TRAVELS. We do not quite fo much abound in works of this clafs at prefent, as in fome former Volumes. The chief are Mr. Thornton's prefent State of Turkey, and Dr. Buchanan's Journey from Madrast; and, of thefe, the first is rather the refult of a refidence in the country defcribed, than any defcription of journies in it. Dr. Buchanan's book has for its object, as his journey had, things more important than mere travelling anecdotes: and it is perhaps the leis amufing to the general reader, in proportion as it is more valuable to the ftatefmar. Mr. Janfon's Stranger in America, concluded in this Volume 1, certainly has little claim to general commendation, but, in the eagernefs for information concerning diftant regions, may be turned over, at a leifure opportunity, with fome profpect of amufement. Mr. Burnett's View of the State of Poland§ is the refult of a ten months refidence, and certainly is not devoid of attractions to the English reader. POLITICS. At the head of this clafs, though not, for reafons figned, the fubject of a detailed article in our Review, we fhall place, without fcruple, the Speeches of Mr. Pitt. Imperfectly as they must be reported, in the common modes of publication, the fpeeches of that truly great man must convey inftruction and delight. They may be faint images only, but they are reflections from a powerful luminary, which convey both light and heat in a great, though much diminished, proportion. No. III. p. 221. + No. VI. p. 573. 4 No. IV. p. 453, | No. V. p. 551. ‡ No. I. Ол On temporary and difputatious politics we have not much to remark. The pamphlets which best pleafed us, of this kind, are Mr. Tinney's Reflections on the State of the Nation*, and the anonymous tract on the Caufes of the Expedition against Copenhagent. Both these are strong and clear on their refpective fubjects, and dictated, in our opinion, by patriotifm as well as judgment. We have often found good allies in American writers, when they had the fenfe to difcern, and the patriotifm to enforce, the true interefts of their country; and this has happened in a recent instance, where an American Farmer wrote on Peace (namely, Peace with England) without Dishonour, and War (with the fame) without Hope ‡. If wifdom can prevail, in that country, against faction, that tract must meet with attention, and here alfo it affuredly deferves it. Eaft-Indian politics have been difcuffed in two tracts, the one anonymous, and entitled, a Review of the Affairs of India§; the other by the Rev. 7. Brand, directly pointed to the Refutation of the principal charge againft Lord Wellefley. Both are ably written, and difficult, we fhould conceive, to answer. On Education, as a political measure, Mr. Bowles writes with found judgment, and patriotic feeling, in his Second Letter to Mr. Whitbread¶, as he had in his firft **. Some very powerful remarks on other fubjects conclude this able tract. A loyal and useful compilation, entitled Church, King, and Conftitution††, deferves at leaft to be mentioned, as preferving fome material documents. Two remaining tracts on our lift must be placed here, for want of a fitter fituation to admit them; the one more properly ftatistical than political; the other on a public queftion, no longer under legifla No. VI. p. 663. No. II. p. 142. **See vol. xxx. p. 306. No. IV. p. 413. No. III. p. 315. 1 No. V. p. 492. 314. tive debate, and therefore lofing, in a great meafure, its connection with ftate affairs. The former, by Mr. Newenbam, author of other political tracts, is on the Population of Ireland, and contains much ufeful, fome curious, and fome' difputable matter. The other is the Letter of Mr. Wilberforce † to his Yorkshire Conftituents, and is intended to wind up the whole fubject of the Slave Trade; on which the author would not be contented with victory, if he could not for ever maintain that he had truth and juftice on his fide. LAW. - A Barrister's remarks on the Debtor and Creditor Laws, is the chief legal book here noticed; and that is more remarkable for utility than extent. But ftill fmaller is the Conftable's Affifant §, published by the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice, yet welk worthy of attention to thofe who have to take any active part in the apprehenfion of offenders. PHILOSOPHY. The first part of the Philofophical Tranfactions for 1807, is recorded in our prefent Volume, and the articles in it, though not numerous, appear to be highly valuable. Various, and belonging to very different branches of purfuit, are the other fcientific works which have come before us. The best is, perhaps, The complete Navigator, by Dr. Mackay ¶, which fulfils the promife of its title more nearly than can often happen with works of difficult exe *No. II. p. 125. No. III. p. 313. + No. III. p. 274. 1 No. III. p. 317. No. IV. p. 428. cution. cution. Bonnycastle's Trigonometry falls a littlefhort of the expectation raised by the author's name, but is, nevertheless, a refpectable work. Mr.. Parkes's useful book, entitled The Chemical Catechifmt, is fo much approved of by the public, that it is proceeding to new editions; to which, we underftand, the author is careful to add improvements of various kinds. The graphic merit of Mr. Wood's Zoography, refulting from the diligent employment of Mr. Daniell's powers, entitle it to a commendation not equally due to the compilation; but the plan is pleafing and instructive, and muft command attention. Mr. Whiting's portable Mathematical Tables §, and a set of Botanical Tracts, anonymously translated from the works of foreign philofophers || conclude our present account. The former have much to recommend them, in point of convenience; and the latter of curiofity, being tranflated from various languages, fome of which are little known to English ftudents. MEDICINE. The faculty are ftill employed in refearches concerning fever, and different theories are fupported by different practitioners, Dr. Clutterbuck, in his Enquiry, contends that it is a local diforder, of which the origin is in the brain. Dr. Beddoes ** connects it with inflammation, wherefoever feated; and both authors collect a variety of important facts, and difplay abundance both of judgment and ingenuity. All fubftances that ferve mankind for food or medicine, are fcientifically examined by Dr. R. Pearfon; whofe Practical Synopfis†† is, of its t No. VI. p. 650. I No. III. p. 306. kind, the completeft work that has yet appeared, Cafes and obfervations made in Hofpital Practice are well stated by Dr. Bardefley, in his Medical Reports, we trust that the work will fuccefsfully proceed to feveral volumes, which will be a great advantage to the student and practitioners in general. A powerful, tonic, in fome cafes fuperior even to Bark, has been difcovered by Dr. Reece in the Rbatania Root t, chiefly ufed before as a colouring matter for wine. It is faid to diforder the ftomach lefs than bark, and various formulæ are given by the difcoverer, for adminiftering it with the best effect. The Surgical Treatifes here are only three; and it is remarkable that they all have for their object the disorders of the eyes. The more confiderable of these works is by Scarpat, and is tranflated by Mr. Briggs. The Ophthalmia is the particular fubject of the two other medical tracts: the one written by Dr. Vetch, an Army Surgeon, originally of Edinburgh; the other by Mr. Ware, whofe eminence, as a practitioner in London, will give confiderable currency to the opinions he may choose to efpouse. AGRICULTURE. It is ufually with fome exceptions, for redundancy, or fome worfe faults, that we recommend agricultural works; but the following, noticed in the prefent Volume, have as little exceptionable matter in them, as any we have feen for fome time. Mr. Parkinson's English Practice of Agriculture, the Agriculture of Eaft-Lothian, by Mr. Somerville**, and the Experimental Farmer, by Mr. Tibbs ††. The latter of thefe books, in particular, has the No. IV. p. 408. + No. IV. p. 445. No. IV. p. 442. No. IV, P: 442.. *No. II. p. 182. ++ No. V. P. 553. No. I. p. 52. No. I. p. 85. |