tury, in its relations with architecture; and the grand basso-relievo of the Pantheon, as well as those lately executed in the court of the Louvre, and the ornaments of the triumphal arch of the Carousel, are incomparably superior to all the sculpture of the kind, since the age of Louis XIV. and even under the reign of that prince. The art of the statuary is therefore also in a state of progression. Amongst the wishes which we are authorised by your Majesty to submit to you, is this: that an error, which would shortly become an abuse very prejudicial to sculpture, may not be allowed to extend any farther; that of submitting it to ideas foreign to the subject, and which, not being conceived in the spirit of the art, could only produce discordauces, more or less offensive. The inore prudent it is to require that sculptors should conform to the general system of a monument, the more necessary it is that they should be at liberty to dispose their subjects according to the conception of the statuary; for every art has its poetics, its principles, its language, its means, (we might say its conscience,) which must be respected, to avoid introducing disorder by confounding the styles. Engraving in medals, which remained far behind sculpture, though it should have kept pace with it, had approached it in 1789. One artist only showed more knowledge of design, particularly of the talent of a statuary, which must be found in an engraver of medals. During the revolution, a new engraver, still more distinguished, added to our Popes. We have lost him, and the former has ceased to produce works before the usual age of inactivity. Both leave a void in the art, which however still possesses some able men, whom we shall quote hereafter; but it does not appear to have made that progress, which might have been expected from the great number of medals executed within the last ten years. We apprehend that too much precipitation is the cause. As to engraving on precious stones, it has been totally forgotten: some individuals have applied for a few portraits; M. Dupré, who announced himself as early as the year 1776, by the medal of the Independance of America. Rambert Dumarest, who died a member of the Institute in 1806, was not noticed till 1795. but no historical monument had been entrusted to it when the minister of the home department (M. Cretet) charged it to consecrate one of the great events of, your Majesty's reign.* Engraving on precious stones, and that of medals, which form two branches of the same art, are, however, the most durable depositaries of history, and on that account deserve to be improved as much as possible. Architecture has suffered more from the revolution than the other arts. It had been attacked even in its principles by a crowd of men, constituting themselves architects without the study indispensably necessary. It appeared with honour on public festivities alone. If these were not all worthy by their object to assemble and to collect a great people, they were for the most part remarkable for the dispositions of the architects. Some have left recollections, which in every point of view are renewed with pleasure: such was the triumphal fête, at which the master-pieces of the arts, recently conquered by you, Sire, appeared in the Champ de Mars, there to receive the homages and acclamations of three hundred thousand Frenchmen. After the invasion of ignorance, architecture was threatened with being confined only to the agreeable; a taste which, if encouraged, would have produced a deviation from the grand style to which the art should tend. We have exerted ourselves, as well as the professor of the school of architecture, to restrain the young artists by the influence of public competitions; and our zeal has not been unsuccessful. The last great prizes have been adjudged to works of a grander character. As to great monuments, it is not to be expected that since the year 1789, a nation without a government, shaken by long and violent convulsions, could have decreed any. France, Sire, will be iudebted to your reign for them. Engraving on copper is ranked amongst the arts of design, of which it translates and multiplies the conceptions. It was not revived with the French school, because it had been left without consideration, and without great models; because there was no necessity that engravers should excel in design. The whims of taste and fashion kept it alive; and if some engravers sought for glory, they obtained it from foreigners. The peace of Tilsit. A Frenchman SO A Frenchman and an Italian had in troduced into England, about the middle of the eighteenth century, the art of copper plate engraving, which was flourishing in France during the seventeenth; and those two foreigners caused it to prosper in London, while the country of Audran, Edelinck, Nantueil, Poilly, Masson, Drevet, &c. scarcely counted two or three engravers whom it could acknowledge.* La 1789, the only engravings of any consequence executed in France, were the galleries or the Palais Royal, and that of Florence. Since that period, and particularly since you, Sire, hold the reins of government, we shall have to quote a great number of magnificent works which occupy the art advantage ously, both for itself and for commerce. The greater part of these undertakings is due to the encouragements given them by your Majesty. One alone has constantly occupied upwards of a hundred artists for the last eight years.f The view of the progress or of the decline of music, cannot be traced with the same precision as that of the other arts, because its productions are not placed in the same aspect, and under the influence of a single cause. It has not followed the same line, on the great theatre of the Comic Opera, On this last, the natural grace of Mon Vivarez, born in France; and Bartolozzi, in Florence, very able engravers: the former in landscape, the latter in history. Before them, England possessed but one engraver worthy of notice, John Smith and his was the black manner. The two foreigners formed some native t leats; one of whom, Woollet, a pupil of Vivarez, is justly celebrated. + The description of the Napoleon Mu. seum, due to M. M. Laurent, and Robillard Peronville. The other works will be quoted in the general view, under the article Engraving. IT signy, the happy, fruitful, and witty genius of Gretry, seduced without obstacle; and was an honour to France, while irksomeness was seated at the Lyric theatre, and almost insuperable shackles impeded composers who could have brought about a better taste. In 1774, Gluck, four years after, Piccini, and in 1783, Sacchini, fortunately took possession of the scenc. Their success had nothing national in it, besides a just admiration, and the im pressions made by the animated and long debates, carried on by the warmest par tisans of the German and Italian schools. Hence, however, results the fact, that the French are not insensible to the beauty of music, as it has been pretended. It is to be observed, likewise, that Philidor and Gossee bad, before the arrival of Gluck, attempted to substitute, in the room of the trailing melopea, which constituted the old French singing, the animated tones of the passions, and that they were applauded.* In order to finish the view of music in 1789, we have to state that a few years previously, a school for singing had been established from a persuasion that the theatre could never be subjected to the art, unless the only means which can insure success were employed, namely, sound instruction. But that school was neither grandly conceived, nor ably organized; and when it was destroyed as a royal establishment, in 1790, it had already passed under the influence of the opera, which it was intended to regenerate. Such was the state of dramatic music in France, when the political revolution commenced. * Philidor, in his Opera of Ernelinde, performed in 1767, and Gossee in Sabinus, acted in 1773. + In 1783, the Baron de Breteuil, estab lished the school for singing and declamation. VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL. T is in contemplation to publish a new and handsome edition of "Fuller's Worthies," under the sanction of the association of booksellers, who are presenting to the public improved and uniform editions of the most valuable of our English Chronicles. If any one had the presumption to attempt impro 3 ving Fuller, the consequence would naturally and very properly be a total failure in the speculation. It is not by this as sertion intended to say that he is fault less; but such is his general accuracy, and so pleasant are bis excursory digressions, that it will be highly proper to con sider him so strictly as an English classic, as not to admit a single alteration into the text,but rather to insert, in brief notes, such trifling errors as may be detected. Any notes or corrections, or any hints on the subject, that the admirers of Fuller may have the goodness to send to Messrs. Nichols and Son, Printers, will be thankfully received; and duly noticed. An important national work will be published about the Easter recess, under the title of County Annual Archives. Hitherto the annals of each county have been entirely lost to the public, and any one desirous of referring to any particular event or procceding in the county in which he resides, has no means wherever of gaining such information, however interesting it may be to himself or important to the public. As the County Archives is intended to supply this desideratum, the contents of each annual volume will be arranged under the names of the counties to which they respectively belong, and the subjects classed under five general departments: 1. Public Business. 2. Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence. S. Political Economy. 4. Chronicle. 5. Biography. Mr. BENJAMIN THOMPSON, of Nottingham, has in the press a Translation of M. Lasteyrie's Account of the Introduction of the Merino Race of Sheep into the several Countries of Europe where they are naturalized. The work is accompanied with notes relative to the mode of managing this valuable breed, which the translator's experience has enabled him to supply. It has long been matter of surprise to foreign naturalists, that although in this -country botany has been cultivated with a zeal and success which leave nothing to desire, scarcely any attention has been hitherto paid to the sister science entomology; so that while the vegetable productions of the British isles are for the most part well known, and accurately described, not a third of our numerous tribes of insects have been noticed or enumerated. This neglect is, doubtless, principally to be attributed to the want of a popular and comprehensive elementary work, adapted to the present improved state of the science. To supply this desideratum, and facilitate the study, in Britain, of a department of natural history, singularly amusing and instructive; abounding in objects striking in their shape and structure, splendid in decoration, and in the highest degree interesting in habits, manners, and economy; the Rev. W. KIRBY, A. B. F. L.S. author of Monographia Apum Angliæ, and Mr. W. SPENCE, F. L. S. are enga ged in preparing an Introduction to Entomology, which is in a state of considerable forwardness. The plan of the work is popular; but without overlooking science, to the technical and anatomical departments of which, much new matter will be contributed, its object, after obviating objections, and removing prejudices, is to include every thing useful or interesting to the entomological student, except descriptions of gencra and species, which are foreign to the nature of such a work. The new East India college, at Haileybury, Hertfordshire, was a few months since completed. It is a very neat and handsome structure, composed entirely on the Grecian model, after the designs of Mr. William Wilkins, jun. It consists of four sides, forming a quadrangle, with a well-proportioned square in the centre. stone, faces the east, and commands a The principal front, of frcedistant view of the high north road, from which it has a very beautiful appearance. In this front are the chapel, dining-hall, and library; the kitchen and offices composing one wing, and the Principal's apartments the other. The other three sides contain separate apartments for 120 students, having a recess for a bed, and a closet for books, in cach, so that every student has a commodious apartment to himself. The centre and wings of these three sides of the quadrangle, also contain houses for the professors, and several lecture-rooms, besides the various offices necessary for the college-servants, &c. The grounds belonging to the col lege are now laying out agreeably to a plan of Mr. Repton, and when completed, will, together with the building, be a great improvement to that part of the County; while the institution itself will be a lasting memorial of the zeal of the East India Company in the cause of literature and science, as well as the source of benefit and advantage both at home and in India. The nomination of students to the college is vested in the directors, and is, in fact, a virtual appointment as writers. The terms of admission are 100 guineas per annum. students wear an academical habit, and are subject to college discipline and restrictions. Their fourth annual exami nation took place on the 21st December, when the prizes were distributed as follows: The To Mr. Robert Anderson, the certificate of superior superior merit, for proficiency in Sanscrit. Having already received the gold medal for his acquirements in that particular branch of learning, he was precluded, under the college-regulations, from again receiving a similar mark of honor. The Gold Medals. To the same gentleman, for history and political economy, for classics and for mathematics: also the first prize for theology and law. To Mr. John Fendall, for Persian and Sanscrit.-To Mr. Andrew Anderson, for law and mathematics.-To Mr, Paul Andrew Wynch, for English composition. Prises of Books To Mr. Henry Chastenay, the first prize for mathematics, classics, and Bengal lee, among the juniors. To Mr. Charles Norris, the second prize for composition, theology, and classics, among the juniors. To Mr. Joha Young, the first prize for classics, history, and political economy.-To Mr. Richard Clive, the first prize for Persian, among the juniors, and ditto for Hindoosta. nee.-To Mr. Henry Lacon, the first Sanscrit prize. To Mr. Montague Ainslie, the first Hindoostanee prize. To Mr. Charles M'Sween, the second prize for political economy and history.-To Mr. John Macleod, the second mathematical prize, among the juniors.-To Mr. William F. Larking, the mathematical prize-To Mr. Joshua Carter, the first Bengallee prize.-To Mr. Alexander Dick Lindsay, the second Persian prize.To Mr. William Wilkins, the first Persian prize. To Mr. J. B. Pybus, the second prize for law. To Mr. James C. Dick, the second Hindoostanee prize.-To Mr. Charles C. Hyde, the third mathematical prize, among the juniors. A Tour through the central Counties of England, namely, Worcester, Stafford, Leicester, and Warwick, including their. topography and biography, will shortly appear in a royal quarto volume, with twenty-four engravings. Dr. WATSON has nearly ready for pub. lication, a Theoretical and Practical View of the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb; containing hints for the correction of impediments in speech, and illustrated by numerous plates. A Translation of M. de Luc's Travels in the North of Europe, will appear in a In the course of March will be published, The Prison, or Times of Terror; from the French, by the author of the Letters of the Swedish Court. Mr. MARRAT, of Boston, has in the press a Treatise on Mechanics, chiefly designed for the use of schools and public seminaries; it is publishing by subscription: and will appear about Midsummer next. The subscribers' names will be printed. The author of the Husband and the Lover, has in the press a Roniance, to be entitled the Daughters of Isenberg. Mr. T. WOODFALL, assistant-secretary to the Society of Arts, has announced his intention to publish, by subscription, in two octavo volumes, the whole of the valuable papers on Agriculture, which have been brought before that Society. Mr. AYSHFORD, assistant-surgeon in the Royal Artillery, has in the press an Epitome of Anatomy, comprised in a series of tables. The work will form a thin quarto volume; and as its object is to furnish a copions vocabulary for the student of anatomy, perspicuity and simplicity of arrangement have been chiefly aimed at by the author. Mr. BENJAMIN TRAVERS, demonstrator of anatomy at Guy's Hospital, has in the press an Experimental Enquiry concerning Injuries to the Canal of the Intestines, illustrating the Treatment of penetrating Wounds, and Mortified Hernia. Dr. REID will commence his Spring Course of Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Medicine, on Monday, the 19th of March, at six o'clock in the evening, at his house, Grenville-street, Brunswick-square; where the course will be continued until its conclusion in the latter end of May. A third edition of Lord BYRON's satire, entitled English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, is in the press. A silver medal has been voted by the Board of Agriculture, to the Rev. G. T, Hamilton, minister of Harbottle, in Northumberland, corresponding member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, &c. for a communication on the the important subject of a General Inclosure Bill for Great Britain. A gentleman of Aberdeen, recently deceased, has, by his will, directed his executors to offer a sum of not less than 12001. for the best treatise on "The evidence that there is a Being, all-powerful, wise, and good, by whom every thing exists; and, particularly, to obviate difficulties regarding the wisdom and good. ness of the Deity: and this, in the first place, from considerations independent of written Revelation; and, in the second place, from Revelation; and from the whole to point out the inferences most necessary for, and useful to, mankind." The ministers of the established church of Aberdeen, the principals and professors of King's and Marischal colicges of Aberdeen, and the trustees of the testator, are appointed to nominate and make choice of three judges, who are to decide, after the 1st of January, 1814, upon the comparative excellences of such treatises as shall be laid before them. There is also left, by the same testator, a further sum, not exceeding 4001. for a treatise on the same subjects, which shall be thought, pursuant to the same decision, next in merit to the first-premium treatise. The Hulsean premium has been adjudged to the Rev. William Heath, felLow of King's college, Cambridge, for his dissertation “On the advantage of dith culties in religion; or an attempt to show the good effects which result, or which might result,from the proofs of Revelation being of a probable, rather than of a demonstrative, kind.” The late Bishop of London, a short time before his death, directed that ait the graduates, as well as under-graduates, of Christ college, Cambridge, should, in future,be admitted to be candidates for the two annual gold medals which he has given for ever. The subjects for the present year are, for the Latin dissertation: 68 Beatitudo bumana non pendet tantummodo ex hâc vitâ, sed expectanda est alia." For the English" Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."-1 Pet. ii. 14. Mr. SPENCER SMITH, late minister plemipotentiary at the Ottoman Porte, and brother of Sir Sidney, has presented the university of Cambridge with two very valuabic Greek marbles, to be added to the collection in the vestibule: namely, the body of an amphora, about three feet in length, from the shores of the Propontis; and a votive tablet, or cippus, from Cyzicus. The first exhibits a bas relief in a very high style of ancient sculpture, which is remarkable for the pileus, or Athenian hat, still worn by patriarchs of the Greek church; and of which, only one other representation is preserved in ancient sculpture. 66 The following subjects are proposed for the Chancellor's prizes at Cainbridge, verses: Pyramides viz.-For Latin Egyptiaca."-For an English essay: "What are the arts, in the cultivation of which the moderns have been less successful than the ancients?"-For a Latin essay : "In Philosophiâ quæ de Vita et Moribus est illustranda, quænam præcipuè Sermonum Socraticorum fuit excellentia ?" The first of the above subjects is intend ed for those gentlenien of the university who have not exceeded four years from the time of their matriculation; and the other two for such as have exceeded four, but not completed seven years. Sir ROGER NEWDIGATE's prize, for the best composition in English verse, not containing more than fifty lines, by any under-graduate who has not exceeded four years from the time of his matriculation: "The Statue ofthe Dying Gladiator." The late Dr. SMITH's two prizes of 251. each, for the best proficients in mathematics and natural philosophy, among the cominencing bachelors of arts of Cambridge, were adjudged to Messrs. William Henry Maule, and Thomas Shaw Brandreth, of Trinity college, the first and second wranglers. The subjects for Sir William BROWNE'S three gold medals for the present year, are, for the Greek ode |
