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of heat, by means of friction, which nar with the greateft plaufidility been infifted on by feveral modern pryiologifts, is fhewn not to be applicable to the animal body, from the unaptness of its folids and fluids to produce fuct a degree of attrition as is found neceffary in other cafes to occaior neat. A short section is next beftowed on Dr. Culten't folution of this question; if, indeed, that can be called a foiution, which is caly a reference to fome occult principle of the animal economy, not analogous to any thing known. The vital principle, according to this celebrated Profeffor, may have íuch a peculiar power, that where it is different, different degrees of heat may be generated, though the velocity of the blood be the fame. But, as Dr. Leflie remarks, to fay that the principle of life can generate heat or cold, independent of chemical or mechanical means, is contrary to experience, and feems in itelf abfurd.' The laft theory examined by our Author is that of Dr. Black; who fuppoíes, that animal heat is all generated in the lungs, by the action of the air on the principle of inflammability, and is thence diffused over the reft of the body by means of the circulation. Several arguments are adduced againft the truth of this ingenious hypotheis, which is fnewn to be repugnant to the known laws of the animal machine.

Dr. Leflie next proceeds to lay down his own idea on the subject. This is, that the subtle principle, by chemifts termed phlogifion, which enters into the composition of natural bodies, is, in confequence of the action of the vascular fyftem, gradually evolved throughout every part of the animal machine, and that, during this evolution, heat is generated. This opinion, he fays, was firft explicitly delivered by Dr. Duncan of Edinburgh; but that somewhat very near it is to be found in Dr. Franklin's works, and in a paper of Dr. Mortimer's in the Philofophical Tranfactions. He endeavours to eftablish it by the following well-connected chain of argumentation, ift, That the blood contains phlogifton; 2d, That the action of the blood-veffels evalves phlogon: 3d, That the evolution of phlogifton is attended with heat: 4th, That the heat thus generated is fufficient to account for the heat of living animals: 5th, That the moft ftriking phenomena of animal heat evince the truth of thefe proponitions.

That the blood contains phlogifton, is readily proved by the confent of all modern chemifts, who make this principle a component part of every animal matter, and particularly by a deci five experiment of Dr. Priefler's, who found that pieces of the crañíamentum of sheep's blood, put into dephlogisticated air, imparted fo much phlogiffon to it as to render it unfit for refpi

ration.

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That the action of the blood-reffels evolves pitingau, ka propofition scarcely capable of dementation, and vett víd to which, therefore, we must be contented win putine zguments drawn from concurring fis. The WHET Author principally dwells on art, • The mugiter s chief ingredient in all alimentar a

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analyfis evinces its prefence in the host the Is the pu of tafte and colouring mater in the bie, being for a fhort time fubjected area of VIŠEL, DO comes of a deep red colour; war that me mains, m récept from blood newly drawn, and the vapour fyng of in een part of the body, confif chiefy a de pracipe of bility.'

In proceeding to fhew that the eventer of monitor attended with heat, the wait takes a vencatonier van his subject, difcuffing the mechance au Conca dečkastes fire, and endeavouring to recicie en wit a sta attempts to prove that phingifur & tHE QUE O CONCIENNE that in every process of runo THE STICHE principle. He treats om die memory of te magi and the electric, the matter of ignate ril He fhews, that in the feseni vas o caching not.. fermentation, and chemical mature magic I TEL its evolution is the probate caue of e

and curious chapter, and evinces at 20 some of the abftrufelt parts of ratturi mircana,

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of vital heat.

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the most striking přiznomena u an e of the theory propofed. Here, me tuber connexion of animal heat via te te

guiferous fyftem; and obvines inE FORCES which might arife from offering that IT T always attended with incrate of sea.

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animal machine, which fome late philofophers have attempted to establish, he canvafles, at fome length, the extraordinary experiments which have been publifhed, relative to the power of fupporting degrees of heat vaftly fuperior to that of the human body. He points out, with the jufteft criticism (as we think), feveral fallacies in the deductions drawn from thefe celebrated experiments; which chiefly turn upon not having taken into confideration the different time required by different bodies to rife to their temperature, the different degrees of heat they are capable of imbibing, and the difference in bulk of the maffes which were exposed to the fame heat. His own folution of the stability of animal heat in various temperatures is, that in the hot, a balance is preserved by the cooling effects of evaporation; and in the cold, by the tonic and ftimulant effects of cold air on the animal fibres, Laftly, he briefly explains on his principles the connection between the degree of animal heat, the ftate of refpiration, and the colour of the blood.

Thus have we given a concife view of the general doctrine and method of proof in this very ingenious work; the great variety of matter in which, however, renders a complete analyfis fcarcely practicable within the bounds we prefcribe to ourselves. This, befide, is the lefs neceffary, as we imagine few of our philofophical readers will be fatisfied without a perufal of the work itself. Whether or no fuch a perufal will produce a full conviction of the main doctrine attempted to be established in it, we cannot determine; but we will venture to pronounce, that it cannot fail of inspiring a very favourable idea of the fcientific and literary abilities of the Writer.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.
(By our CORRESPONDENTS.)

HOLLAND.

A Anmerkingen op de Tegenwoordige Toeftand van Zaaken, &c. i. e. Obfervations on the prefent State of Affairs between England and Holland. 1779. This pamphlet, anonymous both with respect to its Author and the place of publication, comes to us from the Hague, where, we are told, it was printed fome weeks ago. It contains a judicious and candid state of the points, at prefent contefted between England and Holland, and carries, in the elegant fimplicity of its ftyle and manner, evident marks of its coming from no ordinary pen. The Author fets the perfidious conduct of the French miniftry, and the bold iniquity of their American connexions, in a palpable and ftriking light, but without either animofity or invective: he fhews the Dutch how ungracious, unfriendly, and unjust it is to ad

here

here rigorously to the fourth article of the treaty of 1674 (without attending to fubfequent and more effential engagements), and on the ftrength of it to furnish France with naval ftores: and he demonftrates the prejudice, that muft en fue from hence to their own effential interefts in the iffue of things. His language, here, is that of a real friend to two countries, whom religion, liberty, and national character ought to bind together in the most indiffoluble union; whofe independence can only be insured by that union, and whom nothing but the greatest imprudence can engage to prefer temporary and fubaltern advantages to a connection that afcertains their most effential interefts. A connoiffeur in the Dutch language has affured our Editor, that this pamphlet has all the marks of a tranflation from an English original; adding, that it is fup pofed to have come from the pen of a public minifter of diftinguished merit at the Hague. A decent tone of dignity, that runs through the compofition, renders this conjecture probable, and the concluding words of the pamphlet confirm it; they are as follows-or to the following purpose: "The treaties fubfifting between Great Britain and Holland ftand not in need of the intervention of France to explain them. Neither of the contracting parties have called in that power as a mediator; and until they do fo, his Moft Chriftian Majesty has no right to meddle in their affairs.-The King of Great Britain loves the republic; efteems its chief; wishes peace and profperity to its fubjects, and stability and independence to its prefent conftitution: he has always been, and ever will be, ready to maintain that conftitution to the utmost extent of his engagements, and he can do this with a power at least equal to theirs who endeavour to undermine it. This virtuous prince can never be fufpected of any defign to make an improper ufe of this power: he prefers the language of friendship to every other mode of persuasion; but, nevertheless, it is both the duty and interest of his allies to confider seriously the unhappy confequences that may follow from facrificing ancient connections to a low and tranfitory intereft, or to fudden movements of impatience and paffion. As an Englishman, a Hollander is dear to me, and I fhall willingly liften to his juft complaints; but if he adopts, in this time of war and conteft, the tone, the interests, and the measures of France, then he cannot justly blame me, if I make no difference between him and my enemy." Ex ungue Leonem.

MONTHLY

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For M AY, 1779.

NATIGATION.

Art. 14. The Praffice of Navigation, on a new Plan: by Means of a Quadrant of Diference of Latitude and Departure; and an eafy and true Metod of bringing Departure into Difference of Longitude; and, vice veria without the Use of a Variety of nautical Tables, or any Knowledge is Trigonometry: The Whole calculated to inftruct the mof common Capacity in this useful Branch of Knowledge. By James Rymer, S. R. N. 4to. 5s. Evans. 1778.

HIS performance, with its title-page and preface, confifts of

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vented by the Author, Mr. James Rymer. Inventions ought certainly to be paid for, and fair and candid reports ought to be made of them to the Public: but as we find ourselves rather at a loss what account to give of this new invention, and apprehending that the Author can have no objections to his own; the candid Reader is therefore defired to accept it, verbatim, as follows:

If this little treatife has any merit, the world will foon discover it. If it has none, it might be uncharitable to treat it with contempt. I dedicate its utility to the young and ignorant; and folicit indulgence from men of fcience and genius. If I pretended to raise its value by depreciating books which contain fyftems of mathematical navigation, I fhould hold myself guilty of irreverence and difrefpect to the memory of many great and worthy names.

Indeed, I fhould do wrong to recommend, much more to extol it, any farther than it proved of utility to myself, when the Sche first occurred to me. At that time I had not the smallest systematical Anowledge in navigation; and often wondered at my own ignorance, when I reflected on the length of time that I had been at fea. I had often heard them talk of difference of latitude and departure, allowance for lee-way, variation of the compafs, heave of the fea, the action of tides and currents, without in the leaft comprehending what was meant. All of a fudden, one day, at fea, I was determined, by fome means or other, to learn how to work a day's work, and keep a reckoning. I got a Daily Affiftant, a Mariner's Compaís, a Robertfon's Elements, &c. and applied myself diligently for about two hours--when my head began to ach, and my ideas became confirled I put away the books-yauned-fcratched my temples-went to bed-raved-and, the prefent work is the refult of the dreams of that night. Whoever doubts what I affert, does me an injury: bot, as I allow of an univerfal toleration of belief and fentiment in all trivial matters, I can readily forgive him.'

This Author's account of his work is not of the common caft; and our Readers will form what judgment they think proper of it. For our own parts, as we with neither to have the extent of our faith called in question, nor to be laughed at for our credulity, we fhall not fay yea or nay to this folemn affeveration, but content

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