The fragment of exquisite sculpture, known by the appellation of the Torso of Michel Angelo, of which a cast is placed near to the Theseus, has here a happy effect in contributing to show the contrast of the two modes of art; the imitative and the ideal. Both specimens may be regarded as at the summit of their class.

Another statue, said to represent a Neptune, is of the same description as the Theseus; but if this statue be rightly named, the choice of characteristick form, so obviously appropriate to the hero, may be justly questioned when employed in the person of a divinity. Be this as it may, the beauty of the figure itself is equally unquestionable.

Of the other statues, the most remarkable for their superiour beauties, are a Juno; two groups, viz. Diana and Latona; and Ceres and Proserpine; a Canephora, or Basket carrier, which probably served as the support of a column.

Of all these, the last only retains its head. The regret felt at the mutilated state of the others is heightened by the exquisite beauty of the remaining forms. In each of them the disposition of the drapery, the character of the limbs, the apparent softness of the flesh, the air of the whole figure unvaryingly appropriate to the particular attitude, are of that eminent quality that claims the admiration of the spectator, and the reverence of the student. The drapery of the Canephora is not of the same superiour description; it is dry and stiff, and though the folds are very deeply wrought, they fail in the appearance of lightness.

A draped figure of Victory, and an Indian Bacchus, as well as some others, are well worthy of attention.

Besides these larger statues, the collection contains a vast suit of alto-relievos, representing the Battle of the Lapithae and the Centaurs, as before mentioned, and of bas-reliefs representing a processional train on a religious occasion. The latter have the usual merits of ancient sculpture of this kind. The former are more singularly bold and masterly; they are remarkable for the beautiful proportions and select forms of the young men, and of the equine part of the Centaurs, as well as for the curious character uniformly preserved in the human moiety; the heads being closely stuck on the shoulders with little or no intervention of neck, and the faces considerably similar to each other, and all of an ugly and grotesque character.

These figures, if they contain no positive evidence of the hand of any particular master, very clearly demonstrate the school in which they were executed. The rage of action is every where attempered, no eccentrick violence, no distortion of limbs, nothing infringes on the sovereign principle of the display of beautiful forms; for this end it is, that the artist, in the very " torrent, tempest, and, as it were, whirlwind of passion, begot a temperance that gave it smoothness."

66

In the remaining part of this collection are numerous broken portions of columns, capitals, bases, parts of shafts, all of the most exquisite workmanship and taste. Tealous as an Englishman justly is of his independence in all things, the spectator of these beautiful fragments will hesitate to deny to the Greeks the absolute right to sovereignty and legislature in the province of architecture.

Monuments of other kinds also serve to complete the collection. Of these, a Scaraboeus of extraordinary magnitude, in Egyptian granite, is not the least curious.

A fragment of the head of a horse, said to have belonged to the car of Minerva, is among the rarest examples of art. From the extraordinary spirit and character of the head, it is more probable (as Pausanias mentions that the contest between Minerva and Neptune formed a part of the sculpture of the Parthenon) that it is the head of the horse springing from the earth at the stroke of the Trident.

If report says true, that this collection is to be sold, who would not be sorry for the country that should neglect to place it among its publick treasures? If report says true, that the noble earl formed it with a view to future sale, who would not be sorry for his lordship? But these are invidious reports, too often circulated without the smallest foundation in truth.

DOMESTICK

NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

AT an election of Officers of the New York Historical Society, held at the City Hall, 10th. January, 1809, the following persons were chosen :

Egbert Benson, President; Right Rev. Bishop Moore, and Brockholst Livingston, Vice Presidents; Rev. Dr. Samuel Miller, Corresponding Secretary; John Pintard, Recording Secretary; Charles Wilkes, Treasurer; John Forbes, Librarian; William Johnson, Samuel L. Mitchell, David Hosack, Rev. Dr. John M, Mason, De Witt Clinton, John M'Kesson, and Anthony Bleecker, Standing Committee.

The following persons were elected members: William Cutting, Dr. Benjamin De Witt, Thomas Eddy, Samuel M. Hopkins, Peter A. Jay, Rev. Dr. Livingston, Robert R. Livingston, Gouverneur Morris, Dr. John A. Osborne, John Remmey, Rev. John B. Romeyn, Gulian C. Verplanck, Col. Jonathan Williams, Dr. Hugh Williamson, Francis B. Winthrop.

This year commencing the third century since the discovery of this part of North America by Hudson,* the society has resolved to commemorate the event; and the Rev. Dr. Miller will, by request, deliver a discourse on the occasion.

A committee was appointed to make suitable arrangements for the purpose.

The Society also intends to apply to the legislature, at the ensuing session, for an act of incorporation.

The Society stands adjourned to the quarterly meeting, Tuesday, 11th. April next, 8 P. M. at the City Hall, when the committee of ar rangements will report.

JOHN PINTARD, Rec'g Sec'ry.

* Hudson sailed from Holland in March 1609, and discovered the river called by his name, in September following.

BILL OF MORTALITY,

FOR PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, FOR A. D. 1808.

1

1

1 1

21

1

1

1

8 12 1 3 1 3 2 21 21

y.

5 7
1

3

3 2

22

1 1

1 1

26, 46, 43, 58 y. 2 2

2422

24 y.
19 y. 1

1y. 2, 9, 2, 3m. 3 2

Malignant sore throat

Mortification

Nephritis

35 y. 1

2y.

51, 8, 37 y.

34 y.

2 w. 1

Nonclosure of the foramen

ovale and canalis arteri

131

80, 90, 80,79, 87, 82,75 y. 3 4

12

4

4

3

1

5

1

5

1

1

3

1

1

Phrenitis

63 y.

1

Schirrous bladder

74y.

1

Schirrous liver

60, 40 y.

1 1

Sudden

53y. 2d. 77 y. 2 1

11

Casu

2 y. 1
5y. 1

Drowned 20, 49, 5, 18y. 4

Suicide

35 y. 1

PORTSMOUTH, the capital of the state of New Hampshire, situated 43 deg. 5 min. north latitude, and 6 deg. 26 min. cast longitude, from Washington, contains about 7000 inhabitants.

MAP OF NORTH CAROLINA.

MORE than twelve years ago Messrs. Jonathan Price, of Pas quotank, and John Strother, now of Buncombe, contemplated and promised a map of North Carolina, and commenced surveys of the state. Their design was patronized by the legislature, and by a very large subscription by individuals, for the purchase of the map. After a long delay, when, if the design was remembered, publick expectation was no longer awake, we hear the publication announced in Philadelphia, and very lately the map has been exhibited in this state. It is on a very large scale, elegantly engraved and coloured, and is believed to be very accurate. A few mistakes occur in the names of places, but they are such as will lead no inhabitant of the state into errour. Greene county, for instance, is called by its former name of Glasgow, and Ashe county has the name of Davie. Some new discoveries, made by recent surveys of the western part of the state to settle the boundary between it and South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, are not included, probably by those surveys having been made after the map was in the hands of the engraver. The western limits are not, therefore, well defined.

The whole of our peculiar and dangerous coast is delineated with great minuteness and accuracy, and it is said to be the best guide to navigators of any chart hitherto published. The civil divisions into counties are distinctly marked and coloured. “The roads, rivers, towns, places of publick worship, villas, hills, and swamps, are so minutely marked, that the map may be deservedly ranked among the most instructive publications of this class."

Francis Xavier Martin, Esq. of Newbern, has been for some time employed in writing the history of North Carolina; it is expected to make a work of three volumes, besides one of maps, charts, plans, views, &c. The first volume will shortly be published.

Dr. Francis Hunter, a native of Rhode Island, has recently published at Edinburgh, his inaugural dissertation for the degree of doctor in medicine. The work is comprised in 180 pages, royal octavo, and is executed in a style of superiour elegance. The subject of this performance is the "aethera," a term which the author uses to designate those substances usually denominated imponderable; as light, calorick, electricity, galvanism, &c. The treatise is, however, confined principally to the former of these.

CATALOGUE

OF NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

FOR FEBRUARY, 1809.

Sunt bona, sunt quaedam mediocria, sunt mala plura. MART.

NEW WORKS.

All marked thus (*) may be found at the Boston Athenaeum.

An Arithmetical Primer for young Masters and Misses, containing simply the first principles of that most important art. By Samuel Temple, A. M. Boston; Lincoln and Edmands. pp. - Price 20 cents.

*A Sermon delivered at King's Chapel, Boston, Jan. 1, 1809; being the sabbath of the author's ordination as one of the Ministers of that society. By Samuel Cary. Boston; J. Belcher. -25 pp. 8vo.

An Address to the New York African Society for Mutual Relief, delivered in the Universal Church, Jan. 2, 1809. By Wm. Hamilton. New York. 1809. pp. 12. 8vo.

*An Oration, commemorative of the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the United States, delivered before the Wilberforce Philanthropick Association in the city of New York, on the 2d. of January, 1809. By Joseph Sidney. New York; J. Seymour. 1809. pp. 20. 8vo.

* An Address, delivered before the Harmonick Club, a Musical Society in Boston, on the evening of their first anniversary, Dec. 21st. 1808. By Z. G. Whitman, A. B. Boston; Joshua Cushing. pp. 20. 8vo. 1809.

*A View of the Whole Ground; comprising the Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Rights and Constitution of Massachusetts; together with all the Embargo Laws. Newburyport; E. W. Allen. 67 pp. 8vo.

*

Supplement to the late Analysis of the publick Correspondence between our cabinet and those of France and Great Britain. pp. 28.

8vo.

* An Address to the Congress of the United States, on the utility and justice of Restrictions upon Foreign Commerce, with Reflections on Foreign Trade in general, and the future prospects of America. Philadelphia; C. and A. Conrad and Co. 1809. pp. 97. 8vo.

*The Panoplist and Missionary Magazine United. No. & Vol. I. for January, 1809. Boston; Farrand, Mallory and Co. pp. 336-385. 8vo. Price 20 cents.

The Philadelphia Medical Dictionary. Compiled from the best authorities. By John Redman Coxe, M. D. Boston; Farrand, Mallory and Co.

* Sketches of the Life, and Extracts from the Journals and other writings of the late Joseph Croswell, who was for more than forty years an itinerant preacher in the New England States. Boston; Lincoln and Edmands. 1809. pp. 96. Price 37 1-2 cents.

** Works of the Hon. Fisher Ames. Compiled by a number of his friends. To which are prefixed, Notices of his Life and Character. "Nihil quod tetigit non ornavit." Boston, T. B. Wait and Co. 519 pp. 8vo. Price $3

50 cents.

Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Vol. III. Containing the Cases from June, 1807, to the end of the year. By Dudley A. Tyng, counsellor at law. With a Supplement. Newburyport; Wm. Sawyer and Co. pp. 594. 8vo. A Compendium and Digest of the Laws of Massachusetts. By William Charles White, counsellor at law. "Misera servitus est, ubi jus est vagum aut incognitum." Vol. I. Part I. Boston; Munroe, Francis and Parker. pp. 198. 8vo. Price $ 2.

Reports of Cases adjudged in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. By Horace Binney. Vol. I. Part I. and II. Boston; Farrand, Mallory and Co.

NEW EDITIONS.

The Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Course of Nature. To which are added, Two Brief Dissertations. I. On Personal Identity. II. On the Nature of Virtue, &c. &c. By Joseph Butler, L. L. D. late Lord Bishop of Durham. Boston; David West.