifts in France, England, and America. This work contains many curious experiments; the conclufion to be drawn from them, will in all probabi lity, afford fubject for disputation be tween the Dr. and his opponents.

We are pleafed to obferve, that the

FINE ARTS

lend fo liberal an aflistance to the fciences feveral works have already been noticed,

under

Half-yearly Retrofpect of British Literature.

Under different heads, which for fplendid engravings or typographical beauties, might very properly have been ranked in the prefent divifion; among thefe are Mr. MASSON'S Stapelia nova, Mr. RASHLEIGH's "Specimens of Mineralogy" Mr. FREEMAN'S "Specimens of British Plants," Mr. LYON's" Antiquities at Woodchefter," Mr. DALLAWAY'S "Conftantinople," Dr. SMITH'S publication of Mr. ABBOT's" Lepidopterous Infects," &c. &c. . The works of unconnected art are few. Mr.JOHNCHAMBERLAINE, keeper of the king's drawings and medals, (whofe elegant engravings from the Caracci, we mentioned in our laft retrofpect) has published ten numbers of " Imitations of original Drawings, by Hans Holbein," in the collection of his majesty. These drawings of Holbein, are the portraits of fome of the chief perfonages of the court of Henry the eighth; they were found in a bureau at Kenfington; how they came there is unknown, for it is mentioned in Horace Walpole's "Anecdotes of Paintings," that they had been fold into France, and paffed through a variety of hands. Thefe drawings are eighty nine in number, and are held in very high eftimation; they have little more than outlines, are drawn with chalk upon paper stained of a flesh colour, and are fcarcely fhaded. The heads of Sir Thomas More, Bishop Fisher, Sir Thomas Wyat, and Broke Lord Cobham, are regarded as master pieces. Mr. CHAMBERLAINE'S magnificent undertaking is to be completed in two numbers more: the engravings are executed by that very eminent artift BARTOLOZZI, as are thofe of the following work, published alfo by Mr. CHAMBERLAINE, namely "Imitations of original Defigns, by Leonardo de Vinci." Amore acceptable prefent can fcarcely be offered to the public, than a collection of imitations from that wonderful mafter: the curious and valuable volume of the originals of thirteen, the only one in this kingdom-was discovered foon after his prefent majefty's acceffion, in the fame cabinet wherein queen Caroline found the portraits by Holbein. The fubjects of thefe drawings, one number only of which has yet appeared, are mifcellaneous; fuch as portraits, fingle figures, tilting, horses, &c. botany, perfpective, gunnery, optics, hydraulics, mechanics, and very accurate delineations, with a moft fpirited pen of a variety of anatomical fubjects. An ufeful little tract has been published entitled "A new Treatife on Flower Painting," containing, with other matter, direcsions how to mix various tints; it is in

497

troductory to a work, intended to be publifhed in numbers, which is to contain coloured fketches of flowers. Mr. IRELAND's "Picturesque Views on the River Wye, from its fource at Plinlimmon Hill to its junction with the Severn, below Chepstow," by no means difcredit the reputation which he has already acquired as a draughtsman.

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EASTERN LITERATURE. MajorOUSELEY'S "Oriental Collections," which was mentioned in our laft retrospect as an incipient work, we are forry to underftand, is given up for want of patronage! the circumftance is to be doubly regretted, as the last fix months have afforded but one folitary publication on the fubject of oriental letters! This is a small tract in two parts, by the author of "Indian Antiquities," entitled "Sanscrit Fragments," &c. In the firft part, Mr. MAURICE vindicates himself from the cenfure, that his Indian history and Antiquities are written under the influence of a particular fyltem: this fyftem, he obferves, is the Chriftian Religion, " fyftem founded on the bafis of incontrovertible fact, and fupported by concurrent teftimonies." In this tract, he concludes his arguments relative to the Hindoo records, which in fome points have been fuppofed to militate against the Mofaic accounts: "with respect to the Hindoos," fays Mr. M. "as it does by no means appear to me, that they ever were acquainted with the Mofaic writings, they could not poffibly have obtained the knowledge of the great events defcribed in their allegorical legends, but through the medium of traditions, preferved with more or lefs accuracy in the principal branches of the firft great family after the deluge. To fuppofe, that Mofes derived his information from the Indian book, through an Egyptian channel, as has been loudly and repeatedly afferted by our fceptical opponents, is the quinteffence of abfurdity.' The fecond part is drawn from the fame materials, with general VALLANCEY's publication, (which we have already noticed under the department of HISTORY) and contains the netice of a Bramin colony in the British iflands.

MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY. An English tranflation has appeared in two octavo volumes, of the celebrated Leonard Euler's "Elements of Algebra;” one of the most explicit treatifes on the fub. ject extant.

This work is enriched with the critical and hiftorical notes of M. BERNOULLI, and with elaborate additions by M. DE LA GRANGE. Like Colin Mac

laurin,

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Half-yearly Retrospect of British Literature.

laurin, Euler was totally blind at the time he compofed this work, one of the laft of his labours; it was written down by the fervant to whom he dictated it. The fimplicity, and the luminous arrangement of thefe elements, render them of incalculable utility to junior algebraic ftudents. The application of female talents to literary inquiries, has been by far more general in our own times than in any former period; but even in our own times, there have been but few ladies, whofe attention has been devoted to the abftrufer sciences. Mrs. MARGARET BRYAN, of Margate, however, whole honourable occupation is that of a fchool miftrefs, has published "A compendious Syftem of Aftronomy, in a courfe of Familiar Lectures," in order to facilitate the study of that fublime science, and render it interefting to young perfons: the feems to be well acquainted with her subject, and is very fuccefsful in her mode of communication. It is an additional, and very ftrong recommendation of this work, that its various digreffions, arifing, indeed, naturally from the fubject, have a moral and religious tendency; they contain many beautiful and elevated fentiments, and continually lead the mind from contemplating the works of nature, to a contemplation of their omnipotent and perfectly benevolent Creator. It is much to be wifhed, that Mrs. B. could afford a cheaper edition of this ufeful work; the prefent is feven-and-twenty fhillings.

It is not furprising, that at a period of fuch terrible and extended warfare as the prefent, fome few works fhould have appeared on the destructive science of

TACTICS.

RICHARD OSWALD MASON, Efq. has published a pamphlet entitled "Pro aris et Focis," the object of it is, to recommend the revival of the long bow and the pike in military operations. It must be acknowledged, that Mr. MASON has offered fome powerful reasons for his recommendation: the fuccefs of all our ancient atchievements on the continent of France, is attributed to the ufe of the long bow, which, as for a nation, we are admirably fitted, on account of our fize and mufcu lar ftrength. The comparative inefficacy of modern mufquetry, and its confequent expence, may be judged of, fays our author, by a ftatement of Marshal Count Saxe, in his Memoirs, that on a computation of the balls used in a day's action, not one of upwards of eighty five took place. At the battle of Tournay, in 1794, Mr. M. fuppofes that 128 balls difabled only one object! "At Agincourt, one dif.

charge of the archers under the Duke
of York overthrew 2400 men at arms at
the onset of the battle, fo conquering a
weapon was the bow, that the enemy.
could fcarcely either fight or fly; fo that
befides the carnage, the English have
taken prifoners, as at Poitiers, double the
number of their whole
"The
army*.*
Elements and Fractice of rigging and
feamanship, illuftrated with Engravings,"
is a work of great merit and utility.
The anonymous author gives many judi-
cious inftructions to the fhip builder, the
rigger, and the failor; he has divided his
work into feveral heads, under each of
which is given a vocabulary of terms em-
ployed in that particular branch. Mr.
GAMBLE's" Effays on the different Modes
of Communication by Signals," is an inter-
efting publication: it is accompanied
with neat and well executed plates, and
contains a clear and intelligible “ history
of the progressive improvements in this art,
from the first account of beacons to the most
approved methods of telegraphic correspond-
ence.

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Let us turn our attention to the peaceful arts of

AGRICULTURE AND HUSBANDRY.

The board proceeds in collecting a vaft mafs of information on the present state of agriculture in this kingdom, by employing gentlemen of refpectable talents. in furveys of the different counties: Mr. BILLINGSLEY has drawn up, for the confideration of the board, his "General View of the County of Somerfet, with Obfervations on the Means of its Improve-. ment." Mr. B. has performed his tafk with great industry and ability; it is, on the whole, one of the moft judicious and fcientific reports that have come under. our obfervation. All the furveys are drawn up in conformity to one fingle model, by which means, when they are completed, an abstract of the whole can more eafily be made: this abftract, which it is expected will not exceed two or three quarto volumes, is to be laid before his majefty and both houses of parliament; after which, a general report is to be made on,the prefent ftate of the country, and on the beft means for its improvement. It is ardently to be hoped, that the new prefident will exert himself with more perfevering zeal than the formerwho is, notwithstanding, on many accounts, entitled to the greatest praisein the cause a general enclosure: to which

See page 324 of this volume of the Monthly Magazine.

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Half-yearly Retrospect of British Literature.

hould be added, as objects of fcarcely inferior importance, the annihilation of tythes and entails. The first volume has appeared of « Communications to the Board of Agriculture, on Subjects relative to the Hufbandry and internal Improvement of the Country" as to the contents of this volume, no imali thare of it is employed in the narrative of Sir JOHN SINCLAIR'S political life, written by hirafel. A map of his travels through Europe accompanies this biography, and an abstract is added, which informs us, that the whole of his journey amounted to 7500 miles; which were completed in about feven months and a half: and confequently, that he must have travelled at the rate of thirty-three miles a day!!! Sir JOHN has a very high opinion of the agriculture of Great Britain; he conceives, indeed, that were all the information which we poffefs on the subject, to be collected and fyftematized, it would approach very nearly to perfection. Many of the communications contained in this volume, afford very useful hints on a variety of fubjects. Lord WINCHELSEA, of whom, on one account, we have already made honourable mention, has an excellent paper in this volume, en cottages: the fame patriotifm, which we before remarked, fhines confpicuoutly on the prefent occafion." The eighth volume has lately appeared, of the "Bath Society Papers," which, like all the others, contains a great variety of articles, and, of courfe, articles of very unequal merit. Mr. KNIGHT, a gentleman of acute obfervation and cultivated tafte, has published A Treatise on the Culture of the Apple and Pear, and on the Manufacture of Cyder and Perry;" Mr. KNIGHT forms a difputable, though ingenious hypothefis, namely, that fruit trees gradually degenerate by age beyond a certain period, and finally lofe their principal difcriminative qualities: and that this degeneration affects not merely the parent tree, but extends to all plants, which, by whatever means, have been propagated from it. He argues on the idea, that all plants of this fpecies, however propagated from the fame ftock, "partake in fome degree of the fame life, and will attend it in the habits of their youth, their maturity, and decay; though they will not be any way affected by any incidental injuries which the parent tree may fuftain after they are detached from it." The fuccefsful experiments of Mr. FORSYTH, in the garden at Kenfington, on the recovery of difeafed and aged trees, feem to militate against the folidity of

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SUPP. MONTHLY MAG. No, XXXIII.

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Mr. KNIGHT's hypothefis. Mr. K. relates fome curious experiments, illuftrating the effects of impregnating bloffoms with a foreign farina, the proper anthere having been deftroyed before their ma turity; fome beautiful varieties were produced by this adulterous connection. The prefent treatife, diffidently offered as an initiatory effay, is an elegant and fcientific performance.

Dr. PALLAS'S "Account of the different Kinds of Sheep found in the Ruffian Dominions and among the Tartar Hordes of Ajia," has been tranflated by Dr. AN DERSON: the work is illuftrated with fix plates, and five appendixes are added by Dr. A. tending to illuftrate the natural and economical hiftory of sheep and other domeftic animals. The first appendix refers to limits between fpecies and va rieties; the fecond treats on the effects of climate, in altering the wool of sheep; the third refpects the changes produced on animals by food and management; the fourth contains an account of the fur bearing animals; and the fifth oners many judicious and useful directions for choofing fheep. Sir JOHN ANSTRUTHER'S "Remarks on Drill Husbandry," have many of them been published in the "Bath Society Papers."

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LAW.

Under this head we have had but few works to notice: Mr. SIMON FRASER has published a new edition (the fixth) of "Burn's Ecclefiaftical Law," and has enriched it with many valuable notes, and with the infertion of many modern deci fions; inftead of contenting himself with barren references, he has undergone the labour of making abstracts of cafes, and has illuftrated the points of coincidence and oppofition to the fubject in debate. In Mr. ORD's "Efay on the Law of Ufury," is contained a brief history of the laws which relate to it; he points out what contracts come under the denomi nation of ufuries, and how far ufury affects the validity of the contract: Mr. PLOWDEN's more copious work on this fubject, was mentioned in our last retrofpect. Mr. GWILLIM's edition of Bacon's "Abridgement of the Law, corrected, with confiderable Additions, including the latest Authorities," is executed with great fidelity and judgment. Mr. P. B. CROSS's View of the Practical Benefits of the Laws and Conftitution of England,” is rather an hiftorical tract, in which the meafures which the legislature has adopted at various times for the fecurity of our life, liberty, and property, are enumer 3 T

ated

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Half-yearly Retrofpect of British Literature.

ated. It is but juftice to add, that Mr. CROSS is highly delighted with his own performance. Little, if any thing, is to be found in Mr. HUTCHESON'S "Treatife on Excife and Qui tam Information, as they relate to Summary Froceedings before Juftices of the Peace," which may not be found in Burn; the index to all the excife acts of parliament, is correctly and ably executed. Mr. CHARLES WATKINS, already known to the public by one or two profeffional publications, has written "A Treatife on Copyholds." A fubject of more difficult elucidation could fcarcely have been felected; Mr. WATKINS, however, has been extremely fuccetsful, fo far as he has already proceeded: the first volume only has yet been published; another will complete the work. Mr. ANSTRUTHER has published the third, and, fo far as himfelf is concerned, concluding volume of his "Reports of Cafes argued and determined in the Court of Exchequer, from Mich. Term 36 Geo. III. to Trinity Term 37 Geo. III. both inclufive;" we have reafon to believe, that this ufeful work will be continued by fome other hand. Two gentlemen, Mr. BOSANQUET, of Lincoln's Inn, and Mr. PULLER, of the Inner Temple, have published "Reports of Cafes," &c. in the courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer Chambers, in Eafter and Trinity terms, 37 Geo. III. 1797. This fpecimen is favourable to their industry and talents. Mr. MARRIOT's "New Law Dictionary," is undoubtedly a ufeful work, and may be confulted with advantage by magiftrates as well as profelled lawyers; when Mr. M. ftates that his dictionary comprehends a general abridgement of the law, on a more extenfive plan than has hitherto been attempted, he exceeds the bounds both of modefty and truth. Mr. SMEE'S" Complete Collection of Abstracts of Acts of Parliament, and Cafes, with Opinions of the Judges, on a variety of taxes, is a book of very convenient and ufeful reference: the abAtracts appear to be made with judgment and with accuracy. It is ftated in the advertisement to a pamphlet, intitled "Confiderations on the Advantages and Difadvantages attending Commiflions of Bankruptcy," &c. that the profits of the work are intended to be given to that humane inftitution, the Society for the Rehef of Perfons imprisoned for Small Debts:" with fo laudable an object on the part of the author, we hope the work will fell. Its contents are not of a nature to infure á very extended circulation; the legal confequences of a commiffion, however,

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both to a creditor and debtor, are stated
with fairness and precifion.
MEDICINE, PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY,

AND SURGERY.

It were

Dr. CURRIE's Medical Reports on the Effects of Water, cold or warm, as a Remedy in Fever and febrile Diseases," &c. is a work of uncommon importance; that its usefulness may be extended as widely as poffible, the Dr. has fet the most excellent example of avoiding all unneceffary technical phrafeology. Why muft fcience be fhrouded in a pompous hieroglyphic language, unintelligible to the profanum vulgus, who always conftitute the mafs of mankind? better, perhaps," fays Dr. CURRIE, "that medicine, like all other branches of na. tural knowledge, were brought from its hiding place, and exhibited in the fimplicity of fcience and the nakednels of truth. The defolating fever of the Weft Indies has hitherto found no adequate antagonist from among all the powers of medicine: the effects of mercury have been occafionally flattering; and as the nitric acid, in cafes of lues and hepatitis, has often been found a fuccefsful fubftitute, Dr. C. fuggefted to feveral practitioners, the application of it in cafes of fever. But ablution with cold water has been fo long, and fo beneficially employed in typhus (the low contagious fever), both at the hofpital in Liverpool and in private practice, among phyficians in that part of the kingdom particularly, that Dr. C. who is "expofed, by fituation, to the reiterated founds of death from the western world," determined to publish an account of this fuccefsful mode of treatment, hoping to introduce an additional power to oppofe the tremendous pestilence of a Weft India fever. Dr. C. has preferved a register of a hundred and fifty-three cafes-he confidered that more would be fuperfluous-where the cure was chiefly confided to the affufion of cold, water. Fresh water was firft employed; but a faturated folution of feafalt in water was preferred, and afterwards adopted: in the first place, becaufe falt-water ftimulates the cutaneous veffels, by which means the debilitating action of cold is probably prevented; and, fecondly, becaufe either for the purpofe of immerfion or affufion, falt-water is confiderably more grateful to the patient than fresh. We would gladly enter at large into the particular merits of this performance, which, in point of execution and utility, merits the higheft commendation; but to analyze is no part of our

plan.

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