having never made experiments to obtain the proof. Calcareous earth is a folid fubftance, and on that account little adapted for being abforbed by the lacteals; therefore it may exift in the primæ viæ, without getting into the blood-veffels. We are aware, that Mr. John Hunter, the most eminent phyfiologift of the prefent age, is of opinion that folids may be absorbed as readily as fluids. It is with reluctance that we differ from fo high an authority; but we cannot help thinking, that folid matter is always in fome manner rendered fluid before it can be taken up, and that calcareous earth in the form of earth, however minute the particles, is never abforbed from the intestines; but if it meets with an acid, it will unite with it fo as to form a falt, which will be diffolved by the aqueous fluids in the alimentary canal, and carried with them into the blood-veffels. Thus it may get into the circulation, in combination with another fubftance. In the fluids of the body there is always contained a quantity of volatile alkali, which is certainly produced by the operations of the animal œconomy; acids have a stronger attraction to calcareous earth than to volatile alkali. If fuch earth, pure and uncombined with fixed air, is applied to a compound of volatile alkali with an acid, it will unite with the acid and diflodge the alkali. But if fixed air is admitted, a very different effect will take place; the volatile alkali will take poffeffion of the acid, and the calcareous earth will unite with the gas: this is a peculiar compound elective attraction, which is learnt from experience, but could not have been foreseen. The volatile alkali in the body is combined with fixed air; it will, therefore be the means of precipitating the earth from its compounds with acids. This is, perhaps, the manner in which acids bring on the calcareous habit. There is another way, however, in which they may be fuppofed to operate fo as to produce it. If they are abforbed from the intestines, and carried by the blood into the bones, it is not improbable that they may take up a part of the earth which enters fo largely into the compofition of these subftances. If the particles of madder, which give a red colour to the bones, were of an acid nature, can it be doubted that they would unite with the earth with which they come in contact? We are not enabled to fay, from any change in the appearance, that acids are permitted to enter their veffels: however, it is not unlikely that they do. It may be objected, that if this was the cafe the bones would by degrees lofe their firmnefs, and in the end become foft. But that does not follow: for whenever, from an accidental caufe, there is an extraordinary wafte of the matter of the body, the fyftem is endowed with a power of fupplying the deficiency: and the actions of life are exerted to obviate the mifchief that would arife from the lofs. Thus frequent bleeding, inftead of producing emptiness of veffels, is apt to occafion plethora. But it does not fignify in what manner acids are inftrumental to calcareous earth being conveyed into the blood-veffels; it matters not whether they take it from the inteftines or from the bones. The circumftance Y 3 circumftance of the most confequence to be ascertained is, that é calcareous habit is produced by their means, and that from this effect they become the fources both of gout and gravel. Whether or not we are right as to the mode, we are convinced as to the fact, that acids taken in by the mouth, or generated in the ftomach, are almost the only caufes of that habit. To many this idea may appear exceedingly abfurd, when they confider that the moft ftriking quality of such fubftances is to unite with calcareous earth fo as to alter its very nature. But it is, perhaps, that virtue in the acid, on which the feeming abfurdity is grounded, that produces the effect; it diffolves and carries with it into the cir culation that earth which otherwife would have been evacuated with the excrement; or it takes from the bones that which formed a part of their compofition. In the blood-veffels it meets with a substance with which it unites, and the earth is precipitated. Thus that which at first had the appearance of being an abfurdity, is found, upon mature confideration, to be not only probable, but almost inevitable.' The ingenious author has here given us the choice of twớ hypothefes, relative to the production of a calcareous habit ; but we are forry to acknowledge, that we are far from being fatisfied with either of them. The idea of fuch a procefs as he mentions, carried on in the circulating fluids, no theoretical induction from chemical experiments can induce us to admit and when it is confidered that perfons, fubject to arthritic complaints, are, for the moft part, remarkably vegete, there cannot exist any degree of probability that this fuppofed calca reous habit should be produced by robbing the bones of their nourishment. Ta Our author's prejudice in favour of his own doctrine haŝ led him into fome theraputic remarks, not entirely well founded. He obferves, that calcareous earth, by itself, is frequently exhibited as a medicine, but has not the smallest tendency to produce, or increase, the calcareous babit, pro vided that it does not meet with an acid in the inteftines. this obfervation we would reply, that calcareous earth is feldom adminiftered for any other purpose than that of correcting an acid in the bowels; for which intention, however, unless under particular circumstances, it is not the most happily calculated; and whatever inconveniences it may produce in the prima vie, by combining with an acid, it seems not, from any fatisfactory reafon with which we are acquainted, to exert any effect towards occafioning a calcareous difpofition in the fluids. Our author's remark on this subject, therefore, is not justified by experience. Notwithstanding the author's theory concerning the immediate caufe of the gout be liable to great objections, the dietetical regimen, which he recommends for the prevention both both of this diforder and the gravel, will meet with the approbation of all who are converfant in practice. It is, however, not particularly adapted to these two difeafes, but to chronical complaints in general, and to the ftate of moft convalescents. The author of this treatife, like feveral who have preceded him on the fame fubject, difcovers confiderable ingenuity. With materials drawn from the different fources of experience and imagination, he has erected a fyftem which may appear to be well compacted in all its parts; he has arrayed it with a plaufibility that counterfeits the luftre of true fcience; and he has even bended to its fupport the whole Juvantia and Lædentia of medicine; but the hypothefis on which it refts is deftitute of folid foundation in phyfiology, and the visionary fabric must fall. ART. IV. Poems, by Mr. Gray. A New Edition. Small 8vo. 45. 3d. boards. Large paper, 7s. 6d. boards. Murray, London, 1786. To this elegant edition of Gray's poems, already well known to the public, the editor informs us, that "fome ❝articles are added which are not to be met with in any other "edition of the author's works. The plates are engraved, at ❝ a confiderable expence, from original defigns; and four new plates have been defigned and engraved for this edition.” Mr. Murray feems to inherit the fpirit of his predeceffor, Mr. Sandby; and No. 32, Fleet-ftreet, is ftill distinguished by publications where the fifter arts of poetry and design are united*. Of the new plates, the frontispiece is confpicuously excellent; it is at once a fpirited and delicate performance, and does great credit to the needle of the artift, Mr. Sherwin. To him, indeed, may be applied, with much more justice than to Mr. Bentley, the following lines of Gray: "In filent gaze the tuneful choir among, "And bids the pencil answer to the lyre." This is not the place to enter into an examination of the poems; their fuperior merit has been long fince determined, * Mr. Sandby many years ago, in conjunction with the Knaptons, published ornamented editions of Virgil, Terence, &c.; and Mr. Murray, befides the prefent work, has given to the public a beautiful edition of Thomion's Seasons, which does honour both to him and the artists he employed. It remains only to fay of this edition, that it contains every poem of the writer which poffeffes pre-eminent excellency; the whole of that ftable foundation on which he meant to build his fame. The poet alone appears, the man is not feen, ạt leaft only at that diftance, and under that guife, in which he chofe to meet the public eye-as the moral, fentimental, and melancholy Gray. The editor feeks not to "draw his frailties from their dread abode." Had it been his intention to profit by the unbounded curiofity of the public for trifling anecdote, and unedited verses, however unworthy of the author, we are certain he might have. confiderably increafed the fize of his volume with much of both; of which no part is to be met with in Mr. Mafon's bulky compilation. This the editor has avoided, we think, judiciQuily. Perhaps he has profited by the error of his precurfor; as there are undoubtedly in Mr. Mafon's voluminous edition much. unimportant correfpondence, many petulant and false criticisms, and fome poetry that ought to have been configned to oblivion. How would the fenfibility of his irritable bard fuffer, could he now see all his unguarded expreffions, his flippancies, and' every flight effufion of an idle hour, thus handed down to posterity! ART. V. Sermons, by Samuel Charters, Minifter of Wilton. 8vo. 6s. Dickfon, Edinburgh; Cadell, London; 1786. COMPLAINTS concerning the progress of infidelity and irreligion have been indulged and believed in all ages, but never more than at prefent. While the Chriftian is alarmed at the fymptoms of degeneracy, of which he is a melancholy witnefs, and fears that when the Son of Man cometh he will hardly find faith in the earth, the infidel rejoices in the happy omens of the downfal of fuperftition, and every form of our holy faith, by the progrefs of fceptical philofophy. Nothing can be weaker than the defpondency of the one party, except the triumph of the other. If there be any one thing at the bottom of human nature, it is religion. A being who lives in a ftate of darkness and uncertainty; who finds that no human confolation can alleviate the evils of life; who hopes, and fears, and trembles at the approach of diffolution; will be led, by the law of his nature, to look up to an Almighty Power for protection in the prefent life, and for happinefs in the future. While men continue as they are; to unite in fociety; to act from fenfibility and paffion, from hope and fear; to fhrink from from mifery, and to court happiness; so long we may predict, without the fpirit of prophecy, that religion, as an effential part of our nature, will, in a greater or lefs degree, keep its hold of the mind. The fuccefs, which books of practical theology have had of late, is a ftriking proof that religious fubjects are by no means: indifferent to the age. Dr. Blair's fermons were the first that acquired the full run of public applaufe. They have been tranflated into moft of the modern languages; are numbered among the claffics of the English tongue; and have completely fulfilled the elegant prediction, which was early made concern ing them, that they would foon occupy their place in the clofets of all the pious, and the libraries of all the polite." Since that time, other collections have been well received by the world; and we make no doubt that the volume before us, when its merit is known, will defervedly become a favourite of the public. The fashionable reader, who expects the ornaments of modern compofition, an elegant flow of declamation, and rhetorical figures and flowers, in difcourfes of this nature, will be difappointed in the fermons of Mr. Charters. He will find nothing here to court the fancy, or to charm the ear. The characteristics of our author are fenfibility, feriousness, fimplicity. He enters on his fubject at once, without attempting to recommend it to the reader; trufting to the importance of his thoughts, he is parfinonious of his words; and pours the veras voces pectore ab imo with a noble neglect of artificial decorations. He often juft ftarts an image for the reader to purfue in his own mind; and hints an idea which may lead to a fpeculation. The faire penfer, and the faire fentir, are happily exemplified. As a fpecimen of these uncommon and striking sermons, we fhall give an extract from the first, on Job vii. 16. “ I would not live alway;" a fubject which has often occurred to every perfon that thinks and feels; to every philofopher, and every Chriftian. In III. We are led to this from the nature of human enjoyments. Human enjoyments, indeed, there are; nor does our Father grant them with a fparing hand; for he remembers that we are duft. In infancy agreeable fenfations fpring from nourishment and care. the days of our youth every thing that is new, or beautiful, or great, delights the imagination. As we advance in life, affection, and friendship, and love, are fources of peculiar and fweet enjoyment; it is enhanced by hope, and our ignorance of the evil to come. Employments which call forth our powers to exercise; money, which purchaseth all things; and a good name; are the comforts of riper years. Many of us know from experience that they are fluctuating, and that the memory of our early joys is all of them that |