this very section, that air, instead of being purified, is actually corrupted by the perishing body.,,

Though we are indeed moft highly entertained by the inAtructive catalogue of experiments given in fection fixth, we are yet by no means convinced of the truth they are designed to establish. The Doctor meant, in this fection, to pave the way for determining the different degrees of nutrition in different bodies. With this view he collects the air emitted by them in a ftate of putrefaction, which he finds to be in general inflammable, mixed with a portion of fixed air. The fubftances which the Doctor employs in his experiments are onions, potatoes, carrots, parfnips, and other vegetables which we most commonly feed upon. But why not extend his trials to a much greater number of bodies? this was abfolutely necessary to give the leaft plaufibility to his theory; for, perhaps, such bodies as are not nutritive might yield the fame kind of air, and in equal abundance. We cannot even fufpe&t the contrary, till fuch experiments are firft made; befides, what evidence have we to believe, that the nutritive quality in bodies is in proportion to the inflammable air they emit, or to the phlogifton they contain? we confider this as a step which should have been firft eftablished before the leaft dependence can be placed on another, which is wholly fupported by it. From the teftimony of universal experience it must be allowed, that animal are more nutritive than vegetable substances. And as we proceeded, we indulged the hope that the Doctor, in his next fection, would have fubjected animal fubftances to the fame circumftances as thofe in which, agreeable to his preceding fection, he had putrefied vegetable fubftances; but he unexpectedly, and for what reason we cannot guess, changes the mode of his experiments: we hence derive a very entertaining list of facts, fhewing the refult of putrefying flesh in jars inverted in quickfilver. And though the reader may not be altogether fatisfied with the Doctor's theory of nutrition, he will yet find in this fection many interefting obfervations. Amongst others the abfolute neceffity of water, and that in a confiderable quantity, to the production of fome airs, viz. nitrous, fixed, and inflammable air; but while this appears to be the confequence of feveral experiments, the Do&or fairly acknowleges, that when water has entered into the compofition of air, he knows no method of difcovering and restoring it. We know of no fact which militates against this theory excepting one, which, we dare fay, the Doctor's experience will readily bring to his memory; the more concentrated the marine acid is, the greater abundance of inflammable air will it produce, if there is

diffolved

diffolved in it any quantity of tin or iron. We cannot account for this phenomenon, on the fuppofition that water enters fo abundantly into the compofition of inflammable air.

There are few fpeculations more curious than those which have a tendency to fhew the different degrees of phlogistication of which air is fufceptible, and through which it paffes before it comes to its moft putrid or noxious state. Dr. Prieftley has plainly fhewn that the laft, or that ftate in which phlogifton is united to air with the strongest affinity, is the inflammable. He has pointed out fome of the gradual purifications which reduce it from this ftate into that of phlogisticated air, or that in which a candle is extinguifhed without any attendant explosion. Section VIII. prefents us with fome curious inftances of this process. Dr. Priestley had obferved, that by introducing a mixture of iron-filings and fulphur into a jar of nitrous air, a quantity of inflammable air was generally produced: he had formerly fuppofed that this change was owing to fome revolution in the conftitution of the nitrous air, but with his ufual manliness and openness, he retracts this opinion, and gives a variety of experiments, fhewing that the change muft depend upon a generation of inflammable air, from the fulphur and the iron-filings. But the fame experiments, to ufe his own words, have led him alfo to the obfer. vation, that in this, and many other cafes of the diminution of common air by phlogistic proceffes, a true inflammable air is first produced, and in its nafcent state (as it may be called) is immediately decompofed, previous to the phlogistication of the common air.' We fhall repeat fome of the leading facts which confirm thefe obfervations. A mixture of iron filings and fulphur was introduced, while it was actually emitting inflammable air, into a quantity of common air; and in the interval of a month, it diminished the common air confiderably: the mixture was then taken out of the common air, and upon trial was ftill found to emit inflammable air. There can be no doubt that the common air in this experiment had been diminished and phlogisticated by an addition of inflammable air in its nafcent state, or rather after it was completely though but newly formed. Dr. Priestley wished to fee whether a strong beat would not produce this change in inflammable, when already made and mixed with common air: a very fimple experiment decided the contrary. A mixture of common and inflammable air, however, after being kept a long time, difcovered fome little change, but ftill there was always a refidue of inflammable air: this change was produced much more completely, by admitting the inflammable by fmall quantities into the common air.

Dr.

I.

Dr. Priestley, in Section IX. examines and refutes two very important errors, which fome of his philofophical friends had embraced and endeavoured to fupport. Dr. Ingenhoufz afferts, that a quantity of air iffues from the skin, and that perspiration, like refpiration, phlogisticates air. Dr. Priestley proves to a demonftration, that this air does not iffue from the skin, but from the water in which any part of the body fubjected to trial is immerfed. If you place a piece of glafs or metal in water containing air, in an exhausted receiver, the phænomena, which Dr. Ingenhoufz defcribes may be feen, in which cafe it is easily fhewn that the air comes from the water itself; for if the water contain no air, and the surface of the glass or metal be wiped, the appearance, which Dr. Ingenhousz lays fo much ftrefs upon, cannot be produced. Dr. Ingenhoufz's fuppofition, that water exhausted of its air is not proper for this experiment, because it absorbs all the air as readily as it iffues from the skin, is very decifively refuted by Dr. Priestley, If the experiment be made in water, this must be the only unexceptionable way of doing it. 2. Water by no means abforbs any air fo faft as to give the leaft plaufibility to Dr. Ingenhoufz's fuppofition. And, 3. This air, agreeable to Dr. Ingenhoufz's fuppofition, is phlogisticated, which we well know is of all others abforbed with the greatest difficulty. 4. 'Where are the air veffels neceffary for the purpofe pointed out by Dr. Ingenhoufz, and what is their origin and connexion with other parts of the fyftem; the present ftate of anatomy indicates nothing on the fubject.' To place however the matter beyond all doubt, Dr. Prieftley expelled all its air, by boiling it out of a portion of water, and plunged his arm into it; but though he continued his arm in this fituation for half an hour,' not a fingle bubble of air made its appearance. The Doctor obferves, that he might have examined whether this water contained any air befides what it might have been fuppofed to have imbibed from the atmosphere in this interval, but that he neglected to do it, declaring his confidence that it was unneceffary. We are really aftonished at the Doctor's careleffnefs in this particular inftance. Why fhould he omit as a trifle, and leave to fuppofition, a fact which would have removed every hadow of an argument for the hypothefis he was endeavouring to overturn, efpecially as the toil it would have coft him must be fo very inconfiderable? Another error which Dr. Priestley very ably corrects in this fection is a very grofs one efpoufed by Mr. Cruikshanks, who has declared, that perfpiration actually phlogisticates air in fome degree: he builds this opinion on a very flight foundation indeed, on a fingle experiment, in which water became turbid (after having kept

his leg in it for fome time) when he mixed it with lime-water; one fact related by Dr. Priestley is fufficient to overturn this wild theory, which depends on the falfe principle, that fixed and phlogisticated are one and the fame air. Dr. Priestley tied a bladder round his leg, with his leg in this confinement he fept a whole night, and the next morning examined the air in the bladder, which he found to be equally pure with common air.

[To be continued.]

The New Annual Regifter, or General Repofitory of Hiftory, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1780. To which is prefixed, Abort Review of the principal Transactions of the preJent Reign. 8vo. 55. 3d. in Boards. Robinson.

THE

HE ufefulness of a Register, containing a particular account of the different tranfactions, and the multitude of miscellaneous objects, worthy of notice, which occur in the year, is too obvious to require elucidation. In a work of fo extensive a nature, next to fidelity of historical detail, the qualities moft effentially requifite are judgement in the selection of the materials, and perfpicuity in the arrangement; without the former of which, the volume would become only a mafs of frivolous compilation; and without the latter, a confused and disgusting aggregate of misplaced information, and mifconducted entertainment.

In the execution of the New Annual Regifter, we have the fatisfaction to find, that due regard has been paid to those important confiderations. The hiftorical part appears to be written with a freedom of fentiment, unbiaffed by political prejudices; and the various articles, relative to biographical anecdotes and characters, manners of nations, philofophical papers, antiquities, literature, &c, are not only felected from the beft authorities, but digested in a clear, methodical, and advantageous point of view,

A concife and general history of the literature of the year is alfo given, accompanied with obfervations, which will ferve to ascertain the present state of learning in Britain; and to fhew how far the genius, knowlege, and taste of the nation, are in a declining, or a progreffive condition; a circumstance not only interefting to curiofity, but which may, eventually, be productive of confequences much more important.

This being the firft volume of the work, it commences with a fhort review of the principal tranfactions of the prefent reign; from which, as a fpecimen, we have taken the following ex

tract.

• King

.

King George the Second concluded his days on the twenty fifth of October, 1760, with a glory not ufual to princes, and efpecially to those who have reigned for many years, and died at a very advanced age. His abilities, if not of the first rate, were refpectable, and his virtues rendered him the object of general esteem. There was a moderation in his political temper and conduct which fuited him to the government of a free people; and during the whole of his reign, his fubjects enjoyed as great, if not a greater portion of happiness than is common to nations.

:

• But it was not folely, or principally, owing to these things that he went out of the world with fo much luftre. A confiderable part of his reign had not a little been disturbed with political difputes and events had happened, both foreign and domeftic, which were fufficiently mortifying, and which, at times, affected his popularity. In the war that was concluded by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, he had not been fuccefsful; and, during the courfe of that war, his throne had been fhaken by a rebellion, which, however, ferved, in the end, to render it more firm, and to manifeft to him the real affection of the great majority of his people. His natural attachment to Hanover, which was believed to have an undue influence upon his negotiations and engagements on the continent, had been a repeated. fubject of complaint and the commencement of the war, in which the kingdom was involved at his deceafe, had been attended with feveral difagreeable events. The principal circumstances that spread fuch a glory around him at his death. were the victories with which his latter years had been crowned; and which were owing to a great minifter, who had been forced upon him, much against his will, by the voice of the public; but to whoin, when he had been obliged to receive him, he gave his full confidence and fupport. The fpirit and abilities of this man, which bore down all oppofition both at court and in parliament, which carried the nation along with him, and infufed a noble emulation into our paval and military commanders, had raised the British name and empire to the highest degree of fplendor, power, and political im

portance.

In this ftate of the dignity and happiness of Great Britain, and in the midst of a fuccefsful war, king George the Third mounted the throne. To fucceed to the crown in fuch a fituation, was in itself a peculiar advantage; befides which there were many circumstances that concurred to recommend the young monarch to the univerfal affection of his fubjects. The time of his life, having now attained the full age of manhood, being in his twentythird year, naturally created a prejudice in his favour; and this prejudice was justly increafed by the decency and regularity of his manners, and by the poffeffion and the promife of many engaging virtues. There was, likewife, a difpofition in all parties to unite in fupport of his government: for the attachment to the Stuart family was almoft worn out; and those who retained the principles which had heretofore excluded them from the prefer

ments