656 Restrospect of Domestic Literature— Classical Literature, Ke. 
piled in a volume, seemed to promise a 
most desirable source of reference to 
futurity, if not to the present genera- 
tion. But such a svurce should be as 
free as possible from allimpurities. We 
wish we could say so much of the pre- 
sent. We shall only transcribe a single 
paragraph, because it is the most inti- 
mately connected with the professed ob- 
ject of the book, and yet, perhaps, the 
most faulty. 
_  Onthe whole, then, the causes of the 
happy decrease of some of the most fatal 
and epidemic diseases, and the dimi- 
nution of the fatality of others, as well 
as the increase of a few disorders, most 
of them of infinitely less importance to 
the community, may be in a great mea- 
sure ascribed to the evident changes in 
the physical, and moral condition of the 
metropolis, during the last two centuries ; 
more particularly to the changes which 
it has undergone, .from a state of per- 
petual filth, and nastiness, to the open, 
airy, well-paved, and comparatively 
cleanly.condition, in which it now is ; and 
to the alterations in our domestic eco- 
“nomy, in regard to situation, ventilation, 
and cleanliness. The first of these 
changes has contributed to free us from 
the endemic and epidemic diseases of 
camps, &c. intermittent and remittent 
fevers, dysentery, and the plague; and 
the latter have concurred to banish the 
_ contagious diseases of hospitals, jails, and 
other crowded and close situations, viz. 
malignant typhous fevers; as well as to 
lessen the ravages of other contagious 
diseases, which were formerly most de- 
structively epidemic and fatal, such as 
-the scarlet-fever, measles, &c.”* 
This society of physicians must have 
read Dr. W1LLan very superficially, if 
they conceive he confines “the fatal ra- 
vages of Scarlatina,” to “ those successive 
ages,” which fis “‘ discriminating eye has 
traced.” Those who read with only 
common attention, the work referred to 
by these gentlemen, will perceive that, 
with Dr.- Witran, Scarlatina is con- 
sidered as not less general in these days, 
than formerly. If, like other diseases, 
it has appeared formidable, at particular 
seasons, it is certain that nothing is to be 
a NE NE 
* The fatal ravages which the scarlet- 
fever occasioned throughout Europe, for 
, several successive ages, under a variety of 
 appellations, have been traced with an acute 
and discriminating eye, by Dr. Wiitan. 
See his Treatise on © Cytancous Diseases,” 
Part JUL. p. 289334. 
ri 
discovered in the writings of the accurate - 
Sydenham, in any respect, comparable 
to what we have witnessed in our own’ 
days. When these gentlemen have more 
leisure, we wish them to compare Sy- 
DENHAM’s “ Histories of Epidemics,” with 
Dr. Wittan’s “ Account of the Diseases’ 
of London.” ; ' 
If these gentlemen had been so early 
in their publication, as not to have had’: 
access to the annual bills of mortality, 
we could hardiy have excused their not 
taking the trouble to cast up the weekly 
bills ; even if the urgency of the public, 
or their publisher, had not allowed time - 
for that dull species of labour, we cannot 
well conceive, howa “ Society of Phy-" 
sicians,” in any part of Great Britain, oF 
its dependencies, could be ignorant of 
the ravages of the measles, during the 
past year.. By the annual bills, it is 
ascertained that, in London, the deaths - 
by measles for the last year were equal, 
if they did not exceed, any three succes- 
sive years, during the period when’ Lons 
don was annually visited with those 
epidemics, from which she ts relieved by 
the improved manner of life of the in- 
habitants. Lan se 
CLASSICAL LITERATURE. - 
In illustration of Classical Literature 
little has been lately published of essen 
tial interest. nee 
The passages selected in Mr. Prtman’s 
“ Excepta exvartis Romanis Poetis,” have 
been chosen, both with taste and judg- 
ment ; and the work may be fairly re- 
commended ‘as. likely to be of use in 
schools. | 
THEOLOGY, MORAL, AND ECCLESIASTICAL 
AFFAIRS. 
In our last Retrospect, we noticed the 
first part of Mr. Wesron’s “ Sunday 
Lessons for Morning and Evening Ser- 
vice:” the concluding portion, contain= 
ing the Second Lessons, has since ap- 
peared, illustrated, like the former, witha 
perpetual commentary, notes, and index. 
The nature of the work has been aiready 
touched on. ‘The notes are very short 
and compact; and ‘he index is of such 
passages’ only as have been explained, or 
are newly translated. gO Fe 
Another work of pious intention will 
be found in Mr. Hawxrns’s “ Commen- 
tary on the first, second, and third Epis- 
tles of St. John;” in which the author, 
“ without calling any man on earth mas- 
ter, expresses his leading principles in 
reference te theological sentiments, as 
imbibed from the unadulterated W ord of 
God.” | tad 
Nor 
