62 
ature are affected by those profound 
convulsiens, which shake and decompose 
mations grown old, 
appears’ to tranquillize and invigorate 
them. We shall follow in the various 
parts of the art. of write the effects of 
the‘universal motion. We shall enquire 
what influence the eighteenth century 
had ‘over. ‘the period, and what influence 
the period itself may, in its turn, ‘have 
upon futufity. We have insinuated, and 
we shall prove that it deserves a pro- 
‘found examination, In vain do the ene- 
mies-of all knowledge, proscribing the 
illustrious memory of a philosophic age, 
daily announce a shameful decline, wcavoh 
they would effect, if their-clamours could 
reduce merit to silence; and which would 
be demonstrated, if they had exclusively 
the privilege of writing. It will be easy 
to confound these slanderous assertions, 
calculated to deceive credulous foreigners. 
, Sire, $0 strange a catastrophe has vot 
happened : 
Afonthly Retrospect of the Fine Arts. 
vntila poweriul genius. 
class of the Tustitute. 
France, pggrapelace by your 
[Feb. Yr, 
Majesty, is not become barren in talents. 
We shall collect and Jay betore you, the 
present elements of that French litera- 
ture, of which invidious ignorance re- 
viled at every pertod ite the imaster- 
pieces and the classics; but which was 
at ail times honourable; and even now, 
notwithstanding its great losses, continues 
to be, in every age the first literature 
in Europe. 
His Majesty’s answer was in substance 
as follows: 
Gentlemen Deputics of hie seoond 
If the Frevch 
tongue 1s become an universal languave, 
we owe it to the men of genius who have 
sat, or now sit, amongst you. Tattach 
great value to the success of your !a- 
bours ; they tend to enlighten my people, 
and are rina Hr to the glory of my 
crown. 
I have heatd with satisfaction the ree 
port which you have made tome. ~ 
You may rely ‘upow my protection. 
MONTHLY RETROSPECT or tne FINE ARTS, 
The Use of atl Néw Prints, and Communication of Articles of Intelligence, &c. are 
requested under cover to the Care of the Publisher. 
—ii ee 
Tee British Gallery of Engravings, avith some 
Account of each Picture, and a Life of the 
Artist, by Edward Forster, 4:M. F.RS, 
and S.A. No 3. Miller, Albemarie- 
sirveéct. = 
HE present number of this beauti- 
ful work consists of the foilowing 
plates ; 
Magdalen, painted by Dotdbinehimallsind en- 
graved byN. Schiavonetti.—Landscape, painted 
by Gas pie Poussin—end engraved b3 S. Middi- 
man.—The Good Shepherd, painted by Muril- 
lo.—and engraved by |.. Heath, A.R.A. 
--Bears and Dogs, painted by Snyders—and 
exgraved by J.-Vittler, A.R.A, 
‘The first picture, choseitby Mr. Forster, 
is of that celebrity, that praise is needless, 
and censure might’ be thought invidious. 
The engraving by N. ‘Schiavonetti, 
i3 of the first order, and will confer upon 
him an. additional wreath of honor. The 
landseape, by Gaspar Poussin, posses- 
ses a powerful harmony of tone, charac- 
ter of composition, 
execution, which Mr. Middiman has 
happily transnutted to his engraving. 
The next plate, by Heath, from Murillo, 
as ‘not of that high class of art, that 
should alone be admitted into a ereat 
work lke this; Murillo, appears to 
have attempted ‘something beyond his 
‘that must produce a fine work. 
and: brilliancy of 
powers, and hy diving too far into 
‘metaphysics, has ‘not rendered himself 
so intelligible, or so pleasing, as he is 
in more simple subjects, “ The ‘Beggar 
Boys, or Children at their Sports,” of 
Murillo, possess great merit in ‘their 
rank, anda subject of this kind would 
ian been the fittest for an example of 
the master, and a “ Good Shepherd,” or 
* Salvator Mundi,” of one of the great 
masters of the Roman school, would 
have been -a preferable ‘example, of 
this Te of painting, ldr. Heath, 
las, however, done yvreat justice to Nits 
subject, and rendered it a beautiful 
specimen of engraving, although (for the 
above reasons) not that interestmg print 
that most others in this collection are. 
The next print is an union of talent 
Fittler’s 
correct and faithful manifer,, has vied 
with the exquisite nature and truth of 
Snyder’s animals, every part is ‘most 
beautifully touched, and elaborately 
finished, and proves Mr. Fittler to be 
eminently qualified fur this walk of art, 
notwithstanding -the malignant-effusions 
of a rival, who has declared him unfit for 
this task. 
The choice and manner of execution 
of this number, is more than-a sufficient 
apology 
