456 Notices respecting New Books. 
hereditary or family susceptibility to any disease is suspected, 
the changes in the constitution induced by gestation, parturition, 
and the more advanced climacterics, should be particularly at- 
tended to. That if the human race, like other animals, has.a 
constant disposition to restore itself from every irregularity, the 
divine law, which forbids any sexual intercourse between near 
relations, seems sufficient to correct ev: ery peculiarity unconnected 
with climate. That if an her edilary disposition is generated 
by climate, it must progressively increase from the constant ope- 
ration of such combined causes, That no remedy, therefore, 
can be sufficient, but the prevention-of propagation as soon as 
‘the disposition becomes hereditary, and that such provision is 
made by the diseased action itself, That as far as our inquiries 
into-these irregularities have hitherto extended, sufficient provi- 
sion is made for correcting them by the influence of climate, by 
the interdiction of marriage between near relations, and by the 
effects which the irregularities themselves induce. That all in- 
terference, therefore, with the dictates of nature, beyond the. 
expression of revealed will, appears unnecessary. Finally, that 
_to lessen anxiety, as well as from a regard to the moral principle, 
family peculiarities, instead of being carefully concealed, should 
be accurately traced and faithfully recorded, with a delicacy 
suited to the subject, and with a discrimination adapted to the 
only purpose for which such registers can be useful.” ; 
The practical wisdom ard good sense of these conclusions 
must be obvious to every reader. Dr. A. in the notes has also 
‘some judicious remarks on goitre, which he considers a family 
disease, An instance tending to confirm this opinion may be 
given. In a valley near Guadir, in Granada, goitres appear: in 
an adjoining one watered by the same river, and subject to the 
same winds, no traces of them are found. The family descent 
of calculous diseases might also be traced; but Dr. A. who has 
so well begun the inquiry, under the enlightened auspices of the’ 
worthy :President of the Royal Society, will doubtless pursue it. ~ 
The second volume of the Transactions of the Geological So. 
ciety will be ready for delivery to the members early in July. 
A Manual of Mineralogy has been published ge Mr. Arthur 
“Aikin, Secretary to the Geological Society, 
M. Mionnet of Paris, has published a description of ancient 
Greek and Roman medals, with a table appreciating their scar- 
city and value. It. consists of six volumes in- octavo, and one 
volume of plates, and comprises a series of 20,000 impressions 
taken in sulphur, . > dmittea | 
, ; XCVIM. Pro- 
