vina) Corsildo Alfejo, (Avvocato Antonio Colloretti, } and Mirtilo Dianidio, (Dr Pier Jacopo Martello,) who gave their opinion in favour of the plaintiffs; however, the general afsembly having examined the reasons on both sides rejected this opinion, and ordered, that what had been customary should be observed. Perhaps it may be thought that the desire, in some, of being distinguished by the rank of colleague, was the cause of this tumult, and of the schism that fol lowed; and Alfesibeo took great pains to make it appear so in the narration he has introduced of it in his work, Stato della Basilica di S. Maria in Cosmedin, &c.; but these disturbances are to be traced from an entirely different source.

Alfesibeo, with the approbation of the general afsembly, having compiled the laws, which were put into Latin by Opica, the commifsion was given to the latter to prepare a Latin oration to be repeated on the occasion of the promulgation of the laws. He could not avoid fhewing it to the custode, who thought that Opico had made use of some exprefsions, which seemed to import that he not only was the author of the Latin version, but likewise of the compilation of the laws. It was therefore read in the general afsembly, who ordered several corrections, which Opica promised to fulfil; but when the day came for the promulgation of the laws, he repeated it without any of the proposed alterations. This behavi our of Opice displeased not only the custode, but the greatest part of the Arcadians. The misunderstanding increased, when a few days after, Opico distributed his Latin Opuscula, amongst which were the laws

Sept. 19% of Arcadia, followed by the oration, with the title, F. Vincentii Gravinae, inter Arcades Opici Erymanthaei, pro legibus Arcadum oratio;' which he several times reprinted without ever changing any thing, as if it had been admitted by the afsembly. In consequence of such proceedings the college newly instituted called Opico to give an account, who not being able to deny any circumstance that was laid to his charge, promised to make a new edition of the oration, to which he was to prefix a declaration that the laws were not his production, and that he only dre fsed them in the Latin garb. This declaration was presented by him, and is still to be seen in the serbat ojo or register office of Arcadia. The custode and the college were satisfied with the readiness of Opico; but whether it was involuntary neglect or determined contumacy, it seemed he never more thought of it; moreover, whenever he talked of the laws of Arcadia with his friends, he always hinted his being the author of them, and he explicitly says it in a letter to Orildo Berenteatico, (Marchese Scipione Maffei.)

These disagreements, by little and little, alienated. the minds of Opico and Alfesibeo, so that there was not any longer between them the former cordiality. It may be added to all this, that the authority of custode having increased, so as to have become in the opinion of several a reputable place, many began to aim at it; nor was every one pleased that fesibeo, by repeated elections, should be a perpetual custode. Opico, who was indeed a man of greater knowledge and parts than the most in his time, invited to his house a band of young men of great brilliancy

of genius, and ardour for study, who gave very promising hopes, of becoming, one day, by his instructions, great luminaries of literature; so that several of the Arcadians, of a more mature age, delighted to meet with them in Opico's habitation; and to encourage them more, had them, by little and little, received amongst the Arcadian fhepherds, until their number increased so much as to begin to give suspicion to the custode, and make him very jealous and attentive. Hence he took care to keep out of the number of the colleagues those young men of Opico's band; and hence the opportunity was taken for the complaint by Rolli, coloured with an apparent zeal for the observance of the laws.

The general afsembly decided in favour of the consuetude, and Alfesibeo's party triumphed in that day, which kept in suspence the greatest part of Rome. The reclaimants were received and favoured by Aquilio Naviano, (Don Livio Odescalchi, duke of Bracciano, &c.) who made to them a donation of a garden, out of the Porta Flaminia or del Popolo, where, after having chosen Aquilio for their perpetual custode, they pretended to constitute the true Arcadia, and continued to act in all respects as Arcadians. The two parties went to law. The greatest number of the Arcadians were unanimous, and constant in difsenting from the schism; and, excepting very few, who chose to remain indifferent, all the others declared, in writing, their fidelity to Arcadia, and perpetual war to the schism; the colonies especially fhewed their particular zeal, many of which had been strony sollicited by the schismatics.

The law suit lasted three years, when Aquilio died, and the schismatics finding they were very near losing their cause in the court, made a legal renunciation of the suit, and pretensions; and laying aside the name of Arcadia nuova, they afsembled under the name of Academia Quirina, in the gallery of cardinal Lorenzo Corsini, who was afterwards pope Clement XII. by whose influence they had given up their pretensions. Thus Arcadia recovered its tranquillity which has ever after been undisturbed.

I must observe to you, that the unanimity of the Arcadians has always been insurmountable in inviolably observing that part of the law which hinders the Arcadians from having a patron; for when Arete Melleo (John v. king of Portugal) was acclamated, he sent a present of four thousand crowns to the Arcadia, and an offer to be their patron; they received the present, which was employed in buying the present place where the Bosco Parrasio exists, but they made the royal fhepherd understand it was against the laws of Arcadia to have a patron.

It has not been possible to observe the tenth law as strictly as it was intended, on account of the great number of the Arcadian fhepherds, for whom there could not be kept a fixed number of lands, which, on the contrary, have been increased, and the denominations taken not only from the country of Arcadia, and the neighbouring provinces, but this imaginary dominion has been extended to all those countries that have belonged to the Greeks, even at the time of the Macedonian empire under Philip, Alexander, and their successors.

To be concluded in another article.

HINTS RESPECTING THE GENERATION

OF CERTAIN KINDS OF FISHES.

CERTAD ENDS

Respectfully addrefsed to the readers of the Bee in India, for farther elucidation.

FEW objects can be more interesting to man than the history of nature; and in that department, one of the most curious of its branches is that which respects the generation of animals, and the circumstances that tend to accelerate the growth, or fhorten the natural period of existence of animated beings.

That there are many modes of generation which are unknown to us, and which differ very much from that with which we are best acquainted, I have no sort of doubt, as well as of fhortening or protracting the usual existence of animate beings. The procreation of polypi, of earth worms, and of some kinds of serpents, are examples of the former; and the preservation of snails alive for many years, during which time their vital powers have been entirely suspended, affords a striking example of the latter.

But an anomalous case respecting the generation of certain kinds of fishes, which has been reported to me by various persons who have been in India, has appeared to me so contrary to the ordinary course of nature, that, without disputing the facts, I choose to suspend my belief in them, till I fhall have such authority as shall remove all kind of scepticism on that head. It is with that view I take this mode of applying to the readers of the Bee in India, for farther VOL. Xi.

M