Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

tion of it, may perhaps admit of some question. But let us inquire, who is it that proposes to put a speedy and immediate end to the further continuance of this truly abominable business? And who, let us also inquire, are those who receive the conciliatory proposal with an abrupt and peremptory refusal? However various may be the opinions of men with respect to the probable issue of negotiations with the present government of France, no one will maintain that there exists an utter impossibility of their terminating in such a peace, as this country would think it neither dishonourable nor disadvan tageous to conclude. As to the business of blood, then, let Ministers seriously ask this question of themselves, to whom will the prolongation of this bloody business be justly attributed, to the party who proposes, or to the party who rejects overtures for peace?. It would indeed be difficult to figure to ourselves that the author had been serious in stating this objection, unless it were equally difficult to guess what purpose of any other description could have induced him to bring it forward. He cannot but be sensible that a state of warfare be tween contending nations is, in its essence, and unhappily must be, of necessity, a business of blood. There can be no mode in which belligerent parties can pursue hostilities, which can exempt them from being engaged in it; he therefore must surely be gifted with an uncommon portion of ingenuity, must be master of some curious secret in diplomacy, hitherto undiscovered, who can devise the means of entering into negotiation, and concluding peace with an enemy, against whom the charge brought against Bonaparte may not be with equal justice urged, namely, that "his business has been blood." If, as in the former instance, we should consider how far an ally might be impli cated in a charge brought against an enemy, and urged as an invincible obstacle to all negotiation, it will seem extraordinary that the author should not have adverted to the possibility of his being supposed to allude to the character of Marshal Suwarrow rather than that of Bonaparte, when he inveighs with so much feeling and sensibility against the inhumanity of one-whose business has been-blood.'

The foregoing short extract will sufficiently intimate to our readers, what entertainment and instruction they may expect from the spirit and tendency of this reprehension of the ingenious author of the Prefatory Introduction to the 3d part of the intercepted papers :-of which we made due mention in our Review for February: see Catalogue.

Art. 24. Substance of the Speeches of the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, on his Majesty's Message for declining to treat at present with France; and his Objections to an Inquiry into the late Expedition to Holland. With a Preface, touching briefly on the State of Affairs. 8vo. 28. Chapple, Pall Mall.

Those who read publications of this class, with a view to informa. tion and the knowlege of real business, will generally be gratified by the speeches of Mr. Dundas; which, if not extremely eloquent, may perhaps be deemed something better.

The two orations, which we have now been perusing, have given us considerable satisfaction with regard to the subjects to which they respectively

respectively relate ;-though we are not yet completely convinced as to the policy which dictated the answer that has been given to the overture from France respecting peace,

The speeches here printed in the pamphlet-form are introduced to the public by a Preface, from the pen of some zealous friend, whose high compliments to Mr. D. however justly founded, are greatly heightened by a profusion of the flowery ornaments of eloquence, and apparently by some exaggeration of party attachment. The style reminds us of the writer of the Introduction, &c. noticed in the preceding article:-" Alter et idem" could not but occur to us on this occasion. In this encomiastic preface, the writer has introduced the following panegyrical compliment to the character of Mr. D., a transcript of which will probably be acceptable to many of our

readers:

His family have, for ages, been so much distinguished at the Scotch Bar, for their eloquence, as to obtain the highest honours in the Law there, that the Sovereign could bestow. But Mr. Dundas, independent of all family connection, has risen, like Mr. Pitt, to all his well-earned honours, entirely by the force of his own sterling abilities. Although bred to the Bar, and practising long at the Bar, he betrays nothing of that dry, petty precision of the subtle word-twisting pleader; but displays all the liberal and manly elo. quence that can spring from a great mind! By a sort of intuition, he sees, in a moment, the true point of view of the most difficult question yet, with this perceptive faculty, he gives his opinion, unadorned with any other gew-gaw of language, than that which ought to adorn the lips of a plain but accomplished gentlemanwhose aim is to be clearly understood, that he may convince by truths; not that he may confuse, by beautiful but fallacious tropes

order to mislead the Nation from the true and only point in which any great question ought to be viewed. With all this plainness, clearness, and closeness of reasoning, however, he has a vast command of humour.-But he seldom uses it. When he does, it is always in the player's phrase, sure TO TELL! Besides, he spontaneously throws it out, not in a sardonic smile; but in the most good-humoured, liberal laugh: it offends no one, and pleases every

one.

He has, too, those OPEN, and GENEROUS, and RICH QUALITLES OF THE HEART; that men of all parties admire his CANDOUR, and esteem his CONDUCT. He has ever acted OPENLY, and BOLDLY, for the HONOUR of HIS KING; and for the TRUE INTERESTS of his COUNTRY. He has given his ABLE and his MANLY support to the admirable administration of Mr. PITT, during a War which has CONVULSED SOCIETY!-A War which has almost, in the words of SHAKESPEARE," Shook our Isle from its propriety!"

Art. 25. The Speech (at length) of the Hon. C. J. Fox, against the Address to his Majesty, approving of the Refusal to enter into a Negotiation for Peace with the French Republic. With a List of the Minority. 8vo. IS. Jordan. 1800.

Although the substance of Mr. Fox's Speech, on the above memorable occasion, has been already detailed in the news-paper Reports

of

of Parliamentary Proceedings, there are doubtless many readers who will wish to see a complete edition of it, in the present form. The sentiments of this distinguished watchman of the State are always regarded by both parties, however they may figure in the Book of Numbers.

Art. 26.

The Question stated, as it respects Peace and War. 12mo.

18. Crosby, &c.

1800.

The writer treats this most important subject with perfect fairness, and with as much ability as we can expect to see displayed in so small a compass. He strongly inclines to decide the great and highly interesting question in favour of an immediate pacification: but, still, after what appears to be a most impartial statement, he leaves the great conclusion to the candid judgment of those intelligent persons who are sincere well wishers to this country; and for whose assistance he has composed this brief but judicious arrangement of the reasons that may be urged by the opposite parties, pro and con., with respect to the expediency of a pacific negotiation, at the present critical moment.

Art. 27.

Peace or War! which is the best Policy? By Peter Brady Cross, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn. 8vo. I S.

1800.

Bickerstaff.

Mr. Cross's "Voice is for War *;" and the arguments by which he supports his decision well merit our attention.He does not contend, like some of our hot-headed zealots, for an eternal war with, or a total extermination of, the French nation. He chiefly insists that ⚫ the best-and the only policy which our government can adhere to, is to reject all offers of an immediate pacification, and to wait until the issue of the late Revolution is ascertained and identified.'-The author writes in an animated style, and argues vigorously: but we remarked a few passages in which we thought that his partiality towards one side of the question (we need not say which,) ran away with his judgment; especially in those instances in which he repeatedly expresses his contempt for the Grand Consul of France, whom he styles a Military Coxcomb,' from whose usurped elevation no stability can be expected. Mr. C. may be right in his distrust: but there are men who have, probably, more personal knowlege of Bonaparte than this writer can have obtained, and who do not think so lightly of his abilities and character: but we mean not to be the panegyrists of the Corsican Hero.

[ocr errors]

MEDICAL, &c.

Art. 28. The Anatomy of the Gravid Uterus. With practical Inferences relative to Pregnancy and Labour. By John Burns, Surgeon in Glasgow. 8vo. pp. 248. 5s. Boards. Longman and Rees. 1799.

In this treatise, the principal facts respecting pregnancy and par turition are detailed according to the succession of causes from which they arise. The author is generally accurate, though sometimes

Sempronius in Addison's Cate.

rather

rather diffuse in his manner of expressing himself. To be accurate is indeed all the merit to which a writer on this subject can pretend, since novelty is not to be expected. The only passage, which has struck us particularly, is one which regards the practice of bringing on premature labour in deformed subjects:

When the pelvis is so small, that a child, at the full time, cannot pass through it alive, it has been proposed to induce premature labour, about the seventh month, when the child was smaller. But this is an operation which is very seldom advised, until, by the experience of a former labour, it has been demonstrated, that the woman could not be delivered without the crotchet, or lessening the head of the child. When this is ascertained, the practice is most undoubtedly proper, and ought always to be had recourse to; because it is in itself safe, with regard to the mother, and gives a chance of life to the child, who must be inevitably destroyed, if the head be lessened, or the crotchet applied. When we have agreed to perform this operation, we may employ the mechanical irritation of the os uteri. If this be not sufficient, the puncture of the membranes always will produce the effect.'

In the management of flooding, the author has not taken notice of the efficacy of digitalis; which has been strongly recommended in Dr. Ferriar's treatise on the properties of this plant, in uterine hæ morrhages of the active kind. From some facts which have lately come under our observation, it appears that this remedy offers a most useful resource in cases of this nature, which were formerly very intractable.

[ocr errors]

Mr. Burns begins and ends his performance by strongly inculcating the necessity of an accurate knowlege of the anatomy and phy siology of the gravid uterus, for those who practise midwifery. In this we perfectly agree with him: but we cannot join in his censure of Dr. Hunter's splendid work on the same subject. However useful Mr. Burns's essay may prove, as a manual, a great part of it would be unintelligible to the student, without the assistance of large and correct prints. Dr. Hunter performed excellently all that he intended; and from the study of his book, it is not difficult for an attentive practitioner, with the assistance of common writers, to deduce every material fact relating to practice.

Art. 29. Observations on the diseased and contracted Urinary Bladder, and frequent painful Micturition; with some Cautions respecting the Use of the Caustic Bougie in the Treatment of Strictures in the Urethra. To which are added, Observations on the Schirrocontracted Rectum. By John Sherwen, M. D. 8vo. Is. 6d. Johnson. 1799

These observations are correct and sensible, but offer nothing new; excepting a proposal for a mode of applying caustic, in strictures of the urethra, which we shall extract for the reader's information :

By macerating a longer or shorter time in hot water, a bougie or urethral probe made of polished whalebone will acquire any degree * The Marechal Duc de Richelieu was born in the sixth month of pregnancy.'

of

of softness, and pliability that may be required; and, as I have already observed in my treatise on the schirrous rectum, will adapt itself: to the natural curvature of the passage without being ever liable to break; and, since it contains no wax nor unctuous ingredient, must be much less liable to stimulate the urethra than the common bougies, and cannot easily be impaired in its properties. The extremity of such a bougie is to be of the common thickness, and the point should have a small depression, to the bottom of which a little adhesive plaister, or any other viscous substance, may be applied; after which, let it be lightly touched with a thin coat of powdered lunar caustic, which will be perfectly secure; and the operator will thus have it in his power at any time to convey the precise quantity which he wishes to apply at once, from a quarter of a grain to a grain, without the smallest danger of a larger being disengaged.

This instrument has been suggested to those ingenious artists, Savigny, in King-street, Covent Garden, and Pepys, in the Poultry, from whom they may be obtained of all sizes; and, by their assistance, I expect very soon to produce a hollow bougie of the same substance preferable to any other for the purpose of a flexible catheter, applicable in some cases to the discharge of thin feces through the

contracted rectum.'

The observations on the schirro-contracted rectum, having already appeared in the transactions of a medical society, require no particular notice from us at present.

Art. 30. A further Statement of the Case of Elizabeth Thompson, upon whom the Cæsarean Operation was performed in the Manchester Lying-in Hospital; in addition to that published by Mr. Wood, in the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, Vol. V. By Charles White, and Richard Hall, Men-Midwives Extraordinary, George Tomlinson, and John Thorp, Men-Midwives in Ordinary, to that Charity. 4to. PP. 7. Printed at Manchester. 1799.

This farther account of an unfortunate operation, to the performance of which we had occasion to advert in reviewing the last volume of the Memoirs of the Medical Society, (see p. 276-7, of this Review,) differs in some important particulars from the narrative published by Mr. Wood. That gentleman had imputed the gangrenous appearances, to which he ascribed the death of the patient, to the concussion which she must have undergone during a conveyance of nine miles over rough roads, in a common cart. This assertion is contradicted by the present statement; and we are now told that the patient was placed on a feather bed, which was slung with cords, in imitation of a hammock.' As this variation in the evidence impeaches Mr. Wood's accuracy, we are surprized that the sources of the mistake, or the means of its detection, have not been pointed out."

It is with great reluctance that we mention one or two other observations, which have occurred to us during the perusal of this paper: but having judged it necessary to declare our sentiments respecting the fatality of this operation, in order to prevent (as far as we could) the improper sacrifice of life, we feel ourselves obliged to maintain our consistency.

The

« НазадПродовжити »