The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-01 00:00:00

MONTHLY, REVIEW,

. From the singular. circumstance of this Re-
view corning to -hand' in decent time- for perusal,
we:have been enabled to glance our eyes on its
pages, and convince ourselves that it is a very
good number, , We will confess, however, that
the article to which we have mainly' directed our
attention, is a Review of a 111 r. John Saint
Long John, or Saint John's Discoveries--,aut
peocunque alio nomine gaudet—whose theory
of acrid matter, by the removal of which 'from
the human frame this modern Galen professes
to cure—no, not to cure, but actually to annihi-
late AI-nail-pox, measles, consumption, and a
thousand .and one other disorders of the same
calibre, is handled with severity, but, as appears
to us, with great powers of judgment and dis-
crimination. We had always heard—and we
beg leave to say it with deference and hesitation,
not being of the medical profession----that a cer-
tain quantity of acrid matter, like a certain
quantity of bile, was necessary for the proper
regulation of the animal functions. If this be the
fact, upon what principle, save the ambitious
one of. setting himself up in opposition to i
the immutable laws and dictates of nature,
and proving that he ,is far superior, does
Mr. St. John Long pretend, at this the
eleventh hour, to assert that the removal of,
acrid matter is necessary to the well-being of
the physical constitution ? Surely, by removing
this acrid matter, he removes that which is in-
dispensable to life, and so far succeeds, it must'
be confessed, in removing small-pox, measles, or
his pet disease, consumption ; for, when once
life is removed, it is pretty evident, even to a
gentleman of' Mr. St. John Long's intelligence,
that disease is removed also, unless indeed it be
pestilence! We have neither space nor inclina-
tion to .enter further into detail respecting this
monstrous. humbug ; so shall content ourselves
with quoting the Reviewer's observations on the
property and province of quackery. They are
stamped with truth and earnestness:—

" From St. John Long's history of h is own pretensions, we
turn :o the catalogue of his pet formances, as they ate
described in sundry epistles, familiar and otherwise, all of
them the spontaneous effusions, be tells us, of his grateful
patients. There was a Lord Girdle tone once, who was
induced from pecoliar reasons to undertake the difficult
and tedious task of investigating, personally, alleged vases
of wonderful cures, the supposed patients themselves being
the attesting witnesses. Tio,record of this anecdote adds,
that his Lordship found during the inquiry, that upwards
of two-thirds of the persons asserted to have been cured,
had died almost immediately after they experienced the
isenefit of the genitive process! We do not memi to in-
isiatuate that Sir John Long has established any thing like
the same rate of mortality amongst his confiding acquaint..
once. W 5 will indulge the gentleman as far as even his
nsodosty may &lose to draw upon us. litf- e yield obedient credit
to his appendix dew-respondence ; we raise no objection to
the documentary testimony which he has adduced; alt,lt.ough
there is, occasionally, we confess, an intermission of dates
and places of :Ahem, which exceedingly scrupulous people
might make matter of grave observation, bast which We
are willing to believe, mayte satisfactorily explained. We
take it, then, for granted,` ltat MG Rt. John Long has
cured an abundance of patients, not, howevee, any thing
near the number which has been effected by Pr. Judy, Or
the Messrs. Jordan, or any of the thousand empiries, that
lift theinselves for a time into profitable fume amongst the
signortsti." -7 The success of a quack is not a thing of yes-
terday from the beginning of the world impudent
pie-
tensiod, has !leen the (Teeter of unbounded confidence, and
the instances ate AMA. few in which, after the appliances
of rational physic lia.ve failed, the mummeries of a merry
Andrew have been attendesl with a oignal triumph. It is

impossible, for inexperienced persons to believe the vast
agency which the imagination exercises over the animal
frame. John Hunter has cured an epidemic by adminis-
tering pills which the patients were assured would infal-
!ably cure them. The wonderful remedy consisted of
nothing but crumbs of bread ! We believe that the London
lady is not yet extinct who removes every description of
disease merely by wagging her thumb over the patient. She
absolutely has netted a thousand a-year. When we con-
sider the state of hope or rather of confidence to which a
young, and, from long suffering, a very excitable female,
for instance, is wrought by the presence of en imposing
and disciplined cure-monger, it will not be difficult to ex-
plain the cases, of apparently wonderful cures which it is
always the care - ' ;n credul:'

gate. Then ht
empiric is called
of health Lis ju,
the patienes fr

But, however w

of quackery, th
thing can, ough
fully sensible o

comes it, that

description of n,

time, and at mai

rent character.
trums, essential]

effects, have bee,

same disorder.

stage, has been
quacks can pro'
by acids, by alin
this patient lire

it has been t.024.‘„,
which put7o.lo -stiffTer into a charming sleep; and now
we me..,-;V:4, th:it the discharge of acrid matter from the
alone effect a cure ! Instead, then, of believing
it is by any mysterious agency of medicine that all
.tliese quacks have been able to restore health, seeing how
different their respective remedies are for the same dis-
temper, how much more reasonable is it to suppose that
their success depends on that description of influence which
is common to them all, namely, the influence ari-ing front
an assumption of superior knowledge and of so it.railie'
power 'of dissipating disease."
The remaining articles in thisnionherarc dur.-
anguished, each more or,k hy.:(l.nlity and good
sense—in which list crialiLy; we
Serve, the Monthly lif.view deficirnt.,
In 0-oyd steriino. ,tione En !t. h SeiiSe
/ - 0 t,
it is titil)o4t. tiny:
. I.(tNitoti t-NIVEIV4ITY Arikt.AZINE.

. A vAi .4)l:mlisii,.llantous matters, which
have e 1-o,vded hea\-ily, on' us in consequence of
the Life heavy
.PaAiathentary Debates, must be
06r ex;..4.11k, 1i r:4bridging within the compass of
a lec'y 4ntences our,notice of this really excel-
leuf Magazine, which were it only for the spirit
and interest of its goblin tale, " The Eve of
Walpurgis," would deserve high commendation.
But it has other merits as well, to ensure its de-
cided success. It has more than the usual
average of intelligence, and a judicious variety,
alternating fitly from the " grave to the gay," is
kept up throughout its pages.

throughout heavy, and fitter for a scientific En-
cyclopdia than the pages of a light, sparkling
and popular Magazine. c, The Corsican Ban-
dit" is a tale well conceived and as well executed.
We have no space for extracts.

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.
The second notice of Moore's matchless life
of Byron, which fronts the last page' of Mr.
„
Blaekwood's advertisements, in this- itninber, is
distinguished by the usual.-.Ntre»gt t of feeling
4...
who knows
the eccentricities of a
them to their proper
of Byron's favourite
rod, are as true to life
and most heart-stirring
well expressed. .To
another " with all his
:tit," is gratifying.--if
~ Of the remaining
ins in this t?. ultl4,:tour
.
present.
thcv a 1...! ably per-4.6.1,-4
.11 respect: ; a'. lit „lift,
one. But the M.,— eis (Ichfivitt- 111'
strong masculine ability. , find —, •ft,
now alive, he would ha;.%: l ii.z :in whnirable
prose contributor (not poc.,t) to Blackwood.—
We give. the. f...)flo:,:nig :::witple of its ability.
It it; by: Mrc ~Ileutaus
Itri4MM Or, GENIUS.
••x :-.*though light be from us gone
radiance, bright, yet restless one!
No tears for thee!
Thcrib,A-iffive loved an exile must not mourn •
Tu?tOilm parting for his native bourne,
O'er the dark sea.
..All the high music of thy spirit here.
Breathed but the language of another sphere,
Unechoed round;
And strange, though sweet, as midst our weeping skies,.
Some halt-remember'd song of Paradise
Might sadly sound.
Hast thou been answer'd P Thou that from the night,
And from the voices of the tempest's might,
And from the past,
Wert seeking still some oracle's reply,
To pour the secrets of Man's destiny
Forth on the blast.
}last thou been answer'd ?—thou that through the gloom,
And shadow, and stern silence of the tomb,
A cry didst send,
So passionate and deep, to pierce, to move,
To win back token of unburied love
From buried friend.
And hast thou found where living waters burst P
Thou that didst pine amidst us in the thirst
Of fever-dreams !
Are the true fountains thine for evermore ?
Oh ! lured so long by shining mists that wore
The light of streams 1
Speak !is it well with thee ? We call as thou,
With thy lit eye, deep voice, and kindled brow,
Wert wont to call
On the departed ! Art thou blest and free ?
Alas ! the lips earth covers, ev'n to thee,
Were silent all !
Yet shall our hope rise, fann'd by quenchless faith,
As a flame foster'd by some warm wind's breath,
In light upaprings,
Freed soul of song ! Yes! thou hast found the sought,
Borne to thy home of beauty and of thought,
On morning's wings.
And we will deem it is thy voice we hear,
When life's young music, ringing far and clear,
O'erflows the sky :
No tears for thee! the lingering gloom is ours—
Thou art for converse with all glorious powers,
Never to die!

I tustniguiEneu Dy the USIla
of these traffickers in credul:ty to promul-
low many instances are there, in which the ! and thought of Profeki9l'-.:
el in at that critical moment when the germ h , 4-..,
o.w t? syrrt_epat.4lF,_,e:,,with t
List sprung into imperceptible existence in
'name, the result of the former treatment. 'mind 14c-tri,itids,_ affif jay
l aeCisi: 4:Lt' -144i[stintlication i
NT may account for those apparent victories
'ere is one feature of its history which, if any L ~,,•!?:-,,-,
ht to open the eyes of those who are yet not. ;!?,, ;,cr,„ 4ati thiring boylim
of the wickedness of euthiring it: II ftsr,,Viii`ol:ll96fSliakspeare's best a
the self same disease has yielded tc,t ij r ti**l-4'
ie:lttiinents, and nearly as 1
applioation in the bands of a ntii,atitt':
'other time, to a remedy of a- ruvt „. _ s.e one great poet praising a
Nothing is more certaiti4tki:
'll
!.°ll- }soul and with all his strengi
Ily opposite in their InittrAWstitifis, and I
only for its extreme novelty,
!en attncted to prisii4;s2t,tfi;4'4444;ll of the
Consumption; Iff:ioiioplt, in the like articles, and they are numerot
proved eofn'elth4 compurgators of the
contracted limits
we soy otitigl'fir !Live been cured in turns unusually
{tali's, 1 4:01.45hie., by stimulants, by making from saying more than that
e bie..
r,- dqtl waking that patient live low ; and that the number is iii 3
ncieftly removed by animal magnetism,
one. Rid. ft., ra.„ ,7;,,A