parts of it as appear to us to contain matter of the most novelty and importance. In the chapter concerning difeafes of the breafs, we find it to be the author's practice to remove the whole of the gland, even where no very confiderable part of it is fchirrous. He thinks that the greater severity of the operation is fully compenfated by the greater fecurity againft a recurrence of the difeafe. An ufeful caution is given relative to fecuring all the bleeding veffels by ligature, as hemorrhages are apt to return after the operation, and fometimes go to a great length before they are perceived. The chapter on jaundice is remarkable from the author's total difbelief of the theory, which fuppofes this difeafe to be owing to a regurgitation of bile accumulated in the gallbladder; and he attributes it for the most part to a stimulus acting on the hepatic fyftem, preventing the bilious fluids from taking their proper courfe. He does not attempt to folve the question how the bile caufing jaundice returns into the circulation, or whether it was previously fecreted and prepared, or whether its fecretion was prevented; nor does he think these difcuffions of confequence in the medical treatment of the difeafe. Regarding it as of a fpafmodic nature, proceeding from irritation, he relies for the cure chiefly on emetics and fedatives; as ipecacuanha in fmall dofes, and opium. In like manner, he confiders the diabetes as a fpafmodic complaint, which requires a fimilar plan of treatment. His obfervations on three epidemic dyfenteries in the principality of Gottingen have convinced him that this disease was of a rheumatic or catarrhal nature, and that its bilious character was merely accidental and acceffory. On this account, he principally depends on opium and antimony for allaying irritation and raifing a diaphorefis. When evacuation by the bowels feemed neceffary, the most effectual remedy was calomel. Rhubarb, on the other hand, he thinks highly prejudicial on account of its irritating quality. A cafe of vomiting of blood entirely cured by an emetic, after other remedies had failed, is worthy of notice. Some cafes of ischias nervofa are good inftances of the efficacy of the actual cautery, applied by means of kindled cotton in M. Pouteau's way. In that acidity at the ftomach which proceeds from a vitiated fecretion of the digeftive fluids, making even the bile itfelf four, pills compofed of equal parts of afafoetida and ox's gall are recommended as almost a specific. Bilious fevers are the fubject of one of the chapters. The Profeffor ufes the term in a very extenfive fenfe; meaning by it all thofe fevers in which the morbid matter is chiefly eva 8 cuated cuated by the intestinal canal, whether by nature or art. This, according to German theory and practice, feems to include the greater part of fevers of the continued and remitting kind; and the Profeffor renders an useful fervice to his countrymen by' throwing these fevers into certain divifions, or cafes, and pointing out the mifchief done in fome of them by the prevalent practice of re-iterated vomiting and purging, and the ufe of the medicines called attenuating. He has not, however, been able to free himself entirely from the influence of notions concerning morbific matter, which feem merely derived from hypothefis. Some cafes are given of gutta serena; the cause of which, in the author's opinion, was feated in the abdominal vifcera, as they were cured by deobftruent and evacuating medicines. The formula which he employed was the following: R. Gum. ammon. afæfœtid. fapon. venet. rad. valerian. fummit. arnic. aa zij. Tart. emet. gr. xviij. f. pil. pond. gr. ij. fumat N° xv. ter quotidie. These are to be continued though no fenfible relief be perceived for fome weeks. In a few cafes, it has been neceffary to use them for four months before the fight was completely restored. Probably, mercurials would have done the bufinefs in a fhorter time. In a chapter on mucous confumption, or that disease of the lungs which confifts in an increafed and vitiated fecretion of mucus, it is justly remarked that this affection has often been taken for the ulcerous or purulent phthifis; and that, when the latter has been supposed to be cured by fome of the most noted antiphthifical medicines, the former has generally been mistaken for it. The fymptoms of the two kinds are often fo fimilar, that the Prof, knows of only one mark of diftinction on which we may depend, viz. the various and unexpected changes of the expectoration in the mucous kind. After vomits and other evacuants, the lichen islandicus proves very effectual in removing this complaint. A chapter on hydrops vagus begins with a declaration of the writer's doubt whether vifceral obftructions be the moft frequent cause of dropfy. From various obfervations, he is more inclined to impute this disease to his favourite notion of a peculiar irritation deranging the lymphatic fyftem, in a habit previously debilitated. Particularly, the wandering dropfy, alternating with rheumatic pains and other fymptoms of irritation, is probably owing to a fpafmodic affection of the lymphatics brought on by a ftimulus. In thefe cafes, diuretics are generally ineffectual; and the difeafe is not removed till the irritation is either allayed by fedatives, or diverted to fome other channel by the efforts of art or nature. Moft Most of the furgical chapters are short, and confift of a single observation. We do not think it necessary to abridge the subjects of any more, as it would afford no new information to our intelligent readers; though a perufal of the cafes at length may fuggeft useful hints. With refpect to the tranflation, it has the appearance of faithfully expreffing the fenfe of the original in a plain unaffected manner. It is fomewhat deformed with occafional Scotticifms, and efpecially abounds in that inelegant use of the verb to get, which is frequent among medical writers beyond the Tweed-he got fuch a medicine, for he took it, or had it. The very odd epithet hysteric, applied to the liver, we suppose to be a peculiarity of the author. ART. XIX. Specimens of Hindoo Literature: confifting of Tranflations from the Tamoul Language, of fome Hindoo Works of Morality and Imagination, with Explanatory Notes: to which are prefixed Introductory Remarks on the Mythology, Literature, &c. of the Hindoos. By N. E. Kindersley, Efq. of the Hon. East India Company's Civil Service on their Madras Establishment. 8vo. PP. 335. 7s. 6d. Boards. Wingrave, &c. WE are now gradually approaching towards a complete acquaintance with the fciences and mythology of India: Perfons of eminence and talents are exerting, throughout that vaft region, their best abilities to procure genuine information on a subject, till of late years, involved in the most profound obfcurity. Every different refident in the various provinces, dependent on the British government in India, should make it one indifpenfible part of his duty to collect all the information in his power relative to the antiquities and hiftory of the region under his jurifdiction, and should be obliged to tranfmit it, together with his difpatches, to the Prefidency under which he acts; and a board fhould be established to compare, arrange, and digeft the documents thus transmitted. To the fpirited and extenfive refearches of the gentlemen who compofe the Afiatic Society of Calcutta, great praise is due; the proper field, however, of their inquiry is Upper Hindoftan, Agra, Benares, Patna, Delhi; thofe mighty and renowned cities of India, aftonishing for their magnificence and venerable for their antiquity, lie more immediately under their furvey but the peninfula, especially in its more, fouthern regions, and towards the coast of Cape Comorin, has been, comparatively, but little explored. The late war with Tippoo has, indeed, by opening a paffage into the heart of that country, greatly contributed towards this defirable object. Still, APP. REV. VOL. XVI. however, however, much remains to be done, in the way of vigorous and patient investigation, by perfons of ability and fcience. Among this clafs, the author of the Specimens of Hindoo Literature' poffeffes by no means an inferior rank, and they come recommended by the additional qualities of candour and diffidence in the writer. Situated in the fouth-eastern provinces of the Coromandel coaft, provinces beyond the reach of the outrages of the first Mohammedan invaders, he had an opportunity of contemplating, in its genuine features, the remains of that ftupendous fyftem of fuperftition which, in antient eras, overfpred the whole of this most beautiful and wealthy region of the Greater Afia. The hordes of barbarians who, attracted by the profpect of that beauty, and incited by the hope of obtaining that wealth, burst from the northern frontiers of Hindoftan on its enervated progeny, and bowed them down beneath their yoke, were unable to penetrate into thefe diftant regions on which the vertical fun darts his fervid beams, inflames the rage of paffion, and elevates the ardour of fuperftition. What our author witneffed on this remote fhore, he feems accurately to have marked and faithfully to have pourtrayed. His language is eafy and perfpicuous, and every page breathes the dictates of a fincere and benevolent heart. Mr. Kinder fley, however, is not the first investigator of the peculiar religious rites and ceremonies prevalent on the coaft of Coromandel; at Madura, the Jefuits had in the last century eftablished themselves; and, in the ninth volume of the Lettres Edifiantes et Curieufes, the reader will find a long account of the Madurians, and their cuftoms, by Father Bouchet, the fuperior of the miffion, in a letter to Bishop Huet, the celebrated author of Demenfiratio Evangelica. We have compared this and other letters in that voluminous work with the book before us, and are induced to think more favourably than heretofore of the verity of thofe pious miflionaries, from the general confonance of their narration with that of our ingenious countryman. We could not have conceived that the Supreme Deity, who,-Sir William Jones informs us in the Afiatic Refearches, is, in India,-univerfally ftyled Brahme, should, at Madura, be known only by the name of the Parabaravastou; yet this is really the cafe, with only a little change in the orthography, as the reader will find in the following fummary of the peninfular creed: which, however in fome points it may vary, bears on the whole too general a feature of fimilitude to that of Upper Hindoftan, to admit of a doubt that, in the most antient periods in the Indian empire,-periods perhaps beyond the reach of human annals,-the natives of this extenfive region were were not lefs bound by one grand religious code, than obedient to the fceptre of one powerful fovereign, whofe domain extended from the fnowy ridge of Caucafus, in latitude 34 north, to the parched mountains of the fouth which terminate at Cape Comorin, within a few degrees of the line. The Hindco mythology may be divided into five diftinct parts, forming one complete fcheme of religious faith: vix their belief in, I. The one Supreme firft Caufe of all things; called by them PARAUBAHRAH-VUSHTOO *. 11. The three divine powers of creation, prefervation, and defruction, reliding in three diftin&t intelligences, named BRUMA, VEESHNOO, and SHIVVEN; who are fuppofed to be not only three perfons, but also in an intimate degree confolidated into ONE compound being: they are accordingly indifcriminately termed MooмOORTIGOEL (or the three gods); and alfo TREEMOOR TEE; or the triple ged. The refpective wives and defcendants of thefe (who as fuch, alfo receive divine honours) may be ranged under this fecond head. III. A race of demons, who are invoked, not for pofitive good, but folely for protection from evil, and are termed DAIVAUDEGOEL. With them we shall class those evil spirits, against whofe malevolence this protection is fought. IV. A very different order of intelligences, which bear a near refemblance to the genii of the Arabians, and in fome refpects to the demi-gods of the Roman mythology; as among them are fuppofed to exift their ancient heroes and faints. Thefe are termed DAIVER GOEL. V. Nine principal celeftial luminaries; in whofe influences on human events they have great faith, and which are called Nová GREGUM. The great firft Caufe of all, PARAU BAHRAH-VUSH TOO, has no temples or religious rites whatever; nor is he ever publicly and directly worshipped in his fpiritual immaterial capacity; and I apprehend, he is very rarely the immediate object of private devotion. The TREEMOORTEE are by fome of the more intelligent and learned (though by no means by the bulk of the Hindoos) worshipped, not only as ONE, but as the Supreme Being himself. They are now, however, more generally adored feparately; and, as well as their wives and offspring, univerfally, through the medium of external images. The demons are no otherwife objects of invocation, than merely for the negative benefit of protection from evil fpirits, over whom they prefide. As for the fourth and fifth claffes, they are not honoured either with temples, or regular rites of worship.' Not only the Jefuits, but the Dutch traveller Nieuhoff, with Baldæus, and M. Sonnerat, had previously explored thefe fouthern districts of India; none of thefe writers, however, have given fo minute an account of the fuperftitious notions, predominant among the natives, as Mr. Kinderfley has pre * In the northern parts of India the great firft Caufe is, I underftand, called Brahme. The termination geel ferves to exprefs the plural number.' fented |