favourite subject with the Venetians, The churches are handsome, and similarly ornamented: in that of Santa Maria della Salute are some splendid executions by Titian. The arsenal once so celebrated is now shut up. Nearly four hundred bridges form a communication between the different streets, and the gondolas are continually in motion, gliding along with incredible rapidity, whilst the splendid churches and palaces, which are constantly presenting themselves, form a pleasing succession; and interest the traveller as well by their novelty as magnificence. The next evening we left Venice, and slept at Fu sina. We rose early on the following day; our chamber windows commanded a fine view across the Lagune to Venice, and the Alps in the distance bounded the prospect. The glow of day-break which preceded brilliant morning, gave a peculiar softness and grandeur to an interesting outline of domes and pinnacles, as we took our farewell view of the city. Returning to Padua, we proceeded thence to Vicenza, celebrated as the birth place of Palladio. The Olympic Theatre, in the form of a semi-circle, is his best work. The scenery is of wood, composing a series of building models, thrown into a perspective of three streets; these are fixed to the stage, and, of course, preclude any change of objects. The niches of the theatre are ornamented with statues. Here are also many other specimens of his genius, especially the Palazzo Publico. We next arrived at Verona, which is situated on the Adige. Its principal attraction consists of the celebtated amphithe atre, one of the most perfect remains of Roman antiquity: its interior was adapted to contain 40,000 spectators. The lower part of the building is now occupied by the shops of blacksmiths, coopers, and fruiterers, the rent of which is expended in keeping it in repair. Artillery and centinels are generally stationed at Verona along one side of the squares; and as we proceed, this repulsive spectacle always reminds us that we are enjoying the locomotive privi૨ ATHENEUM VOL. 6. 121 lege under the cannon's mouth. The tradesmen here follow the example of those in the other Italian towns, and perhaps to a greater extent: not satisfied with having their name and business printed in large letters, they preter a more descriptive appendage; on the shutter of a shoemaker we see represented a man trying a pair of shoes, and on that of a glover a gentleman fitting himself with gloves. The city is clean and handsome, and boasts of having given birth to Pliny, Cornelius Nepos, Vitruvius, &c. We left Verona the same day, and proceeded to Peschiera, where we embarked for Desenzano, on the Lago di Garda: this lake is extensive, and the Alps, in the distance towering to the clouds, present an imposing outline: we were some time on the lake, and its different points afforded us several fine views. We set out again, and passing through a flat, but fertile, country, arrived at Milan in the afternoon. The most interesting object here is the cathedral called Il Duomo, situated nearly in the centre of the town. It was begun by Barsi, after a design by Pellegrini, in 1376, under the ducal prince, John Galeas: it is in the Gothic style, and highly ornamented; its material, a beautiful white marble, from the neighbourhood of the Lago Maggiore. Succeeding governments have assisted in the embellishment of this fine structure; but the late changes in Italian politics have delayed its completion. The Ambrosian library contai.s many curiosities; among the most remarkable is a manuscript copy of Virgil, and auother of Josephus on Papyrus; the first was the property of Petrarch. In the neighbourhood of Milan is the Villa of Buonaparte, pleasantly situated; the front windows command a large piece of ground, called the Champs de Mars, whence the ears are assailed by the delightful music of boys learning to beat the drum. At a short distance is a triumphal arch, commenced under the direction of Napoleon, but never finished. The appearance of Milan is altogether interesting and beautiful: the streets are wide; and a foot-way for passengers, although narrow, strikes a person who has visited the other cities. ROYAL ACADEMY, of the continent as an agreeable novelty. R. C. M Your's, truly, FINE ARTS. From the Literary Gazette, by comparison, with which, the merits of all. modern works are to be decided; it was nec No, 27. Ganymede. By W. Hilton. essary in the first place, properly to adjust the Upward the golden Eagle wings his way Above the mountainous world, and to the skies Bears the boy Ganymede. The kingly bird Shadows his beauty with majestic wings, HE artist, as well as the author, who has Tdisplayed great talents in the produc tion of a work, is as it were pledged to the Herculean labour of rising in the scale with every succeeding effort. Like Jove's bird in this picture, he must soar with one upward sweep from earth to heaven, to satisfy the impossible expectations of his admirers. We do not mean to apply this remark exclusively to Mr. Hilton: it will be found to bear upon all who anxiously waste their strength by too long continued or too violent exertions, to please often injudicious friends, who for get that there may be a stimulus beyond human powers, and a strife which will enfeeble human genius. This Ganymede is a picture of much merit; it possesses vigour, is brilliantly coloured, and contrasted in a way which shews that the artist is perfectly skil led in the use of his means. The eagle too is finely conceived and executed. But we cannot extend our praise to the human figure, which does not realize the idea of perfect beauty. The limbs are, on the contrary, rather hard in outline; nor does the countenance express the full force of the poet's description. claims of these alleged models, in the same manner as we should endeavour to make cor-. rect any other standard of comparison. The ancients have had the merit (and the advantage too) of leading the way; and, in large. compositions, it is not probable that they will ever be exceeded: partly from their having so nearly attained perfection, partly from change of circumstances, to which we have.. already adverted in a former paper. Mi chael Angelo showed us how the heroic cha racter might be adequately represented; and by appropriately exaggerating some parts, and generalising others, gave super-human form. But his style can be safely attempted by those of kindred powers alone; in weaker hands it only produces affectation or constraint. From these grand designs, Raphael caught his inspiration, and with the discrimination accompanying genius, simplified or divers fied his manner, to fill every character and accomplish every purpose of his art. Though Raphael died young, he completed his dea of design and handling; a man like him would not remain stationary; but the only part of his pictures capable of improvemeat is the inferior department of colouringand effect. Had he lived to paint more pictures, it is not probable they would have exceeded the Transfiguration in the grand requisites of the art. It would take up too much, space, and is not necessary, to enumerate his successors; suffice it to say, that though some of them carried the minor beauties of the art to greater perfection than he did, yet no one, man has united in himself to so great a degree all the higher qualifications of a painter. In this dignified class of art, West has enriched our country with numberless admirable pictures; many of which would bear to be compared with those of any age. And numerous younger men are following his footsteps, and keep alive the fire, ready to burst forth whenever the public shall fan it into flame. In smaller pictures and less extensive compositions we remember with exultation the work of Thompson, Stothard, Howard, Westall, Hilton, Alston, and some others. In many of these pictures the English are advantageously distinguished (not only from other modern painters (ut also from the ancents) by juster conception of the story and greater purity of taste. They likewise be stow most diligence upon what is the real inWe have spoken in succession (though terest of the picture, and do not divert the briefly) of nearly all the best pures in the attention from the point, by any trifling degallery and will now make me general tail of parts. In Landscape painting Engobservations, upon the compative merits of land has produced during the last twenty the ancients and moderns. Our remarks on years pictures of higher merit and in greater the moderns have been sparing; because they number than any other country has furnishwere critic.sed in another part of the Joured in so short a period of time. In Turner nal, and we wished to avoid repetition and prolixity. We thought also, that since old pictures have been considered as standards No. 11. Parting between Prince Charles Stuart and Flora. Macdonald. W. Allan.---` A fair specimen of the picturesque pencil of Mr. Allas in which wild scenery gives great interest to the affecting incident of the story, No. 21. Jeanie Deans' first interview with her father after her return from London--(Tales of my Landlord.) By the same. The interest of this picture we consider to be much injured by a close adherence to a clouted and vulgar costume. ANCIENT AND MODERN PICTURES. too, we have a painter who has not only represented ordinary scenes and common appearances, with greater brilliancy and ef fect than former painters, but who has exteaded the bounds of the art; who has shewn the possibility of picturing appearances which his predecessors despaired of attemptjpg. Sunshine and Mist, Storm and Calm, Mountain and Plain, Porest and Desert, Turner represents them all with perfect truth and unprecedented splendor. In addition to Turner, we have probably twenty Landscape painters, each of whom might be compared advantageously with any ancient but Clande, and some of t em would not suffer even from this test. The English also have brought to 123 perfection the art of painting in water colours; and shewn that they are capable of representing every object of nature with as much truth as oil colours,---some objects with still greater truth. In scenes from humble life the English shew themselves to equal advantage. The Dutch cared not for the subject, and often seem to give a preference to filth. But our countrymen always represent some amusing incident, and describe it without grossness. The best of them are uníversally intellig ble, and combine the merits ofJan Steen, Teniers and Ostade. VARIETIES: CRITICAL, LITERARY, AND HISTORICAL. From the New Monthly Magazine. MECHANICS. NEW and curious application of the A mechanical powers has been exhib ited by the natives of Porto Novo,on the coast of Coromandel in weighing the best bower anchor of his Majesty's ship Minden, on the Coleroon shoal, after the ship had struck and got off again, and when the ordinary process, by a purchase with a launch was found to be ineffectual. The Indians formed all the spare spars, topmasts, booms &c. into a compact body of three or four feet in diameter, which they made fast to the buoy rope, when sixty of them, by means of slew ropes, turned the bundle of spars until the slack of the buoy rope was wound round it, when by the judicious management of their feet, and the wet distributed weight of their bodies, they turned the spars round until the anchor was weighed, keeping it in that position whilst it was towed under the bow of the Minden, and bove up in the usual way. This anchor weighed three tons. DOGS TAUGHT TË SMUGGLE. (From the 'Journal of a Traveller,' now in the Press.) In the Netherlands they use dogs of a very large and strong breed for the purposes of draught. They are harnessed like horses, and chiefly employed in drawing little carts with fish, vegetables, eggs, &c. to market. Previously to the year 1795,such dogs were also employed in smuggling, which was the more easy, as they are extremely docile. As it is probable that this mode of smuggling may have been again resorted to since the year 1815, we will give some account of it. The dogs were accustomed to go backwards and forwards between two places on the frontiers, without any person to attend them. A dog of this kind was often worth six or seven louis-d'ors, as the training cost some trouble. Being loaded with httle parcels of goods, (lace, &c.) uke mules, they set out at midnight, and only when it was perfectly dark. An excellent. quick-scented dog always went some paces before the others, stretched out his no-e towards all quarters, and when he scented customhouse officers, &c. turned back, which was the signal for immediate fight. Concealed in ditches, behind bushes, &c. the dogs now waited till all was safe, then proceeded on their journey, and reached at last, beyond the frontier, the dwelling of the receiver of the goods, But here also, who was in the secret. the leading dog only at first showed himself; but on a certain whistle, which was the signal that every thing was right, they all hastened up. They were then unloaded, taken to a convenient stable where there was a good layer of hay, and well fed. There they rested till midnight, and then returned in the same manner back, over the frontiers. A few days ago died, in Staffordshire, an aged clergyman, who during the course of a well-spent life, had walked to the church of which he was curate more than 4,000 miles, including the occasional duties of parish. He had preached in the church upwards of 4,000 times, baptized more than 5,000 children, and buried upwards of 4,000 corpses. He had baptized one Jew, many Gentiles, and, in one day, 15 Quakers; and in the course of this time he bad married more than 3,000 couples. He gave general satisfaction to the parishioners, and, after all this service, he remained until his death as he began, between forty and fifty years ago, a poor curate! EXTRAORDINARY MURDER. little value. Nero established some for the people, in which 1000 tickets were daily distributed, and several of those who were favoured by fortune got rich by them. Heliogabalus invented some very singular, where the prizes were of great value or none at all: one gained a prize of six slaves, another of six flies: some got valuable vases and others vases of common earth. A lottery of this kind exhibited an excellent picture of the inequality with which fortune distributes her favours. The first lottery that we find in our annals was in It is the custom in Russia to place sisted of 40,000 lots, at 10s each. The 1569, which, according to Stowe, cona corpse on the night before the burial in the church, where the priest, accomprizes were plate, and the profits were panied by a chorister, is obliged to pray. the kingdom; it was drawn at the west to go towards repairing the havens of It once happened in a village on such door of St. Paul's cathedral, and began an occasion, that to the amazement of the priest, the corpse suddenly arose, and continued incessantly day and night drawing on the 11th January, 1569, came out of the coffin, and marched up till the 6th of May following. The tickto him. In vain the priest sprinkled him with a quantity of holy water; he 1612, King James granted a lottery to ets were three years in disposal. was seized, thrown to the ground, and killed. This story was related on the promote the plantation of English colofollowing morning by the terrified chonies in Virginia, which was also drawn rister, who had crept into a corner and concealed himself. He positively added, that after having perpetrated the crime the dead man laid himself down in the coffin again. He was really found so. Nobody could conceive how this murder was committed. At length after the lapse of many years it was discovered. A robber, who among many other crimes confessed this also, had slipped in the dark into the church, put the corpse aside, and taken his place in the coffin. After perpetrating the crime, he had put every thing again in order, and then retreated, without being perceived. The motive of this murder was hatred to the priest, occasioned by an old quarrel. LOTTERIES. If the antiquity of a practice could justify its existence, lotteries might claim peculiar reverence. The Romans, we find, used to enliven their Saturnalia with them, by distributing tickets which gained some prize. Augustus made lotteries which consisted of things of at St. Paul's. A boy, named John Young, residing in Newton-upon-Ayr, has constructed a piece of mechanism, of which the following is some account---A box, about three feet long, by two broad, and six or eight inches deep, has a frame and paper covering erected on it, in the form of a house, so that the box appears as the floor of the house. On the upper part of the box are a number of wooden figures, people employed in those trades or sciences about two or three inches high, representing with which the boy is familiar. The whole are put in motion at the same time by machinery, within the box, acted upon by a handle like that of a hand-organ. A weaver upon his loom, with a fly-shuttle, uses his hands and feet, and keeps his eye upon the dier, sitting with a sailor at a change-house shuttle, as it passes across the web. table, fills a glass, drinks it off, then knocks on the table, upon which an old woman opens a door, makes her appearance, and they retire. Two shoemakers upon their stools are seen, the one beating leather and the other sewing a shoe. A cloth-dresser, a stone-cutter, a cooper, a tailor, a woman A sol churning, and one tearing wool, are all at work. There is also a joiner sawing a piece of wood, and two blacksmiths beating a piece of iron, the one using a forge-hammer ing a grind-stone, while a man sharpens an inand the other a small hammer; a boy turnstrument upon it; and a barber shaving a man, holding fast by the nose with one hand. The boy is about 17 years of age, and since the bent of his mind could be first mark ed, his only amusement was his working with a knife, making little mechanical figures; and this is the more extraordinary, as he had no opportunity whatever of seeing any person employed in a similar way. He was bred a weaver with his father, and since he could be employed at the trade, has had no time for his favourite study, except after the work ceased, or during the intervals; and the only tool he ever had to assist him was a pocket knife. In his earlier years he produced several curiosities on a smaller scale, but the above is his greatest work, to which he has devoted all his spare time during the last two years. EXTRAORDINARY INCREASE OF A GRAIN OF WHEAT. In a commune of the department of the Meuse, a stalk of wheat has been shown, bearing 56 shoots, and each of these a beautiful ear. This extraordinary plant is the produce of a grain of wheatdropt by accident, and confirm what has been said in favour of the method of sowing corn thinly, to make it shoot well, and consequently to save a great deal of seed. The number of grains yielded by these ears, if we take the fullest, the poor est, and one that is mean between them, is from 100 to 110 in general: the mean may therefore be taken at 34 or 35 grains per ear. The grain of wheat of M. Rampont (above spoken of) has therefore yielded 1900 fold. We read in the Art de multipler les grains" by M. Francois de Neufchateau, who quotes the Ephemerides of Vallèmont, that in 1671 a stein of barley grew in Silesia to a very great height, and that it produced 12 large and 9 small ears, all very full; that Denis, physician to the King of France had obtained from a single grain of wheat above 200 ears; and that the Friers de la doctrine Chretienne at Paris, possessed a bouquet of ba ley with 249 stems, which yielded 18,000 grains. FREDOLFO. Mr. MATURIN has published, at Edinburgh his tragedy of Fredolfo, which was damned at Covent Garden, in spite of all the efforts of that admirable company of performers, who so ably sustain the national drama at that theatre. Mr. M. should have been content with the opinion of the audience, and not have provoked more permanent animadversion, by the obtrusion of this diseased mass of poetry on the public. This author's extravagant combinations of distorted feelings and improbable circumstances, are only calculated to inspire every well-disciplined mind with disgust. His personages do as never men did, and speak as never men spake; and yet, he has a strange kind of halfsane conception of dramatic effect, that, in the present dearth of dramatic literature, united to the "frenzy" of his poetry, which we own occasionally deserves the epithet of "fine," enables him to furnish striking scenic spectacles, that hold something like a middle place between the melo-drama and tragedy. The managers should furnish him with plots; for his whole merit, as a dramatist, consists in the dialogue; and, even in that, he is but a second-rate hand. Monthly Mag. THE MERRY-MAKER. 125 Nothing can put me more out of humour than what is called a merry-maker:-such a fellow deserves his name with about the same right that a lady of pleasure does her's. CHARACTERISTIC OF THE DISSOLUTE. Man is generally much pleased to behold the ills he owes to his debaucheries visited upon other men, who are free from similar excesses; and nothing gives, for example, a drunkard greater pleasure, than if he perceives a waterdrinker with a red nose. ORME. When this intelligent historian presided in the export warehouse of Madras, one Davidson, who acted under him, one day at breakfast being asked by Mr. Orme of what profession his father was? Davidson replied, that he was a saddler." And pray," said he, "why did he not make you a saddler ?" I was always whimsical," said Davidson, "and rather chose to try my fortune as you have done, in the EastBut pray, India Company's service. Sir," continued he, "what profession was your father?"- My father," answered the historian, rather sharply, 66 was a gentleman."-" And why," retorted Davidson, with great simplicity, "did he not breed you up a gentleman ?” DRUNKENNESS. The forgotten poet Randolph has this epigram on drunkenness : "Who holds more wine than others can, And yet, to be able to bear much wine undisordered, is a proof of strength of brain, as well as of stomach,-is a proof that great voluntarity of idea usually accompanies the individual. Be it added, that ideas grow vivid during the progress of that stimulation which preceded intoxication; and it is by no means clear, that a voluntary power of calling-up the most vivid ideas of which the brain is capable, can be acquired, without previously exciting such vivid ideas by mechanical means. 1 he temperate and sober nations do not produce |
