A complete Collection of the Medical and Philofophical Works of John Fothergill, M. D. F. R. S. and S. A. With an Account of his Life; and Occafional Notes; by John Elliot, M. D. 8vo. 7s. 6d. boards. Walker.

DR.

R. Fothergill being fo well known as a judicious and experienced phyfician, a collection of his medical works, which lay fcattered in numerous publications, cannot fail of proving highly acceptable to all who are more immediately interested in the improvements of that fcience. The ingenious editor of this volume, therefore, for the pains he has taken in fearching for fo many ufeful but detached materials, merits the thanks of every gentleman of the profeffion; and he is farther entitled to their acknowledgments, for the account which he has fo diftinctly delivered of Dr. Fothergill's life.

From thofe biographical memoirs, we find that Dr. Fothergill was born in 1712, in the neighbourhood of Richmond, in Yorkshire. Having ferved an apprenticeship to an apothecary named Barclay, who then refided at Bradford, he went to the univerfity of Edinburgh, where he took the degree of Doctor of Phyfic, in 1736. Paffing thence to the continent, he made a fhort ftay at Leyden; and after visiting Aix-la-Chapelle, and Spa, returned to England, and, about the year 1740, fixed his refidence at London.

The following anecdote mentioned by the biographer, is worthy of being kept in remembrance.

A friend of his, a man of a worthy character, who has at this time an income of about one hundred pounds a-year church preferment, was, in the earlier part of his life, feated in Lon don upon a curacy of fifty pounds per annum, with a wife and a numerous family. An epidemical difeafe, which was at that time prevalent, feized upon his wife and five of his children: in this fcene of diftrefs he looked up to the doctor for his affittance, but dared not apply to him, from a confcioufnefs of his being unable to reward him for his attendance. A friend, who knew his fituation, kindly offered to accompany him to the doctor, and give him his fee. They took the advantage of his hour of audience, and after a description of the feveral cafes, the fee was offered, and rejected; but a note was taken of his place of refidence. The doctor called affiduously the next and every fucceeding day, till his attendance was no longer neceflary. The curate, anxious to return fome grateful mark of the fenie he entertained of his fervices, ftrained every nerve to accomplish it; But his aftonishment was not to be defcribed, when, inftead of receiving the money he offered, with apologies for his fituation, the doctor put ten guineas into his hand, defiring him to apply to him without diffidence in future difficulties."

Dr.

Dr. Fothergill's liberality is farther evinced by his behaviour in the contest between the Fellows and Licentiates of the College of Phyficians; during which he is faid to have fubfcribed five hundred pounds towards bringing it to a legal, decifion. He alfo greatly contributed to the establishment of a charitable inftitution at Ackworth in Yorkshire.

Of the caufe of his death, his legacies, perfon, and cha racter, Dr. Elliot gives the following account.

Thofe who have been moft fuccefsful in imparting health to others, are not always equally fortunate in their applications to themselves. The temperance and regularity of Dr. Fothergill might feem to promife a long life, free from the miferies of difeafe. He had not, however, that happinefs. About two years before his death, he had been afflicted with a diforder which he apprehended, though without foundation, to be an irregular gout. It terminated in a fuppreflion of urine, from which he obtained a temporary relief; but it returned again with greater violence, and, notwithstanding every effort of the medical gen tleman who attended him, put a period to his exilence on the 26th day of December 1780, in the 60th year of his age. Ondiffection, the difeafe appeared to have been occafioned by a fchirrous enlargement of the proftate, which compreffed. the neck of the bladder fo as to prevent the introduction of a catheter. His remains were, on the 5th of January following, depofited in the burial ground at Winchmore-Hill, being at tended by more than feventy coaches and poft-chaifes filled with Friends, who leized this laft occafion to pay a tribute of refpect to the memory of the deceased.

Dying a batchelor, he devifed the bulk of his fortune to a maiden filler, who refided with him for many years before his death. He likewife bequeathed handfome legacies to his other relations and friends. His library, which confifted of an excellent collection of books in phyfie and natural history, particu Larly the latter, has lately been told by auction; and Dr. Hunter has purchafed his collection of fhells-and corals of his executors for 1200l. our author, by his will, having given directions that it fhould be appraifed after his death, and that Dr. Hunter fhould have the refufal of it at five hundred pounds under the valuation.

The perfon of Dr. Fothergill (fays Dr. Hird) was of a de licate, rather of an extenuated make His features were all cha+ racter. His eye had a peculiar brilliancy of expreffion; yet it was not eafy fo to mark the leading trait, as to difengage it from the united whole. He was remarkably active and alert, and, with a few exceptions, enjoyed a general good state of health.

His drefs was remarkably neat, plain, and decent, pecu Harly becoming himfeif; a perfect tranfcript of the order, and, I may add, of the neatnefs of his mind. He thought it unworthy

1

worthy a man of fenfe, and inconfiflent with his character, to fuffer himself to be led by the whim of fashion, and become the flave of its caprices.

At his meals he was remarkably temperate; in the opinion of fome, rather too abftemious, eating fparingly, but with a good relish, and rarely exceeding two glaffes of wine at dinner or fupper; yet, by this uniform and steady temperance, he preferved his mind vigorous and active, and his conititution equal to all his engagements.

The character of Dr. Fothergill will receive no injury, confidered either as a profeffional man or a member of fociety, if compared with any perfon of the prefent age. In the former capacity, he was learned, careful, and affiduous; in the latter, humane, benevolent, and attentive to the wants and miferies of mankind. In the exercife of the duties of his calling, he fpent almoft the whole of his life; and had very little time to devote to pleasure or amusements, had he poffeffed any inclination for fuch relaxations. He had, however, a confiderable propensity to natural hiftory, and fpared no expence to obtain whatever was fcarce, curious, or valuable in thofe pursuits to which he had turned his attention. But, though devoted to bufinefs, to fcience, and to literature, he was not negligent to the political fyftem of his country, and entertained fentiments of liberty and the British conftitution which did honour to him as an inglishman. He fincerely felt for the diftreffes of those who were involved in the calamities arifing from the prefent unnatural war; and is faid to have contributed very liberally to the relief of many of the unfortunate fufferers. Where fo many good qualities refided, it would be invidious to point out trifling, inoffenfive foibles. Some fuch fell to the fhare of our author. They were, however, more than compenfated by his virtues; and the public, as well as his friends, hath sustained, by his death, an irreparable

lofs.'

The following is a catalogue of the medical treatifes in this volume.

I. Differtatio Medica Inauguralis de Emeticorum Ufu in variis Morbis Tractandis.-II. Remarks on the Neutral Salts of Plants, and on Terra Foliata Tartari.-III. Efay upon the Origin of Amber.-IV. Obfervations on the Manna Perficum. — IV. Obfervations on a Cafe published in the last Volume of the Medical Effays, &c. of recovering a Man dead in Appearance, by diftending the Lungs with Air. Printed at Edinburgh, 1744. -V. De Diaphragmate Fiffb, & mutatis quorundam Vifcerum Sedibus, in Cadavere Puellæ decem Menfium obfervatis, Epistola. -VI. An Account of fome Obfervations and Experiments made in Sibiria, extracted from the Preface to the Flora Sibirica, five Hiftoria Plantarum Sibiriæ, cum Tabulis Æri incifis. Auct. D. Gmelin. Chem. & Hift. Nat. Prof. Petropoli, 1747. 4to. Vol. I-VII. An Account of the Putrid Sore Throat. Part I. Of

the

the Sore Throat attended with Ulcers, as it appeared in Spain, Italy, Sicily, &c. Part II. Of the Sore Throat attended with Ulcers, as it has appeared in London, and Parts adjacent.VIII Of the Ufe of the Cortex Peruvianus, in Scrophulous Disorders. IX. A Letter to the Medical Society, concerning an Aftringent Gum brought from Africa.-X. Experiments on mixing Oils, refinous and pinguious Subftances with Water, by Means of a Vegetable Mucilage: in a Letter from Mr. James Bogle French, Apothecary in London, to Dr. John Fothergill. With Remarks by the fame. Experiments on mixing Oil and Water by means of a Mucilage. Experiments on mixing Oils, &c. by Attrition. Remarks on the preceding Experiments, by J. Fothergill, M D.-XI. A Letter relative to the Cure of the Chin-Cough.-XII Obfervations on the Ufe of Hemlock.XIII. Remarks on the Hydrocephalus Intermus.-XIV. Of the Cure of the Sciatica.-XV. Of the Ufe of Tapping early in Droplies.-XVI. Remarks on the Ufe of Balfams in the Cure of Confumptions.-XVII. Remarks on the Cure of Confumptions. -XVIII. Some Account of the Cortex Winteranus, or Magellanicus, by John Fothergill, M. D. F. R. S with a Botanical Defcription by Dr. Solander, F. R. S. and fome Experiments by M Morris, M. D. F. R. S. Experiments on the Cortex Winteranus, or Magellanicus, by Dr. Morris.-XIX. Of a painful Affection of the Face.-XX. Of the Management proper at the Ceffation of the Menfes.-XXI. The Cafe of a Hydrophobia. Additional Directions for the Treatment of Perfons bit by Mad Animals.-XXII. Cafe of an Angina Pectoris: with Remarks.. XXIII. Farther Account of the Angina Pectoris.-XXIV. Farther Remarks on the Treatment of Confumptions, &c.-XXV. Obfervations on Diforders to which Painters in Water-Colours. are expofed.'

To these are fubjoined, an Account, by Dr. Fothergill, of the late Peter Collinfon, Efq. F. R. S. in a letter to a friend; and an effay on the character of the late Alex. Ruffell, M. D. read before the Society of Phyficians the fecond of October, 1769. From the two laft mentioned articles, Dr. Fothergill appears to have been a man of tender feelings, warm in his attachments, and far from being ill qualified for defcribing an amiable character.

The Mirror. A Periodical Paper, published at Edinburgh iz the Years 1779, and 1780. 3 vols. 12mo. 95. boards.

Cadell.

THE 'HE idea of this publication, we are informed, took its rife in a company of gentlemen, whom particular, circumftances of connexion brought frequently together, and whofe converfation often turned upon literary and moral sub

jects.

jects. Of the members who compofed this rational and ele gant fociety, no hint, which can lead to a discovery, is given in the courfe of thofe volumes. It is evident, however, that they have been men of taste, fentiment, and learning; and, confidering the narrow fphere of the capital in which they lived, with the circumfcribed field of obfervation which they confequently enjoyed, they have furnished fuch a variety of entertainment as was hardly to be expected in a work of this kind. Of the many difadvantages they laboured under, we fhall give their own account.

The fituation of the authors of the Mirror was fuch as nei ther to prompt much ambition of literary fuccefs, nor to create much dependence on it. Without this advantage, they had fcarcely ventured to fend abroad into the world a performance, the reception of which was liable to fo much uncertainty. They forefaw many difficulties, which a publication like the Mirror, even in hands much abler than theirs, muft neceffarily en

counter.

• The state of the times, they were fenfible, was very unpropitious to a work of this fort. In a conjuncture fo critical as the prefent, at a period fo big with national danger and public folicitude, it was not to be expected that much attention fhould be paid to fpeculation or to fentiment, to minute investigations of character, or pictures of private manners. A volume which we can lay afide and refume at pleafure, may fuffer lefs materially from the interruption of national concerns; but a fingle fheet, that meafures its daily importance with the vehicles of public intelligence and political difquifition, can hardly fail to be neg

lected.

But, exclufive of this general disadvantage, here were par ticular circumstances which its authors' knew must be unfavourable to the Mirror. That fecrefy which they thought it neceffary to keep, prevented all the aids of patronage and friendfhip; it even damped thofe common exertions to which other works are indebted, if not for fame, at least for introduction to the world. We cannot expect to create an interest in those whom we have not ventured to truft; and the claims even of merit are often little regarded, if that merit be anonymous and un

known.

• The place of its publication was, in feveral refpects, difadvantageous. There is a certain diftauce at which writings, as well as men, fhould be placed, in order to command our attention and refpect. We do not eafily allow a title to inftruct or to amule the public in our neighbour, with whom we have been accustomed to compare our own abilities. Hence the fafidioufnefs with which, in a place fo narrow as Edinburgh, home productions are commonly received; which, if they are grave, are pronounced dull; if pathetic, are called unnatural; if ludicrous," are termed low: In the circle around him, the man of business

fees