Perhaps, once happy, artless maid! And thought the vows fincere, Without one pitying tear. Perhaps an outcast from her home; She fought in vain relief: Ah, what could make, but horror wild, And fpurn the charge fhe bore? Yet not promifcuous-He, unfeen, Extracts from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. PRECEDENT. order to compel public accountants never membrancer used to iffue periodically, a writ of Diftringas ad Computandum to the Sheriffs of London and Middlefex, commanding them to diftrain the lands and chat:les of the defaulters, and produce their bodies before the Barons of the Exchequer within fifteen days of the next term. The writ, however, was executed, though often levelled at perfons who had millions to account for. The Commiffioners of Accounts obferve, "The long ufage of office warrants the Sheriff to give it under his hand, and to confirm it by his oath in the Court of Exchequer, that the Treafurer of the Navy is not to be found, either in the City of London, or in the County of Middlefex; and that the Paymaster-General of the Forces has neither lands nor chattles in either of those districts, by which he can be distrained,” PARLIAMENTARY HOURS. November 3, 1673.-A committee appointed to prepare an addrefs to be prefented to his Majelty, to fhew how the ftanding-army is a grievance, and then adjourned till three of the clock afternoon. Mr. Speaker and the Houfe went to attend MONTHLY MAG, No. 11şi his Majefty at Whitehall, with the addrefs; who returning, Mr. Speaker re would take into his prefent confideration, and would return fpeedily an answer. And then the houfe adjourned till to-morrows morning eight of the clock. HAIR POWDER TAX. When Mr. Pitt proposed this tax, he computed the number of perfons wearing hair-powder at 200,000, which, at one guinea each, would have amounted to 210,000l. per annum. The produce, however, fell fhort of this fum, and has conftantly decreafed fince. Eftimated amount. Produce in 1795 £.210,000 1796 187,085 183,736 RECEIVED your's of the 25th of November, and approve the defign. The Lite you fpeak of, I have not feen, nor do I know that I ever faw the man.* Of his writings, I have read very little fave what relates to mathematics. By that I find him to have been of a bold and daring fancy to venture at any thing, but he wanted judgment to understand the confequence of an argument, and to Speak contently with himself. Where by his argumentations which he pretends to be demonftrative, are very often but weak and incoherent difcourfes, and def tructive in one part of what is faid in another, sometimes within the compafs of the fame page or leaf. This is more convincingly evident (and unpardonable) in mathematics, than in other difcourfe, which are things capable of cogent de monftration and fo evident that, (though a good mathematician may be fubject to commit an error) yet one who understands but little of it, cannot but fee a fault when it is fhewn him. For (they are his own words. Leviathan part 1. cap. 5. p. 21.) who is jo ftupid as both to mistake in geometry, and alfo to perfift in it when another detects his error to him? Now when fo many hundred paralogifins and falfe propofitions have been fhewed him in his mathematics by thofe who have written against him, and that fo evidently that no one mathematician at home or abroad (no, not thofe of his intimate friends) have been found to justify him in any one of them, which makes him fomewhere fay of himself, Aut ego folns infanio, aut folus non infanio, he hath been yet fo fupid (to ufe his own word) to perfift in them, and to repeat and defend them particularly he hath first and laft given us near, twenty quadratures of the circle, of which fome few, though falfe, have been coincident (which therefore I repute for the fame only differently dif* Mr. Hobbes. guifed, but more than a dozen of them are fuch as no two of them are con filtent; and yet he would have them thought to be all true. Now either he thought fo himself (and then you must take him to be a perfon of a very fhallow capacity, and not fuch a man of reafon as he would be thought to be); or, elfe knowing them to be falfe, was obftinately refolved notwithstanding to maintain them as true, (and he must then be a person of no faith or honefty); and if he argues at this rate in mathematics, what are we to expect in his other difcourfes ? Nor am I the first who have taken notice of his incoherent way of difcourfe and illogical inferences. Mr. Boyle, in his Examen of Mr. Hobbes's Dialogus Phyficus de Naturâ Aëris, p. 15, (and I think elsewhere, though I do not remember the place) refers to Dr. Ward's Differtatio in Philofophiam Hobbianam, p. 188, who voucheth Des Cartes to the fame purp fe; "Nempe hoc eft quod alicubi̟ admiratus eft magnus Cartefius nufquam eum, five verum, five falfum pofuerit, recte aliquid ex Suppofitionibus Academiarum," against one Webster with fome animadverfions on Mr. Hobbes. He had in his younger days fome little infight in mathematics, and which, at that time, (when few had any) paffed for a great deal. On the credit of which he did much bear up himself as a great man, and having fomewhat fingular, and thereupon despised divines as not being philofophers or not mathematicians, without which he would have it thought impoffible to do any good in philofophy;-De Corpore cap. 6. fect. 6-and so long as he did but talk and forbear to write, he did by his own report pafs for a mathematician: but when once he began to write mathematics, he prefently fell into thofe grofs abfurdities, and difcovered in himself fuch an incapacity for it, as could not have been imagined of him if he had forborne to write and truly I look upon it as a great providence that God fhould leave him to fo great a degree of infatuation in that, wherein he did fo much pride himself. For whereas in difcourfes of other fubjects, mistakes may be fhuffled over with a multitude of great words, in mathematics it cannot be fo;-and hereby he discovered himself. (without poffibility of palliation), not to be that man of reafon he would be thought to be. For though a man may be rational who is not a mathematician, (and had he not pretended to it, his ignorance had been excufable) but for fo great a pretender, and who had gloried in it for fo long long a time, and was acquainted with the principles of it, from fuch principles to infer such abfurd conclufions, must needs argue a want of logic, and an incapacity not only to reafon well, but even to understand reafon. And I guess it was his affectation of fingularity (as much as any thing) which made him engage in atheiltical tenets, that he might feem to be a man of greater reach than all the world befides. I know not what to add more, but if this may contribute any thing to your fatisfaction, it is at your fervice. Your's to ferve you, JOHN WALLIS. BISHOPS. Dr. Jeremy Taylor. I know you will either excufe, or acquit, or at least pardon mee, that I have fo long feemingly neglected to make a returne to your fo kind and friendly letter, when I fall tell you that I have paffed thorough a great cloud, which hath wetted mee deeper than the skin. It pleased God to send the small poxe and feavers among my children; and I have fince I received yr laft, buiried two fweet, hopeful boys, and have now but one fonne left, whom I intend (if it pleafes God) to bring up to London before Eafter, and then I hope to waite upon you, and by your sweet converfation, and other divertisements, if not to alleviate my forrowes, yet at least to entertaine myselfe, and keepe mee from too intense and actual thinkings of my trouble.Dear Sr will you dee fo much for mee as to beg my pardon of Mr. Phurland that I have yet made no returne to him for his fo friendly letter and expreffions. S you fee there is too much matter to make excufe; my forrow will at least render me an object of every good man's pity and commiferation: but for myfelfe I blefs God I have obferved and felt fo much mercy in this angry difpenfation of God's, that I am almoft tranfported, I am fure highly pleafed, with thinking how infinitely fweet his mercies are, when his judgments are fo gracious. Sr there are many particulars in your letter to which I would faine have answered; but ftill my little fadnefs intervenes and will yet fuffer me to write nothing elfe: but that I beg your prayers, and that you will ftill owne me to be, PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. NATIONAL INSTITUTE. NOTICE of the LABOURS of the CLASS of FINE ARTS, by JOACHIN LE BRETON, perpetual SECRETARY of the CLASS, and MEMBER of that of HISTORY and ANTIENT LITERATURE, read in the PUBLIC SITTING of the INSTITUTE, of the 8th VINDEMIAIRE, YEAR XII. S foon as the arrêt of the 3d Plu organization, it was the only one of the fections which compofe the clafs of finearts, that had neither competitions to propofe, nor prizes to adjudge. This fection remained almoft a nul lity in whatever relates to the encourage ment of the arts. It is to all the other arts, what typography is to the sciences and letters, and to the progrefs of human knowledge; it tranfmits, multiplies and A viole, which changed the organiza- du and tion of the National Inftitute was carried into execution, the clafs of Fine Arts en tered with folicitude upon the exe: cife of the functions affigned to it: grateful to government for the eafy duties impofed upon it, it has fought out for new means wherewith to discharge them. The painters, fculptors, architects, and compofers, usually had it in their power to obtain confiderable prizes; but the art of engraving, unjustly neglected in the first formation of the Institute, was not even as yet treated upon an equitable footing; for although it was placed in the new need of extraordinary patronage, by reafon of the facility with which engravers may fupport themselves in eafy circumtances, by confining their labours to imperfect or licentious works. It is on this account, particularly, that fo few are to be found that have courage to furmount the laft difficulties, wherein, however, confits the true glory of the artist. Thus after having acquired an afcendancy in France, next to painting, engraving is now declined there very much beneath it; with the exception of one artist (citizen Bervic, a member of the Inftiture) 302 whom whom we ought not to confound with the others The Clafs has proposed to the government, in order to encourage and support the art of engraving, to do what Louis XIV. did with the fame views; he fent Gerard Audran, to fudy at Rome, and above all, to acquaint himself with what is called the grandiofe on the fubject of the arts. From henceforth, it is our intention, likewife, to decree a confiderable prize for engraving, which shall enjoy the fame advantages as the other great prizes, that is to fay, a penfion and a refidence in the school at Rome. There will be alternately, a grand prize for engraving in taille-douce, and for fine ftones and medals. These two laft kinds, fo interesting for the study of hiftory, are yet further to be recommended by the circumftances wherein we now live; circumftances which will exhibit fo many glorious titles to immortality, fo many famous events to tranfmit to pofterity. Next to this principal advantage, in favour of engraving, we have obtained one for the other arts, equally defirable. The revolutionary war having interrupted the labours of the French-Ichool at Rome; thofe who had obtained confiderable prizes, were, for a long time, difenabled from deriving what may be confidered as the most valuable advantage accruing from it, that of going to complete their ftudies in Italy. But on the peace, the above school was overcharged with pupils, which induced the minifter of the Interior to render the competition triennial, until the ordinary courfe could be refumed. But this was too confiderable a reduction of the neceffary encouragements. The clafs of fine-arts has undertaken to fulfil all points, by demanding of the minifter prizes analogous to those that are decreed by the other claffes of the Institute, and which are conferred as an honour on the man of letters and of fcience. This demand has been equally fuccefsful with that which the Institute addreffed to the First Conful, for the encouragement of engraving. The minifter has, moreover, granted an indemnity to the clafs for the charges to which the candidates or competitors are liable. And, laftly, the First Conful has exceeded our hopes, by a gra. tification of the medal that was ftruck for the inauguration of the Venus de Medicis to the young artists who fhall be crowned in the fitting. Another favour of a more recent date has been likewife obtained. A letter from the Minifter of the Interior has just granted an encouragement of Goo francs to the young artist who obtained the fecond prize of painting, and which was then under the infpection of the Inftitute. After thefe primary cafes, and having made different regulations for the feveral competitions, in the fine-arts, conftantly fucceeding each other, from the first day of Germinal to the end of the year, the clafs has refumed the execution of an arrêt, by which government has demanded of the National Institute "the prefent ftate of the fciences, of letters and arts in France, at the epoch of 1789, of their progrefs from that epoch to the ift of Vindemiaire, year io; and the views of the Institute for their advancement, encouragement, and perfection." In Two of the fections of the Arts, Declamation and Painting, had made their Report before the changes which have recently taken place in the Inftitute. the one, Citizen Grandmefnil had displayed the refults of long and learned experience in his art; and in the other, Citizen Vincent had traced an h.ftorical and defcriptive sketch of painting, from the time of Francis I. whofe character and perfonal qualities attracted the able artifts whom he invited from Italy, towards the middle of the XVth century. Thefe artists produced others amongst us who furpaffed their archetypes. Vouet, le Pouffin, Le Sueur, Le Brun, Mignard, were the first generation. Since that time, the French fchool has fhone with distinguished luftre. At first, a number of painters formed themselves into a fociety, from an inherent love of the art, with a view to direct the pupils by a regular course of inftruction. This fociety was erected into an academy, in the year 1653; and twenty years after, Colbert annexed to it a fchool of the fine-arts, at Rome. Undoubtedly Lewis XIV. and his minifter were not fo enamoured of the arts as Francis I. but they did more for their eftablishment, by founding them upon inftitutions. Notwithstanding this, painting, and the arts in general, have declined fince that reign; the causes of which have not been hitherto well explained. The fection of painting confiders as one of the principal remoras, the dictatorship exercifed over the arts, by one man, whole genius, however, contributed to their illuftration; Charles Le Bren, fupported by the favour and authority of the Prince, erected himself into an arbiter and difpenfer, both of the labours and the favours, and exacted from the other artists an entire fubmiffion to his own tafie, which was an exclufive one, and to his character which was imperious: they were under a necef a neceffity either to model themselves and facred to Indra, the regent of the agreeably to his ideas, or to be fervile firmament; the fifth, white, and facred and perfecuted. All the productions bear to Soma. He next gathers up the duft the impreffion of his feal, and had but one from the edges of thefe lines, and throws physiognomy. He prefcribed even to the it away towards the north-ealt, faying, ornaments of the locks and bolts of the "What was (herein) bad, is caft away,' gates of Versailles, and the Meffrs. Girar- and he concludes by fprinkling water don themselves worked upon his plans. on the feveral lines. Thus, in lieu of the genius and the originality which the great artists of that epoch would have impreffed on the art, we find a cold monotony in the execution, and a dull uniformity in the defign; for artists could only confecrate their pencils to flattery. Some endured perfecution, others were removed to a diffance. But after the death of Pouffin, of Le Sueur, and Le Brun, there only remained the elements, as it were, of decay, which this laft had prepared. This decay was fudden and deplorable; for the art funk into utter contempt, under the reign of Lewis XV. ASIATIC SOCIETY INSTITUTED IN BENGAL. N conformity with the defign and plan has prefented to it an elaborate account of the religious ceremonies of the Hindus, particularly of thofe of the Brahmens, from which we shall extract the leading articles. Daily and frequent ablutions, and the tudy of the Veda, are among the moft important duties attaching to the life of a Brahmen; next to thefe is the facrament of the manes, of deities, and of fpirits, which confifts in oblations to fire, with prayers addreffed to various divinities. The ceremony of confecrating the fire, and of hallowing the facrificial implements, is the ground-work of all religious acts, and is thus performed. First the priest finears with cow-dung a level piece of ground, four cubit, fquare, free from all impurities. Having bathed and fipped water, he fits down, with his face towards the eat, and places a veffel of water, with cus-a grafs on his let; then, dropping his right knee, and refting on the fpan of his left hand, he draws with a root of cús-a a line directed towards the east. From the nearest extremity of this line, he draws another, at right angles to it, and directed to the north. Upon this line he draws three others parallel, and equal in length to the first. The first line is yellow and facred to the earth; the fecond is red, and facred to fire; the third black, and facred to Brahma, the creator; the fourth blue, Having thus prepared the ground for the facrificial fire, he takes a lighted ember and throws it away, laying, "I difmifs far away carnivorous fire; may it go to the realm of Yama, bearing fin." He then places the fire before him, faying, "Earth! Sky! Heaven! fire alone remains here, may it convey my oblation to the Gods!" He next proceeds to place the Brahmá, or fuperintending priest, which, in general, is nothing more than a bundle containing fifty blades of cús a grafs, to reprefent the Brahmá; but upon very extraordinary occafions, a learned Brahman difcharges the functions of the fuperintending priest. The officiating prieft takes up the veffel of water, and walks round the fire, keeping his right fide turned towards it; he then pours water near it, directing the ftream to thereon; and croffing his right knee over his left, without fitting down, he takes up a fingle blade of grafs, between the thumb and right finger of his left hand, and throws it away towards the fouthweft, faying," What was herein bad is caft away." Next, touching the water, reft ing the fole of his right foot on his left ancle, and fprinkling the grafs with water, he places the Brahma on it, faying, "Sit on this feat until thy fee be paid." If any profane word have been spoken during the preceding ceremony, atonement must now be made, by pronouncing a certain text; and if it be intended to make oblations of rice, mixed with milk, curds and butter, this is the proper time for mixing them; and the priest afterwards proceeds to name the earth, in the following prayer, which he pronounces with a downcait look, refting both hands on the ground: "We adore this earth; this aufpicious and most excellent earth: de thou, O fire! refift our enemies: thou dost take on thee the power and office of other deities!" With blades of cús-a grafs held in his right hand, he must next ftrew leaves of the fame grafs on three fides of the fire, arranging them regularly, fo that the tip of one row fhall cover the roots of the other. He then bleffes the ten regions of space; and rifing a little, puts fome wood on the fire, with a ladle full of clarified butter, while he meditates in |