which fide we will, we muft, to be confiftent with their own rules, feel them to be extremely monotonous.” He continues, "I am fupported in this conjecture, notwithstanding all the fine things the ancients, and many of the moderns, fay of the variety and harmony of the Greek and Latin languages, by the definition which they give of the circumflex accent; which is, that it was a combination of the acute and grave upon the fame fyllable. This is fo incomprehenfible to modern ears, that fcarcely any one but the author of the prefent Obfervations has attempted to explain it by experiment. It ftands for nothing but long quantity in all our fchools. "But our wonder at thefe peculiarities of the Greek and Latin languages will ceafe when we turn our thoughts to the dramatic performances of the people who spoke thefe languages. Can any thing astonish us more, than that all their tragedies and comedies were fet to mufic, and actually accompanied by mufical inftruments? How is our laughter, as well as our wonder, excited, when we are told that fometimes one actor gefticulated while another recited a fpeech, and that the greater admiration was beftowed upon the former! Nay, to raise the ridicule to the highest pitch, we are informed that actors in their fpeeches, and the chorus in their fongs, accompanied their performances by dancing; that the actors wore masks lined with brafs, to give an echoing found to the voice, and that these masks were marked with one paffion on one fide, and with a contrary paffion on the other; and that the actor turned that fide to the fpectators which correfponded to the paffion of the fpeech he was reciting. Thele extraordidinary circumstances are not gathered from obfcure pallages of the ancients, picked up here and there, but are brought to us by the general and united voice of all antiquity; and therefore, however furprifing, or even ridiculous, they may feem, are undoubtedly true. Perhaps it will be faid, is it poffible that thofe who have left us fuch proofs of their good fenfe and exquifite tafte in their writings, ftatues, medals, and feals, could be fo abfurd in their dramatic reprefentations? The thing is wonderful, it may be answered; but not more fo than that they fhould not have feen the use of stirrups in riding, of the polarity of the loadstone in failing, and of feveral other modern difcoveries, which feem to have stared them full in the face without their perceiving it. But is there any thing more common than to find not only individuals, but a whole people, who, though remarkably excellent in fome things, are furpringly deficient in others. We have the frongeft proof in the world that the ancient Greeks made ufe only of capital letters, that they were utterly ignorant of punctuation, and that there was not the least space between words or fentences, but that there was an equal continuation of letters, which the reader was obliged to decypher, without any affiftance from points or diftances. Without the cleareft evidence, could we fuppofe, that, while compofition had reached the perfection it had done in Greece, orthography was in a state of barbarity worthy of the Cape of Good Hope? "Can any thing give us a more ludicrous idea than the practice of the ancients in fometimes fplitting a word at the end of the line, and commencing the next line with the latter part of the word? This must have been nearly as ridiculous as the following English verfes, in imitation of this abfurd practice. Pyrrhus, Pyrrhus, you tempt a danger high inglorious. Notwithstanding the hackneyed epithet of Gothic barbarity applied to verle in rhyme, is it not wonderful that a fpccies of verfification, approved by Italy, France, and England, in their best periods of poetry, thould never once have been tried by the Greeks and Romans?-that they fhould never have ftraggled, either by chance, or for the fake of change, into so pleafing a jingle of founds? They who could write poems, and fo lengthen or fhorten the lines, as to form axes, wings, and altars, might, without any imputation on their tafte, have, now and then, condefcended to rhyme. In short, that the ancients fhould never have flid into rhyme, is a circumftance which would never have been believed, had it been poffible to doubt it and I fear it must be claffed with that long catalogue of unaccountables, with which their profody, their rhetoric, and their drama abound." This fingularity of fplitting words (we dare not venture to call it by a harfher name) in ancient verfification, has been happily configned to its proper place, the ludicrous, in the well-known fong of Rogero in the Anti-Jacobin, which concludes thus: "Sun, moon, and thou vain world adieu! That kings and priests are plotting in; Here doom'd to ftarve on water-gru- -niverfity of Gottingen ; -niverfity of Gottingen!" Mr. W. concludes the fubject of Greek and Latin monotony in these words: "Let us, however, explain the Greek and Latin accent as we will,-let it be by finging, drawling, or common fpeaking,-it will be impoffible to tell how a monotony could be avoided, when almost every word of more than one fyllable in thefe languages must neceffarily have ended in the same tone, or, if you will, with the fame grave accent." Upon the whole, we think that this work of our well-informed, industrious, and veteran philologift, may be placed among the various fimilar books which he has formerly given to the public, and which have been favorably received. The head of the author is a good likeness, though done in the vile mechanical way of ftippling; which, with other concomitant circumstances, is faft reducing the art of engraving to a paltry trade, where profit, and not reputation, is the primary object. An An accurate Account of the fall of the Republic of Venice and of the Cir cumftances attending that Event: in which the French Syftem of undermining and revolutionizing States is expofed; and the true Character of Buonaparte faithfully pourtrayed. Tranflated from the original By J, Hinckley, Elq. F. S. A. 8vo. Pp. 300. 5s. Italian. WE 1804. E are informed, in an introductory note, that this work was printed and ready for publication, at the time when the victory of Marengo rendered Buonaparté mafter of Italy; and the power thus obtained by this ardent patriot, this champion of liberty and equality, was immediately exercifed in the fuppreffion of a book the great fault of which, in his eyes, was the faithful record which it contained of fuch damning facts as would alone fuffice to ftamp his character with indelible infamy. This mode of ftifling truth has been fuccefsfully adopted by the French revolutionifts on various occafions; and if it had not been for the difputes which have occurred between themselves, and the eager defire of each triumphant villain to blacken the character of his predeceffors, many valuable and important documents would have been loft to hiftory, and future ages have been deprived of many of the advantages refulting from the most awful practical leffons, which any age or country has afforded, from the creation of the world, to the elevation of a vagabond adventurer to the throne of the Bourbons. "The following Hiftory," fays the Tranflator, moft truly," contains an accurate and faithful detail of the various means to which he resorted for accomplishing his purpofe; and certainly no document that has yet appeared, affords a better rule for appreciating the man, whom Providence for a time permits to be the icourge and torment of Europe. "The four first chapters contain an abridged view of the history of Venice from the fourth century to the French revolution. The fifth chapter commences a narrative of the interference of revolutionized France in the affairs of that republic; and in the tenth chapter Buonaparté himself at length appears upon the stage." Our readers will perceive by this brief account of its contents, that the book may be confidered as filling up a vacuum in the hiftory of the last fourteen eventful years, and, consequently, as forming an important addition to that flock of authentic documents, which, happily for poterity, has been faved from the ruins of empires, and the equalizing hand of Gallic patriotifm. It may farther be regarded as eminently ufeful in difplaying the danger of weak, irrefolute, and Indecifive counfels, in times of extraordinary peril; and in fubftituting the bafenefs of fubmiffion, for energy of conception, and vigour of acion; a bafe reliance on the forbearance of an enemy, for a manly refolution to repel his aggreffions, to refift his attacks, and to chastise his infolence. When the Venetians thus forgot the wifdom and energy of their forefathers, thus difgraced their name and character; it could afford no matter for furprize that they fpeedily loft the fruits which they had produced. It could not be expected that the fame confequences would refult from weaknefs and pufillanimity as had accrued from refolution and courage. And if a knowledge of the perfidy and oppreffion of the French to every country which they had fubdued by their arts, or their arms, were not fufficient to make the Venetians lofe all confidence in their profeffions, and all hopes from their mercy, nothing less than the ruin which they experienced could bring conviction to their minds. Early refolved to make every conceffion rather than have recourfe to arts, the Venetian fenate refifted the application of different powers, in an early part of the revolution, to form alliances against France; in refpect of whom the obferved the firictest neutrality, and towards whom, on every occafion, fhe evinced the most friendly difpofition. "Such was the conduct of Venice during the government of the national affembly and of the legislative body. The torch, of popular difcord was then waving with horrid glare over the banks of the Seine, and driving the inhabitants to the moft extraordinary excelles. Even the facred dwelling of the Venetian ambassador was affailed by a band of ferocious rebels, and his very perfon was on the point of falling a prey to popular phrenfy; but he continued with a firm voice to pacify the mob, and remained unhurt. The fenate, confidering their own dignity expofed to infult in the person of their representative, thought proper to permit him to provide for his fafety by leaving his refidence. He was the laft however of the foreign ministers, who quitted the French capital to take refuge in England. Yet, though furnished with all the requifite passports, many were the infults he experienced from the people at his departure. He was taken, together with his family, to the Commune, obliged to fubmit to the humiliation of long and infolent interrogatories, and encountered innumerable vexations, from which, with fome danger, and great credit, he escaped triumphant. The fenate fut their eyes on this open violation of the law of nations, and remained filent. "Perfifting in their resolution, not to take any part whatever in the great question 'then the fubject of a general appeal to arms, they firmly refifted not only the repeated folicitations of the court of Turin to enter into an offenfive alliance, but the inftances of the king of Naples, who propofed to concert a plan for the internal fecurity of Italy, the vigorous remonftrances of the pope, who projected a league for the protection of the different governments, and the energetic memorial of Leopold II; a memorial, in which he demonftrated the neceffity of a coalition between all the states of Italy, to prevent, by a union of their military ftrength, the progrefs of the French, then about to invade that rich and flourishing part of Europe, in order to emancipate it from its lawful poffeffors, and fubvert the respective conftitutions of its governments. In the midst of the political and warlike agitations of the greatest powers of the earth armed against a nation, that threatened, infulted, and contemned them all, the Venetians ftill remained immoveably inactive. They thought it their intereft to continue neutral and infulated amid the conflagration. This principle perhaps it was, that caufed the ruin of the republic, who, by approving the measure, decreed her own destruction. In general, when a state is tranquil at home, and re fpected fpected abroad, it is thought to be fecure from every change. From this er for it frequently refults, that men neglect all the means, which might lave it, and that, endeavouring to protract its existence, as it were, by furprise, inftead of adding to its ftrength and fhowing its greatnefs, they only weaken it, in the hope of concealing it in fome mealure from the notice and rapacity of the powerful." The concluding obfervation is ftrikingly juft; and it is to be hoped that all the powers of Europe will feel its juftice and act accordingly. There were not wanting, however, amidit the general imbecility and infatuation which marked the conduct of the Venetians, at this momentous crifis, fome few truly enlightened and genuine patriots who perceived the extent of the danger which threatened their country, and, with equal ftrength and eloquence, enforced the neceffity of adopting the moft vigorous meafures for averting it. But, alas! their voices were overpowered by the clamours of intereft, felfishness, and cowardice, who fhrunk from the burdens of defending their country, though, by the very means which they propofed for avoiding thefe burdens, they loft what they were moft anxious to preserve, their own property! "Pefaro, perceiving his country in great danger, thought it neceffary to convene a folemn Consulta de' savj, or Council of the wife, and to propose an investigation of the measures to be taken in the prefent circumstances of an approaching invafion of Italy by foreign troops. When aflembled, he, in a speech of uncommon eloquence, exhorted them, by the example of their ancefiors, to provide their forts and cities of Terra ferma with the neceflary means of defence. With no less energy, but with more fuccefs, Jerom Zuliani, alarmed at the magnitude of fuch an undertaking, maintained the oppofite opinion, and gained to his fide almost all the members. So wise and beneficial was the latter opinion efteemed, that, when the notification of an unarmed neutrality was propofed to the fenate, that body agreed to it almoft unanimoufly t; and it was received by the people with general applaufe. This decifion, though perhaps far from wise, was however extolled as almost divine. The nation convinced of the tutelar folicitude of the government, adored the oracle thus pronounced, and with lethargic indifference, gave themselves up to a fatal fecurity. The fenate, who, feduced by the charms of inftantaneous repofe, took this line of conduct, because it exempted them both from all expence and from domestic disturbance, adopted it the more eagerly, because they thought it better to wait for happier times, than to face the danger, and quit a ftate of mere ob ervation. Imagining themselves invulnerable, they beheld from their tranquil regions, with immoveable apathy, the bloody conflict, in which France, and almost every European power, were involved. It frequently happens to governments, * Francis Pesaro, at this time Savio del Consiglio in settimana or President for the week, had moft vigorously oppofed every coalition with the foreign powers against France. † On the 28th of February, 1792, the senate communicated this resolution by circulars to their maritime officers at the fea-port towns, and to their minifters at foreign courts. as |