An Account of Some Books

zure, all Stones are free; and the late deceased King, 'Abdull Cutopshaw of the former, and Edelshaw of the latter, would not only give very great prizes for large Stones, but richly vest and present the Merchant that sold them with Horses or something else of value, thereby encouraging others to bring the like. But the present King of Vissapore is a Child, and the King of Golconda's delights solely pleased on light Women-dancers, and Trick-showers, that he neither minds Diamonds, nor many things more necessary, committing the Government of his Kingdom to a Tellinga Braminee, which the Musselman not well resenting, does in some measure threaten the stability of his State. An Account of some Books: I. The Primitive Origination of Mankind, considered and examined according to the Light of Nature; By the Honourable Sir Matthew Hale, Kt. late Lord Chief Justice of his Majesties Court of Kings Bench. London, 1677. in fol. The Worthy and Learned Author of this Book (whose Death is exceedingly regretted by all good and intelligent men, upon the account of his singular integrity and great knowledge) hath therein principally considered these particulars: I. That according to the Light of Nature and right Reason the World was not Eternal, but had a beginning. Where, having occasionally treated of the Excellency of Human Nature, he briefly considers the several Hypotheses concerning the Eternity of the World, refuting those Objections made by some against the Truths delivered by him. II. That, if there could be any imaginable doubt of the World's having a Beginning, yet by the necessary evidence of Natural Light it doth appear, that Mankind had a beginning, and that the Successive Generations of Men were in their Original ex non-genitis. Where he delivers Eight Evidences to convince the Beginning of Mankind, and those so many Proofs of Fact, whereof the First is taken from the Antiquity of History and the Chronological Account of Times: The second, from the apparent Evidences of the first Foundation of the greatest and ancientest Kingdoms and Empires: The third, from the Invention of Arts: The fourth, from the beginnings of the Religions and Deities of the Heathens; where the Author conceals not the deficiency of this proof: The fifth, from the Decays of Human Nature. Nature: The sixth, from the History of the Patres familiares, and the Original Plantations of the Continents and Islands of the World: The seventh, from the Gradual Increase of Mankind: The eighth, from the Consent of Mankind. III. That those great Philosophers, who asserted this Origination of Mankind ex non-genitis, both ancient and modern, and rendered it by Hypotheses different from that of Moses, were mistaken. Here the several hypotheses of Plato, Aristotle, Empedocles, Epicurus, Avicen, Cardan, Casalpinus, Beregardus, and others, are examined, and their erroneousness detected. IV. That the Mosaical System, as well of the Creation of Man as of the World in general, abstractively considered, without relation to the Divine Inspiration of the Writer, is highly consonant to Reason, and upon a bare Rational account highly preferable before the Sentiments of those Philosophers, that either thought Mankind Eternal, or substituted Hypotheses of his first production different from the Mosaical. To all which he subjoyns certain Corollaries and Deductions made from the Premisses, as well touching the Being, the Wisdom, the Power and Providence of God, as the Duty and Happiness of Mankind. In that Section, wherein the Opinions of all sorts of Philosophers touching Mans Origination are discussed, our Author takes occasion to examine, whether any Vegetables, and especially any Insects are of a spontaneous origin, or not rather of some pre-existent Seed; asserting and proving the latter of these two opinions. Examining withal, whether, supposing the Production of Insects were Spontaneous, Equivocal, and ex putrido, any Consequence be thence deducible for the like production of perfect Animals, and especially of Man: And concluding at last, that de facto there hath not been any such spontaneous Origination of Mankind; or of any perfect Animal (as he is pleased to distinguish) either Natural or Casual. II. Tractatus Medicus de MORBIS CASTRENSIBUS INTERNIS, Auth. Joh. Valentino Willio, Medico Regio Castrense. Hafniæ, 1676, in 4o. The Experienced Author of this Book, after he hath discoursed in general both of Health and Sickness, and of the Diseases in the Field, and their Causes and Differences; considers the Field Diseases in particular, such as the Plague, Malig- nant Fever, Scurvy, Venereal Pox, Dejection of appetite, and Fluxes: And concerning these, he prescribes how they may be both prevented, and cured. Among many particulars, that seem to be considerable and useful, he prescribeth, 1. Some means to appease an Excessive appetite, and particularly that of a Transylvanian Fryer, viz. Take of Poppy seed and White Starch aa 3j. and of Anyf. Diij; pulverize them, and mix therewith a sufficient quantity of good Honey, and make of it a Cake, which bake well, and a mouthful thereof being often dipped in Spirit of Wine well tinged with Saffron, and eaten down, will keep one from being hungry a whole day. 2. A way of untiring a Soldier after a long march, viz.by making a Decoction of Mugwort, and washing the feet therewith; or by dissolving some Gun-powder in luke-warm Water. 3. An excellent means of curing the Scurvy, by making only a Decoction of Trifolium fibrinum in beer, and giving it the Patient to drink largely and continually. 4. A general way of preventing Fluxes, by avoiding all things, that may exasperate and vitiate the acidity, bile and salt of the body. 5. A remedy to cure Epileptical fits, by taking the Spirit or Salt of Cranium humatum, or of Hartshorn, or Elk-hoofs, in a word, of whatever may rebate the vellicating acidity of the body. 6. An easie remedy to remove the Toothache, by making a Decoction of the shavings of Firr-wood in beer, and holding it hot in the mouth. 7. An easie means to cure the Dropsie, by infusing in Whey some Trifolium fibrinum, and Vincetoxicum or Swallow-wort, together with some Elecampane-roots, Horse radish, Elder-bark, Bugloss-flowers, and Carroway-seed; and drinking a large draught of it twice or thrice a day, &c. III. Hebdomas Observationum de Rebus SINICIS; Auth. Andreae Mullero, Greiffenbago. Coloniae Brandeburgiae, A.1674. This Tract being but lately come to the Publisher's view, he thought it not amiss, to take notice of it, by observing, that in it there is 1. An Epitome of the History of China, both of the most Ancient and the most Modern. 2. A Conjecture, that the true Religion and Knowledge of God hath been known in China. 3. A List of the Kings of China, out of Mendoza and Martinus. 4. A representation of the famous Chinese Herb, called Gniseng, Griseng, so famous for restoring decayed bodies, and so precious in China itself, as that there they pay thrice the weight of Silver for one pound of it. 5. A memorable Conjunction of the Planets in the time of Noah's Flood. 6. A Specimen of a Geographical Commentary upon Paulus Venetus's Oriental History. 7. Of the Weekly distribution of Days, and their denomination taken from the Planets, being used among the Chinese themselves. To all which is subjoined the History of a strange Stony-Monument found in China in the year 1628, importing, by its both Chinese and Syriack Inscription, made in the Eighth Century after Christ, that the Christian Religion, much after the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Roman Church, had been received and practised in China: Which is also related by Athan. Kircher in his China Illustrata, printed 1667. IV. The Curious Distillatory, &c. written originally in Latin by Joh. Sigism. Elsholt, and Englished by T.S. Med.D. Physit. in Ordinary to his Majesty. London, 1677. in 12°. The Author of this Tract makes it his business, therein to deliver the Art of distilling Coloured Liquors, Spirits, Oyls, &c. from Vegetables, Animals and Minerals; in the doing of which he intermixes many Experiments easy to perform, yet curious and useful, relating to the production of Colours, of Consistence, and Heat, in divers Bodies that are Colourless, Fluid and Cold; and particularly several Experiments upon the Blood (and its serum) of diseased persons. As to the production of Coloured liquors, and the change of Liquors from one colour to another, the Reader may the better be informed by comparing what is deliver'd here, with what he will meet with in the instructive History of Colours, published by that Eminent Naturalist the Honourable Robert Boyle, in the year 1662. Our Author tells us, that having often considered with himself this Problem, Whether or no among so great a variety of Simple Bodies, Metals and Vegetables, there were not some Species, that would, when distilled, retain their own Native colours; he hath found, that some of them would do this, of which he hath set down his own Experiments and Observations. To the Chapter, wherein he treats of the Appearances of various Colours, he refers at the end of his Book an Epistle of Dr. Dr. Mentzelius, chief Physician to his Electoral Highness of Brandenburg, concerning the Experiments made upon a certain Stone found near Berlin in a Wood, called the Grunwald, which Stone contained of Metals, Iron and Copper; of Metallic Juyces, Sulphur and Vitriol, which lay concealed in a Golden Marcasite, wherewith this Stone abounded. To which Epistle is annexed an Experiment made by the Author of it upon that liquor which is contain'd in the Bladder of Gall; in which, he saith, having dissolved, some years since, some Aloes rosatum, the Green colour of the Bile was changed into a true Blood colour. The consideration of which he judgeth may be beneficial to all Mankind. To that Chapter, wherein are deliver'd his Experiments upon Metals and other Minerals, he refers, for a Conclusion of this Tract, a singular Experiment concerning Tylies, communicated to him in a Letter by Dr. Caspar Marchius, another of the prime Physicians to the said Elector: That short of which is this, That the reddish Colour, wherewith Tylies are tinged throughout, may be so separated from them, as that nothing of it shall be left in them: Which extracting of the Colour by an Alembick from a body that had endured so great a stress of Fire before, seems to the said Dr. Marchius an Experiment worthy consideration. V. Medicina Statica, or Rules of Health, originally written by Sanctorius, now Englished by J. D. London, 1676, in 120. This Ingenious and Useful Tract, now appearing in English, is known to have been long since published in Latin by the famous Sanctorius, whose design in it was, by a certain Ballance to satisfy Intelligent persons, who desire to have care of their health, that those things are true which he hath taught concerning the Weight of Insensible Perspiration, and its Causes, Time, Advantages and Disadvantages, Excess and Defect, as also touching the Air, Meat and Drink, Sleep and Waking, Exercise and Rest, and the Affections of the Mind. As for the Ballance itself, that is a Weighing Chair, which by being about a fingers breadth distant from the floor, cannot easily be shaken, and is so framed, that when, by reason of the Reflection taken in, we are come to the just weight and measure prescribed before-hand, the Chair immediately descends a little; which descent tells the person sitting in it, that he hath taken taken the requisite quantity of meat and drink. Besides this, there is another advantage arising from the Use of this Chair, viz. that by it we may find out the daily Insensible perspiration of our Bodies; which Perspiration not being well considered, medicine often proveth ineffectual, forasmuch as many indispositions are occasioned by a lesser or larger perspiration than is required. Now, what quantity or weight of wholesome food is convenient for every one, and how much the Insensible perspiration ought to be in their respective Bodies, viz. that perspiration which is commonly weighed by the Chair, both these things may easily be understood by this Book; to which we therefore refer the Curious. VI. Systema Horticulturae, containing in English the Art of Gardening in Three Books; by J.W. Gentl. 8°. Gardens and Nurseries are the Life and Relief, the Health and the Beauty of London. These with fair Orchards, salubrious Groves and Vineyards, are lately become the Glory of the Campaign all about London, for many miles in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Essex: I may add Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, and in all the Environs approaching the Royal Palaces. Vineyards have climbed up Windsor-hill, and (as we hear) they begin to adorn some of the Mountains in South Wales. But many remote parts of England are not so forward for the best sorts of Gardens, as about London. Therefore I do here take notice of a New Book for Gardens, which treateth first of the Excellency, Scituation, Soyl, Form, Walks, &c., of Gardens. Secondly, of all sorts of Trees planted for Ornament or Shade, Winter-greens, Flower-trees, and Flowers. Thirdly, of the Kitchin-garden, and of the great variety of Plants propagated for food, and for any culinary Uses. Illustrated with Sculptures, representing the Forms of Gardens, according to some of the newest Models. Errat: in Numb.135. Pag.878.lin.antépen.read blanqueting Trade. London, Printed for John Martyn, Printer to the R. Society, 1677.