tions on natural productions, accompanied with. plates *. POLITICS. In this line we fhall give the precedence to the Sketch of Democracy by Dr. Biffett, who, attacking the republicans in their strong holds of Greek and Roman hiftory, has, in a clear and ufeful manner, pointed out the wretched confequences of democratic government, experienced by those very states, which are so often cited as examples for the present age. A more luminous illuftration of thefe momentous truths cannot eafily be given, than is prefented in that book. Of Mr. Burke's two Letters to a Member of Parliament †, and Mr. Brand's Effay on political Affociations §, both noticed in the laft number of this volume, we shall not deem it neceffary to referve our opinion for the conclufion of our critiques upon them. Each has its decided character eafily diftinguishable on a first perufal; but thefe characters are fuch as must rather be contrafted than compared. Mr. Burke's tract, full of lively and feducing eloquence, with more beauty and variety than any other man could infuse into an equal number of pages, feems to us defective in fome leading points of argument. That of Mr. Brand clofely argumentative, and proceeding step by ftep upon hiftoric document and proof, offers little to amufe the imagination, but much to inform the judgment. His diftinction between offenfive and defenfive political affociations, affords a general criterion for deciding on their tendencies, which must be found of the most extenfive and permanent utility; and ought never to be abfent, from the minds of those who may be called upon to decide and act, according to * Since the article on this fubject was written, we learn that there are stockings of the filk of the Pinna Nobilis in the Leverian Collection, and other fpecimens elsewhere. No. VI. p. 661. + No. III. p. 241. § No. VI. p. 640. the We have little elfe the refult of such confiderations. that is important to notice in this line. The Collection of State Papers relative to the prefent war, begun and fince continued by Mr. Debrett, cannot fail to be a valuable repofitory of public documents for the hiftorian and politician. Among smaller tracts, the following feem beft to deferve notice. The Confiderations on the prefent Crifis of Affairs, as it refpects the Weft India Colonies †, offer many ufeful and excellent remarks on the regulation of the Slave Trade. The pamphlet entitled, The Origin of Duty and Right in Man confidered, refumes with fome fuccefs the much agitated topic of the natural rights of men; and Lord Hawkesbury's Reflections on the State of the Refources of this Country §, afford us reafon to hope that we may yet be able to defend the rights which we know to be ineftimable, against thofe which all the world has feen to be pernicious and deftructive. LAW. In turning from Politics to Law we hardly make a tranfition, especially where we have a book to confider of fo very general a kind as that of Mr. Ward on the Law of Nations . This truly valuable work, taking up the confideration of the fubject in an hiftorical form, proves collaterally that fuch a law can only be faid to fubfift among nations which acknowledge fimilar principles of religion and morality; and, confequently, that to Chriftian nations, the infpired religion of Chrift is the proper bafis of their public law between each other. We repeat our recommendations of it to all who are engaged in ftudies of that nature: in which number politicians, and even divines, are certainly included, as well as thofe whofe profeffion is law. With publications on the No. II. P. 186, ‡ No. V. p. 512. Il No. 1. p. 47. fubject· No. III. p. 312. § No. VI. p. 680. t 2 fubject of our national law, we are at prefent, from accidental circumftances, rather in arrear; and have, therefore, only to mention Mr. Nolan's improved edition of Sir John Strange's Reports, which the profeffion will, we doubt not, agree with us in pro nouncing to be executed in a masterly manner. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Confidering Botany and Chemistry as only particular parts of this general fcience, we fhall report them altogether. As containing the most comprehenfive view of the whole fubject, the first place in this enumeration will be due to Dr. Gregory's Economy of Nature t, a compilation which is the evident refult of much labour and acutenefs; and is admirably calculated to encourage and improve, in young or female readers, the tafte for knowledge of this kind. To an hiftorical account of the progrefs made by the learned, in each branch of natural fcience, is fubjoined a clear and accurate reprefentation of its prefent ftate. Such a work cannot fail to be received with pleafure by the public. The lovers of thefe fciences, and more particularly the adepts in them, will hardly require to be reminded of the Philofophical Tranfactions of the Royal Society of London. Among the valuable matters contained in the part here noticed §, we were ftruck with the experiments and obfervations of Dr. Pearfon on the Eaft-Indian fteel, called Wootz: we could, however, enumerate many other papers which forcibly attracted our attention, but we fhall rather refer our readers to the volume. Dr. Hutton's Theory of the Earth we mention in this place, rather as a curious than a valuable work. That author deals in gratuitous fup *No. III. p. 288. and III. p. 220. P. 337. V. 466. and VI. + Ne. VI. p. 651. No. II. p. 130. pofitions, pofitions, which he labours to render fpecious; and which we, on our parts, have endeavoured to refute. Which party has been moft fuccefsful, the learned muft decide. Dr. Lorimer, in his Effay on Magnetifm*, attempts alfo to establish a theory. He attributes. magnetic variation to the fun's (or rather the earth's) motion; a doctrine which further obfervation mult confirm or fubvert. For those naturalifts who are defirous of forming collections, Mr. Donovan has given very useful Inftructions †, in a tract drawn up at the request of the fubfcribers to his other publications. By a few plain hints on thefe fubjects, from an experienced perfon, many difficulties may undoubtedly be obviated, and in this view the defire was certainly judicious. In the magnificent and beautiful publication on the Plants of Coromandel, from the defigns and defcriptions of Dr. Roxburgh, Botany may undoubtedly triumph. It is a work well worthy of those by whom it is directed, and by whom it is patronized, and the continuation of it will be an object of expectation to all the lovers of that ftudy. To the Chemist, the Dictionary of Mr. Nicholfon § will be an acquifition of fome value. A work more comprehenfive is indeed projected by another author ||; but this, which occupies a narrower ground, will not, perhaps, be thrown afide when that fhall appear; and, in the mean time, may certainly be ufed with much advantage. MEDICINE, &c. After endeavouring to found a new fyftem of animal life, on a very fanciful hypothefis, the active principle of which is irritability, Dr. Darwin has proceeded, in the fecond volume of Zoonomia 1, to build a medical fuperftructure on this precarious * No. III. p. 316. + No. IV. P. 442. Mr. Keir, ↑ No. II. p. 106. No. VI. p. 610. ground. ground. Upon his own principles he has formed a new claffification of difeafes, in which, if we do not admire the doctrines of the theorift, we muft frequently be ftruck with the knowledge and acuteness of the phyfician. We have little elfe of magnitude or importance to mention in this clafs. The experiments of Dr. C. Smyth, on preventing Contagion*, have been continued with fuccefs; Mr. Somerville, a furgeon in the army, has produced a fenfible Memoir on the medical Arrangements necessary to be obferved in Camps; and Mr. Sutton, in afferting his own continuance in practice as an Inoculator, has published the opinions which he has deduced from long experience. In the line of Midwifery, the two volumes of Dr. Denman § are of the firft 'character and value; and will, we doubt not, contribute greatly to the extenfion of a fafe and judicious practice. POETRY. An ample supply of amufement for the friends of this delightful art, has been pointed out in the course of our prefent volume. In the enumeration of these articles, the first place must be given to the pofthumous Poems of Mr. Bishop, late mafter of Merchant Taylor's School. If the place of the writer cannot be affigned among the first poets of this country, it will furely be found among thofe that are truly original. A neatnefs and novelty of turn diftinguishes both his light and ferious pieces; and their variety will amufe, without fatiguing, almost every class of readers. We hope to fee them fpeedily republished in octavo. The Specimens of Arabic Poetry, published by Profeffor Carlyle, do no less honour to the taste and fkill of the tranflator, than to the genius of the *No. I. p. 22. p. 629. § No. VI. No. VI. p. 577; original |