thority be deprived of liberty, and a colony divefted of its powers, for reafons of which that authority is the only judge.

In fovereignty there are no gradations. There may be limited royalty, there may be limited confulfhip; but there can be no limited government. There muft in every fociety be fome power or other from which there is no appeal, which admits no restrictions, which pervades the whole mafs of the community, regulates and adjufts all fubordination, enacts laws or repeals them, erects or annuls judicatures, extends or contracts privileges, exempt itfelf from question or control, and bounded only by phyfical neceffity.

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By this power, wherever it fubfifts, all legiflation and ju rifdiction is animated and maintained. From this all legal rights are emanations, which, whether equitably or not, may be legally recalled. It is not infallible, for it may do wrong; but it is irrefiftible, for it can be refifted only by rebellion, by an act which makes it questionable what fhall be thenceforward the iupreme power.

An English colony is a number of perfons, to whom the king grants a charter permitting them to fettle in fome diftant country, and enabling them to conftitute a corporation, enjoying fuch powers as the charter grants, to be adminiftered in fuch forms as the charter prefcribes. As a corporation they make laws for themfelves, but as a corporation fubfifting by a grant from higher authority, to the controll of that authority they continue fubject.'

The learned writer afterwards explains the nature of char ters from the crown, and clearly evinces, from the principle upon which they are granted, that they may be changed or revoked by the legislature, when they are found to be inconfiftent with the public good. This propofition having been much contraverted, we fhall present our readers with what is advanced on the subject in the pamphlet under confideration. A charter is a grant of certain powers or privileges given to a part of the community for the advantage of the whole, and is therefore liable by its nature to change or revocation. Every act of government aims at the publick good. A charter, which experience has fhewn to be detrimental to the nation, is to be repealed; because general profperity muft always be preferred to particular intereft. If a charter be ufed to evil purposes, it is forfeited, as the weapon is taken away which is injurioufly employed,

The charter therefore by which provincial governments are conftituted, may be always legally, and where it is either inconvenient in its nature, or mifapplied in its ufe, may be equitably repealed, and by fuch repeal the whole fabrick of fubordination is immediately deftroyed, the conflitution funk at once into a chaos: the fociety is diffolved into a tumult of individuals, without authority to command, or obligation to obey; without any punishment of wrongs but by perfonal refentment, or any protection of right but by the hand of the poffeffor.'

The

The following paffage contains the author's opinion respect ing the extent of the authority of the British parliament over the colonies, as immediately refulting from the political relation between them.

To him that confiders the nature, the original, the progrefs, and the conftitution of the colonies, who remembers that the firft difcoverers had commiffions from the crown, that the first fettlers owe to a charter their civils forms and regular magiftracy, and that all perfonal immunities and perfonal fecurities, by which the condition of the fubject has been from time, to time improved, have been extended to the colonifts, it will not be doubted but the parliament of England has a right to bind them by ftatutes, and to bind them in all cafes whatsoever, and has therefore a legal and conftitational power of laying upon them any tax or impoft, whether external or internal, upon the product of land, or the manufactures of industry, in the exigencies of war, or in the time of profound peace, for the defence of America, for the purpose of raifing a revenue, or for any other end beneficial to the empire.'

The author afterwards confiders the objections which have been advanced againft the right claimed by government with regard to the exercife of taxation; he particularly investigates, and expofes the refolutions of the congrefs lately held at Philadelphia. It is difficult to fay, whether this part of the fubject is treated more with decifive reasoning or exquisite raillery ; but we may affirm, that, in accompanying our author through the whole of the difcuffion, the reader will be abundantly gratified.

Towards the clofe of the pamphlet, the writer humanely expreffes a defire, that the difpute with America may be terminated without the effufion of blood.

• While thefe different opinions are agitated, fays he, it seems to be determined by the legislature, that force fhould be tried. Men of the pen have feldom any great skill in conquering kingdoms, but they have ftrong inclination to give advice. I cannot forbear to wifh, that this commotion may end without bloodthed, and that the rebels may be fubdued by terrour rather than by violence; and therefore recommend fuch a force as may take away, not only the power, but the hope of refiftance, and by conquering without a battle, fave many from the fword."

When we compare this production with thofe which have been previously published on the fubject, the fuperiority of the author's talents appear remarkably confpicuous. His fentiments are every where diftinguished with peculiar energy; and he feems to have given the deepest wound to the American preeenfions, which either argument or ridicule can inflict..

V. An Efay on the Peftilential Fever of Sydenham, commonly called the Gaol, Hofpital, Ship, and Camp Fever. By William Grant, M. D. 8vo. 2s. 6d. ferved.

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our review of this author's Obfervations on the Nature and Cure of Fevers, we were of opinion that he adhered too ftrialy to the numerous diftinctions of thofe difeafes, introduced by the ancient phyficians *; and we ftill entertain the fame fentiments with refpect to his conduct in the prefent Ef fay. We are willing to pay all due regard to Dr. Grant's practical knowledge, but we would be glad to know, for what fatisfactory reasons he thinks it neceffary to establish a diftinction between the difeafe which, in conformity to Sydenham, he calls the Peftilential Fever, and that which is ufually de nominated the putrid, jail, or malignant fever. For our own part we confess, that we never obferved fuch an effential difference between fevers of the putrid kind, as to justify a total discrimination; nor do we know of any other phyfician, this refpectable author excepted, who maintains a different opinion. Vague and indeterminate ideas of diseases must ever be productive of uncertainty in the practice of phyfic; but frivolous and unneceffary diftinctions are likewife not without their disadvan- ̈ tage. While the former lead to blind empiricifin, the latter tend to introduce an ideal refinement, than which nothing is more prejudicial to science.

Having faid thus much of the author's principle in general, we fhall proceed to his obfervations; in which we are fully perfuaded that he adheres more closely to nature. In the beginning of the Effay, we find him deliver fuch an account of the production of the peftilential fever, as confirms the doctrine. we have advanced.

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• If a number of people, therefore, fays he, are long confined any clofe place, not properly ventilated, fo as to infpire, and fwallow with their fpittle, the vapours of each other, they must foon feel the bad effects, particularly if any of them fhould be fickly; and still more fo if there should be foul ulcers, carious bones, mercurial falivations, dyfenteries, or putrid fevers among them ; warm weather, bad provifions, naftiness, and gloomy thoughts will add to their mifery, and foon breed the feminium of a peftilential fever, dangerous not only to themfelves, but alfo to every perfon who vifits them, or even communicates with them at fecond hand. Hence it is fo frequently bred in gaols, hofpitals, fhips, camps, and befieged towns.

Tainted provifions, bad water, the ftench of dead bodies after battles, or of dead infects, when stagnant waters have been

See Crit. Rev, vol. xxxvii. p. 27.

dried up by the heat of fummer, have also been found to have the fame effect.'

Our opinion receives additional confirmation from the manner in which the difeafe is faid to terminate; and Dr. Grant acknowledges in the following paffage, that it has been called the putrid and malignant fever, but, according to him, improperly.

This fever, proceeds he, commonly goes off by an univerfal warm sweat in the very beginning, or by a gentle diarrhoea of fome days continuance; or by breathing fweats frequently repeated. The crifis by falivation is not frequent; yet I have feen it oftener than once; but critical buboes and carbuncles I never faw in this fever: if fuch cases have been, I fuppofe the diathefis has been highly inflammatory, and the feasonable bleedings neglected.

• It would appear therefore that although our vital powers are not fufficient at all times to conquer this poifon, yet they are able to expel it; nay fome people have waded through it for a great length of time, and finally recovered without any fenfible evacuation, as if the natural ftrength of their conftitution had fairly conquered the virulence of the contagion. But in this long conflict the nervous fyftem has always fuffered confiderably, and the future health was injured.

• Towards the conclufion of this fever the blood is always of a loose texture, and the contents of the bowels become fœtid and acrid; hence it has been called the putrid and malignant fever, but improperly; for although the putrid fever of July and the dog-days, ill treated, is apt to produce it, and a pu trid habit readily catches it and fuffers much from it; yet we fee thousands of putrid fevers yearly in this town without the peculiar fymptoms of this malignity.'

In the latter part of this paffage, which we have purposely extracted, the doctor delivers his reasons for the distinction he makes, more explicitly than he had done before: but admitting his remark to be juft, which we do not in the leaft difpute, ftill it can be urged only in favour of a cafual, and not a fpecific difference between thofe fevers. In different perfons labouring under the fame kind of fever, the fymptoms are not entirely fimilar in every circumftance; but there is not, on that account, any neceflity for multiplying the fpecies of the disease.

To put the identity of the difeafe beyond all queftion, we fhall lay before our readers the defcription of the peftilential fever, in Dr. Grant's own words; which exactly correfponds with that of the putrid fever, as delineated by the most accurate writers.

The

The firft fymptoms, fays he, are, ift, A fudden unaccountable dejection of fpirits and proftration of ftrength; 2, a falling of the countenance characterising fear or forrow; with full watery eyes, pale lips and ears, a mixture of different colours in the complexion, and a trembling, weak, low voice; 3, weight, giddinefs and pain of the head, particularly the hind part of it; 4, a fhooting pain in the fockets and balls of the eyes; g, a confiderable degree of chillinefs, with fenfe of universal pain and wearinefs, particularly in the loins, with a flight pain and cramp in the calf of the legs; 6, the stomach is sometimes fick, and the bowels uneafy, without any foulness on the tongue, when the perfon was in good health at the time of infection; 7, for the most part the patients complain of a bad taste and offenfive fmell, fo that they often hawk, fpit, reach, and blow the nofe, as if they endeavoured, in vain, to difcharge fomething highly offenfive.'

If any further evidence were neceffary to establish the identity for which we contend, the method of cure recommended by the author, fully anfwers the purpofe; and as we have hitherto given no extract from the practical part of the Ellay, we fhall here introduce it.

Any of the eight common fevers, treated of in the first part of my obfervations, may be attended with fome malignant fymptoms but thefe foon fubfide by a seasonable ufe of the special method of cure there laid down for each of them: after which they get into a certain track, and therein fpend themselves, if properly conducted. It is not fo in the true peftilential fever; on the contrary the nervous and malignant fymptoms increafe, the countenance falls, and is more and more impreffed with the character of fear and forrow; the fpirits are more and more dejected the ftomach loaths the cooling and refreshing juleps the pulfe becomes fmaller, quicker, and more irregular; the urine, the ftools, and the heat of the fkin vary at uncertain hours: nothing affords relief but perfpiration.

In thefe fituations I always have found great advantage in ordering the fippings to be made more cordial, and to prepare the way for that univerfal, warm fweat, which alone is effectual in diffipating this particular fpecies of malignity, at all feafons of the year, and every period of the diftemper, provided only that it can be procured with eafe, afford relief, and may be profecuted to the end without contra-indication. And this I affirm, not only from the authority of Sydenham, and the best obfervers, but from my own experience. Sydenham, however, is right when he fays, "It is the operation of the fweat that diffipates the feminium, and not the specific quality of any alexipharmac given to bring out that fweat."

• If therefore I can procure a proper fweat by fuch diaphoretics as wine-whey and common oxymel, and if by fuch fimple means I can fupport that falutary fweat, to that degree and

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