Retrospect of French Literature---Miscellanies. 
rine, andthe Virgin offering her bo- 
som to the infant Jesus, are by Corre- 
gio: the three following were pated 
by Salvator Rosa, 1. Democrites and 
Protagoras ;. Ulysses and Nausica ; 
Persons at play. From the pencil’ of 
Guido Rheni, we have the Doctors 
of the Church in consultation, and 
the Adoration of the Shepherds ; from 
that of Annibal Carrachi the Virgin 
and Infant, with a Jesus bearing the 
Cross; from that of Andrew del Sar- 
to, the Visitation. andthe Virgin and 
Child. We have also, a Holy Family 
by Leonardo de Vinci, another by 
Dominichino, a dead Christ by Paul 
Veronese, a portrait of a man by Gi- 
orgini, the Cyclops by Lucus Giordano, 
and a Virgin and Child by Berochie. 
Of the French school we have five 
of the best pictures by Nicolas Pous- 
sin. 1. ‘Tancred succoured by Hermi- 
nia. 2. Armida and Reynado, 3. A 
Holy Family. 4. Moses striking the 
rock and producing water; and, 5. 
The Continence of Scipio. ‘There 
are also two pictures by Lesueur, re- 
presenting the death of St. Stephen, 
and Darius ordering the tomb of Ni- 
tocris to be opened. Claude Lorrain 
has one, of Jesus and his disciples in 
the road to Emmaus: and fourdon’s 
Perseus and Andromache is also en- 
graved for the present volume. 
The Flemish aud Dutch schools 
have furnished the following, 1. Ro- 
tan Charity by Rubens, the portrait 
of Francois Sneyders and his wife ; 
that of Jean-Vander-Vower, and the 
Incredulity of St.Thomas by Vandyke. 
The Sacrifice of Abraham, and a Holy 
Family by Rembrandt ; a Huntsman 
before a Cottage by Paul Potter, and 
a Dutch Morumg by Mieris. In ad- 
dition to these, is the celebrated Re. 
pose in Egypt, by Murillo, of the Spa- 
nish Hh , . 
The description of the pictures by 
Camille, is written with precision on 
one hand, while his judgment on 
the other is equally just and pro- 
found. In addition to this, he bas 
added biographical notices relative 
to the great masters. Accordig to 
his idea, the following are the capi- 
tal pieces in the present collection. 
J}. Jesus Christ, by Paul Veronese. 
2. The Doctors of the Church in 
consultation,by Guido Rheui. 
3. Jesus bearing his Cross, by An- 
nibal Carrache, ! 
a 
‘sueur. 
705 
4, The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, 
by Vandyke, together with 
5. The Portrait of Jean-Vander- | 
Vower by the same artist. 
6. Armida and Rinaldo, with 
7. Moses in the act of siriking the 
Rock, by N. Poussin. 
8. The Death of St. Stephen by Le- 
And 
9. Democrites and Protagoras, by 
Salvator Rosa. 
‘¢ Dissertation sur l’Echicite, &c.”’ 
Dissertation concerning electrical Ma- 
chines, Galvanism, Burning Mirrors, 
&e. 
The author ef this little volume 
introduces a variety of curious parti- 
culars, but on the whole they are ra- 
ther ingenious than novel. In respect 
to electrical machines, which occupy 
Part I.many of oar literary productions 
might have afforded interesting materi- 
als,and rendered his work far more va- 
luable.. He indeed mentions that Beyer 
attempted to improve their construc- 
tion, by the addition of a pointed 
piece of platina, which was exempt 
from oxydation; but he never once 
alludes to the experiments in this 
country, tending to a comparative 
estimate of. the superiority of pointed 
instruments over bails. In a large 
building, he thinks that the termina- 
tions of the conductors ought to be 
within ten metres of each other. 
The second part, contains oaly three 
articles: 
1. Galvanic electricity ; 
2. Magnetism ; 
And §. Light, with which -he con- 
cludes,as being the most difficult of the 
whole. Under the last of these heads, 
all the recent discoveries are to he 
found, and we are also preseaied with’ 
the theory of that optical deception, 
termed the phantasmagoria, which’ 
some years since astonish=d many of 
the people of this metropolis. It is 
stated that the imaginary approach 
of the supposed phantom proceds 
from the gridual deveiopemeni of the 
figure, which circumstance serves. to- 
convey an idea both of action and ap- 
proximation. é 
We all know, it has been assert. 
ed, that Archimedes set fire to the - 
Roman fleet, by meas of gl sses. 
The author is of opinion, that this is ~ 
not only possible but prodadle, all 
that was wanted being io employ 
the combined action of several plane 
mirrors ; 
