Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature.—Natural Hiftory, ec. 
NATURAL HISTORY, NATURAL PHI- 
LOSOPHY, AND PHYSICS. 
In our fourteenth valume, page 583, 
we gave anaccount of Dr. GaRNETT'S 
8 Annuals of Philofophy, Sc.” 
Since the death of, that gentleman, 
this very interefting work has been 
conducted under the united aufpices 
of Meflrs, ARTHUR and CHARLES 
Askin. Some trifling alterations have 
been made in the arrangement of the 
materials, which are mentioned in the 
preface. The fecond volume com- 
mences with the hiftory of Galvanifm ; 
it proceeds with magnetifm, with Dr. 
Herfchell’s remarks on the nature of 
the fun, and with a fketch of mifcel- 
laneous matters. The fecond fection 
of the firft chapter is dedicated to na- 
tural hiftory, and treats of the follow- 
ing fubjcéts: another favage man; the 
American elk ; an attempt to domefti- 
cate the wild goofe ; Mus Malabaricus; 
Teftudo rugofa; Rana Leveriana ; 
Lacertaacanthura; coluber maculatus, 
&c. &c. Hydrus major, &c. &c. Acro- 
cordus dubius; anatomy of the rbino- 
ceros; Proteus Anguinus; diltinguith- 
ing characters ot the crocodile and cai- 
man; two new fpecies of oviparous 
quadrupeds ; a new genus of infects ; 
moneculus pulex; a new inteitinal 
worm; a parrot hatched in Rome. 
To zoology fucceeds botany, miner- 
alogy, and chemiltry, which conclude 
the nrft divilion of the work. The ie- 
cond part, entitled Mifcellaneous, pre- 
fents the reader with the improvements 
in agriculture, in the ufetul and ele- 
gant arts ; which {fection is followed. by 
a fupplement to part I. containing 
fome aftronomical difcoveries. 
The third part, entitled Literature, 
contains a copious lift of books in all 
modern languages, illuttrated occafion- 
ally by remaiks. This large divifion 
of the volume is fucceeded by an obi- 
tuary. We fee with great pleafure 
that this work will be regularly con- 
tinued. 
‘* Animal Biography; or, Anecdotes of 
the Lives, Manners, and Ecoitomy of the 
Animal Creation, arranged according to 
-the Linnean Syflem, by the Rev. W. 
BINGLgY.” 
This is a curious and amufing com- 
pilation ; the object which Mr. Bing- 
Jey had in view was to awaken the cu- 
riclity of youth and ttimulate them, by 
allurement, to engage in the delightful 
icience of naturai hittory. ‘ Youth are 
caught by anecdute ; and from this 
623 
peep into nature, many may be induced 
to look further than they at firft ine 
tended, and to enter with {pirit into 
the ftudy of fuch more abitrufe books 
as would at firft fight have alarmed 
them.” This is quite true, and Mre 
Bingley hasconferred on young perfons 
in particular an obligation of no incon= 
fiderable value. 
Mr. Cavauto has publifhed, in four 
octavo volumes, ‘‘ The Elements of Na 
tural or Experimental Philofophy.-—A 
work executed with great flall and 
fcience ; and which ftudents who are 
defircus of becoming initiated into the 
various branches of natural philofophy 
will confult with advantage. The ty- 
pographical errors, we are forry to fay, 
are very numerous and important. 
The fecond part to the fitth volume 
of the ‘* Tranfactious of the Royal Society 
of Edinburgh,” has appeared, contain- 
ing, as uiual, a variety of interefting 
articles. 
r. JOHNSTONE has publifhed ‘* Az 
Account of the Difcovery of the Power of 
Mineral Acid Vopours to deftroy Conta- 
gion,’ in which he nas decidedly fhown 
that it is due to his father, Dr. James 
Johnitone, of Worcefter, whoempioyed 
the muriatic vapor evolved from com- 
mon falt by means of vitriolic acid, be- 
fore the year 1756. 
The efficacy of this practice «was - 
communicated to the world in the year 
1758, ina work entitled “* An Hiftori- 
cal Differtation concerning the Malig- 
nant Epidemical Fever of 1756, with © 
fome acconnt of the Malignant Difeafes 
prevailing, fince the year 1752, in Kid- 
dermintter.””. It appears, trom this, 
that Dr. Carmichael Smyth’s claim 
upon Parliament for remuneration 
was not valid on the {core of origi- 
nality. Dr. Johnftone mentions a num- 
ber of facts, from which he infers that 
the muriatic acid is equally efficacious, 
and may be ufed with at leatt equal con- 
venience, with the nitrous; that it is 
equally mild and equally fafe in like 
quantities. 
“* Lectures on the Elements of Chemiftry, 
delivered in the Unverfity of Edinburgh, 
by the late Mr. JosePH BLACK, M.D, 
Ge. nsw publifbed from his MSS. by 
Joun Rogison, Profefor of Natural 
Philofophy in the Univer fity of Edinburgh.” 
In the editing of thele pofthumous 
labours of one of the greateft philofo- 
phers which this country everproduced, 
Profefior Robifon has conterred on 
the {cientific world a moft valuable ob- 
ligation. 
