was a Greek, before that incarnation which placed him as lecturer in the col lege of Alexandria. When any very well-known soul returns upon the earth, it is easy to foresee that it will shortly be surrounded by several of those souls who formerly cooperated with it: but the order of presentation is often inverted. GASTROLOGY. La Mothe de Vayer was the first who solemnly proposed to recognize cookery as one of the fine arts; and under the denomination of gastrology, to compile learned quartos on the science of enhancing the physical and moral pleasures of the palate. The ear, he contends, if given to man for need, is employed for luxury; and we hold it honourable to listen to sweet music, or to fine oratory. The eye may have been intended only to guard us against a post; but who is content with its necessary offices? For a fine prospect we laboriously climb a hill: for the painter Schneider's inside view of a pantry we gladly exchange our gold. And shall an organ no less exquisitely sensible than the ear and the eye, whose percipiency gives to all the pleasures of taste their generic name, be less regarded than they, less honoured, less philosophized about? Some flavours are naturally pleasing, as of milk, honey, and grapes. Yet the highest relish of these foods evidently consists in the associated ideas which they happen to excite, in the accessory imaginary perceptions which accompany them. Who likes milk in the country? Who does not enjoy it in the heart of London, when he can obtain a draught fresh from the cow, foaming in the jug, scattering its musky fragrance, and calling up before the fancy rural ideas of green meadows, corn-clad hills, and smokeless air. Honey soon cloys; but let the honey be that of Hybla, famous in the classic page, and the Sicilian traveller will suck it up with delight. The grape, which hardly ripens on our gar. den-walls, is still a welcome dish at the dessert; because it awakens so many thoughts of mirth and grace derived from Bacchanalian songs. Some flavours are naturally displeasing, as of an oyster, or an olive; yet from being tasted in the society of friendship, or rank, and mingled in our recollection with the joys of life, they often become exquisitely enticing. Now if it be true that the moral power of every mouthful exceeds its physical power, and that the accessory ideas have more influence on the likes and dislikes of the palate, than the direct sensations occasioned by the thing applied, eating (q. e. d.) must be as well entitled as language itself, to be studied. It is well that words should be individually eupho nical; but it chiefly imports that the excited ideas should delight and stimu late. It is well that food should be wholesome; but it chiefly signifies that it should beckon into the soul agreeable trains of thought, about its far fetched material, or its traditional preparation. SHIP-MONEY. Macrobius says (Saturnalia, lib.i. c. 7) that the oldest money known in Italy had, on one side, the head of Saturn, and on the other side, a ship: whence came the phrase used in tossing up, Heads or ships. Cum pueri denarios in sublime jactantes Capita aut navia lusu teste vetustatis exclamant. Surely it would become this nation to stamp some of its coin with so apt an emblem of its commercial prosperity as a ship. It may however be suspected that these earliest coins known in Italy, were not made there, but in Egypt; and that the figure called Saturn was the Egyptian god Phthas, who was considered as the father of all other gods, (Jablonski, lib. i. c. 2,) though finally neglected for his children. On the altars of Phthas a splendid flame was kindled; and the original worshippers of Saturn are described by Macrobius, as employing a similar ritual. Aras Sa. turnius, non mactando viros, sed accensis. luminibus excolentes. UTILITY OF NOVEL-READING. In the Annual Review, vol. vi. p. 380, the utility of novel-reading is thus de fended: "From the contemplation of fictitious distress, men most efficaciously learn to feel for real suffering. Where no cir cumstances of disgust intercept the pity, and no restraints of prudence the benificence, a tendency is easily generated to commiserate and to relieve. And this tendency, like the military exercises learnt on the parade, is the true basis of those practical efforts of philanthropy, which, in the real warfare with human misery, constitute the noblest triumphs of virtue." EMBASSY TO CHINA. Juan Gonzales de Mendoza, an Augustin friar of Castile, was appointed in, 1584 by the king of Spain, to be his am bassador in China. On his return, he drew drew up a History of the Chinese, and an account of his three visits to their country. After this, he was rewarded with the bishopric of Lipari, in Italy, by the pope, and with those of Chiapi and Popejan, by the king of Spain. This embas-y was rather a religious mission, protected by a civil character or titk, than a political delegation. PRIESTLEY'S CONSIDERATIONS. One of your correspondents, vol. xxix. p 341, announces the intention of repinting Priestley's Considerations for the Use of Young Mei: in which case several notes metaphysical and medical will be reusite, to correct the tendency of advice so inconsiderate. Priestley, as well as Kotzebue, assumes the principle, that both sexes have like rights, and like duties. Kotzebue infers from this principle, that women are to practice a masculine morality, and to indulge in promiscuous intercourse. Priestley infers from this principle, that men are to practice a feminine morality, and to have no sexual intercourse before matrimony. Observation shows, that, of the adult males between eighteen and twenty-five, about nine-tenths practice promiscuous intercourse: and that, of the adult females between eighteen and twenty-five, about one-tenth practice promÍSCHOUS intercourse: and this in all countries, whatever the climate or the religion. Af, from the average conduct of the species, may most securely be inferred the law of nature and of God, that is the moral duty: it is exactly nine to one both that Kotzebue is wrong, and that Priestley is wrong, in the conduct which they teach. ORIGINAL POETRY. displaying the beautiful corpse to his friends and visitors. A second marriage, some years afterwards, is said to have occasioned some little family difference, on which occasion a reference being made to the deceased lady, it is supposed that it was found expediet to remove the preserved body, which otherwise might have been in existence in Mr. Van Butchell's parlour at this day. It is unnecessary to comment upon the elegance of the latinity; this will be duly appreciated by scholars of taste.] IN RELIQUIAS MARIE VAN BUTCHELL, Et a marito suo superstite HIC [It is now about thirty-five years since Mrs. Uxor Martini Vanbutchell; O fortunatum maritum! G Itiam THE CONSECRATION OF THE ROSES. WHEN first, as ancient bards have sung, The queen of love from ocean sprung; With the same living blush that warms The raptur'd gods her form survey'd, Who, till his sister rules the hours, From whence the Maiden's Blush we trace. Thee, royal rose! all, all admire; Terrestrial Terrestrial star! the Yellow Rose With Sol's own golden colour glows. Then, thus, the patron of the lyre: Blest Rose! thy charms the gods inspire! And, mingled with the living bays, Add lustre to their shining sprays! Sweet paragon of Flora's tribe, Whose leaves empyreal tints imbibe; Where'er my beams illume the clime, Still flourish thro' the bounds of Time; And honour'd by th' immortals be, But chief, by Love and Poësy! Phabus, whose liquid light divine, Has lav'd the yellow eglantine;* Bids in one splendid group combin'd, Thy varying offspring be entwin'd; O Rose! in all thy divers hues, Exhaustless subject of the Muse; Not less shall Painting, sister-art, Delight thy semblance to impart; While union's magic pow'r bestows New charms to grace each rival rose !' PSYCHE. THE POET'S GRAVE. NOW twilight draws her dark'ning veil, The pleasing, pensive hour, I hail, Forth from my humble cot I stray, Or through the vale to take my way, Through trackless plains my steps to urge, Or by the riv'let's rushy verge, I trace, Which leads where all must go, Full oft the "margent green" I've trod, Beheld the Moon on silver car Slow riding thro' the night; Have seen, with thought sublime, each star Or with some much-lov'd friend convers'd, And on whose grave I tread. Not the eglantine, commonly so called, that being the woodbine; but the rosa eglan tria of Linnæus, Full oft in rural solitude, We've studied Wisdom's ways; Full oft the Muse together woo'd, In simple artless lays. But now those happy hours are past, The bud of genius, Death's rough blast Close at yon solemn yew-tree's root, But on a rude carv'd stone is seen, climb, Where, on a cypress tree, my harp is laid; Say, that I droop beneath the touch of Time, That much I long for it's accustom'd aid. I should be happy were my harp but here, I'd hang with rapture o'er its simple frame; O! leave for me the relick of a tear, Or fix upon its front its owner's fame. Speak to the winds, as o'er my harp they steal, To leave a kiss upon each silent string; Tell (if thou canst) the weight of woe I feel; How frowning winter follow'd smiling spring. O tell my much-lov'd harp, with what delight, With how much joy, I heard its simple tone: But now 'tis gone for ever from my sight, I soon shall die-I cannot live, alone. CANZONIT. SWEET Mary, on thy breast reclin', I sigh to every passing wind; And in that sigh delight to prove -The sweets of pure, unspotted love. What, though no jewels deck thy hair, Thou'rt no less lovely, no less fair; Affection reigns within thy breast, And tells me, I alone am blest. HENA HENRY'S RETURN. O! DRY, fair maiden, dry those tears, Which from affection flow; Laura! suppress those rising fears, Thy Henry waits below. Borne safe the foaming surge along, High swell'd his heart with glee; To love's sweet name he rais'd that song J. R. J. MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF THE FINE ARTS. The Use of all New Prines, Communication of Articles of Intelligence, &c. are requested under COVER to the Cure of the Publisher. Exhibition of an extensive View of Hyde Park on a Sunday, and a Collection of other Pictures, painted by A. DUBOST, at No. 65, PallMall. A1 TTRACTED to this exhibition by advertisements amply circulated, and which stated the principal picture (the View of Hyde Park) to be “ painted on a scale of 200 feet," we were led to visit it; although the admission (half-a. crown, and catalogue 6d.) appeared rather out of the bounds of modesty. Yet, judge of the surprise that affec.ed every one who were witnesses to the egregious and blushing imposition that was practised on the public by this Gallic adventurer. The picture of Hyde Park, reader, was only 5 feet and a half in length, and the whole-length portraits of the principal personages and their equipages little more than an inch in length. It is painful to dwell on such circumstances that serve to deter a generous public from patronizing arts and artists: but such an impudent shameless imposture never was before practised, and deserves to be placed on record. When the first burst of surprise was over at the imposition, the rest of the "other pictures painted by A. Dubost" were examined, hoping that their merit would compensate for the deficiency in size of the other. But, oh! Shame, where is thy blush? The collection was the most imbecile, trifling, and impudent drivellings of the pencil, that ever were imposed on the public eye; and verily, if Dubost had been summoned before a court of requests for obtaining money under false pretences by any of those who were thus imposed upon by this ungrateful Frenchman, he must have been driven with contempt from the court. A man in the room, who exhibited and explained the pictures, and who called himself the friend of Dubost, said in explanation, the base of the pic ture represented 200 feet, and that if the height of one of the figures were taken, as a scale of 6 feet, and tried along, it would prove it!!! At this rate, many a miDiature drawing at Spring-Gardens was on "the scale of" half as many miles. But to the works :-No. 1, is Venus and Diana; ill-drawn, unnaturally coloured, and affected in the extreme. 2 The famous View of Hyde Park, above-meutioned, to say the best of it, is as perfect a piece of quackery as ever was imposed on the good-nature of John Bull. There are not only portraits and equipages, all named and to be found in the catalogue, but as many more to be introduced as any subscriber to a print from it may wish. 3. Beauty and the Beast. A vile caricature on a most amiable lady, whose family tooliberally encouraged the ungrateful caricaturist, and for which he deserved nothing so much as a kicking. Really, to detail the rest of the miserable trash that hung round the room, but which shines in description in his catalogue, would be trifling with our readers' feelings and patience. Suffice it to say, that any one to view such drawing such composition, (pardon the prostitution of the term), and such-every thing that was there seen, must draw the conclusion that Dubost himself, in the preface to his catalogue, says has been ; that Damocles, and any thing here exhibited, could not have been the production of the same hand. And however moderate the abilities required in drawing, to be admitted a candidate for a student's ticket in our Royal Academy are, yet even this trifling honour would. be refused to any boy who drew no better than the works here shewn as the production of Dubost by himself. In an introduction to his catalogue, Mr. Dubost has cast such aspersions on British artists, and their patrons, that it would be a reflection on the national character to suffer them to go unanswered. He says, that many arts have been used by envy and malignity to obstruct his progress, and depress his character as an artist." He again asserts, that when Mr. Dubost came first 10 this country from Paris, the praise which his picture of Damocles had obtained for him in that city, had travelled with him across |