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Lift of Books, -with Remarks.

tainted with the breath of animals, or the corruption of their bodies; and by this teft he could judge of the kind, as well as of the degree, of injury done to common air, by candles burning in it, or by the breath or effluvia of people, after they had left vifiting him in his study.

The Prefident concludes his excellent difcourfe with fhewing, from Dr. Priestley, what refources Nature has in ftore against the bad effects of corrupted air, which, from various caufes, infects our atmosphere.

"It is well known," fays he, "that flame cannot long fubfift without a renewal of common air. The quantity of that fluid which even a fmall flame requires is furprifing: an ordinary candle confumes, as it is called, about a gallon of air in a minute. Now, confidering the vast confumption of this vital fluid, by fires of all kinds made by man, and by volcanos, it becomes an interefting enquiry to afcertain what change is made in the air by flame, and to discover what provifion there is in nature to repair the injury done by this means to our atmosphere. Dr. Priestley, after relating the conjectures of others, and not finding them fatisfactory, was fortunate in falling upon a method of reftoring air, which had been vitiated by the burning of candles in it. This led the way to the discovery of one of the great reftoratives which Nature employs for this purpofe, to wit, vegetation. -See by what induction he proves his opinion.

"It was natural to imagine, that, fince the change of common air is neceffary to vegetable, as well as to animal life, both plants and animals rendered it foul in the fame manner, fo as to become unfit for further life and vegetation. But when, with that expectation, the Doctor had put a sprig of mint, in a growing and vigorous ftate, under an inverted glass jar, ftanding in water, he was agreeably disappointed to find, that this plant not only continued to live, though in a languifhing way, for two months, but that the confined air was fo little corrupted by what had issued from the mint, that it would neither extinguish a candle, nor kill a fmall animal which he conveyed into it. What further evinced the falutary nature of the effluvia of vegetables, he found, that air,, vitiated by a candle left in it till it burnt out, was perfectly restored to its quality of fupporting flame, after ano

ther fprig of mint had for fome time vegetated in it. And, to fhew that the aromatic vapour of that plant had no fhare in reftoring this purity to the air, he obferved, that vegetables of an offenfive fimel, and even fuch as scarce had any finell at all, but were of a quick growth, proved the very best for this purpofe. Nay more, the virtue of growing vegetables was found to be an antidote to the baneful quality of air corrupted by animal respiration and putrefaction.

"We have faid, that neither candles will burn, nor animals live, beyond a certain time, in a given quantity of air; yet the cause of either so speedy a death or extinction was unknown, nor was any method discovered for rendering that empoifoned air fit again før refpiration. Some provifion, however, there must be in nature for this purpofe, as well as for that of fupporting Alame; without furch, the whole atmofphere would in time become unfit for animal life, and the race of men, as well as beafts, would die of a peltilential distemper. Yet we have reafon to believe, that, in our days, the air is not lefs proper for breathing in, than it was above two thousand years ago, that is, as far as we go back in natural hiftory. Now, for this important end, the Doctor has fuggefted, to the divine as well as to the philofopher, two grand resources of nature; the vegetable creation again is one, and the fea and other great bodies of water are the other.

"As to the former, having found that plants wonderfully thrive in putrid air, he began to attempt, by means of growing vegetables, to purify air that had been injured by animal refpiration and putrefaction; nor was he lefs fuccefsful than before. Thefe plants were fure to recover the air to a degree of fitness for breathing in it, and that in proportion to their vigour, and the care he took to remove the rotten leaves and branches, which remaining would have marred the operation.

"And with regard to the fecond refource of nature, namely, the ocean, and other waters, Dr. Priestley having obferved that both the air corrupted by the breath of animals, and that vi tiated by other putrid matter, was, in a good measure, fweetened by the feptic part infufing itself into water, he concluded, that the fea, the great lakes and rivers, which cover fo large

a pro

Lift of Books,-with Remarks.

a proportion of the globe, must be highly ufeful, by abfo bing what is putrid, for the further purification of the atmosphere: thus beftowing what would be noxious to man and other animals, upon the formation of marine and other aquatic plants, or upon other purposes yet unknown.

"From these discoveries we are affured, that no vegetable grows in vain; but that, from the oak of the forest to the grafs of the field, every individual plant is ferviceable to mankind; if not always diftinguished by fome private virtue, yet making a part of the whole which cleanses and purifies our atmosphere. In this the fragrant rofe and deadly night shade co-operate: nor is the herbage nor the woods that flourish in the most remote and unpeopled regions unprofitable to us, nor we to them, confidering how conftantly the winds convey to them our vitiated air, for our relief, and for their nourithment. And if ever thefe falutary gales rife to ftorms and hurricanes, let us ftill trace and revere the ways of a beneficent Being, who, not fortuitoufly, but with defign, not in wrath, but in mercy, thus fhakes the waters and the air together, to buy in the deep thofe putrid and peftilential effluvia, which the vegetables upon the face of the earth had been infufficient to confume."

The Prefident's addrefs to Dr.Prieftley,on delivering him the medal before mentioned, does the Doctor honour.

"Dr. PRIESTLEY,

83

ther there be not a certain fluid (he calls it ather) the cause of gravity, the caufe of the various attractions, and of the animal and vital motions. These, Sir, are indeed large demands: but the Royal Society have hitherto been fortunate in their pneumatic refearches. And were it otherwife, they have much to hope from men of your talents and application, and whofe paft labours have been crowned with fo much fuc ‚ cess.”

7. LETTERS by feveral eminent PER-
SONS, deceased, including the Cor-
refpondence of JOHN HUGHES, Esq;
&c. Publifhed from the originals,,
with notes explanatory and historical,
By JOHN DUNCOMBE, M. A.
3 Vols. 8vo. ad Edit.

THE first edition of these letters was

published in 1772, in two volumes. The fecond impreffion, which is now before us, is enlarged by the following articles, viz. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of John Hughes, Elq; Thirty-two additional letters by Mr. Hughes, Rev. Mr. Say, Mr. W. Duncombe, Dr. Bentley, Mr. Needler, Sir Richard Steele, Earl Cowper, Archbishop Herring, Mr. Welfted, Rev. Mr. Straight, Bishop Benfon, Mr. Richardfon, the Earl of Cork, Rev. Mr. Dyer, Mr. Ward, and the Rev. Mr. Hirft. Moral reflections, mifcellaneous obfervations, and the preamble to the patent for creating Lord Chancellor Cowper an Earl, by Mr. Hughes. Verfes on Mr. Hughes's tranflation of Abelard's letters, by the Rev. Mr. Bunce. A prologue to All for Love, acted at Blenheim-house, in 1718, by Bihop Hoadly, Farther particulars of Mis. Bridget Bendyth, grand daughter of Oliver Cromwell, by Dr. Brooke and Mr. Lufon. Ode ad amicum navigaturum, by Dr. Kirkpatrick; and many notes and obfervations on the fe pieces, by the editor, Mr. Hughes's nephew t.

"It is now time that, in the name and by the authority of the Royal Society of London, inftituted for the improvement of natural knowledge, I prefeat you with this medal, the palm and laurel of this community, as a faithful and unfading teftimony of their regard, and of the juft fenfe they have of your merit, and of the perfevering industry with which you have promoted the views, and thereby the honour of this Society. And, in their behalf, I must earnestly request you to continue those liberal and valuable enquiries, whether by further profecuting this fubject, probably not yet exhaufted, or by investigating the nature of fome other of the fubtile fluids of the universe. You will remember, that fire, the great inftrument of the chymilts, is but little known even to themselves; and that it remains a query, what was by the most celebrated of philofophers proposed as fuch, whe-pleat the first edition.

The Memoirs of Mr. Hughes give us a very favourable idea of his character, abilities, and activity. At the age of 19 he imitated in paraphrase one of the most difficult odes in Horace .(L. I. 22.); and wrote a tragedy, entitled, Amalafont, Queen of the Goths, which is faid to difplay a fertile genius

Newton's Optics, Quer. 18-24. +All these additions are collected and published in a separate volume, to com

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and a masterly invention; but, as it was not revifed and corrected by the author in his riper age, it was never acted, and itill remains in M.S. His poems, in two volumes, collected and pubi fhed by William Duncombe, Efq; in 1735, are teftimonies of his poetical talents Beides many productions of inferior note, he tranflated Fontenelle's Dialogues of the Dead; the difcourfes of that author concerning the ancients and moderns; the celebrated Letters of Abelard and Heloife, (a 12th edition of which has been publifhed,) and Vertot's Hiftory of the Revolutions in Portugal. In 1715 he published an edition of Spenfer's works, in fix volumes 8vo. which attracted the attention and gratified the expectation of the public. Being intimately acquainted with Sir Richard Steele and Mr. Addifon, he had a confiderable share in the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, as is fpecified in the notes.

This ingenious and amiable writer died, at the age of 42, Jun. 1719 20, a few hours after his tragedy, entitled The Siege of Damafcus, had been acted with univerfal applaufe at Drurylanc-house.

Sir Richard Steele, upon this event, took the first opportunity of paying his debt of friendhip and efteem to Mr. Hughes, in a periodical paper which was published at that time under the title of The Theatre. This paper, as the work in which it appeared has not been collected into a volume, is added to these memoirs.

Dr. Bentley's letter in this collection contains fome fevere ftrictures on Mr. Barnes's edition of Homer. In a note to this letter are two or three trifling mistakes. Dr. Bentley fays, he borrowed Barnes's Homer of Dr. Sike; this, the editor tells us, was "Anthony Ashley Sykes, D. D. then vicar of Dry-Drayton, Cambridgefhire." Dr. Sykes's name was Arthur Ashley Sykes. In 1710, when this letter is faid to have been written, he was not D. D. The perfor mentioned by Dr. Bentley was a German from Hamburgh, and profeffor of Hebrew in the University of Cambridge.

One of the most valuable additions to this work is the prologue abovementioned, which is introduced by the editor in the following manner:

"An old Spanish proverb fays, "He is a blockhead that cannot make one verfe, and he is fool that makes more." Be that as it may, I am amı

with Remarks.

bitious, as the public has been fo indul. gent to this little collection, to enrich it with the insertion of "a hafty prologue to All for Love," as an unique, written by Mr. Hughes's friend, the late Bishop of Winchefter, the only copy of verfes (as far as is known) of his compofition, and now printed from his own hand writing. Of his skill in music, and his lady's in painting, we are informed by his fon, in the preface to the late edition of his works; but here we fee in them the union of the three fifter arts: an affemblage of accomplishments scarce ever exceeded, but by Mr. Hughes himself, who united them in his own person.

"Where virtue is, thefe are most virtuous,"

fays our great dramatic poet; but it feldom happens, as in these examples, that religion, truth, and the graces, are of the fame company.

"In the fummer of the year 1718, the Bishop of Bangor, with Dr. Samual Clarke, and Sir Richard Steele, made a vifit of a few days at Blenheimhoufe, by invitation; where he found. the ladies and gentlemen of the family, and a few of the neighbourhood, had got up the tragedy of All for Love, to entertain the Duke of Marlborough, who had fhewn, before this, fome fymptoms of that paralytic diforder which impaired his fenfes, and at length terminated in a total decay, and his diffolution. Lady Bateman, (one of his Grace's grand daughters by the Earl of Sunderland,) who played the part of Cleopatra, had in vain applied to Sir Richard Steele for a prologue on that extraordinary occafion, and feemed chagrined at the difappointment. At night, when the family retired, the Bihop defired pen, ink, and paper, might be brought to his chamber, and the next morning at breakfast, presented to Lady Bateman the prologue; which the fpoke, the fame evening, to the Duke and Duchess, his Grace shed. ding tears at the unexpected compliment from a favourite grandchild.

"In the courfe of the play, Sir Richard, who fat next to the Bishop, often obferved how well and feelingly Capt. Fifhe performed the part of Antony. This gentleman, who had been the Duke's page, bad distinguished himfelf in the army, and died a LieutenantColonel. In one of the fcenes, where Fifhe was very fweet upon his Cleopatra, Sir Richard whispered the Bithop, "I doubt this Fife is Flesh, may

Lord."

Catalogue of New Publications.

Lord." I must mention another incide it at their going away: Sir Richard faid to the Bishop, " Does your Lo. dfhip give money to all thefe fellows in laced coats and ruffl.s?" No doubt,' replied the Bp. "I have not enough," faid the Knight; and when he paffed by them in the hall, he accofted them in a fpeech, telling them, that "he had found them men of taste, and as fuch invited them all to Drury lane Theatre, to whatever play they should pleafe to befpeak, he having then a a fhare in the patent."

For the prologue, which is worthy both of the author and the fubje&, see p. 87.

The latest authentic account of Mr. Vanfittart, and the other unfortunate gentlemen who embarked on board the Aurora, Sept. 1769, may be found in

85

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this supplemental volume, in a letter A

from the Rev. and ingenious Mr. Hirt to Mr. Fazakerley, (of Hornfey,) dated from the Cape of GoodHope, Dec. 19, 1769, two days only before they failed. "It feems now to "be the general idea," fays the editor, in a note, "that this unfortunate ship "was burned. The fupervisors, a"mongst other luxuries, had hot fup"pers, and every feaman knows, and "moft have experienced, the dangers "to which fhips are expofed by fire, "as well as by water."

8. An Heroic Poffcript to the Public, occafioned by the favourable Reception of a late Heroic Epifle to Sir William Chambers, Knight, &c. Almon.

THIS fportive genius feems poffeffed of the powers of poetry in a very eminent degree. This little piece is only a jeu d'efprit. What the public may expect from his pen in future, take in his own words:

"Whate'er his fame or fate, on this depend,

He is, and means to be, his country's friend.

'Tis but to try his ftrength that now he Sports

With Chinese gardens, and with Chinese

courts:

But if that country claim á graver ftrain,
If real danger threat fair Freedom's reign,
If hireling p*rs, in proftitution bold,
Sell her as cheaply as themfelves they fold;
Or they, who, honour'd by the people's
choice,

Against that people lift their rebel voice,
And, bafely crouching for their paltry pay,
Vote the best birthright of her fons away,

N account of the occafion and defign of the positive inftitutions of chriftianity. Extracted from the fcriptures only. By Richard Amner. 8vo 2s fewed. BuckJand.

Enquiry into the archetype of the feptuagint verfion, its authenticity and different editions. By the Rev. H. S. Cruwys. 8vo Is 6d Law.

Arcana: or the principles of the late petitioners to parliament, for relief in the matter of fubfcription. In eight letters to a friend. 8vo 25 Dilly.

Confiderations on the state of fubscription to the articles and iturgy of the church of England, towards the clofe of the year 1773. Or a view of what alteration had been made in it by the preceding debates. Recommended to the moft ferious attention of the three eftates of the realm. By a confiftent proteftant. Svo is 6d Wilkie.

21.

Chriftian zeal: or three difcourfes on. the importance of feeking the things of Chrift, more than our own; from Phil. ii. By Job Orton. 8vo gd Buckland. The rational chriftian's afliftant to the worthy receiving of the Lord's fupper. Small 2me 4d or 3s and 6d per dozen. Johnfon.

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Loose hints on the subject of nonconformity. Addreffed to the right Rev. the Lord Bishops of England. By a gentlemau formerly a member of the middle temple. 8vo Is Johnson.

A practical difcourfe on the moral uses and obligations of baptifm; defigned to aflift a ferious and judicious obedience to it. Small, 12mo Ed or 5 the dozen. Johnson.

SERMON.

The encouraging prospect, that religious liberty will be enlarged. Confidered and applied to the cafe of the proteftant diffenters in a fermon, preached at Kidderminster, Nov. 5, 1773. By Benjamin Fawcett, M. A. Eve 6d Buckland.

POETICAL

86

Catalogue of New Publications.

POETICAL and DRAMATIC. An epistle to Junius. 4to Richardfon and Urquhart.

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The juvenaliad. A fatire. 410 J. Bell.

Henry the fecond, or the fall of Rofamond, a new tragedy, as it is now acting at the theatre-royal at Covent garden. By Thomas Hull. Svo Is 6d J. Bell. LAW.

The farmer's lawyer; or every country gentleman his own counsellor. Containing all the laws now in force, that particularly concern the farmer, the country gentleman, the clergyman, the maltfter, the hopplanter, the carrier, or any other perfon whofe amufements occafion him to refide chiefly in the country, &c. man of Lincoln's Inn. Kearly.

By a gentle12m0 35 6d

MISCELLANEOUS.

The winter medley; or amufement for the fire-fide. Con aining a curious collection of entertaining ftories, interesting novels, remarkable tales, curious anecdotes, effays, allegories, vifions and felet pieces of poetry, &c. 12mo 2s bound. Snagg. The way to the temple of true honour and fame, by the paths of heroic virtue ; and exemplified in the moft entertaining lives of the moft eminent perfons of both fexes; on the plan laid down by Sir Wm. Temple, in his effay of heroic virtue. By W. Cooke, A. B. Fellow of new college, Oxford. 4 vol. 12mo 12s bound.

Davis.

The polite preceptor; or improving moralia. Confifting of a choice collection of relations, vifions, allegories and moral effays, felected from the mott eminent Eng-" Lith authors, compiled at the request of a noble lady, and defigned for the use of fchools. 12mo 38 bound. Snigg.

The royal cook; or the etiquette of the table, difplayed with accuracy, elegance, and tafte, &c. &c. By Mrs. Pennington, of Kentington. 12mo Is 6d Snagg.

Opinions concerning the university of Oxford and fubfcription to the 39 articles. By a clergyman. 410 IS Evans.

A letter from a father to his daughter, at a boarding fchool. Small 12mo bound. Robinfon.

25 6d

The improved french grammar in which, 1. the pronunciation is treated in a clear and concife manner, &c. 2. The principles of the French grammar are laid down in a plain and intelligible method, free from that infinite number of useless obfervations and exceptions, with which other French grammars abound, &c. By John Caffelle, teacher of the French in London. 36to is bound. Harris.

A treatife on the longitude and on the reflecting inftruments ufed at fea for obtaining it: alfo on refractions and parallaxes; fhewing the construction and use of the in ftruments neceffary to be used for making

the obfervations in an accurate manner, &c. By R. Waddington, teacher of mathematics, Downing ftreet, Wefimiafter. Crown 4to 28 6d Nourfe.

A letter to the univerfities of Oxford and Cambridge, &c. in respect to the collection that was made for the colleges of NewYork and Philadelphia. By Sir James Jay, M. D. Being a vindication of the author, occafioned by the groundless infinuations, and very illiberal behaviour of Mr Alderman Trecothick, with authentic evidence. 8vo 6d Kearfly.

A fcourge to calumny. In two parts. Infcribed to Richard Hill, Efq; Part the firft, demonstrating the abfurdity of that gentleman's fairago. Part the fecònd, containing a full anfwer to all that is material in his farrago double-diftilled. By Tho. Olivers. 12mo Is 6d fewêd. Nicholls.

The journal of a voyage, undertaken by order of his prefent Majefty, for making difcoveries towards the North pole, by the Hon. Commodore Phipps and Captain Lu widge, in his Majesty's floops Racehorfe and Carcafs. To which is prefixed an account of the feveral voyages undertaken for the difcovery of a North East paffage to China and Japan; with 2 folding maps of the lands about the pole, and a view of the whale fishery. 2s 6d Newbery.

The gracious warning; or a monody on the death of the late pious and learned Jofeph Nicol Scott, M. D. with his very remarkable dream concerning it. To which are added, fome lines on the late Rev. Mr. Edward Kitchen, B D. By G. Wright. Small 4to 64 Otridge.

A propofil for determining the longitude at fea by obfervation, independant of any time keeper, or of the truth of the magnetic compafs; wherein is demonstrated, that the true distance of the firft meridian at fea from the beginning of Aries, and alfo the true distance of the fift meridian from the beginning of Aries, can be ascertained when at fea with eafe and certainty. By Ifaac Boyer, of Cow Crofs, Smithfield. 12mo 6d Nourfe.

The works of Dr. John Eachard, late Mafter of Catherine Hall, Cambridge. In three vols Contifting of the grounds and reafons of the contempt of the clergy: his dialogues on the writings of Mr. Hobbs, and other tracts. A new edition, with a fecond dialogue on the writings of Mr. Hobbs, not printed in any former edition; and fome account of the life and writings of the author. 12mo 9s bound. Davies.

Bell's edition of Shakefpear's acting plays, as they are now performed at the theatres royal in London, regulated from the prompt books of each houfe, by permiffion of the managers, with notes critical and illuftrative, by the authors of the dra matic cenfor, in 5 vols. 12mo price 15$ foued. Royal paper, 11 is bound. Bell.

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