316 Obfervations upon Mr. Sheridan's Pam-

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For JANUARY, 1788.

Cyclopædia: or, an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences.. By E. Chambers, F. R. S. Continued from vol. Ixiv. p. 89. :

W HEN we compared human knowlege to a vast tree, and spoke of the various fubdivifions of fciences as its branches, whofe balk and importance differed as much as the number and magnitude of their ramifications, it was not a metaphor taken up by chance, or purfued without defign. In this edition of the Cyclopædia the image is almoft realized, by a new and valuable improvement, we mean an Index, where, under each science, the terms which belong, and, of courfe, the articles which refer to it, are arranged in alphabetical order. An addition of this kind gives a body and a confiftency to the fcattered limbs of which a Dictionary must neceffarily confift: this Index unites the whole, and reftores not only order, but the advantages which muft arife from connected views. It is the guide which we re ferred to, in our Number for Auguft laft, with whofe affiftance we paffed from the larger branch, to thofe leffer ramifications, which depend on it. We shall again take this faithful affiftant, and give a comprehenfive account of the other improve ments and additions, for which we are indebted to Dr. Rees. Yet we ought not to leave it, without faying, that it seems to have been collected with care, and that the fubjects are judia ciously arranged.

In Botany many of the articles appear to be new, particu larly thofe which relate to the different plants. The fyhems of Linnæus and Tournefort are explained with much precifion, and illuftrated by plates. The account of the tea tree, with the method of gathering and curing the leaves, is, in part new, and generally curious. Dr. Rees does not mention a fufpicion, which has lately prevailed, that the different favours are fuppofed to be owing to the mixture of leaves of different plants: that of Hyfon is faid to arife from the leaves of a species of olea; and, if tea be carefully examined, fome leaves will be found of a lefs fize, and a different shape, from thofe of the tea fhrub.

VOL. LXV. Jan. 1788.

B

Ia

In Chemistry the editor has done much; but he could only feize the fcience in the form it affumed, at the moment of his writing. Various improvements have fince leffened the value of fome of his articles. The table of elective attractions is imperfect: that of Bergman was firft published in 1775, though we believe it was not commonly known in England till the year 1781. Perhaps Bergman's table was unknown to our editor when the article was completed.-Many new articles occur in this branch, as CALCINATION, DISTILLATION, Woulf's Apparatus, FURNACES. Chemical History of GOLD and PLATINA, &c. Many articles appear to be much enlarged: that on NITRE is very valuable, and contains the rudiments of all the modern methods of producing this falt. The articles of SULPHUR, VINEGAR, VITRIOL, and ZINC, feem, on comparison, to be in a great measure new.

IN CHRONOLOGY we perceive many original articles, and, almost in every one, fome additions and elucidations: the fame may be observed of COINS: the table seems to be entirely new.

The fubject of COMMERCE has not been so advantageously treated in any General Dictionary. The improved parts may be feen under the heads of BALLANCE of Trade, BANKER, BROKER, COMPANY, INSURANCE, NAVIGATION AЯ, and Posт. The hiftories of WOOL, SUGAR, and TOBACCo, feem to be wholly new.

Electricity might afford much room to enlarge, if our limits would admit of mentioning every alteration; but we have already been obliged to ftep over feveral fciences, which we fhall enumerate at the end. We already perceive that we cannot be diffuse, except on what is generally new, or particularly interefting. On the fcience before us many improvements occur; and if we do not mention the particular ones, it is because we find them in every article. The facts are ascertained with accuracy, and related with precifion. We believe that for all the fcientific part of this fubject, the introduction and explication of the terms that occur in this fcience, and the arrangement of the matter furnished by modern difcoveries, we are indebted to the present editor.

We must make the fame acknowledgments for what occurs under the head of Ethics. The fubject of morals, fince the time of Chambers, has been difcuffed with greater accuracy than in the period preceding him; and the editor has freely ufed the labours of the best writers, to which he has added many obfervations that appear to be peculiarly his own. We would particularly mention the following articles, as, in our opinion excellent : APPROBATION, BENEVOLENCE uni

verfal. DEFORMITY, EDUCATION, EMULATION, EVIL, GOOD moral, LIBERTY moral, PASSION, SENSE, VIRTUE, &C. The fubject of Fluxions, and all higher branches of the mathematics, are treated of with much clearness and precifion. The invention of fluxions is attributed to fir Ifaac Newton, and his claim is pretty fully established. The nature of fluxions is very well explained; and the application of this mode of calculus to other fciences, is pointed out with great propriety. The improvements chiefly occur in the following articles : CENTER, CYCLOID, EVOLUTE, INFLECTION, MAXIMA and MINIMA, POINTS of contrary flexure, QUADRATRIX and QUADRATURE of Curves, RADIUS of Curvature, RECTIFICATION of Curves, SPIRAL, TANGENTS, &c,

In Geography there are many original articles, and various additions to the old ones, thofe on the figure and magnitude of the EARTH, the EQUATOR, GLOBES, MAPS, ZONE, &c. are either new or enlarged. Dr. Halley's Theory of the heat of climates is clearly explained; and the objections of Dr. Rees have not only great force, but they contain a variety of well authenticated facts. The length only of this article prevents us from tranfcribing it, for the fubject is very nearly connected with Mr. Kirwan's Eftimate.

The various arts which belong to Gunnery are very well explained, and the scientific part is elucidated with the fame mathematical skill which we have already had occafion to commend. The art of boring cannon is new, fince the publication of the first edition, and it is included in this carronades were, probably, invented fince the publication of that part of the Dictionary, for the word does not occur; but their principles are, we believe, well known.

History is divided into various branches, Ecclefiaftical, Civil, Natural, Sacred, and the Hiftory of Philofophy. In thefe different departments many additions conftantly occur, which we are unable to mention particularly. The hiftory of philosophy is chiefly the hiftory of thofe inflitutions defigned to promote it.-The academy for promoting the study of meteorology was, we believe, inftituted by the elector Palatine, Theodore, at Manheim, after the period of this part of the Dianary. We mention it, as an addition to our author's collection, and as an inftitution from which much information is expected. The ancient Academia del Cimento appears too, rifing from its ruins. It is re-established on a refpectable' footing; and they are purfuing their original plan of making experiments with great zeal,

Many of the articles under the head of Hydraulics are new. That very general and ufeful machine, the PUMP,