31. Remarks upon the Mortality among the horned Cattle, containing Directions for extirpating the Infection, or, at least, for obs Strutting its Progrefs. Tranflated from the Low-Dutch of Sa lomon de Monchy, M. D. 8vo. Pr. 1s.

Cadell.

The directions in this pamphlet are no more than to kill all the infected cattle within twenty-four hours, and fo prevent the contagion from reaching the Sound.

32. Virtues of British Herbs. With the Hiftory, Defcription, and Figures, of the feveral Kinds; an Account of the Diseases they will cure; the Method of giving them; and Management of the Patients in each Difeafe, &c. By John Hill, M. D. 8vo. Pr. Is. 6d. Baldwin.

This pamphlet contains no account of the virtues of herbs which were not formerly known: but as it gives a general idea of the qualities of a few of the most efficacious fimples of our own country, it may be, in fome degree, ufeful to private families.

33. Remarks on the Compofition, Ufe, and Effects of the Extract of Lead of Mr. Goulard, and of his Vegeto-Mineral Water. By G. Arnaud, M. D. 12mo. Pr. 13. Elmfley.

In a former Review *, we gave an account of Mr. Goulard's Treatife on the Extract of Lead; a medicine fo much celebrated in many external diforders. These remarks of Mr. Arnaud relate chiefly to the method of prefcribing that medicine, and are as follow.

The proper and generally prefcribed quantity of extract to a bottle of pure water, is two drachms (five penny weight) if the extract is well made, which quantity will make about a hundred and ten drops. Now if we fuppofe the bottle to weigh twenty-nine Troy ounces, and a glafs of water to weigh about three ounces, the quantity of extract, according to the proportion given by Mr. Goulard, would exceed, or at leaft be equal to that of the vegeto-mineral water prefcribed by him for common uses; when, on the contrary, the quantity ought to be diminished confiderably. So that I would recommend, in inflammations of the eyes, to put only two drops of the extract to every ounce of water, and the fame proportion to be observed in all cafes, where the fenfibility of the part is equally delicate, especially fince Mr. Goulard has brought his extract to fo great a degree of perfection.'

• Mr. Goulard does not recommend his pomatum in opthalmies, and I think with great reafon; greafy and oleagenous

* See vol. xxvii. p. 357.

fub

fubftances are always dangerous in inflammations of the eyes, and erifipelatous complaints, though they are equally advifeable for those of the ears: he ought to have recommended the frequent washing the eyes, externally with the vegeto-mineral water, and keeping a bolfter conftantly on them, well wetted with that water. This I have conftantly practifed with fuccefs, but you must be careful always to add fome brandy, and even that which is camphorated. This omiffion, on the part of the author in his firft prescription, gives an air of obfcurity to the laft part of his fecond paragraph, by putting you in mind there of the neceffity of making ufe of brandy in the fecond prescription, as well as in the first; a circumftance he has entirely omitted. Let it be remarked, that camphorated brandy on all occafions is to be preferred to the noncamphorated, as I fhall endeavour to prove in the following article.

It is my opinion, that in these cases, in which the author recommends the use of camphire, one of the most antiphlogiftic, and antifpafmodic medicines in phyfic or furgery, he does not prescribe it in large quantities enough. Camphire is one of those medicines we use too sparingly, not being fufficiently converfant in its effects, which are always wonderful, whether made ufe of externally or internally. I would recommend a work of Mr. Pouteau, intitled, Melangie de Chirurgie, which would convince any one of the good qualities of this drug. I know an English gentleman, who not only preferves himself from, but cures himself of many complaints by the use of camphire, of which he takes inwardly a large quantity; and always carries about him a box of it. When I make use of this with the extract of Saturn, it is in large quantities, and with fome precautions different from thofe of Mr. Goulard. If it is given in finall quantities, it has no effect; when mixed with pomatums, cerates, liniments, it is obliged to undergo the heat of fire, by which means the volatile parts of it are evaporated; what remains of them, infenfibly paffes away, fo that in a few days none is left. Whenever the vegeto-mi

neral water is made ufe of, I would recommend the fame quantity of camphorated brandy, as the author preferibes of that which is not camphorated. This camphorated brandy fhould be kept in a bottle well corked; you must be careful likewife to fill it up now and then, and fee that the camphire you make ufe of for this purpose is not too dry, but that it is fresh, oily, and of a strong perfume.'

34. The

34. The Meffiah. In nine Books. By John Cameron.

Sve.

This work is formed upon the plan of thofe mongrel compofitions, thofe gallimaufries of facred history and romance, which have been lately imported from Germany.

Mr. Cameron paraphrafes the Scriptures in this manner :

As foon as they had arrived, Judas approaches with a countenance full of guilty confufion; he falutes his Master; he embraces and kiffes him with all the outward demonftrations of honour and respect. In this manner he is pointed out to the multitude, and diftinguifhed from the rest of his difciples. Immediately with drawn fwords, and a great number of ftaves lifted high, the enraged mob gathered around him; while he, with a voice of mildness and majefty, thus bespoke the traitor: Judas, is this your friendship to me? Do you betray your Master with a kifs? The perfidious wretch stood confounded, and the crowd for a little time remained in awful fufpence. Then he asked whom they fought; they told him, it was Jefus of Nazareth: To which he replied, I am the very man you feek. At these words, to fhew how awful goodness is when we mean to injure it, and how eafily he could have baffled the most daring attempts againft his life, a divine power unbraced their nerves, deprived them in a moment of all their ftrength, and threw them proftrate on the ground. Then had they perished in their impious attempts; but he had compaffion upon them, and fuffered them to arife. As soon as they had recovered, he asked them again, Whom seek ye? They replied, Jefus of Nazareth: then, faid he, I am the man; and therefore, if your defigns are againft me, let thefe my disciples depart without any moleftation. At these words Malchas, a fervant of the High Priest, ftretched out his hand to lay hold upon him; while Peter, tranfported with the moft impetuous and precipitate zeal, drew his fword, and aiming at Malchas with a defign to cleave his head asunder, he made a violent stroke; but miffing the head, he cut off his right ear: upon which, fpeedy vengeance would have dyed the garden with Simon's blood, had not his Mafter, who formerly calmed the raging deep, at this time quieted the tumult of the people ; for turning to Malchas, he faid, Patience, young man, excufe the rashness of my disciple, I'll heal the wound; then touching his ear, the effufion of blood was ftopped, the pain inftantly gone, and all was found and whole.'

By this extract the reader will perceive, that Mr. Cameron's production is not fuperior to thofe of his predeceffors, either in elegance of ftile, or propriety of fentiment.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For the Month of June, 1770.

ARTICLE I.

Hiftory of the Lower Empire, beginning from Conftantine the Great, tranflated from the French of M. Le Beau, Vol. I. 8vo. Pr. 5s. boards. T. Davis. Concluded.

T

HE part of M. le Beau's hiftory of the Lower Empire, which we have now under confideration, is of such importance, that we thought it deferved to be criticised in a feparate article, as it contains many of the most striking and remarkable events which occur in any period of the Roman Hiftory. That great and important revolution in religion, whereby Christianity, which had fo long been perfecuted, became the established worship throughout the whole extent of the Roman empire; and the Chriftians, who had till then affembled in the fields, or in defarts and unfrequented places, were allowed to build churches, and for numbers and rank furpaffed the Pagans, by whom they had fo long been tyrannized; the rife of Arianism, and the feveral councils occafioned by the disputes between the orthodox and the heterodox, the transferring of the feat of empire to Conftantinople: all these circumftances concur to render this part of hiftory remarkably interesting. Another particular, which recommends this work to the public notice, is the mixt character of Constantine the Great, who makes the principal figure in it: that emperor was guilty of fome crimes, which recalled the memory of the bloody reign of Nero, at the fame time that he had a zeal for religion, which caufed his relicks to be preferved by the Roman Catholics, and made the modern Greeks give him VOL. XXIX. June, 1770. D d the

the title of Equal to the apostles. By his natural character he was good and merciful, but became cruel and fanguinary through paffion. It must be acknowledged that he loved the church, and that fhe is indebted to him for her liberty and fplendor; but, eafy to be feduced, he tormented her when he thought to ferve her: relying too much upon his understand. ing, and repofing with too much credulity upon the faith of wicked men who furrounded him, he delivered up prelates to perfecution, who might juftly be compared to the apostles. The perfonal character of the first Christian emperor should, however, reflect no dishonour upon Christianity, no more than the personal character of Henry VIII. who was a much worfe man, and may be confidered as a monftrum nulla virtute redemptum a vitiis, fhould be alledged against the Reformation; as God can chufe what inftruments he pleases to publish religious truths to mankind; and even Saul himself prophefied, when excited and impelled by the divinity, which stirred within him.

We shall now lay before the reader some of the most striking particulars that occur in the remainder of the prefent volume; as the tranfactions which it relates are too unconnected to admit of a regular analyfis. In the year 315, the emperor Conftantine fuppreffed a revolt of the Jews, who had undertaken to rebuild their temple, and violated the ancient laws, which prohibited their entrance into Jerufalem. This revolt coft the emperor only the trouble of punishing it. He caufed the ears of those who were moft culpable to be cut off, and in that state led them in his train, with a view of intimidating by this example of severity that nation which the divine vengeance had long fince difperfed over the whole empire. The honours which he afterwards paid to the crofs of Jefus Chrift, were not likely to caufe lefs vexation to the Jews than joy to the Chriftians. It was already upon the ftandards; he ordered, that it should be engraved on his coins, and painted in all the pictures which should bear the image of the prince. He likewife abolished the punishment of the crofs, and the practice of breaking the legs of criminals.

In the year 316, there arose in the empire one of the most extravagant sects that was ever heard of, the feet of the Circoncelliones, fo denominated, because they were continually rambling round the houfes in the country. These vagabonds committed incredible ravages and cruelties during a long feries of years in Africa. They were ruftic, illiterate boors, who understood only the Punic language. Intoxicated with barbarous zeal, they renounced agriculture, profeffed continence, and affumed the title of Vindicators of Juftice, and Protectors

of