A View of the Arts and Sciences, from the earliest Times to the Age of Alexander the Great. By the Rev. James Bannifter. 800. 35. Bell. M Select R. Bannister is, we find, the tranflator of the Tragedies of Euripides,' which we reviewed in our fiftieth volume, page 161 and he refers to the introduction to that tranflation, for his View' of Poetry. The arts and sciences here confidered are, Architecture, Aftronomy, Language, Heathen Mythology, Moral Philofophy, and Natural Philofophy. Indeed to review thefe fubjects, during the period to which our author has confined his researches, with precifion, would require an ample volume. It will appear probable, therefore, from the fize of that before us, that he has skimmed over the furface, rather than plunged into the deep; and, contented with the little generally known, has not been eager to pursue his researches. The fufpicion will be confirmed by an examination; for, though at times, particularly on the fubject of hieroglyphics, and the Eleufinian mysteries, he starts with brave diforder' from the beaten tract, we foon perceive whom he follows, and perceive that he follows with unequal steps. Dr. Warburton's opinion on thefe fubjects has been often examined; and we are not now either to blame or praise, what the world has already decided on. To the celebrated Cudworth too he is deeply indebted. In other refpects, Mr. Bannister may appear to have avoided error, because he thinks with the majority; but the learning of our younger days is encumbered with more fable than we have hitherto fufpected; and it is now time to examine, instead of repeating without attention, or relating the ten-times told story without variety. Our author is claffically right, and very often, we fear, effentially wrong: he creeps in one even tenor; and, though we cannot frequently blame, we are inclined to fleep. The following is a copy, but it is quaint and affected; and the author's judgment, if exerted, fhould have led him to have despised it. The Ionic pillar (invented by the Ionians of Afia-Minor fome time afterwards) represents a virgin in the bloom of youth -its proportions are more delicate, its capital is more ornamented than the Doric, and its height is equal to eight diameters. The characteristics of this order are, chastity, neatnefs, and elegance, and from the inventors it received its name.' Again, when Mr. Bannister talks of geometry and arithmetic contributing to the comfort and ornament of life,' he fpeaks from books, without examination of the real influence of S 4 these these scierces on the practical arts which contribute to either. As to ornaments,' we know not whether he means to allude to the regularity with which the rays are refracted and reflected in the diamond; but we suspect that the lapidary seldom ftudies this fcience, or the lady who adorns herself with jew-els, knows a prifm from a parallelopiped. We shall felect one quotation, because it seems to contain fome original opinions; perhaps it may appear more clear to the reader than, we confefs, it does to us. They are likewife (viz. the Greeks,) juftly chargeable with making the peace and happiness of fociety the ultimate end of all their philofophy; and we fee them often facrifice morality to politics, truth to utility. That truth is infepara bly connected with real utility, and morality with found politics, cannot be denied; but to a being of such limited facul ties as man, whose knowledge, even in what relates to his own happiness, is imperfect and fuperficial, cafes must frequently occur, in which his duty and apparent interest must be at variance, if from an enlarged way of thinking, and a native elevation of mind, he is led to facrifice private confiderations to the good of the fociety to which he belongs.-Yet when the mistaken interest of his country calls upon him to violate any of the moral duties, I fee no principle to refrain him, as . his views are bounded by what he fuppofes to be the general good. This will account for the lawless ambition, the injus tice, and even the cruelty of fome of the greatest names in antiquity, who have been at the fame time defervedly admired for ther humility, moderation, juftice, and benevolence. They were fenfible whilft acting like private men and citizens, that a firict regard to morals was abfolutely neceffary for the exiftence and well-being of fociety: but when dazzled by the fplendour of conqueft, or bewildered in the dark and intricate mazes of policy, as they loft fight of the utility of virtue, for they too often difregarded her dictates. It is remarkable that the ancient philofophers, even whilst they taught the most sublime truths, fo far from expreffing any averfion to the superftition and idolatry of the national religion, encouraged, both by precept and example, an external conformity to its most abfurd ceremonies.' We ought not to deny the author his proper praife. His obfervations are frequently juft, and a wish to make us wifer and happier is often confpicuous: in morality and religion," we perceive no failing. His language is generally exact and perfpicuous; it is always neat, and fometimes elegant.. A Treatife I Balaruc, in the South of A Treatise on the Mineral Waters of WE E were fomewhat furprised at the Approbation' annexed to this treatife, especially as it is not uncommon for the examiner to pay a flight compliment even to indifferent performances. Monfieur Lamure, on the contrary, tells us, that he has found nothing in it but what led to the end which the author propofed to himjelf;' and, as we are not in his confidence in what he propofed, we must truly add, that we can find nothing at all in it. As a chemical work, it is extremely trifling, and, as a medical one, very erroneous. It might be expected that a phyfician, within twenty miles. of the fountain, would have afcertained the contents of the water by analysis; or that a Doctor, of Phyfic of the Faculty of Montpelier' would, at least, have been informed what other chemifts had done. On the contrary, he profeífes to enquire into the contents of the water by its effects; but we at laft find, that its properties are decided by an analysis of the author's own imagination. Dr. Pouzaire has not mentioned the opinion of Du Clos, but feems to have followed him in thinking the faline contents of the water to be fea falt. He feems not to have examined the analyfis of Meffrs. Regis and Dedier, or that of Monfieur Vieffens, who have, at leaft, fhown that we ought not to fuppofe the question clear and decided; for there are many reasons to think that the neutral is of a very different kind. These examinations he feems to overlook; but evaporates the water, and tells us that it contains earth and falts; that the earth is felenite, and the falt marine; without any experiment on the nature of the refiduum. Powder of galls, he observes, makes no change in it, and, contrary to Mefirs. Regis and Dedier, he afferts, that its fulphureous fmell is fenfible only after it has been confined; but very wifely adds, that it may contain iron and fulphur, though there is no indication of their existence, except in the fediment, which feems fulphurcous. After this judicious conclufion, he determines that, as they contain mineral tonics, diuretics, aperitives, and diaphoretics, they ought to partake of all their virtues united. This is a miracle exceeding Lord Peter's, fince almost every medical excellence is contained in felenite, and a neutral refembling fea falt; for there is not the flightest evidence of any other impregnation, we mean from the account of our author. Perhaps the reader is already fatisfied with the learned labours of Dr. Pouzaire, and is not very willing to purfue him in the refl of his fancies. The 6 The difeafes to be cured by fea falt and felenite are all palfies, except those which come on gradually, diseases of the stomach, bowels, and urinary organs, and obilructions in the chylopoetic vifcera; rheumatic pains, catarrhal fluctions,' and external complaints. We are surprised that we do not meet with that difeafe, which would be most probably relieved by falt water, and for which many French authors recommend that of Ba laruc, viz. fcrophula. We cannot fpeak very highly of the tranflation; there are, particularly in the chemical part, many errors. Dr. Pouzaire tells us, that the Balaruc waters were first used by Monf. de Chaume, pour une affection grave & confiderable, qu'il avoit a une cuifle, que l'auteur citè ne fpecifie pas,' &c. the translator, that they were first used for a pain which the author does not specify.' Perhaps it was not very easy to specify a pain, though it would have been easy to be more particular about a difeafe. A chemift alfo, converfant with the French language, would have tranflated'eaux thermales' by the words warm waters,' instead of thermale waters.' After the evaporation, an oily liquor, called eau mere,' remained; this our tranflator has called fea water,' instead of mother water. Did he never read in Zuingerus, and in Hoffman, of matrix nitrata? or, in the English chemifts, of mother lye, mother of nitre, &c.? This term is applied to a lixivium, from which no falt can be procured by crystallization. Again, the author fays, Si nous employons vis a vis de la même eau minerale la voie de melanges ou reactifs,' &C, This the tranflator renders, On the contrary, if we employ the faid mineral water by way of mixture or reactive." This might lead one to fufpect that he would examine any other mixture by means of thefe waters, and use them as a teft in the experiment. The meaning fimply is, if we would examine this water by means of mixtures or reagents.? But we shall not enlarge on this disagreeable part of our duty, though the faults are numerous. When Dr. Fugh fpeaks from his own knowlege, he is more fatisfactory; and we shall extract a rational account of the virtues of the waters, and a description of Balaruc. The internal effects are certainly to be confined to their cathartic power, and, externally, they are only equal to warm water of the fame density. These waters are conveyed in large quantities to the cities of Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Lyons, and other great cities in Europe: they are the fineft purge in nature, and retain their purgative quality a long time; I think they may be drank in England with advantage, in jaundices; concretions in the gall. gall-bladder, and its ducts; gravel in the kidneys and ureters, with the affiftance of tepid bathings; depraved ftomachs from hard drinking, and in many other cafes: in fpring-time and autumn, where purging may be thought neceffary, they have no equal. I think it is well worth trying the experiment whether the warm mineral waters of this country (at Bath, in Somerfetfhire) applied externally in the fame manner as at Balaruc, viz. bathing, douching, &c. and drinking the waters of Balaruc, at the fame time and in the fame manner they are drank at Balaruc, would not produce fimilar effects, efpecially in all paralytic cafes. The village of Balaruc is fituated upon a peninsula, in the great lake of fea water called Tau, which is faid to be thirty miles long by about ten over, is fupplied by the Mediterranean fea; and near the upper end of this lake ftands the city of Beziers, where the famous royal canal of Languedoc begins; this village is a pleasant refidence in the fpring and autumn feasons, as the walks and rides about it are most delightful, and the little hill by the fide of it, called Pioch d'Aix, which is covered over with lavender, thyme, and other aromatie herbs, fhrubs, and flowers, commands a profpect of the whole lake, with the adjoining cities, towns, and villages, which afford the most pleafing profpect imaginable; the lake abounds with excellent fish, as turbots, foals, the red mullet, &c. &c. and the country with excellent mutton, veal, fowls, and delicious fruits, grapes in particular, the finest and greateft variety in all France. Only three miles across the corner of the lake is the beautiful town and port of Cette, where much trade is carried on, particularly in wines and brandies, which are faid to be the best in France, and where a moft worthy English gentleman, a a merchant and Mr. Burnet, has refided many years as banker, by which he has acquired a handsome fortune, in whom the English are fure to find a friend and polite acquaintance.' The heat of the Balaruc waters, which are here measured only by Reaumur's thermometer, are from 116° to 122° of Farenheit. A Manual of Materia Medica. By James Aikin, M. D. 12mo. 2s. 6d. fered. Johnfcn. WHEN we lately wifhed for a Compendium of the Mr. teria Medica, it was in order to include the very numerous facts, which were fo widely diffused, not without fome little difcrimination of the value of each. In the manual before us, we are at fome lofs to know by what plan the author |