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number of cafes are those of perfons who have had the cow-pox in fo early a part of their lives, that, from their age, there is great probability of their having also had the fmall-pox. There are few cafes where the individuals were young, and the interval, between the disease and the attempt to produce the fmall-pox by inoculation, was short. Besides, it is admitted, that the cow-pox may often recur; and it is improbable that it should prevent the fufceptibility of another poison, and not of its own.

The work is fplendidly printed, and illuftrated by four coloured plates, representing the appearances of the puftules.

A Treatife on Chirurgical Difeafes, and on the Operations required in their Treatment, from the French of Meffrs. Chopart and Default, late Profeffors of Surgery at the Practical Academy, and principal Surgeons to the Hôtel-Dieu, Paris. By W. Turnbull, A. M. F. M. S. &c. With an Introduction, Index, and Appendix, containing Notes and Obfervations by the fame. 2 Vols. 8vo. 95. Boards. Richardson. 1797.

In an appendix to a former volume of our Review *, we examined the prefent work in its original language; we must now notice it in the new dress which Mr. Turnbull has given to it. To the doctrines and opinions of the authors, he has generally done jus tice; but he has not always been so perfpicuous in his tranflation as he might have been. It was not indeed neceffary for him to give much polish to the defcriptions and illuftrations of the principles and proceffes of furgery; but he ought to have more cautiously avoided the idioms of the original, to have rendered his details more clear, and to have prevented that difguft which the reader of tafte muft occafionally feel.

We extract a fhort paffage as a fpecimen of the tranflation.

The wounded parts being fixed in their situation, the open bandelet will be placed in fuch a manner as the aperture may an fwer to the wound, fo that its inferior extremity may be broader than the inferior articulation of the injured part. It will be retained in its fituation by three circular turns: a part of this bandelet will be inverted, which fhould be fixed by two other circles; then the remainder must be alfo fupported in the fame manner; thence it will be proper to continue by inverted turns until near the wound. The remnant of the rolled band must be held whilft the plain bandelet fhould be fixed to the other part of the limb; inafmuch as the middle of this bandage answers likewife to the wound. It should be fixed as the one divided by circles, made with another rolled band, which will commence at the fuperior part of the member, continuing, likewise, by inverted turns, to the wound. The plain bandelet fhould afterwards be paffed through the button-hole of the inferior bandelet, and each of them must be drawn in a contrary direction, to bring together and fupport the divided parts

* See Vol. XVIII. New Arr. p. 539.

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in their fituation; the end of the bandelet, cut open, will be placed towards the fuperior part of the member; it must be then fixed in afcending, by the circular and inverted turns of the first bandage. The inferior fide fhould also be conducted to keep in its fituation the remainder of the plain bandelet with the fuperior bandage. It is useless to apply compreffes, because they do not join the parts together with more advantage. But it would be neceffary to apply a bandage over the remaining extent of the member, to prevent it from fwelling. It is necessary to be attentive to fix the bandage gently, but fufficiently to retain the parts; and to fecure it equally, that the blood may not collect in those parts which fhould be lefs compreffed, and not produce a local obftruction, that might protract the cure.' P. 61.

Some notes have been given in the present volume; but the greater part of Mr. Turnbull's obfervations will appear hereafter, in a way which we do not approve, as it is extremely unpleasant to be frequently obliged to turn to the end of a work, or of a volume, for the infpection of notes.

NATURAL HISTORY.

A Syftem of Natural Hiftory, adapted for the Inftruction of Youth, in the Form of a Dialogue. Originally written in German by Prof. Raff of Goettingen; now firft tranflated into English. 2 Vols. 12mo. 8s. Boards. Johnson.

The introduction of the rudiments of natural history into schools we confider as an important improvement in the modern fyftem of education. For that purpose the prefent work is well calculated; and, from its comparative cheapnefs of price and convenience of fize, it will prove acceptable to many readers of a riper age, who have an inclination to the study, but whofe time and circumstances prevent them from confulting larger and more expenfive publications.-The form into which this fyftem is digefted is pertinent and familiar, combining the correctnefs of fcience with agreeable narration. As a fpecimen of the work, we extract the following

account:

'It can scarcely be credited, that an animal, a beaft, and fo weak too, could construct works so regular, fo ftrong, fo extensive and confiderable, as are thofe of the beavers. To cut down trees, almoft as thick as a man, on the banks of rivers, and to make them fall across the water to drag them to the water, if unfortunately they should fall on the other fide; then to get upon them to conduft them, as they float, to the place that has been fixed on for the establishment of the colony: to conftruct with these materials, large banks or dams, and to build cabins resembling the works of man; this is but an abridged detail of the talents and induftry of

the beaver in fociety; and all this, with no other inftruments than his tail and his teeth.

As foon as the materials are collected on the ipot, they begin their operations without lofs of time. Some cut off the branches from the tree that is fallen, and divide it into stakes of equal length; then others dive to the bottom of the water to dig holes, into which the stakes are introduced; and after having made them. pretty firm, fone fupport them ftraight or inclined, according to the fituation, whilft others interlace them with branches of trees. Others carry clay, mofs, ftones; of the first they make a cement, which ferves for plastering their wattle-work with, whilft they fill up with ftones and earth, and calk it exactly with mofs.

it

In this way, do these ingenious architects construct a dam or bank, fometimes a hundred feet long by twelve thick at the base, perpendicular on the fide next the water, and floping on the oppofite fide, the better to fupport the weight. As this great work is performed at the common expence, they, afterwards feparate into fmall companies, of ten, twelve, and even twenty, to build cabins, in proportion to their numbers. Thefe cabins are erected even on the bank, of an oval figure, fometimes one, often two stories high; and when each cabin is finished, every pair of beavers, a male and female, provide for themfeives a feparate cell or apartment, in which they conftruct a foft bed of hay or mofs, for receiving their young. When all their labours are finished, the commonwealth lives in tranquillity, and each individual enjoys the pleasures of a domestick life and repofe, during the whole of the autumn and winter provided they have been careful to lay in plenty of provifions, that is, tender wood, bark, leaves, which they put into water to keep them fresh.

As foon as fpring has renewed the verdure, the whole family, young and old, leave the water, and take to the woods, to enjoy themselves, and to feaft on the tender young leaves, on the fresh juicy bark, and on the delicate buds just put forth. The beavers continue in the woods till autumn; on the first approach of winter, they return to their habitations, repair and re-establish their works, if they find them damaged, or conftruct new ones, if they find them deftroyed altogether.' Vol. ii. P. 321.

This tranflation from the German of Raff appears to be faithful; but the ftyle is lefs accurate than it ought to have been. The Natural Hiftory of British Birds; or a Selection of the most rare, beautiful, and interefting Birds which inhabit this Country: the Defcriptions from the Syftema Nature of Linnæus; with ge-" neral Obfervations, either original, or collected from the latest and moft efteemed English Ornithologists; and embellished with Figures, drawn, engraved, and coloured from the original Specimens, by E. Donovan. 8vo. Vol. III. 1. 10s. Boards. Rivingtons. Having noticed the first part of this work in one of our late vo

lumes*, we find no reason, in our survey of the continuation, to alter our opinion of the execution of the plan. The colouring, as we before obferved, is not always accurate; yet, perhaps, we ought not to blame the artist, as, in the varieties, the colours often greatly differ. The figures are fometimes coloured with delicacy, and fometimes with little difcrimination; but, in general, this part de-. ferves our commendation. The introduction of water-colours, in the decoration of objects of natural hiftory, renders us faftidious in appreciating the merits of those who follow the old methods.

In this volume are twenty-four plates, not regularly arranged. This want of regularity occafions one inconvenience, that the same or fimilar obfervations are repeated. Thus the fubitance of the dispute, whether the Goofander and Dun Diver are male and female of the fame or a diftinct fpecies, is repeated after the 56th plate, though it occurred in the obfervations upon the 49th ;-the latter referring to the Goofander, and the former to the Dun Diver. On the other hand, we may praise the author for having annexed with fach accuracy fo great a variety of fynonyms.

We have fought with fome care for a fpecimen of fcientific difcrimination of character or of philofophical remark. Such traits, however, are not common. The most interefting obfervations in this volume relate to the Caprimulgus Europæus, the European Goat-Sucker.

It is difficult to defcribe the diverfified plumage of this beau tiful bird. The colours are, throughout, of the plaineft kinds; but they are fo exquifitely foftened, neatly fpeckled, and elegantly interspersed and varied with streaks and waves of black, that no defcription can convey a juft idea of its beautiful appearance.

It has many characters of the Swallow tribe. Klein has placed it in that genus, and diftinguishes it by its undivided tail from the other species; and Pennant fays, it may with juftice be called the Nocturnal Swallow, as it differs from the Swallows chiefly in the time of its flight, the latter being on the wing in the day, and the Goat-Sucker only in the evening. It agrees in feveral respects also with the Owl tribe. Its manners are much the fame in most countries in Europe: it retires into fome dark recefs in forefts, woods, or among rocks, and never ventures out in the day time but in very gloomy weather, or when difturbed. As it can fee best in the twilight, it comes out in the dufk of the evening and morning, and collects its food: this it does chiefly on the wing, when it finds abundance of moths and other infects firring. In the month of July, it is faid to live entirely on the dorr beetle, or cock-chaffer; and from this circumftance Charlton has called it the Dorr-Hawk.

The notes of this bird are of two kinds: "the loudeft," fays Pennant, "fo much resembles that of a large fpinning wheel, that the Welch call this bird aderyny droell, or the Wheel Bird." And

See Vol. XXI. New Arr. p. 447.

he farther adds," it begins its fong moft punctually on the clofe of day, fitting ufually on a bare bough, with its head lower than the tail, the lower jaw quivering with the efforts. The noife is fo very violent, as to give a fenfible vibration to any little building it chances to alight on, and emit this fpecies of note. The other is a harp fqueak, which it repeats often: this feems to be a note of love, as it is obferved to reiterate it when in pursuit of the female among the trees."

The male is diftinguished from the female by a large oval white fpot, fituated on the inner web of the first three quill feathers, and another at the ends of the two exterior feathers of the tail.

The bill is alike in both male and female: it is fhort, but the gape is remarkable wide. It is, probably, from the structure of the mouth that the ancients fuppofed this bird fucked the teats of goats. In the days of Ariftotle, this ridiculous notion was generally prevalent but among modern naturalifts, none except Scopoli feems inclined to credit fuch an opinion.

• The female makes no nest, but lays her eggs on the bare ground. They are ufually two in number, of a whitish hue, and marbled with brown..

This is a very confined genus. Latham enumerates, including his fupplementary volume, but feventeen fpecies, and of these we find only our present fubject, mentioned as a native of Europe. It appears to be an inhabitant of every country on the continent, but is very fparingly diffufed in fome parts, and no where common it is alfo faid to inhabit Africa and Afia. Sonnerat met with one on the coaft of Coromandel. With us it is a bird of paffage, and arrives about the latter end of May. It entirely difappears in the northern parts of the kingdom in Auguft, but does not quit the fouthern parts till September.

'The fize of this fpecies is ten inches and a half, breadth twentytwo inches and a half, weight two ounces and three quarters.'

This work, we fuppofe, will be continued; but we find no information of its probable extent.

RELIGION.

A Sermen; preached at Worship-Street, Shoreditch, April 30, 1797," on the Deceafe of the Pious, Learned, and Reverend Charles Bulkley; who died the 15th of April, 1797, in the 78th year of his Age. With a Sketch of his Life, Character, and Writings. By John Evans, A. M. Published by particular Request. 8vo. 1s. Johnfon. 1798.

There is a fimilarity in the characteristics of what are called Funeral Sermons; and it would require great ability to give us much opportunity of difcriminating between one and another. The fubject, death, can be treated only in a manner that has been a thousand times repeated; and yet the repetition is not unpleafing, when the feelings are awakened by the recent departure of fome

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