! coughs, and consumptions produced by damp, moist, and nitrous air, it is evident it can corrupt and spoil the noble organs, &c.' A short specimen of the editor's attention to Modern Geography will be found in his account of the Alps: ALPS, Lower, Department of, is one of the four composed out of the ci-devant Provence, in France. It is bounded on the north by the department of the Upper Alps, on the east by Piedmont and the department of the Maritime Alps, on the south by the department of the Var, and the north east extremity of that of the mouths of the Rhine, and on the west by the departments of Vaucluse and the Drôme. Its chief town is Digne. Its superficies is about 1,459,699 square acres, or 745,007 hectares; its population comprehends 144,436 individuals; and it is divided into five communal districts. ALPS, Upper, Department of, makes a part of Dauphiné, which contains three. It is bounded on the north by the departments of Mont Blanc and Isere, on the cast by Piedmont, on the south by the department of the Lower Alps, on the west by that of the Drôme and part of that of Isere. Its chief town is Gap. Its superficies is about 1,084,614 square acres, or 553,569 hectares; its population comprehends 116,754 persons; and it is divided into three communal districts. ALPS, Maritime, Department of, is formed of the county of Nice. It is bounded on the north by the Apennines and the department of the Lower Alps, on the east by the republic of Genoa, on the south by the Mediterranean, and on the west by the department of the Var and Lower Alps. Its chief town is Nice. Its superficies is about 632,619 square acres, or 322,674 hectares; its population amounts to 93,366 persons; and it is divided into three communal districts.' Under the head of Apollo, we have this account of the celebrated statue of that Deity called the Apollo of Belvidere, and of its recent removal to the emporium of the republican, Gauls: • APOLLO BELVIDERE, in Sculpture, a very celebrated antique statue, esteemed by the majority of artists the most excellent and sublime of all the antient productions. It was found towards the end of the fifteenth century, at Capo d'Anzo, upon the sea-coast, about twelve leagues from Rome, in the ruins of antient Antium. It was purchased by pope Julius II. when only cardinal, and placed in his palace near the church of Santi Apostoli; but soon after, being made pope, he removed it to the Belvidere of the Vatican; from whence it takes its name, and where it was for three hundred years the admiration of the world; until Rome was taken and plundered by the French, who have transported this divine statue to the Museum at Paris. The marble out of which this statue was worked, is of so peculiar a kind, as to occasion much doubt about the quarry it was taken from. The sculptors of Rome are all of opinion that the marble is Grecian; with the exception of one or two, who call it marble of Luni or Carrara. However positive these opinions may be, it came most probably from a quarry totally unknown at this day. • Some accounts have stated, that this statue was the work of Agathias the Ephesian: but the French artists, who were sent to Rome at the time of the incursion of the French into Italy, to explore the different works of art and their history, state that the author is certainly unknown. This statue is a standing figure, almost naked, and more than seven feet in height: it has a freedom, grace, and majesty in the whole attitude, and especially in the turn of the head, that surpasses any other antique known. The god is here represented with his quiver hanging behind his right shoulder, and his pallium over his left arm, which is extended, and has in the hand the remains of a bow, out of which he is supposed to have just discharged an arrow at the serpent Python. On this account the statue is called Apollo Pythius. The mind of the god is here so nobly exhibited, that without saying too much, he evidently appears watching the event of his ain; but with such confidence and majesty, as proceed from a certainty of success in the attempt; forming a sublime contrast to the tremulous anxiety of Discobulon, who, in another statue, is represented as having just thrown the discus. On the stump of a tree, introduced in order to strengthen the figure, is executed a serpent, the symbol of physic, of which Apollo was god. To describe this figure in few words; it is a complete composition of sublinity, elegance, activity, and youthful beauty. The right forearm and the left hand, which were wanting, have been restored by Giovanni Angelo da Montorsoli, pupil of Michael Angelo. In the eighth year of the French Republic, Bonaparte, accompanied by the third consul Lebrun, was present at the inauguration of this statue; and on the occasion, a bronze tablet was presented, in the name of the artists, by Citizen Vien, and placed on the pedestal of the statue, on which was engraved the following inscription: La statue d'Apollon, qui s'élève sur ce piedestal placée au Vatican par Jules II. au commencement du XVIe a été fixée ici le 21 Germinal, an VIII. On the opposite side of the pedestal is engraved: Bonaparte, Ier Consul. Lucien Bonaparte, Ministre de l'intérieur.' Geography being a science of which the details were not admitted into Mr. Chambers's work, we shall give an instance of Dr. Rees's introduction of it with regard to its antient state, as well as the slight particulars of its modern arrangement already quoted: ARARAT, ARARAT, a mountain of Asia, in Armenia, on which the ark of Noah rested after the cessation of the deluge. Concerning the etymology of the name, Dr. Bryant observes (Anc. Myth. v. iii. p.2.) that it is a compound of Ar-Arat, and signifies "the mountain of descent," being equivalent to - Har-irad, of the Hebrews. Of the precise situation of this mountain different accounts have been given. Some have supposed that it was one of the mountains which divide Armenia on the south from Mesopotamia and that part of Assyria inhabited by the Curds, from whom those mountains took the name of Curdue, or Cardu; by the Greeks denominated Gordyai. It is called by the Arabs Al-Judi, and also Thamanin. In confirmation of this opinion, it is alleged that the remains of the ark were to be seen on these mountains; and it is said, that Berosus and Abydenus both declare, that such a report existed in their time. Epiphanius pretends, if we may credit his assertion, that the relics of the ark were to be seen in his time; and we are further told, that the emperor Heraclius went from the town of Thamanin, up the mountain Al- Judi, and saw the place of the ark. Others maintain, that mount Ararat was situated towards the middle of Armenia, near the river Araxes, or Aras, about twelve miles from it, according to Tournefort, above 280 miles distant from Al-Judi, to the north-east. This mountain is called "Masis" by the Armenians, and by the Turks "Agridagh," or the heavy and great mountain; and stands about twelve leagues to the south-east of Erivan, and of Ejmiadzin, from which it is distant about two short days' journey; four leagues from the Aras, and ten to the south-west of Naxuan, or Nachidshevan, or Nactshevan, of M. D'Anville, and the Naxuana of Ptolemy. Near this city is another small town, mentioned by William de Rubruquis, who travelled through Armenia in 1253, and called Cemaiņum, which is by interpretation eight, and as he says, so called from the eight persons who came out of the ark and built it. This is supposed to be the same with Shemainum or Shemanum, formed of the Hebrew eight, or the Themanim and Thamanim of Elmacieri and others, which was said to have been built by Noah. Ararat seems to be a part of that vast chain of mountains called Caucasus and Taurus; and upon these mountains, and in the adjacent country, were preserved more authentic accounts of the ark than in almost any other part of the world. The region about Ararat, called Araratia, was esteemed among the ancients as nearly a central part of the earth; and it is certainly as well calculated as any other for the accommodation of its first inhabitants, and for the migration of co.. lonies, upon the increase of mankind. The soil of the country was very fruitful, and especially of that part where the patriarch made his first descent. The country also was very high, though it had fine plains and valleys between the mountains. Such a country, therefore, must, after the flood, have been the soonest exsiccated, and consequently the soonest habitable. Some have objected to the Mosaic account of the dove and olive, and will not allow that the ark rested in Armenia, because travellers of late have discovered no olives in that country. Thus also it might be said, that because there are in these days no balsam at Jericho, REV. APRIL, 1803. Ff nor nor date trees in Babylonia, there were none in ancient times; but the inference with regard to Armenia would be as false as it is frivolous. Strabo, who was a native of Asia Minor, speaks expressly of the fertility of Armenia, and especially (lib. xi. t. ii. p. 8oo.) of the region Gogarene, which he particularly mentions as produc tive of the olive. 6 It is not certain when the descendants of Noah quitted this country. Many of the fathers were of opinion, that they did not leave it for some ages. According to Epiphanius (Hær. lib. i. p. 5.) they remained in the vicinity of Ararat for five generations, during the space of 659 years. Probably Noah might never depart from it; nor have we any account of his sons leaving it till the general migration. The mountain has still the name of Ararat, which it has retained through all ages. Tournefort (vol. ii. 267, &c.) has particularly described it, and from his account it seems to consist chiefly of freestone, or calcareous sand-stone. It is a detached mountain in form of a sugar-loaf, in the midst of a very extensive plain, consisting of two summits; the lesser more sharp and pointed, the higher, which is that of the ark, lies north-west of it, and raises its head far above the neighbouring mountains, and is covered with perpetual snow. When the air is clear, it does not appear to be above two leagues from Erivan, and may be seen at the distance of four or five days' journey. Its being visible at such a distance, however, is ascribed not so much to its height, as to its lonely situation, in a large plain, and upon the most elevated part of the country. The ascent is difficult and fatiguing. Tournefort attempted it; and after a whole day's toil, he was obliged, by the snow and intense cold, to return without accomplishing his design, though in the middle of summer. On the side of the mountain that looks towards Erivan, is a prodigious precipice, very deep, with perpendicular sides, and of a rough black appearance, as if tinged with smoke.' Architecture is merely introduced by a few general remarks; and we are referred to the adjectival heads Civil, Military, and Naval, for a discussion of the science in its relation to those three purposes. This is a singular occurrence, and must have arisen, we suppose, from the change of gentlemen engaged in that department, which appears from the lists. Biography is another of the subjects introduced in this work which were excluded by Mr. Chambers. We have not been able to examine all the scattered articles which already occur under this head: but we are induced to recommend a considerable severity of discrimination in this branch, by observing several names which have little claim to such distinction. For instance, Dr. Amory, a dissenting clergyman, though introduced by the partial hand of Dr. Kippis into the Biographia Britannica, should not have been recorded either in that work or this; because, though said to be a man of worth and talents, his situation in life and his labours in the cause of literature were were not remarkable nor important. We rather object to the inserion of Michelagnolo Buonaroti, M. A. da Caravaggio, and others, under Angelo. With respect to the size of this Dictionary: it must be admitted that a quarto is more convenient for consultation than a folio: but we think that a larger quarto would have been more eligible and more handsome in the present case; and we hesitate in allowing the propriety of confining the plates to this size. Maps, especially, in order to be really useful, should unquestionably be large. We hope that to this part of the design the editors will give the fullest attention; and we trust that they will not follow the specimen afforded in Part I. of Vol. II., where we meet with a map of the empire of Charlemagne, including nearly the whole of Europe and a part of Africa, on so small a scale that it reminded us of the dextrous feat of a country schoolmaster, who wrote the Lord's Prayer without abbreviation in the circumference of a silver threepence. The plates are in general very well executed, by Messrs. Milton and Lowry. It is at present intended to publish two volumes (each in 2 parts) in the course of every year: but, when all arrangements respecting the work are completed, the editor proposes to make the publication more rapid. According to calculation, the whole will form about 20 Volumes. There can be no doubt of the success of a work, the design of which forms an object of such comprehensive utility, and the execution of which is guaranteed by so many respectable names. To say that it is or will be marked by errors and deficiencies is only to say that it is the production of mortals: from whom perfection, if ever to be sought, is not to be expected in a vast and arduous undertaking. We now take leave of it for the present; our future notice of it will be adapted to the circumstances which may arise at the different periods of its progress. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For APRIL, 1803. RELIGIOUS. Art. 15. The Church of England vindicated from Misrepresentation; G.2. |