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at leaft ought, to PRECEDE that ceremony, in order to the rendering it molt profperous to you; for it has ever been my method, not to reduce a determined conclufion into practice, till every incident, poffibly to be attendant on confummation, hath been fully and impartially brought to the touchftone of my own ⚫ reason, and there fettled upon the moft probable and fecure ⚫ foundation; for otherwife, it is a million to one but the train • catches in the process, and the end is blown árway into air only; nor unfrequently happens this, without fuch a french, as, instead of refreshing, muit confound us.'-In another place, this fame Kitty envies Dolly's natural endowments, that lie throuded," fays fhe, under your nefcience of the poffeffion of them. But we were the lefs aftonished at meeting with fuch fine things as thefe, in the perufal of the firft volume of this piece of sublimity, as the Author had prepared us for what we had to expect, at the very threshold of our entrance upon it: for, in the argument to the first chapter we were apprized of the afpiring thoughts INJECTED INTO DOLLY.'-After which there could be little reason to wonder at the lofty language injected into Kitty.

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• XXI. The Apparition; or, Female Cavalier. Aftory founded on facts. By Adolphus Bannac, Efq; 12mo. 3 vols. 9s. Noble.

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This feems to be the work of the fame genius to whom the world is obliged for the filts. Need we fay more of the Apparition?

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XXII. Polydore and Julia; or, the Libertine reclaimed: a Novel. 12mo. 3s. Crowder.

If this is not quite fo heavy, as the two preceding articles, it is, however,equally infignificant; and, like the rest of the prefent winter's productions in this way, (that we have yet feen) is too contemptible to deserve either character or criticism: Backhorse alone excepted; who, though not the most amiable object in the world, is yet the moft tolerable figure, in a group where all the felt are fifty times more deformed than himfelf. Vid. Art. XVIII. XXIII. The Modern Lovers; or, The Adventures of Cupid, &c. A Novel. 12mo. 3s. Cooke.

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The Deity of foft defires, as this Author ftiles him, is here made to relate a number of filly, barren stories, each chapter being a diftinct hiftory. At the end of the book, the public is threatned with a future vifitation from the fame quarter.

XXIV. A Guide to the Knowlege of the Rights and Privileges of Englishmen. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Scott.

We have here a new edition of Magna Charta, with remarks; to which are added, the Bishop's curfes against the breakers of the articles contained in the faid Charter; alfo the Habeas Corpus act, the Bill of Rights, and the Act of Settlement: together with a flaming exhortation to the Chriftian and Independent Cler

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gy, the Gentry, Freeholders, and other Electors of members to Terve in parliament. To thefe particulars is added, a new edition of a tract firft printed in 1681, entitled, The Security of Engelifhmen's Lives; or the trut, power, and duty of the Grand Juries of England explained, &c.

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XXV. Mifcellanies, on moral and religious fubjects. In profe and verfe. By Elizabeth Harrifon. 8vo. 5s. Buckland.

As this publication is the work of benevolence, and a facrifice, not to vanity, but to Prous OLD AGE, and INDUSTRIOUS POVERTY; it has a natural claim upon us, to an entire exemp-. tion from any criticism that might tend, in the leaft, to obftruct the progrefs of fo worthy an intention.

* Vid. Mrs. Harrifon's Preface, containing her grateful acknowlegements to her friends, whofe generous fubfcriptions enabled her to provide for an aged parent.

XXVI. A Treatife, containing the defcription and ufe of a curious Quadrant, made and finished by the mafterly hand of that excellent mechanic, John Rowley, for taking of altitudes, and for folving various mathematical problems in geometry; navigation, aftronomy, &c. Some of them by a bare infpection of the inftrument, and others by eafy operations on it. Studioufly adapted to the meaneft capacities. To which are prefixed, an alphabetical Expofition of the neceflary terms of art, and a plate of the inftrument. By T. W. F.R.S. 4to. 5s. DodЛley.

The Quadrant defcribed in this treatife, is curiously conftructed, and excellently adapted, both to the taking of altitudes, and the folving the moft ufeful problems in geometry, navigation, aftronomy, &c. The inftructions are alfo delivered in a clear and confpicuous manner.

XXVII.The Rule of Practice methodised and improved. Wherein are contained all the neceflary cafes, and feveral examples wrought under each cafe, with many contractions: and examples annexed to exercise the learner; which ferves as a queftion-book. To which are added, the most concife methods of finding the value of goods fold by particular quantities. The whole adapted to the use of merchants, and wholesale and retale dealers, in every branch of bufinefs. Alfo duodecimals by Practice, applied to work performed by glaziers, painters, paviours, and joiners. And to meafuring by the fquare of roo feet, applied to flooring, tyling, and partitioning. Likewife measuring of round, fquared, and unequal fquared, timber. Defigned for the ufe of fchools, as well as private gentlemen. By John Dean, Accomptant. 8vo. 4 s. Keith.

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This Author, determined that his treatise fhould not be deficient in the number of examples, has multiplied them in a very extraordinary manner; there being no fewer than 1153 of them, befides thofe in his Addenda, and what are likewife added for the learner's practice. But it is well known, that too great a number of examples may tend rather to perplex than explain a rule: if, therefore, Mr. Dean had fpared one half of those with which he has fwelled out his book, the learner would have been no losera by the omiffion; for, when once a rule is well understood, a few inflances may ferve to fhew its application. However, in juftice to this gentleman, we muft obferve, that he folves his questions in a very compendious manner, and that several new and useful contractions are interfperfed through his performance.

XXVIII. The Expeditious Inftructor; or, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic made plain and eafy. Containing more in quantity, and a far greater variety of inftructions, than any book of the kind and price; and expreffed in fo eafy and familiar a manner, that perfons of the loweft capacity may learn without a master. Among many other ufeful particulars are contained, 1. A fuccinct English grammar. 2. Of words that are nearly alike in found, but are different in fenfe and fpelling. 3. The names of the gods and goddeffes of the Heathens, and of the mufes, graces, &c. 4. A very particular account of ftops and marks, with directions for their ufe, in a manner entirely new. 5. Directions for placing the accent and emphafis. 6. Directions for chufing and hardening quills; for making and mending pens; and for making and preferving inks. 7. Directions for making an ink for marking linen, which will never wash out. 8. Directions for writing, by which a perfon, though entirely ignorant of that art, may write a good hand in twenty-four hours, without the affiftance of a master, &c. &c. &c. 4to. is. common, and 1 s. 6d. fine paper. Reeve.

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No one, furely, can think Eighteen-pence an extravagant price for a book which, befides a great variety of other particulars, promifes no lefs than to teach a perfon, entirely ignorant of the art, to write a good hand in twenty-four hours, without the affiftance of a mafter. If it be afked, whether the Author has not promised rather too 'argely, the juftice we owe the public, obliges us to answer in the affirmative. His inftructions for writing, in particular, are fo far from anfwering the character he has given of them, that they are not fufficient to teach the art in as many years as he has mentioned hours. The arithmetic extends no farther than Addition, and is contained in about five pages; whence the reader may judge what proficiency can be made in the art of numbers by studying the Expeditious Inftru&tor.

MEDICAL,

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XXIX. A Second Differtation on Quick-lime and Lime-water. By Charles Alfton, M. D. the King's Botanift in Scotland, Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians, and Profeffor of Medicine and Botany in the University of Edinburgh. Printed at Edinburgh, 12mo. Price is. Hamilton and Balfour.

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in our account of this learned Physicians first Dissertation on the fame fubject, Review, Vol. IX. p. 280, having just summarily mentioned a few points, in which he differed from Drs. Whytt and Pringle, p. 285, we immediately added-' We have ⚫ not specified thofe diverfities of medical opinion, chufing to meddle between Controverfialists, on any fubject, as little as poffible,'

Such a declaration might, with great confiftency, have excufed us from giving any more than the title of this performance; as we obferved, from Dr. Alfton's continual references to his first Differtation, and to Dr. Whytt's Effay on lime-water, (see Re› view, Vol. VII. p. 401, feq.) that this fecond Differtation is entirely controverfial with Dr. Whytt. And though, from what we have perufed of it, we find, that Dr. Alfton has avoided all indecency, yet it is equally clear, he has not conftantly preferved his temper. This feems the more to be regretted, as fome little di...verfities of calculation, and other minutia, concerning lime-water, feem rather to have produced this altercation, than any material difference in practice; Dr. Alfton candidly owning, Preface, p. vi.that be efteems Dr. Whytt's Effay a most ufeful and laborious performance, which has done more good in the ftone and gravel, than any thing formerly wrote on the 'fubject; and adding, that it first determined him to drink, and to write on, lime-water.'

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We fhall not omit, however, to observe, that this fecond differtation contains feveral further experiments on this topic, which muft chiefly entertain fuch phyficians as have been peculiarly converfant on it; or fuch curious patients as feel themselves particularly interested in it; fmce to others, they will appear rather dry, and over-laboured. And indeed it feems, upon a thorough reflection, that when any ufeful and practical point of knowlege is once competently received and established, it is an argument of the foundest understanding, not to fubtilize much further about and about it, which generally produces only the fumum ex fulgore; fince every thing, of which we have any important knowlege, being purfued into its very minutia, terminates much oftner in our discovering its evanefcence, than its entire developement : whence our earneft and tenacious contentions, in fuch cafes, only induce the fenfible and difintereffed reader to apply a line of Horace on the occafion, and to conclude,

Rixatur de lana fæpe caprina,

• XXX,

XXX. The Grand Objections to Inoculation confidered; with cafes that tend to confute the only plaufible arguments made ufe of in prejudice to fo beneficial a practice. To which are added, Remarks on a Letter upon Inoculation, lately pubfifhed. 8vo. 6d. Cooke,

Thefe grand objections are fuppofed, by this Author, to be the religious one, againft communicating a loathfome difeafe; and the phyfical one, of expofing the inoculated to any chronical or hereditary distempers of the perfon, from whom the matter is taken. To remove the former, he employs three pages (out of fixteen) in a citation from the Bishop of Worcester's fermon in favour of Inoculation, which, from its frequent editions, may very probably have been perufed by most adult readers, liable in themfelves, or in their families, to the fmall-pox. To demolish the latter, he publishes five anonymous cafes, of which we fhall give the fubftance, as that may ftill further affift his defign of extinguishing fo popular and groundlefs a prejudice.

The firft cafe afferts two patients of twenty-three years of age, to have been inoculated from a man, who had been always fubject to large fcorbutic eruptions, was of a gross habit of body, and had the fmall pox pretty feverely. The inoculated, nevertheless, are affirmed to have had it very favourably, and to have continued in perfect health ever fince 1750, when the operation was performed. The fecond cafe inftances a patient of a hectical habit, and fubject to glandular fwellings (and whose father had an inveterate ulcer, thought cancerous by fome, and fcrophulous by molt) who giving a favourable account of his own health to an eminent inoculating furgeon, was inoculated by him, and is faid to have had the fmall-pox very favourably. This furgeon inoculated two others from this patient, who both recovered, though one of them, affirmed to have been irregular during preparation, had the difeafe more feverely than is ufual by inoculation. The third cafe relates a youth to have been inoculated *** from a footman, who had the itch; the patient, however, who had the fmall-pox mildly, is faid not to have been infected with the itch, nor to have had any other eruption or disorder since the fmall-pox, which was given feveral months ago. The patient in the fourth cafe was inoculated from a person, whofe father had been paralytic, whence fome perfons [very profound phyfiologifts undoubtedly] concluded the young gentleman would foon be attacked with the palfy. But for the two years that have fince intervened, he has continued as healthy as ever;' tho' this, it must be acknowleged, does not demonftrate he may not prove paralytic fixty or feventy years hence. In the fifth and last cafe, a healthy girl of fix years old was inoculated, four years Ance, from a neighbour's child, did very well, and continues fa: but fix months afterwards, it was unhappily discovered, that the child's father had been always fcorbutic; and the child, from whom the

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