and Proferpine at Eleufis. The city and light-house of Alexandria were worthy of the founder, Alexander the Great: and the fuperb monument which Artemifa erected for her husband Mausolus, king of Cari, was one of the most extraordinary buildings of antiquity: but thefe were constructed by Grecian artists.

The art of building was almost as foon known in Italy as Greece; if it is true that the Tufcans had no communication with the Greeks, when they invented the particular order, which retains their name to this day. Tarquinius Prifcus began, and his grandfon Tarquinius Superbus finished, the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus at Rome: but not without the affiftance of Etrurian workmen; who alfo raised the fubterranean fewers and canals that received all the dirt and filth of the city; " to which (fays "Livy) the magnificence of our days, in its most fupreme degree, has fcarce been capable of producing. any thing comparable." However, it was from the Greeks that the Romans learnt to excel in architecture; for, of all the orders, they knew only the Tufcan, till towards the latter times of the republic, and under the emperors, when luxury was grown to a great height at Rome, and architecture appeared there in all its fplendor.

Cicero held no expences to be really laudable, but fuch as had the public utility in view; as the walls of cities and citadels, arfenals, ports, aqueducts, caufeways, and others of a fimilar nature. He carried his rigour fo far as to condemn theatres, piazzas, and even new temples; fupporting his opinion by the authority of Demetrius Phaleraus, who abfolutely condemned the expences of Pericles on fuch occafions. From hence we may perceive why architecture

P 3

architecture was kept fo backward among the Romans: but, what Polybius fo well forefaw, foon came to pass. The firft Scipio laid the fure foundations of the future greatnefs of Rome: the last by his conquefts opened the door to luxury; and private perfons followed clofe at the heels of public magnificence. The armies, that returned victorious out of Greece and Afia, introduced with them the riches and manners of thofe countries, In what a fhort time a multitude of fuperb buildings, and magnificent works, were erected, which ftill adorn the remains of ancient Rome! The pantheon, the baths, the amphitheatre called the colifæum, the aqueducts, the causeways, the pillars of Trajan and Antonine, with the famous bridge over the Danube built by the order of Trajan.

Architecture continued to flourish at Rome till the invafion of the Goths, who introduced their own particular kind of building; being that which is remote from the ancient proportions, and loaded with chimerical ornaments. But there are two species of Gothic architecture: the one ancient, the other modern. The ancient is that which the Goths brought from the north in the fifth century; being maffy, heavy, and grofs. The works of the modern Gothic ftile were more light, eafy, delicate, and of an aftonishing boldnefs of workmanship; being long in ufe, efpecially in Italy. All the ancient cathedrals were of Gothic architecture: and there are fome very ancient churches built entirely in the Gothic tafte, that want neither folidity nor beauty, and are still admired by the greatest architects, upon account of fome general proportions remarkable in them.

The

The modern Gothic continued from the thirteenth century, till the re-eftablishment of the ancient architecture in the fourteenth. But it is furprising, that Italy, which abounded with monuments of fo exquifite a taste, should quit its own noble architecture, established by antiquity, fuccefs, and poffeffion; to adopt a barbarous, foreign, confused, and irregular manner: however, it has made amends for that fault, by being the first to return to the ancient taste, which is now folely and universally practifed*.

* This and the two preceding papers are ascribed to Dr. Johnson on the authority of Sir John Hawkins, who fays, thofe marked. were written by our author. E.

PREFACE

TO THE

LITERARY MAGAZINE, 1756,

Το THE PU BLI C.

HERE are fome practices which custom and pre

TH

judice have fo unhappily influenced, that to obferve or neglect them is equally cenfurable. The promifes made by the undertakers of any new defign, every man thinks himself at liberty to deride, and yet every man expects, and expects with reason, that he who folicits the public attention, fhould give fome account of his pretenfions.

We are about to exhibit to our countrymen a new Monthly Collection, to which the well-deferved popularity of the first undertaking of this kind, has now made it almost neceffary to prefix the name of Magazine, There are already many fuch periodical compilations, of which we do not envy the reception, nor fhall difpute the excellence. If the nature of things would allow us

to

to indulge our wishes, we should defire to advance our own interest without leffening that of any other, and to excite the curiofity of the vacant, rather than withdraw that which other writers have already engaged.

of

Our defign is to give the history political and literary

every month, and our pamphlets must confift, like other collections, of many articles unconnected and independent on each other.

The chief political object of an Englishman's attention must be the great council of the nation, and we shall therefore register all public proceedings with particular care. We shall not attempt to give any regular series of debates, or to amuse our readers with fenatorial rhetoric. The fpeeches inferted in other papers have been long known to be fictitious, and produced fometimes by men who never heard the debate, nor had any authentic information. We have no defign to impofe thus grofly on our readers, and fhall therefore give the naked arguments used in the difcuffion of every question, and add, when they can be obtained, the names of the speakers.

As the proceedings in parliament are unintelligible without a knowledge of the facts to which they relate, and of the state of the nations to which they extend their influence, we shall exhibit monthly a view, though contracted yet diftinct, of foreign affairs, and lay open the designs and interests of those nations which are considered by the English either as friends or enemies.

Of transactions in our own country curiofity will demand a more particular account, and we fhall record every remarkable event, extraordinary cafualty, uncommon performance, or striking novelty, and shall apply

our