If filings of zinc be digefted in a cauftic fixed alkali in a gentle heat, the zinc will be diffolved with effervefcence, and the alkali will be rendered in a great measure mild. But if, instead of filings of zinc, flowers of zinc be ufed, and treated in the fame manner, there will be no folution, and the alkali will remain cauftic. In the firft cafe the effervefcence arifes from the production of inflammable air, which phlogisticates the common air contiguous to it, and produces fixed air, which is immediately abforbed by the alkali, and renders it mild. In the second cafe, no inflammable air is produced, the common air is not phlogisticated, and confequently the alkali remains cauftic.' Mr. Cavendish, in his reply, obferves that the mildness of the alkali, in this inftance, was only ascertained by its making a flight effervefcence with an acid, which might arife from a feparation of inflammable air from the metal; but Mr. Kirwan rejoins, that this is not probable, fince the zinc was precipitated by adding the acid; and it is more likely that, as it was added flowly, it should attach the alkali than the metal. The next procefs which occurs, is the mixture of common and nitrous airs. The fixed air, in Mr. Kirwan's opinion, does not appear in this inftance, because it is united to the nitrous felenite, which feems, from an analogous experiment, capable of absorbing so much air as would prevent the limewater from becoming turbid; but, on varying it, the appearance was not fo obvious. Mr. Kirwan, in answer to this fact, thinks, that fixed air, in a nafcent ftate, is more capable of being abforbed than at any future period. When nitrous and common air are mixed over mercury, no diminution takes place till water is admitted; therefore, fays Mr. Kirwan, the pure air is not changed into water.-Not on that account, replies Mr. Cavendish, but because the nitrous vapour is condenfed only by means of water. It cannot be vapour, rejoins Mr. Kirwan, because it is not condensed by cold. The black powder, produced by feparating lead from mercury, by means of fhaking it in water, is now found actually to produce fixed air; fo that we need not dwell on the difpute occafioned by this circumftance. Mr. Kirwan had alledged, that red precipitate, combined with iron filings, would produce fixed air. Mr. Cavendish, with reason, confiders it as a very material fact, but attributes the fixed air to the plumbago contained in the iron, of which, a large portion is air of this kind. In pursuing this idea, he actually found more fixed air from the plumbago, feparated from a given quantity of iron-filings, than when the fame quan quantity of the filings themfelves were employed. Mr. Kirwan rejoins, that more fixed air is found in this experiment, than is ufually in the largeft proportion of plumbago ever found in iron. We have thus given an impartial outline of the more important parts of this controverfy, from refpect to the knowlege and abilities of the opponents. There are fome other matters in difpute of lefs moment, which we cannot enlarge on. On this fubject we ought not to decide, yet perhaps we may be allowed to add a few observations. It will be obvious, that to determine a difpute of this fort, the nature of fixed air fhould be better understood. Mr. Kirwan always refers to Dr. Black's opinion of its being common air, combined with phlogifton; but to this there are many obvious objections, and Mr. Cavendish has not given his fentiments on it. On the whole, the existence of a doubt is rather an argument againft Mr. Kirwan: a general law will appear in every inftance; and there are many where no fixed air appears from phlogification. Mr. Kirwan's answer on the fubject of nitrous felenite is, we think, a tacit confeflion that fixed air is probably not formed in that procefs. The only experiment that will decidedly determine the difpute is, the calcination of metals in clofe veffels. If fixed air then appears, it will be probably derived from the air around, either. changed by phlogiftication, or modified by its connection with the calx. The examination of each fuppofition will materially elucidate the nature of this peculiar air, which, though first obferved, is probably lefs understood than any other. But there is another view which may be taken of the fame fubject. We now fee different fubftances, which we have ufually examined as folid, put on the appearance of vapour; and it is highly probable, that many of the different airs have no more connection with common air, than one folid with another : they may agree in form, and be effentially different in fubflance. The great fource of fixed air is the mineral kingdom, from whence it feems to be carried into the conftitution of vegetables and animals; and probably fome future experiments may find it to be a well-known fubftance, in a peculiar difguife. We fhould therefore be cautious in limiting our en quiries, and instead of looking up to the atmosphere alone for the origin of this fpecies of air, we fhould vary our experi ments, fo as at laft to detect the general law of nature from the midst of its numerous exceptions. 1 Poetry, Poetry, by Richard Crashaw, who was a Canon in the Chapel of Loretto. Small 8vo. 35. ferved. Bell. GRafhaw lived before the middle of the last century. His works, now become scarce, are published by Mr. Peregrine Phillips, attorney at law (as he thinks proper to tell us), author of the Brighthelmftone Diary, &c. &c.' If Mr. Phillips had only multiplied the copies of a good writer, he would have deferved the thanks of the literary world; but, as he has brought an accufation of plagiarism against two of our greatest poets, it is neceffary to examine how far they are guilty of the charge, and either to condemn them or their accufer. Something is due, he fays, to works of merit, if not to the authors; and though it may be deemed wonderful, that writers of eminence in the English language, fhould have joined in a poetical confederacy, to diveft this poor gentleman of his rights, and dress themselves in his borrowed robes, without the smallest acknowledgment; yet, how much will the wonder encrease, when the fweeteft verfifier, declaredly at least of the fame perfuafion, is found among the number; for whoever reads Mr. Pope's epitaph on Elijah Fenton, will be obliged to confefs, that he has not only adopted the thoughts, but in fome places the very words, of our author's epitaph on Mr. Ashton: Pope's feint praife might therefore be the most probable means of fecreting his obligations to one, whom he affects rather to contemn, which appears by his epiftolary correfpondence, upon this fubject, with H. Cromwell, efq. for the fake of candor it is fubjoined nor is this all, for Milton fold his copy of the Paradise Loft, April 27, 1667, above twenty years after the first appearance of Crafhaw's Sofpetto D'Herode, and the reader will discover how ferviceable to that fublime writer it mult have been with forrow we are conftrained to add, he will not discover, that the service derived, or even the name of the author, was ever acknowledged: Dr. Young, Mr. Grey, and many other celebrated British poets, are in the fame predicament; but to particularize further would be, in fome degree, an infult to the intelligent reader; befides, this inquiry is inflituted more to do juftice, than to arraign; and happy is it for this enlightened age, that the prefent æra of religious moderation, will allow an adminiftration of justice to the long-fince departed.' : We will first examine the charge against Milton. Crafhaw fhews you plainly the devil in hell;' Milton pourtrays Satan in the infernal regions.' In the former he is the ugly, ftinking, deformed, tooth-tail and claw devil, of old women and children; in the latter, he is no less than arch-angel ruined.' If Milton had received all his information concern ing ing the infernal fpirit from Crafhaw, was there no merit in the imitation being fo vaftly fuperior to the original? Though the defcription in Crafhaw is turgid, bombast, and sidiculous, yet there are many lines which are truly fublime, and of which Milton has made that juftifiable ufe which one poet has ever made of another. But the charge against Pope is more pointed and particular. His epitaph on Elijah Fenton is confeffedly borrowed from that of Mr. Afhton. Mr. Pope has taken it without making his acknowledgments; and, if it was a fault, let Pope fuffer for it. But pray, Mr. Phillips, is the taking another man's thoughts, unacknowledged, fo great a crime? Confider, before you pronounce fentence. When we read your address to the reader, we recognised fome paffages in it extremely like what we recollected in a work we have had occafion to mention with respect, we mean the Thirty Letters on various Subjects. Was it from never reading Quarles, or taking his character from common report, that Pope confidered his productions as the very bathos of poetry? Poor Quarles! thou haft had many enemies, and art now forgotten. But thou haft at last found a friend,-not equal indeed to the task of turning the tide, which has been flowing for an hundred years. against thee, not equal to his wishes for giving thee, and every neglected genius, his due fhare of reputation, but barely capable of laying the firft ftone of thy temple of fame, which he leaves to be completed by abler and by stronger hands.' Now, fir, when you lay poor Crafhaw, to have not only the reputation, &c.-Mr. Pope led the fashion, &c.- Truth will prevail, and abler advocates may be ftimulated to assist in reftoring literary merit to its proper ftation in the temple of fame, without refpect,' &c. is it poffible not to see in whose fields you have been poaching? If then you will acquit Mr. Pope of unfair imitation, we will return the compliment.With regard to Young and Gray, we plead ignoramus: we cannot trace any resemblance. Pope's opinion of Crafhaw is nearly our own, fo that we fhall tranfcribe it. This author formed himself upon Petrarch, or rather upon Marino. His thoughts, one may obferve, in the main, are pretty; but often-times far fetched, and too often strained and tiffened to make them appear the greater. For men are never fo apt to think a thing great, as when it is odd or wonderful; and inconfiderate authors would rather be admired than underfood. This ambition of furprising a reader, is the true natural caufe of all fuftian, or bombaft in poetry.' The The best complete poem of Crafhaw is that in praife of Leffius, his Rule of Health,' which we will infert as a fpecimen of his abilities. Go now, with fome daring drug, Go, poor man, think what shalt be, That which makes us have no need Of phyfic, that's phyfic indeed. Hark hither, reader, would't thou fee, Would'ft fee a man, all his own wealth, Would't see a man, whose well warm'd blood, A man, whofe tuned humours be, A fet of rareft harmony? Would't fee blithe looks, fresh cheeks beguile Warm thoughts, free fpirits, flattering In fum would't fee a man, that can VOL. LIX. April 1783. Whofe |