effect is to narrow our ideas, and fix our attention on parts rather than on wholes. A title, a badge, a drefs, and various other little things, are apt to fwell into importance, in our imaginations, and to occupy the place of higher and nobler objects. Some party diffe rences are in their own nature fo infignificant, that every thing be longing to them must neceffarily be petty and trivial. But even in thofe grand contefls which turn upon points materially connected with the happiness of mankind, vulgar minds are usually more engaged by the names of the leaders, and the banners under which they march, than by the caufe. I think, however, that the ftronger fenfe of the prefent age has in a confiderable degree corrected this error, and that the folly and favouritifm of party have much abated. It may, in confequence, have become more ftern and intractable; but if we are to contend at all, let it be about principles rather than perfons, and with the fpirit of men, rather than of children. It is true philofophy alone which can elevate the mind above all that is low and debafing; and oppofite as the characters of philofophy and party have usually appeared, I despair not of their union in one breaft. Farewell!' P. 21. The excellence of Dr. Aikin's ftyle has been fo long acknowledged, that an enlargement on its merits would be a fuperfluous task. But we cannot neglect availing ourselves of this opportunity of recommending it to the attentive study of thofe who wish to acquire the purity of genuine English compofition. The fpirit of the times feems to render fuch a recommendation peculiarly neceffary. The attention even of many literary characters has of late years been fo ftrongly attracted to the politics of the continent, that their style has by infenfible, degrees been tinged with foreign phrafeology, and the inflated efflorefcence of French oratory has too frequently been fubftituted for the chastity of true English diction. The contemplation of a model, fuch as is prefented in thefe letters, is perhaps the best antidote against this growing evil. In his concluding letter (which contains very valuable hints on the experience of life) Dr. Aikin fays, the ftate of health which has compelled me to quit the fcenes of bufinefs has at length fixed me in a quiet and agreeable retreat, friendly to that progrefs in mental improvement which is ftill my humble aim. We fhall close our review of this intercfting article by expreffing our fincere wishes, that in this retirement he may experience all the pleasures refulting from the retrofpect of a life devoted to virtue, and exhibiting a perpetual feries of elegant purfuits and attainments; and that he may be enabled. long to fay with the amiable author of the Tafk, "Tis pleafant thro' the loop-holes of retreat. * We here allude to the death of this admirable poet. To peep at fuch a world; to fee the ftir Lectures on Diet and Regimen: being a fyftematic Inquiry into the most rational Means of preferving Health and prolonging Life: together with Phyfiological and Chemical Explanations, calculated chiefly for the Ufe of Families, in order to banish the prevailing Abufes and Prejudices in Medicine. The third Edition, revifed, corrected, and improved. By A. F. M. Willich, M.D. 8vo. gs. Boards. Longman and Rees. 1800. WHEN the public judgement has clearly decided on the merit of a work, by the demand for a third edition, fo foon after the first publication, a reviewer has apparently little more to do than echo the general voice. It has happened, however, that applaufe has occafionally been mifapplied, and that popularity has followed where merit has been inconfiderable or equivocal. It may happen alfo that commendations have been indifcriminate, and the real merit of a work not justly appreciated. Our labours, though delayed, may not therefore be wholly ufelefs, and we thall examine the production before us without a bias from the popularis aura,' which buzzes around us. The author's great object, as the title evinces, is to explain the most rational means of preferving health, and prolonging life. With this view, Dr. Willich examines the pretentions of boafted remedies, and the delufive arts of empiricifin; and afterwards inveftigates, with great care, every circumftance which relates to health, every external caufe which can affect it by improper management, or preferve it by judicious regulations. The introduction contains general remarks on the fubject, particularly on the danger of quack remedies and cofmetics, as well as the advantages of cleanlinefs, and particularly of temperate baths. The firft chapter is on the means of preferving health, and prolonging life.' The firft part is peculiarly interefting, and contains fome curious facts, little known, relative to quacks, from Paracelfus and the alchemifts, to Mesmer and Cagliostro. In this catalogue he includes Mr. Perkins, but we would yet willingly confider the lift' as fub judice.' The true method of attaining a healthy and long life is properly stated to confift in a bodily, mental, and hereditary difpofition to lon gevity; in a perfect birth of the child, and proper conduct of the mother in fuckling, &c; a gradual culture of the faculties of the body and mind; a habit of refifting the influence of external impreffions; a fteady and equal progrefs of life; a found ftate of digeftion; and equanimity of mind, without violent exertions. To this we may perhaps add varied avocations, and exercises of mind and body, as well as permitting nature to correct little irregularities and deviations, by her own powers. To the former, Dr. Franklin and lord Kaims owed much of their vigour of mind and body at a very advanced age: by the latter, nature is more conftantly enabled to relieve herself in any emergency: the arm, not employed, foon becomes paralytic; the ftomach often artificially emptied, is very quickly overcharged. The following remarks deferve much attention: one of the pofitions we fhall perhaps afterwards employ, and they exhibit, in Dr. Willich's own words, the subjects of his work. Many ingenious writers have lately endeavoured to point out the difadvantages arifing from caufes apparently trivial. Thus the fa fhion of using paint, hair-powder, and pomatum,-of wearing illfhaped fhoes, laced ftays, &c. have defervedly incurred fevere ridicule and pointed cenfure. The cuftom of applying lead to earthen veffels has not efcaped their attention: the danger, however, refulting from the ufe of that fubftance has been greatly exaggerated. Writers, with the best intention, have fometimes, from an excefs of zeal, defcanted on the worft fide of the question only, by attributing to certain things many dangerous qualities, which in fact are owing to a great diverfity of circumftances. This partial method of inquiring into the fources of the evil, is, generally fpeaking, a ferious error; as it not only leads to falfe conclufions, but alfo draws our attention from other preffing inju sies, to which, in a more difpaffionate state of mind, our care might be directed. Perhaps the greater number of dietetic writers have fallen into another error of an equally bad tendency. They judge of every thing according to the agreeable or difagreeable effect it produces on their own palate and conftitution, and hence recommend their favourite dishes to others; though what is falutary in particular cafes, may have a pernicious tendency, if prescribed indiscriminately. The multiplicity of our wants, which all deferve attention in a dietetic system, has also confiderably multiplied the rules of health, Of all animated beings, indeed, none require fuch rules more than thofe who fervilely fubmit to the arbitrary mandates of luxury and fashion. Many, indeed, are the open and fecret enemies to the health and profperity of man. Even the moft healthy, and those who rigidly adhere to the rules of diet and regimen, cannot altogether evade their attacks. Hence we hould make it our study to inform ourfelves minutely of every thing, fo as to be enabled to judge of its good or bad qualities. Whatever we are obliged to have more immediately around us, ranks in this clafs: the arrangement of our dwelling-places, beds, clothes, furniture, &c. in the choice of which we are lefs accustomed to confult what nature requires, or to contrive what may be moft likely to promote the welfare of the body, than to follow fashion, vanity, or improper habits. Some of our organs of fenfation, and other faculties of the body, muft unavoidably fuffer from inattention to a proper mode of living in general. From the great exertions, to which we often fubject them (the eyes, for inftance, in reading) they are liable to a variety of accidents, and frequently become debilitated and impaired. It appears, therefore, perfectly confiftent with the plan of this work to treat of the management of the eyes, teeth, and other parts of the body.' P. 178. The fecond chapter is on the air and weather, and contains. a fufficiently full account of the atmosphere in its various ftates, with proper recommendations for the ventilation of apartments. The fituation of a house to the north and to the eaft is recommended in fummer, and to the fouth in winter. This advice we approve; yet the Jefuits, minutely attentive to every accommodation and advantage, preferred in every feafon the eaft, feemingly that, being under no inconvenience from the fun, they law all objects gilded by its beams, and their refidence was chiefly in fouthern climates. The fhade of a north-eastern afpect in fummer gives a calm repose, which is highly grateful. The general effects of damp in the apartments are well detailed, and the avoiding this fource of disease warmly enjoined. Cleanliness, the subject of the third chapter, is enforced with great propriety in all its branches. With refpect to the management of the teeth, we differ in fome points from Dr. Willich, particularly with regard to removing, in fome circumftances, the tartar. We admit that it loofens the teeth; but, if the gums be punctured, they foon again faften. We have alfo no reason to think that any particular foods will occafion the more ready or speedy depofition of the tartar. It arifes from the state of the faliva only; and, though fome fubftances, used as diets, will diffolve it, they cannot remain long enough on the incrufted teeth to produce any chemical effect. Our author recommends oil of fabina, or of juniper, in the tooth-ach, as preferable to laudanum. We have usually preferred the oil of faffafras; but either will probably be equally ufeful. Dr. Richter recommends the effence of pimpinella, with an equal quantity of laudanum, adding a drop or two of oil of cloves. Dr. Willich recommends fugar as an antifeptic; but Dr. Stark found, after living on it for fome time, that his gums fwelled like thofe of a fcorbutic perfon. Baths are ftrongly inculcated, viz. temperate ones, as generally beneficial; and the cold baths as tonics for those whofe ftrength will admit of their use. For corns, our author recommends eafy fhoes, frequently bathing the feet in water, in which at little pot-afh has been diffolved, and a plafter made of equal parts of galbanum, faffron, and camphor. The next fubject is drefs; and Dr. Willich, with every other author on this fubject, advifes woollen. We fully agree in his opinion, but not in his reafon. Woollen indeed abforbs fluids, but does not readily permit them to evaporate, as he fuppofes. Coldness is not perceived, because the fluids are retained by a kind of hygrometrical affinity: flannel, when expofed to the air, dries flowly. We cannot join with Dr. Willich alfo in his diflike of calico. This, we think, fhould in the winter feafon fuperfede linen, as the dress nearest the fkin. The method of rendering thoes water-proof, with the obfervations on changing them, we fhall tranfcribe; and of the other obfervations on drefs, we can only add our unreserved commendation. With respect to the fubftance of which fhoes fhould be made, no other general rule can be given, than that it ought to be fufficiently compact, to prevent the water from penetrating it; fo elastic and foft, as to admit an eafy motion of the whole foot; and accommodated to the weather, exercife, and foil, in which it is ufed. To those who have not the means or opportunity of procuring the patent water-proof leather, I fhall fuggeft a method of preparing this fpecies of leather, at a very fmall expence. One pint of drying oil, two ounces of yellow wax, two ounces of fpirit of turpentine, and half an ounce of Burgundy pitch, fhould be carefully melted together, over a flow fire. Those to whom the finell of pitch and turpentine is unpleafant, may add a few drachms of fome cheap elfential oil, as of lavender, thyme, and the like. With this compolition new shoes and boots are rubbed, either in the fun, or at fome distance from a fire, with a fponge or foft bruh: this operation is to be repeated as often as they become dry, until they be fully faturated. In this manner, the leather at length becomes impervious to wet; the fhoes or boots made of it last much longer than thofe made of common leather, acquire fuch foftnefs and pliability, that they never fhrivel nor grow hard and inflexible, and, thus prepared, are the most effectual prefervatives against cold and chilblains. To conclude, I fhall only remark, that it is not advisable to change the fhoes from one foot to the other. Let us rather tread one of the fhoes fomewhat crooked, than injure our feet and health, by an adherence to a cuftom, which has nothing but cuftam to recommend it. If it be our ferious wish to avoid corns and |