44 Scientific News, Accounts of Books, &c. 



LeEfures on the Laws of Animal Nature, dnd on the Means of prefervhig the 5^em from 

 Injury upon the mojl important Occqfions of common Lfe. 



At fome convenient place In Briftol, Dr. Beddoes propofes to attempt a popular expofi- 

 tioti of the principles of the animal ceconomy, with their application to the purpofes of 

 individual and domeftic welfare, upon a plan widely different from that of any exifting 

 publication. For his opinion on the advantage of difleminating phyfiological information^ 

 lie may refer to his LeElure introduSlory to Meflrs. Bowles Js'Smith's Courfe of Anatomy; 

 and an exemplification of the manner in which he thinks the fubjeft ought to be treated 

 will be found in his EJfay on Cgnftimption. 



Heretofore an acquaintance with the caufes of his perfonal condition has feldom been 

 numbered among the accompUfhments of the fcholar, or the qualifications with which the 

 man of bufinefs is fitted out for fuccefs in the world. Yet it will be confelTed, that neither 

 fuccefs in bufinefs, nor proficiency in the fciences, accounted liberal, are feparately fufii- 

 cient for rendering the condition of human life defireable. And, in faft, to endeavour 

 by any combination of thefe materials, to conftru£l a fyftem of perfonal happinefs, is to 

 projeft an edifice which (hall ftand fecure without a foundation.— Of a truth, fo long and 

 fo generally negle£led, a portion of the public, it is believed, begins to feel that degree of 

 convi£tion which operates upon conduct. In this belief, the prefent opportunity of in- 

 ftru£l;ion is offered to thofe who may be defirous of it. 



If it be allowed that the moral and phyfical attributes of human nature are infeparable, 

 perfons interefted in the art of education will fcarce require to be reminded of the value of 

 that fpecies of knowledge which the leftures, here announced, are intended to commu- 

 nicate. 



They ought to prevent many of thofe mortal bruifes which travellers along the road of 

 life give themfelves for want of knowing the quality and pofition of the objedb in their way. 



By prefenting a jufl tiimztz oi that art to tht operations of which almoft every one is 

 fooner or later doomed to fubmit, they fhould afford fome prote£tion againft grofs medical 

 incapacity or fraud. 



They fliould reduce to their jufl. value many of thofe axioms that wander about the world 

 concerning what is wholefome or unwholefome in diet or exercife : — axioms which the in- 

 ftinft of felf-prefervation impels men to take up; and upon which, however loofely adopt- 

 ed, they afl: with as full afTurance as if they knew them to have the moft folid foundation 

 in phyfiological fcience. 



Numbers fall victims to their own impatience under illnefs, or to the wavering conduft 

 of their friends. Frequently in the onfet of dangerous difeafcs, people by fufFering them- 

 felves to be amufed by trifling domeftic expedients, lofe an opportunity which no medical 

 Ikill can ever retrieve. Upon thefe evils the prevalence of jufter ideas would adt as a check. 

 Nor is it paradoxical to fuppofe that the mortality among infants would be fmaller, and 

 debility of conftitution at all periods of life more rare, if parents (however inftrudted in 



3 other 



