1779.] State of the Arts in London. Some very correct and spirited copies from Hogarth are just published in the third volume of JOHN IRELAND'S " IIlustrations of Hogarth," copied from original drawings, &c. in the poffeffion of the Editor, who also poffeffes twelve very curious pictures from Hudibras, painted in the early part of Hogarth's life, and beaming with spirit and character. With a view to the farther advancement of the imitative arts, Mr. JAMES TASSIE, No. 20, Leicester-square, London, has long been employed, and with great fuccess, in transfering the figures and heads of antique and modern engraved gems into coloured glass and enamel, fimiIar to the originals in colour, durability, and brilliancy. This, according to the opinion expressed by some eminent connoiseurs, proves to be the finest discovery for perpetuating the works of miniature sculpture that has been made in modern times. Hence may various remains of ancient genius, which were loft to the world at large, be universally diffused, with all their intrinfic excellence. It tends greatly to facilitate this branch of the study of antiquity, that the fubjects may be comprehended in a narrow compass, are conveniently portable, and not liable to mutulation, like the other productions of sculpture, which are formed in the ordinary manner. Having about thirty years ago been induced to give up his practice in the large figures, Mr. TASSIE betook himself also to the modelling of portraits, finished in semitransparent enamel, refembling the purest oriental onyx, and suitable to be used as rings, bracelets, seals, and other ornaments. The fociety of arts and commerce confidered his specimens of cameos to be so great an improvement, that they were pleased to encourage him by a handfome bounty. He has been countenanced by many of the first personages in this country, as well as by several diftinguished promoters of the arts abroad. 55 The late Empress of Russia was pleased to honour him with orders to execute a complete cabinet of intaglios and cameos, accompanied with an hiftorical description; and preferving, as accurately as possible, the appearance of the original gems. He has for many years been engaged in foreign and other commiffions for felect collections of intaglios and cameos, also of fulphurs and other cheap compositions. The intaglios are fo made as to feal either with or without being mounted in feals, and are placed in various kinds of small cabinets, which are esteemed peculiarly convenient for ladies who amuie themselves by cafting impreffions. As medals have ever been a favourite mode of procuring the portraits of celebrated characters, Mr. PINKERTON, who has been at uncommon pains in obtaining the most authentic portraits of the Scottish kings, has fuggefted the modelling of these, and such other fubjects as it may be thought proper to perpetuate. Mr. P. has enabled Meffrs. TASSIE fenior and junior to make a beginning, and specimens may now be feen of James I, to James V. and of Mary. To avoid the expence incident to the engraving or dyes, those medals are to be cast in metal, in imitation of fuch as were executed at the time of the revival of the arts. Should this attempt meet with approbation, it is intended to go as far back as any real vestige can justify. Mr. TASSIE'S collection of coloured pafte intaglios and cameos, white enamel, and fulphur impreffions of ancient and modern gems, which amounts to 20,000, has been about forty years in forming, and exceeds in number, variety of fubjects, and style of engraving, every other in Europe. It contains almost every great collection of originals, including the best works of antiquity; together with fuch as barbarous or lefs polished ages, as well as modern times, have produced. In this view, it is peculiarly calculated to shew origin, progrefs, former perfection, the and present state of the art. There has appeared at Paris, frons DIDOT's prefs, in 4to. a very complete edition of "Anacreon;" containing the Greek text, the Latin verfion, a French tranflation, critical notes, and two preliminary differtations by Profeffor GAIL, Greek odes set to mufic, and a difcourse on the mufic of the Greeks. contagious typhous is fever which prevailed in Tuscany about a year fince, Dr. POLIDORI fuccefsfully made use of a method, confifting of the exhibition of mild mild stimulants, small doses of laudanum, a moderately cordial regimen with wine, the admiffion of pure air, and abstaining from all evacuating and debilitating meafures. The Peruvian bark was always found useless or hurtful. We rejoice to fee fuch an improvement upon former practice introduced into a country lately devoted to old theories. The first volume, and one number of the second, of the "Flora Atlantica" of the celebrated botanift DESFONTAINE, are published at Paris. This valuable work is the fruit of a tour made from the year 1783 to 1786, along the chain of mountains which croffes the states of Tunis and Algiers, and extends to the kingdom of Morocco. The plants are arranged according to the Linnæan fyftem, and the descriptions are accompanied with accurate plates. Instance of Improvement. The Spaniards now, when a house is on fire, bring water before the holy sacrament. The REPUBLICAN LYCEUM at Paris recommenced its courses on the it Frimaire (Nov. 21) with the following claffes and profeffors: Technology, Haffenfratz; Phyfico-economical Geography, Coquebert; Chemistry, Fourcroy; Italian language, Boldoni; Natural Philofophy, Deparcieux; Anatomy and Physiology, Sue; English language, Roberts; man language, Weiss, History, Garat; Natural History, Alex. Brogniart; Literature, Mercier. Ger The NATIONAL INSTITUTE of the Ligurian Republic has opened at Genoa. It is composed of 72 members, of whom half are refidents, and half are associates living within the republic. There are two claffes of fubjects treated on: the first, that of the mathematical and physi cal sciences, fubdivided into three departments; the second, that of philosophy, literature, and the fine arts, with the fame number of fubdivifions. The NATIONAL INSTITUTE of Cairo, formed by the learned men who accompanied BUONAPARTE, is rather a ludicrous than a ferious object in the prefent fate of the French affairs in Egypt. From the fubjects of enquiry proposed by the general we may infer an actual or impending want of feveral of the most neceffary articles for the army. The first and second parts of that splendid work, "Voyage pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phenicie, de la Palestine, & de la Bafte Egypte," have been delivered to the fubfcribers. Each contains fix fine plates, the fubjects of which appear to be well chofen. A complete and elegant edition of the musical works of Mozart is publishing by BREITKOPF and HÆRTEL at Leipfic. The French botanists in Egypt have had a very poor harvest. The country has not yielded them more than twenty different species. The most extraordinary tree thore is the wild fig or fycomore, a fingle one of which is sufficient to thade several peafants huts, as well as the oxen employed in working machines for draw. ing up water. These huts, however, are represented as the most miferable human habitations perhaps in the globe: they are made of mud, not more than three feet in height, and their only entrance is a round hole of a foot and a half diameter. On the evening of December 7, BouVARD, astronomer at the obfervatory, difcovered a comet in the constellation of Hercules. The next morning, at half past fix, it had 248 degrees of right afcenfion, and 31 of north declination. It had advanced 43 minutes per hour towards the east, and 28 towards the fouth. It is small, and difficult to be feen. This makes the 89th comet, according to the catalogue in LALANDE's altronomy. A ridiculous duel is faid to have been fought in one of the principal German universities between two profeffors, in consequence of a dispute on the method of obferving a a comet. The Teylerian Society of Haerlem have announced the two following prize queftions: "What are the motives which have engaged most nations to employ the metals, cipecially gold and silver, as representative signs of value and wealth: what are the advantages and inconveniences of this medium of circulation; and might not others be usefully and durably substituted to it?"-" What is the influence of a republican constitution on the happiness of a people; and to what degree is this influence capable of being elucidated and demonftrated by examples derived from the Greek and Roman republics?" Von Troil, archbishop of Upfal, author of the Letters on Iceland,' opened a confistory in July lafst, with a Discourf On the Utility of Controverfies in 'Theology.' Probably few heads of established churches in Europe would now chuse to meddle with fuch a topic, especially taking the affirmative fide. Foreign journals are full of lifts of books, medals, prints, &c. prohibited in the dominions of the Emperor of Germany, the King of Pruffia, and other potentates on the continent. Such is the 1799.] Foreign Literary Intelligence. • fear of change obtaining among the powers of the earth at the present crifis! The Emperor of Russia follows the fuppreffing policy with most zeal; and in his diflike of every thing foreign, he only appears to diftinguish French manners and productions with his peculiar averfion. The invention of stereotypes (folid types) by the Parifian printers Didot and Her han, is thought a great improvement. These types, instead of being detached characters, like the common, form a fingle folid mass for each page, which being incapable of derangement, fixes for ever the purity of the text. As all the types of a work may be thus preserved, it is not neceffary to take off a greater number of copies than are wanted at a time, whence the great faving of paper refults. It does not clearly appear how this vast multiplication of type can be made economical on the whole, unless it were in printing books of common and perpetual demand; yet it feems, from the lift of prices given, that the stereotype editions, befides being more correct than others, are fold alinoft twice as cheap. These printers likewife feli on very moderate terms the stereotype plates of all the works they print; by which means any perfon with a common printing press is enabled to take off as many copies as he pleases. The naturalifts Bruguière and Olivier, who were fent by the French government in 1793 to examine and collect objects. of natural hiftory in Turkey, Leffer Afia, Perfia, Syria, &c. after a five years' ab. fence returned to Europe, and landed at Ancona, where Bruguière died. His colleagne dispatched for France the treafures collected by thein, which are represented as very rich, in feeds, fruits, drugs, plants, quadrupeds, infects, reptiles, &c. The Royal Danish Society of the Sciences has offered a prize medallion of the value of 201. for the boft anfwer to each of the following questions, to be tranfmitted to the fecretary of the fociety, Dr. Abildgaard, at Copenhagen, before the last of June, 1799: 1. In Hiftory: What nation has discovered and circumnavigated America at an earlier period than the Norwegians? How far have the discoveries of the Norwegians been extended there, particularly towards the fouth? The proofs and arguments must be derived partly from authors, partly from monuments, for inftance, works of fortification, build ings, languages, or traditions, which are still extant in America. 2. In Mathematics. To afcertain the actual MONTHLY MAG. No. XLI. 57 quantity and effect of every combuftible substance, or species of fuel, which is used in domestic life, whether wood, or turf, or fea-coal. 3. In Phyfics: To demonstrate by experiment the highest degree of heat which can be communicated to bodies by means of steam; and whether that portion of the water, in Papin's Digester, which is not in a vaporific state, can acquire a higher degree of heat than 212o of Fahrenheit? 4. In Philofophy: Which are the most remarkable progressive steps, which practical philofophy has made since the time it was re duced to systematic form? The Royal Academy of the Sciences at Berlin has proposed the following curious question in the department of Belles Lettres for the year 1800: On the Goths and Gothic taste, or Gothicıfm: 1. Had the ancient Goths, who were a di-, stinguished nation, any thing peculiar which was not common to those who had attacked the finking Roman empire, whether in their conftitution, laws, manners, customs, or in literature and the arts? Have the expreffions ، Gothic' and Gothicism' any other meaning but that given them in later times, to mark thereby in a general manner the state of the arts and sciences fince the downfall of the Roman empire, and suring the middle ages? And 3, if the last conjecture be founded, when were the before-mentioned expressions more generally used in that sense? The patriotic Society for the Promotion of native Industry at Nürnburg, on their last public meeting, May 211t, proposed a question, which does them infinite credit : Which are the most effectual means of checking the hurtful predilection in the in habitants of fmall towns, particularly in the free Imperial towns of Germany, for foreign productions and manufactures; and on the other hand of impreffing them with a more favourable tafte for domeftic productions, without the intervention of coercive laws, or. the limitation of a free trade. Mr. WAGNITZ, of Halle, (a German Howard) has for feveral years been employed in collecting materials for a Complete History of Prifons, and their manegement in unient and modern times;" a work which the ingenious and philanthropic author is now preparing for the press. He folicits all literary men, particularly lawyers, to fupply him with the minutes of remarkable trials which may throw a light upon the fubject of prisons as well as on the state of mind of prifoners, according to the different methods and places of confinement. The fame author proposes shortly to publish a continuation of his " Historical Accounts and Remarks on the principal Houses of Cor. rection in Germany." H As As a specimen of the rapidity, or rather rapacity with which some bookfellers in Germany emulate certain bonourable publishers in London in the art of multiplying books and pirating literary projects, we find as early as in the month of August, 1798, two different tranflations advertised in the Intelligencer to the Jena Literary Gazette of the intended "BRITISH NECROLOGY." The fame whimsical anticipation prevails alfo in Germany in announcing translations of " MUNGO PARK's Travels in the Interior of Africa." These had actully attracted the attention of no less than half a dozen German publishers before a sheet of them was prir.ted in England. The old proverb of "phlegmatic Germans" can no longer be applied with justice. Among the numerous English books, of which translations into German have either already appeared, or are now in the press, we notice the following: Travels into Sicily and Athens: the Islands of the Archipelago, Smyrna, Conftantinople, and the Coasts of Africa; the Mysterious Castle, a novel, in two parts; Travels in Hungary, with a short Account of Vienna, in the year 1793, by R. Townfon; the Life of Thomas Day; An Account of the English Colony of New South Wales, by David Collins; British Public Characters of 1798; the Rector's Son, by Miss Ann Plumtre; Clermont, a tale; a Survey of the Turkish Empire, &c. by W. Eton; Fragments in the manner of Sterne, second edition 1798; a Tour in Switzerland, &c. by Helen Maria Williams; a Sketch of Modern France, in a series of letters, &c. the Young Philofopher, by Charlotte Smith; Chronological Tables of Univerfal History, by John Blair, continued by Chontreau; Anecdotes of two well-known Families, written by a defcendant, and dedicated to the first female pen in England, prepared for the press by Mrs. Parsons, three vols. 1798; Anécdotes of the Founders of the French Republic vol. ii; Geraldina, a story; the Priory, or the History of an Orphan; Walfing ham, or the Pupil of Nature, by Maria Robinson, &c. &c. New Maps. Prof. Mannert has lately published a new Map of the East-Indies, or Hindoftan. A Chorographic Map of Belgium, by Capt. Louis, editor of the National Atlas of France in 69 folio plates; a Chart, shewing the fituation of the German and French armies near Trier And Saarburg, in the years 1793 and 1794, by an officer of the German army The rage for critical investigation and reformation in every branch of science, has arrived at so high a pitch in Germany that Divinity and the Christian religion itself does not appear to be exempt from it. A periodical publication has been lately commenced by J. C. GREILING, at Magdeburg, entitled " New practical materials for Sermons on the Sunday and Holiday Gospels, extracted and digefied from IMMANUEL KANT's moral and religious writings. Mr. Schubart, a German poet of fome celebrity, who was for several years kept in confinement by the late reigning Duke of Wurtemberg, for publishing a fatirical poem, in which he animadverted on the Duke's extravagance and prodigality, is now employed in tranflating Offian into German poetic profe; a species of composition which has been fuccessfully introduced by various late writers, but particularly by Geffner in his Idyls, Death of Abel, &c. The Privy-counsellor Hezel, of Geifsen, has lately announced a work which he is preparing for the press, entitled "The Humanislic Encyclopedia, or a Dictionary of Facts, containing all the sciences requisite to an interpreter of the Latin and Greek classics." In opposition to this work we find lately another of a fimilar nature advertised for publication by the celebrated Mr. Tunke, of Dessau, who is already favourably known by several elementary works in the department of education. While Mr. Hezel's work comprehends natural history, aesthetics (the theory and principles of taste) rhetoric, poetry, introductory to the ancient claffics, &c. that of Mr. Tunke is principally directed to fubjects of ancient hiftory, 1799.] New Publications in January. tory, geography, philofophy, mythology, and antiquities, and confequently limited to those auxiliary branches, which are efsentially required to the understanding of the claffics. The whole of the latter work is to form three volumes 8vo. the first of which was published in October last. A New Musical Gazette has lately been commenced at Leipzig, published for Breitkopf and Härtel, two eminent bookfellers, who promise to furnish the musical world with weekly intelligence of every thing new and interesting in this department, with concise philosophical or hiftorical essays on musical subjects, short extracts from the most important theoretical works on music, with reviews of the latest public compositions, with interesting accounts of diftinguished artists and virtuofi's, &c. &c.* On the ist of Brumaire, viith year of the French Republic (October 22d, 1798, old style,) appeared at Frankfort on the Maine, the first number of a new and valuable periodical work intitled "The Paris Literary and Artistical Gazette for Germans," conducted by a learned German at Paris, and tranfmitted to the publishers at Frankfort. It professedly contains, 1. Ac * The substance of this and the following, and all other foreign journals, may be looked for in the Monthly Magazine. 59 counts of the latest state of literature in France; 2. The most recent events in the department of the arts; 3. Literary and artistical notices of rare and valuable works of every description, miscellanies, biography, &c. &c. Vofs and Co. book and printsellers at Leipzig, are publishing a series of prints reprefenting the most renowned French Generals. Each livraison contains the portraits of fix Generals in 4to. at the low price of one dollar eight grosher (about 5s.) In the first number are likenesses of Buonaparte, Hoche, Augereau, Bournonville, Jourdan, and Pichegru: the second number contains those of Massena, Berthier, Bernadotte, Dumas, Kleber, and Moreau. One of the most complete Dictionaries of the English language now extant is the following, which lately appeared at Strafburg, printed for Levrault. Phraseologia Anglo-Germanica, or a collection of more than 50,000 English phrafes, extracted from the best English writers, re duced to alphabetical order, and tranf lated into German by F. W. HAUSSNER, Profeffor at the central school of the department of the Lower Rhine: to which is added a vocabulary of all fuch words as did not require to be explained by phrases. A CORRECT LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. The following is offered to the Public as a complete Lift of all Publications within the Month-Authors and Publishers who defire a correct and early Notice of their Works, are intreated to transmit copies of the same. AGRICULTURE. A GENERAL View of the Agriculture of the County of Lincoln, drawn up for the Confideration of the Board of Agriculture. By the Secretary to the Board, with plates, 8vo. gs. Nicol. ARTS AND SCIENCES. A Plan, preceded by a Review of fine Arts, to tranfmit to Pofterity the Portraits of the nost distinguished Characters of Great Britain and Ireland. Also to encourage British Artists, and to adorn London with Galleries of Pictures, &c. without any expence to Government. By Noel Defenfans, Efq. 1s. 6d. DRAMA. Law. Aurelio and Miranda, A Drama, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, founded on the Romance of the Monk. By James Boaden, Esq. 2s. Bell. Historical Memoir on Italian Tragedy, illustrated with specimens and analyses of the most celebrated tragedies, and interspersed with observations on the Italian Theatre, and Biographical Notices of the principal Tragic |