knob, to the ball, on the difcharge of the vial: and that a contrary motion will be produced, if the vial has been charged negatively. Other experiments are related in this and a subsequent fection, which, in the Author's opinion, plainly demonftrate' the course of the electric fluid to be fuch as has been generally fuppofed by electricians.

Notwithstanding thefe and numerous other appearances highly favourable to this opinion, demonflration has not yet, we apprehend, been attained in this queftion. It certainly is not difficult, nor does it involve any abfurdity, though appearances militate against the fuppofition, to conceive the courfe of the elec tric fluid, in bodies pofitively and negatively electrified, to be the reverse of what has been fuppofed. The pencil, for inftance, which feems to iffue from a pofitively electrified point, may be a cone of electric rays converging towards it; and the luminous fpeck which is feen at the end of a negatively electrified point, may poffibly be electric fire iffuing from it. Nor are the different appearances prefented by the extremities of bodies, when pofitively or negatively electrified, in vacuo, and which are pleasingly exhibited by the Author's new prime conductor described in the fourth fection, more decifive. An Experimentum Crucis, on this head, is ftill, we think, a defideratum in electricity; as no experiments yet made, or at leaft known to us, appear fufficient abfolutely to determine in what course the electric fluid moves, or which of the electricities is pofitive, and which is negative. The truth of Dr. Franklin's theory is not, however, in the least affected by this uncertainty: for fhould the prevailing opinion, concerning the direction of the electric fluid, be hereafter found erroneous, the difcovery would produce no other change than an alteration in the electrical phrafeology, or a fimple commutation of the terms pofitive and negative.

The third fection contains an experiment relative to the lateral explosions; and in the fourth is given a defcription and delineation of the Author's new, luminous prime conductor above-mentioned, as executed by Mr. Nairne. It confifts of a large, exhaufted, glafs tube, fitted with brafs caps and ferules; and is well adapted to the purpose of exhibiting many curious and pleasing experiments, particularly thofe relating to the different modifications of the electric light in vacuo.

The fifth fection comprehends feveral mifcellaneous experiments. In the feventh of these the Author relates his fuccess in completely fufing, by the difcharge of 16 fquare feet of coated glafs, fome grains of the pureft platina given him by Dr. Lewis, and which that ingenious chemist had repeatedly exposed to the moft intense and long continued heat which he had been able to excite, or which the containing veffels would fupport.

In the laft fcction various obfervations are given relating to the remarkable electricity of fogs; together with a journal of the Author's experiments on this fubject, and a plan which he proposes for the keeping an electrical diary.

Article 37. An Account of a Storm of Lightning, &c. By Mr. Nicholson, Teacher of the Mathematics in Wakefield. Communicated by Dr. Priestley.

We formerly related the beatification of Profeffor Sauffure and M. Jallabert, by natural electricity, on their being catched by a thunderstorm, in palling over the Alps. [Appendix to our 45th volume, December 1771, page 519.] in the present ftorm, Mr. Nicholion was agreeably furpriied with obferving a flame of light, dancing on each ear of the horse that he rode, and several others much brighter on the end of his stick, which was armed with a ferule of brafs, but notched with ufing.' Six graziers, who were on the road, were astonished with fimilar appearances. One of them, coming up to a turnpike where Mr. N. had taken fhelter, called for a candle to examine his horfe's head, faying, "It had been all on fire, and must certainly be finged."

At the end of the ftorm, a thick cloud was feen in the northern part of the fky, which feemed to throw out large and exceedingly beautiful ftreams of light, refembling an Aurora Borealis, towards another cloud that was paffing over it; and every now and then there appeared to fall to it fuch meteors as are called falling fars-but no thunder was heard.'-About two hours after the ftorm had ceafed, a large ball of fire paffed under the zenith, towards the S. E. part of the horizon.

Article 46. Of Torpedos found on the Coaft of England: In a Letter from John Walth, Efq; F. R. S. to Thomas Pennant, Efq; F. R. S.

It appears from this Article, not only that the torpedo, or the electric ray, frequents the fhores of this ifland, though the contrary has been fuppofed by naturalifts, but likewife that it very confiderably exceeds in fize thofe catched in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. One fent to Mr. Walsh, from Brixham, weighed 53 pounds, and meafured 4 feet in length, 2 feet in its extreme breadth, and 4 inches in its extreme thickness: whereas the largest out of 70, which paffed through his hands, when he made his curious experiments on this fifh at Rochelle, weighed little more than 10 pounds; measuring not quite 2 feet in length, nor quite 16 inches in breadth. In a letter addreffed to the Author, Mr. Grant, fifhmonger, observes that those taken at Brixham weigh in general from 10 to 60, 70, and even 80 pounds; and that their numbing quality is pretty ftrong through the net, but much fronger when they are taken

out.

In order that the curious, on fhore, may have opportunities of trying their electrical experiments in concert with this marine electrician, we fball further obferve that the Author recommends the ufe of well boats kept in falt-water, in which the fish may be preferved alive feveral days, even without food, The torpedo is likewife faid to be fo far amphibious, as to live 24 hours out of the water.

PAPERS relating to MEDICINE. Article 47. Defcription of a double Uterus and Vagina: By John Purcell, M. D. Profeffor of Anatomy in the College of Dublin.

In this Article Dr. Purcell very accurately defcribes the fingular appearances obferved in the diffection of a woman, who died in labour. Befides an uterus, which contained a full grown fætus, but which was furnished with only one ovarium, and one fallopian tube; a fecond, unimpregnated, and of the common fize, was feen contiguous to, but perfectly diftinct from, the former, and to the left of it; to which the other ovarium and tube were annexed. Nor was the vagina fingle; for it was divided by a feptum, extending from its entrance to its pofterior extremity, into two tubes of nearly equal dimenfions. The right vagina was fo dilated, as it ran backward, that it communicated with the orifices of both the uteri, The left terminated in a cul de fac; but nevertheless had likewise a communication with both uteri, by means of a fiffure in the partition. above mentioned -We cannot decently dwell even for a moment on the reasons which the Author produces, to fhew that it was probably through this laft-mentioned paffage the present fubject became pregnant.

Although lufus nature of this kind do not very frequently occur, it is undoubtedly of great confequence that they should be known, and that thofe who practife midwifery fhould bear in mind the poffibility of their meeting with them. We need not mention the perplexities and errors into which a practitioner might be led, in fuch a cafe as the prefent, or the dreadful injuries which the patient might receive, in confequence of his being unacquainted with conformations of this nature.

In the 38th Article, Mr. James Bent relates the method of operating which he followed in taking off the head of a carious humerus, which muft otherwife have been amputated. The patient, fince the cure, enjoys the perfect use of the fore-arm, and can exert every motion that does not require the elbow to be raised more than five or fix inches from the fide-In the fimilar cafe published by Mr. White, in his Surgical Cafes, page 57, the Author affirms that that Gentleman was deceived, in fuppofing that he fawed off the upper head of the humerus.

MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLE S.

Article 34. An Account of a Woman accidentally burnt to Death at Coventry: By B. Wilmer, Surgeon at Coventry, &c. Mary Clues, the fubject of this fingular catastrophe, aged 52 years, had for fome time been confined to her bed, in confequence of a complication of diforders, brought on by a long continued and daily course of drinking fpirituous liquors, undiluted, in large quantities. Having been left at night in her room, in which there was a fire, and a rush light burning, her remains were found the next morning on the floor, between the bed and the fire place. These remains confifted of her legs and one thigh, and of the bones of the fkull, thorax, fpine, and upper extremities, completely calcined. No part of the fkin, mufcles, or bowels were to be feen.

It is fuppofed that he had fallen out of bed, and that her fhift had been first set on fire, either by the candle, or a coal falling from the grate. Her folids and fluids having probably been rendered inflammable, and even aduft, by the immenfe quantity of fpirituous liquors that fhe had drank, feem to have furnished a copious pabulum, after fhe had been once kindled : for it appears that he could not be burnt by the furniture of the room, to which very little damage had been done;-and that damage it probably received from her.

In the 40th Article feveral particulars are given, relating to the inhabitants, climate, and natural productions of that immenfe but unfrequented territory, the country of Labradore, extracted from the papers of Lieutenant Roger Curtis; to which is annexed a plane-chart of the coaft, drawn by him from an actual furvey. The 43d Article contains the bill of mortality of the town of Warrington; by the Rev. J. Aikin.-In the 45th an account is given, by M. de Stehlin, of an immenfe hillock or mafs' of raw or native malleable iron, weighing 2000 Ruffian pounds, difcovered by M. Pallas, a Petersburgh academician, in Siberia. It was found on the furface of the ground, on the top of a high woody eminence, scarce 100 fathoms diftant from a rich hard ore of loadftone. In the whole district there is not the leaft trace extant of any ancient forge. M. Stehlin is inclined to fuppofe that this mafs might have been fmelted by nature, in a volcano, which poffibly exifted here many ages ago; and by the fire of which the iron ore in the neighbourhood may have been melted down into the present mafs.

In the only remaining paper in this volume, Article 34, the Rev. Mr. Wollafton communicates, as before, feveral aftronomical obfervations made by him, with his three one-half-feet achromatic telescope, magnifying 150 times. Among these are

fome

fome obfervations of eclipfes of Jupiter's fatellites, in which the Author made trial of the diaphragms propofed by M. Bailly. Of the principles on which this improvement is founded we gave a full account in our 50th volume, May 1774, page 353. B. ART. IX. The Electrical hilofopher. Containing a New Syftem of Phyfics, &c. To which is fubjoined a Po fcript containing StriЯures upon the uncandid Animadverfins of the Monthly Reviewers on the Philofophical Effays of the Author*, &c. By R. Lovet, Lay Clerk of the Cathedral Church of Worcester. Svo. 3 s. Boards. Worcefter, Lewis. London, Bew. 1774.

HOUGH we have already, we confefs, fquandered away

THO

more of our Reader's and our own time, than perhaps was decent, on the former productions of this afpiring genius; and are convinced that reafoning and ridicule are equally thrown away upon him yet we find ourselves once more tempted to give him a refpectable place in the body of our work, inftead of thrusting him and his reveries and his fcurrilities, into a dark corner of our Catalogue. Mr. Lovet has indeed fuch a manner, that he forces himself into the notice of the Critic. We cannot however fubmit (notwithstanding his challenge to us, and all our adherents') to difpute the point fairly, pro and con,' with him, through the channel of our Monthly paper.' We shall content ourselves with giving fuch a sketch of his present work, as may enable the Reader to eftimate pretty nearly in what degree Mr. L. may be improved in knowledge, felf-confequence and good breeding, fince we laft communed with him.

It is written in the form of a dialogue between A and B. A, of course, denotes the Author of the Six fundamental Principles, or the Great Man himself; and B, a humble querift, pupil, and admirer. We rather wonder that Mr. Lovet's vanity never till now fuggefted to him this mode of compofition. It gives the principal fpeaker fo fapient an air, that we proteft, emboldened as we are with our former familiarities with him, when in the humble character of an Essayist, we have fometimes catched ourselves looking up to him now with a kind of reverence, when dictating ex cathedra to his pupil. Mr. L. well knows the advantages of his new and elevated fituation, and how to use them. We will give an inftance:

What an auguft idea does it not imprefs on the imagination of the Reader, when in the fecond dialogue he finds A reprefented as pouring knowledge, in fuch copious and rapid torrents, into the skull of B, that the latter is obliged to call out, and intreat him to hold his hand; declaring that his head is not able to contain it all :-A immediately, and artfully, rejoining that he has fome reafon to complain !

• See M. Review, vol. xxxviii. May 1768, page 373.

So