out their inhabitants to hail my appearance: you will allow me fome merit at not having been exceedingly intoxicated with my fituation.'

During this bufiness I had afcended rapidly; for, on hearing the report of a gun, fired in the Artillery Ground, I was induced to examine the thermometer, and found it had fallen to 320. The balloon was fo much inflated as to affume the form of an oblong fpheroid, the fhortest diameter of which was in a line with me, though I had afcended with it in the shape of an inverted cone, and wanting nearly one-third of its full compliment of air. Having no valve, I could only open the neck of the balloon; thinking it barely poffible that the ftrong rarefaction might force out fome of the inflammable air. The condenfed vapour around its neck was frozen, though I found no inconvenience from the cold. The earth, at this point, appeared like a boundless plain, whofe furface had variegated fhades, but on which no object could be accurately diftinguished.'

In this interval, much air had certainly escaped, notwithftanding the change of form; and we have no great opinion of the efficacy of the oar in bringing him to the earth; fince he could not reafcend without discharging some part of his ballaft. In the former part of his journey, he could not have attained any great height, fince he faw the form of the town, he faw people in the country, and perceived their actions. Indeed there is a series of inaccuracies and contradictions through the whole account, which lead us to fufpect, more than suspect, that it was written, not under the impreffions of the events,' as the title-page informs us, but from uncertain recollection. Perhaps, like other great men, Mr. Lunardi converfes with us by means of an interpreter. When he arrived at the height of 200 yards, he contemplated the multitude, and endeavoured to make them fenfible that he was in the gallery. Is he aware that he was then nearly double the heighth of the cross on the cupola of St. Paul's, at which, neither himself or flag could be difcerned without glaffes? He was confiderably higher, according to his own account; for the thermometer had fallen from 68 to 50 degrees, when he could still distinguish churches from houfes, and beings, whom he knew to be men and women. Thefe are inconfiftencies, which the author muft explain: but we are obliged to mention them, in a work which obtrudes itself on our notice, with the fulleft confidence of attracting it. If St. Paul's cupola were elevated to the height of 8000 feet, that is at leaft twenty-four times its prefent height, it would fubtend an angle fo fmall, that it would fcarcely be visible; but the most accurate obfervers agree, that Mr. Lunardi's balloon was never beyond the fight

E e 4

of

of a person nearly under it; and the comparative diameters are as 4 to 1. We were therefore too cautious in alleging, that the Italian adventurer never foared to half the height of the French one; and, inftead of four miles, as our author was faid in the news-papers to have extended his flight, we muft neceffarily reduce his perpendicular, altitude to within one mile. We are forry to employ our time on thefe difcuffions; but we are more fo, to have feen them elevated to national concerns. We think it was in the decline of the Roman empire, when the people were fo unufually clamorous for the amufements of the circus.

Of Mr. Blanchard's tour, we have already spoken sufficiently; and should scarcely have again introduced it, were it not to remark how frequently, on moderate hills, travellers are elevated above the clouds, above falling fhowers, and even a ftorm of thunder. Our own obfervation, though we are not very often converfant with cloud-capt mountains, has fhown us the two former circumstances, and we have the best authorities for the latter. This voyage is indeed much more confiderable than Lunardi's, which, though extravagantly applauded, is exceedingly trifling.

Mr. Martyn's pamphlet fuggefts many airy projects, which are to be effected by means of thefe favourite inftruments; but they are bafelefs as the fabric of a vifion. Contending armies, befieged towns, and expecting fleets, are to receive their orders, and their intelligence, by balloons. We fhall agree with our author in this attempt, if we could direct the wind, or for a moment oppofe its current, and bid its blasts be ftill: if we could fhut the eyes of our enemies, or tie their hands, to prevent their perplexing fignals, by imitating them; for our author will recollect, that by the colour of fire-works, we give little variety; and their shape will probably be not eafily diftinguished: that the pofition of the fire-work distinguishable in day, can by night only appear to be directed upward or downward; for an accidental motion, or a cafual blaft, may change every other variety. The idea of reconnoitring in the gallery of a balloon, is too ridiculous to excite a moment's attention. Experiments, on the nature of the atmosphere can be conducted with equal fuccefs, and with less danger, on the tops of mountains.

In this review, where we have at least mifreprefented nothing by defign, we have given a fhort, but comprehensive view of the fubject. If, from a candid examination, this new exhibition fhall appear to be recommended rather by its novelty than its utility; if its advantages are remote, uncertain, and even improbable; if the ardor of curiofity shall seem to have

been

been excited, without a diftant chance of attaining an adequate compenfation, the English philofophers cannot furely be blamed, though they should have looked on it with a cautious filence, and weighed the whole with a fteady hand. Nor can we share in the imputation of fullenness or jealousy, if we have hitherto decliued difcuffions, which appeared to us unworthy of that attention we wish to bestow on fubjects of real importance. On the other hand, the length of this article may require an apology to thofe, who have usually entertained a fimilar opinion with us; but we shall defire them to recollect, that we write for the world in general; and, as we must not only confult the natural variety of tafles, fo we must provide for those whofe appetites, either weak or depraved, require fometimes a peculiar, fometimes an unnatural, repast. We fhall continue to attend to this fubject; and, if we perceive the most diftant profpect of its utility, we shall examine the plan with candour, and recommend it with pleasure.

A Treatise on the Diseases of Children. By Michael Underwood, 35. Matthews.

M. D.

THIS is a plain, rational, and useful performance; its precepts are dictated both by judgment and experience. If we were to hint at a fault, it would be, that the author, in the early period, trufts too little to the efforts of nature, and too much to thofe of art; but he does not, in general, impertinently obtrude assistance, nor incautiously interfere, when he fhould wait in filent expectation. The following disease was new to us, and, on that account, we fhall infert our author's description of it; while, at the fame time, it will afford a proper fpecimen of his manner.

• Infants are liable to a very dangerous kind of eryfipelatous inflammation, not noticed, that I know of, by any writer; and which I have not often met with but in lying-in hospitals. It never appears, I think, later than the month, but most frequently fhews itself a few days after birth. It attacks the moft robuft, as well as delicate children, and in an inftantaneous manner; the progress is rapid; the skin turns of a purplish hue; and foon becomes exceedingly hard.

The milder fpecies of it appears often on the fingers and hands, or the feet and ancles, and fometimes upon, or near the joints, forming matter in a very short time.

The more

violent kind is almost always feated about the pubis, and extends upwards on the belly, and down the thighs and legs; though I have two or three times feen it begin in the neck. The fweiling is but moderate, but, after becoming hard, the parts

parts turn purple, livid, and very often fphacelate; especially in boys, when it falls on the fcrotum. The penis fwells, and the prepuce puts on that kind of emphysematous appearance which it has in children, when a ftone is fticking in the urethra.

Various means were made ufe of at the British lying-in hofpital without fuccefs; though for a time fome benefit was received from faturnine fomentations and poultices, applied on the very first appearance of the inflammation, but it foon Spread, and a gangrene presently came on; or where matter had been formed, the tender infant funk under the discharge. It is now fome years fince I proposed making trial of the bark, to which sometimes a little confectio cardiaca has been added; from which time feveral have recovered. Dr. Garthshore, one of my colleagues, has lately tried the application of linen compreffes, wrung out of camphorated fpirit of wine, in the place of the vegeto-mineral water, which has proved very fuc cefsful in feveral inftances; nevertheless, the greatest number of infants, attacked with this diforder, ftill fink under its violence, and many of them in a very few days."

We fully agree with Dr. Underwood, that the difeafes of children are neither numerous, complicated, nor difficultly understood. They have no motives for concealment; and, where we look only for information from the real effects of feelings, we are not likely to be deceived. Every practitioner knows the numerous fources of error, from the language and the defcriptions of patients, from improper attempts to explain, and from accidental or defigned mifreprefentation. All thefe inconveniencies, in the management of children, we avoid; but, as the dictates of untutored nature are only interpreted by accurate knowlege and careful examination, parents should be very cautious how they truft infants to the management of thofe whofe chief knowlege confifts in the indifcriminate ufe of a fanciful or a traditionary receipt.

The Principles of the Doctrine of Life-Annuities, explained in a familiar Manner, fo as to be intelligible to Persons not acquainted with the Doctrine of Chances; ; and accompanied with a Variety of new Tables of the Values of fuch Annuities at jeveral different Rates of Intereft, both for fingle Lives, and for Two joint Lives, accurately computed from Obfervations. By Francis Majeres, Efq. F. R. S. 2 Vols. 4to. il. 11s. 6d.

White.

THE

HE Doctrine of Annuities has long been confidered as a fubject of great political importance, and we are happy to find it fo fuccefsfully treated by the learned author of the

prefent performance. With a methodical exactnefs, and a perfpicuity peculiar to himfelf, he has inveftigated the principles, and illuftrated them fo fully by appofite examples, that every one who wishes to be acquainted with this useful branch of fcience, will here find the most fatisfactory information. Baron Maferes is well known to the public both for his mathematical and political abilities; and the ufe he has made of his talents and industry, in applying them to objects of national utility, fhew him to be highly deferving the estimation he has acquired. In his prefent enquiries, he has been preceded by many writers of great eminence, but we do not remember to have feen a work of this kind, where the fubjects are fo amply detailed, and clearly explained, as in the one before us.

An author of reputation, who has well digefted his fubject, will always fpeak beft for himself. In the preface to these volumes, which is of a confiderable length, we find such a regular and perfect account of its contents, that we cannot fulfil our engagements to the public better than to lay before them fuch parts of it as are calculated to give the best idea of the work, and the manner in which it is executed. The limits of a Review permit only a fummary abftract of particulars; we fhall therefore omit every thing foreign to general infor mation, and for the farther fatisfaction of our readers, muft refer them to the work itfelf, which they will find worthy of their moft attentive perufal.

The principles of the whole doctrine are contained in the first 90 pages, which I would therefore recommend to the attentive perufal of every reader. Of these the two first pages contain an explanation of the data, or grounds, upon which the computations of the values of annuities for lives are built. These are, first, the decrease of the prefent value of a future fum of money arifing from the mere diftance of the time at which it is to be paid, and the confequent discount that is to be allowed to the purchafer of it for prompt payment, (the quantity of which difcount, it is evident, will depend on the rate of the intereft of money;) and, fecondly, the chance which, when the payment of fuch future fum is not made certain, but is to depend on the continuance of the life of a perfon of a given age, the grantor of it has of efcaping the neceffity of paying it at all by means of the death of the faid perfon before it becomes due; in order to determine which chance, it is neceffary to have recourfe to certain tables of the feveral probabilicies of the duration of human life at every different year of age, which have been formed from obfervations of the numbers of perfons who have died every year, in the courfe of a long feries of years, at different ages, in divers cities and parishes, and other numerous bodies of men..

'In