334 
too generally passes for pulmonary con- 
sumption, In nine, perhaps, out of ten 
cases, so far from involving any .essen- 
tial injury to, has, in fact, nothing to do 
with the lungs, only as those organs 
may be affected by the disease or de- 
rangement of the neighbouring viscera, 
or of the universal frame. The liver, 
the stomach, and not unfrequently, the 
alimentary canal, is often the: primary 
source of those symptoms which are un- 
justly -ascribed to the impaired machi- 
nery of respiration. It is not in curing 
consumption, which, in its state of full 
formation, has, perhaps, never yet been 
efiected, but in discriminating it from 
other diseases which are apt to assume 
its countenance and features, or.in de- 
tecting the secret and infant. tendencies 
towards it, at a time, when they are not 
gone. too far to be caunteraeted, that 
the talent of the physician may be ex- 
hibited, and the application of his saga- 
city and skill may prove of important 
and essential advantage, 
To two cases of fever the Reporter has 
recently been called, which, although they 
are hkely to terminate ina favorable man- 
ner, by no means give sanction to the un- 
qualified assertion, of which many years 
ago the Writer was, in these Reports, 
guilty, that “no one need die of fever.” 
Since the period when that unguarded ob- 
servation was made, much additional ex- 
Monthly Retrospect of the Fine Arts. 
[May I, 
perience and reflection have given a. 
greater moderation to his mind, and . 
rendered him disposed to doubt rather 
than to dogmatise. This more matured 
and chastened .emper has, likewise, 
gradually led him to thiuk-with a diluted 
confidence in, and somewhat lessened or 
modified respect for, the Brunonian 
system, : 
Brown was a benefactor to seience, 
not so rauch in making discoveries, as 
in expunging errors, which previously to 
his time had accumulated to a heavy 
ang monstrous pile. Ee swept, with the 
besom of destruction, the Augean stable 
of physical absurdity. He restored, in a 
great measure, the long -suspénded, 
‘though rightful empire of common sense 
and ordinary instincts. But he did little 
more. He weaned Medicine from the 
bosom. of Superstition, but he still left 
her in the feebleness of chiidhood. 
Brown’s character must be regarded 
as emblazoned with genius, but there 
is a halo around the lustre of its orb. 
Amongst the “ splendida peccata” of 
the Brunonian theory, is its deficiency as 
a guide to practice. Aiidst surrounding 
darkness, the glow-worm’s light, though 
beautiful and brilliant, is by no means 
sufficient to direct the benighted travel- 
ler on his way. persons 
April 25, 1809. J. Rerxp. 
Grenville-street, Brunswick-square. 
MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF THE FINE ARTS. 
The Use ot alt New Prints, and Communications of Articles of Intelligence, arerequested 
under cover to the Care ef the Publisher. 
EE 
The Exhibition cf Works of British zfrtistsy at 
the Gallery of the BR1TIsH INSTITUTION, 
Pall Mall. 
; ISS Coward’s Landscape (115) is a 
h creditable comyosition, and natu- 
rally coloured. Copley’s large picture of the 
Offer of the Crown to Lady Jane Grey 
(430), which has been exhibited at the 
Royal Academy, is certainly a fine work 
of art, but there is far too much atten- 
‘tion paid to minutia. The Poet record- 
ing a Thought, a fine frenzy!(138), is an 
admirable piece of humour, but too 
nearly allied to caricature. After pass- 
ing many pictures of mediocrity, the cri- 
tie must be delighted with meeting the 
President West’s charming piece of Isis 
delivering Jove’s Command to Priam for 
‘him to go and solicit the Body of his Son 
Heetor in the Tent of Achilles, (170). 
For -grandeur of conception, excellent 
grouping, correct colouring, knowledge of 
costume, this picture is unequalled by 
any in the Exhibition, and must raise 
mournful sensations in the breast of the 
true lover of art to see the public taste 
run on such trifles as the sale-book an- 
nounces to be purchased, and such pré- 
ductions as this remain unsold. ‘The 
‘Reposo (182), by Douglas Guest, is a 
vulgar piece of affectation and plagiarism 
ill drawn and worse coloured. The Cot- 
tage Girl (183), and Offcer’s Guard 
Room (185), George Jones, are prettily 
managed ; the last, an officer alone in 
his guard-room in a pensive attitude, 
appears to be a portrait, and is well 
drawn and coloured. Mr. Shee’s “Date 
obolum Belisario” (209), is like all his 
works, beautiful in its tone of colouring, 
— Cha! SESE ee oe ieee 
