126 
ROMIGUERE read the extract of a 
memoir of his, on the fignification of the 
word Idea, ; 
DeEsFONTAINEs read the extraét of 
a memoir of the citizen MaRTIN, di- 
rector of the Botanical Garden of Cay- 
enne, on the fuccefs which the culture 
of the fpices had met with, in French 
Guiana. The refult is very fatisfa¢tory, 
as it affords the profveét, that the colony 
will furnith France with all the fpices 
neceflary to its confumption. 
LeBrwn recited an epifode, imitated 
from the Georgics, and which makes 
Part of his poem of the Lucubrations of 
Parnaffus, in which is the Hiftory of 
Ariftides. The fpeétators frequently 
Interrupted him with the warmeft 
plaudits. 
SELIs read, at length, Sentiments on 
Literature, and on Eloquence in parti- 
cular. 
Dupont DE Nemowrs read an Effay 
on the Sociability and Morality of Dogs, - 
Foxes, and Wolves. 
FontTAINES recited a part of the third 
hymn of the poem of Greece faved. In this 
piece he defcribes the voluntary facrifice 
made of their lives by the three hundred 
Spartans, under Leonidas. The grandeur 
of the images, the richnefs of the defcrip- 
tion, the energy of the fentiments, and 
the fine delivery of the orator, excited 
an enthufiafm, which manifefted itfelf by 
repeated and long applaules. 
LANGLEs prefented fome opinions on 
the Oriental poets, and read a tranflation 
of three Arabic pieces. 
The fitting was terminated by the 
reading of the firft aét of the tragedy 
of Junius Brutus, by ANDRIEUX, 
which is on a plan entirely different 
from that of Voltaire, and is rather an 
imitation of the Italian tragedy of Al- 
fieri. 
[in future Numbers we propofe to prefent 
our readers with fome of the articles at 
length. | 
EE 
PLAN, &c. OF THE ODEON, a 
NEW DRAMATIC. INSTITUTION, 
AT Paris. 
A SOCIETY of the friends of the 
arts has been formed in Paris, the 
objeét of whofe affociation is, to fet on 
foot; at their own charge, a public efta- 
blithment, to be called *he Odéon**, to or- 

* Opgon, or Oneum, literally denotes a 
place fet apart for finging ; or a place in which 
declamation of uny Rind is expreffed by finging. 
Plan of the Odécn at Paris. 
_ [Febs 
ganize a dramatical inftitute, which fhall 
be competent to call forth and employ 
a number of artifts, fufficient for every 
purpofe of theatrical compofition and 
reprefentation : to inftitute feftivals, in 
honour of genius, and thus to ftimulate 
the talents of the compofers and per- 
formers, in tragedy, comedy, and mufic: 
in fine, to renovate or create all the 
means likely to be efficacious in im- 
proving or embellifhing the French. 
theatre. . 
‘The Odéon, at Athens, was a mag- 
nificent ftru€ture, ereéted by Pericles, 
where the compofers of mufic contended 
for the prizes, which were diftributed, at 
the public expence, to the moft fucceff- 
ful candidates, and where pieces of 
mufic were rehearfed, which were after- 
wards to be fung on the Athenian ftage, 
Paufanias, App.an, and Vitruvius, ces 
lebrate the magnificence of this edifice, 
in terms of the higheft admiration. 
Prior to the conftruétion of the great 
theatre of Athens, the Odécn was alfo 
the place of affembly for the poets and 
muficians, who there recited, or per- 
formed their pieces. It ferved alfo for 
the repetition, or reprefentation, of 
works in tragedy and comedy, and of 
mufical compofitions. 
At Rome were five Odéa, confecrated. 
to the fame ufes as that of Athens. 
The projeét of the French Odéon has 
been approved of by the government, 
which has prefented the fociety that 
undertakes to carry it into execution 
Witit a grant, for the term of 30 years, 
of the Theatre at Paris, in the Faux- 
bourg St. Germain, which was formerly - 
occupied by the Comédiens Frangois. 
On the other hand, the fociety have 
made themfelves refponfible to govern- 
ment, to repair, at their owe charges, 
the Theatre of the Fauxbourg St. Ger- 
main; to re-eftablifh it in the fame con- ~ 
dition as formerly; to defray the whole 
expence of fupporting it, during the 
30 years of their enjoying the grant; 
to caufe to be reprefented, on the ftage 
of the Odéon, pieces in tragedy and 
comedy 3 operas, dialogue and comic ; 
and hiftorical pantomimes; to engage 
and concentre in this theatre, as much as, 
poffible, the moft diftinguifhed theatrical 
talents of the nation; to invite the fame 
from all the French theatres in foreign 
countries, and to attach them to the ac- 
complifhment of the objeéts of the fo- 
ciety, by the honours and diftinétions 
which they propofe to confer. 
The dramatic inftitute of the Odéon 
5 is 
