1799] 
Meqns to excufe this action: every thing 
tends to this ; and the hiftory of Laocoon 
is only a rhetorical figure, in which we 
may very well allow of fome exaggera- 
tion, provided that it anfwers theend which 
the poet defigns it fhould. Immente fer- 
pents then proceed out of the fea; they 
have a creft on their head ; they light on 
the children of the prieft who had infult- 
ed the horle ; they infold, bite, and pol- 
lute them with their venom; they after- 
wards infold the breaft and the neck of 
the father, who runs to thei fuccour, 
and they raife their heads to fhew their 
victory, whilft the unfortunate one they 
opprefs calls for fuccour in vain. ‘The 
people, who are ftruck with terror at this 
fpectacle, fly ; no one dares any longer 
' undertake the defence of his country ; and 
the hearer and reader, affrighted at this 
marvellous and difgufting hiftory, alike 
confent that the horte fha]] enter into the 
city. 
The hiftory of Laocoon, in Virgil, is 
only therefore a mean to attain a more 
confiderable end; and it is yet a great 
queftion, whether this event be a proper 
fubject for poetry. 
Some Obfervations on the Groupe of Laocoon 
and bis two Sons. 
The right leg of the eldeft fon is of a 
molt agreeable elegance. 
The expreflion, and the turn of the 
members in general, and of the mulcles, 
is admirable in the entire work. In the 
he Patents in the Month of May. 
' Bernini. 
401 
legs of the youngeft fon, which are not 
remarkably elegant, there is fomething fo 
natural, that we find nothing like it un- 
der this relation; the legs of the father, 
efpecially the right leg, alfo poflefs great 
beauty. 
Reflorations. 
A. confiderable part of the ferpents, and 
probably the two heads, are of modern 
workmanfhip. 
The left arm of the father, up to tha 
juncture of the fhoulder, and the five toes 
of the Jeft foot, are reftorations ; the right 
foot, however, has fuffered nothing. _ 
In the eldef? fox, the end of the nofe, 
the right hand, the three firft toes of the 
left foot, the “end of the great toe in the 
right foot, have been refiored ; the belly 
having been fomewhat damaged on the 
right fide, this part has alfo been reftored, 
The end of the nofe, the right arm, 
two fingers in the left hand, and the five 
toes in the right foot, of the youngeft 
fon, have been reftored. 
{t is only the right arm of Laocoon 
which has been well reftored in burnt 
earth, and as molt fay, by Bernini, who, 
neverthele{s, if it be really his work, has 
herein furpafled himfelf. The other re- 
fiorations, which I have juft mentioned, 
are in marble; they are carefully done, 
but with little art, and with convulfive 
contorficns, in the tafte of the {chool of 
It is thought they were done . 
by Cornachini. 
ee gE SE 
NEW PATENTS 
Enrolled in the 
Mr. JeErFery’s Patent for a fet of 
MACHINERY adapted to conwey Coals 
Siom the Spot at which they are dug, to 
the Mouth of the Pit. 
WH Mees working of PIT-COAL, though 
} but of late origin in France, is very 
ancient in Britain. So long finceas in the 
days of the Anglo-Saxon monarchs of Eng- 
land, this fofilwas ufed for fuel. After the 
native woods had been very generally watt- 
ed, its utility came to be more ienfibly un- 
derftood. In the ffteexth century, pit- 
coals were dug for fuc!, both in Scotland 
and in England, in varioys places, and in 
large quantities. While the great towns 
were tnlarged, while manufacturing efta- 
blithments were multiplied, and commerce 
extended, the ufe of pit-coals was greatly 
increafed. But for its coal works, none 
of the principal towns of England could 
bave rifen to-their prefent magnitude ; 
éven its woollen manufactures might 
_ Hever have been improved to rival thofe 
which once flourithed in Italy, Spain, 
MontTuty Mac. No, XLV. 
Month of May. 
France, and Flanders ; nor could its cotton 
works, its works in {ftee], and other me- 
tals, or its potteries, have had an exiftence. 
In the latter part of the now clofing cen- 
tury, while the population and the manu- 
facturing eftablifliments of Britain have 
been fo prodigioufly increafed, the con- 
fumption of pit-coals has increafed in pro- 
portion. Happily, the ftrata of this foffil 
in the northern counties are fo immenfe, 
that we can {carcely look forward in ima- 
gination,to the time at which they are 
likely to be quite confumed. The dif- 
tance of thefe ftrata from London, if it 
enhance the price to the inhabitants of 
the metropolis, has, however, the benefi. 
cial effeét of producing aneceflity for fea- 
carriage, by which a confiderable number 
of hardy mariners are continually formed 
and maintained. 
But, independently of any cofts of car- 
riage, the work of digging pit-coal is 
exceedingly expenfive. The Jabour is 
excefively fevere: the confinement at it, 
3 F under- 


