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rily affumes a very different form, being much more copious, and, as I hope, infinitely more perfect. The external characters (crystallization excepted) are enumerated and defcribed with very little variation from Mr. Werner's tract on that fubject; fome new Genera, and many new Species, are introduced, the analyfis by different perfons annexed. Not flavishly addicted to any fyftem, I have taken the liberty, when I thought it neceffary, of framing new diftinctions, and even of introducing a new clafs; I have alfo added the defcription of fome Irish fofils, which appeared not to have been known in other countries. Volcanic productions, that in the former edition were but flightly mentioned, will here be found minutely confidered, and the origin of bafalt fully difcuffed. I have alfo treated of the analysis of Earths and Stones much more at large than before, and impartially examined, thofe already; in a word, I hope I have faithfully reprefented in this volume the prefent ftate of the science, as far as Earths and Stones are. concerned. The fecond part, which treats of saline, inflammable, and metallic fubftances, is in fome forwardness, and will, I expect, be ready for publication in a twelvemonth. P. viii.

Dublin, Jan. 1, 1795."

It cannot be expected that we should notice in a particular manner, the several additions or alterations to be found in this edition. The enumeration of new foffils, or of new names of old foffils, can convey no information to our readers, divested of the feveral marks of diftinétion, and refults of their analyfis, which must be fought for in the work itself. We can only fay in general, therefore, that it feems fcarce poffible to go further than Mr. K. appears to have gone in the difcrimination. of earths and stones, as well by his own labours and obfervations, as by his application of the experiments of Klaproth and other celebrated chemical mineralogifts, and by his adoption of Mr. Werner's external characters. To the latter Mr. Kirwan is a convert, as he formerly attributed lefs importance and fufficiency to external diftinctions than he is now difpofed to give; he ftill, however, profetles himfelf unwilling to adopt them further than as aids to the analytical procefs, which has been done by fome over-zealous difciples of Mr. Werner. How abfolutely requifite external diftinctions in fome cafes are, he well proves, from the new-difcovered deftructibility of the diamond by heat, which is the only internal character by which analyfis can difcover it. See p. 24. Mr. K's mode of applying fome of Mr. W's external characters (such as, the luftre, tranfparency, hardness, &c. p. 26) fo as to denote the degrees of intenfity in refpect to these feveral qualities, is by figures, thus (to give an inftance) of common fpar, the luftre is reprefented as 3, 2, never o cr 1, but when either decompofing or debased by foreign ingredients. Iis tranfparency 2, 3, 4, 1.

If of the amorphous kind 2, 1, 5, 1, hardness from 5 to 6, and fo on. This feems to be an improvement of Mr. Kirwan's. See p. 38. The other diftinctive characters are feverally fet forth at pp. 27, 28, &c. and a very copious catalogue provided.

Though we forbear entering into any account of new-difcovered foffils in general, it would be improper to omit giving the names at least of the four new earths, which we find to be, the Scottish or Stronthian, the Jargonic, the Sydneian, and the Adamantine. The firft was noticed by Dr. Crawford about the year 1790. Mr. K's experiments on this earth are to be met with in the tranfactions of the Irish Academy. The fecond was difcovered by Mr. Klaproth, and has only been found in the ftone cailed fargon or Circon of Ceylon. The third was detected by the late ingenious Mr. Wedgwood, in a mineral brought from Sydney Cove in New South Wales, and defcribed by him in the Lond. Phil. Tranf. for 1790. The laft, by Mr. Klaproth in the Adamantine or diamond fpar. The firft. has only hitherto been found combined with the aërial acid. Of. the fecond only one fpecies has been discovered, of the third no fpecies, and the fourth has only been detected in the Adamantine fpar of which there are three varieties. It can scarce be neceffary to mention, that this increafe in the number of fimple earths, increases alfo the number of the genera or primary divifions of homogeneous earths or ftones from five to nine. The Diamond still continues the fubject of a particular appendix, having no place yet affigned it in the claffification of earths and stones.

A science so many ways open to new discoveries cannot well continue long fixed, in regard to its nomenclature; befides the addition of new names among the foffils themselves, we find new terms for fome of their component parts in this work, from Mr. K's adoption in part of the new French chemical nomenclature. Thus the aërated calx is become in this new edition Carbonati de Chaux, mild calx combined with terra ponderofa Baryto-Calcite; with magnefia, muri-calcite, and fo on *. In confequence of new and more minute examinations of fome foffils heretofore known, we find feveral referred to new places in the arrangement, and new ones we find distin-. guished by names of relationship, as it were to old foils.

* Under the article of names, it may be fit to mention that Mr. Werner calls the aërated Barytes, Witherite, in honor of our countryman Dr. Withering. And at p. 317 Mr. K. fettles the orthography of the Felpar, deriving it from fels a rock, and not from feld a field.

Thus

Thus we have the Talcite, the Amianthinite, the Afbeftinate; the Afbefloid, the Micarelle, &c. Of foffils hitherto difputed or not fully examined, the Spath-perle of Romé de L'ifle (compound fpar of the 1t edit. p. 39) is claffed as a pyritaceous limeftone, under the name of Sidero-calcite. The Lunenburgh crystal, as a combination of magnefia and the acid of borax, under the name of Boracite. A diftinction is made between hornblende (Pierre de Corne, Schoel en Maffe, Shorl fpathique, &c.) and hormitone, which Mr. K. had confounded together in his former work, a confufion having arifen from the applying the latter name to Petro-filex. A diftinction is alfo made between the delite and Zeolite which were heretofore both included under the latter name; the former not being found to have its due proportion of water to determine it to be a Zeolite. It differs alfo in hardness and fpecific gravity. Many other curious diftinctions are afcertained, by far too numerous to be noticed in this place. Among them, however, we must not omit to mention that the toadftone is claffed as an Amygdaloid. Of the particular obfervations, difcuffions, &c. interfperfed, we have a fection on the formation of ftony fubftances. An excellent one on the distinctive characters and fyftematic arrangement of earths and stones, in which Mr. Werner's external marks are given at large, the internal properties particularly fpoken of, and an useful table added for finding the fpecific gravity of ftones either in distilled or pump water, at any temperature between 45 and 75° of Fahrenheit. A new and important article on the fufible and infufible proportions of fimple earths, to which Mr. K. feems to have paid confiderable attention; this is followed by a table, in which Mr. K's refults are contrafted with thofe of former chemifts, and fome ufeful corrollaries added, with respect to all binary combinations, which we fhould give at large, did we not confider the book on thefe accounts, as an indifpenfable addition to every mineralogical library. We have befides, three appendixes. The firit on the Diamond, the fecond on Volcanos, Pfeudo-Volcanos, Lavas, and Bafalts; and the third on the chemical analysis of earths and ftones. We shall only briefly point out the general fcope of the two latter, the full account (efpecially of the difputed point of bafalts) being too extenfive for our limits. In the fecond Appendix then, Mr. K. gives his decided opinion against the volcanic origin of basalts, after a curious account of the progrefs of the controversy hitherto, on this difputed fubject. Mr. K. does not feem, however, to form his opinion from local obfervations of his own, which we fhould furely judge neceffary. In the third Appendix we have an excellent account of the difficulties at

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tending a correct analyfis, with many valuable methods by which errors may, as far as poffible, be obviated. Mr. Klaproth's tefts have the preference given them over Bergman's→→ As this Appendix includes the methods of detecting the new earths, it is a neceffary article for the ftudent in mineralogy. In the courfe of the work Mr. Nicholfon's inftrument (of which there is a defcription in vol. 2 of the Memoirs of Manchester, and in Mr. Magellan's edition of Cronstedt) is pronounced by Mr. K. to be the most convenient for taking fpecific gravities. Mr. Wedgwood's pyrometer alfo is mentioned, as of indifpenfable utility in mineralogical researches.

We have now, we truft, fully difcharged our duty, in thus informing the public in a general way, how much new matter is to be found in this fcientific hiftory of earths and ftones. We conclude with expreffing our warmeft acknowledgments to Mr. K. for this first part of his new undertaking, moft fincerely wishing him health and opportunity fpeedily to continue and complete his work: a work which, whatever new discoveries may still be made, muft certainly long continue of inestimable value to mineralogifts of all defcriptions.

ART. XIV. The Hiftory of England, abridged from Hume, by the Author of the Abridgement of Mr. Gibbon's Hiftory. Svo. 2 vol. 14s. alfo

ART. XV. The Hiftory of England from the Revolution to the Commencement of the prefent Administration. Written in Continuation of Mr. Hume's Hiftory. 8vo. 7s. Kearfley. 1795.

OF

Fa profefled abridgement but little can be faid in a Review; and the highest praise to which it can afpire is that of fidelity. To this commendation we think the prefent attempt is in general entitled. The language of the author is in most parts preferved, and the principal alteration which the history has undergone from this editor, is leaving out the difquifitions, the appendixes, and the notes. In fome inftances, however, the narrow compass to which he was obliged to confine his labours, has compelled the abridger to defert this plan, and in these parts, as might be expected, the hiftory is not improved: there is neither the perfpicuity, the fpirit, nor the melody of Hume: the matter is crowded, and the fentences abrupt. The reader, however, is not very frequently offended in this way, as our editor has, through the more in

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BRIT. CRIT. VOL. V. APRIL 1795.

teresting

terefting parts of the narrative, literally tranfcribed from his author; and, on the whole, we may fafely term the work a fair Epitome of Hume's History.

It gives us pleafure to add, that many of the indecent fneers of this hiftorian against revealed religion, religion, are expunged in this epitome; yet this has not been as fully attended to as we could have wifhed, as for inftance in Vol. I. p. 521, where the zeal of the Proteftant Martyrs in the 16th century feems to be branded as a fpecies of phrenfy. In a book intended for young perfons, the editor ought to have been extremely cautious of admitting any fuch infinuations as thefe; and thould have remembered, that the excellent and venerable Dr. Johnson had, folely on this account, objected to Hume's history as an elementary book for young perfons.

The volume in continuation is alfo an epitome of the hiftory of Great Britain from the Revolution. Indeed it is obvious, that the history of five reigns, and some of a protracted duration, could not poffibly be minutely detailed within the compafs of a fingle volume. The author, however, in his adyertifement, expreffes, with fome confidence, his hopes that "no fact of real importance will be found to have been omitted." This, we think, is in general the cafe; but fome of them might certainly have been given more at length. The events moft interefting to young perfons are indeed related with fufficient minutenefs, in particular the military tranfactions. The important battles of Blenheim, Ramilies, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Fontenoy, Culloden; the taking of Quebec, and all the military affairs of the late American war are circumftantially told. We were pleafed to find the following maxim adopted as the bafis of this continuation.

"In this work all difquifitions on the principles of government are ftudioufly avoided; the writer conceiving that fuch inquiries would be not only fuperfluous but even impertinent, as we have one certain criterion of political wisdom and virtue, viz. the established do&rines of the British Conftitution. The errors of every party, whether Whigs or Tories, are freely cenfured and expofed; and whatever was good or eftimable in the characters of flatefinen, is marked without any atten. tion to the party principles which they profeffed."

It must, however, be obferved that here, as in many other cafes, the promife of impartiality is more fpecionfly made than fcrupuloutly kept. The author, on all occafions, manifefts a ftrong zeal for the popular fide of every queftion. The Septennial bill is reprefented by him as a more fatal injury to the Cision than it had ever received by all the incroachments

, from the fatal period of the Conqueft to the prefent The reflections which conclude the reign of George arth and unjuft. The American war is related with

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