tions.

view, than any of my former publica- to fpeak: I have often heard,' faid he, of the beauty and magnificence "I have thrown my defence into its of this building, the grandeft, I beprefent form, in hopes that, after folieve, of any modern temple, or permuch difcuffion upon the fubject, fome-haps of any that ever exifted: I have thing lighter, and more like amufement, might be furnished by this method. Lalfo thought, that many perfons who were not affected or convinced by reafoning only, might poflibly be ftruck with it when mixed with imagery; when the different objects were placed before them, and fucceflively examined and canvaffed by the different fpeakers in the Dialogue; and when the doubts and queftions, which may naturally occur to an unpractifed mind, were stated by a character of that description, and thereby more familiarly difcuffed and explained, than can be done in a regular eflay.

"For this purpofe, I have fuppofed two of the characters to be very converfant in all that relates to nature and painting: that one of them, whom for diftinction I have called by the name of Howard, is a partifan of Mr. Knight's; that the other, whom I have called Hamilton, is attached to my opinions; and that the third, of the name of Seymour, has little acquaintance with the art of painting, or with the application of its principles to that of gardening, or to natural feenery.

often longed to see the original, and just before the French got poffession ' of Italy, I had determined to go to Rome. This picture makes me feel 'ftill greater regret at the disappoint'ment; and at the fame time, in fome degree, confoles me for it: but I cannot help reflecting with pain, that a building, which requires fuch con'ftant attention and expenfe to keep it in repair, may now perhaps, by degrees, become a mere rnin: all that delightful fymmetry, that correfpond ence of all the parts, that profufion of gilding and of precious marbles, may, in a few years, be broken and 'defaced, and covered with dirty stains and incruftations; in fhort, all its high-finifhed ornaments totally deftroyed; and then, perhaps, this pic"ture, a frail memorial of fuch a work, may be the only one exifting of its 'former fplendour and magnificence.'

"I with your fears may not be too well founded,' faid Mr. Hamilton; and I own I feel just as you do. Now, if Howard were here, he could comfort you, though I cannot; for, according to his fyftem, it will become By means of the fuppofed partifan 'ftill more beautiful, when it is in the of Mr. Knight's opinions, I have in- 'ftate that you have juft been defcritroduced almoft the whole of the Notebing with fo much horror.' into the body of the Dialogue: but as it appears there in detached parts, juft as the arguments might be conceived to occur in the courfe of the difcuffion, I thought it right to print it altoge ther; for it would be very unfair to Mr. Knight, if the reader were not enabled to view the whole chain of his reafoning as he had arranged it himfelf, and likewife to refer to it whenever he had occation." P; 79.

EXTRACT.

"MR. Howard returned to the further part of the gallery, while the two other friends entered the faloon toge ther; on the oppofite fide of which, and quite alone, hung the picture of the infide of St. Peter's.

"As they advanced towards it, Mr. Hamilton obferved, with great pleafure, the admiration of his friend, who ftopped before it a long while, without aying a word. When at last he began

"You cannot mean this seriously, faid the other; you cannot mean that Howard would affert, that when all the circumftances which now give beauty to this building are deftroyed, ( it will then become more beautiful!'

"No,' replied Mr. Hamilton, 'not in thofe terms; he is not a man to 'give fuch a hold to his adverfary; but it is a conclufion fairly to be drawn 'from what he has afferted: he mutt acknowledge (for nothing is more ge nerally acknowledged), that a building when in ruins, is more picturefque ⚫ than it was in its entire ftate; there'fore, according to him, it must be

more beautiful, for he fays, there is no diftinction between the two terms: • in other words, that they are, in refpect to vitible objects, fynonymous.' "You have, indeed, made good ufe of this infide of St. Peter's,' faid Mr. Seymour; and I muft own, it has befiended you extremely in this • difcuffion.

difcuffion. Nothing has fo much ❝tended to convince me of the want ‚ of a distinction; for though I have never paid much attention to the * ftrict use of the word, I have perpe'tually heard it obferved, that ruins, are more picturesque than entire 'buildings: now, when I look at that building, there feems to be fomething fo very contradictory in the idea of its becoming more beautiful by de'ftruction, that I muft either deny that it will become more picturefque, or give a very different fenfe to those words. But is it poffible that in 'fuch a cafe Howard can really think 'there is no diftinction?"

6

that roof, with all its brilliant orna'ments, fhall be rent and broken; when the gilding, the marbles, the rich frizes, and cornices, become ftained with moisture, and are mouldering away, the painter will admire then more than when in perfect prefervation, or think them more fuited to his art? But why do I afk: is not this a picture? and does it not delight you and Howard, as much as it 'does me, and fuch untutored eyes as mine? But I fee Howard is juft come ing and I fhall not be ferry to hear you difcufs this point together." "Well, Seymour,' flid Mr. Howard, when he came up to them, not these three admirable pictures? I hardly know fo beautiful a head as 'that of the St. John, in the Parmeggiano; and the Virgin and Child in 'the upper part, have a fine mixtureof grace and dignity: as to the two Paninis, I can fcarcely tell which I prefer; for that amazing affemblage of columns in the oppofite picture, the felva di colonne, as the Italians 'call them, is no lefs beautiful in its ftyle, than this richly ornamented infide of St. Peter's.'

are

"I am fo thoroughly convinced 'that there is one myself,' faid Mr. Hamilton, and the whole appears to 'me fo clear, that I can fcarcely be'lieve him to be quite in earneft. No 'one has a more quick and accurate 'perception of diftinctions than our 'friend; and I once hoped he would ⚫ have employed his talents in throwing new lights on this diftinction: but, unfortunately, he has exercised all his ingenuity in trying to prove, that youth and age, freshness and decay, what is rough, breken, and` 'rudely irregular, and what has that fymmetry, continuity of parts, and 'laft finishing polish, which the artift "How, Seymour,' fad the other, (whether divine or human) manifeftly all this time at one picture! The 'intended, are all to be confidered as love of painting has made a furprising 'belonging to one general class. There-progrefs with you! but I fancy I 'fore, for inftance, not only this build-prophefied very juftly when you left 'ing, in its prefent ftate, or in ruins, "but this building, and the infide of a broken hovel, would be indifferently ' either beautiful or picturefque; and 'eithe of thefe terms would not only fuit a Paris or a Belifarius, but a Paris ' and a common okl beggar.'

"I can allow a great deal,' faid Mr. Seymour, for the manner in 'which painters view objects, and con'fider them with refpect to their art, and confequently apply terms to them 'which others would hardly ufe; ex'cept thofe, perhaps, who, without 'being artifts, may have acquired their 'ideas and language. But tell me, Hamilton, is it poffible that when

"To fay the truth,' faid Mr. Seymour, we have as yet only looked at this one picture.'

me.

"You did, indeed,' faid Mr. Seymour; Hamilton has made good ufe of his time, and of this picture; and, I can tell you, it is as dangerous to quit a difciple, as a mistress: your ' rival has been very preffing; and I wish I may not have given him too 'much encouragement. I am glad, however, you are come, as I had just begun to queftion him on a point which I wish to hear difcuffed with " you: it is, whether painters, or connoiffeurs like yourfelves, would continue to admire fuch a building as 'this, if all that I admire were broken

and defaced, as much, or even more,

*The Parmeggiano, and the two Paninis, are in the collection of the Marquis of Abercorn, and each of them fingly occupies a fide of the faloon at the Priory. The Parreggiano is, I believe, the moft capital picture of that rare and eminent mafter. The Paninis are, not lefs excellent in their ftyle." VOL. V.-No. XLVI.

H h

⚫ than

⚫ than in its present entire and finished 'ftate.'

'effect of ruins, when they are fully 'mellowed by time, the first beginning of decay is no lefs odious to the

"I perceive you look to me for an anfwer,' faid Mr. Hamilton, pro-painter, than to the reft of mankind. bably as having originally put the 'When that gilded roof, thofe finished question to me; and I know you ra- ornaments, thofe precious marbles, ther love to promote a little à rerca- 'fhall firft begin to be foil. d and brotion between me and Howard; but ken, while the greateft part of them upon this particular point, I think will ftill remain perfect, each crack, we fhall not differ very materially. ' each ftain, will obviously destroy fo It certainly has been imagined, that 'much beauty; that is, fo much of its because ruins are more picturefque original character: and this inconthan entire buildings, they are confe- gruity continues, till the whole, by quently preferred to them by painters: degrees, affumes a new, and totally I think, however, the idea is unfound- 'diftinct character. Such a building is ed; for I believe there are at leaft as 'not a phoenix that arises with renewed, many perfect buildings as there are yet fimilar, beauty and brilliancy, from ruins, in the works of the most emi- 'deftruction: on the contrary, it is nent artists. If, then, painters them-changed by a flow procefs, into fomefelves balance between the two, it is • very natural that you, when you look ' at that picture, should think with hor'ror of any poflible change; and not "conceive how the moft prejudiced 'perfon could make the smallest com'parison between the building you now fee, and any future ftate of it: but the fact is, that however striking the

MONTHLY

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ANTIQUITIES-ARTS AND SCIENCES

ART MILITARY-HUSBANDRY.

MILITARY Antiquities respecting a

Hiftory of the English Army, from the Conqueft to the prefent Time. By the late FRANCIS GROSE, Efq. F.A. S. To which is added, by the fame Author, a Treatife on ancient Armour and Weapons. Illuftrated by Plates, taken from the original Armour in the Tower of London, and other Arsenals, Museums, and Cabinets. With a Supplement on Afiatic Armour. The Whole now firft arranged into Chapters, with a copious Index, and brought down to the prefent Time, by an OFFICER of Infantry. 2 vols. 4to. With Plates. 4. 48. Large Paper 61. 6s. Egerton.

The Art of Painting on, and Annealing in Glass: with true Receipts of the Colours, the Ordering of the Furnace, and the Secrets thereunto belonging, as practifed about the Year

'thing totally different from its former felf; and that butterfly there, with 'his painted wings, is not more unlike 'the chryfalis from which it proceed'ed, than the St. Peter's you here fee in its glory, is unlike the St. Peter's, which fome future age (I hope a far 'diftant one) will admire as a ruin'." P. 179.

CATALOGUE.

1500, supposed to be then in its Perfection. 4to. With two Plates. Il. Is. Afhley, Rivingtons. The Principles of English Farriery vindicated; containing Strictures on the erroneous and long-exploded Syftem lately revived at the Veterinary Col. lege; interfperfed with curfory Remarks on the Systems of Solleyfell, De Saunier, De la Foffe, &e. &c. in which is fully difplayed the Supe riority of English Farriery over that of foreign Nations. By JOHN LANE, A. V. P. late of the fecond Regiment of Life Guards. 8vo. 4s. Kirby, Callow.

The Elements of Book-keeping; com-
prifing a Syftem of Merchants' Ac-
counts, founded on real Bufinefs;
arranged according to modern Prac-
tice, and adapted to the Ufe of
Schools. By P. KELLY, Master of
Finsbury Square Academy. 58.-
Johnfon, Rivingtons.

Military Obfervations. By Captain
AYLMER HALY, of the King's (own)
Infantry. 8vo. 35. 6d. Egerton.

Some