THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For

SEPTEMBER, 1793.

Memoirs of the Literary and Philofophical Society of Manchester. Vol. IV. Part I. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Cadell. 1793.

F the means of promoting ufeful learning, we know of none more important than the union of men of abilities, under regulations fimilar to thofe adopted by the Manchester Society; and it is with fome degree of pleafure that we find ourfelves called upon to give an account of the labours of that refpectable body in the inftance before us. The present publication, it feems, is to be confidered as only half tacir biennial volume, the completion of which, we are given to understand, will take place early in the next year. The con

tents are

Art. I. Reasons for fuppofing that Lakes have been more numerous than they are at prefent; with an Attempt to allign the Caufes whereby they have been defaced. By J. Gough, of Kendal.-Communicated by Dr. Percival. The author of this effay fuppofes, that, fince the creation, the face of the earth has undergone a confiderable change from the action of flight but inceffant caufes, and that, in the gradual progrefs of nature, from a rude to a more perfect ftate, thofe extenfive hollows in the furface of the earth, which were originally refervoirs for water, and which we call lakes, have been gradually filled up, and at length wholly obliterated, by the alternate production and death of aquatic and other vegetables, whofe component parts, he fays, undergo no decompofition, becaufe of their conftant fubmerfion, which he confiders as a means of preventing that action of the air, which would otherwife effect a diffolution of their particles. By this accumulation of vegetable matter, the adventitious mixture of other fubftances that defcend from the furface of the lake, and, above all, by the interweaving of the radical portions of plants, the production of peat is accounted for. The author also of fers fome ingenious conjectures on the difcovery of trees in thefe fituations, together with fome remarks not undeferving the attention of the naturalift. He fays,

C. R. N. ARR. (IX.) Sept. 1793.

B

• This

This method of converting a pond into land, evidently points out a procefs that would diminish the inequalities of a difordered continent and, if we leave fpeculation to compare the theory with what has paffed in the world, we fhall find every reason to believe, that the plan fuggefted by reflexion has been employed by nature in performing the bufinefs in queftion: for, it is upon this principle alone, that we can account for the production of those fiat marshes that fupply many countries in the north of Europe with fuel. Several circumftances concur to demonftrate, that thefe fwamps are indebted for their prefent appearance to the process described above; and perhaps it will not be improper to mention a number of facts in this place, that feem well calculated to establish the opinion. Could we remove from one of them all the peculiar foil whereby it is diftinguished from the furrounding land, the cavity left after the operation would foon be converted into a lake; for in every bog there is a quantity of water always ready to occupy any depreffion that will answer the purpose of a refervoir.'

Art. II. An Argument against the Doctrine of Materialism, addreffed to Thomas Cooper, Efq.-By John Ferriar, M. D. -This Argument confifts of a feries of facts, drawn from Morgagni, Haller, Vefalius, Diemerbroeck, Ambrofe Parè, Bonnet, and a variety of later anatomifts, to prove, that the exercise of reafon is not univerfally interrupted, as the materialists affert, by an impaired state of the fubftance of the brain. Some of the cafes adduced are ftrongly decifive of this queftion, and, confidering that wounds and other injuries of the brain prove fo commonly fatal, not a little curious in themfelves.

Art. III. Comments on Sterne. By John Ferriar, M. D. -In these remarks on the writings of Sterne, Dr. Ferriar profeffes to have no intention of treating him as a plagiarist.

If, fays he, fome instances of copying be proved against him, they will detract nothing from his genius, and will only leffen that impofing appearance he fometimes affumed, of erudition which he really wanted.'

Sterne was accufed by Voltaire of imitating Rabelais and Swift. The author thinks him indebted to the former for the general features, and even for many individual paffages in his celebrated Triftram Shandy.

Rabelais, fays he, flored with eradition, poured lavishly out, what Sterne directed and expanded with care, to enrich his pages. And to this appropriation, we owe many of his molt pleafing fallies. For being bounded in his literary acquirements, his imagination had freer play, and more natural graces. He feized the

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