or utterly difregarded, fince the papers were foon made publie both in the English and Irish prints, and not difavowed in fubftance, though the correctness of every word was not admitted, by the parties to whom they were imputed. "From "The papers were in thefe words : "The leading part of his Majefty's minifters finding infur mountable obftacles to the bringing forward meafures of conceffion to the Catholic body whilft in office, have felt it impoffible to continue in administration under the inability to propofe it with the circumstances neceffary to carrying the meafure with all its advantages; and they have retired from his Majefty's fervice, confidering this line of conduct as most likely to contribute to its ultimate fuccefs. The Catholic body will therefore fee how much their future hopes muft depend upon ftrengthening their caufe by good conduct; in the mean time they will prudently confider their profpects as arifing from the perfons who now espouse their interefts, and compare them with thofe which they could look to from any other quarter; they may with confidence rely on the fupport of all those who retire, and of many who remain in office, when it can be given with a profpect of fuccefs. They may be affured, that Mr. Pitt will do his utmost to establish their caufe in the public favour, and prepare the way for their finally attaining their objects: and the Catholics will feel, that as Mr. Pitt could not concur in a hopeless attempt to force it now, that he muft at all times repress with the fame decifion as if he held an adverfe opinion, any unconftitutional conduct in the Catholic body. "Under thefe circumftances it cannot be doubted that the Catholics will take the most loyal, dutiful, and patient line of conduct, that they will not fuffer themfelves to be led into measures, which can, by any conftruction, give a handle to the oppofers of their wishes, either to mifinterpret their principles, or to raife an argument for refifting their claims; but that by their prudent and exemplary demeanour they will afford additional grounds to the growing number of their advocates, to enforce their claims on proper occafions, until their objects can be finally and advantageoufly attained. "The Sentiments of a fincere Friend (i. e. Marquis Cornwallis) to the Catholic Claims, "If the Catholics fhould now proceed to violence, or entertain any ideas of obtaining their objects by convulfive measures, or forming affociations with men of jacobinical principles, they muft of course lofe the fupport and aid of thofe who have facrificed their own fituations in their caufe, but who would at the fame time feel it to be their indifpenfible duty to oppofe every thing tending to confufion. " On "From all thefe varieties of circumftance, declaration, and conjecture, many opinions were formed equally repugnant to truth, and injurious to the perfons principally concerned. It appears undoubtedly true, that the fole motive of the minifters for retiring was, that which they affigued: they had given fome promife, or fome intimation to the Catholics, during the negociation for the union, in confequence of which they confidered themfelves obliged, and were perhaps further impelled by their own conviction of its propriety, to urge the immediate accomplishment of the meafure, commonly called Catholic emancipation; but it does not seem that the measure was urged, or even expected by those who were to be the objects of it; they received the papers refpecting it with great coolness, and no addrefs or public expreffion either of confidence or gratitude was produced by this extraordinary communication. If the minifters were not required by the claims of the parties intereted to make any fudden exertion, ftill the more furprifing is the fecrecy they thought neceffary on the occafion. At the meeting of the Imperial Parliament, the King appears to have been utterly unacquainted with the intentions of his minifters, and the individual whom he felected to fill the principal vacancy which his fubfequent difapprobation of it occafioned, was allowed to accept of an incompatible fituation, from which he was difplaced in a very few days. "How the intention of minifters to effect fo important a change in the conftitution as the removal of all reftraints from the Catho lics, and, in courfe, the abolition of all tefts, was difclofed to the Sovereign, is not afcertained; but it appears that at a levee, held fhortly after the first meeting of the Imperial Parliament, he expressed himself in very strong and pointed terms on the subject to a member of the cabinet, one of thofe who afterward retired. This converfation occafioned an immediate alteration in the courfe of public bufinefs: the opening of Parliament, which was generally expected to take place in the fourth day after its firft meeting, was poftponed another week, nor was any reafon affigned for this delay but the allowance of time for fwearing in the members." P. 72. We have now only to hope, with the friends of the original Annual Regifter, that the remaining volumes may be executed with the fame spirit and ability, and produced, in future, at fuch regular periods as will reward the purchasers for the patience they have hitherto difplayed. "On the other hand, fhould the Catholics be jensible of the benefits they poffefs by having so many characters of eminence pledged not to embark in the fervice of government, except on the terms of the Catholic privileges being obtained, it is to be hoped, that on balancing the advantages and difadvantages of their fituation, they would prefer a quiet and peaceable demeanour to any line of conduct of an oppofite description." ART. ART. XII. The Naval, Military, and Private Practitioners' Amanuenfis, Medicus et Chirurgicus; or, a practical Treatife on Fevers, and all thofe Difeafes which most frequently occur in Practice with the Mode of Cure. Likewife on Amputation, Gun-fhot Wounds, Trifmus, Scalds, c. With new and fuccefsful Methods of treating Mortification, of Amputating at the Shoulder Joint, and of curing Femoral Fractures. By Ralph Cuming, M. D. R. N. Medical Superintendent of His Majefty's Naval Hofpital, Antigua. 8vo. 276 pp. Mathews and Leigh. 1806. A PUPIL of the late Dr. George Fordyce once afked his opinion of a newly invented remedy. Inflead of making a direct reply, he enquired how long the remedy had been in ufe. Upon being told, that it was of recent date, he obferved, it will be time enough to talk of it twenty years hence. Now, George Fordyce was a profound and expe-rienced phyfician; yet the opinion of the author of the work now under confideration, is diametrically oppofite. Novelty in medicine and furgery obtains all his approbation. The lateft theories, the newest medicines, and the laft invented operations in furgery are alone thought deferving of attention. He repeatedly warns his readers not to be reftrained by old fcholaftic notions, nor to become the blind devotees of any author, however famous he may be. But he feems to forget that young enthusiasts may err, as well as old dogmatifs. The moft ancient authorities quoted by this author, are Brown and Darwin; whom he flyles two great medical luminaries. Yet he appears to prefer even to them, fome of more modern date; fuch as Beddoes, Kinglake, and a crowd of others, whofe names we never heard of. Notwithstanding this bright felection, we cannot help thinking, that whatever may be decided refpecting Hippocrates and Galen; that furely Sydenham, Van Swieten, and Cullen, are ftill worth confulting. We even queftion whether fome of the new modes of treating difeafes are preferable to their's. For example, we have doubts whether mercurial ointment is a certain cure for typhus; though Dr. Cuming fays, "I do aver that I never loft a patient after having ufed it. Therefore I confider mercury a fine qua non which performs wonders!" This unexampled fuccefs furprifes the more, as Dr. C. practifed in the Weft Indies; and he gives to the yellow fever the name typhus. 66 Old medicines are defpifed by Dr. C. as much as old' writers. Bark, he confiders, as an antiquated article of the Materia Medica; and he affigns the following reafon for never employing it. "The human ftomach is not like that of an oftrich; it will not digeft either wood or iron." In intermittents, therefore, Dr. C. exhibits nothing but vitriolated zinc, and the reafon given is unanfwerable! For he afferts, that this mild and innoxious preparation of zinc will (as far as my experience goes) always effect a cure." It has alfo been difcovered by Dr. C., that bleeding, purging, and cold faturnine applications are the appropriate remedies for eryfipelas. This has been his practice invariably in every bad cafe; and he recommends it ftrenuously from the fuccefs with which it was attended. If this plan was followed, he fays, "I do not conceive that in 999 cases out of 1000, any of the dreadful confequences would occur, which have fo frequently been the concomitants of this disease, when treated agreeably to the dogmas of scholastic inftruction." For the prevention of mortification, the fame refrigerating plan is ftrongly urged. Cold applications, purging with neutral falts, together with both general and topical bleedings. One caution is however given "with regard to phlebotomy, that it requires fome degree of prefcience and practical acumen to regulate our conduct: for when we are not sure of arrefting the progrefs of the inflammation, from the peculiar irritability of the habit and malignity of the cafe, the confequences may be dreadful." When fphacelus has actually taken place, he advifes the application of powdered nitre, which he ftyles" a fovereign remedy, and the only effectual one which has hitherto been difcovered. As to bark given in fubftance, and in the quantities recommended by men whofe practice and experience in fuch cafes, one would fuppofe, were not greater than their penetration, I know from the most correct and fure observation, to be productive of the most calamitous confequences.' Cullen and John Hunter are among the writers who recommend giving bark in fubftance, and confequently among thofe, whofe experience and penetration Dr. C. defpifes: to these may be added all the hofpital furgeons in London. Though Dr. C. has practifed largely in tropical climates, he has had unprecedented fuccefs in the treatment of dyfenteries, as appears from this affertion: "I have the fatisfaction to fay, that (in this diftemper) I never loft a patient." G ERIT. CRIT, VOL. XXIX. JAN, 1807. This This good fortune, we fuppofe, is to be attributed to mercurial ointment, which he employed in bad cafes. Thefe, and many other lately difcovered improvements, are recommended in the moft vehement terms; the affertions are very ftrong, but the arguments are much lefs valid. In one thing we fully agree with Dr. C., that" the advantage of being in poffeffion of a fmall book, wherein is fet forth the moft approved and moft fuccefsful plan of cure, muft be incalculable:" but we differ from him as to imagining that the book fo defcribed is called "the Naval, Military, and Private Practitioners' Amanuenfis." BRITISH CATALOGUE. POETRY. ART. I 13. The Wild Harp's Murmurs; or Rufic Strains. By D. Service. Dedicated, by Permission, to his Grace the Duke of Argyle. 12mo. 92 PP. Yarmouth, printed; Longman and Co. London. 1806. * We rejoice to fee this very modeft writer in fome degree encouraged by the Duke of Argyle, whom he praifed, not injudiciously, in a poem commended by us fome time ago, and here reprinted, called "the Caledonian Herd-boy." With the me. rit he poffeffes, it is to be lamented that he should still have the too poetical plea of starvation to alledge in behalf of his verses, as appears to be intimated in the following, "EPILOGUE. "A bird conceal'd in holly bufh, To pleafe her fellows anxious itrove; But whether magpie or a thrufh, Was undetermin'd thro' the grove. * British Critic, vol. xx. p. 320. |