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226 Tauscher's Tours in the Southern parts of Russia in Asia. [April 1,

point of the Wolga-Malian Steppe, which was by no means of inferior inte

rest.

"This point," continues the indefati gable Tauscher, "was the rock-salt hill of Arsagar, to which also no traveller besides Pallas had previously extended his researches: it is situated in the centre of the Tartarian Steppe, nearly equidistant from the shores of the Caspian Sea, and the rivers Wolga and Ural. Even on this isolated and inconsiderable eminence, Pallas discovered some unknown kinds of plants, which no one has either discovered, or sought after since his time. According to every account," says our traveller, "there was no possibility of reaching it without passing through an extent of Steppe, bordering on six hundred versts, nor was there any certainty of our meeting with one single Khirgisian or Calmuc tent on the whole route. These considerations rendered it indispensable that we should carry along with us all the victuals, clothing, &c. we might require during this excursion. Having provided ourselves in these respects, we began our journey to the Arsagar about the middle of the month of June, accompanied by ten or twelve Cossacks, who were employed to draw our carriage, and a Calmuc guide, who professed himself to be completely acquainted with the Steppe. We were unable to advance at a greater rate than sixty to seventy versts a day, on account of the distances between the watering-places, where we were under the necessity of halting, and taking up our night's abode. During this part of our Steppic travels, our good stars were repeatedly eclipsed. A violent heat, keeping at between 100 and 114 degrees, wore out both man and beast, and rendered the wheels of our carriage so dry and loose, that I was under constant apprehensions, if I persisted in my progress, of being stranded with all my baggage and incumbrances in the midst of the desert Steppe. After seven days journeying, we reached the shores of the Kamysch Samara lakes. The ignorance and deceitfulness of our guide now be came unfortunately but too evident, by his ack owledging, that he was not so well acquainted with the route from this spot to Arsagar, as to be able to vouch for our reaching it; whilst those of my attendants, who had any knowledge of the localities of the Steppe, concurred in assuring me, the distance hence to the salt hill was as much again as what we had traversed since quitting the Ural.

These untoward circumstances obliged me, though most reluctantly indeed, to abandon my tour to Arsagar altogether, and endeavour to repay myself for this disappointment, by prolonging my stay in the vicinity of these lakes. They promised me, it is true, no great accession of botanical subjects; but, on the other hand, appeared proportionably more prolific in remarkable insects and water fowl, against which I declared a deadly warfare.

"The lakes called Kamysch Samara, consist of a group of distinct waters, va rying in their sizes, and possessing no visible source, though some pretty large streams flow into them from the neighbouring steppes. They are encircled by a morass (varying from thirty to forty versts in breadth), covered in every direction by a dense and impenetrable bulwark of reeds; these plantations of reeds are the only part of the south of Russia, with which I am acquainted, that are inhabited by wild boars of uncommon magnitude. My attendants hunted these animals, and set the reeds on fire in order to drive them out of their hiding-places. The wind spread the flames over an extent of several versts, and the dense volumes of smoke which darkened the horizon by day, as well as the bursts of flame which crimsoned the heavens by night, presented an awful and beautiful scene. The whole of our booty amounted, however, to no more than one solitary cub, which was taken alive and preserved as a curiosity for the Governor General of Orenburg. The soil in the vicinity of the lakes consists of an arid and shifting sand, which the sun's rays render almost burning hot. On this scorching carpet we pitched our tents. The water both of the lake and the streams flowing into it, has a decidedly saline taste: this, in conjunction with its having been rendered lukewarm by the excessive heat of the weather, oc casioned its increasing our thirst, instead of allaying it. In the absence, however, of any other, we were compelled to put up with this tepid beverage.

"It was natural to imagine that the parched nature of the soil would have stifled all vegetation; we were therefore much surprised to find, that several species of plants flourished luxuriantly in it. This circumstance is the more remarkable, as the steppes, and conse

Such as the Souchus tartaricus, Centaurea splendidus, Cnicus salinus, Cardaus monodonos, and polydonos; several sorts of Artemisiæ, &c.

1816.]

Miscellaneous Enquiries.

quently these plants, are never moistened by a single drop of dew, and they are but rarely visited by rain during the summer months. This singular fact perhaps admits of being explained; the sand, whose surface is heated to so excessive a degree, is always found to be damp and cool at a certain depth; whilst every plant growing in it, sends out a long perpendicular root into the moister region of the soil, by which it is nourished against the withering influence of the external heat.

"After a nomadic residence of eight days in the environs of the lake, which furnished us with a great variety of insects and beautiful birds, as well as plants, we retraced our steps, and once more reached Inderskoi Krepost, having been altogether three weeks absent from it.

"Accounts from Moscow and Orenburg had previously brought me intelligence, that uncertainty still hung over the further execution of the Bukharian project, and that there was little likelihood of its taking place during the present year. This determined me upon departing from my original intention of returning to Orenburg; and I now resolved to follow the course of the Ural downwards as far as its fall into the Caspian Sea; thus completing my know ledge of the whole line of that river.

227

After a few days rest at Inderskoi Krepost, I once more took my leave of it, halted, in my progress along the Uralian Line, wherever any thing offered that seemed deserving of attention, and arrived in the course of about a fortnight at Gurieff, which is the last and most southerly place on the Ural, and also one of the southernmost points of the Russian dominions. Saratschieck, a Cossack station between Inderskoi and Gurieff, particularly attracted my notice, as it is not only built in the neighbourhood, but partly on the ruins, of an ancient Tartar city of the same name. These ruins, from their magnitude (for they appeared to me to extend over a space of ten or twelve versts), from the still perceptible traces of large canals, issuing from the Ural, and from the few remains of embellishments, consisting of a species of Mosaic in the Arabesque taste, awaken ideas by no means unfavourable to the ingenuity, and civilization of their former inhabitants. These were of the celebrated Golden Horde of Tartars, who are well known in the annals of the middle ages, and as late as the commencement of the seventeenth century. On this spot I had also the gratification of procuring several plants and insects, which I had not hitherto met with."

(To be concluded in our next.)

MISCELLANEOUS INQUIRIES.

ROWLEY'S GLOBES. Mr. JABET, of Birmingham, solicits information relative to globes said to be printed by Mr. John Rowley, as may be seen in No. 552 of the Spectator. How many were made, and are any now in existence?

THAWING OF FROZEN TURNIPS.

HENRY OSBORN observes, that hot water will not thaw frozen turnips, but cold water will; and asks how this is to be accounted for.

TREES BURIED IN THE MARSHES.

T. R. W. inquires the reason why in the marshy parts of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire, there are found,

at the depth of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, branches, trunks, and roots of trees, the wood of a hard texture and very black.

TYRON-LATIN VERSE.

PETER would be gratified by any information respecting Tyron, and a work written by him recommending abstinence from animal food. He is mentioned in Franklin's life.

The same correspondent also would be thankful to any of our readers who can furnish him with the name of the author of the following line: "Quisquis amat ranam, ranam putat esse

Dianam."

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EXTRACTS

FROM THE PORTFOLIO OF AN AMATEUR.

[April 1,

In fact, anecdotes are small characteristic narratives, which, though long neglected or secreted, are always valuable, as being frequently more illustrative of the real disposi tions of men than their actions of great publicity, and therefore particularly requisite in biography.-Supplement to NORTHCOTE'S Life of REYNOLDS.

BARRY (historical painter.) BARRY carried his independence so far as always to pay for his dinner at whatever table he might be invited. At one time he dined with Paul Sandby, and laid down 1s. 6d. for his meal; but, on recollection, paid another 6d. for his additional quantity of grog. He was not, however, so considerate at a dinner given by Sir Wm. Beechey. This gentleman, aware of Barry's custom, eyed him attentively at his departure; and observing him lay down his usual price, asked him what he meant. "Mean?" replied Barry, "why that I will not be beholden to any man for a dinner."-" But," said his host, "you have not left enough: consider the wine you have drunk.""Phoo!" said Barry, "I could have done without it: but you are a fool to give it if you can't afford it-let me go."

One evening, at Somerset House, the late Mr. Peters said to Barry: "How do you do, Mr. Barry; I hope you are well?" To which Barry replied: "I don't be lieve a word of it." Yet Dr. Wolcott observed of him: "Go where he will, he always leaves a pearl behind him.”

The introduction of Dr. Burney in his picture of The Thames, it is said provoked a remark from the musician's lady, who declared she was by no means obliged to the painter for placing her husband among a parcel of naked women in a horse-pond. Seriously, there is no looking at the doctor's well-drest wig without fearing an immersion, or at least a wetting from the playful nereids.-It is said that in this picture Barry meant also to have introduced the portrait of Lord Nelson.

It was no uncommon case for Barry's sincerity to overcome his politeness. One day he accompanied Sir Elijah Impey, who wished for his opinion on his portrait, to Rossi, the sculptor. Barry for some time looked at the model with earnestness; at length he exclaimed: "What a dd ugly fellow!" but declared at the same time the correctness of the resemblance.

At one time Barry invited Burke to

dine with him on beef-steaks and porter: he literally made his guest cook the victuals while he fetched the porter. A cardinal once dining with Nicholas Poussin, and observing that the artist had no servants, lamented his situation, when Poussin remarked significantly, that he was only sorry his eminence had any.

The Duke of Northumberland with becoming nobleness invited Barry to dine with him, and during the repast at Northumberland House the discourse ran upon the distribution of paintings round the room, among which was the inimitable effort of Titian, The Conaro Family. "How, Mr. Barry," said his grace, "do you approve of the placing of these pictures?"" Oh very well, my lord duke; but there is a capital place there at the bottom, there is a side-light which is unoccupied."-" I mean that vacancy," said the duke, "to be filled by a production of your pencil, Sir, which I request you to finish as soon as possible. I wish the subject to be taken from the History of England, but shall leave the selection, and the size and price, to be fixed by yourself; and have only this to add, that you will contrive to introduce a master of the horse in the grouping, and adopt my portrait in that character." After this introduction the parties separated; and in the ensuing week the duke called repeatedly upon the artist, who was as uniformly denied. At length his grace, fatigued by such a caprice, sent a letter by his servant desiring to speak to him, when James Barry was pleased to express himself thus: "Go to the duke, your master, and tell him from me, that if he wants his portrait painted, he may go to the fellow in Leicester-fields (Sir Joshua Reynolds) for that office shall never be fulfilled by me."

Mr. Tresham informed me, that Sr Wm. Chambers employed Barry to paint the heads in the angles of the ceiling of the council-chamber of the Royal Academy, and that after he had completed them, he ordered the porter to bring him a long pole, and, from caprice or indignation at his talents being thus em

1816.] Anecdotes of Barry-Bartolozzi--Bellingham—-Bligh.

229

ployed, he thrust it through every one of of the sculptor on his own, they sallied the heads which he had just finished.

At the time the writer was collecting these anecdotes, the question of altering the sky-light of the great room of the Society of Arts, in the Adelphi, was agitated by the members. It may be recollected by some of that body that, on a person complaining to Barry of the bad way in which the room was lighted by the present sky-light, he answered: "What's that to me?"-consequently he painted in the dark corners those parts which he wished kept down. How absurd then would these subjects appear when drawn to light-yet the better lighting of the room was urged by some who ought to have known better. It is, we believe, well known that many a canvas is painted on after being hung on the walls of the Royal Academy, in order to paint to the light there, which is probably very different from that in the painter's study. But what shall we say to men who wished to revel in porphyry and verd antique? Let us leave them, as a facetious friend of ours advised, to gild or paint the cheeks of statues.When Barry's pictures were finished, some one had covered with size the centre lights of the dome of the great room, and when Barry inquired why this was done, he was told, to prevent the sun from injuring his pictures. He exclaimed with anger: Who is afraid of the light of the sun in such a dd climate as this?"

Barry re-touched his pictures several times before his death: he gave the appearance of changeable silk to the train of one of the victors at the Olympic games, altered the sky, &c.

The writer received the following anecdote from the late Mr. Tresham. When Barry and Nollekins resided at Rome, it was presumed the former had (what was not very uncommon) made rather too free with the wife of his host. Barry was not singular in this instance; but the husband being less liberal in his ideas than many other Italian husbands, vowed vengeance against the violator of his honour. One night as the artists sat late at a coffee-house, Barry told the story, and vented his fears to Mr. Nollekins, and begged the protection of his company home. This was agreed to. "Now," said Barry, "I like you; you are a fine fellow; but, d-n it, you never look like a gentleman: why don't you dress better? -bere, take my hat." "At that time he wore one with gold lace. He placed it on Nollekins' head, and clapping that

out. They had not proceeded far before they were assailed by ruffians, one of whom exclaimed: "That's he!-the fellow with the gold-laced hat!" Nollekins, however, indebted to a swift pair of heels, escaped; and Barry arrived safe home.-Barry's heart was not, however, unsusceptible of affectionate emotions. On the death of his brother, whom he had assisted to become an architect, he thus writes:-" Poor Jack! he was the last of the family I started from anong and the last of those I would have parted with. His death has almost blasted all the hopes I had of being of service to my family."

Barry resisted all offers of assistance from his father's bequest, saying he was determined to depend solely on his own

exertions.

FRANCESCO BARTOLOZZI (engraver.)

When Cipriani was making the drawings for the Orlando Furioso, he designed a frontispiece to the work, in which he delineated Time turning an urn of medallions into the waters of Oblivion, with the names of great men inscribed on them, but introduced a swan bearing away in its mouth one on which he inserted the name of Bartolozzi. This the elegant mind of the engraver caused him to omit, and he substituted the name of "Cipriani."

When Beckford's book on hunting was first published, there was affixed to it, as a frontispiece, a design of Cipriani engraved by Bartolozzi. The late Charles Fox one day entering a bookseller's shop in Piccadilly, saw the book lying open, ran over the leaves, and then inquired the price of the work. He was answered five guineas. Mr. Fox put down the money, and tearing out the frontispiece, which he preserved, left the book behind him on the counter.

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INTELLIGENCE IN LITERATURE AND THE ARTS AND SCIENCES.

EVER since the commencement of this Misc any it has been our anxious endeavour to stand well with the public, not by stooping to be the panders of base passions, but by punctually fulfilling our engagements, by manly independence of principles, and by a rigid adherence to truth. To support the cause of Truth the NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE was established, and by Truth (so long, at least, as the writer of this has any control over its pages) shall it stand or fall. With these sentiments we feel peculiar gratification in being enabled to refute most triumphantly a charge brought against us in a hostile work of having published a false and intemperate statement, accompanied with the intimation that people ought not to be surprized at any means which might be resorted to by such desperate and insignificant adventuHere follows our explanation as furnished by a correspondent :

rers.

At the annual meeting of subscribers to the WALSALL LIBRARY, held in June, 1815, the expulsion of the Old Monthly Magazine was moved by Mr. WEAVER, surgeon, and seconded by the Rev. T. R. GLEADOW, who spoke in the strongest terms of reprobation of the religious and political principles of the Old Monthly Magazine. They did not use the word execration, but their remarks must unavoidably have excited this feeling in the breasts of all who were not indifferent to social order, due obedience to legitimate governments, and the necessity of implanting truly christian principles in the minds of the rising generation. There appeared no advocate for it excepting Mr. BowEN, who was in the chair, and made a speech in its favour. When he found the meeting unanimous against him, he proposed to tear out the objectionable parts from cach number.* But this was over-ruled as a measure more likely to increase than diminish the danger, and it was unanimously agreed to discontinue it. The following notice on this subject appeared in the NEW MONTHY MAGAZINE for July:

"At a general meeting of the subscribers to the WALSALL LIBRARY, it was unani.

* Could the most inveterate enemy of the Old Monthly Magazine have pronounced a more severe condemnation on that work than was unplied in this proposal of its friend and supporter 2-EDITOR.

mously resolved to discontinue taking in the Old Monthly Magazine, it being considered a work of dangerous tendency, and deserving the execration of every true patriot."

At the first committee meeting after the appearance of the above paragraph, it was proposed by Mr. FLETCHER, in the name of Mr. BowEN, (who was not reelected one of the committee,) that the committee should send a paragraph deThe committee nying the statement. refused this:-they agreed, that although the word execration was not used, the whole statement was substantially cor rect, and they merely authorised Mr. FLETCHER to state to Mr. BowEN that they did not know any thing of the author of the paragraph. Notwithstanding this, the following appeared in the Old Monthly Magazine for October, 1815:

"We are stimulated by respect for the WALSALL BOOK SOCIETY to give place to the following letter. We were not previously it alludes, though we are not surprised at acquainted with the circumstance to which any means which may have been resorted to by the desperate and insignificant adventurers in question:

"SIR,

"Walsall, Sept. 18, 1815.

"I observe, with much surprise, the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine acquaints the public, that your excellent miscellany was, at our annual meeting in June last, voted out of the Book Society in this town with execration; permit me to assure you, the statement is as false as it is intemperate, and must be the suggestion of an unguarded temper, rather than of a cool and liberal mind. The committee request me to inform the Editor, that they disclaim any knowledge "I remain, Sir,

of the illiberal author.

"Yours, &c.

"S. FLETCHER, President." ER's letter to the worthy knight, he was After the appearance of Mr. FLETCHasked at a meeting of the committee whether he avowed the letter. He did rised to make such communication to avow it, and thought that he was authoSir RICHARD PHILLIPS. Mr. FLETCHER had evidently mistaken the meaning of the committee's direction, which was merely verbal, and no memorandum made of it.

So far the explanation of our corre spondent.-We are equally willing with the committee to charge the above letter to the account of mistake; but for ou own parts we cannot attribute the fol

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