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lity of this meafure, with refpect to aftronomical obfervations, muft be obvious. When aftronomy is the theme, Mr. Herfchell's name fhould not be far off. He has enriched the Tranfactions of the Society with another Catalogue of Double Stars, and added a paper on the Construction of the Heavens. The term must fill the mind with the most fublime ideas; but they will be raised fill higher by the paper itself. By fuppofing only that gravity and a projectile force pervades all nature, Mr. Her fchell fhews, that the ftars must neceffarily form groups of different kinds, fuch as we ufually perceive. The vast extent of the whole fyftem, and the atom of it which we perceive, though nearly in the midft of a vast group of funs, which we have termed the milky way, is truly wonderful. Mr. Herschell feems to have examined them from their origin, when the ftars have began to form groupes, to their termination, when the force of gravity, overcoming the projectile force, has united the whole mafs in one vaft ruin, of which our own fyftem may one day (and who knows when) furnifh a memorable example. Since our laft publication, other itars have been found to vary in their degree of light. The Antinoi appeared to Mr. Pigot to have a period of 7 days, 4 hours, 38'; and the Lyra to Mr. Goodriche, to have completed its changes in about 12 days, 19 hours. Other aftronomical obfervations are inferted in the annual volume of the Tranf actions communicated by M. de Zach. Mr. Landen's paper "On the rotatory Motion of a Body of any Form, revolving without Reftraint about any Axis, paffing through its Centre of Gravity," is

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exceedingly ingenious, and deferves to be mentioned in this place, as it is fubfervient to aftronomy.

Mr. Vince has added a fupplement to the third part of his paper "On the Summation of infinite. Series," and has alfo communicated to the fociety fome very useful experiments on friction. Thefe fhew us that friction, in hard bodies, is an uniformly retarding force; but in others, increased with the velocity. He has demonftrated also, that friction increases in a lefs ratio than the quantity of matter; but we can only felect the more important parts. While we pursue the Natural Philofophy contained in the Tranfactions, we must mention Dr. Darwin's "Artificial Spring," procured by boring through an incumbent firatum of earth, which confined it; the account of a “ Volcano in the Ifland of St. Vincent," and Mr. Kirwan's very useful Tables of Specific Gravities', taken at different degrees of heat, with the eafy means of reducing them to a common ftandard. Mr. Morgan's "Obfervations and Experiments on the Light of Bodies in a State of Combuftion," on the appearance of electric, and the nature of phof. phoric light, are very ingenious. He has alfo been enabled to defcribe the appearance of electric light, in a perfect vacuum, by having exhaufted air from a veffel more completely than any of his predeceffors; he has alfo very effectually afcertained the non-conducting power of a perfect vacuum. Dr. G. Fordyce, in his "Account of some Experiments on the Lofs of Weight in Bodies, on being melted or heated," feems clearly to have fhewn that water gains weight by freezing.

Experiments of this kind muft be often repeated, before we can

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of each mafter's works." ." To this volume is prefixed an effay on the art of engraving, in which our author will be found to convey much ufeful information and entertainment. And thofe who are fond of colleting prints, may learn from him many cautions and rules, proper to be followed in appreciating their real merits. In the courfe of his work, Mr. Strutt hath given fufficient evidence of unwearied application, and of laborious accuracy in regard to dates and facts. And his language, though it is not always the moft pure and elegant, is fufficiently perfpicuous to be understood. Ile with much to fee the author complete his defign; and doubt not, but that his labours will be abundantly encouraged by the friends of tatie and fcience.

Mr. Middleton's "Biographica Evangelica," is now completed, by the publication of a fourth volume. We have already given our opinion of the merits of this work in point of compofition. Ande cannot fay that the author will derive any greater honour from the prefent than from the former vo lumes. He doth not seem to have improved in the arrangement of his materials, or in the polifh of his phrafeology. To common readers, however, he may prove acceptable and useful; efpecially to fuch as exclude from their catalogue of evangelical preachers, thofe who are fufpected of a deviation from the principles of Calvinifin.

The Effay on the Life and Character of Petrarch, &c." is a most elegant and claffical little work; and leaves us to regret, that an author capable of affording fuch genuine entertainment, fhould confine his labours on the fubiect before us, to a pamphlet only. The principal events of the poet's life,

are related in a very beautiful and interefting manner, with judgment, precition, and taste. The chief defign, however, of the writer is to prove that Laura was in reality never married. The contrary opinion hath been ftrenuoufly maintained by the author of "Memoires pour la Vie de Petrarque," from which Mrs. Dobfon compofed her ingenious work. But our author's reafonings are fo clear and forcible that we have no difficulty in concluding with him, that "the arguments produced by the author of the Memoirs, are totally infuflicicient to fupport his hypothefis; which is ftill farther difcredited, if not directly confuted, by the internal evidence arifing from the works of the poet himfelf." To this effay are added tranflations of seven of Petrarch's fonnets; in which the elegance and pathos of the original are happily preferved, and the poet's "forrowing ftrain" has its full effect upon the mind.

"The Life and Adventures of John Chriftopher Wolf, late principal Secretary of State at Jaffanapatnam, in Ce, lon,&c." is tranflated from the original German, and, will prove, not an unacceptable addition to our fources of amufement. Mr. Wolf appears to be a man, if not of great literary abili-, ties, yet of good fenfe, and of great fimplicity and honefty; who by patience, induftry, and inviolable integrity, railed himself from a low fituation in life, to the eonfpicuous and wealthy poft mentioned in the title. A confiderable part of his narrative is employed about the natural history of Ceylon, and it feems to be drawn from truth and nature. Of this valuable ifland we have no very particular and authentic hiftory. In our author's adventures therefore, particularly

in the accounts which he gives us of the cinnamon-tree and the elephant, many particulars may be met with, that will be gratifying to the curiofity of his readers.

Dr. Difney's "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Arthur Afhley Sykes, D. D." are a tribute of proper refpect to the memory of a learned and very worthy clergyman of the church of England; and contain at the fame time, a concise and accurate review of the different controverfies on fubjects of theology and liberal enquiry, in which he bore a diftinguifhed part. Dr. Sykes was a firenuous and able de. fender of the Chriftian religion; and in the numerous performances which he published feems to have been influenced by a pure love of truth and liberty. In his Polemics, he entered the lifts on the fide of Clarke, Hoadley, and Middleton, and difcovered the abilities of an accurate and able difputant. We cannot, however, but exprefs our wifh, that he and the other illuf trious characters with whom he is defervedly ranked, had given the fame unequivocal teftimony to their diffinterestedness and integrity, with the excellent author of thefe Memoirs. Far be it from us to charge them with dishonefty. We do not expect to find the moft virtuous and liberal ininds thinking alike on a question that feems to involve in it the leaft degree of fpeculation. But for our own parts, we honestly confefs, that we cannot reconcile a confcientious oppofition to the diftinguifhing doctrines of any church, with the enjoyment of its dignities and emoluments. Dr. Difney hath executed the talk of a biographer with precision and fidelity. While he admires the abilities and learn ing of Dr. Sykes, and paffes the highest encomiums on the fteady

uprightness of his intentions, he expreffes in a liberal and manly way, a difapprobation of such of his fentiments as appear to him to be unfcriptural. The readers of this valuable publication will have their attention amply repaid, by the information and instruction with which it abounds.

An anonymous author has republished Dr. Johnfon's "Life of the Reverend Ifaac Watts, D. D.” with notes, containing animadverfions and additions. In these notes are introduced fome corrections of Dr. Johnson's account of the character and the connections of Dr. Watts. But the editor principally labours to fhew, that the Doctor retained to the last, the fame opinions refpecting the Trinity for which he had contended in his different publications on that subject. We cannot say that his reafonings on this head, are in the leaft conclufive. The weight of evidence attending Dr. Lardner's affirmation, that he knew the alteration of his fentiments to be real, we confider to be decifive and fatisfactory. The copy of Dr. Watts's folemn addrefs to the great and ever bleffed God, on a review of what he had written in the trinitarian controverfy, it a proof only of that fincerity and becoming love of divine truth, to which the worthy author had an indisputable claim.

In "An Apology for the Life of George Anne Bellamy, late of Covent Garden theatre, written by herself", we meet with a pleafing medley of what is interesting and curious. Her early introduction on the stage, and the notice taken of her by fome of the first people of family and fashion, gave her a perfect knowledge of the characters of many eminent perfons, in the theatrical and political world. And

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the numerous anecdotes which the hath related of them, render thefe volumes a very entertaining publication. Her manner of writing is eafy and natural; her story amufing and affecting. A more chequered scene than her life we fcarcely ever viewed. She is frank in difclofing, and we doubt not fhe is fincere in cenfuring the errors and follies into which he had been betrayed by her thoughtlefs, giddy heart. She hath, however, convinced us, by many of her obfervations and reflections, that her qualifications, had he been placed in a proper fphere, and had they been properly directed, would have rendered her a very ufeful as well as amiable character. We pity her misfortunes, while we cannot but condemn her indifcretions; and we confider her whole story as a ftriking and useful leffon of virtue.

Under the head of Antiquities, the year 1785 prefents to us a valuable and inftructive work, in the feventh volume of "Archæologia; or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, publifhed by the Society of Antiquaries of London." This volume will be found equally ufeful and entertaining with the former ones, for which the public are greatly indebted to the industry and ingenuity of the fociety. The articles amount to forty-five in number, exclufive of the appendix, which confifts of curious extracts from papers communicated to the Society, which it was not thought proper to publish entire. We have received great pleasure and information from the perufal of the whole volume. We were particularly ftruck with the refearches of Mr. Daines Barrington into the practice of archery in England, and into the progrefs of gardening; go

vernor Pownall's obfervations on the flip temple, an uncommon building now in ruins in Ireland, and an antique crystal vafe; Mr. Ledwich's differtation on the religion of the Druids; Mr. Hunter's defeription of fome artificial caverns in the neighbourhood of Bombay; Mr. Aftle's differtation on the letters of the Pelafgians, and Mr. Marfden's letter on the language of the people called Gypfies.

Mr. Swinburne, in the year 1783, publifhed a volume of "Travels in the Two Sicilies," the reception of which by the public was fufficiently flattering to encourage the publication of this fecond volume. It is with great pleafure that we have followed our traveller in this continuation of his narrative, and vewed thofe claffic fcenes which are fo happily drawn by his pencil. We have remarked on a former occafion, that Mr. Swinburne appears to advantage as an hiftorian and antiquary, as well as a defcriber of modern objects and manners. The prefent volume will add confiderably to his reputation in both thefe characters. To the landfcape painter it is alfo a very valuable prefent. The grand and variegat ed profpects which he will meet with in it, will prove a rich addition to his ftore of interefting and ftriking objects. Our author's prefent enquiries and obfervations relate to Naples and the adjoining iflands; the ancient city of Pal tum, whofe ruins have lately at tracted the notice of the literary world; and the vestiges of old magnificence in the island of Sicily. This work recommends itfelf to the reader, by juftnefs of fentiment, ufeful information, and entertaining anecdotes. And we do not remember any production of the

deed an extraordinary one; but the "Obfervations" on it are not very remarkable: we think it pretty clear, that a laceration in the thinner and more membranous part of the uterus, near the os tinez may not be fuddenly fatal; and, with proper care, is by no means a defperate accident It will be fufficient for us to anounce only Dr. Cockell's" Effay on the Retroverted Uterus." Of midwifery more generally, we have received a fyftem from Dr. Spence, which is in many refpects partial, in others incomplete: on the whole, it is a very unfaithful guide. Among the more general fyftems of furgery, we must mention Mr. Bell's third volume, which has appeared in the courfe of this year, and is finished with the fame accuracy and attention, which has diftinguished the former volumes.

toms of diseases, for the use of students and apothecaries; Dr. Wallis has collected and tranflated Sauvage's Defcriptions of the Diseases of the Eyes, and Dr. Motherby's new Edition of his Medical Dictionary, among many important additions, is greatly improved in this branch. Dr. Gardiner, in his "Obfervations on the Animal Economy," unites both theory and practice. His theory, however is, in many respects, exceptionable: it approaches very nearly to the opinions of a new fyftem, lately fprung up in our neighbouring univerfity, one of thofe noxious weeds lately mentioned, infeparable from a fertile, luxuriant foil, and frequently a proof of its excellence. We have formerly mentioned it, when we fpoke of Brown's Elements of Medicine. The Defcription of Diseases is taken from Sir John Pringle's MSS. and is pretty certainly to be We have perceived no great imdepended on, as accurate and judi- provement, nor any great novelty, cious. The practice does not mate- in our Annual Review of the partirially differ from that of other phyfi- cular branches of Surgery. Mr. cians. Dr. Dickenfon's "Enquiry Wathen's "Differtation on the into the Nature and Caufe of Fe. Theory and Cure of the Cataract,” vers," is an exceptionable work of is an ufeful compilation, of what the fame complexion. Mr. Rigby's is in general known. Mr. Low's "Effay on Animal Heat," is in a "Chiropodologia," is a compilation great measure alfo a practical work. in a humbler line, and of much more He wishes, that its practical part, inconfiderable merit. Mr. Mynors' fhould be feparated, in the estima-Hiftory of the Practice of Tretion of its merits, from the theory. We willingly grant his request; and, while we heitate in following his phyfiological opinions, are fully convinced of the juftnefs and propriety of his other precepts. This author's Effay on the Uterine Hæmorrhage" has been printed the third time, in this year; and, we only join in the opinion of the best judges, when we pronounce it to be a very valuable and ufeful work. The "Cafe of a Ruptured Uterus" published by Mr. Douglas, is in

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panning the Skull," is a good ac count of the practice of the earlier furgeons. It was occafioned by fome little difpute, with the editor of the "Medical Journal" on a cafe tranfmitted to him by the author, containing a new method for railing the fcalp, which Mr. Mynors thought was improperly attributed to another perfon. Mr. Rufpini's Relation of "the Effects of an extraordinary Styptic" is more origi nal; and, if fupported by future experiments, may prove a valuable

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