days, and then failed for Leghorn, where they arrived on the 7th of February.

• Instead of making this tour of Italy in the manner generally done, our author took a new method in these travels. He firft vifited the principal places in Tuscany, and particularly the celebrated city of Florence; from whence he went to Rome; of which he only took a curfory view, and proceeded to Naples. He returned from thence to Rome to take a more particular furvey of its curiofities; after which he fet out for the famous town of Loretto, near the Adriatic; and departed from thence for Bologna. He then went to Venice, Mantua, Parma, Reggio, and Modena, re-entered Tufcany, returned to Leghorn, and fet out from thence by fea for Genoa. He went by fea from Genoa to Villa Franca; from whence he proceeded by land into France, and came to Marseilles, where thefe travels end.

Wherever our author paffes, he fhews himself both a geographer and a scholar, by giving an exact and pleasing description of the present fituation of the country, and entering into a comparison of it with what it was in former times, as defcribed by the antients: this is evident from his account of the different roads from one place to another; as also of the Pantheon, the Capitol, the Vatican; the pillars of Trajan and Antonine; the arches of Titus, Severus, and Constantine, in Rome; but more particularly fo in his account and modern divifions of that capital, and of the Appian way, in which he has hewn an amazing share of erudition; and also in his defcription of Virgil's tomb, Vefuvius, Herculaneum, and other plaLes adjacent to Naples. He has difregarded useless infcriptions, and tedious epitaphs: but what he has inferted are useful or elegant; as the epitaph on Giotto, Carelo Aretino, and Ràphael; as also the account of Rome by Petrarch and Janus Vitalis; and the famous epigram on Venice, by Sannazarius.

Some opportunities have been taken to fhew his knowledge in military difcipline, and his fkill in fortification; as in Florence and in Naples. In every ftate, he fhews himself well acquainted with their different modes of government; but his principal tafte was for the branches of architecture, fculpture, and painting; in which he has particularly excelled all thofe who have yet written upon that fubject. For this, it is fufficient to look at his account of the palaces in the city of Florence, where he describes the Venus of Medicis in a masterly ftile; as alfo his defcription of the churches and convents in Florence; the churches, convents, and palaces in and about Naples; the fame in Rome, Venice, and other places, particularly the Laocoon at Rome, and the Hercules Farnefe.'

Prepoffeffed with reading this pompous account, we fat down with great avidity to have our judgment informed, our ideas corrected, and our prejudices removed, to discover the juft medium, in a found English difcernment, between the affected hyperboles of the Italians and the whimfical tafte of the French; and, in short, to fee objects reprefented as they are. But alas! we do not remember to have had the good fortune through the whole compass of the book, to meet with one description or obfervation that might not have been made by the captain without quitting his elbow-chair or his fire-fide. The Venus of Medicis is a favourite article of curiofity, and as the reader perceives that the captain's defcription of it is ftrongly recommended in the above quotation, we turned to it with the utmost impatience; but judge our disappointment, gentle reader, when all we read amounted to the following account!

It is fmaller than the others. Her perpendicular height, as fhe stands bending forwards, is five feet; and including the inclination, five feet two inches: but her arms and hands are faid not to be antique. The foftness of the flesh, the delicacy of the fhape, air, and pofture, and the correctness of the defign in this ftatue, are inexpreffible.

This has hitherto, in the unanimous opinion of all judges, been esteemed to furpafs not only all the ftatues in Florence, but any piece of sculpture throughout the whole world. It formerly stood in the Medicis palace on mount Pincio at Rome, from whence it was brought to Florence, by order of duke Cofmo III. The pedestal is modern, and between two and three feet high. The right knee advances a little forward; the left hand is placed a little before the pudenda; and the right across her breasts; yet without touching the body. The head inclines a little to the left shoulder; and her perfon is somewhat plump. The bloom of youth, the pleafing softness of her look, and her beauty and modesty seem to rival each other in the charms of her countenance. The marble was at first of a pure white, but time has given it a yellowness, and in the fun-fhine it is almoft transparent.

The infcription on the base shews it to be the work of Cleomenes, an Athenian, the fon of Apollodorus; yet this is the only place where we meet with the name of this great master among all the remains of antiquity.?

We must acknowledge that the defcription we have already given from Mr. Keyfler of this celebrated ftatue affords us, upon reviewing it, much greater pleasure than that of capt. Northall, which contains in it nothing but the hackneyed chit

* See vol. i. p. 596.

cha

chat of every French or Swifs fmatterer in the fine arts, and which we will venture to fay has been published in above fifty different books of travels. We are forry to comprehend in this obfervation all the other defcriptions of the noble captain. His accounts of the Laocoon and the Hercules of Farnese, run much in the fame ftrain as thofe of the very learned and intelligent gentleman the Ciceroniani who fhew the tombs of Weftminfter-Abbey in holyday-time.-As our regard for truth and juftice drew from us the cenfures we have paffed upon this performance, fo candour obliges us to recommend it as one of the moft judicious and ufeful compilations, of the kind that has appeared; nor do we think it of any importance to the reader, whether captain Northall is or is not a relation to Charles Thompson, Efq; who travelled through half the globe, without ftirring out of the found of Bow-bell.

W

X. The Hiftory of Sir George Ellison, II. Vols. 12mo. 6s. Millar. E could wish there were many fuch characters in real life, as the hero of this novel: but we apprehend the author has indulged his fancy, more than he has confulted his judgment, in drawing the picture of Sir George Ellifon. Perfection is not the lot of humanity, and frail nature can only contemplate, with aftonishment, fuch ideal greatnefs, fuch imaginary goodness. The author, aware of this objection, tells us in the preface, that before we determine this point, he would have us endeavour to equal the virtue of Sir George.' The advice is good, but he furely did not confider that, with the best difpofitions in the world to make the attempt, there are but few of his readers who will ever be in a fituation to lay the ground-work of fuch a plan.

That the reader may be enabled to judge for himself of the merits of the production, we shall present him with the capital outlines of this history.

Sir George Ellison was the younger fon of an ancient and opulent family; but receiving only that small proportion of his father's wealth, which, according to the cuftom of this country, ufually falls to the share of a younger child, his posterity had little chance of inheriting any confiderable fortune from him; though he had, by the profeffion in which he was placed, been enabled to live genteelly. Before his fon George had completed his twenty-first year, his family, by the death of his wife and two children, was reduced to two fons and one daughter. James, the fecond fon, was then but twelve years, and his daughter fourteen years old. This difference in their age de

termined

termined Mr. Ellifon to truft in his fon George's hands, twothirds of the fum of which he was poffeffed. By fo good a capital, which was 4000l. he hoped to fecure the fuccefs of his eldest fon, whose difpofition gave him reafon to believe, he fhould thereby do the best service to his other children. He knew the young man to be perfectly fober, humane, and generous, and at the fame time an exceeding good oeconomist; extremely diligent, and well inclined to pay attention to his businefs, a thing fo neceffary for those who undertake merchandize. He had befides a tender affection for his brother and fifter, and both loved and revered his father. With this capital he went over to Jamaica, and in a fhort time, by his prudent management, improved it so far, that he was able to remit the 4000%. for the ufe of his brother and fifter, though much against his father's inclination. He foon married a very opulent planter's widow; this union did not, however, procure him all the felicity that might have been expected, occafioned by the difference in their sentiments, particularly with regard to the treatment of negroes. Mr. Ellifon is now principally employed in framing a fyftem of regulation for his flaves; and his fentiments upon this occasion are noble, generous, humane, and ought to be engraven in the heart of every Weft Indian planter. From the following fpecimen, the reader may frame an idea of his manner of reasoning upon this head; it is in the form of a dialogue between him and Mrs. Ellifon, occafioned by his having prevented the negroes being chaftifed for fome fight offence.

As for the idleness you fuppofe will arise from a relaxation of these shocking feverities, I proteft by all that is facred, faid he, that were not justice to you in queftion, for this eftate being originally your's, I cannot think that marriage deprives you of your right in it, I would give it all for the extacy I felt at seeing the joy of the poor reprieved wretches Had you, my dear, been present when they threw themselves at my feet, embraced my knees, and lifting up their streaming eyes to heaven, prayed with inexpreffible fervency to their supposed Gods, to power down their choiceft bleffings on me, you would have wept with me; and have owned a delight which nothing in this world can afford, but the relieving our fellow creatures from mifery; a delight even beyond what our weak imperfect fenfes can well bear, for it rifes to an excess that is mixed with pain, fince reflexions on their unhappy ftate mingle themfelves with our joy; but the first extacy over, the pleasure becomes more adequate to our fenfations.

I do not doubt, answered Mrs. Ellifon, but they were rejoiced to find their punishment remitted, as they look upon it

as

as a permiffion to take the fame liberty every holy-day; and you may depend upon it they will give you the like opportunity for fuch another scene.

Very probably they may, replied Mr. Ellison, but if my pardon has no other confequence, it will only appear as useless as your steward's punishment; for he confessed to me, that for the fame offence he had moft cruelly chaftifed them not above a fortnight ago. Whatever their behaviour may be, let me enjoy the pleafing fenfations arifing from even abused mercy, rather than the ftings of remorfe for useless cruelty.

go

• But, interrupted Mrs. Ellifon, would you have their faults uncorrected?

By no means, answered Mr. Ellison, but I would have thé punishment bear fome proportion to the offence; and till it does fo, it cannot be effectual. These poor creatures would be far our fuperiors in merit, and indeed in nature, if they could live without committing frequent faults; if the smallest offence, as a too free indulgence of innocent mirth like this I have just pardoned, is punished with the fame feverity as a malicious or dishonest action, the suffering wretches become desperate; they find, however careful, through the weakness of human nature they must sometimes err, and also that by the barbarity and tyranny of their overfeers they fhall frequently be punished, even when they are not guilty; and looking upon these sufferings as a mifery attending their condition, they do not endeavour to avoid what they cannot always prevent. I am deter`mined henceforward to ease your steward of this part of his business; the produce of the land he may ftill attend, but those who cultivate it fhall be my care; he is not fit to be trusted with any thing but what is inanimate. And that you may not think I pay too high a price for this indulgence of my compaffion, or rather this compliance with my confcience, I will endeavour to find a means of rendering our flaves obedient, without violating the laws of justice and humanity.'

Our hero has an early opportunity of demonftrating his great beneficence. Being at Port Royal upon business, he heard lamented the misfortunes of an English gentleman, who had been established there about two years as a merchant in good credit; his capital not being great, his trade was not very extenfive, for he never could be prevailed upon to make that ufe of the good opinion which from his excellent conduct every one had conceived of him. This gentleman was not more unwilling to receive affiftance, than he was defirous of affisting others. A friend and countryman of his, who had a wife and large family, imparted to him his distress at finding his affairs in fo defperate a situation, that he had no hopes of avoid