Among the authors lefs read at prefent than they deferve, to whose writings attention will undoubtedly be revived by the recommendation of Dr. Parr, are the excellent Profeffor Hutchefon* (author of the Enquiry into the Ideas of Beauty and Virtue, the Treatife on the Paffions, and the fyftem of Moral Philofophy) and Mr. Dugald Stewart. The fubjects principally illuftrated are the nature of justice and benevalence (particularly in oppofition to the author of a book, now nearly forgotten, called Political Juftice) and the abfurdity of Atheifm. Among the excellent obfervations which Dr. P. has written and collected on the subject of Atheism, the following paffage is fo eminently good as to demand our public approbation. We are particularly pleafed with the very juft remarks on the confcious infecurity of Atheifts in their own opinions.

"What, I would afk, are the general effects of Superftition and Atheism upon the happiness and the conduct of mankind? Superftition, it is granted, has many direct forrows, but Atheism has no direct joys. Superftition admits fear mingled with hope, but Atheism, while it excludes hope, affords a very imperfect fecurity against fear. Superftition is never exposed to the dreary vacuities in the foul, over which Atheism is wont to brood in folitude and filence; but Atheism is fometimes haunted by forebodings fcarcely lefs confufed, or lefs un. quiet, than those by which Superftition is annoyed. Superstition stands aghaft at the punishments referved for wicked men in another ftate; but Atheism cannot difprove the poffibility of such a state to all men, accompanied by confcioufnefs, and fraught with evils equally dreadful in degree, and even in duration, with thofe punishments. Superftition has often preserved men from crimes; but Atheism tends to protect them from weakneffes only. Superftition impofes fresh restraints upon the fenfual appetites, though it may often let loose the malignant paffions; but Atheism takes away many reftraints from those appetites, without throwing equal checks upon thofe paffions, under many circumftances which may excite them in the minds of its votaries. Superftition is eager from a vicious excefs of credulity, but Atheism is often obftinate from an excess of incredulity, equally vicious. Superftition is fometimes docile from confcious weaknefs; but Atheism is always haughty from real or fuppofed ftrength. Superftition errs, and perverts only in confequence of errour; but Atheism rejects, and, for the moft part, difdains to examine after rejection. Superftition catches

For the wife and virtuous Hutchefon I feel the fame veneration which Dr. Reid and Dr. A. Smith have frequently exprefled. But from my converfation with men of letters, I have reafon to fear that his writings are too much neglected. If therefore the frequent, and, I truft, the pertinent quotations I have made from them, fhould be infrumental in bringing them back to the notice of my countrymen, I fhall have rendered no inconfiderable service to the cause of virtue.”

at

at appearances, but Atheism ftarts back from realities. Superftition may, in fome favourable moment, be awakened to the call of truth; but Atheism is generally deaf to the voice of that "charmer, charın the ever fo wifely."

When I read the 'Aμažiaî júμæra of Lucretius and other antieng Atheills, when I fee them παλακίζοντας καὶ ἀλαζονευομένους upon their fuperiority to popular prepoffeffions and vulgar terrours, I am fomezimes led to fufpect, that like heroes who laugh at fpeétres by day-light, and fhudder at them in the dark, they were ftruggling with inquietude, which they wished to conceal as well as to alluage, and endeavouring to collect that courage from the bustle of their words, which they did not habitually feel within the recefles of their hearts. My prefent concern, I am aware, is not with the fpeculative proofs, but with the moral effects of Atheifin. Yet upon a queftion, which, in the abflrufer parts of it, is by a very wife man called " perdifficilis et perobfcura," and to the confideration of which," omnes duce na zura vehimur," we may, without the imputation of folly, venture to aik, whether the arguments against Theifm be fuch as ufually to produce a steady affent, and to warrant an unlimited affiance. Without the imputation of perverfenefs, we may not be in hafte to apply to the judgment of every Atheist, what Taylor eloquently fays of the will, that, "like the magnetic needle, it was full of trembling and uncer tainty ere it became fixed at its beloved point, wavered at first, because at firft it doubted, and then was at reft, because it could doubt no more." After reaching that ftate of ret, Atheism indeed may have the credit of refcuing a man from the agitations of delofive hopes, and the torments of groundlefs fears. But may it not destroy at the fame time other fears, which are very falutary in checking our fantastic defires, and in calming our turbulent refentments; and may it not extinguish other hopes too, which feem neceffary to fupport the bulk of mankind in their paffage through this vale of tears?" P. 97.

Many other fentiments of weight and value, on the fame fubject, will be found in this part of the notes. At p. 107, the author, recollecting that fome of the fentiments of M. Turgot, whom he oppofes on the fubject of public charities, might poffibly be turned alfo againft our English univerfities, enters into a long and elaborate defence of thofe most excellent inftitutions. In the courfe of this defence, he is more particularly engaged with Mr. Gibbon than with Turgot; and answers the reflections of that author against Oxford, which appear in his pofthumous works, in the most impreffive and masterly style. He has taken this opportunity alfo of paying compliment to a very large lift of academical men, whom he mentions as living proofs of the advantages to be derived from the education of Oxford and Cambridge. We honour the enthufiafm which dictated this recapitulation, and the feeling by which it is continued; and cannot forbear to fay, that if it depended on the unanimous vote of thofe whom he has thus celebrated, the

pame

name of Dr. Parr would be added to the lift, in fome very con¬ fpicuous and honourable place. With refpect to the particulars of the defence, the part, in our opinion, most important, because opposed to a prejudice very ftrongly excited by the words of Gibbon, is that where he accounts, from the change of manners, for the difufe of public lectures. The elements of the learned languages, the Doctor argues, inftead of being taught by Profeffors, as in the days of Cheke and Smith, are now learned previously at schools. The fcholaftic fyftems, which the old Profeffors conveyed, are now alfo difufed.

"The multiplication of books, the facility of procuring them, and the custom of reading them, may be confidered as additional reasons for the diminished ufefulness of lectures, upon the abftrufer parts of fcience, and upon various fubjects of claffical, and even oriental lite

rature.

"Under thefe circumftances, which Mr. Gibbon was well qualified to appreciate, if he had been difpofed to examine them, the inftruction which formerly was conveyed by Profeffors to a promifcuous multitude of the young, the old, the trifling loiterer, and the attentive student, affembled in the fchools, is now configned with happier effect to private and public tutors within the walls of colleges. The plans for fuch inftruction admit fufficient comprehenfion and fufficient regularity for ufe. The divifiors are easily adapted to the capacities of thofe, who understand what they have heard, and retain what they have underftood. The tutor can interrogate where the lecturer, perhaps, would only dictate, and therefore, in his intercourfe with learners, he has more opportunities for afcertaining their proficiency, correcting their mifapprehenfions, and relieving their embarrailments. Doubtless,

when the prefent condition of academical affairs is compared with that of which we read in the last century, and those which preceded it, appearances are much changed, but the fubftance remains unimpaired. A conceited and fuperficial fpectator may eatily deceive himself; but a difpaffionate and judicious obferver will underftand, and often approve. A witling may glean materials for raillery, but a fcholar will find ample room for reflection and commendation. Reports may fometimes mifguide thofe who are content to hear only; but facts will intereft, and upon the whole, fatisfy thofe who frequently and carefully infpect." P. 126.

With the ftrongest conviction do we affert, on the whole, that the attack of Gibbon on the univerfities was frivolous and fuperficial, and that the defence of Dr. Parr is found, able, and irrefiftible.

In one digreffion which Dr. Parr has admitted, we are particularly concerned. In his eightieth page, he cites the "Picture of Christian Philofophy," by Mr. Fellowes; and then enters into a strenuous vindication of the author, against the cenfure of our Review. For the handfome manner in which he

has

has done this, he deferves our thanks; and by the very ftrong commendations he has given to the character of Mr. F. he certainly more than repays him for any confequence that could arife from our cenfure. We rejoice to read fuch a teftimony in favour of Mr. F. of whom our reviewer judged, we know, without any perfonal knowledge, and merely from the internal evidence of his work. Of the book we think as we did : that it is in many points dangerous, and in many rash. If the author is not exactly what we conjectured from the book, it is no new thing for a book to convey a wrong idea of the writer; and we are truly glad that the difference is, in this instance, on the favourable fide.

We fhall here take our leave of a difcourfe*, as remarkable perhaps for the abundance of matter difcuffed in, or connected with it, as any Sermon that was ever published. What we think it neceffary to fay to any opponents of the doctrines here defended, will be referred to other articles.

ART. VIII. Medical Inquiries and Obfervations, containing an Account of the Yellow Fever as it appeared in Philadelphia in 1797, and Obfervations upon the Nature and Cure of the Gout and Hydrophobia, By Benjamin Rufb, M. D. Profeffor of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania. Vol. V. 8vo. 236 pp. 5s. Mawman.

IN the firft part, comprising a little more than half the volume,

this author gives an account of the yellow fever at Philadelphia, as it appeared in the year 1797. This is preceded by an account of the weather, and certain phænomena in the elements, that had been obferved, from the time the fever of 1794 had fubfided, to its reappearance, in order to connect this part with what the author had before written on the fubject. This we mention, as countenancing the opinion of Mr. Webster, noticed in our Review for Auguft laft, p. 161, that the yellow, and in general all peftilential fevers, are preceded by fome difturbances in the elements, fuch as the appearance of a comet, eruptions of volcanos, ftorms, tempefts, fevere frofts, inundations, &c. In Auguft, 1795, the author fays, there were heavy showers of rain which carried away the fences, bridges, barns, mills, and

* We are forry to obferve, though fufficient caufes perhaps may be affigned, that this publication abounds with errors of the prefs.

dwelling

dwelling-houses, in many places; feveral cafes of bilious yellow fever occurred about this time, one of them attended with cynanche trachealis. In July, 1796, a beautiful corona, or halo appeared, and in the fpring and fummer of the following years, unequal quantities of mufquitoes, ants, and cockroaches, were obferved, and the martins and fwallows were faid to have difappeared for a time from the city and its neighbourhood; a difeafe alfo prevailed among the cats, which was generally fa tal. Soon after the yellow fever made its appearance in the city. The author defcribes eleven different forms under which this fever appeared, then adds,

"Notwithstanding this variety of forms, the moderate cafes were f:w, compared with thofe of a malignant and dangerous nature. It was upon this account that the mortality was greater, in the fame number of patients, who were treated with the fame remedies, than it was in the years 1793 and 1794." P. 36.

The number of deaths, by the fever, in the months of Auguft, September, and October, 1797, amounted to between ten and eleven hundred. This great mortality, the author attributes to the neglect of bleeding and other evacuants, in the commencement of the fever, on the early and liberal use of which, he conceives the whole cure to depend.

"Mr. Brown's fever," he fays, " was cured by the lofs of upwards of an hundred ounces of blood, and a plentiful falivation. Mr. Smith, miftaking the nature of the difeafe with which he was attacked, deferred calling in affiftance, until the fever had made fuch an impreffion on his vifcera, that depleting remedies were in vain used to cure him. He died in the prime of life," &c. P. 32.

If called early, Dr. Rufh always began by bleeding the patient. The quantity of blood drawn, and the number of times the operation was repeated, depended rather on the intenfenefs of the fever, than the conftitution of the patient. He mentions one cafe in which 150, and another in which 176, ounces of blood were taken away fuccefsfully. He then gave brifk purges to remove the putrid faburra with which the bowels, he fays. were always loaded. Twenty grains of calomel, administered by itself, and repeated at intervals, were found moft effectual in anfwering this purpose. If the fever ftill continued, he had recourfe to frictions with mercurial ointment to excite falivation, on the early appearance of which, the fuccefs of the procefs depended. He only loft two patients, he fays, on whom the mercury produced its specific effect. He decries the use of emetics, and mentions two or three perfons who died foon after taking them. Salivation was not fuccefsful, unless pre- ceded by bleeding and purging.

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BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XVIII. JULY, 1801,

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