ment, clamor, or resistance, as in sic accidentis uses to be, or that shoe might have done be hir princely auctoritie, being accompanyit with the noble Earle of Huntlie, & Secretar Maitland of Lethington. They had scarcely remaint be the space of ten dayes in the castell of Dumbarr, & na great distance being betwix the Queenis chalmer and Bothwellis, quhen they thoght expedient to cum to Edinburgh castell, and, be the way, to shaw hirsclff to the people that Bothwell was ready to put hir to libertie againe, according to the dewtie of ane obedient subiect. Bot at the streit entrie of the toun that leadis to the Castell, he maid semblance to lead her brydle; and sensibill people interpret the same as though he convoyit hir Maiestie as his captive to a castell, quhairin a substitute of his was, callit Sr James Balfour. Immediatelie thairafter, they were proclamit in several kirkis to be mariet, and a certane day prefixt to that purpose. And to the effect shoe should not seeme to receave to hir husband a man that was not in the rowme of a prince, he was creat Duce of Orknay and Zetland with great magnificence, & upoun the 15 of Maij were mariet togidder. The same day was a pamphlet affixt upon the palice port,

Mense malas Maio nubere vulgus ait.'

Did the general voice of history on these points need any farther confirmation, it must be owned that we have a testimony here of no small weight to corroborate it. The above statement of the guilt of Mary leaves no doubt as to the opinion of this cotemporary author; who, there is reason to presume, was of the same religion with his Royal Mistress, attached to her cause, and hostile to that of her enemies.If this writer bears hard on the motives of the Queen's opponents, he never appears to withhold or misrepresent facts, nor in any way to violate historic truth; he takes no pains to conceal his bias, but we are persuaded that it never led him wilfully to falsify his narrative; he cherished his prejudices, but he seems to have been sensible of the obligations imposed on an historian to adhere to truth. Art. 15. The Life of the much lamented Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, K.B., &c. 8vo. Is. Printed at Manchester. Bickerstaff, London.

A tolerably satisfactory sketch of the principal features in the life and death of this really great warrior; though, as the writer acknow. leges, it has been hastily conceived, hastily written, and hastily printed, to meet the patriotic feelings of the day.' A portrait is prefixed.

MEDICA L.

Art. 16. Tracts and Observations on the salutary Treatment of Infants, not strictly Medical; comprehending a new System in Discipline and Management, during the Period of infantile Life, &c. &c. By Robert Bath, King Street, Portman Square. 8vo. pp. 164. 5s. Boards. Cawthorn. 1805.

The title of this work informs us that its contents are principally intended for the use of mothers; a circumstance which it is necessary

to

to bear in mind during our examination of its merits. A performance which is destined for popular use should be perspicuous in its plan and arrangement; the principles which it lays down should be such as are easily understood, and generally recognized; and its style should be simple and unaffected. We shall afford our readers an opportunity of judging how far these characters are applicable to the present volume. It commences with an address to mothers, in which, after having stated that females, from their natural constitution, are more easily impressed with tender feelings than males, the author attempts to prove that they are fully competent to the acquisition of all the knowlege which is necessary for the education and nurture of their offspring. He even asserts that they are better suited to the attainment of this object than the other sex; and he maintains that, in almost every instance, the female capacity is equal if not superior to the male. His opinion is supported and illustrated in the latter part of his address; and our readers may form some idea of the style of this performance from one passage:

I have endeavoured to exhibit what I have mostly found, in the experience of professional life of long continuance, that in the great number of instances, indeed in all, except those few, where organic nature is bad, or defectively formed-and such deviations are fewthat the female parent is by far the best endowed with faculties, from observance and attendance, to ascertain the want and appoint the treatment, both regiminal and disciplinary, and with the reference to, and assistance of, medical minds, to very correct and judicious appointments, from the very valuable observation and experience of such men as have delight and pleasure in communicating the fruits of them; and that they may, like great and accomplished historians and poets, to be ever instanced, travel through the intricacies of life, with other people's minds to guide and enlighten them.'

From the address, we proceed to an introduction; the main design of which is to persuade the author's fair friends to acquire all possible knowlege respecting the diseases and constitutions of their children; certainly a most laudable object, and infinitely preferable to those in which we fear too many mothers spend a large portion of their time. Yet we confess that we still entertain that kind of respect for the masculine gender, that we think that the most learned lady might occasionally be benefited by the advice of a respectable practitioner, even after she may have had her mind illuminated by Mr. Bath's observations.

The points, on which the author principally dwells, appear to us to be the importance of evacuating the bowels, the recommendation of warm clothing, (particularly flannel next to the skin,) the disadvantages that ensue from letting children remain too long at the breast, with the benefit derived from using friction of various kinds, frequently washing the skin, and giving a sufficiency of nutritious diet. These, we say, appear to us to be the circumstances principally urged; for it is not an easy matter to deduce the author's meaning from beneath the load of words with which it is encumbered. We have given a speci men of his composition, and we have not selected it as being peculiarly

overcharged: we shall now copy the beginning of his observations, as affording a sample of his philosophy:

Nothing disposes so much to diminish the difficulties of advancing, in the progress of human attainments, in branches of the higher and more complicated walks of science and knowledge, as the concentrating it, by generic simplification-or, to be excused for using a periphrasis, which is a little debased by frequency, and vulgar expression- to generalise and simplify: and, it is also as evident, that the more correctly and perfectly we do know, into the less compass, and into the fewer rules, we can reduce its essence and principles: and, to be still more distinct; to every degree of mental comprehension, we can more readily, more easily, and more effectually, be understood; and, in the instance we have now to offer, and submit, what we have to say upon this subject, we hope and presume, the more readily embraced and followed.'

Though the greatest part of the doctrines laid down in this work appear to be altogether common-place, yet occasionally the author attempts originality in his ideas, as well as in his style. He supposes that, when flannel is worn next to the skin, the friction which takes place produces the extrication of the electric fluid; which is dignified by the title of the 5th element, and is conceived to possess some wonderful virtues in the animal economy. The nutritive power of oysters is supposed to depend on their containing a quantity of the phosphoric principle;' and sponge, when used for washing the body, is imagined to have some specific virtues, in consequence of its being of an animal nature. These, we apprehend, will be deemed a sufficient specimen of Mr. Bath's speculations; indeed, we beg pardon of our readers for having so long detained them on a mass of "words, words, words;❞—a mere display of superficialness and affectation. Art. 17. A Medical Guide for the Invalid to the principal Watering Places of Great Britain; containing a View of the Medical Effects of Water. 1. As applied to the Body in its simple State. 2. As exhibited in its impregnated or Mineral Form. 3. As employed in this Form for the Cure of particular Diseases, with their Modes of Treatment, and 4. As assisted in its Effects by the Situation and Climate of the Watering-places resorted to. By William Nisbet, M.D. 12mo. pp. 295. 5s. 6d. Boards. Highley.

This work professes to give a popular view of the effects produced by the different mineral waters that are employed in this country for medicinal purposes: in order to enable every one so far to judge of their nature, as to prevent him from injuring himself by their improper application. To accomplish this object, the author begins by taking a view of water in its simple state, with its effects on the body, either employed as an article of diet, or administered as a remedy for disease; and he next makes some remarks on its external application, in the form of bathing, fomentation, or vapor.

At p. 161-163. we observe a single sentence consisting of 35 lines, broken only by a superabundance of commas, and one semicolon! Mr. Bath's readers must at least be free from any defective organization of the lungs.

In the second part, the effects of waters impregnated with some foreign ingredients are discussed; with a short account of each of the mineral springs in this country which have become celebrated for their medicinal virtues. They are divided into the acidulous, saline, sulphureous, and chalybeate; a classification which, though not capable of being applied with much accuracy, may be allowed in a popular work like the present. The author gives the following tests, by which the predominant qualities of any mineral water may be de

tected:

1. The first division, or acidulous waters, are detected by an infusion of turnsole, which turns the water red, and afterwards, when boiled, returns it to blue, or by paper stained in turnsole, which is reddened when wet, but becomes blue when dry.

2. Saline waters are discovered by turning syrup of violets green, which thus shews the presence of an alkali, and calcareous earth is detected by a solution of lead in nitrous acid, which the water immediately precipitates, so as to produce a muddiness.

3. Sulphureous waters are known by turning infusion of turnsole red, and by blackening polished metals."

4. Chalybeate waters are distinguished by blackening infusion of galls, and the dissolving acid is ascertained by observing whether it produces its effect before or after boiling.'

It must be obvious to every one who has paid any degree of attention to the analysis of mineral waters, that these directions will not bear to be minutely criticized. Many medicinal waters contain more than one class of ingredients; and of those which are the most properly called saline, we believe that the generality would not shew any predominance of alkali. Dr. Nisbet himself informs us that the salts most commonly found in what he calls saline waters are the Epsom salt, the marine salt, and calcareous and magnesian muriates.'

Part III. consists of the history and treatment of diseases which require the use of mineral waters.' It is remarked that the diseases, to which the use of the mineral waters is applicable, are principally of the chronic kind; and they are arranged under the three heads of nervous complaints, affections of some particular organs, and discases of the skin, of each of which a short account is given. The observations are such as may, for the most part, be admitted, consisting almost entirely of very obvious and common-place remarks: but, occasionally, the author scars beyond his usual track, and either aims at originality or assumes a more decisive tone. He professes to propose a new method for curing palsy by means of the hot bath; and taking it for granted that absorption is carried on by the skin, he advises that the bath should be medicated. He imagines that the benefit obtained by the employment of the Båth waters in gout arises from their containing azotic gas; and he recommends that an attempt should be made to give still greater relief by preferring another mineral, which contains a still greater proportion of this matter, and increasing its temperature to that of the Bath mineral.' Hæmoptysis is supposed always to depend on scrofula, and scrofula is thought to be produced by a deficiency of salt in the fluids.-Although the general tenor of this performance is sufficiently uninteresting, probably our readers will

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think that Dr. Nisbet's original speculations are not the most valuable part of the work.

Art. 18. A General Dictionary of Chemistry, containing the leading Principles of the Science, in regard to Facts, Experiments, and Nomenclature. For the Use of Students. By William Nisbet, M. D. 12mo. pp. 415. 8s. Boards. Highley. 1805.

When we are presented with a duodecimo volume which is intitled a general Dictionary of Chemistry,' and which professes to contain. the general principles of the science, and to enumerate all its leading Facts and experiments', we are at first inclined to think that we have met with a great bargain: but there is some danger lest we should be disappointed in such cases, and should find that the article, like Hodge's razors, was made to sell and not to be useful. We acknowlege, however, that a duodecimo volume closely printed may contain a great deal of information; and that such a performance as the one How under examination, if the matter be accurate and well selected, may be of some value..

With respect to the accuracy with which the work is executed, we shall present our readers with some remarks on a few pages at the commencement, by which they may judge of the rest. In the article 'Acetic Acid,' we are informed that Gren and Adet conceive that the acetous and acetic acids differ merely in their degree of concentration, not in the proportion of their principles: but that Chaptal and Dabit have endeavoured to prove that they are essentially different in their constitution. Here the reader is left, without being apprized that more lately Darracq and Proust have supported the opinion of Gren and Adet, by experiments which are generally deemed conclusive. The acids are divided into mineral, vegetable, and animal, according to the substances from which they are procured. We observe in these classes several inaccuracies; in the first division, the arsenical and other métallic acids are not mentioned; among the vegetable acids, we have pyro-tartarous and pyro-mucous acids inserted, though it is proved that they have no title to the denomination; while the carbonic acid is unaccountably omitted. In the class of animal acids, the saclactic is omitted, while the formic and zoonic are retained, though the last two are found to be only compounds of acetic acid. The author confidently adopts, in its fullest extent, the hypothesis respecting the oxygenation of the system by acids taken into the stomach but we can neither admit the plausibility of the speculation, nor the force of the facts on which it is founded.—It is also stated in a subsequent article, as if it were a point decidedly proved, that alkalies are compounds of hydrogen and azote.

In speaking of the proportion in which the ingredients of the atmosphere exist, under the head of Air'; the author adopts the old idea that oxygen composes 27 parts in 100; while under the article At mosphere', we are told that the oxygen composes only 22 parts in the 100. We are also informed that the atmosphere has a different proportion of oxygen at different heights above the surface; an assertion which we believe is absolutely contradictory to the most accurate experiments. Lastly, Alum' is said to be the sulphate of argill; and in giving the analysis of this body, no mention is made of the alkali, which es REV. DEC. 1805.

Ff

sentially