66 For those who wish to know his perfon, I fhall transcribe the account he himfelf gives of it, at the beginning of his Experiments on Diet. "The perfon," fays he, upon whom thefe experiments are tried, is a healthy man, about twenty-nine years of age, fix feet high, ftoutly made, but not corpulent, of a florid complexion, with red hair." The character of his mind, which is infinitely more valuable, I fhall not pretend to delineate; but thofe who were beft acquainted with his merit will not think that I apply improperly to him what was formerly faid by Salluft of one of the greatest and beft of the Roman citizens, Non divitiis cum divite, neque factione cum factiofo, fed cum ftrenuo virtute, cum modefto pudore, cum innocente abftinentia certabat ; efe, quam videri, bonus malebat. In the publication of this volume Dr. Carmichael Smyth has acquitted himfelf both as a judicious editor and an affectionate friend. ART. V. An Addrefs to the Senior Clafs of Students who were to receive the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, and leave the College, Sept. 23, 1787. By John Witherspoon, D. D. LL.D. Prefident of the College of New Jerfey. Paifley reprinted by Peter M'Arthur, TH HE author, in an advertisement prefixed to this Address, informs us that it had been the cuftom in the college of NewJerfey, from its first establishment, for the prefident to address a particular exhortation to the fenior ftudents every year, who were to leave college; but that laft year he thought it proper to make a collection or fummary of all the advices that had been given to the young gentlemen for their conduct in life, in different years, under diftinct heads, in order that they might be published; and that he was the more induced to this that feveral inftances had happened" of gentlemen who fignified," as the writer tells us, "that they thought they had received advan"tage in many fituations, by recollecting the advices given "them at their graduation for their conduct in life." The addrefs confifts of three parts: the first contains obfervations, as our author expreffes himself, " on your duty to "God;" the fecond, " on the profecution of your ftudies;" and the third, Cs on prudence in your commerce with the "world," &c. We own we have been disappointed in this addrefs. When we heard that the legiflator in a new ftate, and one who had been a leading inftrument in a great revolution, exhibited himfelf to the public as an inftructor of youth, we expected fomething ftriking, and appropriated both in matter and manner. The matter matter displays nothing new, nor peculiarly adapted to the unufual circumftances of the addreffor's fituation. The Addrefs, in this respect, might have been delivered with as much propriety before an audience of Paifley weavers as before "the "rifing hope" of a new nation. Nor, in general, is there any thing animated or interefting in the manner of this addrefs. On the head of religion, in particular, where we expected much warmth and energy, every thing is cold, lame, and sometimes peevish. The paffage in the whole performance which feems to us the moft diftinguished, and which indeed contains fome ftriking obfervations, occurs (we know not why) in the fecond part, where the author treats of character and reputation. We fhall felect it, therefore, for the entertainment, and even improvement of our readers: True religion should furnish you with a higher and nobler principle to govern your conduct than the defire of applaufe from men. Yet, in fubordination to what ought to be the great purpofe of life, the approbation of the Supreme Judge, there is a juft and laudable ambition to do what is praife-worthy among men. This ought not to be extinguished in the minds of youth, being a powerful spur and incitement to virtuous or illuftrious actions. A truly good man will feek no praife but by honeft means; and will be fuperior even to difgrace itfelf, if brought upon him by adherence to his duty. Yet will he alfo be tender and careful not to give juft caufe to any to impeach his conduct.-You ought alfo to be informed that, notwithstanding all the hacknied complaints of the, partiality and cenforioufnefs of the world, a man's real character, in point of ability, is never mistaken, and but feldom in point of morals. That there are many malicious and cenforious perfons, I agree; but lies are not half fo durable as truth. There is an impartiality in a diffufive public which will fhew itself where means of information are afforded to it. Therefore reverence the judgment of mankind, without idolizing it. Be as cautious as poffible to do nothing that deferves cenfure, and as little concerned as poffible what reproaches may fall upon you undeferved. It is not a contradiction, but perfectly confiftent, to fay, a man fhould be tender, and even jealous, of his character, and yet not greedy of praife. There is an amiablenefs and dignity in the firit, but a meannefs and littleness in the last.' This is by far the beft fpecimen of the performance before us, ART ART. VI. Buggiados, Liber Unicus. Carmen Maccheronicunt, Autore Cracow, Comite Polonico, 4to. gs. Shaw. London, 1788. THAT HAT fpecies of humour, the Maccaronic Poem, was invented in Italy, where, and in France, it has been cultivated with fome fuccefs. In Britain it is little known. Drummond of Hawthornden's Polema Middinia is the only remarkable example; which, though a piece of exquifite drollery to the author's countrymen, is almoft totally unintelligible to English Latinifts. Of that piece the Buggiad is a manifeft imitation, Drummond, though his fcene and fubject be fomewhat dirty, yet, as was faid of Virgil, toffes his dung with an air of dignity, Authors of every denomination are, by our prefent learned poet, reprefented under the ludicrous imagery of bugs, fleas, and lice. They are engaged in a general battle; the commanders-in-chief being, on one fide, the Rev. Dr. Priestley; and, on the other, Mr. Colman of the Haymarket theatre, Various heroes traverse the bloody field, whom the poet characterises with bold if not difcriminating touches : Geometrical Hutton, Atque heavy brain'd Gillies, and the reverend Arthur O'Leary, Mesdames Heroines too are engaged in this inglorious war, Inchbald, Cowley, Seward, More, and Yearfley appear, with a ferocity difgraceful to their fex and reputation, ufing poisoned weapons, and the language of Billingfgate. The extraordinary battle at length concludes in an extraordinary manner. Sir John Hawkins, with the five ponderous volumes of his hif tory of mufic, overwhelms and mashes into mummy the whole of the combatants. ART. VII. Emmeline, the Orphan of the Caftle. By Charlotte Smith. In Four Volumes. 12mo, 12s. boards. Cadell. London, 1788. THE HE reputation which this lady acquired by her Sonnets, far from fuffering diminution, will be increased, in no flight degree, by the present work. We consider the compofition of a good good novel as a more difficult and glorious achievement in literature than the turning of a thoufand fonnets, however flowing and fanciful. To write a few fimooth lines, conveying an ingenious thought, or beautiful image, is often only the trifling exertion of a trifling mind; but to create, to form an epic fable, to paint action and life, requires the vigorous efforts of a mafterfpirit. Charlotte Smith, after tripping not ungracefully anong the fhrubbery of Parnaffus, has attempted to tread the more elevated and arduous paths of the mountain, and done it, so far, with fuccefs. The ftory of her novel is interefting without perplexity; the characters are varied without ftudied oppofition, and marked without extravagance. She feems to aim at natural ftrokes of character, not bizarre dafhes of caricatura. Her mo rality is pure, and highly inftructive. The pathetic tale of Adelina, deferves particular praife, as an episode skilfully interwoven with the main fubject, as a powerful antidote to the poifon of Chesterfieldifm, and as being managed with a happy delicacy, which, we are forry to fay, is rarely to be found on fuch occafions in the productions of female pens. The fprinklings of poetry in this work will not be thought its leaft valuable or naments. Our readers, we are perfuaded, will thank us for extracting the following beautiful fonnet: Far on the fands, the low, retiring tide, Which memory tortures, and which guilt alarms? Or bid a bofom tranfient quiet prove, That bleeds with yain remorfe, and unextinguish'd love!" The ftyle of this novel is of the middle fort, not at all laboured, not even much polished, but exhibiting few offences against grammatical propriety. Some, however, there are, which, in a future edition, may be corrected. The relative pronoun fometimes appears in a wrong cafe. "Summonfing" is ufed for " fummoning;" and an incident of the ftory happened " in one of the finest mornings of an April day." We do not remember having obferved in April, or indeed in any other month, a day with more mornings than one. ART. ART. VIII. A Syftem of Surgery. By Benjamin Bell, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and Edinburgh, one of the Surgeons to the Royal Infirmary, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Illuftrated with Copperplates. Volume VI. 8vo. 6s. boards. C. Elliot, Edinburgh; Elliot, and Kay, London. 1788. THIS HIS is the laft volume of Mr. Bell's Syftem of Surgery, and is executed with much care, perfpicuity, and judgment. It contains an accurate account of the various kinds of fractures, and luxations, with the method of treating them, preceded by general obfervations drawn from experience and a contemplation of the fubjects. Mr. Bell gives a more favourable prognosis of fractures of the patella than most other furgical writers; and we believe that his opinion concerning the stiffness that fucceeds the cure of fuch a fracture is, in many cafes, well founded. "In fractures of the patella," he says, • We are in general defired to make a very guarded prognofis; as by moft writers upon this fubject, it is faid that they almost constantly terminate in a stiff joint, owing, as is fuppofed, to the callus forming in too great quantity, and to its finding access to the cavity of the joint. I have not found, however, that fractures of this bone are fo apt to produce ftiff joints as we are led to expect. In different instances which I have had of them, fcarcely any degree of stiffness remained in any of them after three or four months; and when any permanent affection of this kind does take place, I cannot imagine that it proceeds from fuperabundancy of callus, as the quantity which fuch a fmall bone will afford, muft be extremely trifling. It rather feems to originate from the inflammation with which these fractures are ufually accompanied affecting the internal parts of the joint; or from the knee being kept too long in an extended immoveable posture. From a dread of feparating the fractured parts of the bone before they are firmly united, the leg is ufually preserved in an extended pofture for fix, eight, or perhaps ten weeks; a much longer period than is neceffary, and by which alone even the foundest joint would be apt to become ftiff and immoveable,' The following remarks relative to the fame fracture must afford encouragement both to patients and practitioners: In a longitudinal fracture of the patella this is easily accomplifhed; for in this direction we meet with little refiftance in replacing them, and they are eafily retained with very moderate pressure, either with the common uniting bandage, or with flips of leather. fpread with glue or adhefive platter. But in tranfverfe fractures of this bone, as that portion of it connected with the extenfor muscles of the thigh is apt to be drawn forcibly upwards, we cannot always replace it; or, if this is practicable, it cannot always be retained in contact |