Notices respecting New Books. 217 



about -^ of an inch, to distinguish those hours from the 

 rest. 



To ascertain the time in the dark by this watch, nothing 

 more is to be done, than to open the glass and feel with 

 the finger the situation of the hour hand, and count the 

 tangible marks, beginning at 3, 6, 9, or 12, to find the 

 hour ; and by the same means the minutes are found. 



By a watch of this construction, the time may be ascer- 

 tained in the dark to a much greater degree of precision 

 than by a repeater, and without disturbing the repose of 

 any person that may be near it. 



I am, sir, 



your obedient servant, 



Lynn, March '21, 1812. £_ WaLKHR. 



XXXIf I. Notices respecting New Books. 



An Essay on the Prolability of Sensation in Fegefables. 

 By J. P. TuppEK, F.L.S. and Meinler of the Royal, 

 College of Surgeons. London : White and Co, Fieet- 

 Street. pp. 142. 



_We liave read this Essay with a degree of pleasure which 

 induces us to make the Philosophical Magazine one of the 

 organs of its publication. The work embraces a variety of 

 subjects, on which the author has offered such observations, 

 as evidently show that he is capable of thinking for him- 

 self The language is simple, yet elegant and pe°Sj)icuous, 

 tree from technical obscurity on the one hand, and affected 

 embellishment on the other. 



Mr. Tuppcr begins his Essay with the following intro- 

 ductory observations, to which he has prefixed a very ap- 

 propriate quotation from Armstrong, as a motto 



" in J. doubtful theme 



Engaged, I wander througli mysterious ways. 



*' It is as difficult to ascertain the nature of vegetable 

 existence, as to determine what constitutes the livinr^ prin- 

 ciple of animals. It is evident, however, that life fs inti- 

 mately connected with a particular organic structure of 

 parts; for through the medium of that organization e,\- 

 jstence itself is preserved. 



" The physiologist who investigates the laws which re- 

 gulate and direct ail the different movements of the animal 

 machine, cannot observe without admiration its wonderful 

 fabric, which, from a mere " riidis indigestaque moles," the 

 secret working hand of Nature has elaborated into so com- 

 plicate 



