Wasting their breath to blow a fire
To burn like thine;
But black I see them all expire
Before thy shrine.

Burns! might I live again to see
A Bard among us like to thee,
My heart's best thanks I glad would gie
To God the giver,
And then contented close my ee
To sleep for ever!

SCOTTISH ACADEMY.-We remarked lately that rumours had reached our ears of dissensions in the Scottish Academy. They have broken out sooner than we had anticipated, and in the form of an ex parte statement of certain proceedings at a late meeting of the body. We sincerely hope, however, that this will prove, like the premature explosion of a mine, the means to carry off the lurking danger innocuously. The case (as a lawyer would say) is ably stated in the document we allude to, but perhaps more eloquently than correctly. We have ample materials in hand for a full, true, and impartial history of the whole transactions, but a press of matter obliges us to defer it till next week.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC DEBATING SOCIETIES IN EDINBURGH. Most of these Institutions have commenced their winter campaign. In a country like ours, where no one individual can say that he may not be called upon some time or other to express his sentiments in public, the art of extemporaneous debate may be looked upon as a necessary part of education. It is in these Societies, too, that a young man best learns to instruct himself by his own exertions, and for an object of his own proposing; it is in them that he best learns to measure himself with his fellows. The Royal Medical Society was instituted in 1737, and, as its name indicates, confines itself exclusively to medical discussions. It was incorporated by royal charter in 1778. It is in the habit of hearing what are called medical news in the early part of its meetings-accounts of interesting and uncommon cases, and reports of discoveries in medicine and the cognate sciences. An essay is afterwards read by one of the members on some medical subject, and its doctrine and ge neral merits form the subject of the evening's debate. At the close of each session the subjects of the dissertations, and the members who are to read them during the ensuing one, are appointed by the Society. Each member gives in to the secretary two copies of his dissertation three weeks before it comes to be discussed. During the first week it is transcribed for preservation into a book kept for that purpose under the secretary's inspection, and another copy is taken of it at the Society's expense. The three separate copies are then sent in rotation during the remaining fortnight to the members whose names are upon the roll, to be perused by them beforehand. This practice is calculated to give a greater maturity to the criticisms on the essay. This Society meets every Friday during the winter session in its hall in Surgeon-Square: it possesses an extensive and well-managed medical library, and a museum, which is daily increasing.-The Royal Physical Society was instituted some

Robert Handyside, Esq. advocate, is preparing for publication a work on the Law of Jurisdiction and Actions.

A new Novel, from the pen of Mr Grattan, called the Heiress of few years after the Medical, and its chief object is the prosecution Bruges, is in the press.

Dr Seymour has in the press a work on the Diseases of the Ovaria, including encysted dropsy and malignant diseases of those organs; to which are prefixed Physiological Observations on the Structure and Functions of these parts in the human being and in animals. The first Number of a London Musical Gazette, to be continued weekly, was published last Saturday.

An Historical and Topographical Atlas of England and Wales, exhibiting their geographical features during the Roman, Saxon, Danish, and Norman governments, is announced.

exclusively of the physical sciences. It possesses a very good hall in Richmond Street, and a small library. It is not so numerously attended as the Medical Society; but its proceedings are in general interesting.-The Speculative Society was founded in 1764: and as the arena on which some of our most noted political characters first tried their powers, is more generally known among young men of literary habits than any other of our Edinburgh Societies. Its history, from the date of its commencement, would be a curious chapter in the narrative of the march of intellect in Edinburgh. The subjects for discussion are chiefly literary, moral, and political. It does not confine itself to any exclusive branch of science, but expatiates over that field of polite literature which is necessary to every gentleman, and indispensable to the finish of his character. It is a neutral ground, upon which men of all professions can meet with mutual advantage. The meetings are held every Tuesday, in the So

Miss E. E. Kendrick has in the press a little work, to be entitled Conversations on Miniature Painting.

The Book rarities in the University of Cambridge, illustrated by Original Letters and Notes, biographical, literary, and antiquarian, by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne, M.A. is announced.

Major Leith Hay is about to publish a Memoir of the Peninsular War, compiled from the memoranda of six years' service.

The Conductors of the Library of Useful Knowledge propose pub-ciety's hall, in the University buildings. It possesses a tolerable liblishing a series of Treatises on the different subjects connected with rary, and a fine portrait of the lamented Francis Horner, by Raeburn. Domestic and Rural Economy, which they will denominate the -The Juridical Society was instituted in 1773. Beyond its own walls, Farmer's Series. it is known as having published the most complete system of Scottish Conveyancing. It indulges occasionally in debates of general interest; but the main stock of its discussions are legal. Only such persons can become members as are either members of a legal profession, or studying with a view to enter one. The Society met for the first time in its new and elegant hall in Charlotte Square on Wednesday the 18th of November. It is, we understand, making application for a crown charter, and has it in contemplation to found a complete law library. "Caparisons," Mrs Malaprop tells us, "are odoriferous:" yet were we inclined to distingui-h between the two last-mentioned societies, both of which stand high at present, we should say that the Speculative is perhaps more remarkable for extensive general knowledge and polished taste,-the Juridical for sound, practical, business-like habits of debate.-The Plinian Society restricts its attention for the most part to subjects connected with natural history and antiquities. Papers are read at each meeting on some topic of this kind, and the

TALES OF AN INDIAN CAMP.-This work, which is now announced for immediate publication, is from the pen of J. A. Jones, Esq. whose long residence among the Indian Tribes of North America has enabled him to collect most of the traditions current among all the nations of the Red Men dispersed over three millions of square miles in that vast continent. They will exhibit, we understand, their notions respecting the Supreme Being, the creation, the origin of their Tribes, and will comprise an account of their manners, habits, modes of life, marriage-ceremonies, &c.

FINE ARTS.-Mr Walker, engraver, whose print of Lord Moncrieff opinions they contain are afterwards criticised. The Society is patron

SONNET.-TO ISABEL.

DEAREST and gentlest! let me hold thee fast
Within my arms, and kiss thy Parian brow;
And whilst this soften'd light is o'er us cast,

Breathe with me fondly an impassion'd vow;
And let the murmurings of our joy be heard,

Like rippling waves along the shining shore,-
Not loud, but deep. Love is its own reward,

And hath of pleasures an exhaustless store.
I see the golden fancies of thy mind

Dancing, like fairies, round thy lips and eyes;
Or, like the small clouds, chased by summer wind,
Dissolving into sunlight as they rise:-
A shower of blessings on thee, Isabel !—
My soul is faint with loving thee too well.

H. G. B.

LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES.

THERE is preparing for early publication a third volume of the History of the University of Edinburgh, by Alexander Bower, comprehending the period from 1756 to the present time, and containing, besides the History as extracted from the records of the University and Town Council, biographical accounts of the eminent men now deceased who have filled professorial chairs. Among these are, Robertson, Ferguson, Robison, Monro, both Gregorys, Dugald Stewart, Playfair, Finlayson, Christison, Duncan, Murray, Brown, and several others.

The Memoirs of Bolivar, announced for immediate publication, are reported not only to contain much new information relative to the private history of that extraordinary man, but will also comprise a complete history of the Colombian Revolution.

we noticed some time ago, is circulating proposals for publishing mezzotinto engravings of Mr Jeffrey, Mr Brougham, and Sir Humphrey Davy. Mr Jeffrey is from a portrait by that rising' artist, Colville Smith; Mr Brougham, from a portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence, generally acknowledged to be the best, if not indeed the only happy likeness extant, of that distinguished author and states

man.

STATE OF CRIME IN FRANCE.-A report on the administration of criminal justice in France has been published in the Moniteur. A condensed statement of the results may have an interest for some of our readers. The total number of persons accused before the courts of assize, in the year 1828, is 8172; being an increase upon the total, during the year 1827, of 467. This increase is confined to crimes affecting property; crimes against the person have diminished by 67. Of the persons accused, 7396 have been tried; 776 did not appear. Among those who were brought to trial, the proportion of males to females was as 19 to 100. It is estimated, that the proportion of those criminals who were totally destitute of education was three fifths of the whole: the proportion of uneducated females is somewhat greater than that of uneducated males. By dividing the accused into classes, according to the education they had received, it was found that, among such as could neither read nor write, 37 out of every hundred were acquitted; among such as had a middling SAT. education, 44 out of every hundred, and among such as had received a superior education, 65 out of every hundred. The number of persons tried before the tribunals of correctional police in 1828 was 172,300. This is an increase upon the number in 1827 of 1154. The increase is chiefly among the thieves; 116 prosecutions were at the instance of the Crown for transgressions of the laws of the press. There does not appear from these statements to be any increase of crime in France from the year 1827 to the year 1828, greater than may be satisfactorily accounted for by the oscillation in the ex act quantity of crime in a nation from year to year, or by the greater activity of the legal authorities. By far the most important part of the document, in our estimation, is that which establishes the diminution of crime as we rise in the scale of education.

A Treatise on Poisons, in relation to Medical Jurisprudence, Physiology, and the Practice of Physic. By

Robert Christison, M. D. Professor of Medical Juris

prudence and Police in the University of Edinburgh. One volume, 8vo, pp. 698. Edinburgh: Printed for Adam Black. 1829.

Among other inestimable blessings which we owe to this dignified apathy, not the least, striking to one at all acquainted with Continental literature, is the miserably small share contributed by the experimentalists of Great Britain to the daily increasing stores of forensic medicine, when compared with what has been done in France and Germany. Hitherto we have been unable to reckon more than a stray pamphlet, an occasional article in a medical journal, and one or two institutional works, which are only adapted to teach the first rudiments of the science, not to diffuse an extended and practical knowledge. Dr Christison's volume is almost the first attempt among us to discuss the science independently, and in that detail which is requisite to exhaust the subject. The author has been long known in the Justiciary Court as a clear-headed and well-informed medical jurist; and he is still more widely known by his excellent and numerous contributions to the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. The work which we have now in hands fully equals what our previous knowledge of his talents had led us to expect. As the subject is of such vital import

PRICE 6d.

ance to all, our readers will scarcely object to our entering into a pretty detailed analysis of the contents of this book.

the body to which it is applied, and sometimes it extends The action of poison is sometimes confined to the part of local, sometimes remote. to distant organs; in other words, it is sometimes merely The local effects of poisons are of three kinds. Sometimes they decompose chemically, or corrode the part to which they are applied; sometimes MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE has hitherto made slight they inflame or irritate the part to which they are applied; progress in this country. There has been little encou- and sometimes they merely produce a peculiar impression ragement held out to men of talent to devote themselves on the sentient extremities of the nerves, unaccompanied to its study. There is a proud, wilful, obstinate pride of by any visible change of structure. The manner in which common sense in the English character, that looks with the influence of poisons is conveyed from one organ to resentment on the superior pretensions of science, and another, seems to be, in some instances, sympathetic, in repulses, as insulting, its offers of assistance. No more others, by absorption. The discoveries of Majendie on deadly offence can be given to John Bull than to lay venous absorption, and the frequent disappearance of claim to better information than he possesses. The supoisons during life from the shut cavities in which they percilious neglect with which he has hitherto listened to have been enclosed, have rendered it a favourite doctrine the arguments of the medical jurist in favour of the in- that most of them act through the blood. Dr Christison troduction of a more strict and satisfactory mode of col-holds it to be an erroneous opinion, that poisons affect relecting medical evidence, and in behalf of an efficient me- motely the general system. He admits that a few of dical police, is quite in character. We are daily accus- them, and, in particular, arsenic and mercury, appear to tomed to hear it gravely impressed upon the minds of affect most of the organs in the body, but maintains that juries from the bench, “ that this new thing called medi- by far the greater proportion seem to act on one or more cal jurisprudence is no part of the law of the land;" we organs only. Some of them act chiefly, if not solely, on have almost daily instances that lawyers successfully re- the heart; others on the lungs; a great number on the sort to the trick of bringing forward some ignorant dolt brain, and a few on the spinal cord. whom good luck has furnished with the title of surgeon, to swear in the teeth of a scientific and widely-experienced investigator, and thus neutralize, to the satisfaction of an ignorant jury, the evidence of the latter; we cannot walk through a street of any city in the kingdom without having our eyes insulted by placards headed, "Medical Aid," and promising "the strictest honour and secrecy," glaring proofs of the inefficiency of a police which allows ignorant men, and of immoral character, to practise upon the shame, fears, and credulity of the lower orders, and commit murder by wholesale with impunity.

66

The action of poisons may be modified, both in degree and kind, from a variety of circumstances. Dr Christison enumerates as the principal:-1. Quantity. Not only are the effects of a poison administered in large doses more rapid; they are frequently quite altered in kind. 2. State of Aggregation. Poisons act more energetically the more they are subdivided,—and hence, most energetically in solution, or when reduced to a state of vapour. Differences in aggregation have been known to affect the kind, as well as degree, of action. 3. State of chemical combination. " Poisons which only act locally, have their action much impaired, or even neutralised, in their chemical combinations: the action of poisons which operate by entering the blood, although it may be somewhat lessened, cannot be destroyed or altered in their chemical combinations." 4. Mixture. The effect of mixture depends partly on the poisons being diluted; partly on the mere mechanical impediment thrown between the poison and the animal membranes. 5. Difference of tissue in the parts to which the poison is applied. The variations having their origin in this source, depend chiefly on the relative quickness with which the absorption goes on, but not always. Some poisons which cause death when applied to a wound in small quantities, may be swallowed in large doses with impunity. Others are merely diminished in activity; and in some, it matters little to what textures they are applied. It is worthy of notice, that mineral poisons are the least, and animal poisons the most, affected by difference of tissue; while vegetable poisons hold a middle place. 6. Difference of Organ. The differences hence arising may in general be referred to difference of tissue, but not always. 7. Habit and Idiosyn

crasy. The tendency of the latter is to increase the activity of poisons, and even to render some substances deleterious, which to the greater number of persons are harmless. Such an idiosyncrasy may even be acquired. On the contrary, the tendency of habit is, with a few exceptions, to lessen the energy of poisons.

The classification of poisons is rather a difficult subject. Dr Christison has preferred classing them according to the symptoms they induce on man. He allows this method to be unsatisfactory, and only adopts it as the least deficient. According to him, all poisons may be arranged under one of three great divisions:-1st, The Irritants, including all whose sole or predominating symptoms are those of irritation or inflammation; 2d, The Narcotics, which produce stupor, delirium, and other affections of the brain and nervous system; 3d, The Narcotico-Acrids, which produce sometimes irritation, sometimes narcotism, sometimes both together. The first class comprehends the mineral acids, the fixed alkalies, the poisonous metallic compounds, some of the earths, the vegetable acrids, cantharides, the venom of serpents, poisonous fish, and diseased and decayed animal matter: The second, opium, hyoscyamus, lactuca, salanum, hydrocyanic acid, and the poisonous gases : The third, nightshade, thorn-apple, and tobacco; hemlock, and some other umbelliferous plants; monkshood; cocculus indicus, poisonous grain, and poisonous fungi.

The results yielded by the study of poisons, as tending to throw light on physiology and the practice of physic, have hitherto been such as to encourage further research, rather than such as can be said to have added materially to our knowledge in these two branches of study. Although they hold out fair hopes to the physician of the future discovery of new and more efficacious remedies and modes of treatment, it would be worse than madness to act as yet upon the immature researches of the toxicologist. Their bearing upon the science of jurisprudence is more immediate and practical; and to this subject, therefore, we must dedicate a few remarks, notwithstanding the length to which this article has already run.

his testimony must be judged of by the rules recognised by the court. The office of a medical police is, to super

intend the cleanliness of cities-the character of the food exposed in the markets-the supplies of water-the locality and structure of manufactories, which, in their process, evolve noxious exhalations and the qualifications of medical practitioners. All these matters are left in this country to chance; and we believe it is now the only country in Europe where this is the case. A medical officer, such as we have suggested in the case of the sheriff courts, might extend his activity with great benefit in this direction. This is sufficiently established by a number of interesting facts stated in the course of Dr Christison's book, for which we refer the reader (among other passages) to the chapter on "Lead," and that on “Decayed and Diseased Animal Matter."

It only remains that we address a few suggestions to Dr Christison. His book is professedly practical, and he, on this account, declines treating of any but the more common poisons. We are inclined to think, that a satisfactory work upon toxicology can only be produced upon the exhaustive plan, and that much light, even in what regards the practice of this country, may be obtained from comparative views of the working of foreign poisons, or of those known here under the influence of a different climate. We could also have wished that Dr Christison had given a catalogue raisonné of the principal Continental works which he has quoted. This would have had the double advantage of introducing his reader to a branch of medical literature which is too little cultivated among us, and at the same time of enabling him to judge of the value of any particular experiment, which must always be influenced by the accuracy of the operator and the credibility of the reporter. We make these suggestions for the benefit of Dr Christison's second edition, which, considering the valuable nature of his work, we doubt not will soon be called for.

Oliver Cromwell, a Poem, in Three Books. Edinburgh.
Oliver and Boyd. 1829. Pp. 200.

Medical knowledge is important to the lawyer and to the legislator, in two distinct points of view. To the former, it is chiefly necessary in discussing the evidence THIS work is, we believe, from the pen of Mr Dunlop for the commission or non-commission of a crime: to the of Greenock. On the whole, we look upon the preface latter, in enacting sound police regulations. With regard as the best part of it. The author is a much better prose to the former, we may remark, that in criminal cases of writer than a poet. The preface extends to twenty-twe poisoning, the enquiry resolves itself (as in all criminal closely-printed pages, and contains an able and vigorous investigations) into two great questions:-First, the defence of Oliver Cromwell. We have no intention to reality of the death by poison; and, second, whether it enter into the merits of the question; but we profess our has happened through malicious intention or accidentally, selves to be "neutral and candid," and to such Mr Dunand by whose instrumentality. In the first question, the lop is of opinion that "it may be incontestably shown, opinion of the medical man gives the law to the jury. that disinterested patriotism, in the most moderate degree, His declaration, that death has been caused by poison, required decisive hostility to the King's measures; that ought to preclude all further enquiry into the fact. It Cromwell, as well as others, acted from honest principle stands in the same relation as the opinion of an architect, in this respect, and had but too cogent reasons to rouse to whom it has been remitted to report on the state of a them; that he fairly proceeded from one step of power to building. This view of the matter shows at once the another, by the natural progress of events, without being loose and unsatisfactory nature of the mode at present liable to the imputation of remarkable and criminal amadopted in taking this part of the medical evidence. bition; that the chief magistracy of Great Britain was The crown counsel employ a medical man, and proceed entailed on him by motives of self-preservation, by the upon his opinion; the counsel for the prisoner bring regard which is due to the protection of inestimable reliforward another to contradict him;-the bench and the gious privileges, and in general by the incidence of things, jury, between this conflicting testimony, know not what which, perhaps, he himself could not in one sense counto think. It is the throw of a die whether the innocent teract; and that his reign, considering the untoward cirshall suffer or the guilty escape. Now it really seems to cumstances of it, presents nothing for which to load his us, that the remedy is as simple as the defect in our judi- memory with reproach." With so much admiration of cial institutions is notorious. The precognitions, which, his hero, it was natural to expect that our author would in Scotland, always precede the judicial investigation, are have devoted the main body of his book to a clear eluci taken by the sheriff. Let a competent medical officer be dation of his character and actions; and the name of attached to each sheriff court for the purpose of conduct- "Oliver Cromwell," which he has prefixed to his poem, ing such preliminary investigations as the one alluded to, certainly led us to conclude that we should find it dediand let his report be final. In the second part of the en-cated to his service. This is not the case. The plan of quiry-the question, namely, of intentional or accidental the poem is as follows:-It is written in blank verse, death, and the ascertaining of the criminal-the medical and introduces us to Cromwell and his daughter, Mrs witness descends, of course, to the level of any other, and Claypole, between whom a poetical dialogue is sustained