cuse this, however, in an Englishman, who may imagine that his own island can give him a clear conception of the whole world; like the girl, who a few years since, in the western part of the State of New-York, put a certain stone into a hat, and placing her face in front so as entirely to exclude the light, pretended, and made some credulous people believe, that by so looking into it she could see the whole world and what was there going on. Hence she told of the safety of absent friends and many other incredible things. Now Dr. Kidd's book is very much like this magic stone, for it turned out that no one else could see in it as the girl could, and therefore the people concluded that there was no truth in it. Although we confess that there are many circumstances connected with geology that appear inexplicable, yet we consider it improper and uncandid to select a few insulated facts not sufficiently inquired into from which to draw conclusions against a theory of the earth. They go to prove that we know nothing about the earth we inhabit, and that all attempts to theorize are vain. Hence our author has determined to abandon a pursuit in which he could arrive at no profitable result. We could not avoid smiling at the quotation (page 38) from Faujas St. Fond, (Essai de Geologie,) speaking of organic remains, and the inexplicability of certain petrifactions, he says, "that among the specimens that have been preserved are one fish in the act of seizing another, and small fossile fish found in the stomachs of larger fossile fish." Hence our author thinks that the process of petrifaction in these cases must have been instantaneous, and therefore inconsistent with the consideration of a superincumbent volcanic mass and other surrounding geological facts, observed in that part of Italy, where the specimens were found, and of course corroborative of his main argument of imperfect evidence in favour of a theory of the earth. We do not believe, nor can we imagine that the appearance of a fossile fish with its jaws open ready to devour another, was produced in any other way than by compression of the surrounding materials upon the fish that had become petrified. We have seen a petrified oyster in the museum of NewYork, taken from the marle banks of Shrewsbury river, in New-Jersey, containing a petrified anomia attached to the inside of it. If we allow Dr. Kidd's explanation of the fossile fish of Faujas St. Fond, we might in the same manner explain (though equally ridiculous) the oyster and anomia, by supposing at least sing at le that the oyster became petrified before it had digested the anomia, and thus we find the one within the other. If Dr. Kidd had not abandoned the pursuit of mineralogy, we might offer him some additional facts and considerations for his next edition; but these are rendered unnecessary by his conclusion to retreat from the science. The next chapter "On mineral veins" is short and unsatisfactory. The eleven succeeding ones, though short on each head, appear to be more systematic and better written, though we could not draw the same conclusions from the premises as our author has done. These chapters treat of "Werner's classification of the strata; of granite; of syenite; of hornblend rocks; of serpentine; of porphyry; of slaty rocks or shists; of metalliferous compact lime stone; of the rock marle of English geologists; of rock salt; and of coal." The remaining part of the work appears more like an appendix, consisting of thirteen chapters. Among these are one on coral reefs, and one on volcanos and earthquakes, intended to show the " operation of existing causes." One of these contains eleven pages, and the other fourteen. The changes produced by volcanos and earthquakes are so extensive, their number and effects are so great, that we are astonished that any author should write 14 pages on the subject, and draw an argument from such consideration in favour of " the imperfect evidence in support of a theory of the earth." The same may be said of the chapter on coral reefs, which does not embrace a full account of the numerous islands of coral formed in tropical climates by those animals which are called polypes. Our author does not appear to possess the faculty of compressing his matter into a condensed or argumentative form. We find observations on organic remains scattered through the second and nineteenth chapters, and some on horblend rocks, in the seventh and tenth. We read the work before us a second time lest we might be too hasty in drawing conclusions; but whoever takes it up will not be surprised at the author's deficiency, since he informs us (page 103 and 187) that he has had few opportunities of observation, and he appears by his own confession never to have made but one mineralogical excursion, (page 99,) unless we take his travelling from one part of Scotland to another, as a second. (page 174.) Upon the whole, we must consider Dr. Kidd as a closet mineralogist and geologist, not at all acquainted with the broad expanse of nature, but a lecturer only upon a geological cabinet prepared to his hand. As a geologist he confines himself too much to a view of his own ART. 7. The Prophetic History of the Christian Religion explained; or a brief Exposition of the Revelation of St. John; according to a new discovery of prophetical time, by which the whole chain of prophecies is arranged, and their certain completion proved from history down to the present period-with summary views of those not yet accomplished. By the Rev. I. George Schmucker, Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, York-Town, Penn. Vol. I.-Tempora distingue et concordat Domini Verbum. Baltimore: printed and published by Schaeffer and Maund. 1817. 8vo. pp. 265. THI HIS work was announced in a former number of the Magazine. We have since given it an attentive perusal. The contents of it are comprised under the following heads: I. Dedicatory Epistle. II. Preliminary Observations. III. Introduction concerning the calculation of prophetic times. IV. Exposition of the Revelation. The Dedicatory Epistle is addressed to the Rev. I. Henry Ch. Helmuth, D. D. Senior Reverendi Ministerii of the Evangelic Lutheran Church (i. e. in Pennsylvania and Maryland) and Minister of the Gospel at Philadelphia. The commencement of the " Epistle" naturally leads the reader to anticipate something more than a superficial view of the prophecies. "To live retired from the bustle of the world," says the author, "bas always been my delight, and the study of the holy scriptures my greatest pleasure, ever since I had the honour of studying divinity under your care, and of being inducted a fellow labourer by you, into the vineyard of our Lord. Many of my leisure hours from official duty, have particularly been devoted to a more close investigation of the prophecies and their completion. The Apocalypse of St. John had long been impenetrable to my view, and the authors which I read on that subject, left me in doubt and perplexity. But at last I ob-tained an insight, which to me appears fully satisfactory, &c. &c." Notwithstanding this eventual illumination of the reverend author's mind, which we shall not question, some parts of his work appear to us extremely dark, particularly those points of calculation which he professes to be sources of the greatest comfort to himself. Under the second head, the author takes a view of the present state of the world; proves the study of the prophesies to be a christian and necessary duty; and makes observations on the revelation in particular. In the Introduction concerning the calculation of prophetic times, he points out abuses of these calculations, and answers objections. Arguments are advanced against that common opinion, that a day in the Revelation signifies a year. He maintains that in this book there are two kinds of prophetic times. He presents "the pious prelate Bengelius's system of computing the extraordinary prophetic times.' Next comes 66 a new system of ordinary prophetic times, by which Bengelius's system is rectified and confirmed. We have also a prospective view of the whole system of the prophecies in the Revelation, with historical notes of their completion; Remarks on the system; and then the Exposition of the Revelation. The author has availed himself of the researches of Bengelius and Jung. To the essential services of the former, and to the Sieges geschichte, geschrieben von Dr. Jung genannt Stilling, he is largely indebted. Though we have the highest regard for the learned and pious Bengelius, as well as for other excellent and eminent divines whom the author mentions in the following portion of his chronological table, yet we must acknowledge that it strikes us as somewhat whimsical in itself. "II. The three angels flying in the midst of heaven, are three patriarchs of the church, each of whom has a peculiar fundamental principle of doctrine, by which he stands distinguished, and may be known from the rest of his brethren, and those belonging to his voice. "A. Angel-preaches an eternal gospel-constraining fear of God, as creator, to give him glory. The midst of heaven is no doubt Germany here, and John Arndt and his colleagues in that great revival of practical and experimental religion, in his time, this angel. He has been 1818. more or less the means of all revivals of religion in Europe since, by Spener, Frankius, Tersteegen, Tinzendorf, and Wesley, &c. His writings have been immensely blessed, and translated into seven languages. "B. Angel. His main point of doctrine is: Babylon is fallen! He will bear 1. a strong testimony against Popery, and her corruptions; 2. but particularly point out her downfall, as to time, manner and instruments, with great force and penetration. This angel is the pious Bengelius and all those great men in England, France, and Germany, who have made the Revelation their particular study, and followed his steps. It was little understood before his time." Many parts of this treatise are uncommonly bold and peremptory. In his exposition of Rev. 3. 17, page 131 and seq. the author speaks to the disparagement of the "arts and sciences;" and his holy zeal seems to lead him beyond his subject. The positive terms which he uses are too general. And, we apprehend that many of his readers, who coincide with him in main points, will protest against the strong and imperious assertion: "these are just inferences and a true explanation, &c." In the same exposition or paraphrase, part of which we will insert as a specimen of his skill, the author cites Jefferson's Notes! The maner in which it is done appears so close on the borders of political prejudice, that some would consider it invidious. "Verse 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. here should be rendered to teach, to preach, Matt. 23. 9. to declare publicly, 2 Cor. 9.3. Heb. 9. 11. Math. 4. 14. Rev. 3. 9. Math. 13. 14. These three sentences contain those peculiar points of doctrine, which the ministry of the Laodiceans inculcate, and by which they stand distinguished from the Philadelphians, as a separate church. "I am rich: Man is not in a depraved and fallen condition by nature—there is no such thing as original sin. The image of God has never been defaced in the human soul-he is suited to his state and place, as perfect as be ought to be in the gradation of the whole chain of rational beings. All the vices and corruptions in the world derive their origin from education and the necessary circumstances of our existence here. Our modern metaphysicians have now explored the ocean of the human soul, and probed all its faculties to the bottom. Reason is a pure and unsullied light; the will of man is not alienated from the life of God; our affections are not estranged by nature; and conscience is the mere child of education. This is the comment on the alove sentence: I am rich; which seems to reer solely to their general course or drift of dictrine concerning the natural capacities anddignity of man. "I am increased rith goods. Man is fully sufficient to make imself virtuous-it only requires a firm andsteady resolution of being so; and of thisesolution he himself is master, at his own leasure. As all our disorders are not the fects of sin, but consequences of our limild nature, all evil inclinations may be ove done by reason, without the grace and asstance of God. Our hap piness is in our ow power, and we may change our habits an disposition, by a mere philosophic use of th natural and christian means in hand. Wh great progress have we not made in arts ad sciences in civilization and politeness! what a great degree of illumination has thhuman mind arrived since the days of the formation! Supersti tion is turned out of dors-the wings of fanaticism and enthusias will now soon be sufficiently clipped. Wsoon will have a ra tional body of exegeti rules, for a more reasonable explanation of the Bible, and are already furnished with means sufficient to determine the flower of Hebrew poetry, and the bold flights and fire of oriental genius. Blessed be God we now say little more of Creeds, or Contssions of Faith; our province is the practiceand moral part of religion. Whether the pople believe one God or twenty Gods, hat will neither pick my pocket, nor break my leg. These are just inferences and a trucexplanation of the words: I am increased with gools, and have need of nothing; by wich the Lord refers to their boasting of acquird abilities in science, religion, and virtue. And knowest of that thou art wretched and miserable, andoor, and blind, and nated. You are most eggiously deceived-full of self-conceit and in presumption, says the Lord; your real ondition is quite the reverse of what yo conceive yourself to be, or to possess, ur boasted metaphysics, and essays on huan understanding are like a transmigrating oul among the ancients, which in every geration assumed a new body, and in essece always remained the same. Your endevours to model the principles of exegeticaheology after this meteor of so transitory a ature, can only serve to confuse and perp divinity, in order that others may again sentangle and simplify it from heterogeneot wisdom, which is foolishness before God (ou boast of superior illumination in divin things by the help of reason and philosoby, like a blind man of sight. The empire of reason can never be extended beyond te limits of the material world; and that inward illumination from above, by which spiritual things can be discerned, is not your present portion. 1 Cor. 2. 14." The expositor evidently underrates and contemns the endeavours of metaphysicians and philosophes to unravel the mysteries of their own ind. If then his principle is correct; and if he is not possessed of peculiar privieges, and endued with transcendent facuties, his conduct in the present instance is grossly inconsistent, and culpable; is attempt to unravel Divine Prophecy is not only presumptuous, but approches to impiety. The remaining partof the paraphrase is more consonant wh reason and religion, though it contais too much cant to be perfectly in accorance with either. "All your fine more discourses upon virtues and vices, withet scripture motives, and the whole systen of redemption, will never win one soul to Christ and his heavenly kingdom. Yout the part of a foolish physician at the sid of a sick-bed, who would, without adonistering wholesome and effective medicies, prescribe exercise to a dying man, profssional employment to the sick, and diet were all appetite is lost. Would not an intellient patient in that case answer: Doctor, th is reversing your proper order of proceding; first cure my disease, and your precrptions shall be implicitly obeyed. Such preacher of mere morals, separates what God has united, and complies only with half his commission to the world-he builds the fabric of a mill, but neglects to bring the water to run upon the wheel, which is to put the whole machine in motion. Practical holiness is the great end be folly to expect this end, without the use of religion, and faith is the means-it would of means in a proper manner. Not mere morality, but vital religion is the chief good of man, and this also is the principal aim of an evangelical preacher in all his sermons. These only are the sermons which the Lord has ever blessed to rescue immortal souls from perdition into the arms of Jesus, and to nourish them unto eternal life. For man is radically corrupted, and his restoration therefore, without vital, personal religionmust begin from the heart. A minister, sermons, thus void of the genuine spirit and lic conversation of such a moralist, in the savour of Christianity-the private and pubgarb of a pastor of Christ's flock, without the unction from above, are indeed wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." On the whole this volume, though not to be held up as a model of style, or logic, or doctrine, contains some sensible re marks, and many pious reflections. K. N. R ART. 8. A genero system of Toxicology: or, a Treatise on Poisons, founded in the mineral, vegetale, and animal kingdoms, considered in their relations with Physiology, Pathology, and Medical Jurisprudence. Abridged, and partly translated from the Frenchof M. Orfila, M. D. P. By Joseph G. Nancrede, M. D. honorary member of the Philadeshia Medical Society, and of the New-York Historical Society, foreign corresponding member of the Medical Society of Emulation of Paris, &c. Philadelphia: MCarey & Son. 1817. THO In the numerous deparnents of medical science, there is pt one which more frequently requireshe prompt and accurate exercise of sciatific skill, not one which more deeply ivolves the feelings and reputation of th physician, and not one which is more imerfectly understood by the great body the profession, than the subject of poisas. It is a subject, in the prosecution o which, modern chemists seem to have been more ambitious to subvert the ill-bunded theories of ages gone by, than to establish correct ones for the benefit of the present and the future. All have discovered by the light of science, the mistaken track of their more ignorant predecessors, but Dr. Or fila has been more wise than the rest, in availing himself of the same means to search out and pursue the correct one. We are grateful to his representative, Dr. Nancrede, for this useful abridgment of so excellent a work. It is earnestly hoped and confidently believed, that he will be liberally rewarded for his labour. In the treatment of his subject, the author has followed the arrangement proposed by Vicat and adopted by M. Fodéré, dividing poisons into the 6 classes of corrosive, astringent, acrid, narcotic, narcotico-acrid, and the stupifying. Af ter explaining the mode of action, and organic lesion produced by each of the six classes, and establishing some general. principles applicable to the nature and treatment of each, he proceeds to treat of poisons in particular. In this attempt, he pursues the following systematical order. 1st. he gives " an explanation of their chemical properties and of their external character." In doing this, he selects the most prominent and constant characteristics of the substance, describes the precipitates furnished by the mineral poisons, when mixed with the different chemical agents, and lays down the botanical and zoological character of the different vegetable and animal poisons, according to the principles of the two sciences to which they belong. He shows 2dly, by experiments on living animals, "their physiological action," the phenomena produced by the poisonous substance when introduced into the stomach, injected into the veins, or applied externally; and undertakes to explain its specific action in producing death; 3dly," their general symptoms," the description of which is preceded by instructive cases from the most eminent medical writers, with their observations and the author's; 4thly," the lesion of texture which they produce; the nature of the alterations produced by the poison; their situation, extent, intensity, &c;" 5thly, he considers "the application of the facts in the four preceding paragraphs to the different cases of medical jurisprudence," under the following headsperson 1st. "The course which the ed upon ought to pursue, when the patient poisoned is living, and the rest of the poison whether solid or liquid is found, whether alone or mixed with aliments and medicines." call 2d. "The means he ought to employ should the patient be alive; the whole of the poison swallowed, and the matter vomited can be examined." 3d. "The conduct he ought to pursue in case the whole of the poison has been swallowed, and it is impossible to procure the matter vomited, the patient being still alive." 4th. "The mode of analysis which must be had recourse to, when the patient is dead." 6thly. In the "treatment of poisoning," he proceeds to inquire whether "there is any substance which possesses the properties required to act as an antidote ;" in which he shows, by experiments on living animals, that many things which have hitherto been considered as counterpoisons, because they possessed the power of decomposing the poisonous substance, are extremely dangerous, as the new compounds which result from their chemical action are frequently more virulent poisons than the substances which they were given to destroy. He shows also, by numerous experiments, the effects of various means employed in their stead; and points out particularly those which he has proved to be most successful. In the second section of his work, the author comprises all that relates to poisoning generally considered;-detailing the proper means for ascertaining the existence of poison in a person while living, the symptoms which distinguish acute poisoning from several other diseases; the means of determining to what class of poisons it belongs, and the mode of discovering by analysis, and by proceeding from known to unknown points, its composition, or identity. He also gives the history of slow poisons; the manner in which the physician should proceed in opening dead bodies, and the importance which should be attached to the organic lesions which he may dis cover. We will proceed to notice a few of the most important deductions from the author's experiments as respects the treatFrom the difficulty ment of poisoning. of obtaining a more correct and definite knowledge by experiments on living animals, physicians have hitherto principally relied upon such medicines as antidotes, as were known, from chemical experiments, to decompose the poisonous substance, under circumstances the most favourable to chemical action. Thus the alkaline salts and earths, the sulphurets of potash and lime, have been recommended and given as counter-poisons to corrosive sublimate, because they were known to possess the power to decompose that substance. The experiments of Doctor Orfila conclusively prove, that this theory must be but Imited in its application to practice, and that there are common qualities which every chemical agent ought to possess, to be considered as an antidote. 1st. "It ought to be such as may be taken in a large dose without any danger." 2d. "It ought to act upon the poison, whether it be in a fluid or solid state." Sd. "Its action ought to be prompt." 4th. "It ought to be capable of combining with the poison in the midst of the gastric liquor, mucous, bilious, and other fluids which may be contained in the stomach." 5th. "Lastly, in acting upon the poison, it ough to deprive it of all its deleterious properties." Guided by these principles the author proceeds to investigate by experiment, the proper antidotes to the different poisons. He has demonstrated that the new combinations resulting from the chemical action of the alkalies and sulphurets |