be killed and eaten, appear to confirm this fufpicion; and the known feroci ty of these iflanders might be fufficient perhaps to change it to certainty. The arms of these people are the bow and arrows, the fpear, and a kind of clubs. The bow is made of a black elaftic wood, moderately.heavy, the ftring is compofed of the filaments of the palmetto. The body of the arrow, which is above three fect long, by 14 lines in circumference, is a reed; the extremity is compofed of three or four pieces joined together by a very hard maftic, and armed with a bone cut to a very fharp point: the bone commonly used for this purpose is one that is found in the tail of the fea devil. If thefe arrows are not poifoned, they are not, the defs dangerous; for fome part of them muft always ftay behind in the wound. Their lances, fome of which are about ten feet long, and two inches and a half round, others eight feet by one inch ten lines, are made of palmetto-wood painted black, and terminated in a fquare at the end, with which they strike: they are ufually armed with a bone about fix inches long; and the teeth cut in it are fo difpofed, that it cannot poffibly be drawn out without tearing the flefl. The clubs are made of a very heavy red wood; they vary in length, but are ufually about thirty inches; and, then they carry them faftened to a kind of fath, and hanging on the left fide, as we wear a couteau de chaffe the shape of thefe clubs is a flat lozenge; and it is aftonishing with what precifion they fit and inay a fish bone on the two furces, which ferves to mark the middle. To defend themfelves from arrows, they have fhields made of iplit rattan, woven together like our wicker work; one fide has two handies holders,, through which the arm paffes: when they are in their boats, they cover their backs or heads with them, and ufe them as umbrellas. Some of thefe bucklers are ornamented at the four corners with tufts or taffels of red aud yellow ftraw, made into a kiad of ribband. In the canoes that were feized, many ute fils and implements were foud which thefe people employ in conftructing their veffels; a bammer, made of a black conical ftone, ftrongly fixed with twifted rattan upon a handle of wood; and an adze, made of a piece of very hard fhell, feemingly of the fame kind as that ufed in bracelets: this bell is cut in the shape of a gun-flist, and fixed in a very folid manner, by means of rattan, to a piece of wood naturally bent into the thape of a pickaxe. Mother-of-pearl, which they find abundantly on the fhore, ferves them for knives, and the tharp edge of a Aïnt fupplies the place of a razor to fhave their hair and beards. They make fishing-nets with the filaments of the bark of the palmetto; and those that they form for bags are worked with In their canoes' was found great art. a kind of greafe, of a balfamic odour, which was fuppofed at firft to be an ointment, but Lova Sarega, having feen a candle lighted, gave them to understand that it was used for the fame purpofe; it was therefore tried, and the light it gave was clearer than that of our wax candles, and attended with an agreeable fmell. The canoes of thefe iflanders are constructed with great good sense, and finished with much fitill: they are not formed of a trunk of a tree, made hollow by ftone inftruments or fire, as thofe of many favage nations are,but are made of pieces put together. In the fmall canoes the planks are not more than a third of an înch in.. thicknefs, and in working them they form on the infide a kind of loops, which at intervals are tied strongly with rattan to ribs of wood, bent in the fhape of the boat, and ferving as its frane; nor are thefe planks held together by any other means; the joints are ftop ped 1. A Treatise on the Plague, containing an Hiftorical Journal, and medical Account of the Plague at Aleppo, in the Years 1760, 1761, and 1762: Alfe, Remarks on Quarentines, Lazarettes, and the Adminiftration of Police in Times of Peftilence. By Patrick Ruffel, M. D. F. R. S. formerly Phyfician to the British Factory at Aleppo. 4to. 583 pages. Price 11. 78. in boards. Robinfons. 1791. A N inquiry into the nature of the plague, whether it be confidered in a medical, philofophical, or political point of view, is certainly im portant; and it becomes ftill more Lo, when the many difficulties ard almoft infuperable obftacles which stand in the way of real information upon this difeafe, are confidered. The author before us, however, from a long refidence at Aleppo, where the difeafe fo frequently occurs, has been enabled to view the many complicated forms of this moft fatal malady; and his cbfervations feem the refult of cool reflection and accurate information. We must also further obferve, that it is only by a cautious and diligent felection of facts, without having in view the fupport of any particular theory or hypothefis, that the bounds of medical science can be enlarged; and it is chiefly in this way we think that the medical reader will be bene-l fited by the work before us. Dr R. divides his treatife into fix books. In the firft, he gives a fummary account of the plague as it ap peared in Egypt and Cyprus, and allo? of its progrefs in different parts of Syria, previous to its invading Aleppo; to which he fubjoins an hiftorical journal of it at Aleppo in the years 1760, 1761, 1762, with its progrefs in various parts under that government, &c. In the fecond book, he, enters upon his medical account of the plague. In the thud book, Dr R. enquires very minutely into the long controverted question, whether the plague. be a contagious diftemper or not; and after critically examining the various opinions of the different authors who have written in fupport of its not being a contagious difeafe, he concludes, from his own obfervations, and thofe of others who have actually practifed in the plague, that it is indubitably communicated by contagion,' In the fourth book, he ingeras in to the nature of quarantines, and ex-t amines the principal objections which: have been brought against them. In the fifth book, he gives a general plan of the latres, which will be beft understood from the work itself. The The last book is taken up with the adminiftration of police in the different ftages of the plagae; and the author clofes his work, by an app ndix, containing a number of cafes of the plague, an account of the weather in the peftilential fafon, and an index to the whole. 2. Lindor and Adelaïde, a moral Tale. In which are exhibited the Effects of the late French Revolution on the Peafantry of France. By the Author of "Obfervations on Dr Price's Revolution Sermon." 12mo. pp. 358. 35. 6d. Boards. Stockdale. 1791. THIS tale abounds more in argument, (fuch as it is,) than in incident. The characters, which are few, are of wo defcriptions, of very oppofite complexion and caft of features. The enemies to the Revolution are made, in every way, amiable. Their perfons are handfome and attracting, their manners are artlefs and eng+ging, and their morals are pure. The favourers of the Revolution, on the contrary, are diftorted in body, and corrupted in mind. They are ren dered thocking by their vices, and di gufting by their ignorance. They have neither elegance of behaviour to vainish their defects of principle, nor fincerity of heart to atone for their vulgarity of deportment. They are made not only mean and despicable in themfelves, but their very talte in externals is low and groveling. The chief perfonage, in this little drama, is a Prieur, who is made to talk Lindor, a eafant, not only out of his love for the new liberty, but into fuch an imprudent zeal for the old flavery, that he wantonly provokes the brutish villagers, (fuch they are here reprefented,) all eager for the Revolution, to murder him in a tumult. To us, the Pritur's arguments appear very fl mfy:-but we are not furprized that Lindor, blinded and pre poffeffed by his love of the charming Adelaide, who was entirely under the influence of the Prieur, should not detect the fallacy of reafoning drawn from fources, and expreffed in language, far above the capacity of any pe fant to comprehend. Deficient, however, as this argumentative tale is, in found reafong, it is not deftitute of good writing, nor of fome interesting fituations. The affecting agony, and the fubfequent death, of poor Adelaide, on being witnefs to the laft moments of her expiring and beloved Lindor, are, in particular, naturally conceived, and well defcribed. 3. The Hiftory and Antiquities of Clay brook, in the County of Leicester; including the Hamlets of Bitefby, Ulefthorpe, Wibtoft and Little Wigfton. By the Rev. A. Macaulay, A. M. 8vo. pp. 140. 35. fewed. Dilly. 1791. To liberal and cultivated minds, the ftudy of rational topography opens a wide field both of inftruction and entertainment. It is the province of the topographer to trace the hiftory of property, and the colour which the different modes of it have given to the complexion of the times. It is his province to connect ancient and modern inftitutions civil and ecclefiaftical, and to compare their effects on character, manners, and cuftoms; to add to the flock of biographical knowledge, to explore the curiofities of the animal, the vegetable, and mineral kingdoms; to illuftrate the remains of genius in the fine arts ; and to point out the monuments of ancient grandeur;-to preferve the remembrance of thofe fpots which have been the fcenes of remarkable events; and to mark the progrefs of population, agriculture, manufactures, and commerce. Thus the labours of the pa rochial antiquary may be rendered fubfervient to public utility and refined amufement, as amurement, and greatly facilitate and aflift the researches of the naturalift, the biographer, and the hiftorian.' Inquiries employed to fuch purpofes will hardly be condemned inconfiftent with a tafte for polite literature;" fince what is termed pofite literature is in fact of little worth, if it does not, in fome way or other, contribute to our real improvement, or rational entertainment. This writer peaks with a little harfhnefs concerning collections of patifh-registers, genealogies, infcriptions, fac-fimiles, rully-fwords, armorial bearings, &c. yet we obferve that he does not entirely overlook fuch fubjects; nor do we perceive how a parochial history can be properly conducted without paying fome attention to them. To difpofe of them in an inftructive and agreeable manner, is indeed the business of a man of taste and fcience; otherwise he may become, what this writer terms, a mere antiquarian virtuoso, who afpires to no higher prize than that of collecting names, dates, and infriptions," and whofe employment is confequently trifling and infignificant. The tract now before us, allowing for an abridgment of fome few parts, has already appeared in the collections for Leicefter hire, which Mr Nichols has fo induftriously gathered; but it is a diftina perlormance, which Mr Macaulay has executed with attention, and, we doubt not, will be acceptable to many readers. 4. Ariftarchus, or the Principles of Compojition. Containing a methadical Arrangement of the Improprieties frequent in Writing andCoverfation, with felect Rules for attaining to Purity and Elegance of Expreffion. 8vo. pp. 432. 6s. 6d. Boards. Bourne, Panton-street. THIS work is the production of the late ingenious and learned Dr U VOL. XIV. No. 80. Withers, whofe eccentricities, and whofe misfortunes, are (qually known It was originally publifhed in numbers, which are now collected into a volume. The book carries with it indelible marks of its extraordinary author: full of fpeculation, which is fometimes ingenious, but more often vifionary; replete with fent ments, which are frequently inftructing, bat not always accurate; and crowded with matter which is fometimes good, frequently unconnected with the fubject, and feldom harmonizing with what precedes or follows it. Its good parts are either obfcured by hafte and negligence of compofition, or rendered ludicrous by the flights and whimies of the writer, while throughout the whole, notwithflanding the inftances of ievity, caprice, and obicurity, we trace a mind highly capable of thinking and judging righ ly; equaily able to detect faults, and to diftinguish be uties. 4 with obferving, that in the courfe of 1, To the ill-defined and improvident grants of the Crown, by which oppofite and jarring interefts are ercated in the fame forests: 2dly, To the prcient confufed and abfurd fyftem of management, in which the officers are not paid by falaries proportioned to the day they perform, but by fees, poundages, perquilites, and advantages, which increafe according to the waste, extrava gance, and deftruction, committed or allowed; but not one of which is calculated to excite attention to the intereft of the Crown, or the improvement of the forefts: and, 3dly, To the neglect and relaxation of Government, during the prefent century, refpeting this part of the puble property; in confequence of which, no entcctual check has been given to the misconduct of the refident officers, nor to the intrusions of the neighbour ing inhabitants and proprietors: 2nd we have endeavoured, to the u moft of our power, to acquire fuch ledge of the fubject as to be able to know give the Legifla ure a clear view of the prefent fate of this part of the public propery, to fuggeft fuch al terations only in thote nights of individrals, which are mixed with the rights of the Crown, as fem neceffa ry to admit of the whole property being improved, with reciprocal advantage to all the parties interefted; to propofe a better and more fimile fyftem of management, in which the officers fhould be paid by adequate falaries, and all fees, poundages, a d perquisites of every kind, fhould be abolished; and to point out the means of preventing future incroachment or wafte, fo as to bring thofe forefts into fuch a general fate of improvement as may, in time, provide a iupply of tim for our navy. These are objects of great importance; but they are attended with fome difficulty, and require deliberate confideration. 6. Illuftrations of British Hiftory, Bio graphy, and Manners, in the Reigns of Henry VII. Edward VI. Mary, Elizabeth, and James I. exhibited in a Series of original Papers felected from the Manufcripts of the noble Families of Howard, Talbot, and Cecil, . By Edmond Lodge, Efq; Purfuivant at Arm, and F. S. A. 3 Vols. 4to. 31. 35. Boards. Nicol. 1791. ing work offers fome remarks upon THE introduction to this intereftry in particular; and Mr Lodge juft the utility of fuch collections to histocuments fhewn by modern hiorians, ly blames the neglect of original dowho feem to regard ftyle, which ought only to be confidered as the crefs of their productions, more than accuraplains the fources from which thefe cy and authenticity. He then expapers were drawn; namely, the Taibet collection, confifting of fifteen" volumes, preferved in the library of ard, in the duke of Norfolk's the College of Arms; that of Howfin; and that of Cecil, which came pai flef into the hands of the editor's father, which the editor, conceiving to have as cfiduary legatee to a lady, and been illicitly withdrawn from the proper repofitory, has now refto ed to the Ma quis of Salisbury. An account of the Earls of Shrewsbury, who are confpicuous actors in this feries of papers, clofes the introduction. year 1513, and tome letters occur of Thefeilluftations commerce with the the years 1516, 1517, and 1536But the continued feries begins at the year 1542, and extends to 1618. At the commencement is given an explanation of the abbreviations and obfcure terms, the papers being printed literatim. Many curious particulars concern ing |