298 
This vocal folo, Senza Orcheftra, takes 
he natural notes cf the inftrument, anda 
refponfe follows from the trumpet, with 
great effect. I am perfuaded, this part 
can never fail to operate moft poweriully 
upon an audience, as wellas the following 
chorus : 
“¢ The dead fhall live, the living die ; 
** And mufic fhall untune the fky.”” 
This is wrought up to the higheft itch, 
by a moft mufical fugue. Nothing can , 
furpafs it for folemn grandeur. The 
clang and ftrokes, at intervals, from the 
trumpets, trombones, and drums. to- 
wards the conclufton, operate like elec- 
trical ihocks upon the human frame, 
while the fmooth cadence is heard be- 
tween from the voices. In a word, I 
am warranted in concluding, that this is 
a mafterpiece of compofition, and may 
be truly ranked as one of the fublimeft 
productions of human gentus. 
Leicefier, Mar. 21. 
SE 
W.G. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
Rfemorrs oF THE House oF Savoy, 
WITH sOME ACCOUNT OF THE 
Court oF SARDINIA. 
gees fuddenaggrandifement and {peedy 
decline of the Houfe of Savoy, is a 
problem only to thofe unacquainted with 
its hiitory. 
The rocks of Mount Cenis proved as 
lucrative formerly to the Princes of Pied- 
mont, as the Sound does at prefent to the 
Kings of Denmark. During the long 
and bloody wars, between the Houfes of 
Bourbon and Auftria, this izrzpike Road 
into Italy was frequented by each of 
them, and a /o// recularly levied on the 
favoured army. Nay, if we believe hif- falem, 
tory, it was actually put up toeauction, and 
let tothe higheft bidder. 
Little fates, as they poffefs no real phy 
Jical fixength, provided they enter the 
vortex of European intrigue, muft ac- 
cuftom themfelves to a certain degree of 
political elafticity, and their governors 
muft irequently appear in the humilia- 
ting but neceflary charaéter of perpetual 
balance-mafters. In fhort, it is by a 
change of pofition alone, that they can 
preferve their equilibrium, and preventa 
dudden fubverfion. : 
It was owing to this policy, that the 
petty Counts .of Mautienne became 
Dukes of * Savoy, and the Dukes of Sa- 
fees to) eee 



* On trouve dans les archives del’archéveéque 
d’Enmbrun, des aétes dans lefquelsles ducs de Sa- 
Memoirs of the Houfe of Savoy. 
[May 
voy, Kings of Sardinia. It is in confe- 
quence of a departure from fuch a fyftem, 
that this newly created royalty has been 
recently fhorn of its rays, and after rif- 
ing in f{plendour, at the beginning of the 
prefent century (1718) feems but too 
likely to be fubje¢éted to a temporary 
eclipfe, if not doomed to fet at Jaftin blood 
and difgrace. 
THE GOVERNMENT, 
Is defpotic, therefore military. The officers 
wield the law at the end of their -canes. 
They are aififted by a numerous clergy, 
in order-to keep the people in tgnorance, 
which in fuch a cafe, is another name for 
flavery. In Savoy alone, there were fix 
different colleges, exclufively appropri- 
ated to, what it is the fafhion to term, 
“ theology.’”’ There are no lefs than five 
archbifhops, twenty-eight bithops, forty- 
four abbots, and monks and nuns innu- 
merable. Their revenues were immenfe 
—but a Savoyard, like a Welch, curate, 
is allowed to ftarve on 15]. per ann. 
Lettres de cachet, are as common in Tu- 
rin, as they were formerly at Verfailles ; 
they have their baftiles too, and the term 
habeus corpus is unknown in any law 
diétionary on this fide of the Alps. In 
the Lexge e conflituziont di fa Macfia, 
promulged in 1770, there is awhole chap- 
ter on the torture ! 
DOMINIONS AND POPULATION. 
Countries. Chief Citzes. 
Piedmont Turin 
Savoy Chamberry 
Montferrat Cafal 
Alefandrine Alexandria 
Oneghia Oneglia 
Ifland of Sardinia Cagliari. 
I omit the kingdoms of Cyprus and Feru- 
although his majefty includes them 
in hig.titles, and-even quarters them in 
his @morial bearings.—The inhabitants 
do not exceed three millions two hundred 
thoufand fouls. 
TAXES. : 
Turin, like Paris before the revolution, 
is fubjeGed to an impoft on all commo- 
dities entering and leaving the city, to 4 
per centage on the income, or, in other 
words, the induitry of the inhabitants; 
and alfo'to a capitation. F 
The taxes levied in the provinces, are 
- as numcrous as amongftus, and ftill more 
vexatious than our excife laws. In ad-- 
DRT iS ie ee ee 
voie prennent le titre de cellerier de Monfeigneur. 
Wrefi-ce pas 14 un beau titre pour un prince? 
. Etat moral, phyfigue © politique de la Maifon de 
Savete. ree ; 
Y .  diten 
