ginally a quaker: but his opinion on tithes has operated to his exclusion from the body. He nevertheless remains attached to its princi ples; but takes a latitude in some points of doctrine, of which it is difficult to say, whether they be, or be not, principles of quakerism. He is a strenuous asserter of the unity of the Godhead, to whom Christ is, in his opinion, a being of inferior powers. The doctrine of endless torments he maintains to be presumptuous; and supports his opinion with great firmness, and judgement. Throughout all the pieces here collected, we meet with a great spirit of candour and liberality; and from them may be formed a tolerable judgement of modern quakerism.

ART. 23.-Reasons for withdrawing from Society with the People called Quakers; with additional Observations on sundry important Subjects. To which is added, a friendly Expostulation; and serious Considerations on Revelation, the Scriptures, Religion, Morality and Superstition. By John Hancock. 8vo. 4s. sewed. Johnson, 1802.

The society of quakers retains the discipline of the church, on the subject of excommunication, more than any other sect of Christians; and, of late years, the instances of their power have been unusually numerous. But, while this communion has felt itself compelled to reject many of its members, whose mode of life or habits of thinking did not correspond with its rules, others have voluntarily separated themselves, through a persuasion that it has deviated from its ancient order or discipline. Amongst the latter, is the author of the work before us, who brings forward some strong arguments, tending to excite a belief that the discipline of the society is not exactly what it was in the times of its foundation. There are two points, however, which seem to render him essentially disqualified for membership. He adds to the general opinion of the quakers, on the sinfulness of war, his conviction that God, though he be expressly declared in the Old Testament to have ordered it, could not have issued such a command: and, on the subject of marriage, he thinks it sufficient that the parties entering into that state should declare their intentions before certain unofficial witnesses, and that the formality of a church meeting for the purpose is not requisite. Some persons in Ireland, it seems, have been married in this manner, and consequently have been disowned by the society. The pamphlet is drawn up with great spirit; and the society will find it very difficult to prevent a schism. To those who are not acquainted with its general principles and conduct, it will convey a great fund of information; and the opinion maintained in the following extract warrants the insinuations which are very general in the world at large,

Upon a review of the whole, it appears clearly manifest to me, that the present state of manners is in many instances opposite to the dictates of a sound morality; and that our social institutions contain much practical error. A commerce too widely extended, produces an unwarrantable selfishness, and absorbs an undue proportion of the at tention of most. Luxury, by producing artificial wants, and leading into many unnecessary expenses, appears to countenance, and in some

respect to render necessary, this system of overgrown trading: thus error supports error; and there appears no way to get rid of it, but by adopting a line of conduct, almost entirely different from that which is now pursued; and to act according to the pure and enlight. ened maxims of morality and religion, when these terms are rightly understood, and freed from all injurious mixture. The reproach of singularity will doubtless attend those, who dare to move in this line; but then such will be supported by a consciousness of having endea> voured to do their duty, and to act their parts well in their present allotments.' P. 141.

ART. 24.-An Examination of the first Part of a Pamphlet, called an Appeal to the Society of Friends. By Vindex. 8vo. 1s. W. Phillips. 1802.

Vindex endeavours to prove that the early quakers were not what are now called unitarians. We would recommend to him to prove that they were trinitarians-an attempt which must be done by showing that they believed not only in the holy three,' but that each of these holy three 'was in himself omnipotent, omnipresent, and supreme. It appears from this work, that Penn, Barclay, Fox, and Pennington, were not so decided upon this point as the modern unitarians; but that they were very far removed from the Athanasian creed, which is the truest and best standard of the trinitarian faith. The concluding remark in this book may be turned either way.

It would be ruinous in a great family, if the servants, instead of duly performing the work of the house, which each of them sufficiently understood, were to be spending day after day in disputing about their master's pedigree and alliances'-for the ruin may arise from the upper servants castigating the lower, in consequence of not concurring with them in opinion; and may make it part of the work of the house to recite daily the titles of the master.

MEDICINE, &c.

ART. 25. An Inquiry into some of the Effects of the Venereal Poison on the Iluman Body; with an occasional Appli cation of Physiology, Observations on some of the Opinions of Mr. John Hunter and Mr. Benjamin Bell, and practical Remarks. By S. Sawrey, Surgeon. 8vo. 5s, Boards. Lackington. 1802.

We have been greatly pleased with this work, as it shows a considerable knowledge of the subject, combined with much reflexion, and an accurate philosophical discrimination. Yet we must add, that Mr. Sawrey has not convinced us that the diseases are the same, and that their different appearance is owing to the surface affected. Chancres, even on the lips of the urethra, have never yet produced gonorrhea;

and the latter, except in peculiar circumstances, even when applied to the external surface, as often happens, does not excite the former.

The question, concerning the cause of the continuation of the disease, is next examined. It does not continue by any powers peculiarly its own; for a gonorrhoea frequently disappears spontaneously: but, on the contrary, the lues gradually increases, unless the fomes be abruptly checked. Cut out or destroy the chancre on its first appearance, and there is little reason to expect the continuance of the complaint. Let it remain; and no power, without mercury, will curtail its progress. How this disease becomes permanent, has been, for a long time, matter of curious speculation. Mr. Sawrey considers Mr. Hunter's opinion at some length: but it is confused and unphilosophical. Fermentation has been long abandoned; yet his own system, that inflammation is excited, and that fluids are poured out, in themselves innoxious, but tainted with the poison remaining on the part, is scarcely less liable to objection. It is, at least, an assimilation: but we yet know of no such process, except that of fermentation itself. It may, indeed, be alleged, that the poison is so virulent and subtile, that it may admit of being greatly diluted, and still remain virulent: but, in this view, the virulence must be indefinite. A man may have a venereal ulcer for years, and every particle of the matter discharged during the whole of the time will produce the infection. This is, to a certain extent, true in the small-pox: but it will not admit of an amplification so considerable as that now described. Indeed, this infinite or indefinite dilution is not well founded, since the blood in a person most intimately affected is innocuous.

In the third part, our author considers the disease to be continued, and even increased, in the circulating mass, and that the product of sores is actually poisonous. With these, many analogous considerations of importance are conjoined; and the whole, we think, forms a performance truly respectable. The author speaks with firmness, but with modesty; sometimes with confidence, but never with a petulant pertness. He opposes Mr. Hunter with arguments and facts, not with wild and wanton assertions.

ART. 26.-Résultats de l'Inoculation de la Vaccine, &c. The Results of the Inoculation of the Vaccine, in the Departments of the Meurthe, the Meuse, the Vosges, and Upper Rhine; preceded by a preliminary Discourse, and followed by the Effects of Vaccination in other Animals. By Louis Valentin, M. D. &c. &c. 8vo. De Boffe.

We have perused this work with peculiar satisfaction. The preliminary discourse contains a candid and excellent history of the origin and progress of vaccination, and places the disputed points of spurious vaccina, &c. on a just foundation. The candour of the author is peculiarly conspicuous, as he had lately published a work in defence of variolous inoculation. His answers to the opponents of vaccination are truly satisfactory. This part of the work well merits a popular translation by some of the members of the Jennerian Society.

The results of the author's practice merit particular attention: but these we cannot abridge. The most interesting respect the concur rence of vaccina with variola; in which, the infection of small-pox,

concurring with that of vaccina, seems not to influence the progress of the latter ; nor do they seem materially to affect each other. None of the subjects vaccinated experienced the small-pox on inoculation.

The vaccina may be communicated to dogs, goats, asses, and sheep; and the matter from them will produce, the author tells us, the ori ginal disease in man. This disease, after passing through different animals, is found to be still a security against small-pox: but it does not appear that the virus is effectual, when transmitted from one animal to another, without passing through the human body. With respect to the power of vaccination in preserving dogs from the distemper, our author's trials furnish nothing satisfactory.

ART. 27.-Observations on Dr. Pearson's Examination of the Report of the Vaccine Pock Committee of the House of Commons, concerning Dr. Jenner's Claim for Remuneration. By Thomas Creaser. 8vo. 2s. Robinsons. 1803.

Neither opposition nor conciliation-for both have been employedcan move us from the points for which we early contended, and the opinions which we yet hold. We still say, that the first view of the subject, by Dr. Jenner, was unfavourable; and, in the state of the facts then communicated there was more reason to hesitate than to adopt the plan. We continue to think, that the step, from the naturally communicated disease, to inoculation, was not so important as to justify the title of Discoverer, and the fulsome inflated language of Dr. Jenner's sanguine admirers. We must also add, that, if the practice have attained a solid basis, and become a real object of imitation, it is more owing to Dr. Woodville and Dr. Pearson, than to Dr. Jenner.

In our author's Observations,' every thing is caught at which can add to Dr. Jenner's character, and lessen the value of Dr. Pearson's labour's. Every preceding step is depreciated, to render Dr. Jenner's 'discovery more brilliant. We believe that vaccine inoculation had been before practised: but we have no reason to suppose that it was known to Dr. Jenner; and, when lessening the spendor of the discovery, we have only contended that the step was so easy, as to claim no extraordinary commendation. The fact was established; and, with the knowledge, the means were easy.

A short account of our own remains to be settled; for we have spoken in commendation of Dr. Pearson's labours, while we have lessened the vast merits of Dr. Jenner. The high tone of Mr. Creaser requires, however, a little lowering. He speaks of instances 'parallel, in peint of misrepresentation, prejudice, and injustice,' to the present criticism, and quotes our account of Dr. Parry's Treatise on Angina Pectoris. Let this aged experienced author bring forward bis objections; and we will prove, even from the present tract, that he is a very inadequate judge of a common medical question. On the point he alludes to, we felt ourselves peculiarly clear; and our opinions are before the public, as well as Dr. Parry's. If they decide against us, we must submit; but, so far as the public have yet spoken, it is not in favour of Dr. Parry. We never have deemed ourselves infallible, or refused advice, or even reproof: but, if laudari a laudato viro be peculiarly gratifying, we shall not he highly mortified by reprehension from an author neither commended nor even known.

On the subject of Dr. Jenner, we have nothing to add, but shall copy a short paragraph,

• The reviewer observes, "our remarks, however, will only be valuable as they are supported by facts and arguments." On no other ground would I join issue with him; and in so doing, it is with the full freedom of remark and the perfect equality of feeling which I should entertain towards any other individual: he says, "it was a well-known fact in many counties, that when persons had been infected by milking a cow with these peculiar eruptions, they were incapable of receiving the infection of small-pox. Where then is the di stinction? The constitution can receive it from touching the sores, and may of course receive it by inserting the matter under the skin. To call this a discovery, is a mockery, an abuse of words." In this shameful and illiberal denial of merit, the reviewer outstrips even the opinions of his author. Dr. P. has constantly allowed the vaccine inoculation to be a discovery, though he has refused, in its fullest sense, to Dr. J. the title of its discoverer. Is it necessary for me to explain, or to insist on a truth so obvious, as that, whatever pathological analogy might infer, the demonstration by actual experiment of the phenomena and effects of its inoculation, the important observa tion that its properties were not lessened by transmission, and above all the detection of its anomalies, constitute, to all intents and purposes, a discovery; a spirit the most adverse to liberal allowance could alone contest it. It matters not how close the preceding state of knowledge bore upon the experiment; it had not been previously made, at least to Dr. J's knowledge. Numerous discoveries have been brought to the very borders of their developement, long before they were hit on. Most of the facts in chemistry, entitled discoveries, were preceded by former ones, which left barely room to advance without detecting them. Had our English philosophers employed an envelope of sufficient specific lightness, they would have been the discoverers of aërostation. So it was with Dr. Jenner, he went forward a single step, but this was the necessary advance, and in it consisted strictly and legiti mately the fact of discovery.' r.78.

We are willing, in this instance, again to copy our own words, to observe how far they can be tortured by opposition, and in what the extraordinary discovery consists. The child who has not touched the candle, knows not that it will burn; and therefore, by touching it, makes the discovery that fire is hot! Every milk-maid knew that the cow-pox would infect: but Dr. Jenner did not; and he is a disco-verer!! Mr. Creaser, however, admits that Dr. Jenner's friends do not require the character of a philosopher of the first magnitude; but only ask for him the allowance of fortunate talent, of physiological skill, of acute ingenuity, and laudable disinterestedness.' The first and last are only concerned in this question; and we will allow Dr. Jenner, if our author please, good fortune and disinterestedness.

EDUCATION.

ART. 28.-The Village Library; intended for the Use of young Persons. By Miss Gunning. 12mo. 2s. Boards. Crosby. 1802.

A collection of eleven amusing tales, with suitable reflexions.