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neral characters of the performance we refer our Readers to the accounts we have formerly given of it. The prefent edition is enriched with copious chronological tables prefixed to each volume, which are a confiderable improvement of the work. We could have wifhed Mr. Ruffell, whom, by a dedication to the Duke of Bedford, we find to be the Author, had followed our advice in a former article, by fubjoining an alphabetical Index to this ufeful publica

tion.

Art. 29. The History of the Reign of Philip the Third, King of Spain. The firfl four Books by Robert Watfon, LL. D. Principal of the United College in the University of St. Andrews; and the two laft by Wm. Thompson, LL. D. 2d Edition. 2 Vols. 8vo. 12s. Boards. Robinfons. 1786.

This impreffion differs from the former by the addition of an Appendix, containing a Journal of the Conference betwixt his Majefty's commiffioners and the commiffioners of the King of Spain and Arch-dukes of, Auftria, Dukes of Burgundy, &c. at the treating and concluding of a peace with the aforefaid princes at SomerfetHouse in London, anno 1604.' This conference, which feems to have been carried on with great dignity and decorum, and ably fupported by the extraordinary abilities of the commiffioners, befide gratifying the curious reader with a detail of facts, lays open, as the editor justly obferves, the views and interests of the Courts of London and Madrid; it throws much light on the state of commerce at that time, and on the fentiments, manners, and general character of the age.

VOYAGES and TRA V E L Š. Art. 30. Captain Cook's third and laft Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, in the Years 1776-1780. Faithfully abridged from the 4to Edition published by Order of his Majefty. Illuftrated with Copper-plates. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Beards. Fielding, &c.

The narrative part of this celebrated voyage is here given, in a pocket fize, and fome of the ornamental plates are reduced within the compafs of a duodecimo page. There are, no doubt, many readers to whofe convenience fuch an edition will be thought well adapted.

A fhort account of the life of Captain Cook is prefixed.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Art. 31. Natural History, general and particular, by the Count de Buffon. Tranflated into English, with Notes and Obfervations, by William Smellie, Member of the Antiquarian and Royal Societies of Edinburgh. Vol. the Ninth. 8vo. 8s. Cadell, &c. This volume, containing feveral curious facts relative to the biftory of the earth, is a fupplement to the eight volumes mentioned in our Review for Nov. 1782, which the editor has now added to a fecond edition of his tranflation; and, to accommodate the purchasers of the former volumes, it is fold feparately.

The fyftem of Buffon being founded on conjectures, requires every aid that can be brought for its fupport. Additions and corrections to fuch a work, which tend to remove objections, must be highly

• Of which fee an account in our Review, Vol. Ixix. p. 59. REV. Nov. 1736.

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acceptable

acceptable to the reader, who may wish for illuftrations of those paffages that are doubtful and obfcure.

These additions and corrections relate to the Count's theory of the formation of the planets, to geography, to the production and fituations of ftrata, and other particulars concerning the internal ftructure of the earth: but the greatest part of the volume contains facts and arguments in fupport of the doctrine delivered in the treatife, entitled, Les Epoques de la Nature. The tranflator thinking this theory too fanciful to receive the general approbation of the cool and deliberate Briton,' has, inftead of a tranflation, given only a general view of the pofitions laid down in it.

For an account of the Epoques de la Nature see our Review, vol. LXI. p. 531. and vol. LXII. p. 397.

MATHEMATICS.

Art. 32. A Treatise of practical Arithmetic and Book-keeping by Single Entry. By William Tinwell, Teacher of the Mathematics, Newcastle. Printed for the Author. 1785.

Thomas Dilworth, fchoolmaster in Wapping, was the first who thought of putting a text-book in arithmetic into the hands of his pupils, and of writing a book proper for that purpofe. It was one of thofe happy thoughts of which every perfon fees the propriety, the inftant it is mentioned, and is ftruck with furprize that he himfelf had not thought of before. This mode of teaching has proved of confiderable benefit to the fcholar, greatly eafed the teacher, and has been a vast fource of profit to the bookfeller. How it operated with refpect to the poor Author we can only conjecture; as he continued to drudge on for his mafter, Mr. Deputy Kent, to the end of his life. Since Dilworth's book was published, fifty others (we are perfuaded we fpeak within compafs) have been written on the fame plan, and fome improvements have been made on the original Author, particularly in the fimplicity and concifeness of the rules and directions; and, perhaps, fomewhat in the neatness and variety of the examples: but we think there is yet room for great improvement in this refpect.

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Mr. Tinwell affigns as a reafon for appearing in print, that he has endeavoured to render the ftudy of practical arithmetic as eafy as poffible, and to remove those redundancies which are too often found in books of this kind.' That in pursuance of this defign, care has been taken, especially in the firft fimple rules, not to harass the fcholar with any thing foreign to the rule he is learning. For example, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Divifion, are firft treated of in integers; and as the gradation in learning, particularly with beginners, cannot, in his opinion, be too imperceptible, the learner is troubled with nothing but merely to add, fubtract, &c. after which, the manner of arranging the queftion, according to the rule, is taught; and lastly, the numbers in the queftions are given in words at length, which not only exercifes the two firft parts, but also exemplifies notation.' How far these minute points merit notice we will not pretend to judge; perhaps they may fometimes be neceffary where the capacity is more narrow than ordinary; but we wish not to discourage these humble attempts to be useful.

Art.

Art. 33. An Introduction to Arithmetic, confifting of printed Examples in the first four Rules, with approved Tables of Weights and Measures, defigned to facilitate the Progrefs of young Beginners, and to diminish the Labour of the Tutor. By William Butler. 8vo. 2s. Longman, &c.

This being an imperfect work, begun indeed by the schoolmaster, but left to be finished by his fcholars, the task of reviewing it must be left in the proper hands. It is merely a common cyphering book, with the feveral fums stated for refolution in print, instead of being written by the master.

LAW.

Art. 34. Confiderations on the Attorney Tax, and Proposals for altering and equalizing the fame, fo as to render it easy in Operation, and juft in Principle. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Kearsley. 1786. According to this writer The tax upon attorneys, folicitors, &c. in its prefent form, is exceeding partial and unequal, and perhaps the greatest curb on genius of any now exifting. The arguments used to confirm this opinion are juft and forcible, and the plan which the Author propofes for altering and equalizing the tax merits attention: it appears to be the refult of a ferious confideration of the fubject: and if the estimates are just, without any expence in collecting, much more productive than the prefent tax. The juftice of its principle is at once apparent, fince it affects profeffional men in proportion to the extent of their bufinefs: while, according to the prefent mode of taxation, a man who gains by his practice only 20l. per annum, pays equally with him who acquires an

immenfe fortune.

Art. 35. The Law's Difpofal of a Perfon's Eftate who dies without a Will, &c. To which is added, The Difpofal of a Perfon's Eftate by Will, &c. By Peter Lovelafs, of the Inner Temple, Gent. The 3d Edit. improved. 8vo. 3s. 6d. fewed. Uriel, &c. 1786. In our laft month's Review we mentioned the two former editions of this work; and took a brief notice of the difpute between Mr. Lovelafs and Mr. Tomlins, Author of a fimilar publication reviewed at the fame time. In the preface to this new edition Mr. L. ftill carries on the war with Mr. T.; and, in an 'additional preface," feems alfo a little piqued at the Monthly Reviewers for not having cenfured his competitor's performance, as he thinks they ought to have done, on account of the very grofs abfurdities therein contained although' [he adds] it is true I omitted to point out fome of the particulars thereof in my preface.' Such is the ftyle of Mr. L.'s preface; the very grofs inelegance of which will be fufficiently obvious to every common reader. He talks too of a fuggeftion of ours, concerning his having fome defire to keep Wentworth's fice and duty of Executors' out of print. The Reviewer never meant to convey any fuch fuggeftion; and would therefore recommend Mr. L. in his next edition, to revife, particularly the last paragraph of this curious' additional preface;' and to erafe from it fome of the very grofs' egotisms therein contained.'

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Art. 36. The whole Proceedings on the Trial of an Ejectment between John Doe, on the ferseral Demifes of Mary Mellish, Spinster, and others, against Eliza Rankin, Spinfter, at the Bar of his Ma

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jefty's

jefty's Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, on the 10th and the 11th of May 1786, before Lord Lougborough, and the rest of the Judges of Common Pleas. 8vo. 4s. fewed. Debrett. 1786. In the 73d volume of our Review, p. 395, we mentioned a former trial between thefe contending heireffes, in which a verdict was given in favour of Mifs Mellish. On this fecond investigation of the pretenfions of the rival ladies, Mifs Rankin was victorious. Another trial by bill of ejectment hath fince been had, in the King's Bench, Westminster, in which Mifs Mellish, the plaintiff, fuffered a nonfuit. The public attention hath been very much excited by this extraordinary caufe; which, we fuppofe, is not yet brought to a final iffue.

Art. 37. An Alphabetical Index of the Registered Entails in Scotland, from the paffing of an Act of Parliament in the Year 1685, to February 4, 1784. Containing the Number of the Entail as it ftands on Record, the Volume, the Folio, Date of the Entail, Date of Registration, Entailers Names, &c. By Samuel Shaw. 4to. 7s. 6d. Edinburgh printed, and fold by Robinfons, in London.

Every perfon muft, at one time or other, have had occafion to remark the utility of Indexes; and the importance of them rifes with that of the fubject: this, with the credit of the accuracy advanced to the avowed compiler, is all the notice that a publication of fuch a nature calls for.

Art. 38. The Speech delivered by Sir Peter Calvert, LL. D. preparatory to adjudging a Decree in favour of Mrs. Inglefield. Taken in Short-hand by W. Blanchard. 8vo. 18. Logographic Press. This was a cafe of alledged adultery, the circumftances of which have been abundantly detailed in the newfpapers. The learned Civilian, in the speech before us, infifted, and concluded, not only that there were no pofitive acts of adultery proved,' but that there was not that fituation of the parties proved,' from which adultery might be implied. He therefore exhorted Capt. Inglefield to take his wife home, and treat her with matrimonial affection: not doubting that, as both the husband and the wife bear excellent characters,' they may fill render the conjugal ftate very happy. The decree was a monition' to the fame effect.

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Art. 39. A compendious Syftem of the Bankrupt Laws. By Wm. Cook, of Lincoln's Inn, Efq. Barrister at Law. 8vo. 8s. Boards. Brooke. 1786.

We have in this valuable publication all the feparate acts concerning bankrupts reduced and brought into one point of view ;an undertaking that must prove useful, because all the acts relative to this fubject make but one fyftem of law, the whole of which being regularly digested will be of real fervice to the perfons concerned in the practice, as it will enable them with little trouble to become acquainted with the contents of all the acts that have been paffed, and with every regulation that has been made refpecting bankrupts. The Appendix, containing the neceffary inftructions for procuring and carrying on the bufinefs of a commiffion, and alfo a great variety of precedents, is a performance that will be highly acceptable to thofe readers for whofe ufe this compendium is intended.

Art. 40. The prefent Practice of the Court of King's Bench; containing ample and complete Inftructions for commencing and defending Suits, Actions, &c. By John Sheridan, Efq. of the Inner Temple. 8vo. 75. Boards. Walker, &c.

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As the Court of King's Bench is the cuftos morum of the realm, and may punish any offence contrary to the firit principles of juftice its jurifdiction is, confequently, very extenfive; it keeps all other jurifdictions within the bounds of their authority; it compels magiftrates and others to perform with diligence the duty of their refpective offices; it protects the liberty of the fubject in a fummary manner. From the wide grafp of its jurifdiction, its practice muft of neceffity be extenfive.

The prefent performance is calculated to guide the attorney, and, by pointing out the various proceedings, to enable him to conduct properly fuch matters as may occur in the courfe of his practice. The Author has interfperfed his work with feveral precedents of the various writs, pleadings, entries, declarations, &c. which may be ufeful to the younger readers of books in this class.

MEDICA L.

Art. 41. A new Syftem of Midwifery, in four Parts, founded on practical Obfervations. The whole illuftrated with Copper-plates. By Robert Wallace Johnfon, M. D. The 2d Edition, with Additions. 4to. 11. is. Johnfon. 1786.

In our account of the first edition of this work, in the Review for August 1769, we obferved, that it contained much useful inftruction, and might be perufed with advantage by that clafs of readers to whom it peculiarly belongs.

Dr. Johnfon hath not been able to difcover any real improvements either in the theory or practice of the art fince the first publication of his system, but hath had the fatisfaction of being confirmed in his former opinions by the teft of experience; the additions with which this impreffion is enriched, being either elucidations of what he had before written, or practical proofs of the merit of his theory.

The letters of the late Dr. Redman, of Philadelphia, which our Author has given us in the Appendix, contain very just commendations of Dr. J.'s well-contrived inftruments. We fincerely with practitioners, efpecially the younger ones, to be peculiarly attentive to the Author's prudent maxims relative to the cautious ufe of inftruments in general; a ftrict obfervance of them would effectually reprefs that impetuofity, which, to the great detriment of the patient, is too often obfervable in juvenile operators.

Art. 42. Medical Reports of the Effect of Arfenic in the Cure of Agues, Remitting Fevers, and periodic Head-aches. By Thomas Fowler, M. D. Svo. 3s. Johnfon. 1786.

Dr. Fowler, who has here publifhed 85 cafes of agues, &c. cured by arfenic, seems to confider the adminiftration of that dangerous mineral poifon as a new discovery. Had he looked into old writers, a study too much neglected by many modern practitioners, he might have collected from them as many, and as demonftrative, proofs of

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