little superior to an ordinary monk's." But the learned Morhoff has justly remarked, that "this judgment of Perron is absurd and malignant, and directly contrary to the clearest evidence; since those who are acquainted with. the great things done by father Paul, and with the vast extent of his learning, will allow him to be superior, not only to monks, but cardinals, and even to Perron himself." Courayer, his French translator, says, that "in imitation of Erasmus, Cassander, Thuanus, and other great men, Paul was a Catholic in general, and sometimes a Protestant in particulars. He observed every thing in the Roman religion, which could be practised without superstition; and, in points which he scrupled, took great care not to scandalize the weak. In short, he was equally averse to all extremes: if he disapproved the abuses of the Catholics, he condemned also the too great heat of the reformed; and used to say to those who urged him to declare himself in favour of the latter, that God had not given him the spirit of Luther."- Courayer likewise observes, that Paul wished for a reformation of the Papacy, and not the destruction of it; and was an enemy to the abuses and pretences of the popes, not their place." We see by several of Paul's letters, that he wished well to the progress of the reformation, though in a gentler manner than that which had been taken to procure it; and, if he himself had been silent on this head, we might have collected his inclinations this way, from circumstances relating to Fulgentio, the most intimate of his friends, and who was best acquainted with his sentiments. Burnet informs us, that Fulgentio preaching upon Pilate's question, "What is Truth?" told the audience, that at last, after many searches, he had found it out and holding forth a New Testament, said, it was there in his hand; but, adds he, putting it again in his pocket, "the book is prohibited."

Of father Paul's whole works, "Tutte le sue opere, con un supplemento," an edition was published at Verona, under the name of Helmsted, 1761-68, 8 vols. 4to; and another at Naples in 1790, 24 vols. 8vo. In 1788, a treatise was published at London in Italian, entitled "Opinione di Fra Paolo Sarpi, toccente il governo della republica Veneziana," 8vo, we know not whether in any of the preceding editions. Of his works, we have English translations, printed at various times, of "The Rights of Sovereigns and Subjects," "The History of the Council of

Trent;" his "Letters;"" Maxims of the Government of Venice, in an advice to the Republic ;" and a "Treatise of Ecclesiastical Benefices and Revenues.")

SARRAU (CLAUDE), in Latin SARRAVIUS, a learned French lawyer, was born towards the close of the sixteenth century, of a noble family, and educated by his father, who was a man of letters, with the greatest care. To the study of the law, he joined a taste for polite literature, philosophy, and criticism, wrote elegantly in Latin, and was an excellent Greek scholar. He had perused the classics with great attention; and some Latin and French verses which he wrote, show that he had formed his taste on the best models. He practised at the bar at Rouen, but was an enemy to litigious suits, and always endeavoured to prevent his clients from coming into court, while reconciliation was possible. He lived in intimacy and correspondence with the most learned men of his time, particularly Salmasius, Grotius, and our archbishop Usher. It is not much praise to add after this, that he had Christina queen of Sweden for a correspondent. He was of the protestant religion, and appears to have been displeased with some symptoms of what he thought lukewarmness in his friend Grotius, and wished him to be more decided. Sarrau died May 30, 1651, advanced in years, and was lamented in poems and eloges by many learned contemporaries. He published the collection of Grotius's correspondence entitled "Grotii epistolæ ad Gallos," and his own Latin letters were published in 1654, 8vo, and reprinted at Utrecht with the letters of Marquard Gudius, in 1697, 4to,' and again at Leyden by Peter Burman in 1711, who has inserted some of them in his valuable "Sylloge." Sylloge." They contain many particulars of the literary history of the times. He appears to have been an exceeding admirer of Salmasius. 2

SARTI (JOSEPH), a sweet, tender, and graceful composer, was born at Faenza in 1730. In 1756 he went to Copenhagen as maestro di cappella to the young king of Denmark, for whose theatre he composed an opera, which had no great success. In his way back to Italy he came

1 Life by Fulgentio.-Life of sir Henry Wotton, prefixed to his works, edit. 1685.-Burnet's Life of Bedel.-Welwood's Memoirs.-Hickes's Discourses apon Dr. Burnet and Dr. Tillotson, 1695, 4to, p. 30.-Morhoff's Polyhistor.Courayer's edition of the Council of Trent.-Life by Dr. Johnson.

? Moreri. Burman's "Sylloge."

through England, and published six sonatas for the harpsichord In 1769 he went to Venice, where he was appointed master of the conservatorio of La Pieta, and composed an opera,, which was in such favour, that it was said in to be celestial music of the other world, "musica dell' altro mondo." He next composed for Milan four operas, which Marchesi sung, and which had all very uncommon In 1782 he was appointed maestro di cappella to the Duomo in that city. His opera of "Giulio Sabino". was sung at the same time by Marchesi at Milan, and by Pacchieretta at Venice. In 1784 it was brought on the stage at Vienna, after it had been performed at all the principal theatres of Italy during two years. His harmony was sweet and simple, and his melody truly vocal.

success.

At the end of 1784 he again steered northward, having been engaged in the service of the empress of Russia for three years. In 1785 he established a concert spirituel at Petersburg, for which he composed, in the choral style, a psalm in the Russian language, which was performed by 66 voices and 100 instruments, among which there were wind instruments of every kind. In 1788 he composed a Te Deum for the victory over the Turks at Ockzakow. He was appointed director the same year of a conservatorio, for the establishment of which the empress expended 3500 rubles, and allowed 1500 in annual salaries and other incidental expences: and in order to engage Sarti to remain in Russia, her imperial majesty gave him an estate, with woods and seats upon it of considerable value, which induced him to spend the chief part of his remaining His opera days in cultivating his lands more than music. of "Armida," in 1786, had pleased the empress so much, that she gave him a golden vase or bowl, and a ring of great value. In 1790, at sixty years of age, he died in his way back to his own country for the recovery of his health, which had been much impaired by the severity of the climate. His works, which are composed in so elegant, natural, and pleasing a style, as is not likely to be soon out of fashion, are for the church, 1. A miserere, accompanied only by a tenor and violoncello in solo parts, and ripieno violini in the choruses. 2. A motet, confitebor tibi, à 6. 3. A gloria, in Soprano and contralto in the solo verses. nine parts, for the Russian or Greek church. For the theatre, twenty-six operas. Chamber music printed. Symphonies in nine parts at Leipsig, 1758. Three sonatas for

the harpsichord, with a flute accompaniment, Amsterdam. Three sonatas, in London, 1769. "Giulio Sabino characteristica," Vienna, 1787.1

SARTO (ANDREA DEL), or VANNUCCHI, a famous Italian painter, was the son of a tailor, whence he had the name of Sarto, and was born at Florence in 1471. He was apprenticed to a goldsmith, with whom he lived some time; but was then placed with John Basile, an ordinary painter, who taught him the rudiments of his art; and afterwards with Peter Cosimo, and while with him, studied the cartoons of Michael Angelo and Leonardo da Vinci; and by these means arrived at a mastery in his art. Being at last dissatisfied with his master, he associated with Francis Bigio, and they painted various pieces in conjunction, at Florence and about it, for the monasteries. At length some of Sarto's pieces falling under the notice of Francis I. that monarch was so pleased with them, that he invited Sarto into France, and treated him with great liberality. He executed many pictures for the king and the nobility; but, while employed upon a St. Jerome for the queenmother, he received letters from his wife, with whom he was infatuated, which made him resolve to return thither. He pretended domestic affairs, yet promised the king not only to return, but also to bring with him a good collection of pictures and sculptures. In this, however, he was overruled by his wife, and, never returning, gave Francis, who had trusted him with a considerable sum of money, so bad an opinion of Florentine painters, that he would not look favourably on them for some years after. Sarto afterwards gave himself up wholly to pleasure, and became at length very poor. He was naturally mild and diffident, and set but very little value upon his own performances: yet the Florentines had so great an esteem for his works, that, during the fury of the popular factions among them, they preserved them from the flames. Sarto died of the plague in 1520, when only 42. Sarto's works, in Mr. Fuseli's opinion seem to have obtained their full share of justice. As a Tuscan, the suavity of his tone and facility of practice contrast more strikingly with the general austerity and elaborate pedantry of that school, and gain him greater praise than they would, had he been a Bolognese or Lombard. It cannot, however, be denied that his sweetness sometimes borders on insipidity: the modesty or rather

1 From Dr. Burney in Rees's Cyclopædia.

pusillanimity of his character checked the full exertion of his powers; his faults are of the negative kind, and defects rather than blemishes. He had no notions of nature beyond the model, and concentrated all female beauty in his wife, Lucretia; and if it be true that he sacrificed his fortune and Francis I. to her charms, she must at least have equalled in form and feature his celebrated Madonna del Sacca: hence it was not unnatural that the proportions of Albert Durer should attract him more than those of Michaelagnolo. His design and his conceptions, which sel dom rose above the sphere of common or domestic life, kept pace with each other; here his observation was acute, and his ear open to every whisper of social intercourse or emotion. The great peculiarity, perhaps the great prerogative, of Andrea appears to me that parallelism of composition, which distinguishes the best of his historic works, seemingly as natural, obvious and easy, as inimitable. In solemn effects, in alternate balance of action and repose, he excels all the moderns; and if he was often unable to con ceive the actors themselves, he gives them probability and importance by place and posture. Of costume he was ignorant, but none ever excelled and few approached him in breadth, form, and style of that drapery which ought to distinguish solemn, grave, or religious subjects.'

SAUMAISE. See SALMASIŪS.

SAUNDERS (SIR EDMUND), lord chief justice of the King's Bench towards the close of the seventeenth century, seems entitled to some notice on account of his "Reports," although his character in other respects may as well be consigned to oblivion. He was originally a strolling beggar about the streets, without known parents or relations. He came often to beg scraps at Clement's Inn, where his sprightliness and diligence made the society desirous to extricate him from his miserable situation. As he appeared desirous to learn to write, one of the attornies fixed a board up at a window on the top of a stair-case, which served him as a desk, and there he sat and wrote after copies of court and other hands, in which at length he acquired such expertness, as in some measure to set up for himself, and earn a pittance by hackney-writing. He also took all opportunities of improving himself by reading such books as he borrowed of his friends, and in

1 Argenville, vol. I.-Pilkington by Fuseli.