peculiar, as we believe, to the author, and which we cannot approve, we mean the frequent ufe he makes of the digitalis, and the femina hyofcyami, two drugs of fuch deleterious qualities, that they fhould never be reforted to, where milder remedies may be made to anfwer the purpofe. In cafes of plethora, of too rigid a state of the fibres, of quick pulfe, and of uneafy fenfations about the region of the uterus, threatening abortion, we are advised to give from half a grain to a grain of the digitalis, and continue the use of it as long as we find it neceffary. See pages 80, 85, 86, 93, 98, &c. But as these are fome of the moft common circumstances attending pregnancy, and when exceffive may be remedied by taking away a fmall quantity of blood, giving a gentle laxative, and perhaps reducing the diet; and as thefe fymptoms rarely lead to abortion, and frequently fubfide of themfelves, there can be no neceffity for having recourse to a remedy fo powerful as the digitalis. It is not improbable that the digi talis, and other fashionable drugs, owe a great part of their reputation to their being frequently employed in cafes, where no medicines are wanted. But as it is often neceffary that the phyfician fhall prefcribe fomething in thefe cafes, a little of the powder or infufion of chamomile flowers, or of the columbo root, or a glafs of camphor water, may be given with more fafety, and certainly with as much advantage as the digitalis. Where the uterus does not contract fufficiently after abortion, or after child-bearing, and the patient is in danger of finking, in confequence of the haemorrhage continuing, or recurring after fhort intervals, during which it is fufpended, the author recommends aftringent injections, and fmall dofes of ipecacuanha, or emetic tartar to excite naufea. As hysteric affections fometimes occur, at every period of utero-geftation, where they are very troublefome, the author attempts to appease them by administering a "liberal dofe of tincture of opium and æther." "During the intervals of the fits," he adds, p. 132, "we may give a table fpoonful of the following mixture, five or fix times a day." But a fecond, or third dofe, it is probable, would put an end to the fits, and to the life of the patient at the fame time. The following is a copy of the prescription, "R. Tinet. Digitalis, 3ifs. Ext. Hyociami, 31. Emls. Camph. 3iv." The patients are therefore to take a drachm of the tincture of digitalis, and five grains of the extract of henbane five or fix times in the day. It is true the author has corrected the error in this prefcription, in a fecond table of errata, for it is not noticed in the first, and we are told to put a drachm and an half of the tincture of digitalis, inftead of an ounce and an half, and a drachm of the tincture of henbane, inflead of a drachm of the extract, which is at the leaft, eight times as ftrong as the tincture. Where fo important an error as this was committed, the author fhould not have been contented with noticing it in the table of errata, he fhould have cancelled the fheet. It is common enough to direct a fpoonful of camphorated julap, or a few drops of fpirit of lavender to be taken five or fix times a day, at the difcretion of the patient, but we never before faw, and truft we fhall not foon again fee, a fimilar latitude given, where the medicines were endowed with fuch powers, as the drugs here recommended are known to pollefs. The obfervations which were delivered in the courfe of the author's lectures, are dedicated to his pupils, who paid him, he fays, very flattering compliments upon them; but he must not expect them to be received by his brethren, fellow practitioners, or teachers, with the fame approbation, until they have been very carefully corrected and amended. ART. XI. The Works of Dr. Edward Barry, in three Volumes; 1. Sermons preached on public Occafions. 2. A friendly Call of Truth and Reafon. 3. Efays. 8vo. 11. 1s. Smart and Co. Reading. Rivingtons, &c. London. 1806. OF F the Sermons in the firft of thefe volumes, moft, if not all, have been fingly publifhed; and fome of them have in that ftate attracted our attention. It appears alfo, that, with the exception of five out of nineteen, they have alfo appeared in a collective edition; which, by fome accident, we did not fee, The fecond volume has also been twice publifhed before, and was noticed by us in our 17th vol. p. 197. The Effays have either not been published before, or in a less extended form. Some The fubjects of the Sermons are very various. were preached for public occafions, fome for particular focieties, fome on great and fundamental doctrines of Religion. In all of them we can difcern the principles of a found divine, and the zeal of a fincere and benevolent man. That the the author has alfo the fkill to exprefs his fentiments with propriety and animation, may be feen in the following specimen. Where he treats of the irreverent practice, lately become but too common, of fitting during the finging of Pfalms. "In vain alas! is the pious exhortation, O come let us fing unto the Lord,' to all those who are not difpofed to attune their hearts and lift up their voices in hymns of gratitude-utterly disregarded is the invitation by thofe, who continue in the irre verend posture of fitting down, when called upon to raise their bodies, and elevate their fouls to the praife and glory of Him, who made heaven and earth: very plainly do fuch intimate, that as they have no melody in their hearts, they will make none with their lips, and thus practically difregard the honour that is due to God, and hold in contempt the injunction of his Apostle, who has directed us to do all things decently and in order. "The custom of ftanding up to fing, is fet forth in the holy Scriptures, and was at one time the habit of Clergy and Laity: to this purpose the Pfalmift thus exhorts, "Praise ye the Lord, praife ye the name of the Lord, praise him, O ye fervants of the Lord: ye that ftand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the boufe of our God, praife ye the Lord, for the Lord is good:"" in obedience, therefore, to this command, they fang his praifes, not in the indecorous manner of fitting down on their feats, but in the becoming pofture of rifing up. "Why, however, fhould we urge Scripture examples to enforce a refpectful attention to what, the very fuggeftions of nature and habit fhould teach us to regard. A proper attitude and demeanour of perfon, where compliment or deference is to be expressed, are moft fcrupulously obferved by the different orders of fociety: fhall God Almighty then, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, fhall He be denied that outward mark of esteem and honour, which the ufages of civilized, and even barbarous nations most imperiously demand? forbid it religion, forbid it good manners, forbid it common decency! "For the aged, the difeafed, and the infirm, in retaining their feats, every apology is to be offered: but different is my language to the young, the healthy, and robuft; to them I muft fay, for the credit of our holy vocation, in compliance with Chrif tian order, and for the glory of Him, whofe name is Jehovah, that if they hope to join his heavenly choir in heaven, it becomes them no longer to refufe to rife up, and fing his praifes here below, and heace, To give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." *This obfervation actually roufed from their feats many of the congregation, who before were regardlef of other exhortations." "Forbid "Forbid it, ye that love the Lord, ye that fear the Lord, that fo interefting and so fublime a part of Chriftian worship, as Pfalm finging, when properly conducted, fhould any longer be treated. with neglect, by fuffering that duty to be done by proxy, and, bearing no part whatever in it yourfelves." P. 264. Let us add to thefe remarks, that a ftill more irreverent, and indecent practice, appears too faft to be gaining ground, that of filling even during the prayers; which, ex-, cept in cafes of abfolute infirmity, feems almoft to deftroy the very notion of prayer. The Friendly Call is addreffed to thofe femi-diffenters, as they might not improperly be called, who affume the merit of being more true Churchmen than the Church felf. It contains fome original and ufeful remarks, and many valuable citations from the works of other divines. It has juftly been much noticed and circulated; but, as we have fpoken of it before, we fhall not here expatiate upon it. The Effays are fourteen in number, and on fubjects appa rently interefting; namely, 1. Celibacy. 2. Wedlock. 3. Seduction. 4. Pride. 5. Duelling. 6. Self-murder. 7. Lying. 8. Detraction. 9. Avarice. 10. Juftice. 11. Generofity. 12. Temperance. 13. Excefs. 14. Death. Though thefe Effays, as well as the Sermons, difplay good and benevolent intentions, we cannot give them unqualified praife. In fome of them, particularly the three fifft, are paffages which it might have been more prudent to omit; and the reft deal too much in common remarks, and are rather unreasonably extended by quotations. Nor are the quotations, in general, any very unknown paffages of authors, or difcoveries of latent beauties. We cannot perhaps give a better fpecimen of thefe Eflays, than from the conclufion of that on Excefs. "For accidental ebriety fome few apologies may be offered.. The different qualities of the fame kind of liquor, may have very unexpected effects on different conftitutions. In extenuation of the guilt of Noah, it has been obferved, that he was unacquainted with the inebriating quality of fermentation in liquor.. Hilarity and other circumftances of fociety, together with the variation of animal fpirits, and the difference of feafons, may have occa fionally betrayed into intoxication, even fuch as deferve the name of fober men. On thefe, as on other occafions of accident," liberal and good minds are ready to put the fairest construction, and would rather conceal, than publish, such inftances of human imperfection. "But though we have ventured to fuggeft thus far, by way of apology for those who may fometimes be thus overtaken with a fault, let not the Drunkard or the Sot dare to prefume, that any palliation is here offered for the contemptible and deftructive habits of him, who either drivels like an idiot, or raves as a madman. Well might the Lacedæmonians therefore hope, that by reprefenting in their flaves the degrading appearance of drunkennefs, it would be fufficient to deter others from the vice. "Whatever may be the motives of different characters of mankind to a life of fobriety, the falutary effects are the fame. "If the knave be fober through defign, and the invalid from neceffity; the wife man will be fo from choice, and the good man from a fenfe of duty.. "There are, fays an eminent poet, Yet unnumber'd ills that lie unfeen Seed of fevere diftruft, and fierce debate, What we fhould fhun, and what we ought to hate. And in the flowers that wreathe the fparkling bowl, "This Effay fhall now conclude with a fhort, but pithy anecdote. "It is fomewhere faid, "That the Devil gave to an Hermit the choice of three crimes: two of them were of the most atrocious nature, the third was to be drunk." The poor man made choice of the laft, as feemingly the most innocent; but mark the fequel: when he was drunk, he committed the other two dreadful fins!” Vol. 111. p. 174. The general character of the Effays may here be seen. They are not the best part of the author's works; but, in every part, fome things may be found that are useful, and inftructive. Y y BRIT, CRIT, VOL, XXVIII, DEC, 1806, ART, |