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Account of an Elaftic Trochar, conftructed on a new Principle of Tapping the Hydrocele. By John Andree. 8vo. Is. L. Davis.

This inftrument confifts of two parts, viz. the filet, or perforator, and the canula. The whole of the filet, excepting its point, is contained within the canula, which is a flat tube, but fomewhat convex on each furface, and has two fharp edges. The canula is formed of two pieces of well-tempered elastic steel, accurately fitted together at their edges. When the inftrument has been paffed into the body, on withdrawing the ftilet with the fmallest degree of force, the canula opens juft wide enough to allow of its exit, and clofes immediately after, by its own elafticity. Previous to the account of this trochar, Mr. Andree fhews the inconvenience of that which has hitherto been used; clearly evincing the 'fuperiority of the new trochar from two confiderations. One is, that it gives much lefs pain in the ope ration; and the other, that it may be ufed with perfect safety in an early stage of droptical fwellings. This inftrument appears to be a great improvement on the former trochar; and will, we doubt not, be generally adopted in practice.

An Addrefs to the Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes, on the great and good Effects of the Univerfal Medicine of the ancient Magi ; being the grand and inviolable Secret of Majonry. By S. Freeman, M. D. 8vo. 6d.

The title of this pamphlet is, we prefume, fufficient to give our readers a juft idea of its futility. It is a rhapfody of jargon, calculated to impofe upon the ignorant under the femblance of abftrufe knowlege; equally deftitute of science and of truth, and myfterious only by its own abfurdity.

Obfervations on the Difeafes which appeared in the Army on St. Lu

cia, in 1778, and 1779. Small 8vo. 25. fewed. Dilly.

Mr. Rollo, the author of this treatise, befide a general account of St. Lucia, gives a defcription of the feveral places in that ifland which were occafionally occupied by the army during the fickly feafons in 1778 and 1779. The difeafes then mostly prevalent were intermittents, remitting fevers, and the dy fentery; which Mr. Rollo imputes principally to the putrid air of the marshes. Refpecting the treatment of the tertian, the author informs us, that having cleared the firft paffages, they always gave a combination of tartar emetic and opium in folution, after the cold flage began to difappear. In the remittent, the most effectual means for procuring a diftinct remiffion, was found to be naufeating dofes of tartar emetic; giving, at the time of the ufual exacerbation of the fever, an opiate by itself, or combined with an antimonial, according to the ftate of the ftomach, in the fame manner as after the cold ftage of an intermittent. In the dyfentery, after discharging the vitiated contents of the ftomach and

bowels,

bowels, the best remedy was found to be opium, affifted by diet, air, and cleanliness. The treatife contains many obfervations which may be highly useful to practitioners in the West Indies; and the author has added a fhort and judicious addrefs to military gentlemen, on the means of preferving health in thofe cli

mates.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Ancient and Modern Hiftory of Gibraltar, and the Sieges and Attacks it hath fuftained, &c. By J. S. Dodd. 8vo. 35. Murray.

This production commences with a fhort description, and hiftorical account, of Gibraltar; extracted, it is probable, from a large work on the fame fubject, publifhed a few years fince, by an officer of the army. So far the author might entertain fome hope of gratifying curiofity: but more than the half of the volume confifts of a minute, uninterefting journal of the fiege of Gibraltar by the Spaniards, in 1727. What purpose such a narrative can answer, we are quite at a lofs to deterinine.

A Month's Tour in North Wales, Dublin, and its Environs. Small 8vo. 25. Kearfly.

The author of this little Tour feems well qualified for making the most of his fubject. Though the scenes be not very interefting, they are fo delineated as to afford gratification to the reader. The defcription is richly interfperfed with incidents, and not unfrequently with remarks on manners and customs; all which are blended in an agreeable and lively manner.

A Genealogical Hiftory of the prefent Royal Families of Europe: Illuftrated with Tables of Defcent. By Mark Noble, F. A. S. Small 8vo. 35. Sewed. Baldwin.

This small volume, the author informs us, was compiled for his own private ufe; but thinking that it might be ferviceable to others, he at length committed it to the prefs. The volume begins with the hiftory of the Imperial family, from Frederick the third, arch-duke of Auftria, elected emperor in 1440, to the prefent time. Next follow the families of Ruffia, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Pruffia, Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia. To thefe is added the fucceffion of the Stadtholders; and of the Popes, from 1417 to the prefent time, with their family-names and characters. The different articles are introduced with a general account of the government, and the religion of each country; and the defcent of all the fovereign families is illuftrated by particular tables. The whole forms a ufeful compendium of genealogical history, from the foundation of the various families, whofe defcendants are potentates in Europe.

The

The Phonix, an Essay. By John Goodridge. 8vo. 3. Wells and Grofvenor.

The author of this work is captain John Goodridge, late com mander of one of his majefty's packet boats, ftationed at Falmouth. The captain, if he is yet alive, is feventy-one, and this is probably the child of his old age.

Some of the notions, which he endeavours to maintain, are these that the fix days of the creation were equal to fix years; that the earth did not move round its own axis till the Fall; that its diurnal motion took place on Adam's tranfgreffion, and was occafioned by the collilion or near approach of a comet, which gave a terrible flock to the earth; that the fame comet, which returns after a period of about 575 years, likewise occafioned the deluge; that its laft appearance was in 1680; that at its next return it will occafion the conflagration and the millenium; and, laftly, that this comet is the phoenix of the ancients.

The circumstances, which chiefly induce him to believe, that this comet is the phoenix, are these : Its periods are upon an average about 575 years: this certainly agrees with the return of the phoenix, which is faid to be about 600 years; secondly, the Comet's flight and quick paffage through the heavens; thirdly, its tail, both which are common to birds in general; laftly, the comet's going down to the fun, where, by the violence of the fun's heat, it is terribly burnt, and when it returns, in flying off again it is then called the young phoenix.'

As to the time, he fays, when the conflagration is to take place, I have not in the least hinted either the day or the month, in which it may happen, nor have I attempted to confine the time to a fingle year; but (unless it fhould pleafe God to alter the courfe of the comet) I am confid. nt, it will happen some time in the year 2255 or 6.'

The captain's calculation is particular enough in all reafon : prophets fhould not be preffed too closely; and no body will defire him to limit either the day or the month, as he has determined year with fo much confidence.

the

The reader is not to imagine that this is a fugitive piece, like many of our modern productions. The author makes no doubt, but that it will exift till the next return of the phoenix,' and if hereafter any patriotic bookfeller, or generous philanthropist, fhould think proper to give the world a new impreffion of thirty thoufand copies, he will do an effential fervice to mankind: for, as the author fays, the more general it may be at that time, of the more benefit it will prove to the then inhabitants of the arth.'

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For the Month of August, 1781.

Préfaces biographical and critical to the Works of the English Poets. By Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Vol. V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X. Small 8vo. Printed for the principal Bookfellers. [Concluded.]

T

HESE volumes are a continuation, of a moft learned and ingenious work, of which we gave an account in a former volume *, and complete the elegant edition of English poets published by the Bookfellers of London.

The character both of the author and his performance are already too well known and established in the republic of letters, to make any farther recommendation neceffary; it may be fufficient, therefore, to obferve, that in thefe Lives of the Poets we meet with the fame critical penetration and fagacity, the fame accurate knowlege of men and manners, judicious reflections, nervous ftyle, and manly fentiments, that diftinguished the former volumes.-This part of the work is, at the fame time, more interefting, as it contains the lives, and difplays the characters, of perfons living nearly in our own times; and whom fome of us were, perhaps, perfonally acquainted with, Pope, Swift, Gay, Thomfon, Young, Collins, Gray, Dyer, Akenfide, &c.-Amongst thefe, the life of the celebrated Dr. Young is not written by Dr. Johnson, but by a gentleman, who, the Dr. informs us, had better information concerning it than he

• See Crit. Rev, vol. xlvii. p. 354, 450.
G

VOL. LII. Aug. 1781.

Could

could obtain. We could have wifhed, however, that Mr. Herbert Croft, of Lincoln's-Inn, who writes this life for his friend Dr. Johnson, had himself received more information, with regard both to the public and private character of Drr Young, than we here meet with.

Of the domeftic manners and petty habits (fays Mr. Croft) of the author of the Night Thoughts, I hoped to have given you an account from the best authority; - but who shall dare to fay, To-morrow I will be wife or virtuous, or to-morrow I will do a particular thing? Upon enquiring for his housekeeper, I learned that he was buried two days before I reached the town of her abode.'

Mr. Croft, we observe, has taken no fmall pains to vindicate the character of Dr. Young's fon, (a worthy man, and, we believe, now living) from the mifreprefentations of the Biographia Britannica, which, he tells us,

Not fatisfied with pointing out the fon of Young, in that fon's life-time, as his father's Lorenzo, travels out of its way into the hiftory of the fon, and tells of his having been forbidden his college at Oxford for misbehaviour, and of his long labouring under the difpleasure of his father. How fuch anecdotes, were they true, tend to illuftrate the Life of Young, it is not eafy to difcover. If the fon of the author of the Night Thoughts was indeed forbidden his college for a time at one of our univerfities, the author of Paradife Loft was difgracefully ejected from the other, with the additional indignity of public corporal correction. From juvenile follies who is free? Were nature to indulge the fon of Young with a fecond youth, and to leave him at the fame time the experience of that which is paft, he would probably pafs it differently (who would not?); he would certainly be the occafion of lefs uneafinefs to his father;-but, from the fame experience, he would as certainly be treated in a different manner by his father. Young was a poet; poets (with reverence be it spoken) do not make the best parents. Fancy and imagination feldom deign to stoop from their heights; always ftoop unwillingly to the low level of common duties. Aloof from vulgar life, they pursue their rapid flight beyond the ken of mortals, and descend not to earth but when obliged by neceifity. The profe of ordinary occurrences is beneath the dignity of poetry. Yet the fon of Young would almoft fooner, I know, pass for a Lorenzo, than fee himfelf vindicated, at the expence of his father's memory, from follies which, if it was blameable in a boy to have committed them, it is furely praife worthy in a man to lament, and certainly not only unneceffary but cruel in a biographer to record.'

This

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