LA T principle manifefts itfelf, yet all center in regard to the object, and an exact uniformity in procedure. What renders it far above all defcription is, that it is a fecret motive, produced by a fecret caufe, and actuated by fecret regard, known only by the parties. Numerous are the paffions of the human breaft, and as variously drawn forth, as different in their nature. "This is an inward conception of the mind, in which the will and affections are confulted, and which increases with our years. Friendship, when real, is an ingrafted principle, that takes deep root in the heart, and branches forth in the actions; and although by adverfe providences, the boughs are often lopped off, yet the root ftill remains as a living principle, daily fpringing up into action. Thus although the fcorching heat of perfecution feems to exhauft its virtues, yet the gentle dew of reflection reftores, and invigorates the fubject. Where the will is not brought into complete and full acquiefcence in the caufe, the work is drudgery, and is no more than flavish fear, whereby it is obfervable, that the ties of nature or cónfanguinity do not create this principle, as then it would be the neceffary confequence of affinity. On the contrary, as it is produced by a caufe which appears deferving of it, it is never placed without this feeming appearance, however the iffue may prove it groundlefs. Thus in proportion as the goodness of the caufe either increases or leffens, fo Friendship flourifhes or declines. Having fhewn the fource and fpring of action, I fhall now proceed to confider its effects: The principle being noble, it is natural to fuppofe the effects are the fame. It is first proper to obferve, that difinterefled motives are a neceffary evidence of real Friendship, which lead the participant not to commu nicate this bleffing merely to the profpe rous, but to the poor and diftreffed alfo. "When fortune fmiles, riches increase, and honour beftows its laurel, the worldwill ever profefs Friendship. But where is the man, the Rara Avis, who while calamity frowns, affliction threatens, and poverty impends, will aid and affift, comfort and relieve? This is the teft; this the criterion. A friend in need, is a' friend indeed; and fuch only deferve the name. Friendship not only implies a, principle, but an act; not merely a profeffion, but performance. The friendship of the world in general, if it deferves the name, is merely profeffional; and tonfifts in a number of promifes or declararations which they never intend to execute, but mean only to delude. How greatly is fuch a conduct to be abhorred, and yet how common! Here let us take a curfory view of the different degrees of men, who deceive under this character.. The flattering Courtier, learned in all the arts of fophiftry, readily promises his foli-citous dependants what he never means to execute. The focial Man, whofe fphere exceeds not mediocrity, ftrenuously profeffes friendship to him whofe rank is fuperior, amidst the blaze of wealth and the diftinétions of honour. But should the exalted party, by an adverse providence, be hurled from the pinacle of power to the dregs of fubmiffion, furnished with every hope profeffions can afford, he has recourfe to his former friend, who now receives him, but with the poignancy of difdain." The Elements of the Latin Language; or an Introduction to the Latin Grammar, in a neu', eafy, and concife Method. 12ma. Reading. Robinson. MR. Valpy, the mafter of the grammar-school at Reading, is the author of this performance. His obvious intention is to abridge the labour of the young ftudent, and to facilitate his advances in the Latin language. We are happy to obferve, that his book may anfwer his purpose in a very confiderable degree; and as he appears to be anxious to fucceed in the line of his profeffion, it would be a pleasure to us, that he fhould proceed with the larger work, which he promifes to the public in his preface. A full and comprehenfive critical Grammar of the Latin Tongue, executed with fkill and ability, would be received with a fa tisfaction equal to its utility. It is a re markable circumftance, that good_elementary books are wanted upon almost every branch of knowledge. Men of genius cannot fubmit to the irkfome task of pointing out the steps that conducted them to eminence. This labour is, therefore, commonly left to the undiftinguifhing heads of thofe vain and illiterate men, who are employed as teachers and schoolmasters. But as there is no rule without an exception, there are fome among these who have folid acquirements; and of them, it is to be faid, that they deferve well of the world, when they communicate to it the refult of their experience. Bbbe Sen Sentimental Beauties and Moral Delineations from the Writings of the celebrated Dr. Blair, and other much admired Authors, felected with a View to refine the Tafle, rectify the Judgm nt, and mould the Heart to Virtue. Wallis. 12mo. I' in any inftance the fashion for reducing the fize of books, and extracting the effence and beauties can be valuable, it is where the epitome is compofed of moral leflons for the inftruction and ameudment of youth. By leffening the price, the volume may come within the reach of the young of both fexes, to whom it is particularly adapted, and will be likely to find an introduction to fchools in the place of thofe infignificant productions with which our feminaries are too much infected. The moral leffons of the eloquent and perfuafive Blair ought to be recommended to every youth and virgin in the kingdom. To teach us the neceffity and the benefits of gentlenefs, and how effeptial it is to the comfort and happiness of those with whom we may be defined to live, that in our youth we fhould check 2s. 6d. the rigour of thefe unamiable propenfities which we perceive in the heart. If the moft practicable fyftem of ethics, conveyed in the most elegant and fimple drefs, can find their way to the heart, and make a durable impreffion there, the fermons of Dr. Blair will fucceed; but how far the publication of fermons in general avails to the formation of manners, and the conqueft of evil, we cannot pretend to fay; this however is certain, that the ef feet is more eafy to be made, and more likely to be permanent on the mind of youth than of age: and therefore we fin cerely prefer fuch publications as the prefent to all the other dictionaires portatives, and reduced folios, with which the bookfellers have of late fo obligingly ac commodated the world. A Treatife on the Venereal Difcafe. By G. Renny, Surgeon to the Aikol Highlandlers. 8. HIS Gentleman informs us, that HighTranders labouring under a gonorrhea are more liable to hernia humoralis than thofe patients are who are bleffed with the luxury of breeches. This important ob fervation prefented itself in the the work feems to have no claim either to Cafes in Medicine; interspersed unth Strictures occafioned by local Incidents. By William Stevenfon, M. D. THIS work breathes nothing but hoftilities against the whole tribe of apothecaries. With eight chofen remedies, Dr. Stevenfon undertakes to cure all curable difeafes; and the apothecaries of Newark, as might be expected, are for driving him out of the town. In the courfe of the volume feveral letters are interfperfed. One of them is from Mr. Philip Thickneffe to the author, who appears to and high in the friendship of that gentleman, and like him to poffefs a great fhare of philanthropy and honeft bluntnefs, not Fufficiently blended, perhaps, with a know ledge of the world, and of course leading him occafionally into difputes and difficulties. The cafes defcribed by the Doctor are calculated to do him credit. His averfion to the Peruvian bark, venefection, and other inftruments of medical practice, will probably expofe him to the criticifm of the cool and difpaflionate part of the fo 8vo. culty; but there are fentiments in his book which ought to wipe away any op probrium annexed to thefe, or any other errors, fuppofing them to be such, which his work may contain. "As to day-la bourers (fays he) and the poor in general (the famliy of God) they are all welcome to my advice, and to medicines, as they cannot afford to purchase them. Who ever gives health to thofe who want it, on generous difinterefted terms, and with the feweft drugs, has a commiffion from hea ven." Principles of benevolence like thefe cannot be too generally diffeminated or too much applauded. ANECDOTES of the AUTHOR. Dr. Stevenson, author of the Cafes in Medicine, &c. is, according to our infor mation, which we believe may be de pended upon, a native of Ireland. He was born in the town of Stewartflow, in the province of Ulfter. By the male line, his defcent is from a clergyman of the church of Scotland, who, upon being difpoffeffed of his parish in the perfecuting and troublefome times of Charles, retired to the north of Ireland and fettled there. By the female, from the noble family of Stewart-hall, in the county of Tyrone. The firft of this family, a defcendant of the blood-royal, was created Lord Ochil tree in Scotland, and afterwards Lord Caffleftewart in Ireland. Both titles for reafons to us unknown, were fuffered to lie dormant for a century. The latter, however, has been reaffumed lately, after having been fully established before the Houle of Lords of Ireland, and recognized by the King; and it is reported that a reaffumption of the former title is alfo in contemplation. Our author is first coufin to the prefent Lord Caftleftewart, now third in the lift of Irish Barons. It may be mentioned here, that our author's grandfather was one of the first confiderable perfons who had the honour to introduce the linen bufinefs into the north of Ireland, which has fince attained fo flourishing a ftate. He headed a company of volunteers in the Scotch rebellion, under an uncle of the author's, Colonel Dalway Stewart, who commanded the battalion. He made a genteel fortune in his younger years, for the times he lived in, and which descended to an elder brother of our author's. Our author, we are further told, was fent when a boy to the grammar fchools at Edinburgh, where he remained, excepting fome fummer excursions to vifit his Irith friends, till he took his degree in phyfic, under the late celebrated profeffors, doctors Monro, Rutherford, Whytt, and the prefent Dr. Cullen, ftill a living ornament to the college. He has been often heard to fpeak of Edinburgh, where he principally refided for fifteen years, in warm terms of attachinent and affection. His father took a house in the neighbourhood of that agreeable city for the conveniency of his children's education, in a place called the Cross-caufeways. Afterward he rented a fine old building on the river Efk, called Dalhousie Cafle, about five miles from that city, where he refided many years, and had a large bleech-g -green with complete machinery. It belongs to the Earl of Dalhoufic, and is now his country refidence. There our author occafionally spent many of his fummer months, which, it is added in our biographics, were amongst the most delightful of his life. In this retirement he compofed two vols. of poems, which were publifhed, but which, together with a warm imagination and ftrong expreffion, bear evident marks of youth and hurry. We bear he intends a fecond edition of thefe poems, pruned, altered and corrected.-Nonunque prematur in annum. We likewife understand, Dr. Steven. fon was among the first members of the Edinburgh medical fociety (fince taken into royal patronage) and had one of its firft diploma. Having taken his degree (his Differta tion De Diabete) he remained a year af terward in his favourite city; where, in the line of amufement, he occafionally performed on the German flute in St. Cæcilia's weekly concert. He ufually played a fecond to Samuel Mitchellon, Efq; Clerk of the Signet, one of the best private performers of his day, and his particular friend. It has been infinuated, that mufic and love were the two power. ful loadftones-and powerful all must confels them to be---which attracted our author fo much at Edinburgh. About the end of that time he had an invitation to fettle as phyfician in Coleraine, a northern town of his native country, where there had been a vacancy for fome time. He accepted the invitation, and practifed for nine years in that district, including the counties of Antrim, Derry, Doonegal, and Tyrone. In Coleraine, if our intelligence be true, he entered warmly into a religious controverfy, to fave the integrity of a worthy character, a diffenting clergyman, which had been unjustly attacked by a clamorous and incendiary writer. He published two pamphlets on the occafion, which we have not feen, having been on ly fold in Ireland. They were not an fwered; but we understand the writer was broadly hinted at in feveral orthodox fermons from the pulpit, for the freedom of his remarks. He loft many friends by thefe publications, but he gained more. During the difpute, his adverfaries introduced another physician into the place, in order to rival him, but not with fuccefs. Though in poffeffion of the field, we find our author's ambition to have been to get into a more confpicuous circle of practice, than that of Coleraine. He quitted therefore the banks of the Bann, and arrived on the banks of the Thames; but not before he had recommended another phyfician to fupply his place; a gentleman who ftill practices there. Our chronicle further fays, that, after having divided fome months between Lon don don and a village in Kent (Charlton where a relation of his has an eftate and country-house, our author, true to his wandering creed, next vifited Bath. His purpose was, together with practice, honeftly to afcertain and report the medicinal virtues of its celebrated iprings. In that city he published his treatife on the gout, in which he attempts to bring down the alledged power and efficacy of the Bath waters many degrees below fair in the barometer of health; with what reafon or truth we take not upon us pofitively to fay. In that publication likewife, as in his cafes in medicine, he has no mercy upon the apothecaries, whom, in their profeffional line, he confiders as the greatest licenfed foes to mankind and health. In the latter publication his allegations are fupported by facts, which -have not been publicly called in queftion, notwithflanding the book which contains them has reached a fecond edition. Our author refided near a year in Bath; had many patients, but for the most part fent his receipts to the chymifts. Fashion carrying every thing before it in Bath, and not lefs in medicine than in drefs, as he has often been heard to say; befide, the phyficians and apothecaries of the place forming a fort of medical fortification almoft impregnable; our account ftates, he was not long on determining on a country fituation, where he might have the profpect of being more useful, as well as of more certain practice. An opportunity foon offered to gratify his withes. He was told of a vacancy in Wells, where there had been no refident phyfician for fome time. This city is about twenty miles from Bath. Thither on medical wing he took his flight, and we bave it from good authority, with many refpectable letters of recommendation. There he practifed for two years, in the face of a concealed but determined oppofition. The apothecaries (as was ufual in other places, after his mode of practice was known) eyed him with jealoufy and difcontent. We are told, however, that they kept within the bounds of decency, contrary to the conduct afterwards of others of the profeffion. Making little by the fimplicity of his receipts, in comparifon with the elaborate ones of former phyficians, they could not but be difgufled with a contraft which was so inconfiderably productive to them. Two years feem to have accomplished our author's views at Wells. At the expiration of thefe he returned to Bath, under the aufpices and good wifes of many, and with the intention of again undertaking b ness in that city. We are authorifed to put an emphafis on the word Intention for our enquiries have it, that he had ra been there inuch more than two months, when he was diverted from his purpo. He accidentally heard of a fettlement, which he had the profpect of having himself, in the town of Newark, No tinghamshire. Indeed, it is our opinion, Dr. S. confiftent with his avowed pris ciples, can never confult with his brethre any where, except downrightly to diff from them; efpecially, if they patronike and favour the apothecaries. Confuit tions ending in almoft a certain difference of opinion, confidering the contrariety between our author's and the popu'r mode of practice, would turn out try diftreffing to thofe families wherein they might happen to be jointly employed. Dr. S. then, we think, will act confit ently with himfelf, and confiderately, by always chufing fituations where his pra tice fhall have no interruption or contreal, How far it may be difcreet, or fafe, for families or individuals to prefer one phy fician to, we cannot but fay, the whole faculty, is another matter; and eventually must be regulated by the degrees of local confidence, on fure and approved grounds, people may think themfelves fecure to honour him with. In this, as in all other important cafes, every one muft judge ír himfelf, be determined by the light of his own understanding, his prudence and good fenfe. Our author, in the courfe of his a quaintance, having procured many letters of warm introduction to the place he was going to, left Bath, and foon arrived a his northern deflination. How he was received, and what happened to him profeffionally in Newark, his Cafes in Me dicine, now reviewed, will amply inform the inquifitive reader. It may be added, that, even in his prefent fituation, he feems not ultimately to have pitched his medical tent. Upon the whole then, We profefs, from the documents we meet with in his book, to think Dr. S. an honeft, difinterefted man, and intent upoa being useful. Even the intention is me ritorious, and we heartily with him actual fuccefs. He is, however, paradoxical iu fome of his opinions, and a perfect unique in his profeffion. In one word, our a thor appears to us as a fort of cometic phenomenon in phyfic, and likely to feat ter aftonishment and alarm throughout every medical hemifphere he may traverse. His meteor tail of anti-profeffional terror dis menacing and vafl, we admit; but, like Comets of another kind, we must be al lowed to fay, he is often loft in darkness. Perhaps, he only plunges into his aphelion, again to emerge brighter in fome future perihelium. P. S. Dr. Stevenfon, if we are not mifinformed, was the writer of many effays in the London Evening Poft, London Courant, &c. on the interefting affairs, first of America, and latterly of Ireland (his native country) under the The Corn Dealers Affiftant. THIS is a republication of a set of moft ufeful tables for affifting the Corn-dealer in the calculation of his grain. All its merit muft depend upon its accuracy; and from a deliberate revifal, we can take up fignature of INDIGNATUS. On the fame important fubjects, now likely to turn out highly in favour of both countries, he has published more than one political pamphlet.-His manner is liberal, bold, and daring to an extreme; and his ftyle, though abundantly fpirited and animated, often betrays an hafty and incorre&t pen. We fhould imagine he has not as yet arrived at the cool and ferene temperature of age: the afternoon of life foftens its glow of noon. Exchange Coffee-houfe. 2s. 6d. on us to recommend it as exceedingly correct and explicit. The tables are carried confiderably higher than in the former edition, which, however, has been out of print for a number of years. An Efay on the Nature of a Loan; being an Introduction to the Knowledge of the Public Accounts. Debrett. 6d. Letters on Political Liberty; addreffed to a Member of the English Houfe of Commons, on being chofen into the Committee of an Affociating County. T. Evans, Strand. THIS Pamphlet ftates with ability the claims of politics to the rank of fcience, and difcarding all the controverted opinions concerning its origin, refts it, like all other fciences, on its utility. The author then makes a very important diftinction between political and civil liberty. He afterwards traces the faint appearance of political liberty from the fettlement of the Saxons to this time. He alfo brands the Whigs for artfully fuppreffing it at the Revolution; and the late adminiftration for the iniquity and abfurdity of their measures. He just takes notice of the change of ministry; and calls on 25. the prefent men in office, to check the incroachments of the crown and the perfidy of parliaments. This pamphlet bears the ftrongest marks of genius, fcience, and philanthropy, and is written with elegance and purity of file. To this, is fubjoined, a very plain and fimple method of rendering the Houfe of Commons, an equal reprefentation of the people. We fhrewdly guess at the author of these well written Political Letters, though he has taken fome pains to conceal his name; and our readers may expect Anecdotes of this Advocate for Liberty as foon as we are in poffeffion of a few more fafts. |