24 Tristan de Acunha.---Statues at Paris. Seaver, after proceeding to Rio de Janeiro to solicit the aid of the Portuguese Government to enable him to cultivate the Island, being disappointed in his expectations, abandoned the project, and entered into the service of the Government of Buenos Ayres, by whom he was promoted to the rank of a Commodore: but they having, it is said, some reason to suspect his fidelity, and being accused of tampering with the Spanish Government, he was arrested; and after a short and rigorous confinement, condemned to suffer death, and shot, on board of a schooner off the island of Flores in the river Plate. This information I received during a short residence at Buenos Ayres and at Rio de Janeiro, in 1819. About five years since, to the best of my recollection, when I was a resident at the Cape of Good Hope, the present Governor of that Settlement, Lord Charles Henry Somerset, sent a military detachment, under the command of Capt. Claste (one of his aidesdu-camp) to Tristan de Acunha, who took possession of the Island, in the name of his Majesty, provisionally, till the measure received the sanction of the British Government: but after a few months occupation, having received orders to abandon the place, the troops were withdrawn, and returned to the Cape a short time before I left that Colony. This Island was first discovered by the Portuguese Admiral Tristan de Acunha, from whom it takes its name. Another of the group, Diego Alvarez, is called after a vice-admiral of that name; the remainder of the cluster are, Nightingale Island, Gough's Is. land, Inaccessible Island, and Rocky Island. In the History of St. Helena, written by Mr. Brook, he states that the East India Company had it once in contemplation to abandon that island, and take possession of Tristan de Acunha, as a depôt,—it having a decided advantage over the other, not [July, only from its local situation, but STATUES IN THE FRENCH MUSEUM, (Resumed from vol. XC. ii. p. 216.) HIS saloon is so called from a painting on the ceiling, representing Poetry and History celebrating with envy the exploits of warlike Rome. With every deference to the political necessity of continental nations preserving a military spirit, the introduction of History shows that it ought to have commemorated the truth; namely, that the conquests of the Romans merely imply the success of regular tacticks over the mobfighting of barbarous warfare. But the vanity of France is here conspicuous, and the comparison with English good sense is striking. The battles of Marlborough are tapestried at Blenheim, but these were fought with equal arms. Our Indian combats are not deemed worthy of notice, except as picturesque records. LXXVII. GETA. A Bust. This bust, taken from the ruins of Gabii, is in perfect preservation. Portraits of this Emperor are very rare, because they were destroyed by Caracalla. (Monum. Gabin. n. 4. Visconti, p. 31.) There is a marble bust of him at the Capitol, which Mongez (Rec. p. 17) says, is perhaps unique. His face upon the Florentine gems (i. pl. 15, n. 12) is that of a beardless youth, and exhibits a singular mode of hair-dressing; for though the Romans wore crops, yet their perokism is of inexhaustible variety. LXXVIII. INOPUS. A Fragment. This fragment belonged to a demireclined statue, of which there remain only the head, and a part of the torso. This piece of fine workman chased a quantity of vaccine matter, with which he arrived at the Cape very opportunely, at a time when the small pox was making dreadful ravages amongst the popu lation of that settlement; to stop which calamity Lady Anne Dashwood made a purchase of the vaccine matter from Capt. Seaver; and with the greatest humanity presented it to the Medical Committee to vaccinate the inhabitants. This lady likewise opened a subscription for him, by which he cleared 10,000 rix dollars. Capt. Seaver was a man of superior abilities and address, and better educated than the Yankee Captains are in general. 1821.] Antient Sculptures in the Royal Museum at Paris. 25 to an Ancient the idea that the river flowed up hill to Highgate and Hampstead. LXXIX. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS. A Bust. In excellent style and preservation. He wears the lana, or long cloak. (Monum. Gabini, n. 37. Visconti, p. 32.) His busts are quite common. LXXX. AUGUSTUS. A Statue. The Emperor is in a toga. The plate of marble at his feet alludes to the decree of the Colony, or corporate body, who erected this Statue in his honour. (Visconti, p. 80.) His Heads and Busts are common. "In the PioClementine Museum (says Mongez) (Rec. p. 13) was preserved an antique Statue, draped in a toga, upon which was placed an antient bead of Augustus; it was at Venice in the Giustiniani Palace; and is now in the French Museum." This last is the Statue marked n. 89. LXXXI. AN UNKNOWN ROMAN COMMANDER. A Bust. The cut of the beard announces the second Century of the Christian era. (Visconti, p. 33.) The beard was always an ensign of high rank; and it has been supposed, from the representations of Mairinus upon Coins, that imperial figures were not represented with beards, until they became Emperors: but the fashion of beards appears, at any rate, a very equivocal test of any æra or country. ship was found in the ruins of Delos. The attitude of the figure gives us reason to think, that it represented the river Inopus, which watered that sacred isle. The gods of small rivers have been often represented without beards. This precious fragment was brought to Marseilles by a vessel, to which it served for ballast. (Visconti, p. 32.) This practice of ballasting vessels with the precious remains of antiquity, during the Crusades, was the means of reviving the Arts in Europe. There have been various positions advanced concerning the figures of rivers, which word shows a defect in our language. We have no distinctive appellation for rivers which flow directly to the sea, and those which are merely tributary. But among the Ancients, and probably some Moderns, fluvius applied to such master channels, and rivus to the obscure rural streams. Upon this discrimination is founded an opinion of some writers, that the annexation of the beard, implies rivers, which flowed directly to the sea, while those without, denoted a mere feeding stream. This remark is unfounded, as well as that of Visconti concerning the beardless chin being confined to small rivers; for the Po upon the bas-relief of Phaeton at the Villa Borghese, has no beard, nor the fluvius of Agrigentum, nor many other fluvii, properly so called. Vaillant has gone into another mistake. He says, that the fluvii are not represented prostrate, but when they received other streams, which swelled them; and that then the river, which emp. tied its waters into a fluvius, is represented standing. He is confuted by the Pactolus or the Hyllus, which flows into the Hermus, upon the Lydian coins of Gordian Pius, where both rivers are reclining, with reeds and urns. The Meander and its tributary Marsyas, are both prostrate upon the coins of Apamea. Jobert gives other examples. (See Spanheim Epist. iv. ad Morel. pp. 257, 258.) There is only one thing tolerably certain concerning the figures of Rivers; it is, that they commonly look towards the point of the compass, whither their waters are flowing: and from this rule being disregarded, the figure LXXXIII. AN UNKNOWN ROMAN of the Thames at Somerset House, PERSONAGE. A Bust. This Roman, which faces the Strand, would convey whose Bust announces the Antonine GENT, MAG. July, 1821. LXXXII. ROME. A Statue. The eternal City personified, is armed with the Egis, and is seated upon a rock, symbolic of the Tarpeian rock. This Statue of Porphyry had lost the arms and head, which were of another material, according to the usage of Polychromatic Sculpture. These parts have been restored in gilt bronze. (Visconti, p. 83.) It is certain, that the goddess Rome resembled a Pallas, except in not having her eyes cast down; and that the Emperors sometimes appear with the Egis upon coins and statues: but it is equally certain, that the known figures of the goddess Rome do not coincide in costume and attributes with this marble, unless in one statue in Montfaucon, L'Antiq. expliq. vol. I. p. ii. b. 2. c. 5. æra, 26 Antient Sculptures in the Royal Museum at Paris. [July, era, is represented in civil costume. The lano is placed over the toga, and forms by its regular folds a kind of large band. The muscles and drapery are of perfect execution. (Visconti, p. 34.) With respect to the drapery of antique Statues, it is proper to recollect the remark of Winckelman (Art. iv. c. 5, § 3), that while it is very common to see naked statues, such as Venuses and Apollos, perfectly like each other, it is very uncommon to see a draped statue, which resembles any other in the adjustment. LXXXIV. CANINUS. A Statue. A figure in a toga, denominated from the name upon the plinth. LXXXV. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS. A Bust. See n. 79. LXXXVI. IMPERIAL STATUE. A torso, in a cuirass, of exquisite workmanship. LXXXVII. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS. ▲ Bust, but superior to n. 85. LXXXVIII. TIBERIUS. A Statue. He is clothed in the toga, and holds in his left hand the scipio of Emperors and triumphers. The execution of the drapery is admirable for the taste, delicacy, and boldness, of the work. (Visconti, p. 35.) The scipio was the ivory staff, surmounted by an eagle, which was at first the symbol of Consular power, and afterwards daily carried by the Emperors. This Statue was formerly at the Vatican, and the French writers make the portraits of Tiberius the models of Louis XI. "le plus dissimulé, le plus perfide des hommes." The busts are rare, according to Winckleman (art. 6), infinitely more so than those of Augustus. Notwithstanding there are two heads at the Capitol, and others are known. LXXXIX. AUGUSTUS. A Statue. (See n. 80.) The Emperor is standing. The large style of the toga recalls the taste of the Greek schools. (Visconti, p. 35.) This full style of Greek drapery is admirably delineated in the Hamilton Vases; and curious specimens of it occur in the excellent selections published by Mr. Kirke. XC. FAUSTINA, THE MOTHER. A Bust. Of fine workmanship and perfect conservation. (Visconti, p. 35.) Of all the portraits of the Empresses, this is the most common. The tuft of hair upon the top of the head discriminates her busts from those of the younger Faustina, whose hair is fas tened in a knot at the back of the head. The coiffure of the elder Faustina upon the Palais Royal gems (tom. ii. pl. 42.) is perhaps the most elegant specimen of artificial hair-dressing ever known; and by its difficult and elaborate formation, must have been a wig; for some statues have this appendage in marble, which takes on and off. (See n. 97.) XCI. ROME. A Colossal Bust. The wolf, suckling Romulus and Remus upon each side of the helmet, distinguishes the portrait from that of a Minerva. (Visconti, p. 36.) Eckhel says, that figures of the Goddess Rome, so very common, commence with Hadrian, and that the first apotheosis of her was made by the people of Smyrna, and that Livy, I. 43, c. 5, is mistaken, for which he quotes Tacitus, Annal. IV. 56. XCII. FAUSTINA, THE YOUNGER. In the costume of Pudicitia. A Bust (Visconti, p. 36.) A Bust of her, found at Hadrian's Villa, is or was at the Capitol. D (To be continued.) NUGE CURIOSE. ODART, in a communication to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, computed that an elm every year, at a medium, produces 330,000 seeds; and, therefore, supposing it to live 100 years, 33 millions of seeds during its whole age. Fern is vastly more fruitful in seeds. Harts tongue produces in a year one million of seeds.-Dr. Grew. There is a kind of mushroom which grows on the bands and plaisters applied to wounds and sores of sick men in the Hospital of Hotel Dieu.-Tournefort. After the Fire of London, 1666, an immense quantity of erysinum latifolium majus glabrum appeared upon more than 200 acres of ground where it happened! The immensity of the number of seeds to those that are expended, out of which only one plant is produced, is incredible. So the great number of animals, and them that are born, but do not long survive, and the greater number of abortions, bear strong analogy to the rest of natureand the analogy is likewise obvious in moral life, as it respects Virtue and Vice. Cardinal 1821.] Nuga Curiosa. Cardinal à Cardo, a hinge. The Latin Church calls her principal Ministers of the Court of Rome Cardinals, from this word Curdo, a hinge, because on them hinges the election of their Popes: and so the word Ambassador, in Jerem. xlix. 14, should or might be rendered-a Missionary is an Ambassador to the Heathen, or hinge to unite them to Christ. Evelyn's Memoirs, 10 May, 1654, says, "My Lady Gerard treated us at Mulberry Garden now ye only place of refreshment about ye towne for persons of the best quality to be exceedingly cheated at; Cromwell and his partisans having shut up and seized on Spring Gardens, wch till now had been ye usual rendezvous for the Ladys and Gallants of this season." This Mulberry Garden was the site on which Buckingham House was built, and the Spring Garden was a place of entertainment in the vil lage of Charing, since built upon and constituting the present street near Charing Cross. By the same Memoirs we learn that Grenadier soldiers were first brought into service, June 29, 1678, and were embodied with the regiments reviewed on that day by the King on Hounslow Heath; "they were dextrous in flinging band granados, every one having a pouch full-they wore furr'd caps with coped crownes, like Janizaries, which made them look very fierce, and some had long hoods hanging down behind-their clothing being piebald, yellow and red." At the sale of effects of King Charles I. the Cartoons of Rafael formed a principal subject of general notice, and the King of France had given orders to his Ambassador to purchase them, which having come to the ears of Cromwell, he sent Gen. Skippon to bid for them, lest they should be conveyed out of the country. When the lot was proposed, long silence ensued, after which the French ambassador offered 301. and then another pause followed-for nobody dared bid, on seeing Skippon, 'till they knew his intention he then said, "I bid 401. for my Lord Prolector," to whom they were knocked down immediately. a I remember to have seen at Bedford House, in Bloomsbury Square, at 27 the time of the sale of the whole building and its furniture, and the copies of the Cartoons of Rafael, by Sir Jas. Thornhill-they were then in good preservation, and decorated the walls of the Grand Saloon in the Western wing-they were very close copies, and were highly esteemed-but who was the purchaser, and in whose possession are they at this time? The money given at the communion in St. James's Church, Westminster, amounted to much more than the usual distributions by the minister, and the rest was for some years laid out in the establishment of a parochial school in that parish, called the Offertory School. The Romanists are indebted for their Church Music to the Benedictines; our fine Cathedral service is derived from them-may it continue for ever! The Psalmody of our Churches was a popular innovation during the first years of the Reformation; and the psalms of Sternhold and Hopkins were allowed to be sung, not enjoined: those, says Collier, II. 236, who have searched into the matter with the utmost care and curiosity, could never discover any authority, either from the Crown or the Convocation. Southey's Wesley, II. 221. Guido Aretinus, a Benedictine Monk, who lived about the year 1020, is the reputed inventor of counterpoint. He added some notes to the scale; and to these sounds he gave the names Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La; because these were the first syllables of each hemistick in a hyma to St. John the Baptist, which in the music, happened to form a series of six notes regularly ascending. The note which he added below, was expressed by Gamma, according to the Greek notation; and bence the Scale was called Gamut. "Ut queant laxis Resonare fibris Mira gestorum Famuli tuorum, Solve poluti Labii reatum. Sancti Johannis." The Italians have substituted Do for Ut, as being more open for the voices and about 150 years since the French added the syllable Si to express the 7th of the key;-and thus the scale remains to this day. Ed. Rev. May, 1820. 28 Mr. URBAN, Cedar of Libanus at Enfield, deseribed. [July, Queen-square, Bloomsbury, July 5. THE HE Cedar of Libanus, mentioned in vol. XLIX. p. 138, is still standing in part of the Garden formerly belonging to the Old Palace, and has considerably increased since it was measured in 1779, by the late Mr. Liley. In 1793, at 3 feet from the ground, this famous Cedar measured, in girt, 19 feet. In 1815, at 1 foot 6 in. from the ground, 15 feet 8 in.; and in 1821, at 1 foot from the ground, 17 feet. But, to give you a more general and correct idea of this Tree, I send you the section and admeasurements, taken on the 15th of March last. ft. in. 4. Ditto at 5 feet 6 in. from ditto - 13 6 5. Ditto at 14 feet 6 in. from ditto 13 3 6. Ditto at 24 feet 6 in. from ditto 10 11 7. Ditto at 32 feet 6 in. from ditto (rather more than 1 foot below - 11 8 8. Ditto |