This which are immediately appropriated to their perception. In this fection, the Author contefts the pofitions of Dr. Price and Mr. Harris with much good fenfe and plaufibility; and though he differs from that truly fagacious Phyfiologist, Baron Haller, in many inftances in which his theory is materially concerned, yet he frequently avails himself of that learned phyfician's obfervations, and always fpeaks of him with a respect due to his fingular merit. The third fection contains fome fhrewd and ingenious remarks on the properties of matter. He thinks, the late Mr. Baxter hath thrown a very thick cloud on this fubject.' In his idea, the doctrine of the vis enertia, fo earnestly contended for by this philofopher, is indefenfible, and involves in it many palpable errors and inconfiftencies. He infers from the phænomena of electricity, magnetifm, chemistry, and above all from the fimpleft and commoneft of all appearances, viz. the communication of motion from a moving body to one at reft, that matter is poffeffed of powers incompatible with the fuppofition of a vis inertia. His reafonings on this fubject produce the following conclufions: 1. That where there is elafticity, contact is not neceffary to the communication of motion. 2. That as we know of no bodies poffeffing perfect elafticity, we neither know of any perfectly hard and inelaftic. 3. That (as the densest bo dies are pervaded by the matter of electricity and by heat; and as, by abftracting their heat, we can proportionably leffen their volume) there is little reafon to imagine, that the particles of bodies, even of the closest texture, are, properly speaking, in contact with each other; and still lefs reafon to prefume, that in cafes of the moft forcible impulfe, the impelling body even touches (Atrictly so speaking) the impelled. The fum of the whole is, that motion may be communicated without contact, and without any refiftance from a fuppofed vis inertia, which is utterly in conceivable 4 conceivable where contact is not concerned, and scarcely conceivable in any other point of view; confequently, that fome different power is neceflary: fuch a power is that of repulfion, of the existence of which we have unequivocal proof; and without its intervention, the communication of motion from one body to another hath been efteemed by the wifest phyfiologifts an inexplicable phenomenon. In a note referring to this part of the fubject, our Author takes notice of fome pofitions of the ingenious M. de Luc, which are incompatible with his hypothefis. This respectable writer (of whofe works we gave a large and particular account in our laft Appendix) attempts to accommodate the difference between the Materialists and Spiritualists, by fuppofing that there are certain common properties by which matter and spirit may reciprocally act on each other. Our Author is not fatisfied with this folution of the difficulty, and fays- If I might presume to exercise the office of a commentator on what M. de Luc hath delivered, I should explain his principles on this footing; that matter may be refined to fuch a degree as to emulate the fubtilty of fpirit; and on the contrary, that fpirit may be condensed into what approaches very nearly to the grofsnefs of matter; and that at thefe oppofite extremes of their respective scales they meet, and affume the common properties before spoken of.' On this intricate fubject it is hazardous to risk an opinion. The Author recommends a free difcuffion of it: and we think the hints thrown out by a very ingenious writer in the Gentleman's Magazine for March and April on the properties of matter, well deferving attention; though we almost despair of feeing any thing on a point of fuch exquifite fubtilty and refinement that will bring the controverfy to a decifive iffue. The laft fection, on the gradations in the works of Nature from the different claffes of vegetables to the various fpecies and ranks of animals and rational beings, is curious and fenfible. The notes at the end of the effay difcover both learning and tafte, and well illuftrate the feveral fubjects difcuffed in the preceding fections. On the whole, we have read thefe Mifcellaneous Obfervations' (which appear to have been written by a medical gentleman) with much pleasure: and though we do not in every refpect adopt his fentiments, yet we refpect his abilities, and applaud his candour. B...K. Tranflated from the ori- ART. XVI. Select Tragedies of Euripides. ginal Greek. 8vo. 6 s. Boards. F the twenty tragedies of Euripides, now extant, the prefent volume contains only four; the Phanifa, Iphigenia in Aulis, The Troades, and Oreftes. It is the Tranflator's intention, tention, as we learn from his fenfible and well-written Preface, fhould this attempt meet with encouragement, to tranflate the remainder. If, on the other hand,' fays he, it should appear that I am unequal to the tafk, I can lay down my pen without feeling any great mortification. In either cafe, I have the fatisfaction of reflecting, that I have spent thofe hours at least innocently, and with pleasure to myself, which, at my time of life, are generally loft in a circle of folly and diffipation.' Senfible as we are of the difficulty attendant on an undertaking fo arduous as the prefent, and defirous as we may be of fhewing every indulgence to a Writer who appears to have taken up the pen from fuch ingenuous motives; nevertheless, what we owe to the Public, in general, permits us not to be fo warm in our approbation of this performance as we could with. In his dialogue, though the Tranflator fometimes preferves the characteristic fimplicity and concifenefs of his original, yet he is too frequently languid and profaic; and in the choral parts there is an obvious want of animation and vigour, fo effential to Lyric compofition. In juftice to him, however, we must remark, that, as far as we have compared it with the original, his tranflation is faithful and clofe; except indeed in some of the Odes, in which he has indulged in greater latitude, though not in any unwarrantable deviations from the general scope or tendency of his original. As a fpecimen of this tranflation, we fhall lay before our Readers part of the first scene of the fifth act of the Troades: TALTHY BIUS, HECUBA, CHORUS. TALTHY BIUS. One fhip alone remains of all the proud The empty fhade of Hector!-mov'd with her woes, Great Hector's fon, who perish'd in his fall Prepares Prepares to celebrate, but as a fepulchre. Do thou adorn the body; we, meanwhile, HE CUB A. Oh! far remove the variegated shield And fear, left he might live one day to raise Can this poor infant fill your fouls with terror? How cruel was thy destiny !-so soon To feek the fhades of death!-had heaven thy life Oh tender hands! fweet mouth! eyes clos'd in death! With pious care, and offer on thy grave, My My treffes, and with mournful obfequies To thee, not thou to me!-worn down with years, A victim to the fears of Greece! Moft glorious this elogium for that nation! The gifts of fortune, never at a fiand, Shift here and there, perplexing human wisdom.' MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For JANUARY, 1781. POLITICAL. Art. 17. A Letter to Lieutenant General Burgoyne, occafioned by a fecond Edition of his State of the Expedition from Canada. 8vo. 1 s. Kearfly. 1780. goyne's State of the Expedition *, &c. had escaped his attention, but that the appearance of an advertisement announcing a Second edition, raifed his curiofity; and the perufal of it, he gives us to understand, has provoked his indignation, at the fame time that it has produced his contempt.' The Author's great purpose, in this Letter, is to defend Lord G. See Review for March 1780, p. 247. Rev. Jan. 1781. #gainft C-t-t. |