J'792. on fine arts and lileraUii'e. , iij 



but Mr Boydell having interfered, and proposed to ex- 

 tend the work from the Forth, which was all that was ori- 

 ginally intended, to the three other rivers above named, 

 the other proposals have been withdrawn, probably in 

 consequence of a compromise, and Mr Boydell will thus 

 have the honour of bringing fortVard the first public grand 

 display of the present powers of Britifli artists, in the line 

 of landscape, as he had formerly done in that of the histo- 

 ric line by his Shakespeare. ^I'his seems, however, fo be 

 an attempt on a much narrower plan than his former j tor 

 we see no other name announced but that of Faringlo:i as 

 the designer, and of Stodier as the engraver in aqua tinta ; 

 so that, without derogating from the merit of these ar- 

 tists, it is easy to see that neither that force nor variety 

 can be expected, which would have happened if rival ar- 

 tists had been invited to display the utmost poy/er of their 

 talents. 



This work is proposed to consist of five volumes in su- 

 perb 4to. the same as the Shakespeare, each volume to 

 contain at least forty plates ; the whole to comprehend an 

 historical description of everything remarkable relating 

 to these four principal BritiPn rivers and estuaries. 



Morriion's Thomson. 

 Though Scotland is yet, and must long continue far be- 

 hind England in the fine arts, and in wealth, ihe is not per- 

 ■hapsbeliind her in a spirit of enterprize* In regard totypo- 

 'praphy, the books printed by the late ]\Ir Martin of Edin- 

 burgh, at the Apollo Prefs, surpafsed in neatnefs and beauty, 

 any thing that had at tliat time been executed in Britain ; 

 and every learned reader is acquainted with the elegance 

 of the Greek clafsics printed by the Fowlis's of Glasgow. 

 Mr Bell at London has copied Martin's manner, and in- 

 troduced a taste for nsatnsis in printing, that will sojuui 



