little value, either in the speculations of the physiologist or the practice of the physician. Notwithstanding the genius of Brown, it appears to us sufficiently evident that he had not a distinct conception of the whole of his hypothesis; and that he did not attach a definite idea even to its fundamental propositions. An inconsistency of this kind is pointed out by Mr. Morrison in the account which is given of this same property, excitability; a circumstance which lies at the very foundation of his system, and on which its merits must in a considerable degree depend. We are told that the nature of excitability is altogether unknown; and that therefore we are not to conceive of it as a thing to which me.sures of quantity can be applied, although the poverty of language may oc casionally render such expressions necessary: but can any one have paid the slightest attention to the subject, without being convinced that not merely the expressions, but the very substance of the whole theory, consist in ascertaining the increase or diminution of this property; and that its boasted simplicity entirely depends on reducing all diseases to a scale of quantity? Mr. M. farther attacks the Brunonian hypothesis on the manner in which the exciting powers are supposed to produce the two states of direct and indirect debility, which in his opinion involves a palpable contradiction. We are first informed that, by diminishing these powers, the excitability or vital principle is accumu. lated; whereas we are afterward told that, by the progressive removal of the exciting powers, the vital principle is gradually dimi. nished, until it is at length extinguished. The idea of the Brunonian indirect debility appears to this author equally paradoxical. In this condition of the system, the vital principle is supposed to be accumulated in the highest degree, and yet it is exhausted by the most trifling exertion; so that the more of life the body possesses, the less able is it to perform the actions of vitality. The vague and ill defined manner, in which the term stimulus was employed by Brown, affords another striking instance of his tendency to premature generalization; in fact, the word stimulus, as used by this sect, means nothing more than action or effect; for what farther resemblance can be traced between the operation of lightening, arsenic, food, and alcohol, all which are referred to the head of stimulants ? Although we think that this treatise exhibits marks of ability, it has not that decided excellence which can enable it to make any great impression on the public mind. Indeed, our opinion is that the popularity of the Brunonian doctrine is rapidly declining; and though it may continue to catch the attention of the student by its boldness and simplicity, the absolute impossibility of reconciling it to the phænomena of disease must be an insuperable bar to its reception by the experienced practitioner. Bos MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 33. A Letter to Samuel Whitbread, Esq. M.P. containing some Remarks on the Poor Laws, leading to a Description of the peculiar Poor Situation of the Hamlet of Mile End New-Town, Stepney. Stepney. By the Rev. John Cottingham. 8vo. Pamphlet. 1807. After some general observations on the imperfection of our System, of Poor Laws, Mr. C. proceeds to corroborate the statement of Mr. Hale, (see an account of his pamphlet in our last Number, P. 331) respecting the distressed situation of the Hamlet of Mile-End New Town; the features of its misery being without a parallel, and admitting no prospect of relief within itself. It may be presumed that this singular case will not be overlooked by the Legislature, and that some means will be devised to alleviate the hardships which so greviously oppress this district. Art. 34. The Principles and Regulations of Tranquillity; an Institution commenced in the Metropolis, for encouraging and enabling industrious and prudent Individuals in the various Classes of the Com-· munity, to provide for themselves, by the Payment of small weekly Sums, in such a Way as shall secure to each Contributor, or to his Widow and Children, the Benefit of his own Economy, for receiving the Savings of Youth of both Sexes, and returning the same at the Time of Marriage, with Interest and proportionate Premiums thereupon; for enabling Parents, by the Payment of small Suns at the Birth of their Children, to provide Endowments for them at the Age of 21 Years; and also for other useful and important Purposes, particul rly for concentrating and applying the Exertions of the Liberal to the Benefit of the Indigent, so as to prevent the Unworthy claiming, or the Impostor abusing, their Benevolence; and thus affecting the gradual Abolition of the Poor's Rate, whilst it increases the Comforts of the Poor By John Bone, Author of an "Outline of a Plan for reducing the Poor's Rate, &c. in a Letter to the Right Honorable George Rose, M. P." Svo. PP. 99. 3s 6d. Asperne. 105. The So ample a title fully informs the reader of the nature of the pamph let: but the subject is too great to be treated in the cursory way of which our plan, as it respects tracts of this sort, will admit zeal, activity, and diligence, displayed by the writer, are highly commendable; and persons who direct their attention to the important matters here under consideration, whatever they may think of the scheme, will meet with hints and observations which are well worthy of consideration. Art. 35. The Speech of Randle Jackson, Esq. addressed to the Honorable the Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to consider the State of the Woollen Manufacture of England, on Behalf of the Cloth-workers and Shearmen of the Counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire. P blishedby them from the Short-hand Copy of Mr. Gurney. 8vo. pp. 79. Is. 6d. Stockdale. 1806. This speech is professedly in behalf of that description of manufacturers named in the title, whose case, from their having been for three or four years under Mr. Jackson's paternal guidance and di rection,' is supported with considerable zeal. With the interests of his clients, however, the speaker combines views of a public nature. Moy Jo. While the Cloth-workers and Shearmen complain of the Gig-mills and Shearing Frames, on account of their effect in throwing them out of employment, their advocate enlarges on the depopulating tendency of these machines; on their being injurious to the fabric, the former by over stretching, and the latter by knibbing or cutting holes; and he calls on the legislature to interpose its authority in preserving the reputation of the woollen manufacture, which is in danger, accord ing to his representation, of falling a sacrifice to private avarice. Mr. Jackson contends that the reputation of the great staple manufacture of the country ought not to be surrendered, without check, to the self interested views of the manufacturer; and he recommends it to the legislature to support and invigorate the system of searching and sealing. In the last place, he offers his protest against the abo lition of the system of apprenticeship. The credit of Great Britain in the foreign market must certainly depend on the excellence of its fabrics; and, disapproving of the modern cant' as he calls it, that men's own interest is a sufficient security for the observance of right,' Mr. Jackson urges the policy of placing the manufacturer under wholesome regulations. SINGLE SERMONS. Art. 36. A Defence of the established Protestant Faith, preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary, Newington Butts, in the County of Surrey, October 19, 1806, being the Sunday following the Interment of the late Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of St. Asaph; with an Appendix containing a Sketch of the Life of the Bishop. By Robert Dickenson, Curate and Lecturer. Svo. 25. Ri vingtons. Did the preacher intend, by this discourse, to convince his audience that he had caught the late Bp. of St. Asaph's mantle? If this was his design, he has rather overacted his part. Dr. Horsley, with all his zeal against sectaries, would not have been so indiscreet as to assert, with Mr. D., that the Church has shewn a peaceable disposition in permitting sectaries to follow quietly their own approved principles.' Would this preacher claim a merit for our Established Church, because she abstains from persecuting her quiet Protestant brethren? When such assertions are made, we may fear that some few of her members, if left to themselves, would not permit the sectary to follow his principles; especially after we have read in a note that, if our Saviour was to pass by a certain methodistic place of worship in Newington Butts, inscribed the House of God, he would enter in and scourge them out for a den of thieves. To this illiberal language, so ill suited to the 19th century, is subjoined a wish that the public influence of sectaries was abolished by authority of Parliament. How ignorant must Mr. D. be of the principles of religious liberty, or of the true policy of States! On the treatment of sects, the advice of Gamaliel is wisdom. The memoir briefly notices the prominent events in Dr. Horsley's learned and active life. He was born at Thorley in Essex, in October 1733, and died at Brighton, October 4, 1806. Moy Art. Art. 37. The Spirituality of the Divine Essence. Preached before the In speaking of the Divine Nature, we employ words with very inadequate notions. The text of this discourse, (John iv. 24.) though in the shape of a positive proposition, conveys only negative ideas; and it is thus contemplated by the sensible preacher. It asserts that God is not matter, but possesses in his nature properties infinitely superior to and distinct from it; or is an eternal, independent, infinite, almighty, immutable, holy, and good spirit, having neither a body nor parts of a body. This doctrine is established by the marks of intelligence observable in the universe, by the creation of inferior spiritual beings, and by the testimony of revelation. Hence is deduced the importance of religion, the folly of idolatry, and the nature of acceptable worship. To this elaborate discourse is added a suitable improvement. 'Sir, CORRESPONDENCE. To the EDITOR of the MONTHLY REVIEW. Mo-y 3d April, 1807. IN your Review for February, p. 221, you ask a question, which I beg leave to answer, as it may prove highly detrimental to Messrs. Dring and Fage, by obstructing the sale of an article, of which they are the proprietors. Clarke's hydrometer is the only one used, or allowed by Government, for estimating the strength of spirits either in the Customs or Excise; nor is there, as far as I can learn, the least intention of disusing it. : Permit me to add, that I prefixed the word Genuine, to distinguish my book from another with a title nearly similar and I trust the Reviewer will allow that spurious arts, and spurious practices, are sometimes adopted in many things: and that many, who may possibly have learned both decima! fractions, and the extraction of roots, when at school, have forgotten them too far to apply them when they set about gauging, without the assistance of some remembrancer. To a candid reader, too, I apprehend, nothing I have given will be found superfluous; though surely such a one cannot deem the whole of Euclid's Elements necessary. We have received a letter from Mr. Winter, in which he intimates a want of candour in our account of his Sermon On the endless Duration of Future Punishment: (Rev. for March, p. 335.) but we are rather surprized at such a charge, when we studiously endeavoured to distinguish between the preacher and his argument. We allowed Mr. W. to be what we believe he is, a very amiable man, though we could not suffer his reasoning to pass without animadversion, when we regarded it as subversive of all our notions of the divine rectitude. We grant that theologians, who take his side of the question, are induced by the laudable motive of deterring sinners: but they seem not aware that their argument, by destroying the moral attributes of God, would tend, if duly considered, to annihilate our love and reverence for the Deity, and in course to annihilate the first principle of religion. Scripture should therefore be judiciously interpreted on this point. That the meaning of words is influenced by the connection in which they stand, and by the subject to which they are applied, is very evident. In the present case, would not Mr. Winter smile with contempt at a writer who should quote the expressions of Scripture," everlasting mountains," and "everlasting bills," as proofs of the eternal existence of the world? It is of little consequence · whether κολάσιν or ολεθρον be used. The latter is, as we remarked, employed in the text of the sermon: but we readily acknowlege an oversight on this point, as stated by Mr. W. in his letter, and have to observe that in Matthew 25. 46, to which he refers at p. 18, as the strongest evidence on the subject, the word xoxл and not oλ9gor will be found-While we combat the doctrine of eternal punishment in another world, we certainly shall not hesitate to exonerate Mr. W. from temporary censure at our insignificant tribunal, when it appears to have been erroneously bestowed. Moy We know nothing of the work mentioned by W. H. in a letter dated Lincoln, July 18, 1807 but perhaps our acquaintance with it may commence before the arrival of the time thus anticipated. : J.W.H. has our thanks for his polite communication, and for the justice which he renders to our feelings in supposing that it cannot be otherwise than acceptable to us as literary men. We are scarcely aware, however, to what use we can apply it, since we are ignorant of the book to which it refers, but which we suspect to be a periodical publication not cognizable by us. Our friend S. G. mistakes the meaning of the passage on which he founds his inference. When we spoke of Surveyors, (see Rev. for March, p. 308.) we quoted the term used by the writer of the work then before us, but certainly did not design to pass a censure on architects. We know that the words are at present too often confounded: but we intended then, and do now wish, to protest against such indiscriminate language:-a title, which is applicable only to scientific and well educated artists, should not be conferred on measurers and builders :- the context, we think, might have illustrated our meaning. To what precise description of persons the author of the book meant to refer, it is mo more within his power than ours to ascertain. The APPENDIX to this Vol. of the Review will be published with the Number for May, on the 1st of June. Errors, p. 370 371 • |