vered with the eafe and eloquence characteristic of him, and of his countrymen in general. The remaining works in this clafs, though they do not rife above the dignity of pamphlets, have, many of them, a juft claim to diftinction. Foremoft in this line ftand the Confiderations upon the State of public Affairs at the beginning of the Year 1796*, a tract which, with an eloquence by no means common, and a perfpicacity that is ftili lefs fo, pierces the gloom which involves the political hemifphere; and reafons on causes and probable effects, in a way which, if it fhould not prove infallible, must ever be efteemed judicious. Of Mr. Burke's Pamphlett, or the anfwerers of it, there can be little occafion to speak. The merits and defects of the former must be obvious to every reader; and, though they gave occafion to the others, will not preferve them from a fpeedy oblivion. M. Calonne and M. d' Ivernois §, both writing with great ability on the fubject of French finance, have had the topic of their dispute cut from beneath their feet by the fword of conqueft, which, by bringing in contributions of a different kind, has baffled all their modes of calculation. Mr. Macdonald, writing on the private virtues which conduce to public happinefs, or, as he has entitled his pamphlet, Thoughts on the public Duties of private Life. merited our approbation, and the repetition of it. The Thoughts on the English Government I, attributed to Mr. Reeves, though very generally deemed exceptionable in one or two paffages, contained many found, and many ingenious and useful remarks. They were defended in two very able tracts; one anonymous, and entitled A Vindication of the Privilege of the People, &c. **, and the other by the Rev. J. Brand, A Defence of the Pamphlet attri. buted to F. Reeves, Efq. ‡‡ &c. and thus this conteft, which political differences blew into a flame, may be fuffered to fleep, with the additional fanction of a jury in behalf of the real or fuppofed author. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Vanfittart, ftand in our pages like bane and antidote, This in a moment brings us to our end, But this informs us we shall never die, at leaft not by the death which the other predicts: let those who are qualified judge between them. Some good obfervations were to be found in a tract, entitled A Warning Voice, to the People of England, on the two bills; and another anonymous writer, who ftyled himself, A near Obferver §, proved that he was not deftitute of talents for obfervation. The Suffolk Freeholder addreffes A fecond Letter to Mr. Sheridan, with an acutenefs which we had commended in the firft; but which, perhaps, is counterbalanced by the fpirit evinced on the other fide, in A Whig's Apology for his Confiftency: a tract that, at leaft, deferves confideration; and, if it fhould tend at all to moderate the violence of parties, by fhowing what a Whig may mean who opposes the prefent war, must be deemed ufeful. Our old acquaintance, Peter Porcupine, of Philadelphia, diverted us extremely by his very witty Bone to Gnaw for the Democrats **, and we endeavoured to, communicate the amufement to our readers; but we are forry to find that this pamphlet ftill continues to exift only on American paper, and confequently is not eafy to be had at all in England. POLITICAL ECONOMY, To those who are ftudious of that very important point, the comfort and advantage of the induftrious poor, we cannot in justice omit to recommend the very able book of Mr. Davies, of Barkham, entitled *In his Facts, No. IV. No. II. p. 203. *No. III. p. 241. P. 437. + No. I. p. 85. I No. III. p. 323. The The Cafe of Labourers in Hufbandry flated". A fmall tract, On the Propriety of establishing Schools for Spinningt, is alfo connected with another branch of the. fame fubject, and may afford feveral ufeful hints. The Revenues of the Church, an important part of political economy, are difcuffed with vigour and fagacity, in an Effay, to which we gave rather an extended confideration: and The Police of the Metropolis, forms the fubject of a book by a fagacious and active magiftrate, which, if attended to as it appears to deferve, will probably lead the way to fome regulations of the utmoft advantage to the public. LAW. On this topic we have at prefent but little to réport. Mr. Serj. Runnington's book on Ejectment, and Mr. Anfiruther's Reports, deferve to be well received by the profeffion. Mr. Chriftian's edition of Blackflone's Commentaries**, notwithflanding the incongruity of adorning it with cuts, is well edited and annotated. They who poffefs either Burn'sttor Williams's fuffice‡‡, will doubtlefs think it neceffary to take the Appendix to the one, or the Continuation of the other, to render the works complete. Law books are ufually in a regular courfe of progreffion; as new laws are framed, they must keep pace with the improvements. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. The Philofophical Tranfations of the Royal Society of London, always deferve the attention of the public. In our prefent volume, an account is given of the first part of the publication, for the year 1795$ No. V. P. 494• *No. II. p. 130. + No. VI. p. 694. p. 202. No. I. p. 29. 3 Ibid. Bent's Bent's Journal of Meteorology* may be confidered as a companion to that, and other works containing obfervations. Dr. Hutton's Differtation on Light, &c. † will probably be thought deferving of examination by the ftudious in thefe branches of learning, though after the futility we have difcovered in his fyftem, we can by no means recommend it as a book of found philofophy. Of Botanical books we have noticed only the Supplement to Dr. Woodville's Medical Botany but the union of a material branch of that study with chemistry, may be feen moft happily illuftrated in the Treatife of Lord Dundonalds. The Natural Hiftory of this kingdom receives an agreeable illuftration from Mr. Donovan's elegant account of Britifb Birds; which to prints, drawn and coloured with a confiderable degree of neatnefs and accuracy, adds fhort and characteristic defcriptions of each bird. The natural hiftory of the horfe, in a part partiçularly effential to practical ufe, is very capitally illuftrated in a work of uncommon fplendor, published by Mr. Freeman, and entitled Obfervations on the Mechanifm of the Horfe's Foot. This is a book which, in point of expence, none but a man of fortune could venture to undertake, and which few men of fortune could have executed with the minutenefs and accuracy of knowledge which is there difplayed. MEDICINE, &c. In the medical department, if we have few works of great extent to record, there are fome which, from their fubjects, bear a value very difproportionate to their magnitude. Of this kind is the tract of Dr. Carmichael Smyth on the Fail Diflemper**. In this a discovery was announced, which has fince been fur *No. II. p.211. No. III. P. 288. No. II. p. 121. + No. IV. P. 351. No. I. p. 54. I No. IV. p. 348, ther ther purfued, and promifes to be of great importance: that fumigating with the marine acid is highly efficacious, in deftroying the miafmata of putrid infection. In the fame number we noticed a medical work, by a clergyman, on a benevolent plan, and fo executed as to be likely to anfwer the end propofed. It is entitled A Guide to Health, and is the work of the Rev. FoJeph Townfend, who publifhed, fome time ago, an approved account of a journey in Spain. Of this book the intention is, among other things, to be an aid to clergymen, whofe inclination to be useful to their poor parifhioners, in time of ficknefs, has fometimes gone beyond their knowledge; and to private families, where proper medical affiftance cannot eafily be procured. A practitioner of the name of Davidfon, writing on the pulmonary Syftemt, throws out an idea which, at leaft, deferves attention; namely, that the diminution of the quantity of liquid taken by patients afflicted with the hæmorrhage in the lungs, or other difeafes of that organ, is very effential to their recovery. Dr. George Fordyce has continued his very fcientific enquiry into the nature of fever, by a fecond Diflertation, in which he particularly treats of the regular tertian intermittent. The perfevering attention. of a man fo well known for acutenefs, and extent of practical knowledge, cannot fail to throw great light on the important fubje&t of fever. The Medical Commentaries of Dr. Duncans have now received their completion at the tenth decade, Vol. II. But from their afhes a new Phoenix is to arife, under the title of Medical Annals, in which the Doctor hopes for the af fiftance of his fon. Surgery. On the fubject of Strictures, the Fractical Obfervations of Mr. Home appear to have thrown a light of great value, by illuftrating, confirming, and improving the practice of the late Mr. Hunter, in the treatment of thofe obftinate complaints. No. II. p. 184. No. VI. p. 644. + No. III. p. 252. ‡ No. V. p. 521. POETRY. |