epochs fo-diftant and fo different from 
each other. 
Hippocrates, indeed, Is reprefented as 
a real phenomenon in the hiftory, not. 
of medicine only, but of the human 
hind. By an exception equally ho- 
nourable and aftonifhing, of all the 
creators or reformers in fcience, he is con- 
fidered as the oniy one whofe works 
are at the fame time, the molt replete 
with real inftruction, as well as the 
firft in point of date. Not -content 
with deferibing him in this point of 
view, we here find an account of him 
as a man and a citizen. 
The hiftory of the healing art, as con- 
nected with that of Greece, is next fub- 
mitted to our infpection. Like all the 
other fchoels of philofophy, that of Py- 
thagoras comprehended medicine in 
the fyitem of its acquifitions. “ What 
was peculiar to the latter, is the appli- 
cation of the famous doctrine of num- 
bers tothe theory, and, moft probably 
alfo, to the practice of medicine. No- 
thing is more eafy, than to turn this 
project into ridicule; and it is the fate 
that has hitherto uniformly attended it 
in modern times. M. Cabanis, not: 
withftanding this, calinly examines the 
queftion, and then enquires whether it 
has ever been demonttrated that the doc- 
trine here alluded to, is really inapplica- 
ble to the obfervation of the phenomeza of 
the animal economy ? However fingular 
if may appear, he maintains that in cer- 
tain cafes it is available, and that it is 
impoflible to affirm, with any regard to 
found reafoning, that it is not alfo fo 
in a great many others. 
' The réfult of the whole‘is, that the 
{cience of medicine‘has not yet attain- 
ed that degree of advancement of 
which it is capable, if we are to judge 
from the progrefs of fome other 
{ciences, and the prefent fate of the 
human mind. The author deduces 
from this, the neceflity of a reform in 
its language, inits fyfem, and alfo in 
the mode of teaching it. ’ 
The fecond part of this work is dedi- 
cated to an enquiry into the moft ad- 
vantageous methcd which can be 
adopted in order to operate a reform: 
this indeed may be confidered as the 
moft novel as well as moft important 
portion of the book. The mode here 
pointed cut, has ufwally been denomi- 
nated the azalytical, by thofe philofo- 
phers, who,-fince the days of Bacon, 
have eftablithed the foundations, deve- 
loped the principles, and demonftrated 
 Retrofpeét of French Literature.— Mifcellancous, 
thé advantages refulting from it. Wé 
are told, that the healing art, like all 
the other fciences, is founded on the 
obiervation of certain faéts of a particu. 
lar order. The more thefe are multi- 
plied, the more difficult it becomes to. 
the obferver to ftudy them; yet it is at’ 
the fame time more necefiary to clafs, in 
order that he may not confound them, 
as well as that he may be able to reccl- 
lect the particulars as occafion ferves. _ 
After thefe preliminary’ remarks, 
Cabanis infifts on the neceflity of com- 
mencing the reform of médicine, by that 
of its language; and maintains at the 
fame time, that it is with this every fe- 
rious reform in {cience ought to begin. 
He then indicates che principal caules 
of the imperfection of the language ; 
thefe originate in the falfe application 
of words borrowed from other fciénces, 
as well as the cuftom of introducing thé 
denominations, or terms, adopted by 
other nations, the juftice of which can 
only be confidered as relative to the, 
nature of the ideas of the inhabitants of 
thofe countries, the genius: of their 
language, or certain errors and preju- 
cices, diflipated by the progrefs of ex. 
perience. 
Several attempts have already been 
made, to give more fimplicity and pre- 
cifilon to the language of medicine. M, 
Cabanis recogniles the utility of fome 
of thefe, as well as the merit of their 
refpective authors ; but he at the fame 
time remarks, that the greater part of 
them do not endeavour to attain their 
aim in a manner fufficiently direé&t and 
explicit. He attributes the fundamen- © 
tal caufe of all this, to the little atten- 
tion which thefe reformers of the no- 
menclature appear to have paid to the 
formation of the new denominations, 
according to the order of the ideas. 
In the acquifition of knowledge, he 
remarks, that the human mind always 
proceeds from what is known to what 
is obfcure; but in other refpeéts, it 
fometimes advances trom the compound 
to the fimple. 
The concluding chapter is entirely 
dedicated to the development of a ge- 
neral fal—the abufe introduced by the 
application of the different fciences to 
the perfection of the healing art. He 
laments that phyficians have hitherto— 
been defirous to fearch every where 
around them for faétitious fupports to 
their kill, in confequence of which, 
they have often eftablifhed ** the mot 
inconfiderable fyftems.;”-- fometimnes — 
thefe - 
