Imatges de pàgina
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means of this medicated vapour, were entirely preferved from putrefaction; and having informed the reader where the medicine, which is called Balfamic Ether, may be had, he concludes his pamphlet, with a few general rules for judging, a priori, of medicines that are exposed to fale.

We have been rather more particular than ufual in our ac count of this pamphlet, becaufe, in point of ftyle and reafoning, it is much fuperior to the generality of performances of this nature; and though we are, upon the whole, no friends to quack medicines, yet we muft, in this cafe, allow, that the Doctor's hypothesis is not irrational.

Essay

17. An Efay on the Bite of a Mad Dog. 8vo. Pr. Is.

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Every attempt to remedy fo dreadful an evil, if it bear the leaft fhadow of probability, merits attention. The author of this Effay proposes to extract the poison from the wound, as immediately as poffible, by means of glaffes, provided with a pump and valves, and of various fhapes, fo as to be conveniently applied to the furface of any part or member of the body that may be bitten; and when there is occafion for them to put warm water into the glass, and apply it to the wound,taking care that the water be in contact with, and of sufficient quantity to cover it; Then, fays he, draw out the air and continue the fuction, by the exhausted glass, till the water is faturated with the blood or juices that iffue from it. This done, it will be proper to remove the glass, and wash the wound with warm water and a sponge.' This operation is to be repeated, till there is reason to think the wound is cleansed: from all infectious matter.' First, we must observe, that the author is not fufficiently explicit in the defcription of his infrument; and, fecondly, we must take notice of the great impropriety of his directions for continuing the operation: Continue the fuction, fays he, till the water is Saturated with the blood or juices.' He must be a very young, or very ignorant. fudent of medicine, not to know that there is no point of faturation in the mixture of blood, or animal juices, with water.

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18. A Letter to his Grace the Duke of Grafton, first Commissionor of bis Majesty's Treasury. The fixth Edition. 8vo. Pr. 15. Almon.

To be fevere upon this letter, which is dictated by indignation, and extorted by misfortune, might perhaps be deemed inhuman. Whatever its author's friends may pretend, we cannot, however, forbear saying, that it contains little more matter than what appeared in former publications by himself or his party. That his fufferings have brought him into grofs inconfiftencies

fiftencies with regard to the character of a commoner who is now ennobled, and who he says was once his friend, must be admitted by the most partial of his admirers; and that his real friends may advise him to more prudent and effectual methods for his pardon than the prefent publication, is the fincere wifh of the Critical Reviewers.

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19. A Seventh Letter to the People of England. A Defence of the Prerogative Royal, as it was exerted in his Majesty's Proclamation · for the prohibiting the Exportation of Corn. In which it is proved that this Authority ever has been, is, and must be effential to the Conftitution, and infeparable from the Rights and Liberties of the Subject. 8vo. Pr. 25. Almon.

To this letter is prefixed an emblematical frontispiece, which has created no little altercation among critics. It confifts of three large fticks; one furmounted with an imperial crown, the fecond with a coronet and mitre, and the third resembling a mace. They are united in a triangular form, and from the point of contact depends a pair of fcales. Some connoiffeurs fuppofe that the Doctor has catched the idea of this emblem from the weighing machines at the turnpikes, and others from the difpofition of the halberds in the Parade, when poor culprits are to be whipt there: this laft opinion indeed is strengthened by the motto affixed, Refpublica ; that is, the flogging must be public.

The author, like a hardy veteran, rufhes at once into his fubject. The law (fays he) which, in this feffion of parliament, has been enacted to indemnify those minifters who advifed his majefty to prohibit the exportation of corn, and those officers who exerted the dictates of that benign interpofition, feems most evidently to express that this exertion of authority was confidered as unconftitutional. Otherwife, it may be difficult to affign a reafon adequate to the paffing that exculpating ftatute.

Notwithstanding this law was voted with almoft unanimous confent; and the generality of the nation appears to be per. fuaded of the expediency of its being inftituted; to my apprehenfion it is manifeft, that the prerogative of the crown, exercised as it was on this occafion, has been, is, and ever must be effential to the conftitution, and infeparable from the rights and liberties of the people. And fhould the privy-council, through the influence of this act, be intimidated, in future times, from the exercising it in a like manner, I am convinced that the whole community muft inevitably fuffer by this defal cation of authority from the king,'

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He then proceeds, like all other authors time immemorially, to purge himself of all prepoffeffions, partial affections, and the like warpings, either of principle or intereft. Happily for him, in the bulk of his pamphlet, a review of the hiftory of the tyrannical reigns and times lends its affiftance to eke out his publication to a very comfortable length. How far the present minifters, whom he most earnestly vindicates, may think themfelves obliged to his justifying their conduct upon anti-revolutional principles, we shall not pretend to determine: we acknowledge, however, upon the whole, that we nearly espouse this author's fentiments; though we think he is mistaken in the plan he has laid down. As to the indemnifying law which he has attacked, we confider it in no other light than the fentence of a court-martial, who fits on a captain of one of his majefty's fhips, which may happen to be wrecked. Though every one of the members should be convinced in his own breast, that the commander has acted like an officer of ability and experience, and perhaps that the lives of the men have been faved by his care and skill; yet there is a neceffity, however irreprehenfible his conduct may be, for his being acquitted by the fentence of the court.

20. Dr. Williamson's Narrative of the extraordinary Cafe of a late great Commoner. In a Letter to the Prefident of the College of Phyficians. Folio. Pr. 6d. Almon.

This is an impotent attempt to infult the bodily infirmities of a most respectable perfonage. It is in one or two paffages carried on with fome degree of humour, but the author's inteation is deteftable.

21. Two Papers, on the Subject of taxing the British Colonies in America. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Almon.

As thefe Papers were printed fome years ago, we might be excufed from reviewing them, was not the republication of them at this time particularly feafonable. Their intention is to fhew, that the taxing of the Americans, and the introducing a stampduty into that country, is a project of a more early date than his prefent majefty's reign.

22. The abfolute Neceffity of laying open the Trade to the Eaft Indies. 8.00. Pr. Is. 6d. Williams.

This pamphlet, which is written with a very dictatorial air, makes free with many refpectable perfons; and, if we mistake not, the writer very often quotes himself as an authority, to induce the legislature to follow his dictates. Left the public

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should want money while the trade is laying open, our author generously engages to fupply it with fifty-two thousand five hundred pounds a year, by a tax upon fervants. He proposes a fecond upon horses, and a third upon houfes; but he bewails the little attention paid by the government to his labours for the general good.

As the subject of this pamphlet is now under the confideration of the higher powers, we must declare, as we did on former occafions of the fame nature, that we think it would be indecent in us to intrude ourselves into the controverfy, by giving anyopinion upon the subject,

23. Hiftorical Memoirs of his late Royal Highness William-Auguftus, Duke of Cumberland. Including the military and political Hiftory of Great Britain, during that Period. 8vo.

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Pr. 55.

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We know no more of the duke of Cumberland's character from this compilation, than what the most indolent reader may pick up from gazettes, news-papers, journals, and my own history, as the author affects to call fome of his former performances upon the fame fubject, and written in the fame manner. takes his royal highnefs up when he was pretty full grown, without teaching him to read, write, or fay his prayers, and without taking the leaft care of his education; but by a very comical contrivance, after his royal highnefs is dead, we have an account of his birth, &c. in a fhort note at the end of the work.

If any thing can recommend this heavy infipid performance, it confifts of a few ftrictures concerning the battle of Fontenoy, and fome other incidents of the war, for which the compiler quotes the earl of Crawford's name. We are not however, certain, nor indeed does the fact merit an enquiry, whether they have not been already published in his lordship's Life, which was wrote by the fame elegant pen. Left our readers should imagine we do this writer injuftice as an hiftorian, we shall quote the following very remarkable anecdote, vulgarly called a plumper, which the author has inferted in one of his notes. After he has mentioned the duke of Grammont's death at the battle of Fontenoy, Voltaire (fays he) may be right: but the duke de Grammont's death happened in a fingular manner: he was mounted on a fine white horse, at which fome of the English matroffes fired several shot, for a small wager, to see who could bring him down; as they judged the rider to be an officer of rank. The fhot that took place was fired off by one Baker, who told me the fact, for which he was rewarded with a penfion of eighteen pounds a year.'

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The ridiculous vanity of all fmatterers in poetry is confpicuous in this author, for he is perpetually quoting in his notes verfes

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from Pope's Homer, Milton, Shakespear, and other poets. As to the fidelity, of his general narrative (though he is often miftaken in particular circumftances) we have nothing to object to it; and indeed, when we confider the lights he followed, it was not in his power, had he been fo inclined, to have gone aftray.

24. Letters on the Importance of the rifing Generation of the labouring Part of our Fellow-Subjects. By Jonas Hanway, Efq; In two Vols. 8vo. Pr. 75. Cadell.

The benevolence and philanthropy of this author is fufficiently expreffed in his title-page. The letters which form the bulk of this publication have already made their appearance in a daily paper; and therefore any quotation from them must be deemed inconfiftent with our design.

25. Letters on the British Museum, &c. 8vo. Pr. 25. Dodfley.

These letters contain a very flight, and not very accurate account of fome of the curiofities in the British Museum. One could fcarcely expect, in fo fhort a compilement, to find a whole chapter employed in a differtation on the life and character of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, because under the piazzas of the Museum ftand two pieces of marble which belonged to her Maufoleum. The fubftance of what we find concerning the mummies in this collection, is, we believe, to be found in other publications. No mention is made of the noble donor of the celebrated head of Homer, which he purchased from Dr. Mead's collection, and which is thought, from the liquefaction of the metal about the neck, to be the head of the ftatue mentioned by Cedrenus to have been confumed in a conflagration at Conftantinople.

This little pamphlet may, however, ferve as a Vade Mecum to a reader who is not too critically curious in vifiting that immenfe repofitory.

26. An Addrefs to the Ladies, fhewing how hazardous Matrimony is found to enter upon at this Time. Humbly fubmitted to their most Serious Attention. Dedicated to Old Father Time. By a Young Batchelor. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Wilkie.

The author of this Addrefs pretends, that in the present age, it is hazardous for young batchelors to engage in matrimony, on account of the great attention which the ladies pay to drefs, and the amusements of the town. On these topics he gives his advice: but his ftile and fentiments are so flimsy and inelegant, that we cannot fuppofe any lady of taste will beftow a moment's attention on his performance.

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