Mercure de France, for January 1731) to justify thefe ridiculous names, which, as has been remarked, would fuit much better managed horfes in a riding-fchool! In the fixteenth century, fays Quadrio, (p. 11 and 12, vol. VII, of his Correzioni ed aggiunte al tomo primo della Storia e ragione d'ogni poefia) there was inftituted in this city an academy called the Aggirati, the promoter or founder of which was the Count Louis Cataneo de Lendenara, Knight of St. Sepulchre. But when this academy was extinct, John Baptift Albrizzi, who was alfo of the fame city, founded in 1656 that of the Incompofli, who took as the body of their device a wig, and for a motto thefe words: quanto incompofta più, tanto più bella; i. e. the less it is arranged the better it is. In 1705, this academy of the Incompofli alfo fell to the ground; when Don Thadée Catanco, of the fame city, founded another, which he called the Compofi. He gave as a device the fea agitated by the winds, with this motto: -Prafiat componere flutus; ani at the fame time he re-cftablished the academy of the Incompofli, changing, however, their device, and fubftituting inflead of it a plough-fhave in the act of breaking the earth, with thefe words from Martial: Juvat dum lacerat. This Academy published a collection of their productions with the following extravagant titie: A feafonea Sallad for Literati, Ladies, and Gentlemen; the academical Difcourfes of the Incompofti, in the Carnival of 1707; confifling of various Poetical Compofitions, Songs, Odes, and Ma, drigals, on the jame Subject, &c.— Injalata imbandita a letterati, &c. (p. 351.) CATALOGO DI COMMEDIF ITALIANE, &c. The learned Abbé Morelli is the author of this interefting but little known catalogue, and he has alfo given one of the Latin and Italian manufcripts of the fame Farfetti, under the title of "Biblioteca manufcritta di Tommaso Giuseppe Farfetti in Venzia," 1771, 2 vols. 12mo. The late Thomas Jofeph Farfetti had, alfo, a fine collection of the best editions of the Greek and Latin authors, the Ita lian claffics, and the hiftories of particular towns in Italy. Farfetti published at Venice, in 1761, in Italian verfe, the Eclogues of Nemefianus and Calpurnius, who were then considered as two different poets, though thefe idylls are by the fame author. He dedicated this work to the celebrated Madam du Boccage (alla valarofa Madama du Boccage). He fays, p. 5 of his Epiftle Dedicatory, that it was owing to her advice he undertook the task, and finished it (p. 7), by begging permiflion of her to mention the infinite obligations he owed her. One among these, and perhaps the greateft, he continues, is your kindness in inviting me fo obligingly to attend your affemblies on Mondays, which I fhall never forget. He obferves in a note, that Monday was the day when M. du Boccage ufed to affemble to fupper one of the most choice parties in Paris. This dedication is dated June 14, 1761. He publifhed alfo, in 1773, a tran flation in Italian verfe of the Trachiniens, of the Ajax Maligophore, and of the Philoctetus of Sophocles, not according to the Greek text, which he was not able to understand but after the Latin verfion. title was as follows: The "Le Trachiniefi, l'Ajace Flagel lifero, ed il Filottete, tragedie di Sofocle, volgarizzate da Tommafo Giufeppe Farfetti, patrizio Veneto, Bali ael facr' ordine Gerofolimitano in Venezia," 1773, in 12. The Italian poetry of Farfetti confifts of fonnets, three eclogues, an epiftle to J. J. Rouffeau, and other pieces which appeared under the title of Rime del Bali Tommafo Giuseppe Farfetti, nobile Veneziano, in Venezia 1776, prejo Modelo Fenzo, in 8vo. 66 pages. There is also of this fame ;poet the following work: Opere del Commendatore Giuseppe Tommafo Farfetti gentiluomo, accademico della Crufca; editione feconda, all'altezza eminentiffima di Emanuello Pinto, gran Maeftro della Sacra Religione Gerofolimitana Venezia, 1767, 8vo. It is a collection of various pieces in profe and verse. Among them there is an eclogue, and a tragedy entitled Sormonde, and the tranflation of the Trachiniens. This learned man vifited France with one of his friends: while on their journey, they jocofely refolved to have their fortunes told. The gipfy predicted that they would both be affaffinated on a Friday, and this actually happened to the com. panion of Farfetti. Such an unfortunate fate proved a never-ceafing wretchedness to our poet; and the dread of a fimilar catastrophe poifoned the rest of his days. In order, however, to prevent it, he always locked himself in his bed room from Thursday night at eleven o'clock until Saturday morning. Not even his fervant could either fee or speak to him on that day, and he always took care to have provifion fufficient fent into his chamber on the preceding evening. At other times he led a very retired and melancholy life, and used to amufe himself fome-, times at a neighbouring coffee-houfe; but he never vifited any of the cafins where the Venetian noblemen uled to meet in the evening. John Pierius Valerianus, Cornelius Tollius, and Spizelius, would certainly have given him a place in their Treatifes d: Infelicitate Litterarum, and Infelix Litteratus, as well as his learned editor Van Swieten, who was always the plaything of his handfome enchantreffes, as Farfetti had been of an old fortune-telling hag. Farfetti publifhed alfo a curious book on his ancestry, with the life of fix illuftrious perfonages who were of their family; and interefting details relative to the hiftory of two Italian cities, Luni and Maja. Of thefe fix lives two were written by Tho the learned Dominic, Maria Manni; mas Jofeph Farfetti; two others by and the two laft by M. Jacques Morelli, the celebrated, obliging, and modeft librarian of Venice. The following is the title of this work, of which there were only a few copies pulled, and hence its exceflive rarenefs. "Notizitie della famiglia Farfetti, con l'albero, e le vite di fei uomini illuftri, a quella spettanti; dove alquanto fi difcorre della città di Luni, Cofmopoli, (Venezia.) 4to. 1778." e molto più di quella di Maja. In can origin, and was united to the republic of letters is alfo indebted "hundred years; but I never could "have fuppofed they were fo con"fiderable. This queen of the "globe appears to me a defert. In "the midft of the filent. folitary "freets, the exhalations of mephi "tic air, and miry marthes, which "have ufurped the place of popo. "lous and frequented fpots, I "paufe, and am feized with horror! " and 1 look for the Roman people "in Rome! This degenerate, ef"feminate people, who are abforbed published feparately the Transformazione d'Adria, opera di Giuseppe Farfetti, ed altre operette in Latino dell' ifteffo autore, edizione feconda. Parifi, 1753, 8vo. (See page 118 of the appendix to the catalogue of Floncel, Paris, 1774, 8vo.) This poem was reprinted in the works of Farfetti, Venice, 1767,8vo; of which there is allo a Venetian edition 1764, with the privilege and atteftation of the academy Della Crufca, which certifies that they have found no fault in the language (Non abbiamo in ea" in luxury and idleness (Let. IX, affervato errori di lingua): and they authorise him in confequence to affume the title of member of that learned body. Farfetti followed the general opinion, though falfe, which attributes to Nemefianus the eclogues of Cal purnius, who is the only author of the eleven idylles which have been given with the names of two different poets. This mistake has been completely fhewn by the learned Hernfdorf. This tranflation, as we have already remarked, is dedicated to the celebrated Du Boccage. Nothing more natural than this tribute to the fuperior merit of the lady, who received the moft diftinguished attention during her travels in Italy. We may form fome idea of the great intereft the excited by reading the famous Letters of Virgil, dated from the Elyfian Fields, and written by the ingenious ex-jefuit Xavier Betti nelli, and printed at Baffau, in 1780. 12mo. Bettinelli makes Virgil exclaim, who had come from the other world in order to examine the flate of Italian poetry (Let. VIII, p. $3) But what is this Rome which I "now behold! The Tiber, the Se"ven Hills, the Tarpeian Rock, "even Mount Efquiline, where I "led fo bleft a life, all convince me "that I am not deceived and yet "I cannot believe that I am at Rome. I certainly expected great "changes after a lapíe of eighteen "pp. 88-9.), were habited as flaves 66 in my time!" "What a confused picture is pre"fented to my fight! I meet a "quantity of perfons in black habits, "with a head fo white, that, fpite of "their air and youthful look, I should "think they were old men filvered "by age, did I not perceive a white "powder which falls from their "heads on their cloaths. How "many others did I meet armed, "and going, with a fword by their "fide, to pay a vifit to their friends, "or to pray in their temples, as if "they were conftantly afraid of be"ing attacked? and yet there was "nothing warlike in their afpe&t." "But all at once,” ex claims Virgil (Let. VIII, pp. 84-5.) "I beheld pafs by me a no"ble female; every body hurried to "do her homage, as if the were "Vefta, or the mother of the gods; they thronged round her; they " contended for the honour of pay"ing their attentions to her; and "they spoke to her in the Celtic "language. It is, they told me, a ftranger juft arrived from the "banks of the Seine, and who not "female avenges in a fignal manner "the defeats and difgraces of the "Gauls, and the defcendants of the "Romans cannot boast of the victo"ries which Cæfar, or the other conquerors, have gained over this "nation." In this friking portrait, who does not immediately recognife the author of the Colombiad, and the tragedy of the Amazons, even without the information of the editor, who tells us fo, in page 26 of his preface? It may finally be remarked, that we have alfo Il Filottete, Tragedia, (di Sofocle) con alcune rime di Tomm. Gius, Farfetti, in Venezia, 1767, Svo, preffo Angelo Geremia. To the Editor of the Univerfal Mag. MR. EDITOR, AS you profefs it intention your to notice biographical anecdotes in your work, I have taken the liberty to fend you the two following ones. DOMENCHINO, the celebrated painter, was accustomed to act (if I may be allowed the expreffion) the characters of all the figures he meant to exprefs upon the canvas, and to fpeak aloud whatever the paffion he meant to reprefent fhould prompt. Whilft he was engaged in painting the martyrdom of St. Andrew, Caracci caught him one day in a very violent paffion, and fpeaking in a loud and threatening tone of voice. He was at that time employed in reprefenting a foldier who was threatening the faint. When this fit of enthufiaftic abftraction was over, Caracci, running and embracing him, acknowledged that Domenchino had been that day his mafter, and that he had learned from him the true manner of catching the expreffion. CREBILLON, the celebrated tragic poet, was enamoured of folitude, that he might enjoy un listurbed those fine romances with which his imagination teemed. A friend, one day, broke in upon him as he was engaged in a deep reverie. "For God's fake, don't difturb me!" cried the poet, "I am enjoying a moment of fupreme happiness; I am going to VOL. I. hang a villain of a minifter, and ba nifh another who is an idiot." MARGARET Of Auftria, when nearly perishing in a storm at fea, compofed her epitaph, which runs thus: Cy gift Margot, la gente demoi elle, Q'eut deux maris, et fi mourut pucelle. Beneath this tomb the gentle Margaret's laid, Who had two hufbands, and yet died a maid. Should this letter be approved of, I fhall take another opportunity of a future communication, and am Your obedient fervant, HISTORIE INVESTIGATOR. May 26, 1804. ANSWERS то THE HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS PROPOSED IN THE LAST NUMBER. QUEST. I. Which are the most important epochs between the erecting of the tent in the wilderness for the worship of the one and only true God, and the firft dedication of a temple in Jerufalem for the same purpofe? Thefe epochs are, the invafion of Palestine by the children of Ifrael, under the command of Joshua, which was followed by the conqueft of the country, and the fettlement of the Ifraelites under a republican form of government: the change of the republican to a monarchical form of government; in the perfon of Saul, an obfcure perfon of the tribe of Benjamin; and the fetting afide of the family of Saul for that of David, an obfcure perfon of the tribe of Judah, who became the head of a great dynafty, in which the Saviour of the world was destined to receive his birth. The firft epoch mentioned in this period, or the invafion of Palestine by the children of Ifrael, took place a little more than fourteen hundred and fifty years before Chrift, or in the fourteen hundred and fifty-first year before that æra. It was diftinguifhed by many wonderful events; among which, the ftanding fill of 4 I the fun for a certain time in the day has given ground for much difputa. tion. A fimilar fact is faid to be recorded in the Chinese annals, which may be deemed not only a confirmation of its truth, but a very useful epoch for connecting together the Chinese with facred and other profane hiftories. The attention now paid to Chinese literature holds out the hope that this point will be well afcertained. The Ifraelites, on attacking the country, drove out in many places, and in others deftroyed, the inhabitants of the country; but in fome they were per mitted to remain, and were the caufe of great evils to the invaders. As the Ifraelites were divided into tribes, they made a fimilar divifion of the land, and in fuch a manner, that each perfon, at his birth, became heir to a portion of landed property. They were governed by fixed laws, and religion was the great tie which kept the tribes in unifon; for they did not for a length of time acknowledge a common fovereign, and had heads over different diftricts only as occafion required. From inattention and difobedience to their laws, the courage which marked their invalion declined, and they frequently became tributary to their neighbours; and this feems to have led the nation to make the demand which formed the ground for the next epoch. This epoch, or the change of the republican to a monarchical form of government, took place five years lefs than eleven hundred years before Chrift; of course, for the ease of the memory, the term eleven hundred is ufeful, particularly fo, as we thus connect it with the greater event, the dedication of the firft temple. The Ifraelites had fuffered much from the officers fet over them by the prophets and priests, fuch as Eli's and Samuel's fons; and to remedy this evil, they thought the best method was to choose a fovereign. Their determination was refified by Samuel, and the greater evils of their choice reprefented in a strong point of view: but the voice of the people was too ftrong to be overborne, and a king was elected by lot. He was not, however, entrufted with defpotic fway, but bound equally with his fubjects to obey the laws: but one pretext that the people had for the change was not answered in the event; they wished for a king to head them in battle, as in other nations; but his kingdom was frequently reduced to the utmost diftrefs; and during the greater part of his reign, the Philiftines, who inhabited the fea coafts, maintained their fupe. riority. The family of Saul loft their right to the throne by the mifconduct of their head. As that family had been chofen by lot, and at the voice of the people, and was declared unworthy to rule, a new family was felected under the more immediate care of Divine Providence. A prophet anointed a young lad in the lifetime of Saul, thus marking him out for the future fovereign of Ifrael. This unction naturally infpired him with elevated thoughts, and he was diftinguifhed for his valour. The jealoufy of the reigning fovereign was excited, but all his attempts to deftroy his rival were unfuccefsful.Thefe attempts, indeed, ferved only to raife the fame of David, who, upon the death of Saul and his fons in the field of battle, was readily acknowledged fovereign by his own tribe; and, in a few years after, partly by the force of arms, and partly by treachery among the adherents to Saul's family, became fovereign of the whole country. His acceffion to the throne of Judah took place in the thousand and fifty-fifth year before Chrift, and to that of all Ifrael in the thousand and fortycighth year before Chrift. Quest. IL To what reflections do thefe epochs give rife? Endlefs have been the difputes on the fubjects accompanying each of thefe epochs. The invasion of Palestine by the Ifraelites, and their fubfequent conduct in it, are the |