confirms the opinion that the atmosphere of this planet is very denfe, like that of the earth. The whole of the paper, in our opinion, deferves much commendation. The obfervations recorded in it are numerous, appear to have been made with great care, and are stated with precifion. Several parts are controverfial, but thefe are conducted by Mr. S. with the cool fs and deliberation becoming a man of science, and with the candour and moderation of a gentleman.

VI. Experiments on the Nerves, particularly on their Reproduction; and on the Spinal Marrow of living Animals. By William Cruikshank, Efq. Communicated by the late John. Hunter, Efq. F. R. S. Read, June 13, 1776. P. 177— 189. One Plate.

VII. An experimental Inquiry concerning the Reproduction of the Nerves. By John Haighton, M. D. Communicated by Maxwell Garthshore, M. Ď. F. R. S. Read, February 26, 1795. P. 190-201. One Plate.

These two articles treat of the fame fubject, and we were for fome time at a lofs to account for their appearance, next to each other, in the prefent volume, though they are stated to have been read to the fociety at the distance of nineteen years. This circumftance, however, we find explained in a note upon a work on infenfible perfpiration, fince published by Mr. Cruikshank, which, therefore, we infert.

"Thefe experiments were made for another purpose, by which I difcovered the independence of the heart's motion on its nerves, as well as the re-union after divifion, and the regeneration after lofs of fubftance in the nerves themselves. I wrote a paper on this fubject a long time fince, which the late Mr. John Hunter, to whofe memory and talents 1 am always proud to pay my tribute, prefented to the Royal Society, but it was not then printed; I think Mr. Hunter gave me for a reason, that it controverted fome of Haller's opinions, who was a particular friend of Sir John Pringle, then Prefident of the Royal Society. Another gentleman has lately made experiments on the fame fubject, and has alfo prefented them to the Royal Society. Upon hearing these read at the Society, Mr. Home, with that intelligence of anatomical fubjects that diftinguishes his character, and the school he was bred in, remembered my experiments, though made near twenty years ago. The Prefident of the Royal Society, who, fortunately for mankind, prefers the promulgation of fcience to Haller or any other man, on being made acquainted with this circumftance, has caufed the paper on thefe experiments to be printed in the Philofophical Tranfactions for 1795,"

Mr. Cruikshank's experiments were made with a view to afcertain what is the real influence of particular nerves upon

the

the action of involuntary parts; and in the courfe of them it was difcovered, that when nerves are divided, or a portion of them is removed, they are regenerated. As this was a new fact, further experiments were then made to confirm it, and a plate exhibiting the regenerated nerve is here annexed. Befides this important difcovery, which was thus brought out by accident, a very curious fact is alfo afcertained. That the action of the heart can, for a certain time, be kept up by artificial breathing, after the connection between the brain and the body is entirely destroyed.

Dr. Haighton's paper is written exprefsly to prove that nerves are capable of being regenerated; and that the new fubftance does actually perform the office of a nerve. His experiments entirely confirm thofe of the preceding paper; and by keeping the animal nineteen months, the new fubitance was allowed a fuller time to render it capable of performing its functions than in any of Mr. Cruikshank's experiments.

VIII. The Croonian Lecture on Mufcular Motion. By Everard Home, Efq. Read, November 11, 1790. P. 202-220.

In this lecture Mr. Home takes a comprehenfive view of the different ftructures of mufcles. He shows that the membranous bag of the hydatid worm poffeffes a mufcular power, no less than the mufcles of a fafcinated ftructure with which the larger animals are fupplied. He concludes, therefore, that a complex mechanifm is not neceflary to endow a part with mufcular power, but that the common ftructure is ufeful for fecondary purpofes; fuch as increafing the ftrength of action, affording a ready fupply of blood, and producing the effect required with the finalleft extent of contractions. This opinion he endeavours to establish by obfervations on the structure of mufcles intended for different purpofes, and shows that a conftant and fhort contraction is more frequently employed in the human body than one that is extenfive. He thows alfo that every complication of mufcular ftructure, does actually make the contraction of each fibre produce an increased effect. The straight mufcle is employed where the use of it is not intended to be frequent. The half penniform, complete, and complex penniform mufcles, are fubfervient to more common and necellary actions. For refpiration, which is a very conftant action, the ftructure of the intercoftals is cruciform, and in them the effect exceeds the abfolute contraction more than in any of thofe hitherto mentioned. But in the heart, the moft inceffant in its motion, as well as the most important mufcle in the body, the firucture is a double fpiral, of a conical

form,

form, in which the effect exceeds the abfolute contraction fill more than in the cruciform muscles. Thefe obfervations are certainly curious in a high degree.

The volume concludes with the meteorological Journal of the Society for the year 1794, on which we shall make no remarks.

ART. VIII. Varieties of Literature; from Foreign Literary Journals, and original MSS. now first published. 2 Vol. 8vo. 15s. Debrett. 1795.

THIS is, in many refpects, a very agreeable mifcellany. The undertaking is alfo a novel one, and will probably be repeated, as the German language is becoming every day more an object of attention in this country, and, as it is well known that the German journals abound in interetting and important matter. This collection is completely a milcellany, as the compiler and tranflator appears to have had, in general, no object in view, except that of placing before his readers an entertaining variety. It would, perhaps, have been as well, if to each paper a fpecification had been prefixed to mark it as original or tranflated. But this is done only partially. A great part is avowedly taken from Wieland, the most popular living author on the continent, whofe works amount to twenty-five quarto volumes. We need not go far into thefe volumes for the opportunity of meeting with an extract equally creditable to the editor's tafte, and amuling to every reader, We accordingly, and with much pleasure, infert the following Mezzoranian Tale:

"THE TWIN-BROTHERS OF MEZZORANIA.

"A MEZZORANIAN TALE.

"Amidft the extenfive wilds of Africa lies a territory, the inhabitants whereof are as numerous and even as civilized as the Chinele. They are called the Mezzoranians.

Two twin-brothers of this country, which is ftill fo little known to our geographers, were both enamoured of a young lady, who equally favoured them both. The two lovers and the fair one chanced to meet together at the festival inftituted in honour of the fun. This feftival was folemnized twice in the year, hecaufe, as the kingdom Jay between the two tropics, yet fomewhat more on this fide the line, it had two fprings and two fummers. At the commencement of every fpring feafon this adoration was paid to the great luminary throughout all the nomes or districts of the land. It was celebrated in the open air, to denote that the fun was the immediate caufe of all the produc

tions of nature. They made an offering to it of five fmall pyramids of frankincenfe in golden dishes. Five youths and an equal number of virgins are named by the magiftrate to place them on the altar, where they remain till the fire had confumed them. Each of the fe young perfons is dreffed in the colour of their nome, and wears a diadem on the head.

"One of the two brothers, with the damfel of whom we are speaking, compofed the first couple who were to place the incenfe on the altar. This done, they faluted one another. It was cuftomary for them now to change their places, the youth going over to the fide of the virgin, and the coming to his. When the five pair have done in this manner, then follow all the flanders by in the fame order, by which means they have an opportunity of feeing each other completely.

"It is here that commonly fuch as have not hitherto made their choice, determine upon one; and as it depends folely on the determination of the damfel, the young man takes all imaginary pains to win the love of her whom he has felected from the rest. For avoiding every fpecies of mifunderftanding and jealoufy, the maiden, when the young man pleafes her, takes from him a flower not yet fully blown, which he offers to her acceptance, and sticks it in her bofom. But, fhe has already entered into fome engagement, the gives him to understand as much, by fhewing him a flower; and, if this be only a bud, then it is a fign that he will make her the firft propofal; if it be half-blown, it implies that her love has already made fome progrefs; but if it be fully blown, the virgin thereby betokens that her choice is made, and that she cannot now retract it. So long, however, as the does not publicly wear this token, it is always free for her to do as The pleafes.

If the be free, and the man that offers her the flower is not agreeable to her, the makes him a profound reverence, and fhuts her eyes till he is retired. Indeed, at times, it happens here, as well as in other places, though but rarely, that he difguifes herfelf to her lover. If a man be already contracted, he likewite bears a token. Such maidens as have yet net with no lover, have it in their choice either to remain virgins, or to inferibe themfelves among the widows, which if they do, they can only be married to a widower. But let us return to our twin-brothers.

"The brother, who flood at the altar with the young damfel, felt as violent a paffion for her as he did for him. They were fo very intent upon the ceremony, that they forgot to give each other the accuftomed figns. On her leaving the altar, the other brother faw her, became enamoured of her, and found opportunity, when the ceremony was over, for prefenting her with a flower, She accepted it at his hands, as being fully perfunded that it was the perfon who had juft before been with her at the altar. But, as fhe took herself away in fome hafte with her companions, the imperceptibly dropped the token fhe had received. The elder brother accofted her once more, and offered her a flower. Ah, faid fhe to herself, in an amiable confufion, it is the very fame! and took it likewife. The young man, who heard this, imagined for certain that it meant him: but as the law

allowed

allowed them to remain no longer together, they departed their feveral

ways.

He that at first prefented the flower found an opportunity, fome days afterwards, of ieeing his charmer by night at a lattice. This fort of converfation, the gh ftrictly prohibited by the laws, was yet connived at. The damfel appeared fo kind, that he ventured to offer her the token of a half-blown flower. This the accepted, and in return prefented him with a fcarf embroidered with hearts interwoven with thorns, giving him to understand thereby, that there were ftill fome obstacles to be furmounted: fhe allowed him at the fame time to declare himself her lover, without, ho vever, giving him her name, and without even acquainting him with the reafon of her filence on that head.

"Not long afterwards the elder brother met her at the very fame window; but the night was fo dark, that he could not distinguish the fecond flower which the wore in her bofom. The extreme fatiffaction she discovered at his coming, feemed to him indeed fomewhat extraordinary; but he afcribed it to a fympathy which between lovers banishes all restraint. He began to excufe himself for not having feen her fo long, and affured her, that if he could have his will, no night fhoukl país but he would come to affure her of the ardour of his inclination. She admired the vehemence of his paffion. The lover received fuch clear indications of her favourable difpofition towards him, that he thought he might eafily wave the ceremony of the fecond token, and accordingly gave her the third, a nearly fullblown flower. She accepted it of him, telling him, however, that fhe would not immediately wear it; that he mult first go through certain forms, and that the muft ftill fee fome more proofs of the fidelity of his attachment. At the fame time, to affure him of the fincerity of her love, the gave him her hand through the lattice, which he kiffed in the greateft tranfports. Upon this the made him a prefent of a fillet, on which were wrought two hearts in her own hair, over which was a wreath of pomegranates, feemingly almost ripe; a joyful token, which gave him to understand that the time of gathering was at hand.

"Thus all three were happy in their error. On all public occafions the two brothers appeared with the figns of their inclinations, and felicitated each other on their fuccefs: but, as myfteriousness was not deftitute of charms for them, they cautioufly avoided every opportunity of explaining themfelves to each other. The return of the grand feftival was now at no great diftance, when the youngest brother thought it the proper occafion for venturing to give his beloved the third token of his affection. He told her, that he hoped the would now willingly wear the full-blown flower as a teftimony of her confent; at the fame time prefenting her with an artificial carnation, interfperfed with little flames and hearts. She ftuck the carnation in . her bofom, unable to conceal her joy as fhe received it; at which her lover was fo tranfported, that he determined to demand her of her parents.

"His elder brother, who had given her the full-blown flower at the fame time, thought that nothing more,was wanting to hi, happi

nefs