MERLIN appears. MERLIN. Hark, hark, my words attend, And comes to take thy part;: Soon as a comely Knight, The charm then quick diffolving, RECITATIVE. To the EDITORS of the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. Gentlemen, IT is much to be lamented that the fatal difcafe vulgarly called the Rot in Sheep, fhould hitherto have been left to the management of ignorant fhepherds, and illiterate farmers, deffitute of all medical knowledge. The inveftigation of an evil of fuch magnitude can furely, never be deemed beneath the attention of the moft eminent phyfician, or.moft enlightened philofopher. Your occafionally indulging fome of your ingenious correfpondents with a little room in your much efteemed Magazine, (which circulates literary intelligence fo very extensively) certainly can require no apology, in the prefent cafe, with any of your readers, who have any pretenfions to humanity or benevolence. "Ad utilitatem vitæ omnia confilia factaque noftra dirigenda funt," is a maxim which ought, I conceive, to in fluence all our undertakings. Prefuming that you concur with me in this idea, I proceed to offer a few remarks on this important fubject, which ought, long ago, to have become an object of the most diligent medical inquiry. It feems evident, from anatomical infpection, that the liver is the feat of the difeafe, and that this organ is almost conflantly found in a putrid flate. The caufe of this has been lately attributed, and not without plaufibility, to a morbid infpiffation of the bile, in confequence of too rich, or too vifcid a ftate of the blood *, chiefly because fat fheep only have been thought to be fubject to the diffemper, But more accurate obfervation proves, that lean fheep are alike difpofed to contract the fatal teint; and even ewes, in all the different ftages of geftation, when the blood is acknowledged to be" thinner and poorer than at other times t." Moreover, the herbaceous food on which fheep live, is of a faponaceous, deobftruent mature, tending manifeftly to attenuate rather than incraffate the blood; and is, indeed, fo far from producing a tenacity of the bile, that it is juftly esteemed a fovereign remedy against jaundice, and other biliary obftructions proceeding from that caufe, and fuppofed to bear a strong affinity to the prefent difeale. Befides, fheep per-, fealy found, when removed from the uplands to low marshy grounds, are known to contract the difeafe in a day or two before this fuppofed tenacity of the blood, or bile, could poffibly be produced. We muft, therefore, look for fome other caufe. Now if thofe flat infects defcribed by fome writers, and particularly by Mr. Woodhoufe, as being about an eighth of an inch broad, and one-fourth of an inch long, in fhape refembling a flounder, and fo well known to butchers and farmers, as to be diftinguished by that appellation, fhould be conftantly and uniformly found in the trunks of the larger blood vessels of the liver, we hall, prefume, have no reafon to doubt any longer of the real caufe of this fatal difeafe. That the extremely minute ova of thefe infects may be taken in with the herbage, and conveyed with the chyle into the mafs of blood, feems not improbable; but why they are hatched in the liver preferable to other organs, and how they can subsist in close vellels, without air, is by no means fo obvious. However, as the fact seems incontrovertable, it may be worth while to obferve, that in the vena partarum, the circulation is more fluggish than in any other ་* part of the fyflem, which may, in fome measure, explain why they particu larly infeft this vifcus, and make it their indus. Nor is their exiftence in the blood veffels more incredible, than that of live worms being found in the brain, frontal, and maxilary finus's, and other improbable parts of the human body; which is neverthelefs a fact well attefted. And it is not impoffible but future obfervations may fhew, that these infects are, contrary to the general rule, enabled to live even in vacuo. An objection has been made to infects being the caufe of the prefent difeafe, becaufe worms in the bowels of children do not often produce fatal effects; but furely it does not follow from thence, that they could be admitted into the fanguiferous fyftem, without greatly deranging the economy: much lefs that infects of a very different kind fhould harbour there, and depofit their ova without producing fome putrid affection. The ova of flies, and other infects, are well known to haften putrefaction in all kinds of flesh meat, and they have been thought by M. Deffault, and other ingenious writers, to be the efficient caufe of putrid and contagious diseases. Admitting, therefore, the true caufe of this fatal difeafe in sheep to be thus * See Monthly Review for November 1781, page 398. + Ibid. p. 399. afcer afcertained, and that there is no deception concerning the prefence of live infects generated in the hepatic fyftem, it will in future be more cafy to point out a rational method of cure. This will confift in evacuating, or deftroying the ova in the firft paffages before they are conveyed into the blood. Common falt deftroys worms in the bowels, and preferves flesh from putrefaction, and this, probably, by proving pernicious to the ova rather than by exerting any remarkable antifeptic power. Hence falt marfhes prevent the prefent difeafe, and common falt given to fheep by farmers, before the ova have entered into the blood veffels, fometimes nips the distemper in the bud. But in the fubfequent ftages, it cannot be fuppofed to be equal to the effect, being rather calculated to prevent the difeafe, than to cure it, when already formed. The most likely means fhould be now fuggefted, but to enter on this, at prefent, would be trefpalling too much on your patience, and muft therefore be left to a future opportunity; unless the fubje&t fhould be taken up by fome abler pen than that of Your conftant reader, Harpur-street, PHILO-PATRIE. Red Lion Square, June 14, 1782. On the antient PHILOSOPHY, as founded by the SEVEN SAGES of GREECE. THE fubject of the former effay was lated rather to point out the origin of its chief branches, than to lay open what it contained; or to enlarge upon the noble and various effects refulting from the knowledge and practice of it. To commence this task is now my purpose: And, as was there hinted, my endeavours in this, and fubfequent effays, fhall be more minutely to confider that part of Philofophy which is converfant in morals, and the inftitution of a happy life. An enquiry perfectly adapted to our mental capacities, and the most fuited to enlarge them. Every art and fcience propofes fome end. Moral Philofophy hath claimed as its peculiar epithet, that it is the art of being happy. But all arts are fubfervient to utility in other words, to happiness; therefore all must be fubfervient to Moral Philofophy, which is one of thofe commanding arts, that inform us what others are to be cultivated---and how far. Readers frequently tire of effays in a connected chain, from having no directory concerning their scope and method; to prevent which, if poffible, I fhall here fubmit for public approbation the defign of ours. A fummary account of the moral precepts of Thales, with his fix other famous contemporaries, fhall be given. The double original of philofophers, with the feveral fects arifing from each, will have due notice paid them. And left we fhould wander from the inveftigation of ethics, all difquifitions relative to their parentage, birth, fortune, mafters, fcholars, travels, the place they lived in, when or where they died, fhall be carefully avoided. Even omitting every other part of their doctrine, however juft, valuable felf to the examination of thofe opinions and tenets only, which refpect virtue, and the happiness of mankind. By this means, our attention will be neceffarily fixed upon the most worthy and interefting part of the learning of antient times: And after mentioning fome of the fyftems of modern philofophers, by way of conclufion to the whole, fhall throw together my fentiments upon virtue. The various claims urged by different nations refpecting the origin of letters, which the most learned have acknowledged to be derived from the Eaft, have already been hinted at, as a problem ftill unfolved. There are two ways of communicating our fentiments by art; one by found, and the other by writing. Sound is more ready and forcible; writing more extenfive and permanent. By having the fentiments of others placed before us, we can paufe, reflect, and judge deliberately on what effects they ought to produce; whereas thofe communicated by found only, make a flighter impreffion: ofcourfe are easier loft. Ideas were communicated by articulate founds long ere letters were invented; the one plainly appears to be an improvement on the other. This confideration hath led fome to give the following definition of language: The art of communicating ideas by certain founds, felected and agreed on for that purpose. Every thing is, in its conftitution, compounded of fomething common, and fomething peculiar. Thus language has found in common with a fountain; but it has alfo meaning and fignification as peculiar and and effential to itself. If compared to the voice of other animals, like them it has a meaning, but has this peculiar, that whereas theirs is from nature, that of language is from compact. Language then implies certain founds, having certain meanings; the found is as the matter common to different things; the meaning as the form whereby it becomes complete. Voice is animal found made by proper organs, in confequence of fome fenfation, or inward impulfe. The matter, or common fubject of language, is, that fpecies of founds called voices articulate. A word may be defined, a voice articulate, and fignificant by compact. Mr. Harris, in his inimitable work called Hermes, fays, "Language is a fyftem of fuch voices fo fignificant." Words are fymbols, for they cannot be imitations; neither are they the fymbols of external particulars, nor yet of particular ideas, but only of general ideas; by fuch we mean, thofe common to many individuals. Words are the fymbols of ideas, both general and particular; yet of the general primarily, effentially, and immediately. Of the particular only fecondarily, accidentally, and mediately. However metaphyfical the above may feem to some of our readers, a little reflection will fhew the propriety. Man's first perceptions are thofe of the fenfes, yet as there can be no fenfation of either paft or future, had the foul no other faculties, it never could acquire the leaft idea of time. Senfe, therefore, may be called the receptive, and imagination the retentive power of the foul. Loid Monboddo, for whofe work Hermes paved the way, defines language thus: The expreffions of the conceptions of the mind by articulate founds. The power of motion, and a fufceptibility of nourishment, he thinks the only faculties we clearly poffefs when we come into the world. The fenfe of hearing, and that of fight, his Lordship apprehends to be dif putable, till age and experience confirm them. The natural powers, according to this most metaphyfical writer, poffeffed at riper age, are thefe: The perfect ule of all the five fenfes; greater ftrength of body, and power of bodily motion; the facuity of propagation; and, laftly, with regard to the mind, inftinet. Under the acquired faculties he comprehends all the fciences, all the arts, liberal and mechapic; all the plealures of life; even civil fociety itself: nay, he aflirms, that we are more the creatures of art than of nature. Latelicdual forms, previous to the material, are the firft philofophy: Material forms are the fubject of that science callednatural philofophy; and as to ideas abftracted from matter, the fcience converfant about them is mathematics. This I admit; but cannot fo eafily his affertion, that the ideas of external objects are not from nature, and that articulation is not natural to men. Animals by him are divided into the gregarious and the folitary ; the political and not political: man he places in the mean betwixt both. After afligning the ufual caufes of civil fociety, he quotes inftances of focieties without language, to fupport his affertion that the faculty of fpeech is not the gift of nature to man, but the child of industry. There muft not only have been fociety before language was invented, but it must have fubfifted a confiderable time, and many other arts have been invented previous to this. The proper organs of pronunciation, the being a long time in the political ftate described by him, the formation of ideas, and an extraordinary degree of fagacity, he concludes to be previous to the formation of language. Inarticulate cries, geftures, imitative founds, and painting, are the four modes of communication before the invention of language. The beft writers coincide in fuppofing that language arofe from natural inarticu late cries proceeding from inflint. A favage, who had no words, and yet wanted to wary his companion from venturing where he had feen fomething dangerous, would certainly ufe fuch cries, as are common to mankind in perilous circumftances, together with fuch geftures, as naturally exprefs fear. The manner of communication would be nearly fimilar, between two perfons of different nations, caft on fome difiant island, and ignorant of each other's language. The gestures of the antients were much more lively and animated, than any thing of the kind which we are acquainted with at prefent; neverthelefs we must agree, that much of our mind may be intimated to others by geftures alone. Imitative founds were eafily caught from the number of living creatures around mankind, in the first ages of the world. And under the idea of painting may be implied the origin of emblems, hieroglyphics, with other marks of our fentiments. The first characters men ufed would naturally be fuch as had the nearest and moll fenfible connection with, or relation to, the thing fignified by them, as pictures and images. In procefs of time thefe were abridged, and they supplied the want of them with what are com monly monly called hieroglyphics. Thus they reprefented a man by his head; knowledge by an eye; and eternity by a circle. The flork fignified a du:iful child, because of the affection retained by this bird for its parent; and for a man hated, they ufed an eel, which affociates with no other fith. The Egyptians were celebrated for their ufe of hieroglyphics, which feem aif, to have been known to the Mexicans, when America was first difcovered. By thefe they informed the illuftrious Montezuma, their Emperor, when the gold-thirsty Spa niard firit landed on their coaft. It is thought the Egyptian priefts invented the characters ufed in that country, with a defigu to conceal their religious myfteries from the knowledge of the vulgar. The Greeks obferving the tricks to which they were accommodated by priefts and impoftors, in their time, reprobated them as the infamous relics of prieflcraft. A fpecies of them, however, has obtained amongst rude nations of modern difcovery. The native inhabitants of Peru ufe a fmall cord, intermixed with knots of different magnitudes, which anfwer the fame end as hieroglyphics, and by which they are enabled to make fome indiftinct regifter of their moft important tranfactions. The Chinese letters are a kind of abridged pictures, as appears from the refemblance they bear to thofe ancient hieroglyphic characters; which convey the fame, or fimilar ideas. They have an alphabet, though every feparate letter ftands for a diftinct conception by itfelf. Their charafters confequently are exceedingly numerous, and to decypher them fully would require a whole life-time. It is faid they amount to above fifty millions. Few firm Ateps towards the increafe of knowledge could be taken from this imperfect mode of conveyance. Some far luckier than the refl, oblerving the various combinations of found, formed a fyllabical alphabet, comprehending a great number of fimple ones, by which writing was rendered more ealy. An elementary fyftem of this kind was firfl ufed in Ethiopia, or the interior parts of Africa. At laft fome exalted genius, whole name, unfortunately for his own fame, is loft, invented the letters now used in Europe, and in moft parts of the civilized world. Cadmus brought fixteen letters from Phoenicia to Egypt; or, as other writers will have it, from Egypt to Greece. Palamedes is faid to have added four more to the Greek alphabet at the fiege of Troy. One or two are alfo afcribed to the poet EUROP. MAG. Simonides. Cadmus is thought to have been contemporary with Mofes and Jofhua; according to others with David and Solomon. Plato informs us, that Yath, the Egyptian, was the first who compofed an alphabet of confonants and vowels. were The materials ufed in this art often changed. Pillars of ftone feem to have been the most ancient. These were probably fupplanted in later times by tables of lead. Bark of trees, dreffed hides, and boards covered with green wax, were likewife ufed for the fame purpofe. Nor was it till the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries, that pens, ink, and paper, or parchment, were applied to. But enough of this digreffion, which fome may blame, and others confider as no improper appendage to our plan. Certain it is, that the fource of the Greek philofophy refts with Thales. He, ftored with natural learning, geometry, and aftrology, on his return from his travels through Eaftern climes, firft introduced thefe fciences into Greece. Their excelling all others, at that time, in fpeculative learning, or in the practice of morals, was the fole reafon why the title of wife was conferred upon him, and fix others now to be named. Thales, the Milefian, whote favourite precept was-Know thyself. Pittacus, of Mitylene, whofe was---Know opportunity. Bias, of Priene, fuck by this---Most men are evil. Solon, of Athens, inculcated the following---Nothing too much. Cleobolus, of Lindus, affirmed---A mean is beft. Chilon, of Lacedemon, faid---To a furety lofs is near. And Periander, of Corinth, declaredThat confideration is all. These are the names of the feven celebrated fages of Greece, whofe glory received an additional fplendour from an anecdote thus narrated: Some young men of Ionia having bought a draught of Milefian fishermen, when the net was drawn up, there was found in it a golden tripod. On this a warm difpute commenced; thefe affirming they had bargained only for the fifh, the others contended that they bought the draught at a venture. From the fingularity of the cafe, and the value of the tripod, it was delivered to the city of Miletus. The Milefians fent to the oracle at Delphi about it, and received this answer: |