A man hanged for attempting, to fix up a paltry daubing, or a halfpenny print, upon the gallows, or even a halfpenny itfelf, for it also bears" the image and fuperfcription of Cæfar." Dii boni!'

This is indeed a moft fingular record, whether we confider the crime, the punishment, or the mode of paffing fentence. The crime was not committed ;-there is no Scottish statute, as Mr. Arnot obferves, on which the indictment could have been founded; and the judge himself, not the hangman, ufually pronounces fentence.

When we look over the trials for crimes against religion, we find the clergy in matters of scandal, fornication, witchcraft, &c. arrogating to themfelves the office of profecutors-of inquifitorsgeneral, even fo late as 1720, the minifters publicly exercifed this office in the courts of juftice; for we are told that An original precognition taken before the fheriff-depute of Rofs, June 23, 1720, againft Helen Bowie and Janet Thompfon for witchcraft, at the inftance of "Mr. David Rofs, Minifter of the Gofpel at Tarbatt, in behalf of the fession of the said parish," is in the poffeffion of the Right Hon. Robert Dundas of Arnifton, Lord Prefident of the Court of Seffion *.' The bufy zeal of thefe bigots, in hunting after young women whom they fufpected of being with child, and after old women who lay under the imputation of witchcraft, was productive of the moft difmal confequences. The godlike quality of mercy, which the religion they pretended to profefs inculcates in the strongest terms, feems to have been asleep among them, and their piety was only productive of driving miferable creatures to the gallows, who had either obeyed the impulse of nature, or who incurred the imputation of doing what nature rendered it impofible for them to do.

Witchcraft was punifhed in Scotland by Act of 9 Mary, c. 73, paffed foon after the Reformation had been established by law. By the words of the ftatute, the legislature feems not to have believed in forcery, and our Author is of opinion that the punishment provided by that law was annexed not to the crime of witchcraft, but to the impiety or blafphemy of pretending to, or believing in, fuch fupernatural powers,' This is most likely to be the cafe; for the Act was paffed at a time in which the broaching a new fet of religious notions excited a paffionate de fire for the attainment of extraordinary purity and ftrictnefs in religion and morals.

We shall give no abftract of these trials, but conclude with a curious paper, viz. an account of the expences of burning a witch, communicated to the Author by Mr. William Henderson of

* This was not the cafe in Scotland only; for Jane Wenham was fentenced to be hanged for a witch at Hertford Alizes, March 4, 1712, at the inftance of Mr. Bragge, a clergyman.

Glasgow,

Glasgow, a defcendant of Logan of Burncaftle, on whofe lands the unhappy fufferer lived:

Count gifen out be* Alexander Louddon, in Lylstoun, in the yeir of God 1649 yeiris, for Margrit Dollmoune in Burncastle. Item, in yfirft to Wm. Currie and Andr. Gray for watching of hir ye fpace of 30 dayes, inde ilk day xxx fh. inde

Item, mair to Jon Kinked for brodding of her,

Mair for meit and drink and wyne to him and his man,
Mair for cloth to hir,

Mair for twa tare treis,

ltem, mair for twa treis and ye making them to ye
workmen,

xlv lib.

iiij lib. xiiij sh.

Item, to ye hangman in Hadingtoun and fetching of
him, three dollores for his pens is,
Item, mair for meit and drink and wyne for his inter-
tinge,

Item, mair fer ane man and twa horfs for y fetching
of him and taking of him hame agane,

Mair to hir for meit and drink ilk ane day iiij fh. the
fpace of xxx dayes is,

iij lib.

xl fh.

vj lib.

Summa is iiij fcoir xij lib. xiiij. fh.

x lib.

GHILBERT LAUDER.

UM. LAUDER BILZUARS.

Item, mair to the twa officers for y fie ilk day sex failline aught pennes is,.

Takin of this above written foume twentie feaven pundis Scotis qlk the faid umql Margrit Denham had of hir ain.

92:14 77:

65: 14 o'

:

Many other original papers, fome of which ferve to illuftrate the hiftory of the times, are given in the Appendix; to which we refer the curious reader; he will find in it much entertainment, as well as hiftorical information.

ART. XV. Select Cafes in the different Species of Infanity, Lunacy, or Madness; with the Modes of Practice as adopted in the Treatment of each. By William Perfect, M.D. of Well Malling, Kent. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Murray. 1787.

CAS

ASES collected with care, and reported with fidelity, are, doubtless, of real utility. The theorift, without that experience which refults from practice, frequently finds himself at his ne plus ultra, while the empiric, totally void of theory, and directed folely by obfervation of paft cafes, fuccefsfully cures his patient. We mean not, by this remark, to encourage empiri

*Account delivered by, &c.

cilm, or depreciate a rational practice; but in such diseases, where the caufes are either wholly unknown, or impoffible to be investigated, no other method of cure can be followed than fuch as hath been found fuccefsful in fimilar cafes. In lunacy, theory avails little, and, until we know the connection between the foul and body, or how the one affects the other, no reasoning whatever can direct the phyfician in what manner he must treat the body, in order to remove the difeafes of the mind. Nothing then remains to be done in thefe deplorable cafes, but carefully to obferve every symptom, and compare the disease with recorded cafes. In cafes where fymptoms have been fimilar, it is probable a fimilar method of cure will prove fuccefsful. Sometimes, indeed, nature feems to point out a peculiar mode of relieving herfelf; when this happens, let the phyfician affift, encourage, or even provoke nature to the more effectual difcharge of her duty. Dr. Perfect's fecond Cafe is a confirmation of this remark. A young man, who had always enjoyed a rational mind, became, in confequence of a matrimonial difappointment, at once fad, dull, and penfive. He was deprived of appetite and fleep; and, for feveral weeks, he fcarce anfwered any questions. His florid and healthy complexion became pale and fickly; and in about three months after this change took place, he was feized with a drivelling, which continued five or fix days. During the difcharge, he spoke freely and rationally; his appetite and fleep returned, and he enjoyed his ufual vivacity; but no fooner did the difcharge ceafe, than he reverted to his gloomy and depreffed ftate. The fpitting returned at the full moon, and brought with it a temporary relief; but on its ftoppage, the symptoms of melancholy returned,

In this way the patient remained for eight months, with a periodical spitting, and an alleviation of his difeafe every full moon. Dr. Perfect, very judiciously (previous to the next expected period), adminiftered mercury, and brought on a faliva. tion, which was kept up during the whole month, until the next following full moon was paft. The patient during all this time was rational, cheerful, and focial; his appetite and fleep were regular, and he was perfectly cured. The difeafe and spitting never afterward returned.

The remote caufe of this unfortunate young man's disorder, was disappointment. What theorift can tell us the manner in which it acted on the body? or how, and why, the spitting relieved the patient?

Where theory can be of little fervice, experience comes to our aid; and it is by collecting facts alone, that experience can be obtained. Dr. Perfect hath here given 61 cafes of infanity, moft of which had been fuccefsfully cured; many of them, in our opinion, might have furnished the Author with fufficient mate

rials for inveftigating their proximate caufes. To the fimple narration of facts, however, he hath confined himself; and we hope his felect cafes will anfwer the defign of their publication, and throw light on the method of treating these difficult and deplorable maladies.

ART. XVI. A Syftem of Surgery. By Benjamin Bell, Member of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Ireland and Edinburgh, one of the Surgeons of the Royal Infirmary, and Fellow of the Royal Society at Edinburgh. Vol. V. Illuftrated with Copper-plates. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Elliot, Edinburgh; Robinsons, London. 1787.

【OTHING gives us greater pleasure than to recall the attention of our Readers to the continuation of useful works, among which Mr. Bell's Syftem of Surgery may be juftly placed. The tribute of praise which we defervedly beftowed on the four preceding volumes of this valuable publication, is equally, if not more than equally due to this fifth; which merits our warmeft commendations.

It confifts of three chapters, of which the firft (the 36th of the whole work) contains many valuable and judicious remarks on, and useful directions for, the management of wounds in general. It is divided into 14 fections, each of which is appropriated to the treatment of particular wounds.

The management of wounds being a very important branch of furgery, it confequently merits the peculiar attention of every practical furgeon, but especially those in the military and naval department, where wounds of the most dangerous and complicated kind more frequently occur, and where neither time nor opportunity is allowed either for much reflection, or for thè occafional confultation of authors. To thefe gentlemen only, however, we do not confine the recommendation of the prefent performance: it will be found ufeful to Surgeons of every description.

Our Author has entered more minutely into the prognosis of wounds than any of his predeceffors. This is a moft difficult fubject; it is nevertheless a moft neceffary one: Surgeons are frequently required to give their opinions on the probable fermination of wounds; and to do this with accuracy, practitioners of experience have the best opportunity of fhewing their fuperior skill, and diftinguishing themfelves in their profeffion as men of judgment and abilities. A competent knowledge of anatomy, a steady hand, and a calm temper, are qualifications which may enable any man, even of no great experience, to perform feveral of the more capital operations with fuccefs; and, accordingly, in almoft every hofpital in Europe, we continually meet with excellent operators; yet we do not often find (which

is much to be lamented) Surgeons poffeffed of fuch knowledge in prognofticating the events of furgical diseases as might be expected. The reafon of this defect is evident: In the prefent mode of education, the ftudent beftows little attention on the fubject, and fuffers himself to be wholly occupied in the various methods of operating, or in minute anatomical and phyfiological inveftigations, which are more curious than useful. The variety of circumftances which ought to be confidered, before we are able to judge of the termination of wounds, may, perhaps, be deemed infurmountable obftacles to a proficiency in this province of the art; they appear, however, more formidable than they really are, and may be eafily overcome by a due attention to the excellent obfervations which Mr. Bell hath here delivered.

After treating amply on wounds in general, our Author proceeds to confider particularly fimple incifed wounds, punctured, lacerated and contufed wounds; then follow obfervations on wounds in particular parts, as in the blood-vessels, lymphatics, nerves, liga, ments, tendons, &c. Wounds in the face, neck, thorax, and abdomen, are separately confidered; and the management of poisoned, and gunshot wounds close the chapter. Were we to enter into a minute defcription of the useful directions which are contained in this part of the work, we should much exceed our bounds.

The thirty-feventh chapter treats of Burns. Our Author here difplays, as usual, much real knowledge of the subject, and delivers his practical directions with his wonted plainnefs and pre

cifion.

In the thirty-eighth chapter, which is the last of this volume, Mr. Bell enters largely into the treatment of Tumours, by which term he understands every preternatural enlargement, in whatever part of the body it may be feated.' Tumours daily occur in practice; they are often followed by important confequences; and they frequently give much embarraflment both to the patient and furgeon; on thefe accounts they merit particular attention. Mr. Bell divides them into two general claffes, viz. into fuch as are of an acute or inflammatory nature, and fuch as are chronic or indolent. According to this divifion, it will unavoidably happen that certain tumours really belong to one clafs, which may, during fome part of their progress, appear to belong to the other. There are many tumours, for inftance, which are inflammatory at their commencement and terminate in a state of indolence; and the contrary. To avoid as much as poffible any confufion in the arrangement, Mr. Bell judiciously characterizes tumours by those symptoms which appear moft obviously at their commencement. This mode of diftinction feems the most accurate; for it is not what a tumour may eventually become, but what it actually is, on its first appearance, that can admit of defcription.