^90 Wr«w PnhVicatian:. 



Pliyficlogy ; or, An Attempt to explain the Funflions and Laws of the Kcrvou* Syftcm j 

 the Coiitraflion of MiH'cular Fibres, and the coiiftant and involuntary Anions of the 

 Heart, the Stomach and Organs of Rcfpiration, by Means of finiplc, univerfal, and un- 

 virying Principlts. To which are added, Obfcrvations on the intelleflual Operations 

 of the Brain ; and on the Diverfity of Seafalions } with Remark? on the F.rtefls of 

 roifoiis, and an Explanation of the lixperiments of Galvani and others on Animal lilcc- 

 tticiiy. Dy K. Peart, M. D. &c. 8vo. 327 pages. VV. Miller, 1798. 



I have juft. received this work; for which reafon lean at prefent only annonnce its 

 publication, and fay that the author's explanation of the phenomena mentioned in the 

 title appears to be founded upon the fyftem which he offered to the world in his £lc- 

 mcntary Principles of Nature publiflicd in 1789. 



Travels in the Two Sicilies, and fome Parts Of the Apennines. Trandatel from the origi- 

 nal Italian of the Abbe Lazzaro Spallanzani, Profedbr Royal of Natur.vl Hillory in the 

 irr.iverfity of Pavia, F. R. S. &c. &c. la Four Volumes 8vo. 1500 pages, with 



II Plates. Robinfons, 1708. 



This celebrated philofopher had the good fortane to obtain a clear and diftind view of 

 three out of the four craters which are ftill burning in the vokanized countries through 

 which he travelled, namely, Etna, Stromboli, and Vulcano, of wliich he lias given defigns ; 

 but at Vefuvius his wifh could not be gratified. The Lipari Iftands have been the fubje£l of 

 his affuluous examination, as well with regard to their igneous produflions, as the (late, 

 charafler, and occupations of the inhabitants ; and the environs of the unfortunate city oif 

 Meffina afforded much information, from the variety of natural objeiSs they prefeiited. 

 Scylla and Charybdis ; the fitheries in the Straits of Meffina for the fword-fifli, the 

 ravenous fliark, and for coral, with various other interefting objeds, 'alfo engaged his at- 

 tention during his excurfion in the year 1788-89. 



To fay that thefe volumes contain a treafure of geological and chemical information, 

 is fcarcely nece(rai>y to thofe who are acquainted with the former labours of the 

 Profelfor. I muft therefore more particularly obferve, that he hasHravcrfed thefe interefl- 

 ing diHrifts, contemplated and compared the volcanic produds with a particular regard 

 to local circumftances, and the inferences to which thofe circumllances lead ; ex- 

 amined the fevcral fubftances with every precaution which the difficulties of fixing the 

 external chara£lers and obvious properties could fugged ; fubmitted thens to the adioii 

 of fire before the blow-pipe, and in the furnace, with the pyrometer of Wedgwood and 

 pneumatic apparatus •, and laftly, that in fuch fpccimens as could not from their external 

 charaders be referred to known earths already analyfed by chemifts of reputation, he 

 has had recourfe to the methods of humid analyfis. Where his experimental enquiries 

 have proved concife, he has frequently incorporated them with the account of his journeys ; 

 but where otherwife, he has placed them with fuch fubjecls of general difcuffion as could 

 not form a part of his narrative in the order of time. 



From this rapid fketch of his method of proceeding, the reader, who may be acquainted 

 with the advantages which the modern improvements of Chemiftry muft afford in the hands 

 of an enlightened obfcrver, will be able to form fome eftimate of tlie value of the work. 



END 01-' THE FIRST VOLUME. 



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