36. 
_ For the Monthly Magazine. 
ProcraMME of the Present State of 
Lirerature, Arts, and Scirnces in 
__ the Kinepom of Naptes. } 
deer: political events of the year 
1799 form an era of disasters to 
the kingdom of Naples; from which 
literature has greatly suffered. The 
most distinguished men of talent have 
heen either cut off by the hand of the 
executioner, destroyed by popular fury, 
or compelled to seek a miserable shel- 
ter in foreign lands. 
In_ the first years of, that terrible 
epoch, the simplest emanation of the 
mind was exposed to danger; the search 
of truth was, more or less, loudly stig- 
matized, as tending to innovation in 
the government; and the jealousy of 
power watched, with so Vandal-like a 
severity, over all the works of mind, 
that a high public functionary was 
known to take great umbrage at the 
name of Galvanism, thinking it synoni- 
mous with Calvinism; and another was 
filled with holy indignation, because a 
poet had dared to give to dove the pro- 
scribed epithet of tyrant, 
The nation still groaned under the 
fresh remembrance of the evils which 
had shaken her, when the events of the 
year 1806 re-awakened better hopes. 
The natural vivacity of the inhabitants, 
and their constant devotion to works of 
art, were first excited by the abolition 
of all restrictions on the introduction 
of foreign books. Then, as every one 
was permitted to inquire into the ex- 
tent and progress of human knowledge 
throughout Europe, literature became 
free and honourable, and youth was 
eager for instruction, The memories 
of Vuo and Pontano, of Giannone and 
Genovesi, of Galiani and Palmieri, of 
Filangiere and Pagano, and of that 
crowd of great men, who, at different 
times, had graced this beautiful portion 
of Italy, arouse universal emulation, 
Some boasted of having had for their 
fellow-citizens Tasso and Sannazzaro— 
others remembered, with enthusiasm, 
that the Demosthenes and Pindar, of 
ancient Latium, had been born under 
the same sky: all felt, that, as heirs of 
such noble renown, it was their duty, 
to their utmost, to maintain it. 
The French Government, whether 
from principle or policy, encouraged 
this disposition, by shewing confidence, 
and opening the path of power to all 
who were distinguished by knowledge 
and experience. And they rendered 
their conduct still more efficacious, by 
Past and Present State of Naples. 
’ 
[Aug:-I, 
instituting public meetings for those 
who had no means but their talent of 
making themselves known. Political 
science and economy, and, consequent~ 
ly, philosophy and morality, which form 
their basis, were then cultivated with 
equal ardour and success. The study 
of jurisprudence being rendered less 
intricate and less tedious by the intro- 
duction of a new civil code; youth had 
more time for the acquirement of all 
other kinds of social information; and 
the employments with which they were 
often entrusted, in the different branches 
of civil or financial administration, as- 
sisted the application, improvement, 
and extension of their theoretic know- 
ledge, and induced that_perspicuity 
which can-only result from practice. 
This change was prodigious, and, 
spread rapidly through all classes of 
society, who, from that moment, seemed 
animated with new life. State ques- 
tions, which, till then, were considered 
as mysteries, reserved for the compre- 
hension of a few, were, more or less, 
discussed, and brought within the 
sphere of the most ordinary under- 
standing. The nation, compelled to 
obey a government which, she could 
not always forget, was foreign, decided 
harshly on its proceedings, when they 
were in opposition to her own inte- 
rests; and the overseer of a parish 
sometimes understood the subject more 
rationally than the minister, 
Circumstances were no less fayour- 
able to natural science, which, rendered 
more free by the general impulse, and 
no longer fearing restraint from the 
suspicions of superstitious ignorance, 
aroused the noble ambition of their 
patrons. Antonio Semeatini, Andria, 
Petagna, Amantea, and Conigno, the old 
friend of Haller, still lived. The fame . 
of these old oracles of medicine was 
great; but, enfeebled by age, they only 
shed a languid light, like the rays of 
the setting sun. Young men of great 
promise, many of whom had returned 
from painful exile, rose immediately 
under their eyes, ready to succeed them 
in the laudable task of supporting the 
glory of their country. Vincenzo Se- 
mentini published the splendid disco- 
veries of Volta and Galvani, and shewed 
the wonders of chemical affinity in the: 
decomposition and recomposition of 
bodies. Nanula and De Horatii gave 
new impulse to simple and comparative 
anatomy; shewing, by means of potent :: 
injections of mercury, the most hid- , 
den ramifications of the sanguine and): 
lymphatic .. 
