rendered these poor unfortunate persons (exposed to all the calamities of a residence on the theatre of war, of which an adequate idea can scarcely be formed by any one but an eye-witness) reluctant to part with the slender pittance in their possession.

"To these causes of disappointment may be added the unexpected retreat of the British army, which prevented the people of the towns from collecting provisions from the country in such perilous times; the mutual ignorance of their respective languages, and the immense number of sick and wounded peasants with which the towns were filled on their way to their own homes. The situation and

wretched appearance of these unfortunate people were truly pitiable; those unable to walk were conveyed on cars, whilst others through hunger, sickness, and fatigue, scarcely able to crawl, were compelled to make their way on foot almost naked, and generally without shoes or stockings*. Even in the Spanish hospitals, the unhappy patients were nearly DESTITUTE of every requisite to SUSTAIN EXISTENCE! Some judgment may be formed of their distresses, from the circumstance of one poor man, who declared that he had been fourteen days without any other sustenance. than a little bad wine, and sometimes a small quantity of broth made of vegetables and oil: indeed, his appearance fully established the veracity of his statement."

This picture is not exaggerated; on the contrary, we are assured, that it is far from conveying an adequate idea of the exertions and distresses of the Spanish people. The abject poverty of the Spanish peasantry, their deficiency of clothing, their scanty supplies of food, with which they are furnished by America for about one fourth of the year; the extreme difficulty of collecting in bodies, and of finding provisions when collected; the paucity of the population, and the vast extent of their country; the want of good roads and convenient vehicles; and the almost insuperable obstacles to the transport of armies and military stores over mountainous regions; present such a spectacle, as must convince, every person the least acquainted with the nature of things, that no other people in Europe, under similar circumstances, would have made the same noble stand against such a powerful and experi enced enemy; none other would or could have done so much, as has been effected by the inhabitants of the peninsula. Yet, we have heard the ignorant and unprincipled,

* The Spanish peasantry seldom wear shoes; their most general dress is in alpargatas, which only cover the soles and sides of their feet, with stockings which extend from the knee to the small of the leg.- Rev.

among whom were persons bearing commissions, which they most undoubtedly never will honour, exclaim against Spanish apathy and want of patriotism. We trust that no such accusations will be preferred in future without exposing their authors to the merited contempt of folly or cowardice. Mr. Milburne does justice to the character of the monks and friars, in recording instances of their benevolence and generosity.

"Many English officers" (says he) "were greatly indebted to the hospitality and kindness of Spanish monks and friars, who (though by no means in possession of an abundance of the good things of this life) were emulous to share their stores with the distressed. An instance of goodness and humanity in one of these clerical gentlemen, which I am about to relate, will place the sentiments and conduct of this class of men in the most favourable point of view. My servant being extremely ill, I procured him admission into a room which was occupied by an English serjeant and his family at Lugo; but having neither bedding nor covering, a benevolent monk instantly offered to supply him with his own, which he accordingly brought from his cell.'

This character, Mr. M. observes, is in direct opposition to the statements of many "British officers (the Whitelocks, Dalrymples, or Burrards, we presume) who have indiscrininately accused the inhabitants of every denomination, class, and profession, as having exhibited the most perfect apathy and indifference, not only to the physical wants of the English troops, but towards the cause in support of which they visited their country." Yet "several of these officers rather withdrew from, than put themselves in, the way of receiving or witnessing those kindnesses and attentions which others liberally partook of; and from the reports alone of some, who might possibly have a slight individual cause of complaint, have taken occasion to include the whole Spanish nation, which has ever been allowed to be noble, generous, and humane." Such silly, disingenuous conduct is too common with all men; but we have already hinted at more serious causes or motives for their present abuse of the Spaniards.

The conclusion of this letter is devoted to a defence of our assistance to the patriots, or, more properly, to show the necessity and advantage of rescuing Spain from France. Here the author evinces much good sense. No truth can be more unquestionable, than that the Spanish battles were our battles, and that Britain, and the whole powers of Europe, triumphed as much as the Spaniards at the victory of

The

Baylen. The brave and independent souls of Spain have shaken the power of the common tyrant to its centre, and given it a check from which it never will recover. resolution and spirit now manifested by Austria, are wholly due to the magnanimous and ever memorable conduct of the worthy descendents of the conquerors of the Moors. The civil rights of mankind, too, will, in future, be better understood; and Spain will discover her own genius, and learn to take advantage of her own immense, but hitherto unproductive, resources. A few months of war will do more to call forth the latent powers of genius, destroy superstition and extend civilization, than as many years devoted to the study of the arts and sciences. The Spanish people, also, will be better able justly to appreciate that freedom and independence which they have purchased with their blood,

To those who interest themselves in the affairs of Spain, we can recommend this tract as worthy of their perusal. The extracts which we have given, will show the commendable spirit in which it is written, and its authenticity is unquestionable. This we think it necessary to observe, as several fabricated pamphlets have been published by persons who were never out of London, particularly one purporting to be written by "an officer of the staff." Most of these impositions are only a tissue of calumnies on the whole Spanish nation.

MEDICINE.

A Letter addressed to the Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham, President; his Grace the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon. Nicholas Vansittart, Maxwell Garthshore, M.D., &c. George Vansittart, Esq. Vice Presidents, and the other Members of the general Committee of the Society for the Bettering the Condition and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor; proposing a PLAN FOR IMPROVING DISPENSARIES, AND THE MEDICAL TREATMENT OF THE DISEASED POOR. By J. Herdman, M. D. Member of the Royal College of Physicians, London; of the Medical Society. Edinburgh; one of the Physicians of the City Dispensary, &c. 4to. pp. 23. 1s. 6d. Arch, Beckett, &c. 1809.

THE plan here proposed is to constitute dispensaries, so that în cases of extreme distress they can supply nutrimeft and clothing

as well as medicines to the indigent and diseased poor. Nutritious soups, meat, strengthening drink, and flannel shirts, are the chief additions which Dr. H. proposes should be made to such establishments. It is possible that professional jealousy, envious petulance, or hard-hearted selfishness, may affect to treat it lightly; but we can assert, from a pretty extensive field of observation, that there never was a more truly benevolent, a more necessary, or a more practicable plan for relieving the poor, laid before the public. Its direct tendency to succour the meritorious indigent, who are reduced to the bed of sickness, must be self-evident; it will also directly diminish the enormous poor rates, and consequently save to the different parishes in which it may be adopted, a part of the heavy expence of collecting them. We shall not however detain our readers by expatiating on the numerous moral, political, and social advantages which must result from the general adoption. of such a plan. The Letter itself, as containing a most excellent moral as well as medical lesson to all intelligent, benevolent persons, should be attentively perused, and preserved on the side-board in every well-educated family. In sketching the origin and progress of disease among the indigent poor, Dr. Herdman has shown with considerable strength and perspicuity the necessity, the advantages, and the means of being temperate, in order to enjoy good health and happiness. As the measure, we are happy to find, has met with very general approbation, and is about to be carried into effect immediately; whilst we approve as critics, we shall not forget that we are men, but contribute our mite to so benevolently charitable an institution in something more substantial than mere praise.

This charitable plan, we presume, has also met the approbation of royalty, as Dr. Herdman has recently been appointed a phy. sician extraordinary to his royal highness the Duke of Sussex. Important Researches upon the Existence, Nature, and Communication of Venereal Infection in pregnant Women, new-born Infants, and Nurses. By the late P. A. O. Mahon, Chief Physician to the Venereal Hospital du Vaugirard, at Paris. These are contrasted with the Opinions of the late John Hunter upon this Subject, together with Observations_thereon, by Jessé Foot, Surgeon. 8vo. pp. 110. 3s. 6d. Becket and Highly.

1808.

SCIENCE has no passions; it is her business to enlighten men, not to blacken their characters: she may occasionally use the language of persuasion, but never that of invective. Had Mr. Foot duly considered this circumstance, his talents and professional skill might have been still more extensively useful to the public. When Hunter was the Cerberus of the Royal Society, then indeed he might have given cause for indignant remark; but now that he is no more, all virulenee should cease. In saying this, however, let it not be understood that we condemn the medical principles inculcated in the volume before us; on the contrary, if there be any medical man so infatuated with theoretical visions, or any person whatever, who is weak enough to suppose that parents may

have venereal virus in their constitution, without injuring their offspring, we would recommend them to read this work. The moral and physical consequences of such a supposition are too hideous to be detailed. If there be any medical fact which is ascertained by every description of persons, it is, that almost all the vices of the physical constitution of parents are transmitted to their offspring. We do therefore agree with Dr. Mahon and Mr Foot, that it is physically impossible for the venereal virus to exist in the constitution of either man or woman, without deeply affecting their children, and in most cases leaving them a confirmed disease (though perhaps not a perfect lues venerea), only to be removed by mercurials. Could we persuade ourselves that there is now any practitioner in this country, who is not fully convinced of the communicability of morbid diatheris from parents to children, and perhaps too from nurses to children, we should say that Mr. Foot, in translating the observation of Dr. Mahon, has rendered a service to the public. The original is by no means remarkable for perspicuity or accuracy; but it is evidently the production of a man who has had an extensive experience, and who appears to relate his observations without any preconceived theoretical bias or fanciful system. His views of the subject are rather the result of good sense than refined speculation, and as such deserve attention. Mr. Foot has illustrated his translation with brief notes.

An Essay on the Causes, Prevention, and Cure of Consumption, wherein Bleeding is exploded, and a new Method of Cure earnestly recommended to the Use of all Persons. By Laurance Hope. With several remarkable Cases. Second Edition. pp. 142. 12mo. 2s. Walker, Portland-street; Cradock and Joy.

MR. HOPE boldly avows himself to belong to that class of people called Quacks, as he is the proprietor of a quack medicine,” and he defends strenuously not only the right, but also the propriety of dealing in nostrums. His reason is, because he "does not choose to share his secret and his profits (we believe this) with every ignorant apothecary." Yet he assures us that he can cure consumption; and although this disease prevails throughout the United Kingdom to an alarming extent, he neither gives us his address, nor tells us with what he cures this hitherto incurable malady, but leaves the public to depend entirely on whatever stuff any quack medicine vender may think proper to sell under the appellation of Hope's "Hectic Pills. " He adds, indeed, that although his secret is copied from an "old treatise, which has passed through many hands since it was written," yet "the_drug coul not be procured, perhaps, in six towns in the kingdom, and in the metropolis could not be made up by the apothecary under the price it is now sold at.” Then if Mr. Hope's profits are so very small, we think it would be more just to the public, and equally advantageous to him, to raise the price of his medicine, allow the apothecary something for his labour, and enable physicians to judge of it, from a knowledge of its nature and effects. He can have no objection to this if the efficacy be such, as he represents it, to Blash conviction " upon them like a beam of light upon utter darkNo. 130. Vol. 82. April. 1809.

2 D