The appearance of an epidemic has been marked in general by' some great change, or some important event in the atmosphere, in the earth, or among its inhabitants. An army marching from one country to another, an earthquake, the appearance of a comet, an eclipse of the sun, excessive rain or extreme heat, have severally in turn been accused as the cause of the malady. Corn is the next general cause which could be brought in for a share of the accusation, and thus an accidental circumstance has often been converted into a necessary cause. Bad food, and the want of any food, whether animal or vegetable, undoubtedly may give rise to several disorders. Ramazini informs us, that persons were affected by eating the flesh of oxen which had the murrain *; and an edict was issued at Venice in 1599, forbidding any one, under pain of death, to sell or distribute any beef, butter, milk, or cheese of any sort, under any pretence. The inhabitants of Venice and Padua have often appealed against the butchers for selling bad meat, to which they impute fevers, dysentery, and all sorts of complaints; and there seems, to be sufficient proof of diseases among cattle being productive of epidemical disorders among ment. Almost all the epizootic diseases which have, at different times, committed such devastation among the cattle in Europe, may be traced to Hungary as their source, and, in that country, the causes of contagious diseases are most abundant. Vast herds used to be driven together into Italy and Germany; all kinds of animals were crowded into the same stable, or pasture, and cleanliness wholly neglected. This affords an additional argument in favour of the hypothesis of animal effluvia being the cause of those violent diseases which we find described by all the poets and historians and chronicles of ancient times. The discovery of any injury done to the corn, might be so readi ly made, and indeed is so obvious, that it could hardly be over looked; and, notwithstanding some facts may be adduced in favour of Dr Willan's opinion, yet there are many against it: but supposing them to be equally balanced, the wisest part is certainly to adopt that which will best accord with the phenomena.

PART

* Ramazini, de Contagiosâ Epidemiâ boum, 1711. p. 459.

+Paulet, Recherches istoriques et Physiques sur les Maladies Epizootiques,

2 tom. 175.

PART II.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS.

I.

Histoire Naturelle de la Femme, suivie d'un Traité d'Hygiène appli quée à son Regime Physique et Moral, aux differentes periodes de la Vie. Par JACQ. L. MOREAU (DE LA SARTHE), Professeur d'Hygiène à l'Athenée de Paris, &c. &c. Avec ii Planches, graviès en taille douce. A Paris, 1803.

8vo. pp. 1203.

TH 'HESE volumes have attracted our notice, both from the extent and variety of the information which they contain, and the satisfactory philosophy which they, in some measure, establish, relative to the female sex. The charms, the beauty, the accomplishments of woman, have always been favourite themes of praise; but the fundamental principles of her character have seldom excited the serious meditation of the learned, and science has scarcely yet condescended to lend its aid in support of the claims of that part of our species, which presents, in the history of its physical and moral constitution, a continued series of interesting and important revolutions. The anatomist confines himself to some hasty remarks on the peculiarities of her bodily conformation, and the philosopher, even when contemplating this part of Nature's works, seems to relinquish the usual austerity of his character, forgets the sober dictates of reason and reflection, and wantons in the impassioned language of sentiment and love.

Our author labours to remove these causes of reproach; examines woman in all her forms of existence; bestows great attention on the details connected with her natural and philosophical history; and applies the results of physical remark, in exploring the developement and peculiarities of her moral and intellectual faculties. In executing this plan, he has not rigidly adhered to

the

the severity of scientific investigation, but has diversified his subject by occasional extracts from the works of those eloquent writers who have celebrated, in poetic strains, the elegance and beauty of the female form. These embellishments he has embodied with his grave discussions, to give his work a popular cast; to suit it to the taste of the general reader; and to render it a production capable of exciting the attention and enlightening the minds of the fair, by combining important instruction with all the charms and graces of composition. It is certainly a laudable intention to smooth the thorny path of science, and to diffuse its influence 'by accommodating its results to the capacities of the different classes of society. We are doubtful, however, how far the author's object has been attained in the present instance. A work which rests professedly on the basis of anatomy and physiology, must be unintelligible to all who are not acquainted with these branches of knowledge, while the scientific reader may perhaps turn, with some degree of reluctance, from an interesting train of speculation, to dwell even on the most brilliant displays of taste and fancy. On these grounds, we rather think that the author has attempted to accomplish purposes which are incompatible with each other. If he intended his work'purely for popular use, much of his learning is misplaced, while, as a production addressed to men of science, many of his ornaments might have been spared. The latter, indeed, he has generally selected with uncommon judgment; while the powers of composition, which he himself has displayed, argue very favourably for his literary acquirements.

Our attention shall be chiefly occupied with the philosophical part of the work, which contains a curious collection of important facts, and many ingenious observations, which are equally interesting to the moralist and the physician. In unfolding, however, the author's opinions, we have been very much perplexed by the tedious minuteness of his classification, and the multiplicity of the divisions under which he has distributed his materials. This has obliged him to have recourse to frequent repetition, and destroyed much of the unity and effect which would have resulted from a more comprehensive and scientific arrangement.

In the First Chapter, the author examines the characters which distinguish women from the females of the other mammalia.This discussion, of course, involves those disputes which have been agitated concerning the situation which should be assigned to the human race in our classifications of the objects of natural history. Whether, it has been argued, should the beauty and perfection of the organization of man, secure him a place disinct from all other animals? or, should he be ranked with the orangoutang,

outang, that boasted associate of our species? If the subjects of comparison are to be chosen from among the frightful inhabitants of Van Diemen's land, or the squalid hordes of Caffraria, the line of distinction is certainly not very evident, and the accomplishments of the jocko, at first sight, seem not much inferior to the acquirements of the untutored savage. But even in these examples, the similarity consists only in superficial coincidences. More profound anatomical investigation points out strong marked differences between the structure of man and that of all other animals. These differences the author divides into two classes: 1st Those common to both sexes; 2d, Those peculiar to the female. Of the first description are, the junction of the head with the trunk, the situation of the occipital hole, the direction of the orbits and that of the nostrils, the articulation of the foot with the ancle, the size of the fascial angle, the form of the cranium, the structure of the hands, &c. These are chiefly taken from the skeleton; many more might be added by referring to the situation and action of the different muscles.

The peculiarities of the structure of the human female are, the direction of the vagina, the presence of the hymen, and the conformation of the pelvis. The author's commentary on the first of these characters forms a theory of sexual gratification, which savours somewhat of philosophical licentiousness.

The characters peculiar to man and woman in their more advanced stages, are scarcely perceptible during the first years of our life. The same delicate structure of organs, the same sound of the voice, and a similarity of tastes and amusements, are common both to the boy and the girl. While in that state, we contemplate them without feeling any particular emotion, except that which weakness, when conjoined with innocence, generally inspires. The properties belonging to each are not fully evolved till the age of puberty. After that interesting epoch, man and woman are powerfully attracted towards each other, and united by innumerable sympathies, giving a new form to an existence which, till that time, was almost personal and solitary. It is at this season, accordingly, that we must contrast the characters of the sexes, and search for those varieties of structure and function which proclaim the nature, and determine the attributes and attainments of each.

Women, in general, are smaller in stature than men. The proportions of the dimensions of the different parts of the body vary also in the two sexes; as is exemplified in the shortness of the lower extremities, the length of the neck, and the comparatively large space occupied by the haunches and lumbar region in woman. The last is a feature in the female figure which pos

sesses

sesses singular charms in the eye of the philosophical observer, as it indicates, by a happy organization, a fitness for the performance of some of her most important functions. In women, the thorax is flatter and deeper, and the belly more prominent than in men; but the bust is smaller, more plump and rounded, and distinguished by the elegant form of the bosom. The shape also of the legs and arms, their smoothness and polish, and the superior delicacy and fineness of the hands and feet, are all characteristic of the female shape.

The author, in prosecution of the anatomical and physiological parallel which he institutes between the two sexes, analyses the skeleton, and illustrates his remarks by a small engraving, copied chiefly from the design of Soemmering. His method of treating this subject is extremely interesting, and successfully illustrates the true proportions of the female figure, and the influence of its mechanism on her habits, her labours, and her exertions. He next examines the muscles, which are, in general, smaller and more slender in women than in men, and do not communicate, by their action, those prominences and depressions which are so visible in the latter. This, indeed, in some measure, arises from their bodies being more plentifully supplied with that cellular tissue which smooths their external surface, and gives it round❤ ness and elasticity. These facts are admirably exemplified by a reference to the state of the female countenance. During the season of youth, her visage is marked by no particular traces; the rapid play of its different parts beautifully announces the suc cessive emotions of her mind. The muscles, thus constantly varying their action, acquire no particular habit, and do not impress the countenance with any permanent expression. On this account, the physiognomical character of woman is never properly decided, till time has blunted the acuteness of her feelings, and rendered her sentiments less ephemeral and evanescent. At this period, the cellular substance begins to be absorbed, and the muscles, of course, become more prominent; the face loses part of its beauty and freshness, but it gains much in other respects: the influence of a benevolent and intelligent mind conveying a vivacity and sweetness to her countenance which renders us almost insensible to the gradual decay of her personal charms.

After his remarks on the muscles, the author proceeds to examine sensibility, as it occurs in man and woman. This we hold to be one of the most important divisions of the work; as under it may be comprehended almost all that relates to the philosophy of the human race. It is the most brilliant attribute of animal life; by its means our existence is carried beyond the narrow limits of self; we become acquainted with external objects, and VOL. IV. NO. 16.

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