To conclude, we confider this as a moft ufeful performance, and hope the author will be rewarded for the pains he has taken to promote the benefit of his native country.

Com

ART. V. ISAAC NEWTONI Opera Que Exftant Omnia. mentariis illuftrabat Samuel Horfley, LL. D. R S. S. &c. 4to. 5 1.5 s. Subfcription for the whole set. Nichols, Conant, &c.

1779.

S this publication is only the firft volume of an intended

A complete edition of Sir Ifaac Newton's works, in five

volumes, illuftrated with a commentary by the Editor; we think it fufficient for the prefent to enumerate the contents of it, and to fpecify the order in which the Editor has thought proper to arrange the different pieces; which, notwithstanding their value and importance, had never yet been collected together. The work is, with propriety, dedicated to the King.

The prefent volume is divided into two parts. According to the learned Editor's propofals, all the tracts of Newton which relate to pure Mathematics, were intended to be first given. In conformity to this plan, the Arithmetica Univerfalis forms the firft part of this volume. This tract is accompanied with very few notes; for which circumftance the Editor accounts, by informing us that he had digefted his principal explanatory comments (comprehended in nineteen chapters, the titles of which are here given) into a feparate article, which he originally intended to have added as an appendix to this tract: but the great bulk of the prefent volume not allowing of its infertion, it is omitted. The Editor hints, however, that it may appear hereafter, either in one of the fubfequent volumes, or in a feparate publication.

The fecond part comprehends thofe valuable tracts that relate to the higher geometry; particularly to the doctrines of feries, and fluxions. The firft of thefe pieces is the fection on Prime and Ultimate Ratios, which the Editor has thought fit to detach from the beginning of the Principia, as being a proper introduction to the doctrine of fluxions contained in the fucceeding pieces. This is followed by the tract intitled, De Analyfi per Equationes numero terminorum infinitas; which is fucceeded by the Excerpta ex Epiftolis Newtoni, formerly publifhed by Jones at the end of the laft mentioned tract; but which are here placed in a fomewhat different order. The picce De Quadratura Curvarum, and the Geometria Analytica, next fucceed; and are followed by the Methodus Differentialis, and the Enumeratio linearum tertii Ordinis, which is the laft of Newton's tracts contained in this volume.

The manner in which our Editor and Commentator has fulfilled his talk in these two capacities, with refpect to thefe opufcula, will be moft concifely exhibited by giving his own

4

general

general account of the undertaking, contained in the following paffage.

Nimirum tam gravis argumenti tractationem univerfam in ordinem redegimus; etiam difcendi fubfidia ubique comparavimus; prætermiffa exprimendo; explicando ea que angufle ponebantur, & ubique commonendo leftorem, quo intuens, a vera Newtoni fententia minus aberret.Eo denique confilio omnia concinnavimus, ut in pofterum nufquam aliâs confugiant, qui fublimioris geometria elementa penitus complecti fecum ftatuerint.

At the end of the volume Dr. Horfley has fubjoined two pieces written by himself. The first is a fhort paper, under the title of Logistica Infinitorum, containing formule adapted to facilitate the computation, and particularly the multiplication and divifion, of feries. The other, intitled De Geometria Fluxionum, is intended as an addition to Newton's Tract on prime and ultimate Ratios.Having thus paved the way for the Principia, the Editor propofes next to attend to that immortal work.

ART. VI. A Treatise on the Malignant Angina, or putrid and ulcerous Sore Throat; to which are added Jome Remarks on the Angina Trachealis. By J. Johnstone, M. D. Physician at Worceller. 8vo. 1 s. 6 d. Becket. 1779.

THE

HE principal part of this treatife, we are told, was publifhed five years ago at Edinburgh, as a Thesis; and was favourably received. It exhibits a well digefted hiftorical and fyftematical, as well as practical, view of the disease of which it treats. In difcuffing the method of cure, the Author very justly reprobates evacuations, and particularly bleeding, which had been much ufed by the ancients, and recommended by every writer on the fubject, till the publication of Dr. Fothergill's ingenious treatife. He takes notice of Huxham's pernicious conceffion in favour of this evacuation, as well as of Dr. Ruffel's approbation of this injurious practice; the evil tendency of which the Author had had particular occafion to obferve; having been born in a fituation where, from the very great frequency of the difeafe, it was known in the neighbouring country, by the name of the Kidderminster fore-throat.So long as the prepoffeffion in favour of bleeding prevailed there, it was one of the moft fatal of difeafes; but fince the lancet has been laid afide, and the antifeptic method only depended upon, it has proved one of the most certain and eafy

to be cured.'

The Author takes notice likewife of the bad effects refulting from the exhibition of Emetic tartar, and James's powder, in this difeafe; which fome practitioners had been induced to adminifter, on account of the advantages derived from the use of

antimonials

antimonials in other fevers. The confequences,' he obferves, were generally very bad; large evacuations by ftool commonly followed their use, to the certain destruction of fome, and the great injury of others.'

The bark is the remedy which is moft to be depended upon in this as well as in other putrid and malignant difeafes. Its efficacy in this disease,' fays the Author, has furpaffed the healing powers experienced from it in every other inftance.Those who have tried it moft in this complaint beft know how abfolutely it fubdues the difeafe, which is more certainly cured by the early application of this remedy than any disease of equal confequence by any means whatever. This is the language of all thofe phyficians who have, from long experience, had the beft opportunities of learning the true nature of the disorder, and obferving the good effects of the bark; a medicine upon which great dependance has for many years been placed in this country.In fhort, the Author obferves that, in his neighbourhood, where the malignity of the difeafe had indeed been much abated for fome years paft, the management of it was become fo familiar in many places, that the good women themfelves cured it by means of the bark and antifeptic fteams.

On the whole, this treatise contains a very judicious and well digested account of the difeafe; both as defcribed by preceding writers, and as obferved by the Author himself. The principal purpose of it, to use the Author's own words, is to record the difeafe as it has appeared in this country (Worcefter), and to recommend to the public a method of treatment which has long been fuccefsful, and is now adopted by all the phyficians in this city and county.'

Some obfervations are added on the putrid or malignant Angina Trachealis, as diftinguished from the inflammatory and fpafmodic kinds. Here too he has collected into one view the accounts given of this disease by preceding writers, under the different titles of the Croup, Acute Afthma, Hives, &c.; and briefly lays down the method of cure.

1. A

ART. VII. Guardian of Health. Vol. I. In Three Parts. Defcription of the Human Body, Anatomical and Phyfiological. 2. Of the Animal Economy, &c. 3. Of Regimen, Diet, and Rules of preferving Health. By N. D. Falck, M. D. izmo. 3 s. bound. Law. 1778.

T

HIS Writer has pretty frequently fallen under our observation, on a variety of topics. At prefent, we know not whether we might not content ourselves with fuffering him to be his own Reviewer, by tranfcribing the laft paragraph of his preface, and leaving the reader to form his own judgment.Ex pede Herculem.

It is not my place to fet forth the merit of this little work; the benefit which it promifes to fociety must be determined by the philanthropic, the judicious, the true fons of ÆfculapiusTo them I appeal; they will, I know, view it with an eye of candour, and amend its defects with kindnefs-I plead my beft endeavours to fulfil the important duties of my life.'

If we may be allowed to affume these flattering titles and attributes to ourselves, we fear that, with all our philanthropy, judgment, medical knowledge, candour, and even kindness, we cannot, with any degree of juftice, fulfil the important duties of our critical office, by recommending these sheets to the public, as well adapted to answer the Author's avowed defign in this publication. This is nothing less than the preventing those unspeakable mifchiefs in the community,' which arife, according to him, from mankind's remaining unacquainted with the wonderful fabric of the human ftructure, and continuing ignorant of the rationale on which depend the principles of prefervation of health-in fhort, the awakening mankind from this lethargy, and the inviting their attention to a subject fo immediately concerning their welfare.'

In a work written to inform the rational mind' on this undoubtedly interefting fubject, plainnefs, and perfpicuity of diction, are effential requifites.—But what information, to give only one example, can a common reader, or indeed any reader, receive from the Author's chapter on conftitutions?-The choJeric temperament for inftance:

The choleric exceeds the fanguineous temperament in irritability and fenfibility; to which is added a tenfenefs and rigidity of the folids: and hence the blood leffens, and becomes rich to excefs. The circulation is full, hard, and quick; and the arteries upon an equilibrium with the veins: hence the fyftem hot, the perceptions and paffions ftrong, quick, and conftant; a love of pleasure prevails, but with a proneness to vice, fatire, and the irafcible paffions.'

We take no pleafure in pointing out defects; and we hope we fufficiently conform to the Author's intimation to us, above quoted, to amend them with kindness,' when we content ourselves with quoting, and only flightly animadverting on the new advices with which he furnishes his phyfiological Catechumen, on the fubject of Vifion.

Speaking of the eye, he tells him- It is the general received opinion, from the dottrine of Sir Ifaac Newton, that objects are inverted in the reprefentation on the retina of the eye: this is, I prefume, an error which, I hope, in another work, to prove in a full and fatisfactory manner."

Dr. Falck has, however, been anticipated in this curious pinion by a former luckless inquirer on this fubject, whom out

of

of tenderness we fhall not name; as we hope we have long ago convinced him of his error.-With refpect indeed to medical opinions and fafhions-" Nous avons changé tout cela” (as the Doctor in Moliere fays) may pafs very well for a reason: but the rays of light, we apprehend, have kept a conftant courfe ever fince light was created, and are not readily to be joftied out of it by Dr. Falck. Out of pure philanthropy,' therefore, we ad ife him to allow what he is pleafed to call the doctrine of Sir Ifaac Newton' to remain undisturbed; and to fuffer the rays of light to follow their long accustomed habits of turning the fpecies of objects toply turvy, in paffing through the eye, and other denfe media terminated by convex furfaces. This is the fecond time that Dr. Falck has thus threatened to fubvert the firft and plaineft principles of optics. We expoftulated with him before on this very fubject [Vol li. Auguft 1774, page 160]; but, as it now appears, without effect.

ART. VIII. Materialism philosophically examined, or the Immateriality of the Soul affered and proved on philofophical Principles; in Anfwer to Dr. Priefiley's Difquifitions on Matter and Spirit. By John Whitehead, Author of an Effay on Liberty and Neceffity. 8vo. 2 s. 6 d. Boards. Phillips. 1778.

TH first among

HOUGH Mr. Whitehead was, we believe, one of the those who undertook to refute the doctrines contained in Priestley's Difquifitions, particularly with respect to the nature of matter, and of the fentient principle in man; his performance has, through accident, remained hitherto unnoticed by us. He not only confiders that work as containing doctrines fubverfive of our common faith, and deftructive of future happinefs; but he plainly enough, we know not on what grounds, infinuates that the Author was not altogether unapprised of the deftructive and fatal confequences that refult, or may be drawn from them. He charges him too with indirectly befpattering the facred penmen with dirt;' intimates a fufpicion that he owes them no very good will;' and declares that he should not wonder to hear this learned Gentleman, armed cap-a-pee with logic and philofophy, reprefent his Lord and Saviour as a greater deceiver than Mahomet."

Thefe and other fimilar paffages, as well as fome grofs mistakes of Dr. Priestley's meaning, have been very properly noticed by him, in a letter addreffed to the prefent Author, and printed in the volume containing Dr. Priestley's Correfpondence with Dr. Price.-Verily thefe charges and infinuations are by no means agreeable to the genius of that religion which this Examinant undertakes to defend; or with the meek fpirit of that particular religious community to which, from the style ufed in his dedication, he appears to belong.-Into his argumentation we shall not undertake to enter, for various reafons.

ART.