146 Notices respecting New Books. 
ror composed of plain glasses. But a parabolic mirror 
only reflects the solar images in a single point, when the 
axis is directed to the centre of the sun: therefore, in order. 
that the images reflected by M. Buffon’s mirror may remain 
exactly applicd on each other, it would be be necessary that 
the axis of the mirror, passing always by thesame focus F, 
should be constantly directed to the centre of the sun. + 
But M. Boffon’s mirror remains immoveable during: the | 
experiment: thus, in proportion as the sun advances the . 
focus changes place. The mirror in question would there- 
fore have another essential fault, even if the first did not» 
exist. Bd iyg ‘ BM 
[To be continued.] 
XXVIL. Notices respecting New Books. , 
A Treatise on the Venereal Disease, by Jonn Hunter; 
with an Introduction and Commentary, by’ JosErn 
Apams, M.D. Author of “ Observations on Morbid 
Poisons, '&c.”’ ea ne 
. 
’- a. 
Mx. Hunrter’s Treatise having already gone through two 
editions, we should not have thought it necessary to notice 
a third, were it not for some circumstances which particu- 
larly increase our interest in the present performance. “The 
obscurity of that celebrated but almost uneducated author 
has very much lessened the value of most of -his writings. 
This has rendered an interpreter necessary, an office tor 
which no one could be fitted who was not in frequent habits. 
of conyersing with him. Mr. Home may boast advantages 
of this kind beyond any other person; but probably on ac- 
count of the multiplicity of his engagements, the public 
has received little or no information from him which might 
Jead to an elucidation of the most original parts of Mr. 
Hunter’s discoveries. It is probable, indeed, that having 
received his education entirely from that source, he may 
not be aware of those points, which to others who have 
had fewer advantages are particularly obscure. Hitherto 
we believe Dr. Adams is the only person who has written 
with the professed object of illustrating Mr. Hunter: and 
it is but justice to admit, that since the appearance of the 
first edition of * Morbid Poisons,” the opinions of. his 
master have been more generally received, and even his 
language has become more current. . 
A new edition of this treatise therefore being called for, 
we cannot but consider its value much enhanced by the 
commentaries of such an editor. But the object for which 
: we 
