when, unable to contain themfelves any longer, they fuddenly stopped him, with "Pfhaw! Phaw! Mr. S————, is it poffible you can be mad enough to conceive, that an audience would fwallow fuch a damned abfurdity as a company of friars finging a fong !!! Zounds, fir, the people would rife, tear up the benches, and hurl them at the chandeliers Upon this S

very coolly put his play up in his pocket, with the obfervation, either you, gentlemen, or I, am a damned block head."

Which party had really the preferable title to that epithet, the world has fince had a good opportunity to judge; and what is ftriking enough, from the peculiar circumftance, that the friar fcene has ever been the most popular part of this favourite opera. After this unfortunate attempt, the memory of the Duenna was ftill kept alive, by Mrs. S often finging its most favourite fongs in company; and Harris, in the end, was prevailed upon to have it reprefented. On the first night, this unfortunate, fortunate piece, was within a hair's breadth of a fecond, of a public, as well as private damnation; and Leoni was fo alarmed at the reception he met with in the firft act, that it was abfolutely neceffary to push him on, by main force, in the fecond: but when they came to the friars scene, it was received with fuch bursts of applaufe, that all apprehenfion vanished, and the opera was for many years efteemed as the best in the ftock of Covent Garden houfe. It was reported to have produced the manager twenty thoufand pounds, and to have redeemed Covent Garden houfe from a ftate of bankruptcy.

(To be continued.),

EXHIBITION AT SOMERSET HOUSE.

"Pictores, et ii qui figna fabricantur, fuum quifque opus à "vulgo confiderari vult. ut fi quid reprehenfum fit, à plu"ribus id corrigatur."*

IT

CICERO DE OFFIC.

T has been the cuftom of our Artifts, for feveral years paft, to make an Exhibition of their respective productions. By this means, we are able to eftimate the progrefs of Painting amongst us, a spirit of emulation is excited among the Exhibitors, and the Public treated with an annual entertainment.

The Exhibition for 1798, opened on the 23d of laft month. We have taken a particular furvey of it, and fhall lay the refult in a few words before our Readers.

The flighteft view of the feveral rooms, muft fuggeft to the spectator, that there is a more than ordinary number of pictures. The whole lift amounts to upwards of a thousand.

Among the HISTORICAL productions we recognize with pleasure, Queen Margaret and the Robber, by Vieira; Elizabeth Gray petitioning Edward the IVth for the restoration of her eftates, by Opie; The meeting of Caleb and his Daughter, by Singleton; The prophecy of Zacharias at the naming of John the Baptift, by Weft, and Richard the Third in his tent, the night preceding the battle of Bosworth, approached and addreffed by the ghosts of feveral, whom, at different periods of his protectorship and ufurpation, he had deftroyed-by Fufeli. Perhaps this laft piece ranks more under works of mere imagination. However we thought

*Tranflation.-Painters, and thofe who make use of vifible figns to reprefent nature, are defirous that each of their productions fhould be contemplated by the multitude, that if any thing faulty be difcerned in them, it may be corrected by the obfervation of many.

moft

moft proper to mention it under this article, from its near alliance with Hiftory.

Of PORTRAITS we are prefented with an abundance. This has been the cafe for many years. Difappointed we have often been in referring to the catalogue, and finding only thefe words :-Portrait of a Gentleman-Portrait of a Lady. We muft, nevertheJefs, confels, that this year names are affixed to several of them. This is an additional gratification, particularly when they exhibit the human face divine, of celebrated characters. Among the Portraits in the present collection, we observed that of the Rev. Mr. Strong; Lord Paget; Lord Seaforth; Sir W. G. Fairfax; Mrs. Trimmer; Sir John Sinclair; Bishop of Winchester; General Paoli; Princess Elizabeth, and alfo Augufta; Lord Duncan; Mr. Kemble, as Coriolanus; Mrs. Whitbread; Mrs. Powell, Caftle Spectre; Lord Chancellor; Mr. Holcroft, and General Kofciufko. These poffefs confiderable merit. But what appears to be the fineft picture of them all, is a Review of the Prince of Wales's Regiment of Dragoon Guards; wherein his Majefty, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of York, are admirably delineated. The whole piece has a martial effect, which cannot fail of impreffing the beholder. It was executed by Beechy.

The LANSCAPES are very pleafing productions of the pencil. Many of thofe in the prefent Exhibition are deferving of commendation. Sun-fet, with Peasants returning, by Weftall; Evening, by Faringdon; a View from Lord Borington's Park; Morning, by Freebrain; A Landscape, with Women and Children, by Weft; and a View of Conway Castle, North Wales, will attract attention. The beauties of Nature have charms for every heart. The faithful reprefentation of them therefore will always afford delight.

Among the MINIATURES we remarked a great number well executed. We recognised feveral characters of celebrity, and many of a private caft, unknown to

us,

us, recommended themselves to our attention by the intelligence and benignity impreffed on their features. In a finely finished Miniature we difcern oftentimes a concentration both of the head and of the heart. There is an inexpreffible delicacy in fuch a production more eafily conceived than expreffed. The Minatures of Mr. Hazlitt difcovered much genius.

Some of the VIEWS were beautiful. Among thefe may be included, The Surry Side of Westminster Bridge; Bay of Salermo; Athens; King's-Wefton, near Briftol; London, from Albion-Place; Carifbbrook Castle, in the Isle of Wight; Lambeth, with a Groupe of Barges Bannifters near Southampton, and the Fall of the Rhine, near Schaffhaufen, Switzerland.

The Seven Ages, taken from Shakespeare, and painted by Smirke, are pleafing and interefting per formances. We are happy to learn that they are purchafed by Alderman Boydell, who intends publishing prints of them, equal in fize to the originals. Nor mult we omit to mention two pieces by Downman, taken from Tom Jones; the one Thwackum's Battle, the other, the Partridge Family. Both are well executed, and the latter difplays great humour. With its ludicrous traits we were much entertained. The characters refemble life, and excited our rifibility.

The rooms contained not a few SEA PIECES, of confiderable merit. From our recent triumphs at fea, it was to be expected that artists would be ambitious to delineate them on canvas. This laudable task they have accomplished. We applaud their patriotic efforts. It is the province of Genius, either by the pen or by the pencil, to record the victories which valour hath obtained. We therefore clofe our lift by mentioning, Britannia crowned by Victory, trampling under feet the colours of France, Spain, and Holland, and waving the standard of Great Britain. This painting was executed by Rigaud. The defign of it is heroic, and does honour to the skill of the artist. We wish that our native coun

try

With the bold air, the lovely lasting dye,

That fills at once, and charms the wond'ring eye.
Hail! better Amazon, to thee belong
The critic's plaudits and the poet's fong:
To thee, may fame no barren laurels bring,
But flowery wreaths that bud each rifing spring.

MISS AIKIN.

GENERAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

W and happinets of mankind are indiffolubly con

WITH the progrefs of Literature, the welfare of

nected. An attention therefore to its various productions accords with the defign of our Mifcellany. Nor are we without a hope that a brief retrofpective sketch of the Literary World, must impart to the reader a portion of inftruction and entertainment.

We shall not explore every department of literature. We shall felect thofe branches alone which more peculiarly intereft the understanding by the extent of their beneficial confequences.

We begin with HISTORY, which has been justly denominated the most useful and dignified fpecies of compofition. Of late we have not had any very interesting productions of this kind laid before the Public. Some few volumes relating to the origin and progrefs of the French Revolution have been publifhed, particularly, the Abbe Barruel's Memoirs, illuftrating the Hiftory of Jacobinifm, and Robinfon's Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe, carried on in the fecret Meetings of Free Mafons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies. Thefe are both of them curious productions, and contain many fingular facts. They have excited in a confiderable degree the public curiofity, and have produced from their opponents fome fpirited animadverfions. Thefe publications indeed relate to an event, which from its nature, progrefs, and

confe