I must at this Time omit taking Notice of, further than barely naming them, are feveral relating to the Cause of that nafty and troublesome Diftemper, the Itch, that is now found to be owing to little Infects under the Cuticula, which, thro' a Microscope, appear in Form like a Tortoife, nimble in their Motions, having fix Legs, a fharp Head, and two little Horns; others about the Scales and Pores of the Skin; others about the Loufe, Wood-Loufe, Mites, the Flea, Spiders, the Gnat, and the Ox-Fly, the Stings of divers Infects, Salts, the Seeds of Vegetables, and a Variety of Things not here mentioned. So many furprizing Particulars of all these he has brought together in this Volume, that it may be justly deemed one of the best Pieces of Natural History, that has been feen in fo narrow a Compass. Some of the most curious Obfervations, which we have not Room for here, may find a Place in our future Compofitions. ARTICLE XXXVI. I have had a Letter, dated December 10, 1742, from the North of England, which the Writer defires me to infert in the Works of the LEARNED for this Month. I should with great Pleasure bave complied with his Requeft, if it had been purely Argumentative; but as it contains feveral PafJages wherein the Republic of Letters is little, if at all interested, and reflecting on a most excellent Writer, merely as he is a declared Enemy to the Doctrine of Neceffity, in Oppofition to the Freedom of Intelligent Beings (thinking that on the latter all Religion, Virtue, Rewards, and Punishments, alone can be founded) I beg to be excufed if I bere infert only fuch Paragraphs of his Epiftle as are of the former Nature, and may be confidered as Reafoning. Hh 2 SIR, SIR, A Late Edition of Mr. Warburton's Critical and Philofophical Commentary on Mr. Pope's Efay on Man, having juft now fallen into my Hands, I cannot avoid making a few Observations upon his Dedication and Preface, which contain fome very ftrange Positions. Firft: For a Confutation of Fate, he refers to "that Conscioufnefs of Freedom which every plain "Man has, on reflecting upon what paffes in his "Mind when he thinks and acts." Those muft be very unattentive Men indeed, who think that they are not under a Neceffity of Thinking at all Times, at leaft, while awake. And Acting is a neceffary Confequence of Thinking that this or that Action tends to promote our Happiness. And furely, no attentive, honeft Man will fay, that he is confcious of a Freedom not to will his own Happiness. Secondly, We have an imperfect Account of Consciousness; from which alone, he fays, Freedom of Will may be demonftrated, viz. It is called "An 66 Impreffion on the Mind, made by Reflection, as "ftrong as any made by Senfation." Whereas Confcioufnefs is that innate effential Power or Property of the Mind, which perceives all the Impreffions received both from Senfation and Reflection. But whether or not it be liable to Deception and Rectification can never be known by his talking of the Award of Reafon ftanding in the Road of Nature, with all her Powers and Faculties entire, &c." Reafon, which is itfelf a Power or Faculty of the Mind, is, according to him, a Subject of Powers and Faculties. Now as to his Preface. In it be declares eternal War against the Bigot and Free-Thinker, which he efteems as Pefts of Society, and the Banes of Literature and Religion. And by these we are to under -stand ftand all Perfons who are irreconcileable Enemies his Defign of advancing Literature and Religion. He cries out, p. 19," "Tis no Time to ftand upon Ce"remony when Religion is ftruggling for Life; "when the whole Head is fick, and the whole "Heart faint." What Kind of Religion can this be, which he would defend, that is fruggling for Life? Surely a Religion which hath God for its Author, and Truth for its Support, can never be brought to this miferable Pass; nor needs any Man break thro' the Rules of Politenefs to defend it. But if any Man has an Intereft to defend a falfe Religion, he has good Reafon to be afraid of the Attacks of those who think freely, and fubmit to no other Authority than that of Reason, which is ever the real Friend of true Religion, as it is the constant Enemy of Superftition. Had Mr. Warburton applied to the Defenders of falfe Religion what he applies to Religion itself, viz. That they are ftruggling for Life; and that their whole Heads are fick, and their whole Hearts faint, he had done it with much more Juftness and Propriety. THE INDE X. A LGEBRA, a Character of the Elements of A that most curious and useful Art, by Mr. Na thaniel Hammond Page 54 Angelica, (Virginian) its extraordinary Virtues 421 Animalcules, (in Fluids) how they are bred there, 461. Several Particulars relating to them, 462—465, 473-476 Artillery, fome modern Improvements therein B4 B 819 Aftions, Conjectures concerning the first Invention and Ufe of them 2 Blafphemy (against the Holy Ghof) the true Nature of it determined 153 465-468 Blood, Particulars relating to a Microscopial Examination of it Bridgman, (Sir Orlando) a fhort Account of him 232 Bullets, the Path they defcribe, after their Departure from the Piece's Mouth, accounted for 26-28 C CANON, (the Antilogarithmic) an Account 223 thereof Coehorn, (Mr.) fome Particulars relating to him 5 Common-Pleas, (Court of) the modern State of it Confcience, (of God) its Nature and Office. 274 331 418 ΙΟΙ DA D AVID, (King of Ifrael) an Abftract of his Memoirs, 299-324. His fudden and extraordinary Improvement, on bis Defignation to the Hebrew Throne, 302. Infidels groundlessly fuppofed to be embarrassed by this Incident, 302, 303. Some Particulars that have a Reference to his undertaking the Conquest of Goliah, 307. Difficul ties in the Sacred Text relating to this Part of his Hiftory cleared, 308-310. Vindicated from the Charge of Lying, 319, 320. Juftified in his deceiving Achifh, 321. His Behaviour in the Affair of Nabal excufed, 342, 346. 264 De Ruyter, (Admiral) a remarkable Story concerning bim Drake, (Dr. James) Paffages in Commendation of bis Differtations Drum, (a Fish) the Oil of it good for Pains in the Limbs E 30 419 AST-India Company (of Holland) fome Par Ericulars relating to the Time of its Establish ment, and the Methods by which it fupports its extenfive Commerce 267 Education, the Method thereof among the ancient Jews 299 72 Egypt, an Effay towards rectifying the Map of that F F 256 Ortification, fome Hints tending to a Comparison between the ancient and modern 3 Frog, (4) Microfcopial Obfervations thereon 469 475 |