theories. See the preface to the third edition of his Treatise on the Scurvy.

We cannot avoid ftopping to exprefs our furprize at fuch an obfervation as the foregoing, proceeding from fo intelligent a practitioner. An attachment indeed to delufive theories is certainly not to be defended: But how is the art of phyfic to be improved, or new methods of curing difeafes to be difcovered? Surely not by merely exhibiting untiied fubflances as random; or without fome preconceived hypothefis; or, in other words, without reafoning on the fenfible and more obvious qualities of bodies, or thofe other properties difcoverable by the aid of chemistry, and applying that knowledge to the economy of the human fyftem.

With respect to Dr. Macbride's application of the doctrine. of fixed air to the cure of the fea fcurvy, Dr. Lind's observation is still further particularly exceptionable: as the efficacy of the wort in the cure, or in the mitigation of the fymptoms, of that difeafe was not then a fubject of mere fpeculation; but had been rendered very probable by the refults of the trials that had even then been made of it.-In fact, the practical tanner might with equal juftice authoritatively pronounce on the improbability of improving the tanning art from a preconceived hypothefis,' or by fpeculative men in the clofet;' and yet, as we lately had an opportunity to fhew, Dr. Macbride has invented not merely a speculative but a practical improvement in a branch of that art, in confequence of fpeculations of a fimilar kind to the present.

In a matter of fuch great importance to the Public, we have thought proper to bear our teftimony against this unedifying and difheartening obfervation of Dr. Lind's; which tends, as far as mere authority can go, to difcourage all defigned improvements in the art of medicine, though founded on the jufteft reafonings, or deduced from the moft plaufible analogy and which would induce us to reft with our arms folded, and our eyes fhut, content with our prefent inadequate refources; till Dame Fortune, in one of her liberal moods, fhall condefcend, in her own good time, to throw a remedy unexpectedly at our feet.

Soon after we had written the foregoing remarks, a paper contained in the volume of the Philofophical Tranfa&tions juft publifhed, fell under our obfervation: and though the fpeaking of it in this place may feem premature, the contents of it are fo yery appofite to the prefent fubject, what we cannot avoid anticipating, in part, our Review of that Article, by giving one quotation from it peculiarly applicable to the prefent question. Dr. Lind will there fee that the "fpeculative men in the clo

See our Review for June lat, p. 419.

fet,

fet," who have flattered themfelves with the hopes of their having difcovered a remedy for the fcurvy, have now the fatisfaction-we lament that Dr. Macbride is not in a fituation to partake of it-of finding that a whole nation have anticipated them in the discovery; and that Nature has dictated to the natives of Ruffia the use of that very antifeptic regimen against this disease, to which our modern philofophers have been led, in confequence of their speculations on fixed air.

Dr. Guthrie of Petersburg, the Author of the Article abovementioned, after enumerating the many pre-difponent causes which tend to produce the fcurvy, and other putrid diseases, in Ruffia, obferves that the natives are nevertheless ftrangers to diforders of that kind; evidently in confequence of the antifeptic diet ufed among them. He thinks that it will be doing fervice to mankind to defcribe this falutary and prefervative regimen minutely; and introduces his defcription of it with the following reflections:

"It will probably give pleasure to thofe gentlemen, who have prescribed the new regimen to the British navy with fo much fuccefs, to have the evidence of fome millions to prove that they have actually hit upon the very fecret by which Nature defends her creatures, in thofe countries where it is neceffary, from the very disease which has been the fcourge of the nobleft naval establishment that ever the world faw. Nay, one would think that the diet these people use had been dictated by modern philofophy; or rather that your Prefident," [Sir John Pringle, we fuppofe] "your Macbrides, &c. had ftudied at this school; for almoft every thing they use feems to be of that kind which the fortunate attention to the antifeptic qualities of fixed air has recommended for medical ufe. Here the experimental philofopher may be indulged in a triumph; and I really think your Lords of the Admiralty ought, in gratitude, to erect ftatues to the industrious and fuccefsful profecutors of that noble and useful study."

After giving fome experiments on the effects of fixed air on the putrefactive procefs, and on the putrid effluvium; the Author treats of its ufe in cachexies and phagedenic ulcers. In confirmed cancers, he has not observed any fenfible ben fit produced by it, except a mitigation of the pain; but in old, fpreading, ill conditioned ulcers, it has, in many inftances, relieved the pain, brought on a more favourable digeftion, and much improved the appearance of the ulcers; and in fome it has effected a complete cure. He relates four cafes likewife of its having removed fome difeafes of the ftomach, when given in the form of effervefcing draughts,

Treating next of the fedative and folvent powers of fixed air in cafes of the ftone, the Author obferves, that they are fo

far afcertained, as to give it a claim to the particular attention of the faculty. Further experience can alone determine, whether by the fteady and long continued use of this medicine, a cure may not, in fome inftances, be happily effected: and it is no inconfiderable recommendation, that the medicine is pleafant, fafe, and even friendly to the constitution; and that it will relieve the painful fymptoms, though it fhould not produce a complete folution of the calculus.-The following method of adminiftering it he apprehends to be the most eafy and powerful:

Let the patient take three times a day an ounce of the aqua mephitica alkalina, containing one fcruple of alcaline falt, faturated with fixed air according to the directions of Mr. Bewly *, and fweetened with a little honey: let him wash this down with half an ounce or a large fpoonful of lemon-juice, made into lemonade. The patient thus takes not only the common proportion of fixed air contained in the alcaline falt, but likewife that which has been fuperadded to faturate or neutralize it. The common drink of the patient fhould be mephitic water, wort fweetened with honey, provided it fits eafy and agrees with the stomach, mead, or found malt liquor. Cafk ale, I think, is preferable to that which is kept in bottles, on this account, that the fixed air is in a more quiefcent ftate, is not loft in eructations from the prima via, and is confequently conveyed in a larger proportion to the kidneys and bladder. Honey may be eaten at pleasure, as perfectly coinciding with the intentions of the medicine; and where it fuits the conftitution, may be ufed to the quantity of a pound, or a pound and a quarter every week, as recommended by Sir John Pringle.

By this method, the urine will be well impregnated with a conftant and copious fupply of fixed air; more fo indeed than by immediately injecting the mephitic water into the bladder.Before the patient begins his courfe, it is a good precaution to examine the ftony fediment of the urine, or any calculous frag ments which are paffed, by putting them to the test of fixed air. This will determine, as Dr. Ambrofe Dawson judiciously obferves, whether the calculus is of fuch a nature, as to be fo luble in the medicine which is propofed.'The Author adds that, as fome calculi abound fo much with mucus, as to elude the action of fixed air, their folution may be facilitated by exhibiting the cauftic alcali and fixed air alternately, as recommended by Dr. Saunders,

Towards the end of the work, the Author gives a comparative view of the difpofition to generate the ftone, in feveral parts of this kingdom. His eftimate is formed on the answers received by him to his inquiries, with respect to the number of

• Priestley on the Air, vol. ii. p. 346.

patients

patients who had been cut for the ftone, in the various hofpitals to which he applied on this occafion; compared with the whole number of in and out patients that had been received at each hofpital: regard being likewife had to peculiarities in the food, drink, or fituation of the inhabitants of the refpective. diftricts. But for the particular refults of this inquiry we must refer to the work itfelf; which we recommend to the attention of practitioners, as containing a plain narrative of philofophical and medical facts, related with candour, and without prepos feffion.

IN

ART. IV. The Antiquarian Repertory. 2 Vols. 4to. Concluded. N the former Articles concerning this work (vid. Reviews for April and July) we mentioned two defcriptions of England given by Frenchmen, who wrote near the times of Queen Mary and Charles the First; we are now presented with another defcription of later date; it is a tranflation of the travels of Monfieur Jorevin de Rocheford, or at leaft that part of his work which treats of England and Ireland. His obfervations were made in the reign of Charles the Second, and his book, which was printed at Paris in 1672, (in three vols. 12mo.) is faid to be now extremely fcarce. Had it utterly perifhed, fome readers. perhaps will think there would have been no great cause to lament the lofs. The performance, however, is curious, as the journal of a foreigner who traverfed our country upwards of a century ago, but who had not fo far conquered his national prejudices as to be able to make juft obfervations on our cuftoms and manners. The tranflator rightly observes that his abstract of our national hiftory is falfe and ridiculous; but that his defcriptions of places, buildings, &c. feem to have been accurate, as they still retain ftriking likeneffes of the respective fubjects, notwithstanding the alterations which must neceffarily have happened in the space of above an hundred years.-On the whole, this narrative, with all its faults, is not unentertaining. It confifts of feveral numbers, inferted in different parts of the volume.

An extract from a curious and authentic manufcript, a copy of which is in the poffeffion of Thomas Aftle, Etq; furnishes an inftance of the rude manners of our country in ancient times. This manufcript contains, among other things, the private expences of King Edward the Second, wherein it appears that crofs and pile, or toffing up heads and tails (as it is now called) was a royal diverfion.' The following translation from the old French may afford fome amusement:

Item, paid to the King himfelf to play at crofs and pile by the hands of Richard de Mereworth the receiver of the treafury, 12 pence.

• Item,

Item, paid there to Henry the King's barber for money which he lent to the King to play at cross and pile, 5 s.

Item, paid there to Peres Barnard ufher of the King's chamber money which he lent to the King, and which he loft at crofs and pile to Monfieur Robert Wattewylle, eight pence.

Item, paid to the King him elf to play at crofs and pile by Peres Barnard two fhillings, which the laid Peres won of him. Item, paid to Sir William de Kyngefton, for cabbage which he bought to make pottage in the boat.

Item, paid at the lodge at Wolmer when the King was ftaghunting there, to Morris Ken of the kitchen, because he rode there before the King, and often fell from his horse, at which the King laughed exceedingly; a gift by command, 20s.'

A differtation concerning an ancient manufcript, in the Cornish language, will, no doubt, prove acceptable to most antiquaries. The manufcript itself appears to be of great antiquity, and the obfervations on it feem to be made by a person well acquainted with his fubject. The manufcript treats of our Saviour's paffion. As to the language of it,' remarks this Writer, it is fuch as the common speakers of the Cornish now ufed here do not understand, nor any but fuch as will be at the pains to study it, no more than the common speakers of the vulgar Greek do at this day Homer's Iliad. So the Lord's Prayer, in the year 700, was thus in English: Vren fader thic arth, &c. In goo, Thu ure fader the eart on heofenum.

As to the antiquity thereof, we obferve the name of our Saviour is all along written IH, after the old form used in crucifixes, and then alfo the name written Chreft, not Chrift. So we find it written in Tacitus, Suetonius, and in fome other Roman authors. So Chriftians were called Chreftians, as Tertullian obferves, Apol. c. 3. and fo the vulgar in Cornish speak it Chreft, and not Christ.

In this old piece are no words anciently intermixt of the Saxon tongue or Angles, which fhews, in all probability, that it was written before their time at least, if not much farther off; whereas the common fpeech of it now carries much of those Jatter figures, to the disfiguring of the face thereof.'

We are informed by a note at the end of this differtation that it was written by Scawen, Efq; Vice-warden of the Stannaries, and was communicated by Mr. Thomas Aftle; but we are not told how long it is fince it was first compofed.

The true lovers of antiquity cannot fee or hear of the demoJition of very ancient monuments and buildings without fome regret; to fuch perfons no doubt it yields a kind of pleasure, as we acknowledge it does to us, that Alnwick Caftle, the great Baronial feat of the Earls of Northumberland, which was fallen to decay, has been within thefe twenty years most nobly te