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our Saviour eat the legal paffover the night before he fuffered? which he determines in the negative: and, indeed, according to him, it was of very confiderable confequence fo to determine it; for otherwife it would neceffarily follow, that Jefus muft have eaten this paffover not only irregularly, but in flat contradiction to the precepts, prophecies, and types of the law, as he died on the crofs the moment it was enjoined by the law to be flain.

As to the year of the world in which the Meffiah was cut off, or Chrifi died the death of the crofs, our Author was under the neceffity of having recourfe to the famous prophecy of Daniel's feventy weeks; there being no other parts of fcripture, he fays, which can immediately and directly lead us to a difcovery of the very year, month, and day of Chrift's death, and enable us to afcertain feveral remarkable times and feafons, which are left undeterminate in the accounts of the Evangelifts. We are not a little apprehenfive here, that many of Mr. Kennedy's Readers will object both to his facts, and his manner of inveftigating them. With regard to the circumstance of the paffover, a plaufible and ingenious Writer hath already attacked him; and with great appearance of candour and argument hath attempted to fhew, that our Saviour did eat the paffover the night before he fuffered and as to Daniel's feventy weeks, we fhould not be furprized, that a chronological æra, dependent on fuch data, fhould appear fufpicious to the unlearned, feeing no tranflation of that famous paffage hath ever yet given fatisfaction to many truly great and learned divines On the whole, therefore, Mr. Kennedy feems to have cut himself cet work enough, if he perfifts in maintaining his fyftem against the attacks of the Newtonian Aftronomers, fupported by mathematicians, on the one hand; and against Newtonian chronologifts, fupported by critical theologues, on the other.

After all, as Mr. Kennedy confeffedly defires the Reader to pay no other regard to his fyftem of chronology, than such as it may derive from the exactnefs of its calculations; nor wishes his calculations to be farther credited, than as they agree with the characters of time delivered to us by Mofes and the prophets; his pretenfions certainly deferve to be received with candour and examined with attention.

We are well apprifed, that our Author's fyftem hath already met, among the laity at leaft, with many fenfible and ingenious. advocates; among whom it is very warmly afferted, that Mr. Kennedy hath "freed religion and history from difficulties which have appeared infuperable, and darkness which no luminary of REV. June 1763. learning

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learning hath hitherto been able to diffipate: that he hath establifhed the truth of the Mofaical account, by evidence which no tranfcription can corrupt, no negligence can lofe, and no interest pervert that he hath fhewn the univerfe to bear witnefs to the infpiration of its hiftorian, by the revolution of its orbs, and the fucceffion of its feafons; that the ftars in their courfes fight against incredulity; that the works of ature give hourly confirmation to the law, the prophets, and the gofpel; of which one day teeth another, and one night certifieth another: and that he has proved, that the validity of the facred writings never can be denied, while the moon fhall increate and wane, and the fun fhall know his going down." But, without paying any particular regard to fuch a declamatory ftrain of compli ment, we may fafely fay, it is very happy for mankind in general, and the Chriftian caufe in particular, that the infpiration of the fcriptural hiftorians, and the validity of the facred writings, may be proved by very different, and more convincing arguments than fuch as our Author deduces from the harmonical coincidence of certain numbers, or the uncertain interpretation of dark, and, perhaps, corrupted texts.

take our leave, therefore, of Mr. Kennedy's work, referring it to the joint and impartial examination of the aftronomers and divines, either to be effectually confirmed or refuted.

An expoftulatory Etitle to William Hunter M. D. 12mo. 6 d. Edinburgh.

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HIS epifle, fubfcribed Alex. Monro, is from the fenior anatomical Profeffor of that name, and father of the young profeffor, who was a principal in the late anatomical difputes, which chiefly occafioned Dr. Hunter's Commentaries*. It is evident, the Writer of the prefent Letter is not a little chagrined by that work. After a fhort addrefs to Dr. H. about one third of the Letter is employed in endeavouring to repel what the latter has advanced, concerning this fenior Profeffor's mifrepresenting Dr. Noortwyk on a point of anatomy, in which they differed, viz. about an anatomefis, or communication between the vefiels of the womb and thofe of the fecundines; Profeffor Monro denying fuch a communication, and that learned Dutch phyfician writing, feveral years afterwards, in affirmation of it. But abftracted from this diverfity of opinion, as far as we can judge, without having read that difpute, it does not appear to us, that there was any material mireprefentation of Sourtwyk intended or made by the Writer of this Epiftle:

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* Sec Review, Vol. XXVII. page 319.

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for though his tranflation of fome paffages in that phyfician's tréatife is not always exactly verbal, we do not fee his fenfe inverted; nor have we been informed that Dr. Noortwyk complained of any fuch mifreprefentation in any reply to Mr. Monro, if he made any. But this does not feem to have been one of the principal points infifted on by Dr. H. and was only introduced by way of epifode, to retaliate, perhaps, for what this Profellor had afferted, in a former letter concerning Dr. H's litigations with other anatomifts, and for his interfering in the difpute between the Doctor and his fun.

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But with regard to the main point, the right to the antomical discoveries contended for, it is remarkable, our fenior Profeffor refers the Doctor to such an answer as his for fhall give him of the reafons of his conduct; and offers to clear himfelf by oath, if required. That before Lis fon went to London, he had not the leaft knowlege of Dr. Hunter's having ever demonftrated the injected feminal tubes; nor of his having taught any thing particular, reláting to the lymphatic veffels." We fuppofe moft impartial Readers will be apt to credit an averment tendered in this manner; which, neverthelefs, does not efface any of that ftrong and accumulative evidence, which Dr. H. had produced to his. having accomplished that injection; and maintained the abforbing faculty of the lymphatics. This will render our fuppofition (in our account of the Commentaries) that Profeffor Monro junior had concealed his information of thefe particulars, which it is really difficult to imagine he had not received, from his father: to which opinion Dr. H. feemed to incline either feriously, or from a decent regard to the writer of this epiftle.

As Dr. H. had affirmed in his Commentaries, that this gentleman had formerly been an enemy to anatomical preparations, notwithtanding he had wrote upon them; the latter, befides his referring to fuch repeated writings, adds, "for forty years paft, he illuftrated the ftructure of moft of the organs of the body by preparations, in every courfe of anatomy which he gave: but that fince 1758, he gave no lectures on preparations or injections. He fuppofs the only handle he could give for this fuggeftion, must have been the caution he gave his ftudents, always to confider what change the method of preparing the organs could have on their fhape, fize, folidity, &c. the neglect of which had mifled feveral otherwife good and candid anatomifts.".

The remainder of this epifle (except what may be confidered as controverfial on the fenfibility of the periosteum, tendons, &c.) is employed in fuch perfonal and acrimonious re

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flections

444 fections, as it was natural to fuppofe, muft arife from fuch fevere paffages in the Commentaries, as relate to our Author and his fon, and in which Dr. Hunter, who did not publish first on thefe occafions, might allow himfelf. Though, to confider the matter in the most impartial manner, we are really unable to fee how Dr. Hunter could avoid afferting that prior right he has proved to the difcoveries in difpute, without fubmiting to an imputation of having purloined them from a younger Gentlem an and Anatomift than himfelf. It is fincerely to be wifhed, that all diverfities of opinion, in fciences and profeffions, were to be conducted folely with regard to the litigated points, and abftracted from all perfonal fpleen and obliquity.. But this, alas! is wishing what has occurred in very few infances; and what the prefent ftate of human nature, with a very few amiable exceptions, feems fcarcely to admit of. For if Readers in general, are chicfy delighted with expreffions that are reciprocally bitter and piquant between Difputants; it is difficult to fuppofe the Difputants themfelves, who know this, and who are interefted in the fubject and the event, will be careful to abftain from be darting and retorting them. A conteft, nevertheless, may fo circumftanced, that the faireft fimpleft relation of the facts may bear very hard on one or the other of the parties, who are feldom very equally erroneous or culpable. How the junior Profeffor will extricate him:elf with honour from the prefent debate, we are unable to fay; but we ferioufly with his reputable father, who profefies the utmoft candour himself, (and who might not have been properly informed of the real fate of the matter, before his paternal affection had involved him in it) had been spared much of that chagrine he appears to fuffer from its confequences, or had declined giving any occation for it..

The Hiftory of Louisiana, or, of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carelina: Containing a Defcription of the Countries that lie on both Sides of the River Missifipi: With an Account of the Settlements, habitants, Sail, Climate, and Products. Tranflated from the French, (lately publifhed) by M. Le Page du Pratz*; with fome Notes and Obfervations relating to our Colonies. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. fowed, Becket.

HIS Hiory, as it is called, is faid to have been written by a Planter, of fixteen years experience in the country

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Notwithfanding the renting of this fentence, we prefume this is not the mane of the Tranflator, but of the Author.

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defcribed; who had alfo the advantage of being Director of the public plantations, as well when they belonged to the French Company as afterwards, when they fell to the Crown; by which means he had the beft opportunities of knowing the nature of the foil and climate, their productions, and the improvements they are capable of admitting; circunftances in which, it is prefumed, the English nation are at piefent highly interested.

It is unfortunate for the public, however, that perfons who' have the best opportunities of acquiring knowlege, have frequently the worst method of communicating it. This feems to have been peculiarly the the cafe with our Author, whofe work abounds with fo many trifling anecdotes, tedious narratives, and unneceffary digreffions, that the ends both of inftruction and entertainment are, in a great meafure, defeated, by its prolixity. The Tranflator, indeed, tells us, that he hath himself methodized this performance, by reducing it into its prefent form. What it must have been in the original, therefore, we are at a lofs to conceive, feeing it is, in its improved ftate, a very strange compilation.

To give the Reader fome notion of the information or amulement this wolk alfords, we fhall briefly mention its contents. The Tranflator having arranged his materials, and divided the whole into four books, the firit contains an account of the tranfactions of the French in Louisiana, from the time of their first fettling there, till our Author left the country. In this account is given a minute detail of the behaviour of the feveral Commandants, and their conduct in regard to the natives; the acknowleged difpofition and character of the latter, entitling them to much better treatment than they frequently met with at the hands of the infolent and brutal Officers of a more polifhed and civilized nation.

The treacherous behaviour of thefe encroaching Settlers towards the Natchez, one of the pincipal nations on the banks of the Miflifip, is a proof how little our European refinements in the arts of civil life, have contributed to enforce the principles of juflice and humanity. A quarrel having arif n between the French and thefe people, a war of courfe enfued; which, having lafted only four days, was ended at the request of the former; and a peace regularly and formally concluded. Notwithstanding this, in a fhort time after, the French fell upon them unawares, in the night, and when they thought themselves in perfect fecurity; making great laughter among them, and obkging them to give up one of their eldest Chiefs, in order to procure a peace. The difcourfe which our Author had with one of them foon after this affair, will give the Reader a very favourable

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