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' MONTHLY MAGAZINE. — 
No. 213.] JUNE: 1.1811. [5 of Von. 31. 
- As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving thelr Opinions a Maximum of 
, Influence and Celebrity, the moft’ extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay” with the ereatek Effccht tie 
. Guriofity of thofe who read either for Amufement or Inftru‘tion,— JOHNSON, 
pat THE SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER. 
Hitherto our Supplementary Number has been partly occupied with imperfect eriticat 
. accounts of current English literature, confessedly and necessurily compiled from 
, those fallible, partial, and corrupt mediums, the periodical anonymous Reviews, 
_ aided by occasional originality ; in future, however, it is proposed, to substitute im 
_ place of those wholesale criticisms, interesting gharucteristic extracts from the prin- 
cipal works published within the half year, acapted at once to gratify our readersy 
_, to qualify them tojudge of every work for themselves, and to stimulate them to pur= 
. chase those possessed of evident merit. The Supplement published on the first of 
August, will be compiled on this plan ; and, to assist our design, we shall feel ours 
selves obliged to. authors and publishers, who will acconmodute us with the loan of 
books published between Michaelmas and Lady-day last. 
Pisttico, May 8, 1811. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
For the Monthly Magazine. is owing to the want of mineéralogicak 
©n the application of MINERALOGICAL. science in the selection of the materials, 
“and CHEMICAL SCIENCE tu the seLec- by which they were sentenced to perislt 
TION of STONE, for the purposes of at an early date. None of them wilt 
DURABLE ARCHITECTURE. __ rival i duration the temples of anti- 
HE remains of ancient architecture, quity, and remain two thousand years, 
which prove the greatness and or more,’ after the ruin of the state, 
splendour of states and govertiments the august monuments of its former 
that have long since ceased to exist, greatness. This may with certainty be 
whilst they impress the mind with a me- predicted from the perishable nature of 
lancholy conviction of the mutability of the stones of which they are built; they 
empire, excite also a kind of religious ve- are rapidly decaying, and réquire con< 
neration for the edifices which have en- stant renovation and repair. vere 
dured, amidst such great and various Perhaps the following remarks on the 
ehanges in human affairs, and have seen selection of materials, for the cohstraction 
a long series of successive generations of public: buildings, nay not be undes 
perish from the earth. When we com- serving attention at this time, when two 
pare these monuments of antiquity with new bridges are to be built from London 
the proudest structures of modern times, and its vicinity, to the southern side of 
we are forcéd to acknowledge the sus the Thames. The most important quality 
perior skill, or science, with which the in stone, for purposes of architecture; 
materials of the former were selected. is durability, ‘or the property of resisting 
Many of the most splendid works: of our the action of moisture, change of tems 
eelebrated architects are hastening to’ perature, vegetation, air, and light. It is 
decay, in, what may be jnstly called, the also required, that the ‘materials of 
very infancy of their existence, if com- bridges, and many public works, should 
pared ‘with. the date of public buildings he capable of resisting the effects of vi- 
which remain in Italy, in ‘Greece, in; bration and'impulse. The most careless 
Egypt, and the East. This is remark observer: can scarcely have avoided no- 
ably the case. with the three bridges of ticing, that many kinds of stone decay 
ndon, Westminster, and Blackfriars; much sooner than others. It isnot oniy 
the foundations-of which speedily and in stones of. different ‘kinds, that the 
visibly began to perish in the very life-’ power of resisting decay is variable; even. 
time of ‘their founders. | "Phe destruction’ in stones. of the same kind, and brought 
of ancient architecture has been chiefly from the same place, a considerable dife 
oceasioned by the ravages of wars, and ference in-this respect is found to exist; 
the desolating hands of superstitious bare butthe-principlesoa which the proper 
tains, the decay of modern buildings; selection: of building-stone. should be 
“ Moyruzy Mac, Now 213." sr made 
