MONTHLY 
OE VAs 3 
MAGA 
ZINE. 
No. 60. FEBRUARY 
7, 78or,' [Noo t. of Vou. 11. 
On the 28th Day of Fanuary was publifbed, the SUPPLEMENTARY NuMBER fo the Tenth Vo 
lume of the MontTHLY MaGAazmINeE, containing—-4 comprehenfive Retrofpe of the Progrefs 
of British Literature during the laft fix PMonths—and fimilar Retrofpects of GERMAN, 
and Frencu LITERATURE; with INDEXES, TITLE, &c, 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
An accurate ACCOUNT of the PRESENT 
STATE of the FRENCH REPUBLIC. 
(Continued from page 492 of our laff Number.) 
PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 
T would be impoffible to enumerate all 
the particular buildings which deferve 
notice; I fhall therefore content myfelf 
with a few, avery few of thofe principally 
- to which the Revolution‘ has given birth. 
‘In the Rue des Petits Auguftins, Ci- 
tizeén Lenoirhas, by order of government, 
difpofed and decorated, with exquifite 
tafe, the ci-devant Convent des Petits 
Auguftins for the reception of all the mo- 
numents of ‘French fculpture which have 
been difplaced by the Vandalifm (to ufe a 
French’ phrafe) of the earlier periods of 
the Revolution.. They are, arranged in 
the cloifters and in the different apart- 
ments according to their refpective centu- 
ries. . The’ effect is charming—= 
<¢ Where awful. arches make a noon-day 
night, ., 
€© And the dim windows fhed afolemn light.” 
Pors. 
Paniheon —The Pantheon is an elegant 
atid fuperb ‘ftructure, deftined to receive 
and preferve the afhes of the illuftrious 
French, who do honour to theiy country, 
either by their writings or exploits. Itis 
not yet finifhied ; but to judge from its pre- 
fent advanced ftate, a very few months of 
peace will ferve to complete it. | 
Cabinet of Natural Hiftory.—The ar- 
rangement of this cabinet, begun by the 
celebrated Buffon, is ftill in its infancy. 
A moft fpacious room is, however, pre- 
pared for a collection of natural hiftory, 
which promifes to outdo every thing of 
tthe kind. The cabinet of minerals is in 
the fame building, and is, I’fancy, al- 
lowed to be the firftin Europe. Adjoining 
‘this building are the Jardins des Plantes, 
which are kept with proper care and at- 
tention. Butamongit the curious and in- 
terefting, although not amongit the new, 
buildings of Paris, let me not forget the 
chemical and mineral cabinet of Mr. Le- 
faze, at the Monnaie. I believe for juft- 
Montury Mac, No, 69. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
nefs of tafte and elegance of defign there is 
not its equal. hi 
National Library.—This library was in 
former times allowed to equal, if not ex. 
cel, every other colleétion now extant. 
It is now fo' much enriched by. the) fpoils 
of Venice; Florence; and Rome, that it 
is fcarcely in the power of words, to:con- 
vey an idea of its value. I:thould have 
employed fome part of my time: in  tran+ 
{cribing the written but imperfect cata 
logue of the new manufcripts, had I not 
beentold by M. De La Portedu Thiel (Con- 
fervateur de la Bibliotheque) that avde- 
tailed account will be printed in. the next 
volume of the ** Notices des Manufcrits,”’ 
which will appear in the courfe of the 
winter, I need now only ftate, that the 
French felected- 500 Greek and Latin 
MSS. from the VaticaiT and 230 from: the 
Library of St. Marc at Venice,’ 70 (our 
of 300, the original number granted by 
the treaty) having been exchanged for a 
beautiful gem of Jupiter Aigiochus, which 
is now in the public library at Paris. In 
fpeaking upon this fubjeét I cannot refit © 
the pleafure of acknowledging my obliga- 
tions to the gentlemen who are intrulted 
with the care and dire€tion of the national 
library —-the ‘* Confervateurs de la Bi- 
bliotheque Nationale,’’ as itis juftly called 
by way of eminence. J do not believe 
that the world can produce men_ better 
qualified~for their important duty than 
Mefirs. De La Porte du Thiel, Lagrande, 
Langles, and Millin, men.who unite with 
the moft eafy and obliging manners the 
rareft talents and the profoundeft learning. 
As a ftranger, as an Englithman, I was 
literally overpowered with their civility. 
This library is open every morning from 
ten till two: during which time every. 
perfon who has accefs to it is indulged 
with the ufe of whatever books or manu- 
{cripts he requires. 
Bibliotheque de V Avfenal.—I may dif- 
mifs this library with faying, that it con- 
tains a mof{t extenfive and valuable col- 
lection of printed books, but very few 
manu(lcripts. . 
National Inflitute.—A fobje& fomewhat 
connected with the above is the National 
i” Inftitute. 
