7 6 literary intelligence. March r/^t 



tions, before a tale so little probable, will be believed by 

 the public. The intercourse between Venice and all the 

 countries of Europe, before the discovery of the Cape of 

 Good Hope by the Portuguese, was very great, and Co- 

 Iambus employed a great many years soliciting the diffc« 

 rent courts of Europe, before he could get one of them to 

 listen to the very improbable tale, as it was then thought, of 

 the pofsibrlity of reaching land by sailing westward in the 

 Atlantic ocean. If the Antilles had been frequented by the 

 Venetians before that time, would this have been ac- 

 counted a wonderful discovery, as it certainly was by all 

 Europe at that time ? This, and many other obvious- 

 considerations, will induce thinking men to hear this tale 

 with diffidence. 



At the same time, it is much to be wifhed that the po- 

 tentates of every country in Europe, instead of exerting 

 their utmost efforts in extending their dominions, and di- 

 sturbing the tranquillity of their neighbours, would, in. 

 imitation of the prince of Denmark, turn their attention 

 to domestic improvements, and^ literary pursuits \ and in- 

 stead of burying whole mafses of literary performances, 

 in dungeons where no person can have accefs to them> 

 would cause the nature of those treasures they pofsefs be 

 fully investigated, and publifh a catalogue raisonnee of the 

 whole, that literary men might thus be directed in their 

 researches, and be enabled to bring to light whatever was 

 useful in these libraries. For although it is not probable 

 that many discoveries of the nature of that whitth is here 

 announced, will be made, there is great reason to believe 

 that many of the lost writings of the ancients, might thus 

 be brought to light. 



Mr Astore, advocate in Naples, known in the republic 

 cf letters by a profound work, publifhed by him on the 



