1816.].

MR. EDITOR,

THE repeated instances which have lately occurred, of persons losing their lives by spring guns and other murderous instruments, placed in woods through which there are public foot-paths, must fill every feeling mind with horror and disgust at so arbitrary and cruel an exercise of the game laws.

Independently of these unjustifiable measures, so great is the fastidiousness respecting game, and so anxious are the proprietors of extensive manors to preserve and monopolize every head of it for their own exclusive amusement, that the farmers renting under them, and a great part of whose crops are sometimes devoured by the game, are not only prohibited from shooting themselves, but so complete is their vassalage, that they are compelled to warn off any of their friends who may be properly qualified, and who might wish for an hour's recreation. In addition to these restrictions (in the neighbourhood to which I allude) no person can be followed by a dog of any description, without the risk of being insalted by some of the game-keepers, and questioned as to his right to keep or to take out a dog and during the summer months, should any respectable females amuse themselves with gathering a few wild flowers, they are either sternly forbidden, or the flowers wrested from their hands; nay, even the poor cottagers are interdicted from picking a handful or two of small berries that grow wild in the woods, for the purpose of making a pudding for their children; and all this under the pretence of " preserve ing the game!"

We are, sir, perfectly aware that the power vested by the odious game laws, in the hands of landed proprietors is omnipotent, and that an arbitrary exercise of it cannot be prevented; but your wonder must be somewhat excited, when I inform you that some of those who are acting in this despotic manner affect to be "unfriendly" to the game laws, and wish to be considered as enforcing them with "great mildness and liberality!" Such an inconsistency is not only absurd, but it is at the same time an insult to public feeling; and I shall conclude with briefly observing, that those who exercise arbitrary power, unmeliorated by concessions, and unsoftened by any indulgence whatever, must know but little of the human mind, if they hope in return to possess the affection or esteem of that portion of the population among which they reside. Such an expectation NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 25.

38

would be most vain and preposterous, since even the Supreme Being does not claim the love and veneration of his creatures merely because he possesses the attribute of omuipotence. PUBLICOLA. W-b-n, B-df-ds-re."

MR. EDITOR,

IT must, I think, be obvious to every one, and particularly to those who are in the habit of writing or reading in the afternoon, that the shortest day is hardly past before they already begin to find a greater brightness or increase of light than the Almanack would induce them to expect, by a reference to which the sun appears to set on the 31st of December no later than it did on the 14th. Taking however into consideration that before the shortest day the clocks are slower than the sun, and after that time are faster, by consulting the table of equation, five minutes must on the 14th be subtracted from the time given in the Almanack of the sun's setting, whilst on the 31st three minutes must be added to it, making thus together a difference of eight minutes between the real time of its setting on the 14th and on the 31st of December. In like manner, after the longest day one would, according to the Almanack, expect the sun to set gradually earlier and earlier throughout the month of July, but this being counteracted by the clocks getting more and more before the sun, very little difference is perceived in the apparent time of the sun's setting before the end of the month. In fact, were one to be guided by the columns of the sun's rising and setting in the Almanack, it would seem that throughout the whole year, at whatever distance from six the sun rises, at the same distance on the other side of six it invariably sets; as, for instance, when it rises at a quarter before eight it is said to set at a quarter after four; and vice versa, as if the sun always came to the meridian exactly at twelve o'clock. As however this happens only four times in the year, namely, in the middle of April and June-at the end of August and about the 25th of December; at all other times the sun comes to the meridian, either before twelve by a well regulated clock, when the clocks are said to be slow, and the mornings are proportionably lighter than the evenings; or else it does not reach it till after twelve, when the clocks being faster than the sun, the evenings are proportionably lighter than the mornings. And this VOL. V. F

1816.]

Dear to the good and wise, dispraised by

none,

Here sleep in peace the father and the son; By virtue as by nature close allied,

The painter's genius but without the pride, Worth unambitious, wit afraid to shine, Honour's clear light, and friendship's warmth divine.

The son fair rising knew too short a date; But oh how more severe the parent's fate! He saw him torn untimely from his side, Felt all a father's anguish, wept and died.

There was also a particular friendship between Aikman and Somervile the poet; and Allan Ramsay employed his muse in lamenting his beloved and honoured friend.

GIACOMO AMICONI

was employed to paint a staircase at Lord Tankerville's in St. James's-square. When he was to be paid, he produced bills of a scaffolding for workmen, amounting to ninety pounds, and asked no more, say ing," he was content with the opportunity of shewing what he could do." The peer presented him however with two hundred pounds in addition to his demand.

MAJOR JOHN ANDRE.

This unfortunate amateur of the arts was Adjutant-general to his Majesty's forces in North America. Love, who has created many a poet, caused André to attempt the art of design: he painted a portrait of his mistress, a Miss Honora Sneyd, a protegée of the Sewards; and however inferior it might be considered as a work of art, it was looked upon by Miss Seward as the most correct resemblance of her friend, as may be seen in this lady's will. Miss Sneyd had exchanged eternal vows of fidelity with Major André, but thought proper to marry another, whose ill-usage soon broke her heart. She died of a consumption a few months before her unfortunate lover suffered an ignominious death. He had entered the army in order to overcome his unfortunate attachment by exertion, and was discovered by the Americans as a spy, and hung by the command of Gen. Arnold.

"Major André," says Miss Seward in her life of him, "possessed numberless good qualities; he was a poet, à musician, and a painter. On the union of his faithless mistress with another, he left the counting-house of his uncle, and stimulated by despair entered the Eng

35

lish army. Careless of his existence he formed a plan of obtaining intelligence of the American army by visiting their lines in disguise; when being thrown off his guard he offered his watch as a bribe to the centinel who suspected him : he was found guilty, and suffered October 20, 1780, aged 29."-"I have been taken prisoner" (says he in a letter)" by the Americans, and stript of every thing save my picture of Honora, which I concealed in my mouth: preserving this I yet think myself fortunate." At his death this picture was found round his neck. There is a portrait of Major André engraved by Sherwin, after a drawing by this unfortunate gentleman.

MICHAEL ANGELO.

There now exists at Holkham, Norfolk, among the pictures collected by the late Lord Leicester, and in the possession of Mr. Coke, the only copy ever made of the whole composition of the celebrated Cartoon of Pisa. It is a small oil picture in chiaro scuro, and the performance of Bastiano da St. Gallo, surnamed Aristotile from his learned or verbose descants on the work of that philosopher. It was painted at the desire of Vasari, and transmitted to Francis the 1st by Paolo Giovio, bishop of Nocera.How it could escape the eyes of the French and English connoisseurs, or artists who had access to the collection of which it constituted the chief ornament, is a mystery which, for the honour of the art, none can wish to unravel.

MR. ARCHER

built St. Philip's church at Birmingham, and Cliefden House: but bis chef-d'œuvre of absurdity is the church of St. John's, Westminster, with four belfries.

JAQUES ANTOINE ARTAUD.

It is related of this artist, that having copied a Leda from a bas-relief of Michael Angelo, all Paris was struck with the performance. The Duc de la Force offered to give 12,000 livres for it, but the duke being a sufferer by the Mississippi scheme, restored it to Artaud with 4000 livres for the time he had enjoyed it. In 1721 Artaud brought this masterpiece to London; he would not part with it, but sold a copy for 6001. sterling. It was so much admired, that he received many presents of medals, which are still in the library at Geneva. In 1738, being the victim of devotion, he himself destroyed his statue in a fit of piety, yet with so much parental fondness, that he cut it to pieces anatomically. This occurred at Geneva. M. de Champeau obtained the head and one foot; a lady

36

JOHN ASTLEY.

When painting his way from Dublin to England in his own post-chaise, accompanied by a French valet in jackboots, at that period a fashionable novelty, he loitered with a little pardonable vanity in his native neighbourhood, and visited Knutsford assembly. A widow then present was at once so won by his appearance, that she sat to him for her portrait, and then made him an offer of her hand, a boon which he did not think proper to refuse. Lady Duckenfield by her marriage articles reserved her for-, tune to herself, but Astley's behaviour was so satisfactory to her that she soon gave him a portion of her property, and dying shortly after, settled the whole of the Duckenfield estate, estimated at 5000l. per annum, upon him, after the death of her daughter, the wife of Sir William Daniel. Astley, after the death of his lady (whom he always spoke of with tende: ness and regret, and who was his senior) found his fortune so much diminished by his extravagance, that he was in treaty for a post-obit, when at the time this business was arranging Lady Daniel died. Though the news of this event reached A-tley at midnight, he hurried instantly into Cheshire, and going through all the necessary forms took possession of the estate; and returned to town before his wife's relations knew what had happened. On this increase of fortune he bought the house in Pall Mall, of which Pennant in his account of London relates In Pall Mall the Duke of Schomberg had his house; it was in my time possessed by Astley the painter, who divided it into three, and most whimsically fitted up the centre for his own use. This part has since been occupied by Dr. Grabam and Mr. Cosway, and the one adjoining by Gainsborough."

In summing up Astley's character it is said he owed bis fortune to his form, his follies to bis fortune. He had a brother, a surgeon of eminence, who resided at Putney, and who was unfortunately run over and killed on Putney Common: his fortune, which was not inconsiderable, devolved to our artist. Astley gave good dinners and enjoyed them with moderation; but in his intercourse with the sex he was a culpable libertine, temperate on the principle of preserving his relish for pleasure, and active alinost against inclination, that he might preserve health to enjoy it. As a compa

[Feb. 1,

nion he was mild, cheerful and pleasant he did not forget an essential piece of good manners in a particular which our best talkers are too apt to neglect. He gave other people an opportunity to speak. Without this little accominodating pliancy, unless we can universally prevail on ourselves to listen to those by whom we are neither interested nor pleased, the strong intellect and impressive precept of Dr. Johnson would be tyrannical; the copious anecdote of Murphy fatiguing; the redundancy of Fox exhausting, and the digressions of Burke, with all his matchless grace, ill timed rhapsody. The end of Astley's life, though revelling in riches and friendship, was not happy; for he had neglected the one thing needful-he had not prepared for that last, that awful journey which all must take; his retrospect in declining life was neither comfortable nor satisfactory; and he expressed repeated and earnest wishes to a friend who soothed the languor of his last moments, that he could be permitted to live over again, "and then how different a man I would be!" were his remarkable words.

It is said he would never stir out without his bag and sword, and affecting to forget the necessary instruments of his art, for it was then it appears the fashion for the artist to go to his sitter, would use his sword for a maul-stick.

BACON (Sculptor.)

1816.]

Mr. Bacon was singular in never setting his draperies, but executing them according to his ideas as the work came out. The following anecdote is an excellent lesson to would-be critics:Walking one day to Westminster Abbey, he observed a person standing before his principal work, who seemed to pride himself on his taste and skill in the arts, and was extremely exuberant in his remarks. "This monument of Chatham," said he to Mr. Bacon, whom he evidently mistook for an ignorant stranger, "is admirable as a whole, but it has great defects."-" I should be greatly obliged to you," said Bacon, "if you would be so kind as to point them out to me."“Why bere,” said the critic," and there; do you not see? bad, very bad!" at the same time employing his stick upon the lower figures with a violence likely to injure the work. "But," said Bacon, "I should be glad to be acquainted why the parts you touch are bad." He found, however, nothing determinate in the reply, but the same vague assertions repeated, and accompanied with the same violence. "I told Bacon," said the would-be critic," of this while the monument was forming. I pointed out other defects, but I could not convince him."-"What, you are personally acquainted with Bacon?" said the sculptor. Oh yes;" replied the stranger; "I have been intimate with him for many

PROCEEDINGS OF ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

37

years."-" It is well for you, then," said the artist, taking leave of him, "that your friend Bacon is not now at your elbow; for he would not have been pleased at seeing his work so roughly handled."

Mr. Ryley, who some time ago used to make designs for book prints, made several drawings of monuments for Mr. Bacon; and though the former professed Deism in opposition to the Calvinistical principles of the latter, yet on hearing Mr. Bacon say accidentally that he was pressed for a sum of money, he stepped out, and presently returned bringing his friend a bag containing about 200 guineas, which he would fain have left for

his use.

Mr. Bacon blamed him for keeping so much cash in his house, and afterwards having observed him to appear anxious and melancholy, spoke to him about arranging his affairs, and as he knew that he had considerable property, he urged him to make his will. Ryley replied he did not know how: on which Mr. Bacon proposed to write for him. This offer was accepted. After naming a few legacies to relations, he appointed Bacon his executor and residuary legatee. Bacon, however, positively refused this; insisting upon it that his property should go entirely to his relations, but that at any rate nothing should come to himself. The event of Ryley's death proved, that the property thus honourably refused was very considerable.

THE second part of the Philosophical Transactions for 1815, just published, contains the following papers :

On some Phænomena of Colours exhibited by Thin Plates. By John Knox, esq.

Some further Observations on the Current that often prevails to the Westward of the Scilly Islands. By James Rennell, esq.

Some Experiments on a solid Compound of Iodine and Oxygen, and on its Chemical Agencies. By Sir Humphry Davy.

On the Action of Acids on the Salts usually called Hyperoxymuriates, and on the Gases produced from them. By Sir Humphry Davy.

Further Analytical Experiments relative to th Constitution of the prussic, of the ferruretted chyazic, and of the sulphuretted chyazic Acids; and to that of their Salts; together with the application of the Atomic Theory to the Ana

lyses of those Bodies. By Robert Porrett, jun. esq.

On the Nature and Combinations of a newly-discovered Vegetable Acid; with Observations on the Malic Acid, and Suggestions on the State in which Acids may have previously existed in Vegetables. By M. Donovan, esq.

On the Structure of the Organs of Respiration in Animals which appear to hold

an intermediate place between those of the Class Pisces and the Class Vermes, and in two Genera of the lastmentioned Class. By Sir Eyerard Home, bart.

On the Mode of Generation of the Lamprey and Myxine. By Sir Everard Home, bart.

On the Multiplication of Images, and the Colours which accompany them, in some Specimens of Calcareous Spar. By David Brewster, LL. D.

A Series of Observations of the Satellites of the Georgian Planet, including a Passage through the Node of their Or