1815.] Intelligence in Literature and the Arts and Sciences. 245 Mr. BRITTON proposes to publish ing an Account of the Russian Cam- the passage of Beresina, will soon appear in an English translation. Mr. ROBERTSON BUCHANAN proposes to publish by subscription a Treatise on the Economy of Fuel, and Management of Heat, especially as it relates to the heating and drying by means of steam, with an Appendix, containing Observations on open fires, stoves, heated air, lime-kilns, &c. The same gentleman has in the press a Treatise on the Building or Architecture of Water-wheels, intended more particularly for the use of millwrights and students of mechanical drawing; to which is added a Treatise on Machinery for propelling Vessels, especially SteamBoth these works will be illus boats. trated with engravings. Messrs. RODEN and CRASKE, of Stamford, are about to reprint "Pierce Pennilesse his Supplication to the Divel," by Thomas Nash, with a biographical and literary introduction by Mr. Octavius Gilchrist. It will be printed in post 4to. from the edition of Abel Seffs, in 1592, and collated with that of R. Jhones of the same date. The edition will be limited to 100 copies. Mr. ILBERY will speedily publish a Review of all the Arguments for and against the Corn Laws, shewing that no system hitherto proposed is likely if adopted to prove a public benefit; to which will be added the Outlines of a Plan by which Corn may be kept at such a price as to afford the Landholder satisfactory interest for his money, the Farmer remuneration for the cultivation of corn, and the Mechanic and Manufacturer support for their labour. In a few days will be published, Memoirs of the late Lady HAMILTON, drawn from authentic sources, comprising many anecdotes of various distinguished personages, among whom are the King and Queen of Sicily, Sir Wm. Hamilton, the late Lord and present Earl Nelson, the late Earl of Bristol, the Duke of Queens berry, &c. Mr. AMBROSE PITMAN has in the press a serio-comic didactic poem, entitled the Miseries of Music Masters, including the Art of Fingering Keyed Instruments, with other introductory rudiments of the Practice of Harmonics. An authentic Narrative of the Invasion of France by the Allies, in 1814, will shortly appear from the pen of M. DE BEAUCHAMP, author of the History of the War in La Vendée. NEW MONTHLY MAG-No. 15. a cast of the bust on his monu ment at Stratford upon Avon made by Mr. George Bullock. The prints will represent a full face, a three quarter face, and a profile, and be engraved by the most eminent artists from pictures by Phillips and Richter. They will be ac companied by a memoir in 4to. in which some new traits of character in the life and person of the bard will be elucidated, and the memoirs of preceding biogra phers analysed. It is also intended to publish a few casts of the bust. Mr. Britton has on this occasion announced his intention of giving, at some future time, a particular account of the bust at Stratford, which Langbaine pronounced to be "the true effigies of Shakspeare;" to inquire into its style, character, and claims to originality; endeavour to point out the reasons why it has hitherto been neglected; and also to allude to the various prints or pictures that have been considered or nained as portraits of our great dramatist. Mr. BELSHAM has in the press Letters to the Bishop of London in Vindication of the Unitarians from the Allegations of his Lordship in the Charge delivered to the Clergy of his Diocese. Mr. A. VINCENT has in the press an Introduction to Arithmetic, designed for Private Teaching, which will appear early in April. Mr. COLBURN will shortly publish two works from the pen of the celebrated De Chateaubriand: one is entitled Recollections of Italy, England, and Ame❤ rica; the subject of the other is the Revolutions of Empires. Miss BURNEY, Author of Traits of Nature, Geraldine Fauconberg, &c. has in the press Tales of Fancy. The Memoirs and Confessions of THOMAS ASHE, Esq. author of the Spirit of the Book, will speedily appear in 3 volumes. This work will exhibit, we understand, some curious facts relative to the Princess of Wales and other distinguished characters. Mr. JOHN DUNKIN, of Bromley, has in the press, in an 8vo. volume, the History and Antiquities of Bicester, a Market Town in Oxfordshire: to which will be added an Inquiry into the History of Alchester, a City of the Dobuni, the Site of which now forms a Part of the Common Field of Wendlebury, in the County of Oxford. The whole of Kennet's va luable Glossary will be reprinted in the Appendix, which will be accompanied VOL. III, 2 K 246 Intelligence in Literature and the Arts and Sciences. [April 1, with references to the Papers given in this Work, as well as those in the original. It will likewise contain the chief part of Kennet's Parochial Antiquities, together with a continuation of Papers relative to Bicester; and may be considered not only as a History of that Town, but as a work designed to illustrate by original documents the manners of former ages. The Committee appointed to superintend the Collection and Distribution of Donations for the Relief of Distress arising from the War in Germany and other parts of the Continent, have announced that they consider it a duty which they owe to a generous public to place on record transactions so highly honourable to the British nation. They therefore propose to publish by subscription the Substance of their Proceedings and Correspondence, with a List of Subscribers to the Fund, in two handsome royal 8vo. volumes, illustrated with engravings. Mr. IIANBURY'S edition of Extracts from the Diary, Meditations, and Letters of Mr. Joseph Williams, of Kidderminster, with numerous additions from the author's short-hand and other manu scripts, is expected to appear early in the next month. Early in April will be published, Display, a Tale for Young Persons, by JANE TAYLOR, one of the authors of Original Poems for Infant Minds." Mr. WRIGHT'S Advice on the Study and Practice of the Law, addressed to Attorneys' Clerks, will be published in a few days. Parts 19 and 14 of BOOTH ROYD'S Hebrew Bible, containing the conclusion of the Psalms, the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, will be delivered in a few days. Mr. ROBERT JOHNSTON has put to press his Travels through part of Russia and Poland along the Southern Shores of the Baltic, the track of the memorable campaigns of 1812 and 1813. They will be illustrated by 30 coloured engravings, from drawings taken by the author on the spot. Mr. EDMUND BRYCE will shortly publish the Belgian Traveller, or a Guide through the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, containing all the information that can interest the merchant and traveller. The Rev. JOHNSON GRANT, A. M. has in the press Arabia, a poem, with notes, which are added several smaller pieces, u: o le volume small octavo. In a few days will be published a new edition of the Baronetage of England, carefully revised, enlarged, and corrected throughout, including the geneslogies of one hundred and six baronets not in the former edition; lists of extinct and of those baronets who have been advanced to the Dignity of the Peerage, of such Persons who have received the Honor of Knighthood, and of British Subjects holding Foreign Orders; by Mr. JOHN DEBRETT. Mr. CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON, of Edinburgh, has in the press a Memorial on Behalf of the Native Irish, with a View to their Improvement in Moral and Religious Knowledge through the Medium of their own language. It includes a statement of what has been done towards the instruction of this interesting class of people by means of their own ancient language, from the earliest to the present times; an account of the translation, printing, and circulation of the Sacred Scriptures in Irish; the latest calculations with regard to the prevalence of this language, and the extent of the population to whom it is vernacular; and answers to the most plausible objections against its being taught systematically in schools, like the other dialects of the United Kingdom. A plan is proposed, and to proceed in its support various encouragements founded on facts are brought forward. A variety of particulars are incidentally mentioned with respect to the other dialects of the Celtic or Iberian languages, whether those spoken in Britain, e. g. the Welch, the Gaelic, and the Manks, or on the Continent, as the Bas Breton, or Armorican, the Basque, and the Waldensian. Mr. GAMBLE, author of Sarsfield, Characteristic Sketches of Ireland, &c. will shortly publish a new novel entitled Howard. The Theological Works of JAMES ÁRMINIUS, D. D. Professor of Divinity in the University of Leyden, are nearly ready for publication. Miscellaneous Poems by JoHN BYROM, M. A. F. R. S. with some Account of his Life, will shortly appear. Mr. CLAY has just published his first pair of select views of London and its vicinity, announced in a former number, which will be noticed in our next. The artists are all busy in preparing for the annual exhibition at the Royal Academy, which receives works of art intended for exhibition, on Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th of April, till 1815.] Foreign Intelligence-France. 8 o'clock in the evening, only, and opens on the 1st of May.. The following remarkable coincidence occurred lately at the Small Pox Hospital at Pancras. A poor woman having passed through the natural small-pox recovered, but being in a state of pregnancy, was recommended to the London Lying-in Hospital, where she was received, and has since been safely delivered, and her child is living. As she was leaving the Small Pox Hospital, another poor woman in a state of pregnancy, with the natural small-pox upon her, was sent to the hospital from the workhouse of Christchurch, Surrey, and during her stay in the hospital she was safely delivered there of a still-born child with the small pox upon it, at about eight months of its time. She has herself since recovered. FRANCE. (Continuation of the Sketch of French Literature.) I now come to Geography and Voyages. During the blockade of the Continent, the French had but little opportunity of exploring countries beyond sea; accordingly in this department they have had recourse to the English, from whose language they have translated several books of travels; among others, Morier's in Persia, Lord Valentia's in India, and Salt's in Abyssinia. The Voyages of Dauxion Lavaysse to Trinidad and Venezuela, of Renouard de Ste Croix to the East Indies, of Leblond to the West India Islands, that of D'Entrecasteaux, and the Voyage of Discovery to the Australian regions, published by Peron and Freissinet, by order of government, are almost the only original works relative to other parts of the world, that have appeared in France for several years. Of the great work on Egypt which the government is publish ing, and the productions of M. Humboldt, I shall say nothing, because those undertakings are still far from their completion. The French booksellers observe, that the public is not so fond of books of travels as it was twelve years ago, because it has been so often imposed upon a work of this class must now be written in a very interesting manner to attract any notice. It must, indeed, be confessed that most travellers manage their matters so, that it is not easy to read their narratives from beginning to end. They mix with them so many geological, nautical, meteorological, and archæological details, that one must be little short of a living encyclopædia to understand them. 247 M. de Choiseul Gouffier has produced one part of the second volume of his Voyage pittoresque de la Grèce. The plates for the remainder have been long engraved, but the text is not ready. M. de Choiseul is rather indolent, and, besides, he does not choose to finish his work till he has collected all his materials. He has at present an able artist, whom he sent out on purpose, employed in drawing several views of the Troad. The Voyage Pittoresque de l'Espagne, by the Count de la Borde, is much more forward, as about 36 parts have already appeared: unfortunately the author, who is a warm friend to the arts, undertakes too many things at once; he has three or four great works in progress, but none of them is finished. The Voyage Pittoresque de la France, undertaken previ ously to the Revolution, has not been continued, but numerous works on France have appeared, with or without engravings, which cause the deficiency to be less sensibly felt. Almost all the prefects have published a statistical account of their departments; and besides, each department yearly publishes an Annuaire, with a description of all the districts, and frequently accompanied with maps and engravings. With these and other materials, Messrs. Peuchet and Chanlaire have published, in 4to. numbers, a Description topographique de tous les Departemens de la France. The work, though rather dry, is compiled with care, but for want of sufficient support, they have not advanced further than the middle of their undertaking. It is certainly a much more valuable performance than the Voyage dans les Departemens, produced during the Revolution by Joseph Lavallée; a man notorious as a Jacobin, every one of whose pages is stained with invectives against kings, the nobility, and the clergy. M. Millin has enriched the literature of his country with a Voyage dans les Departemens du Midi de la France, four thick 8vo. volumes, with an atlas. As far as relates to antiquities, his work may be considered as complete; and, though his veracity has been impeached by several persons in the country, it may yet be asserted with truth that no writer has so satisfactorily described the parts which he has visited. The same author was for some years travelling all over Italy; the quantity of drawings, topographical and historical works, antiquities, &c. which he has brought back is astonishing. He is now engaged in arranging these materials, and drawing up a narrative of his travels in Lombardy, the Venetian States, Tuscany, the Papal territories, and the kingdom of Naples. These different countries will form the subject of as many different works, each extending to two or three large volumes, and be accompanied with numerous figures. The whole, should the author accomplish his design, will certainly be the most complete collection that ever appeared relative to Italy. M. Vaysse, an inspector of posts, began to publish in detached volumes a Description des grandes Routes de l'Empire Français; but as he has offered in it abundance of incense to Buonaparte, he seems to be somewhat disconcerted since the fall of his master. In other respects, the six volumes which have appeared, and comprise the post roads of the south of France and Italy, are written in an interesting manner, and illustrated with very convenient maps. A M. Paquet Syphorien has published in two volumes, a Voyage pittoresque in the departments of Belgium and Picardy. General Andreossy, who has recently returned from Constantinople, where he filled for some years the post of ambas sador, has communicated to the first class of the Institute various inquiries, illustrated by maps and drawings, concerning the whole of the conduits which supply the Turkish metropolis with wa ter. They contain a description of new operations and rules of oral tradition, not hitherto collected; the application of which may be highly useful in hydraulic works, both in regard to the simplicity of the means employed, and economy in the construction. of the sons of Niobe, which belonged to the celebrated Dr. Barth. The history of this antique is rather remarkable:When Tycho Brahe, the eminent Danish astronomer, quitted his native country in 1597, and, returning from his travels, arrived at Prague, whither he had been invited by that distinguished patron of the arts and sciences, the Emperor Ru dolph II., he brought with him from Rome several statues, originals and copies, and among them one which was thought to be intended for Ilioncus, the son of Niobe. This beautiful work was placed in the imperial collection; but when, in the sequel, Prague was laid waste by hostile incursions, sieges, and conflagrations, it was déposited in a subterraneous room in the palace, where it lay forgotten till Joseph II. converted the building into barracks. Every thing that seemed to be of no use was sold by auction, and the statue of Ilioneus, as it had neither legs nor arms, was sold as a common stone, for 51 creutzers, to a shopkeeper, who again disposed of it for four guilders to a mason. By the latter it was thrown among a heap of rubbish, and there remained till Dr. Barth, coming to Prague, and inquiring for works of art, was accidentally in formed by a friend of the existence of this mutilated statue. He purchased it for a trifle, and took it to Vienna, where Professor Fischer supplied the head and arms which were wanting by means of plaster casts, and where this beautiful piece of antiquity has ever since excited the admiration of connoisseurs. M. Wagner, of Würzburg, has published at Rome a series of engravings, 25 in number, in oblong folio, representing the basso relievos on the frieze of the temple of Apollo Epicurios, in Arcadia, the ruins of which were discovered in 1812 by a party of artists and amateurs, of whom the author was one. These ruins are situated on Mount Cotylios, not far from Phigalia, the modera Pavlitza. The temple, according to Pausanias, was erected, after the pestilence described by Thucydides, in honour of Apollo Epicurios, or the Deliverer. It was built by Iktinos, the architect of the Parthenon. Of the 38 Doric columns which supported the portico, S6 are still standing. Among the rubbish were found fragments of figures in relief, no doubt belonging to the pediment, which was probably thrown down by an earthquake. In the interior were discovered 23 marble tablets, all of the same height, (about 26 inches,) 1815.] Foreign Intelligence-Prussia. but of different lengths, decorated with sculpture: these had probably formed the frieze of the interior of the chapel. These basso relievos represent two grand mythologic subjects, but in such a manner that almost every one contains a distinct groupe. How highly interesting these monuments must be to the history of the arts is evident, from the circumstance that they belong to the age of Pericles. The inequality of the workmanship denotes it to have been executed by several persons: the author points out certain imperfections or defects. The resemblance between some of the groupes in the conflict of the Centaurs with those of the Parthenon could not fail to strike the travellers at the first glance. The order in which these tablets were placed in the frieze cannot be ascertained, owing to the absolute want of every thing that might guide the judgment; besides some parts are broken, and many of the projecting figures injured: the arms, which were probably of bronze, are also wanting. These defaced or deficient parts are accurately marked in M. Wagner's sketches by dotted lines; a practice which ought to be adopted in graphic representations of all ancient monuments of art. In the neighbourhood of the mountain, called by the Romans, Taunus, and by the natives, die Höhe, was formerly situated the village of Strassheim, which was destroyed during the thirty years' war; the church alone having escaped the general calamity, though it became necessary in the year 1804 to remove its walls. In effecting this removal, there was discovered in the foundation wall, a small sarcophagus of sandstone, together with the remains of two bodies, and close to them, a hewn stone, (in length 4 feet 2 inches, and in breadth and thickness 2 feet and a half) on which the following inscription was found: MARTI ET VICTO- SQEMUS (probably Septimius) SEVERUS In opposition to the belief, which pre- twenty-first legions, mentioned by Ta- 249 more can be gathered from it than that PRUSSIA. An artist of Beriin, named Peter Schmidt, has recently published a work on drawing, in which he recommends an entirely new method of acquiring that art in the utmost perfection, and with greater facility than by any means which have been hitherto adopted. It has been tried with much success in various parts of Germany; is strictly consonant with the works and operations of nature herself; and is founded upon this general principle, that the pupil must be brought to do whatever is to be done, with an entire devotedness to the object before him, and the application of every power and faculty which he can call into exertion. His work must be rendered a pleasure to him; he must be taught of himself to detect and correct his own errors; he must be accustomed at first to use his pencil with as much neatness, ease and correctness as possible; and his first lessons must not be from copies, but from the objects themselves, which either art or nature have fashioned. The inventor of this method recommends arrows, cannon balls and niches, as the fittest for first instructions. His own history is singular enough: he was born at Treves on the 15th of April, 1769, and forced, by the indigence of his family, to support both them and himself by cotton-spinning. His plastic talents were first called forth by his astonish ment at seeing a large and uncouth pic ture hung out in front of a house. He was not above twelve years of age, and had never been fortunate enough to receive the least instruction, when this circumstance led him to some successful attempts at taking portraits in red and black chalk. From this moment the Elector of Treves took him by the hand, and ordered him to be regularly instructed. There are many other interesting points of his journey through life, which our limits forbid us from He has resided at Berlin narrating. since the year 1810. SWEDEN. Swedish poetry has been latterly enriched by two new epic pieces, Gylfe and Gefion; the former from the pen of C. H. King, and the latter from that of the Baroness d'Albedyhl. The groundwork of both is laid in Scandinavian |