a greater mafler, if perhaps a few of the smaller works of Holbein be excepted. Among our own country men, there is no artist who can be put into competition with Oliver, unlefs it be Cooper. Even Cooper, though living in an age of freer pencil, and under the auspices of Vandyke, fcarcely compenfated, by the boldness of his expreflion, for the truth and delicate fidelity of the older malter. Ifaac Oliver had a fon, Peter, who alone approached to the perfection of his father. Of Oliver's family there is no certain account; nor is it a matter of any confequence, his genius having raised him above diftinctions of that kind. Among his numerous and admirable pieces, there is a portrait of himself, in the poffeffion of the present earl of Orford, which juftifies all the encomiums that have been paffed upon him. The art of the master and the imitation of nature, are fo great in this picture, that the largest magnifying glafs only calls qut new beauties. Another of his invaluable works is at the lord Montacute's at Coudray, reprefenting three brothers of that lord's family. Oliver did not always confine himself to water-colours. There are inftances of his working in oil: but his productions in this fpecies of painting, though far from being deftitute of merit, are not to be compared with his other performances.

There appear to have been two gentlemen painters in the reign of Elifabeth. One was John Twifden, a divine, who drew a small portrait of himself, neatly executed. The other was fir Nathaniel Bacon, knight of the Bath, and a younger fon of the lordkeeper. This gentleman really attained the perfection of a mafter. He travelled into Italy, and studied painting in that country; but his manner and colouring approach nearer to the ftyle of the Flemish school. Some of his works are preferved at Culford, where he lived; and at Gorhambury, which was the feat of his father, is a large picture in oil, done by him, which is admirably painted.

The age of Elisabeth was not des ficient in engravers; feveral of whom had confiderable merit. It will be fufficient, in this place, barely to recite their names. The artifts we refer to were, Dr. William Cunyngham, Ralph Aggas, Humphrey Cole, John Bettes, William Rogers, Chriftopher Saxton, George Hoefnagle, and Robert Adams.-There was at this time a paffion for the portraits of remarkable perfons; and at the fame period was introduced the cuftoms of publifhing reprefentations of magnificent funerals.

There is no occafion to enlarge on the patrons of literature during Elifabeth's reign, as all thofe whofe names we recollect in this view have already been noticed on other accounts. The perfons that occur to us, as principally deferving here to be mentioned, are lord Buckhurft, lord Burleigh, archbishop Parker, Thomas Radcliffe earl of Suffex, Robert Devereux earl of Effex, and fir Philip Sidney. We apprehend that the two laft of thefe illuftrious men fhould be ranked above the reft as the Macenafes of the age.

Of literary foundations there was one at Oxford, and two at Cambridge. At Oxford, Jefus College was eftablifhed by Dr. Hugh Price, treasurer of St. David's. The advantages of this inftitution are chiefly confined to the Welch; its benefactors, its principals, and its scholars, having, with very few exceptions, been natives of the principality. At Cambridge, Emanuel College was founded by fir Walter Mildmay, and Sidney-Suffex College, by the lady Frances Sidney, countefs of Suffex. It may truly be faid concerning each of thefe feminaries, that they have produced names which reflect honour upon religion and learning.

The literary hiftory of queen Elifabeth's reign is a curious and interesting object; on which account it has demanded an extent of difcuffion that could not be supplied or merited by any former period. Various branches of fcience and of art were, indeed, in

an

relinquish thefe fentiments which he was going to feal with his blood, on account of his family, which was large and helpless: to which he answered with a fmile, Ye all know that I the ravens, will not forget the young love my family-but He that feeds crous.'-His confidence was not mif placed.

rich Benedictine abbey, in which is Ar Richenau, in Swifferland, is a fhown, among other relics, a curious

tooth of Charles the Fat. That moFrance, and who poffeffed dominions narch, who was emperor and king of as extenfive as thofe of Charlemagne, lived to want the common neceffaries of life, and to depend for his fub fiftence upon the charity of an archbishop of Mentz. He was publicly depofed, in 887, at the meeting of the French, German, and Italian barons, whom he himself had fummoned. After having languithed a year, in extreme want and mifery, he died at a small village, near Mentz, in Ger many; and his remains were con veyed to the convent of Richenau.

romantic Scenery around it."

IN the bailiwick of Interlacken and

canton of Bern, in Swifferland, is Lauterbrunnen, a village, or rather collection of cottages, fprinkled, like thofe of Grindelwald, about the valley and acceffible parts of the hills. Near the clergyman's houfe is the celebrated cataract of Staubbach, to view which is almost the only motive, that induces a great number of travellers, every fummer, to vifit the valley of Lauterbrunnen. This torrent,' fays Mr. Coxe, rolls perpendicularly from fo confiderable a height, as to refolve itself into fine fpray; the greatest part of it falls clear of the overhanging mountain, during its

whole defcent; but the remainder

dafhes about half way against a projection from the rock, and flies off with great violence. The clergyman measured, afhort time ago, its perpendicular height, and found it nine hundred and thirty feet. The fun fhining in an oppofite direction, a miniature rainbow was reflected toward the bottom of the fall: while F food at fome distance, the rainbow affumed a femicircular figure; as F approached, the extreme points gradually coincided, and formed a complete circle of the moft lively ant brilliant colours. In order to have a fill finer view, I ventured nearer and

U u

nearer;