verence, upon the neglected genius and virtues of Peter Elkington, to whofe memory Mr. H. has paid a handsome tribute of respect in an ingenious profe epitaph. We think, with Mr. H. that many of thefe pieces were originally published too haftily;' and we allow that his attempts to render them fomewhat lefs exceptionable' have not been totally unfuccefsful. Many of the lines are, however, languid and inharmonious: the diction is fometimes incorrect, and fometimes even coarse; and there is a general deficiency in that art of finishing, which every young writer should endeavour to attain, before he prefumes to encounter the difcerning eye of the Public. We think favourably of Mr. Headley's abilities; we are willing to encourage his exertions; and we advife him not to flight thofe powerful and judicious objections, which his Mafter is well known to employ against precipitate publication. P-17.

Art. 21. Folly triumphant over Wisdom. A Poem. 4to. Is.

Robinfons, &c.

This piece is too dull to be called fatire, and too profaic to deferve the name of a poem; it is nothing better than feeble sense in rhime..

E Art. 22. An Ode on the Immortality of the Soul: occafioned by the Opinions of Dr. Priestley. And Life, an Elegy. By the Rev. John Walter, M. A. Matter of Ruthin School, and late Fellow of Jefus College, Oxford. To which is added, An Ode to Humanity, founded on the Story of Scipio: by the Rev. John Walter, Senior, Rector of Landough, Glamorganfhire. 12mo. 1s. 6d. Johnfon. 1786.

In the first of thefe pieces, the Author has unquestionably started, and is combating, a bugbear; for every one who is acquainted with Dr. Priestley's writings, muft know, that he is a believer in the doctrine of Immortality, on the authority of Divine Revelation. These Poems are of that middle character, which neither engages admiration, nor provokes cenfure. The fentiments expreffed in them are, in general, fuch as will give pleafure to the pious reader; and the numbers are not inharmonious.

NOVEL.

E.

Art. 23. The Rambles of Fancy; or moral and interefting Tales. Containing, The Laplander.. The ambitious Mother. Letters from Lindamira to Olivia. Miranda to Elvira. Felicia to Cecilia. The American Indian. The Fatal Refolution. The Creole. By the Author of the Adventures of the Six Princeffes of Babylon *. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. fewed. Buckland. 1786.

Take care, fair lady! you are by no means fafely mountedFancy is a runaway tit, and ftands in particular need of the curb. Without a figure, we would recommend it to Mifs Peacock, in her future writings, to keep a little more within the line of nature and probability. Her ftories are too romantic to affect us, and her language much too pompous to please. We muft farther obferve to her, that in the prefent times, a tale about Genii and enchanted palaces has but little chance of being read.

Mifs Lucy Peacock.

We

We mean not, however, to difcourage the lady: fhe is not without abilities-but the finest foil requires the hand of culture to make it valuable. Let Mifs Peacock attend to this; and we doubt not but that her imagination, when meliorated by time, will bring forth good and wholefome fruit.

DRAMATIC.

A: B.

Art. 24. He would be a Soldier; a Comedy. In Five Acts. As performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Written by Frederic Pilon. 8vo. Is. 6d. Robinsons. 1786.

In his Preface, Mr. Pilon informs the reader, that the very great fuccefs which has attended the performance of this comedy, induces the Author to state a circumftance which, on the first blush of the bufsnefs, must appear rather fingular. He would be a Soldier was prefented to Mr. Colman in the courfe of laft fummer, and returnedbecause that gentleman did not like a line of it.'-If our Author means by this anecdote, to impeach Mr. Colman's judgment, he, at the fame time, does him complete juftice, by printing the play.

MEDICA L.

Art. 25. Two introductory Lectures, delivered by Dr. W. Hunter, to his last Course of anatomical Lectures at his Theatre in Windmill-ftreet. To which are added, fome Papers relative to Dr. Hunter's intended Plan for establishing a Museum in London for the Improvement of Anatomy, Surgery, and Phyfic. Printed by Order of the Trustees. 4to. 6s. Boards. Johnfon. 1784*. The two lectures here published contain the history and the eulogium of anatomy; alfo the proper method of pursuing anatomical ftudies with advantage.

Though we do not perfectly agree with the late Dr. Hunter in all the opinions advanced by him, yet we think this performance, efpecially the latter part of it, merits the peculiar attention of the anatomical student; the advice it delivers must, if duly attended to, be fingularly useful.

We have in this publication a memorial from Dr. Hunter which was prefented to the King by Lord Bute, fhewing the usefulness of anatomy, and the neceffity of its being cultivated. The Doctor proposed to establish an anatomical school for teaching this feience more advantageously than it had hitherto been taught in this kingdom. Toward executing this plan, he folicited Lord Bute to obtain from the King a grant of a piece of ground for building a theatre, mufeum, and dwelling-houfe for the profeffor; offering to expend fix or feven thousand pounds in the building, and in the endowment of a perpetual lectureship, over and above furnishing the mufeum with his very valuable and curious collection of preparations and books. After repeated applications, he had the mortification to find that his proposals were unacceptable. At length, wearied by long delay, he wrote to Mr. Grenville, begging pardon for having given fo much trouble, and withdrawing his generous offer.

That Government fhould difcountenance a scheme, fo well calcu lated to promote the advancement of a useful science, feems unaccountable! R. mo

This article has by fome accident been overlooked: it ought to have appeared fooner,

Hh3

Art

Art. 26. An Efay on the Virtues and Properties of the Ginfeng-Tea. By Count Belchilgen, M. D. and J. A. Cope. M. D. and P. R. B. With Obfervations on the pernicious Effects of Teadrinking in general. 8vo. Is. Mrs. Randal, Royal Exchange. 1786.

Not an effay on the virtues and properties of that fine aromatic and cordial Afiatic plant known by the name of ginfeng; but a recommendation of we know not what farrago of herbs, roots, and flowers prepared by the Author.

The obfervations on tea-drinking are extracted from Dr. Lettfom; and a few cafes are added, of people who have been cured by the ufe of the Author's infufion. B-m Art. 27. An exact Reprefentation of the very uncandid and extraordinary Conduct of Dr. John Coakley Lettfom, as well previous to, as on, the Day of Election for Phyfician to the Finsbury Difpenfary. By Thomas Skeete, M. D. 8vo. 6d. Fielding. 1786, Art. 28. A Vindication of Dr. Lettfom's Conduct relative to the late Election at the Finfbury Difpenfary, in a Letter from J. C. Lettfom, M. D. to S. Hinds, M. R. 8vo. 6d. Fielding. 1786. The Public is not interested in private difputes. There are few to whom this conteft relates, and ftill fewer to whom it will afford any entertainment.

Dr. Skete has published a reply to Dr. Lettfom's letter, in a half fheet, of eight pages, Svo. given gratis.

Art. 29. An Efay on the medical Character, with a View to define it. To which is fubjoined, Medical Commentaries and Obfervations adapted to feveral Cafes of indifpofed Health. By Robert Bath. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Laidler.

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An imitation of Dr. Gregory's "Duties and Office of a Physician." The commentaries and obfervations, which occupy three fourths of the work, are fometimes judicious; but we cannot accede to all Mr. Bath's doctrines, nor do we admire his ftyle, which is in general fingular and affected. R. Art. 30. A concife Relation of the Effects of an extraordinary Styptic, &c. By Barth. Rufpini. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Johnfon. 1786. This performance, which is to be confidered as a fecond edition, contains farther confirmations of the efficacy of the ftyptic mentioned in our Review for Auguft laft, page 156 Art. 31. A fhort Effay on the Nature and Symptoms of the Gout; with a View to recommend a Medicine to the Attention of thofe who are afflicted with the irregular and flying Gout. By James Rymer, Surgeon. 12mo. 4d. Evans. 1785.

Do

Short, but containing just observations. Not knowing Mr. Ry mer's fpecific, we can fay nothing of its good qualities. We therefore refer our readers to his own account of it. Art. 32. Some ufful Obfervations, from long Experience, on the Virtues and Efficacy of thofe celebrated Medicines, James's Powders, and Norris's Drops. By a Phyfician. 8vo. 6d. Bew. 1785. The Author of thefe obfervations impartially examines the merits of two well-known antimonial preparations, one in a folid, the other in a liquid form. He justly obferves, that in fome cafes the

powders

powders feem to be more efficacious than the drops; and, that in others, the liquid form is preferable to the folid. The good effects of each of thefe medicines are fully fet forth in former publications. Rm Art. 33. The prefent Practice of Surgery. By Robert White, M.D. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Johnfon. 1786.

The art of furgery has of late years been greatly improved, and many useful practical rules have been added to thofe delivered by former writers. Dr. White's intention in the prefent work is, to offer to the young practitioner a general fyftem, as compendious as its nature would admit of, formed from the general practice, in its prefent cultivated ftate, and founded on pofitive facts.'

We acknowledge his good wishes, and the defire he expreffes for the improvement of the art; but we fincerely regret that the rational and theoretical parts of furgery thould have been not only neglected by the Doctor, but even the ftudy of them difcouraged. He complains heavily, that, in this refined age, theory has too much the afcendency. The expreffion is by no means a proof, that the Author of it, lives in an age and country which is in the leaft refined. He reprobates the ftate of learning too; Education,' he fays, is wrought up beyond the limits of useful knowledge.' How many parts of ufeful knowledge are we not in want of? Does not the medical art, in all its branches, afford fufficient proofs of our deficiency in ufeful knowledge? How many miferably diftreffed objects daily implore in vain the affiftance of our best practitioners? Ufeful knowledge has not yet arrived at its limits; nor is it in the power of man to define thefe limits, fuppofing them even to exist.

The work before us contains many good practical obfervations, and, though it is by no means a complete fyftem of furgery, it will, in several inftances, afford instruction to the practitioner. It is concife, and in some places so brief, as to afford but little affiftance to the student.

The language is frequently laboured, hard words are often unneceffarily introduced, and what is worse, mifapplied. Exorbitant flesh,' in fungous ulcers, for exuberant. 'Purity' of the wound, for cleannefs. Lay' frequently occurs for lie. With many others of a like kind, which are unpardonable, Art. 34. An Inquiry into the Origin and Antiquity of the Lues Venerea; with Obfervations on its Introduction into the Islands of the South Seas. To which is added, a fhort View of the various Remedies recommended in that Disease, from its first Appearance in Europe to thefe Times. By William Turnbull, Surgeon in his Majefty's Navy. 8vo 2s. 6d. Murray. 1786.

We fuppofe most of our medical readers are fufficiently acquainted with the hiftory of this dreadful calamity: they will, however, in the prefent performance, meet with a concife and faithful account of the means by which it has been propagated, and a detail of the various remedies which practitioners in different countries and ages have ufually recommended for its cure. ༡° Art. 35. Obfervations on the Use of crude Mercury or Quicksilver, in Obstructions of the Bowels, arifing from Inflammations or

• This, however, we imagine, may be an error of the prefs.

Hh 4

other

other Caufes. With Remarks on the Ufe of Castor Oil. By R. S. Nevinfon. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Newark printed, and fold by Baldwin in London. 1786.

We fcarcely expected to have feen this dangerous mode of practice, which has been fo univerfally reprobated by all rational practitioners, recommended by a writer of the prefent day. The quota. tion of the following maxim is a fufficient proof of the Author's lite rary abilities. Anceps remedium melior eft quam nullam ;' and his frequent ufe of egotism marks his felf opinion. R-m Art. 36. A Lecture, containing plain Defcriptions of the Situation of the large Blood-veffels of the Extremities; the Inftrument called Tourniquet; and the Methods of making effectual Preffure en the Arteries, in Cafes of dangerous Effusions of Blood from Wounds, &c. By W. Blizard. 8vo. 1s. 6d, Dilly. 1756. The laudable defign of giving inftruction to young men who are intended for the army or navy, of the means by which they may ftep violent hemorrhages until the affittance of a furgeon can be procured, deferves encouragement; and we are happy to find a gentleman, fo well qualified, heartily engaged in the execution of it. Art. 37. A Treatise on the Gout; with the Recommendation of a new Medicine. By Onflow Barret, M. D. 1s. 6d. Stockdale, Sec. 1785.

An advertisement for the Author's specific pills. D: Art. 38. in Effay on natural Labours. By Thomas Denman, M.D. 8vo. 2s. Johnson. 1786.

A continuation of the Doctor's works on the obstetrical art. The prefent performance is fimilar to thofe of which we have frequently given our opinion.

MISCELLANEOUS.

-m

B: Art. 39. A candid Defence of the Appointment of Sheriffs Brokers, as originally inftituted by sir Barnard Turner, Kat. and Thomas Skinner, Efq. late Sheriffs. 8vo. Is. Davis, &c.

From the reprefentations here given, we find that where goods were taken in execution, the officers who took them had the appointment of brokers to value them, who managed fo well their mutual interelt as to opprefs both debtor and creditor; and that the connection between them was understood by finding particular brokers always ftanding fecurities for feveral theriffs officers under all changes that took place. In annual offices, thofe who pafs through them feldom understand their bufinefs till their term is nearly expiring; fo that the under-officers, who are ftationary, taking continual advantage of the inexperience of their fucceffive principals, continual abufes are practifed, and under this office they are exercised on the unfortunate! Happily Mr. Sheriff Skinner understood the nature of this bufinefs too well to pass it over, and therefore he and his colleague in office cut off the iniquitous connexion by appointing brokers themselves: but their year having expired, and other theriffs fucceeded, this publication feafonably appeared, to prevent their tranfactions from returning into the old channel; as the officers con trive to render the business of the brokers under Mr. Skinner's regu lation as unwelcome as poffible, in order to reitore their old friends, and renew their old habits of reciprocity.

N. Art