fpecial inftances. It could not be expected, that in an examnation of this nature we could be more particular. Yet we have done full enough, to tempt the curiofity or to urge the zel of others. And we doubt not, but the more Mr. Gibbon is followed clofely through all his quotations and references, he will the more be found either negligently or difhoneftly doubling in them.

'These are broad fpots upon this hiftorical fun. They require no critical telescope to view them. They come forward to the naked eye. But the laft, from its very nature, is fatal to the whole. And, as Mademoiselle de Keralio has very juftly observed, on peut etre eloquent, on peut avoir un ftyle feduifant et noble, mais n'est pas historien.' Mr. Gibbon's hiftory, therefore, is only an elegant froft-piece, the production of a night; which glitters to the eye, plays upon the fancy, and captivates the judgment for a fhort period; but diffolves in the frailty of its fine materials, and fades away into air, as foon as the fun begins to fhine upon it.

The friends of literature, then, may equally triumph and lament, at a work like this. They may triumph, when, with the ufual perfunctoriness of criticifm, they confider the wide range of reading in it, the fplendour of the fentiments, the depth of the reflections, and the vivacity of the language. But they muft lament, when they come to fcrutinize it with a ftricter eye, to mark the harsh and the falfe language, the distraction occafioned by the parade of reading, the obfcurity in the meaning, the contradictorinefs of the parts, the endless labyrinth of digreffions, and the careless or wilful unfaithfulness in the narrative. The friends of religion alfo, muft grieve with a jufter forrow, over the defperate wickedness of the whole. But let not one friend to religion, be weak enough to fear. There is not a particle of formidablenefs, in the thoufand ftrokes, that this blafted arm of infidelity has been laying upon the fhield of Chriftianity. That fhield is the immortal ægis of wifdom. Against such a cover, if we are not feared with the glitter, we need not to dread the edge, of Mr. Gibbon's fword. Mr. Gibbon is only angry at Chriftianity, becaufe Chriftianity frowns upon him. He has been long endeavouring to fhake off the terrours, which his Chriftian education has impreffed upon him; but he cannot do fo.

He scorns them, yet they awe him.'

He is therefore acting towards Chriftianity, like a bull caught in a net; making every defperate effort to break the cords that ftill encompass him; and ftraining every nerve in an agony of exer

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tion,

tion, to burft away into the undisquieted wilds of animal enjoy→ ment, And we think we cannot better conclude our review of his hiftory, than by applying to him this character in Milton, as, equally in the praife and in the cenfure, truly descriptive of him,

-On th' other fide up rofe

Belial, in a more graceful and humane :
A fairer perfon loft not heav'n; he feem'd
For dignity compos'd and high exploit,
But all was falfe and hollow, though his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reafon, to perplex and dash
Matureft counfels, for his thoughts were low,
To vice induftrious, but to noble deeds
Timorous and flothful; yet he pleas'd the ear,
And with perfuafive accent thus began.

ART. III. The Edinburgh New Difpenfatory; containing, I. The Elements of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. II. The Materia Medica; or, An Account of the Natural Hiftory, Qualities, Operations, and Ufes, of the different Subftances employed in Medicine. III. The Pharmaceutical Preparations and Medicinal Compofitions of the New Editions of the London (1788) and Edinburgh (1783) Pharmacopoeias. With explanatory, critical, and practical Obfervations on each; together with the Addition of thofe Formula, from the best Foreign Pharmacopoeias, which are held in highest "Efteem in other Parts of Europe. The whole interfperfed with Practical Cautions and Obfervations, and enriched by the latest Difcoveries in Natural History, Chemistry, and Medicine; with new Tables of Elective Attractions, of Antimony, of Mercury, &c, and Six Copper-plates of the most convenient Furnaces and principal Pharmaceutical Inftruments. Being an Improvement upon the New Difpenfatory of Dr. Lewis. The Second Edition, with many Alterations, Corrections, and Additions. 8vo. 7s. boards, Elliot, Edinburgh; Elliot and Kay, London. 1789.

EWIS's Difpenfatory, at the period of its publication, was a valuable work; but the many difcoveries in modern chemistry, and the great additions to the Materia Medica, fince that time, have contributed to render its authority, in numerous inftances, either useless, erroneous, or imperfect. We are therefore glad to find its utility and reputation revived in this improved edition, in which all the late difcoveries are faithfully ingrafted on the stock of the original author. The work commences with an introduction, containing valuable chemical and pharmaceutical

pharmaceutical obfervations, extracted from Dr. Webster's Syllabus; and we afterwards meet with a table of attractions, an addition peculiarly fuitable to a work of this kind.

The number of articles, of which an account is given in the Hiftory of the Materia Medica, is in this edition confiderably abridged; the compilers having judiciously rejected all fuch as have not the fanction of fome modern Pharmacopoeia of credit. But they have, with no lefs propriety, added fome others, which, though not adopted by any of the late Pharmacopoeias, have been recommended to the public upon authority that entitles them to attention. The important article of opium affords a very favourable specimen of this work; it is as follows:

The external and internal effects of opium appear to be various in different conftitutions, and in the fame at different times. By fome, when applied to the tongue, the nofe, the eye, or any part deprived of fkin, it has been faid to ftimulate and to induce in the eye in particular a flight degree of rednefs. But if this effect do take place, it is at the utmoft extremely inconfiderable, particularly when compared with the effect of volatile alkali, ardent fpirit, or a variety of other articles applied to the fame organ. And there can be no doubt that, in a very short time, the fenfibility of the part to which it is applied, even when there has not taken place the flightest mark of preceding ftimulus or inflammation, is very confiderably diminished. Some allege that, when applied to the fkin, it allays pain and fpafm, procures fleep, and produces all the other falutary or dangerous effects which refult from its internal ufe; while others allege that, thus applied, it has little or no effect whatever.

This variety probably arifes from differences in the condition of the fubcutaneous nerves, and of the fenfibility of the furface as being more or less defended. But there is no doubt that, when mixed with cauftic, it diminishes the pain, which would otherwise enfue, probably by deadening the fenfibility of the part.

It fometimes allays the pain from a carious tooth; and a watery folution of it has been ufed in various ulcers, certain ophthalmias, and virulent gonorrhoea, when pain and inflammation have before that given very great diftrefs.

Opium, when taken into the ftomach to fuch an extent as to have any fenfible effect, gives rife to a pleafant ferenity of mind, in general proceeding to a certain degree of languor and drowsiness. The action of the fanguiferous fyftem is diminished, the pulfe becoming for the most part fofter, fuller, and flower than it was before. There often takes place fwelling of the fubcutaneous veins, and fweating; both probably the confequences of a diminution of resistance at the furface, from a diminution of mufcular action; and accordingly opium diminishes thofe difcharges which depend on mufcular action, as is particularly exemplified in its effect of binding the belly. Opium taken into the ftomach in a larger dofe, gives rife to confufion of head and vertigo. The power of all ftimulating caufes, as making impreffions on the body is diminished; and eyen at times and

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and in fituations when a perfon would naturally be awake, fleep is irrefiftibly induced. In ftill larger dofes, it acts in the fame manner as the narcotic poifon, giving rife not only to vertigo, headach, tremors, and delirium, but to convulfions alfo; and these terminat. ing in a state of ftupor, from which the perfon cannot be roufed. This ftupor is accompanied with flowness of the pulfe, and with ftertor in breathing, and the fcene is terminated in death, attended with the fame appearances as take place in apoplexy.

From these effects of opium in a state of health, it is not wonderful that recourfe fhould have been had to it in disease, as mitigating pain, inducing fleep, allaying inordinate action, and diminifhing morbid fenfibility. That these effects do refult from it, is confirmed by the daily experience of every obferver; and as anfwering one or other of thefe intentions, moft, if not all, of the good confequences derived from it in actual practice are to be explained. If therefore, by a fedative medicine, we mean an article capable of allaying, affuaging, mitigating, and compofing, no fubftance can have a better title to the appellation of fedative than opium.

As answering the purposes of mitigating pain, inducing sleep, allaying inordinate action, and diminithing fenfibility, it naturally follows that opium may be employed with advantage in a great variety of different difeafes. Indeed there is hardly any affection in which it may not, from circumftances, be proper; and, in all defperate cafes, it is the moft powerful means of alleviating the miferies of patients.

Some practitioners are averfe to its ufe where there takes place an active inflammation; but others have recourfe to it in fuch cafes, even at an early period, especially after blood-letting; and where fuch affections are attended not only with pain and fpafm, but with watchfulness and cough, it is often productive of the greatest benefit. Opium, combined with calomel, has of late been extenfively employed in every form of active inflammation, and with the greatest fuccefs. It is found alfo to be of very great fervice in allaying the pain and preventing the fymptomatic fever, liable to be induced by wounds, fractures, burns, or fimilar accidents.

In intermittents it is faid to have been used with good effect before the fit, in the cold ftage, in the hot ftage, and during the interval. Given even in the hot ftage, it has been obferved to allay the heat, thirst, head-ach, and delirium, to induce fweat and fleep, to cure the difcafe with the less bark, and without leaving abdominal obstructions or dropfy.

It is often of very great fervice in fevers of the typhoid type, when patients are diftreffed with watchfulness or diarrhoea. But where thefe or fimilar circumftances do not indicate its use, it is often diftreffing to patients by augmenting thirft and constipation.

In fmall-pox, when the convalfions before eruption are frequent and confiderable, opium is liberally ufed. It is likewife given from the fifth day onwards, and is found to allay the pain of fuppuration, to promote the ptyalifm, and to be otherwife useful.

21

In dyfentery, after the ufe of gentle laxatives, or along with them, opium, independently of any effect it may have on the fever, is of confequence in allaying the tormina and tenefmus, and in obviating that laxity of bowels which is fo frequently a relict of that difeafe.

In diarrhoea, the disease itself generally carries off any acrimony that may be a cause, and then opin is ufed with great effect. Even in the worst fymptomatic cafes, it feldom fails to alleviate.

In cholera and pyrofis it is almoft the only thing trufted to.

In cholic it is employed with laxatives; and no doubt often prevents ileus and inflammation by relieving the fpafm. Even in ileus and in incarcerated hernia, it is often found to allay the vomiting. the fpafins, the pain, and fometimes to diminish the inflammation, and prevent the gangrene in the ftrangulated gut.

It is given to allay the pain and favour the defcent of calculi, and to relieve in jaundice and dyfuria proceeding from fpafm.

It is of acknowledged ufe in the different fpecies of tetanus; affords relief to the various fpafmodic fymptoms of dyspepfia, hyfteria, hypochondriafis, afthma, rabies, canina, &c. and has been found ufeful in fome kinds of epilepfy.

Of late. in dofes gradually increafed to five grains, three, four, or even fix times a-day, it has been ufed in fyphilis; and fome inftances are recorded in which it would feem that, by this remedy alone, a complete cure had been obtained. In other inftances, however, after the fairest trial for a confiderable length of time, it has been found ineffectual; and, upon the whole, it seems rather to be ufeful in combating fymptoms, and in counteracting the effects refulting from the improper ufe of mercury, than in overcoming the venereal virus.

It is found ufeful in certain cafes of threatened abortion and lingering delivery, in convulfions during parturition, in the afterpains and exceffive flooding.'

As another important article, usefully treated, we shall subjoin the account of the Peruvian bark:

It was first introduced, as has already been faid, for the cure of intermittent fevers; and in thefe, when properly exhibited, it rarely fails of fuccefs. Practitioners, however, have differed with regard to the best mode of exhibition; fome prefer giving it just before the fit, fome during the fit, others immediately after it. Some, again, order it in the quantity of an ounce between the fits; the dose being the more frequent and larger according to the frequency of the fits; and this mode of exhibition, although it may perhaps fometimes lead to the employment of more bark than is neceflary, we confider as, upon the whole, preferable, from being beft fuited to moft ftomachs. The requifite quantity is very different in different cases; and in many vernal intermittents it feems even hardly neceffary.

It often pukes or purges, and fometimes oppreffes the ftomach. Thefe, or even any other effects that may take place, are to be counteracted