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HE feveral Writers, fays the Author, who have undertaken to give us the hiftory of Mary Queen of Scots, have been either fo extravagant in her praises, as to allow no human errors to have fallen to her fhare; or have heaped upon her fuch a load of infamy, as to make her appear a very monfter in wickedness. The Reformation (continues the Author) had then divided the world into parties; and as that Princefs was zealous in the caufe of the Romish Religion, 'twas look'd upon as the distinguishing mark of a good Proteftant, to tarnish her charaEter, and blacken her reputation. On the other hand, the Roman-Catholics, refpecting her as a Martyr for the Church of Rome, have fwelled their Panegyricks, whilft they have reprefented her as a perfect pattern of purity and virtue, without any blemish.

In writing this Life of the Queen of Scots, the Author fays, the Readers will obferve that he has been fcrupulously exact in the mention of the feveral Writers, from whom he has borrowed the facts which he relates. By this means one may the more eafily judge of the truth of his relation, by having recourfe to the original Writers, from whence it is taken. He has been particularly indebted to Mr. Camden's Hiftory of Queen Elizabeth, who seems (fays he) to have taken a great deal of pains in compiling the hiftory of that unfortunate Princefs. Here the Author takes notice of fome faults which he has obferved in the History of England, written by Mr. De Rapin Thoyras. He adds, that he has feldom 66 For produced the teftimony of Thuanus.

(fays he) how deserving foever the great Hi"ftorian may otherwise have been, his authority

"in the business of Queen Mary is of little "confequence. His whole account is nothing "more than a bare tranfcript from the Sco"tish History of Buchanan, and very often in "his exprefs words". The Author concludes his Preface thus: "If I have been mistaken "in any inftance, I muft beg the Reader "would impute it as an error in judg"ment, and not a fault of my inclination. For, "this I may faithfully affure him, that I have "endeavoured, as much as poffible, to avoid partiality, and reprefent things as I have "found them".

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This Hiftory appears to me curious and inftructive. The following paffage is to be found

in it.

"On the first of February the warrant was "figned [for the execution of the Queen of Scots.] "But Queen Elizabeth, being ftill defirous to "have the blame of the action as much as pof"fible removed from herself, gave orders to her "Secretaries, Walfingham and Davifon, to write

to Sir Amyas Powlet, and Sir Drue Drury, to "make her fecretly away. But the two Keep"ers declining the office, as unwarrantable ei"ther in juftice or honour, the Queen broke "out into a violent paffion, and complained of "their daintinefs and perjury, that contrary to "their oath of Affociation, they were refolved 66 to caft the whole burthen upon herself. She "called them precife fellows, who in words "would do mighty things for her fafety, but "indeed would perform nothing: however the "would have the bufinefs done without them. "And it feems there was one Wingfield, who had offered his fervice in the affair, and given her Majefty affurance, that with her leave he

σε would

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"would difpatch her competitor. The next day she gave orders to Davison to have a let❝ter written to Powlet for the fpeedy execution "of the warrant, fince the longer it was defer"red, the more her danger encreafed".

For the truth of all thefe particulars the Author refers the Reader to fome original Pieces, which he has inferted in the Appendix. The first of thofe Pieces is intitled: Secretary Davifon's Apology, from a MS. in the poffeffion of a Person of Quality.

ARTICLE VIII.

DISSERTATIONES Medicæ & Chirurgicæ, habitæ in Amphitheatro Collegii Regalis Medicorum Londinenfium. A GUALTERO HARRIS, M. D, in eodem Collegio Præfide nato, & Chirurgiæ Profeffore. Londini: Impenfis Guil. & Joh. Innys, in Area Occidentali D. Pauli. 1725.

That is,

PHYSICAL and Chirurgical Differtations. By WALTER HARRIS, M. D. &c. London. 1725. in 8°. pagg. 247, befides the Index.

Dr.

D

R. HARRIS gives us in his Preface a fhort account of his own Life, out of which I fhail extract the three following Particulars. 1. The late Dr. Goodall, being President of the College of Physicians, told one day Dr. Harris, that he envied him more than he envied any body elfe, because he was always eafy in his mind, and free from anxious cares. 2. Dr. Harris was made Physician in ordinary to King William, without fuing for it. He was raised to that Poft at the recommendation of the famous Dr. Tillotfon; and upon this occafion he fays that Dr. Tillotfon was the greatest and wifest Preacher, that ever appeared in the world fince the Apostle St. Paul. 3. Two or three months before the death of King William, Dr. Harris being in that Prince's chamber, took the liberty in the prefence of the Lords in waiting, to find fault with the custom of binding every morning the King's feet, which were very much fwelled. He faid that by this means the humours falling into the feet would be driven back into the Vifcera.

This Book confifts of fourteen Differtations upon the following fubjects. I. Of continual and intermitting fevers. II. Of the cure of the fmall pox and meafles. III. How to prevent the worst fort of fmall pox. IV. Of fome phyfical uses of water. V. Of phyfical and chirurgical ufes of water. VI, and VII. Of bleeding. VIII. Of the Varix and Aneurifm. IX. Of the Oedema and the Scirrbus. X. Of the Cancer. XI. Of the Gangrene and Sphacelus. XII. Of Hernias. XIII. Of the faults of Surgeons. XIV. Of fimple and compound remedies. There are many things in this Work, that deferve the attention of the Readers; but the rules I have

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prefcri

prescribed to my felf, oblige me to mention only fome few observations.

Among the vast number of fimple remedies, fays the Author, none are more common, and perhaps more useful than Water; and yet none are more neglected and defpifed. Dr. Harris has frequently admired the infinite goodness of God, in providing all mankind and all other animals with fuch a great quantity of water to quench their thirst, and of wholefome food for the maintenance of their lives. The hundredth part of men, all over the world, fays he, hardly use any other drink but water; and men though never fo poor, feldom want milk, butter, fome fort of bread, rice, eggs, legumes, roots, and fuch other things. Our Author ascribes the long life of the Patriarchs, and the Gigantic ftature of fome men in antient times, partly to the drinking of water, and to a plain diet. He afcribes alfo to the fame fobriety, and the pure country-air, the long life of the famous William Parr, "who (fays he) did public penance, as " 'tis reported, for getting his Maid with child, being above a hundred years old, and married "at the age of a hundred and twenty years a

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woman, who confeffed that he had done what "good husbands ufe to do. At laft he was "fhown to King Charles the First by the Earl "of Arundel, being then a hundred and fifty two years, and nine months old.

Dr. Harris expreffes a great piety in several parts of this Book. The following paffage is a remarkable inftance of it. "O happy day, fays "be, when we shall be raised above this fublu

nary world, and admitted into the affembly. "of the heavenly Souls! When we fhall fee "there Hippocrates, and the other celebrated 66 'Phyfi