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esteemed Italian Grammar, says in his Prospectus of this There are still in the monastery three young dogs, which new edition: "I have profited by the labours of all the will serve to replace those that were lately lost in the snow. Commentators who have preceded me, and have carefully The dramatists of Switzerland seem rather deficient in discussed their opinions.....I have pointed out the pas- delicate feeling. One of them, at Freyburg, has actually sages imitated by Petrarch, Boccacio, Ariosto, and Tasso. written a tragedy, called the "Death of Louis XVI." This I have compared all the editions of Dante, hitherto pub-has been performed; but it is surely against all the rules lished; I have corrected the erroneous punctuation in a of bien-seance, nay of common propriety. thousand places....... His Excellency Sir Charles Stuart, Ambassador Extraordinary from His Britannic Majesty to the Court of France, having had the goodness to allow me the use of a MS. of Dante, of the 14th century, I have extracted from it a great number of very valuable variations hitherto unknown." This edition is to be in three Vols. in 4to. with engravings after the designs of Messrs. Gerard, Girodet, Gross, &c.

ROSTOCK LIBRARY.

In a journal wholly dedicated to the interests of literature, some account may justly be expected of so important a library and collection of medals as those which are recently announced for sale. These collections were made by Olaus Gerhardt Tychsen, late Professor of Oriental Literature at Rostock, a man well known for his profound THE INSTITUTIONS OF GAJUS.-The Prussian Privy knowledge of the languages and learning of the East; and Counsellor Niebuhr, on his way to Rome as ambassador, are uncommonly rich in rare and valuable articles. Of has had the good fortune to discover, at Verona, a Codex the printed books, above 6400 in number, which are well Rescriptus of the Institutions of Gajus, anterior to the arranged under ten heads, and very exactly noted, (the time of Justinian. The particulars of this discovery, Hebrew, Arabic, &c. titles being printed with the Latin which is of the highest importance to the study of juris-ones) we only observe, that the Oriental compose almost prudence, are to be found in the first number of the third the half, and with the Spanish (490 in number) contain volume of the Journal of the Science of Jurisprudence, the greatest number of scarce works. Out of many hunjust published at Berlin. dreds we mention a few. Parts of the Hebrew Bible,

METEORIC STONES.-Considerable light has been among which is the oldest Psalter, of 1477. Then nine thrown upon this subject, as far as regards their forma- other books of the Old Testament, from 1482 to 1516. tion in the atmosphere, by a fact recorded in the Annals The Homburg Bibles, and among them a copy in four of Philosophy, (Jan. 1817. p. 14.) of a quantity of red dust volumes, 1525, which Pope Clement VII. possessed and having fallen during a thunder shower, at Gerace, in Cala- employed three correctors to improve. An Arabic Psalter, bria. The dust was mixed with the rain; became black printed on Mount Lebanon, in 1764. Among the 972 when exposed to a red heat, and effervesced with acids. Rabbinical works, all the editions of the Talmud and the When analysed, its properties were nearly similar to those Mishna; a great many Commentaries; rare Lexicons; one of the meteoric bodies, consisting of flint, iron, alum, and extremely scarce one, printed at Naples in 1491, which chromium. even Wolf was unacquainted with. The History of TaIn short, there is the same apparent analogy between merlane, printed in Turkish, at Constantinople. The this dust and the meteoric stones, as between rain and hail; first book printed in Arabic, (a prayer book) 1514. cold acting in the one case, and electricity in the other. Among the works on coins, are distinguished those of the The Duchess of Devonshire still has her parties at Rome Prince of Torremuzza, Father Bayer, Florez, &c. Among every week. She seems determined to rival her father, the the Spanish we find many extremely scarce works. In late Earl of Bristol, in her patronage of the fine arts. She the second division are Tychsen's own works, with his is about to publish, at her private expense, a splendid edi- MS. additions, and also his posthumous MSS., among tion of Annibal Caro's celebrated translation of the Eneid, which several are ready for the press, especially Almawith illustrations executed by the first Roman artists, krizi's Arabic Medallic History, with 205 most important together with a translation of Horace's Journey to Brun-explanatory notes: collections relative to the Phoenician dusium, in the same splendid style of illustration. Her language and inscriptions: a chronological list of all the Grace has also undertaken, with the permission of the Arabian coins hitherto known, with very considerable exGovernment, an excavation in the Roman Forum, which planations. There is a large collection of Hebrew MSS. promises the most interesting results; and further still, particularly of books of the Bible, both on rollers and in it is understood that she intends giving a commission for the form of books; some Syriac, Mendaic, and Arabic; some one work to every Roman artist who ranks above mediocrity.

One cannot be surprised, after this, to hear of an author dedicating the first volume of his work to St. Peter, and the second to the Duchess of Devonshire. This has literally occurred.

A very curious discovery has, it is said, been made lately at Rome, of papers belonging to the Stuart family. They consist of papers, letters, &c. amounting in the whole collection to several hundred thousand.

LAUSANNE, JAN. 17.-We are happy to announce that the fears which were entertained for the safety of the monastery upon Mount St. Bernard, are now dispelled. This useful and generous establishment is out of all danger.

and an Arabic-Samaritan Pentateuch. Takjeddin's History of the Caliphs, Poems of Hafiz, a Persian MS. of Sadi's Garden of Roses. Among the Occidental MSS. is the extremely rare, often doubted, edition of the Spaccio della bestia trionfante, printed at Paris, in 12mo. in 1584. Pages 35 to 40 of the Catalogue contain various Oriental curiosities, Jewish, Arabic, Chinese.

Some pages give an account of the highly important Collection of Medals, of which the Professor has left two excellent catalogues. The collection consists of 42 drawers, 14 of which contain the Arabic, Persian, Mogul, Indian, &c.: among them are 200 old Arabic. The second catalogue includes the Roman, Spanish, Phoenician (80 in number) Jewish, and 160 impressions in sulphur of Pho

nician coins at Paris. The Roman are 287, all genuine. It were to be wished the whole collection might be purchased for some university.

SHAKESPEARE.

that part of Carlton-house was in the parish of St. Martin-infrom his privy purse to be added to the collection for the poor the Fields, his Royal Highness immediately commanded 1001. of that parish.

Extract from a letter, dated Hanover, Jan. 17, 1817:-We We learn from good authority, that the celebrated Voss, hear that his Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT has purthe translator of Homer, Virgil, and other classic authors, chased the fine collection of pictures belonging to the late has resolved to translate into German the whole of Shake-Field-Marshal Count Walmoden Gimborn. A professor, lately speare, in conjunction with his two sons; that he has arrived from England, has been commissioned to choose out already revised the Tempest; and is now employed upon the finest of these paintings, to be sent to London. The others Hamlet. This is a very agreeable piece of intelligence to are to be afterwards sold." the friends of German literature, since they may justly expect from the pen of so distinguished a poet, a more spirited translation than the German language yet can boast, of the works of our immortal Bard.

The translation by the learned Professor Eschenburg of Brunswick, is indeed highly esteemed for its fidelity, but wholly in prose, and besides is deficient in many poetical excellencies. Another translation was begun by the well known M. Schlegel, but only about half finished. This translation is much admired, but the translator seems to have given it up; and engaged as he is in the brilliant societies of Paris, it is not very probable that he will have time to complete his undertaking.

vidence has preserved during a life of extraordinary activity
The gallant and venerable Earl of St. Vincent, whom Pro-
and danger in his country's service, has lately had engraved a
Portrait of Himself, for the purpose of presenting one hundred
proof impressions to as many of his principal friends, including
political connexions and naval officers, whose merits give a
claim to his approbation and friendship. The print represents
hand extended, in which is held the "Naval Abuse Bill."
his Lordship dressed in his parliamentary robes, with his right

On Saturday evening the Grand Glee Club of England had a performance at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, at which Mr. Sale and Mr. Leete presided as conductors. The meeting was very numerously attended, particularly so by professors. Among them were, Messrs. Goss, Pyne, Taylor, Terrail, Gore, J. B. Sale, Williams, Hawes, and Mr. Clarke, Secretary to the cipally of the old school, some of them of the composition of Institution. The Glees were most admirably selected, printhe late Earl of Mornington.

hamshire has requested in her will that none of her family It is singular to relate, that the late Countess of Buckingshould wear mourning for her; in consequence of which, none of Lord Castlereagh's family, nor any other branch of her Ladyship's family, will go into mourning on the occasion.

BERLIN MUSEUM.-A taste for the Fine Arts may be expected to spring up in Prussia, in lieu of that extravagant military taste which two late Fredericks encouraged A new Ode was performed for the first time to the memory at Potsdam and Berlin. His present Majesty is actively of the late Mr. Webb, who was considered the Handel in the engaged in collecting a Museum in the various depart-glee compositions. The music was by Mr. Horsley. The ments of Art; and has recently purchased the Giustiniani piece was highly applauded; and the whole was a great feast gallery from M. Bonne Maison, at an expence of 20,000l. to the lovers of harmony. WEIMAR, JAN. 11.-There are few parts of Germany where there is such an unrestrained liberty of the press as in our Grand Duchy, whose Sovereign has always sought a particular honour amongst the German Princes, for the protection afforded by him to the arts and sciences. It is among us that the journals and newspapers appear, which are written with the greatest freedom; the Nemesis, the Isis, the New Rhenish Mercury, and the Opposition Gazette. It were to be wished that the same freedom of thinking and of writing were common to all Germany; but there are still many countries in Germany where people are inclined to take every man who thinks freely for a Revolutionist, and if he should print there any thing of that description, he would infallibly bring an indictment on himself. (Nuremberg Correspondent, Jan. 21.)

:

A German Journal contains the following article:"The system of Magnetism makes rapid progress in the Prussian States. It has been proposed to create, in the Universities of the Prussian Monarchy particular Professorships for the cultivation of Magnetism, but the medical faculty of Berlin has prevented it. Several Professors in the mean time give lectures on Magnetism.”

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The literary world has lately been much amused by 'Correspondences"-but a German author has invented a new and infallible mode of producing a Correspondence with any great man, alive or dead. He has just published a Correspondence with Buonaparte, but written and read only by himself!

The Princess of WALES continues to reside at her beautiful villa on the banks of the Lake of Constance.

Although the PRINCE REGENT had (while he was at Brighton) subscribed very liberally to the relief of the poor of the parish of St. James, yet, on his return to town, being informed

A young English officer, of a distinguished family, is reported in the French Papers to have shot himself, in consequence of heavy losses at play.

crowns, shillings, and sixpences. On the crowns and halfThe new coins are very handsome, consisting of crowns, halfcrowns is the head of his Majesty, with the words Georgius III. Dei Gratia, 1816-on the reverse, Rex. Fid. Def. Britanniarum, with the Royal Arms and Motto encircled by the collar of the Order of the Garter, surmounted with the Crown.

On the shillings and sixpences is his Majesty's head, with the words Geor. III. D. G. Britt. Rex. F. D. 1816. The arms on the reverse are encircled with the Garter, surmounted with the Crown. The raised rim will protect the impression, and cach coin has a milled edge.

A young Lady of the blood of the Comnene, and widow of a French General, (the Duke of A--,) was lately brought before the Tribunal of Correctional Police, upon the complaint of the Sieur Poinselet, a jeweller. The complainant stated, that having proposed to this lady to purchase a diamond, price 20,000 francs, he entrusted it with her, that she might have an opportunity of examining it, and ascertaining its value. However, the Duchess, without having paid the price, or even concluded the bargain, disposed of the diamond and pawned it. The case was adjourned for a fortnight, on account of the indisposition of a M. Bexon.-(Paris Paper.)

MARRIAGES. At Ugbrooke Park, Devonshire, the Hon. Mr. Langdale, of Houghton, Yorkshire, to the Hon. Charlotte Clifford, daughter of Lord Clifford.

At St. George's Church, Hanover-square, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart. to Lady Henrietta Antonia Clive, eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Powis.

At St. Mary-le-bone Church, David Nixon Donnellan of

Ravensdale Park, County Kildare, Ireland, Esq. to Elizabeth, second daughter of the Hon. John Leeson.

At Barnwood Church, Gloucestershire, by the Rev. William Pearce, M. A. Captain John Lewis Stuart, of the Bengal army, Aid de Camp to his Excellency the Marquis of Hastings, son of the late Honorable Colonel Stuart, and grandson of Francis, late Earl of Moray, to Sarah, sixth daughter of the late Robert Morris, Esq. many years M. P. for the city of Gloucester. The Journal des Debats, of the 2nd instant, contains the lowing article:

In later life the Duke seldom attended the House of Peers, but was represented there by his son, the Marquis of Blandford, who, in 1806, was called up by writ for the barony of Spencer. He did not confine himself, however, to Blenheim, but resided alternately at his residences of Brighton, Sion House, and Marlborough House in Pall-Mall, yet mixing very little with the world of fashion. The loss of his Duchess in 1811, increased his love of retirement; and he paid but little ful-personal attention to the contests in regard to the Marlborough interest in the years 1812 and 1815, respecting the City and County of Oxford, and their parliamentary representation. To the City of Oxford he had long been a benefactor; but the change of party politics made no change in his good will.

"The Duke of Kent, brother of the Prince Regent, is to marry the Princess Marie-Victoire, of Saxe-Coburg, Princess Dowager of Linances, and eldest sister of Prince Leopold, the consort of the Princess Charlotte of Wales. The Princess Marie was born the 17th August, 1786-the Duke of Kent was born 2nd November, 1767."-German Journals.

It is said that Earl Percy will shortly receive the hand of the beautiful and accomplished Lady Charlotte Florentia Clive, youngest daughter of the Earl of Powis.

BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS.

DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

However we may lament the loss of the great or the good, it is a pleasing task to record their virtues-the present subject of our notice was indeed, through a long life, generally distinguished as the good Duke, in contradistinction to his great maternal ancestor, who illumined the page of British History at the commencement of the past century, as a WELLINGTON does at the present day.

To describe his Grace as a tender and indulgent husband, as a kind and attentive parent, would be only to repeat what is known to our readers: the circumstances of his death also have been sufficiently detailed in the public prints; whilst the current peerages afford every information respecting his family and descendants. As Marlborough House, once the residence of Queen Anne, previous to her accession, now falls to the Crown, it is supposed that it will become the residence of the illustrious heiress presumptive to the British Throne.

ANECDOTES.

MADAME DE STAEL.

During Count Rostopchin's visit to Paris, calling at Madame de Stael's, the grand lounge of the day, the subject of the conversation was the efforts made by the Emperor Alexander to render the Russian People " a Nation."

The Baroness.-Yes, Count, the mass of the Russian people has remained stationary since the time of Peter the Great; the Nobles have advanced too far, and ought to feel the necessity of returning back.

The Count.It is not to the Russians only, Madam, that you should give a piece of advice from which the French Government might equally profit.

The Baroness.We might well enough retrograde, for still the French would be before all other nations.

GEORGE, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, was born on the 26th of January, 1738, and received a private education under the superintendance of the learned and venerable Jacob Bryant, in which a good foundation was laid for the acquisition of that elegance of taste, and love of science, aided by a good natural genius, which distinguished him in later years. When very young he set out on his travels, which seem, however, to have been connected with military objects; for, whilst on the Coutinent, he served as Aid-du-Camp to his father, then Com- The Count.-Very well, Madam, then let us two set the exmander-in-Chief of the British forces under the orders of Prince ample: I am ready to return to my woods, and enter into my Ferdinand of Brunswick. On his return he was appointed to paternal Donjon-keep; on your part you must also take some a company in the 20th regiment of foot, but afterwards re-steps backwards, returning to your father's Counting-house, and signed, and succeeded his father, who died at Munster in West- we shall see if you gain by the Change! phalia, on the 10th of October, 1758. He was then a minor, but at the early age of twenty-two, in 1760, began his political career, as Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the County of Oxford, in the ministry of the Duke of Newcastle. In this office he was confirmed by his present Majesty, upon his accession; and at the subsequent coronation he had the honour of carrying the Sceptre and the Cross. On the 22d of August, 1762, he married Caroline, only daughter of the 4th Duke of Bedford; and on the 22d of November, in the same | year, having succeeded the Duke of Devonshire as Lord Chamberlain, was sworn in of the Privy Council. In the ensuing year he resigned the chamberlainship, being succeeded by the late Earl Gower, but was immediately appointed Lord Privy Seal, in room of the Duke of Bedford.

Attached to domestic life, he was anxious to quit the field of politics, and resigned his office in 1765; but not in disgust with the Court, for in 1768, he was elected an Elder Brother of the Trinity House, and in the same year received the order of the Garter from his Sovereign, though not installed until

1771.

His retirement was blessed with a smiling family; and he dedicated much time to literary pursuits, particularly to astronomy, for which study he erected a very fine Observatory at Blenheim. This Observatory became an object of much curious examination to our venerable Sovereign, during a visit to Blenheim, about thirty years ago; and several very long and scientific conversations took place between the King and his Grace upon that subject.

A LEARNED ASS.

The following singular circumstance took place a few months ago. A lady, resident in Devonshire, going into one of her parlours, discovered a young ass, who had found its way into the room, and carefully closed the door upon himself. He had evidently not been long in this situation before he had nibbled a part of Cicero's Orations, and eaten nearly all the index of a folio edition of Seneca in Latin, a large part of a volume of La Bruyere's Maxims in French, and several pages of Cecilia. He had done no other mischief whatever, and not a vestige remained of the leaves that he had devoured. Will it be fair henceforward to dignity a dunce with the name of this literary animal? HOW TO BREAK ILL NEWS..

A DIALOGUE.

Scene. The Rooms of Mr. G, at Oxford.
Enter to him his father's steward.

Mr. G. Ha! Jervas, how are you, my old boy? how do things go on at home?-Steward. Bad enough, your honour. The magpie's dead.-Mr. G. Poor Mag! so he is gone. How came he to die?-Steward. Over-ate himself, Sir.-Mr. G. Did he faith! a greedy dog! Why, what did he get that he liked so well?-Steward. Horse-flesh, Sir; he died of eating horseflesh.-Mr. G. How came he to get so much horse-flesh ?Steward. All your father's horses, Sir.-Mr. G. What! are they dead too?-Steward. Aye, Sir, they died of over-work.— Mr. G. And why were they over-worked, pray?-Steward. To carry water, Sir.-Mr. G. To carry water! And what were

they carrying water for?-Steward. Sure, Sir; to put out the It is a curious fact, that the French Philosophical Class of fire. Mr. G. Fire! what fire?-Steward. Oh, Sir, your fa- the Royal Institute have resolved to leave the world in the dark ther's house is burnt down to the ground.-Mr. G. My father's respecting their exertions during the past year! How can this house burnt down! and how came it set on fire?-Steward. I be? Is it from idleness and shame, or from party spirit? think, Sir, it must have been the torches..... -Mr. G. HOLLAND. The Dutch Scientific Society of Haarlem, in its Torches! what torches?-Steward. At your mother's funeral. last public sitting, decreed the prize to a work, the object of Mr. G. My mother dead!-Steward. Ah! poor lady! she never which is to prove, that the art of printing with detached and looked up after it.-Mr. G. After what?-Steward. The loss of moveable types was invented at IIaarlem, before the year 1440, your father.-Mr. G. My father gone too!-Steward. Yes, by Laurens Jansz Coster. The author of this Prize Essay is poor gentleman! he took to his bed as soon as he heard of it. Mr. James Koening, secretary to the Tribunal of the First InMr. G. Heard of what?-Steward. The bad news, Sir, an' stance. The Society was so satisfied with this Memoir, that it please your honour.-Mr. G. What! more miseries! more augmented the value of the prize by 50 ducats, and resolved that bad news!-Steward. Yes, Sir, your bank has failed, and your the Prize Essay should be printed not only in Dutch, but in credit is lost, and you are not worth a shilling in the world-French," in order that the learned of foreign countries may I made bold, Sir, to come to wait on you to tell you about it, for I thought you would like to hear the news.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

INEDITED SONNET, BY GRAY.

SPITE OF CONVICTION.

Thyrsis, when he left me, swore
Ere the spring he would return:
Ah what means yon violet flower
And the bud that decks the thorn?
"Twas the Lark that upward sprung;
'Twas the Nightingale that sung.
Idle notes, untimely green,
Why such unavailing haste?
Western gales, and skies serene,
Prove not always Winter's past:

Cease, ye doubts, my fears to move,
Spare the honour of my Love!

Lines suggested by seeing the wooden edifice in Mrs. Hannah More's garden at Barley Wood, and hearing it called the Classical Temple.

What have we here? a Temple! if'tis such,
Art has done little,-if a shed, too much.
Four wooden pegs a wooden roof sustain,
Just wide enough to shield you from the rain,
If in the middle, bolt upright you stand,
Exposed to all the winds on either hand':
This pride of Barley Wood how can I name?
And how inscribe it on the rolls of Fame?
It is not Tuscan, Saxon, nor yet Doric,
Commemorative, votive, or historic,-
"Tis but an emblem of it's owners mind,
Erect and firm, by no false taste refin'd;
Of steady fabric, pointing to the skies,
A friendly beacon to inquiring eyes;

Open to all, by all reputed good,

And often prais'd, when little understood.

-N.

PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES,

DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN.

see that the honor of this invention is improperly disputed with the town of Haarlem." The opinion which is thus brought forward again by M. Koening and the Dutch Society, has been maintained successively by P. Scriverius, by Boxhorn, and particularly by Mr. Ger. Meerman, who published, in 1765, 2 vols. in 4to. on this subject. As we have not seen Mr. Koening's Memoir, we know not whether he has discovered any new or more decisive documents than those hitherto known; in this case his work will doubtless interest persons who are fond of typographical researches.

UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW.-The Emperor Alexander's decree, erecting a university in this city, has just been published in the Latin language. The University will be composed of five faculties, namely: theology, jurisprudence and political economy, medicine, philosophy, sciences and letters. The professors are admissible to all dignities and honorable distinctions; the title of Nobility, or in plain English, Gentility, is attached to their employment, and this title is transmissible, with all the prerogatives that depend upon it, to their descendants, after they have exercised their functions ten years: hos qui in stirpe non nobili nati, nobiles declaramus. It is His Majesty's desire, that the new University shall rival in honors, dignities, and immunities, the most celebrated universities of Europe. The Commission of public instruction is enjoined to place at the disposal of the University, buildings, which, by their convenience and their extent, may be worthy of such an establishment; to endow it with sufficient revenues from the funds assigned for the public instruction; and to fill, without delay, the several professional chairs.

MR. AIKIN is elected Secretary to the Society of Arts, in the room of the late Dr. Taylor. There were two other candidates, viz. Mr. Hiort and Mr. Downing.

FINE ARTS.

To the reputation which this country has justly attained, of superiority in portrait-painting, she has for some few years aspired to add a superiority in every other department of painting. But, without establishing some certain OXFORD.-A Convocation was held on Tuesday, for the purand public source of employment for historical painters, pose of proposing a dutiful and loyal Address to His Royal High-this important object is unattainable. As the British Artists ness the Prince Regent, expressive of the sentiments of the learned and venerable University, respecting the late traitorous outrage upon His Royal Highness's person.

excel in those subjects, in which they have met with a competent share of patronage, it is only fair to infer that The degree of Bachelor in Divinity has been conferred upon Artists in every other department of painting, if the stuthe British school would have produced a number of able Reverends J. Harris and J. Robertson, of St. John's: and that dents had met with equal encouragement. If but few of Bachelor of Arts, upon Mr. Henry Jenkins, of Corpus Christi. CAMBRIDGE.-Dr. Smith's annual prizes of 251. each, to the have had the courage to practise historical painting, and two best proficients in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy fewer still have succeeded, the cause is obvious: they have amongst the commencing Bachelors of Arts, are this year ad- had but few patrons. Reverse the case: multiply judged to Mr. John Thomas Austin, of St. John's; and Mr. Temple Chevalier, of Pembroke; the first and second wranglers. PARIS.-The French Royal Academy of Sciences has elected four correspondents; viz. Mr. Wollaston and Mr. Dalton, both of London; M. Berzelius, of Stockholm; and M. Fleurieu de The Students, who compare the merited success of Bellevue, at La Rochelle; the first three for the section of che-GLOVER, the landscape painter, with the indigence in mistry, and the fourth for the section of mineralogy. which Barry, the historical painter, lived and died, have

patrons, and establish a certain source of reward; and we shall thereby multiply the efforts of historical painters, and ensure their success.

every inducement to avoid the fate of the latter. The good or bad. But if we could extinguish the present taste former, by his landscapes in water-colours, and subse- for landscapes, portraits, and familiar life, and banish the quently in oil, has realized, with the general esteem of painters who have obtained so much honor in those society, a fortune swelled, perhaps, far beyond the mark branches, it is by no means probable that we could thereby report, to thirty thousand pounds. The latter painted by produce a taste or passion for historical painting. On the series of allegorical pictures in the chambers of the the contrary, if we are to judge from the history of the fine Society for encouraging the Arts, and expired without a arts, in other countries, there can be little doubt, but after shilling. Glover, whose strength lies in local truth, and that extinction, all taste and passion for the fine arts would who sometimes, as in his late compilation from Claude, in perish in the Empire. The following facts ought ever to the British Institution, fails in attempting the poetry of be kept in view in discussing this subject. There existed his art, well deserves his success. All those, who know in the religion of Greece and Italy, prior to the existence of the amenities of the man, and have viewed the majority of a taste for the fine arts, a powerful moral cause, which crehis works, feel a warm interest in his fortune. Good ated a public necessity for historical pictures. This pictures of local scenery and rustic nature, possess a powerful moral cause and necessity, prior to the existence never-failing charm to unsophisticated minds, and are of taste, produced historical painters and historical pice therefore much more likely to find purchasers, than his-tures, which in due time produced a public taste and pastorical pictures of great merit, in a country where histori- sion for the great style of painting and sculpture in those cal painting is not generally understood and cultivated. countries. The greater number in every circle are delighted with the Here we have showed in regular connection, causes simple imitation of those objects which they see daily, and effects, which hitherto have had no existence in this although a few only, comprehend or feel the elevated country. In their religion, Greece and Rome possessed idea of nature, which is the essential material of poetical a native soil, in which historical art struck deep its roots and historical representation on the stage or canvas. The and grew up to its loftiest elevation. In those countries, courtier, the scholar, the farmer, and shopkeeper, are historical art may be termed indigenous: in England it alike pleased with GAY'S BLACK-EYED SUSAN, and has been hitherto an exotic. If we have not this favorable GOLDSMITH'S poems and comedies. Their simple truth soil, we must not, in our honorable earnestness to create a of nature comes home to every heart; but Milton's Para- soil for this majestic tree, attack and root up those noble dise Lost, with all its beauty, grandeur, and sublimity, is growths which are indigenous with us. Any such attempt a dead language to the million. Sir Joshua Reynolds has to wound or destroy, must be vain; although it might truly observed, that our taste for the higher excellences of have the unhappy effect of degrading men of genius, the style is not natural but acquired.--How, then, unless the professors of painting, into petty and malignant cabals; Government co-operates with the nobility and gentry, to upon the offence and defence; disgracefully warring upon establish some permanent and general occasion for histori- each other, in private circles, and scattering anonymous cal pictures, as public works, can a taste for that style and slanders and personalities, through the public journals. class of subjects be acquired by the people of England, A groundless prejudice against modern art, is one of the who are, generally, uninfluenced by the motives, and hos- great evils against which the British school has to struggle; tile to the principles, which caused the people of Greece and this evil must be increased by every publication and Rome to patronize and cultivate the great style of which tends to lower the British artists generally, in the sculpture and historical painting in those countries? public opinion. Surely no true friend to the fine arts can augur a good from such divisions. To others we leave the honorable task of excitement. We do not expect perfection in human nature, and are friendly to the correc

Some well-meaning men, in their honest zeal to advance the interests of historical painting, are, with commendable intentions, for taking a wrong course. They are of opinion that it is necessary to deprive the other branches of tion of abuses; but we conceive that the honor and inthe arts, of the public patronage, which they so deservedly terests of the Royal Academy, of the British Institution, enjoy, in the strange hope of transferring the public patron- and of the whole body of the artists, considered as the age, so taken away, to historical painting. They imagine British school--and its patrons, are one. They rest upon by decrying the former, that they shall be able to obtain the same broad basis; and whatever has a tendency to honor and reward for the latter. If this were merely an narrow that foundation to the mistaken views, prejudices, attempt to clothe the naked by stripping the clothed, with- or passions of individuals, must endanger the superstrucout any question of its fairness, we must admit the scheme ture, and prove injurious to all. In England, the human might be practicable; but it would be a woful mistake affections are the soil, in which the arts have lately taken to burn the cloth which we have, merely because it is not root, but rapidly flourished. They have had here an origin long enough to make suits for our whole family. We must similar to that, which the poets have assigned to painting not introduce a distaste for that in which we excel, be-in Corinth. The maiden, who procures by stealth a likecause we anxiously wish to create a public taste for that ness of that image, which love has engraved upon her high department of painting, in which we have British heart; the youth who possesses and hoards a similar treaartists, so capable of obtaining houor for themselves and sure; the wife, who places in her best apartments the retheir country. Barry, exasperated by neglect, in his mo- semblance of her husband and children; the father, who ments of inconsideration, fell into this error. Certainly, decorates his house with the portraits of his family; the if men were under the same necessity for historical paint-kindred, who, when death hovers over a beloved relative, ings as they are for nutriment, the project might answer; endeavour, with mournful anxiety, to snatch a memorial for a hungry company deprived of every other species of from the grave;—these are among the patrons of painting food, must eat of that which is placed before them, be it in this country. To the multitude who are influenced by

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