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the minute and laboured details of an intricate narrative, nor fondly perplexed by the bufy meddlings of vague and fanciful conjectures-fuch, for inftance, as commonly accompany the fabulous hiftories of the primeval establishments of the earth. All that we are enabled to collect at this day, concerning the probable era of our venerable Order, is to be fought for in its myftic fymbols; in that curious difplay of hieroglyphic learning, which, amid the revolutions of time and the wreck of ages, has defcended to us. Thefe emblems indeed, it is to be apprehended, have undergone material modifications. They may not, I grant, have been faithfully derived from the very period of the Inftitution; whilft it is obvious to remark, that fome of them are coeval with time itself, and all may boast of antediluvian antiquity.

It is lefs difficult to afcertain its nature. To this, the ob ject which it has in view, and the wifdom of its conftitutional laws, refpectively bear witnefs. We know that, wherever it exifts within our own obfervation, its benign tendency and falutary effects are eminently confpicuous. And who can tell? GREGORIANS may have been incorporated, they may have flou rifhed as a Society, and diffufed comfort and happiness in coun tries, the prefent inhabitants of which are unconscious even that fuch an Inftitution now is, or ever did exift among men. They may have relieved the wants, and gladdened the hearts, of myriads, in climes far removed from each other as is the rifing from the fetting fun.

"Is it not then for us, my brethren, to rejoice-furely it is for me, more efpecially, to congratulate myfelf on the pleaf ing profpect of being in any measure inftrumental in reanimating (if I may be allowed the expreffion) the afbes of expiring Gre gorifm?" Vol. II. p. 54.

If Gregorifm be really fo good a thing, we ought to know more of its rules, and whatever can be known; and we confefs that our curiofity has been excited, more than gratified, by the notices here given. In the other fermon on the fubject, the antiquity of Gregorifm is afferted; and fome publifhed refolutions of the Wakefield Gregorians are given; but whether there be another lodge, or chapter of them in the world, or when or where there ever was, we are totally uninformed. The author is a Free-mafon, as well as a Gre gorian, and has a fermon in favour of that fraternity alfo, which we long ago noticed.

To the numerous friends by whom these discourses have been patronized, we truft they will be acceptable, for the merits we have mentioned. That they are calculated for general admiration, or likely to rival the popularity of a few which we could mention, is more than we can undertake to affert.

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ART. X. An Effay on the Entropeon, or Inverfion of the Eye lids. By Philip Crampton, M. D. Member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Affiftant Surgeon to the Weftmoreland Lock Hofpital, and one of the Surgeons to the County of Dublin Infirmary. 8vo. 75 pp. with two plates. 2s. 6d. Carpenter. 1805.

HE author of this Effay points out very clearly the fallacy of the old theory of this diftemper, and thence accounts for the bad fuccefs of the operations which are ufually recommended to remedy it. He then endeavours to eftablish a different theory, and defcribes a new operation conformable to it, which in three inftances has been crowned with fuccefs.

The ancient writers uniformly attributed the inverfion of the eye-lids to an excefs of humidity, and relaxation of the fkin; this explanation has been regularly copied by their fucceffors. But Mr. Crampton very judiciously remarks, that the fkin of the eye-lids is quite loofe to allow them to open and fhut with facility. The eye-lashes are therefore not preferved in their proper direction by the tenfion of the skin, and confequently cannot be inverted by its relaxation.

Mr. Benjamin Bell, fomething aware of the infufficiency of this caufe, fuppofes that there is likewife a "contraction of fome of the fibres of the orbicularis." This muscle we can contract at pleafure; and any one who pleases may try, and he will foon be convinced, that with whatever force he fhuts his eyes, he will never invert his eye-lids. Mr. Ware is equally unfuccefsful in attempting to improve upon the old theory. For he adds to the contraction of the orbicularis, the relaxation of the levator palpebra, as the caufe of the inverfion of the eye-lids. We with this inadvertency was blotted from Mr. Ware's valuable work. He forgot that the orbicularis and levator palpebra are antagonist muscles: the one continually relaxing, when the other contracts; and both actions occurring every minute while we are awake. These natural movements cannot poffibly invert the eyelids, or produce difeafe. Mr. Crampton perceiving that none of thefe caufes are adequate to the production of the effect, has affigned a new one. He imagines that the inverfion of the eye-lids is produced by a contraction of that part of the conjunctiva which lines the eye-lids.

We acknowledge that there are alfo strong objections to

this.

this theory. It is the first time we have heard of the con junctiva poffeffing a muscular contractile power; this is a gratuitous affumption to which we find difficulty in af fenting. But whatever judgment may be paffed upon the theory, the operation invented to cure the diftemper is deferving of the moft ferious confideration. It is thus defcribed:

"I raised the upper eye-lid by means of the firft and second fingers of my left hand, while I paffed a very narrow, flightly. curved, and sharp-pointed biftoury between the eye and the eyelid at its external angle. I then pushed out the point of the knife fo as to divide the internal connecting ligament of the tarfus and the external integument obliquely upwards. This incifion was about three lines in length. I then made a fimilar incifion at the internal angle completely dividing the fuperior branch of the tendon of the orbicularis palpebrarúm*. The eyelid immediately felt unconfined, and its margin could with ease be turned outwards; however, I thought it neceffary to divide the contracted conjunctiva: this was effected by running the knife along the internal membrane of the eyelid, beginning at the external and terminating at the internal angular fection." P. 64.

We had much fatisfaction in learning, that this operation, together with the application of an inftrument Mr. Crampton has likewife invented, which he calls fufpenforium palpebrarum, intirely cured the patient. It likewife fucceeded in two other cafes, which are accurately related.

We moft fincerely hope that this operation may commonly anfwer, in which cafe Mr. Crampton will have made an important difcovery. For it is acknowledged by Heister, Richter, and Ware, that this tormenting difeafe often refists every treatment, and occafions total blindness.

"The duct leading from the fuperior punctum lachrymale is divided in this part of the operation; but its divifion is attended with no bad confequences, as the new orifice remains pervious, and performs the function of the punctum lachrymale."

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ART. XI. Authentic Memoirs of the late George Morland, with Remarks on his Abilities and Progress as an Artist, in which are interfperfed a Variety of Anecdotes never before publifhed, together with a Fac Simile of his Writing, Speci mens of his Hieroglyphical Sketches, &c. &c. the whole collected from numerous Manufcript Commentaries. By Francis William Blagdon, Efq. Embellished with Engravings, Folio. pp. 31. 13s. 6d. Orme. 1805.

As

S the public curiofity has been much excited towards this moft ingenious but eccentric character, the present fketch of his life, accompanied with fpecimens of his talents, will doubtlefs be generally acceptable. He difcovered from his earliest childhood a great difpofition to the profeffion, which he afterwards followed, marked by the waywardnefs and extravagance which continued to diftinguifh him. The prefent performance details various anecdotes of his youth, and the following extract will fhew in what manner this biographical undertaking is executed.

"About the age of twenty George Morland made his first at. tempts at original compofition in a few fmall pictures, dictate d by his father, from the popular ballads of "Young Roger," &c. which, though they poffeffed no great merit, were much admired as the productions of a youth; they foon found their way into the hands of the engravers, and the rapid fale of the im preffion contributed to bring Morland into general notice.

"Several gentlemen, well known for their juft difcernment, and the liberal patronage which they afford to the arts, offered about this period to patronife young Morland, and bring him forward in the world. Mr, Angerftein in particular permitted him to copy Sir Joshua Reynolds's celebrated picture of Garrick, between Tragedy and Comedy, and which he executed in a manner that reflected the highest credit on his genius. On this occa fion he attended with his father at Mr. Angerstein's villa at Blackheath; and that gentleman wishing to obferve the progrefs of the work, requested to look on while the youth was performing it. But here the unfortunate peculiarity of his difpofition was first manifefted, for he refefed to begin the picture till his patron had folemnly affured him that no perfon fhould interrupt him, and that he fhould be allowed to do whatever he pleafed. He then began his work; but during the whole time he was engaged on it he affociated with the fervants, and no inducement could ever once bring him within fight of his patron.

"The peculiar circumftances which led him to prefer rural fubjects, in which he fo much excelled, are not accurately known. It is certain that his early original productions were

not

not of this defcription: feveral of which have been pointed out to me as his primary attempts confift of the infide of thoemakers' fhops, milliners' and tradefmens' fhops, and window fcenes, watchmen, porters with parcels, &c. A few years afterwards he painted feveral pictures from Ramfay's paftoral piece, "The Gentle Shepherd," feveral of which were engraved in the chalk manner, and publifhed by Mr. Mearle, of Leadenhall-ftreet, which gentleman from this connection became a firm and fteady patron to him, and is faid to have continued his good offices towards him till the time of his death. Another of his earliest patrons was Mr. Ingham Fofter, of Clement's-lane, Lombard. ftreet, and who, had not death prevented him, would have taken him into Italy.

"Before George Morland had emerged from the shackles of paternal authority, a gentleman, who was about to spend the fummer at Margate, advised the father to fend his fon thither to try his fkill as a portrait painter, to which he confented; and George, with his picture of Garrick, and fome others, took lodgings at Margate for the feafon. His fuccefs was great, for fome of his portraits having afforded fatisfaction he obtained a vaft number of cuftomers; but here his propenfity for low diffipa tion, which he had at firft acquired in the purlieus of Covent Garden, broke out with redoubled violence; his bufinefs was neglected, and his employers being unable to procure these portraits, on most of which they had advanced money, retired in difguft, and left him to return with empty pockets, and a large cargo of unfinished canvaffes, which a thirst of profit had induced him to begin, and vulgar revelry had prevented him from completing it is needless to add very few of them were finished after his return.

"This excurfion, though trivial in itself, and its immediate advantages, was nevertheless of great importance in the fubfequent life of our artist: it was here that he formed thofe low connexions that contributed to fix his character, while the little business which he completed gained him the reputation of an artift of con fiderable talents; and on his return an idea of felf-confequence, fo natural to youthful minds, when fubject to adulation, induced him to fix what price he thought proper upon his own productions, and foon afterwards to break off the connection with his father in order to continue the exercife of his talents for his own advan tage.

It has been afferted that the fociety of rational men or beautiful women made him feel his own infignificance, and that being unable to converfe with them on the general topics of refined converfation, his employers became to him objects of difguft. This is perhaps a view of his character rather illiberal than im partial; for the man, who on the most common occafions of life could write letters ftrictly grammatical, and in a very good hand, must be prefumed to have had an education fufficient to en

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