France, and that is still called in Italy, an assembly of musicians, er ama. teurs, to which the French have since given the name of Concert. It is to Italy that Europe owes the revival of music, as well as all the other arts it was also in that country that associations for the performance of music first became permanent, and were sanctioned by the Government. In 1543, the Academy of Philo-Harmonics was instituted at Vicenza, whence it has since passed to Verona. In 1565, another Academy, under the name of degli Incatenati (the enchained), was incorporated with the former; and their members, united, obtained the grant of a piece of ground from the magistracy of Verona, on which they built a grand and beautiful edifice, where public concerts were held every week. About the year 1732, a theatre was added for the performance of the opera. In 1662, a society of the same kind was formed at Bologna, under the title of Academy of Philamuses, which took for symbol a hill, or mount, covered with reeds, with this motto: Vocis dulcedine captant. In 1663, emulation gave existence to another society in the same city, that called itself de' Musici Filachisi, having as a symbol two tambours, with the device: Orbem demulcet atatu. This Academy seemed to have no other object than to parody the preceding, neither of which, it appears, exist at present. "In tracing the origin of the late Academie Royale de Musique, we pereive that it was not thus named because it was an establishment of the same nature as the Academies of Painting and Architecture, but that the title of Academy was given to it only in the sense of that word in Italy. To that establishment is added a theatre, now known under the name of Opera, or Theatre of Arts. It has often been wished, that this Academy of Music was organized like the other Academies, and in a manger to contribute more effectually to the progress of the art of music, and to its instruction. Several authors in different countries have wished that similar establishments were instituted. Formerly there were professors of musical theory in various places: Bartholomew Remo fulfilled this duty at Sala. manca. In the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in England, music is no longer publicly taught; but they still confer the bonnet of Doctor of Music. In France, an establishment has been founded since the Revolution, destined to teach music, under the name of Conservatory of Music. Lately, the Abbé Volger has had an extraordinary chair in the University of Prague, as Professor of Music." Few readers, we apprehend, will consider this meagre sketch as a history of musical institutions, still less a definition of the term, Academy of Music. No reference is made to the numerous musical societies in Germany and the North, as well as in this country; nor is the least notice taken of the particular regulations, and extent, of these institutions, or of the premiums and rewards which they voted to various performers. We have here, indeed, nothing more than the wellknown fact, that music began to be cultivated in Italy about the middle of the sixteenth century, and that it has since flourished in France! M. Millin has given a verbose account of Alhambra, the Moorish royal palace at Grenada, indifferently translated from Swinburne; but he he acknowledges, with more truth, perhaps, than he is aware of, that it is far from conveying an adequate idea of this extraordinary edifice, which is beyond comparison the greatest curiosity in Europe. The article on ARCHITECTURE is sufficiently diffuse, and abounds in repetitions; although the author, without any just reason, has entirely omitted military and naval architecture, as if they were indepen dent of the arts! Civil architecture he arranges under the heads of the different styles, às Egyptian, Persian, Indian, Phoenician, Judaic, Greek, Roman, Arabian, Gothic, Saxon, Chinese, &c. According to the epochs, architecture is distinguished into that of the best age of antiquity, that of the lower empire, that of the middle age, and modern architecture." We shall only notice the author's account of the "SAXON ARCHITECTURE, The style called Gothic passed to Eng. land from France, especially from Normandy. The ancient English, in consequence of their connexion with the Romans, at first adopted the Ro man taste in the construction of their churches. After the conquest of England by the Normans, this style was denominated opus Romanum by the monks, because it was an imitation of the Roman architecture degene rated. The two beautiful churches which still exist at Caen, are the ar. chetypes of those in England built at that period. In this style of architecture, the delicacy of the members takes place of the quantity of sculpture elsewhere lavished: a great number of churches in this beautiful style are still found in England. "Under the reign of Henry III. a style, characterized by its pointed arches, was introduced into this country. This style, due to the croisades, or to the Moors in Spain, was always undergoing changes and modifications, and prevailed during the reigns of the three first Edwards. About the middle of the fifteenth century, a taste for novelty invented a multitude of ornaments, and at that period the florid Gothic predominated. After having exhausted all the forms of leaves, of knots, and of roses, the artists introduced the figures of angels with instruments." The editor here confounds the Norman with the Gothic architecture; and to gratify his national vanity at the expence of truth, falsely asserts, that the Gothic passed from France to this country, The Norman, indeed, is a degenerated style of the Roman, and was really imported into this country; but all the true Gothic edifices in France were built by the English-a fact which M. Millin, in common with all the writers of his country, studiously endeavours to conceal. There is also reason to believe, that the pointed arch is much older than the croisades in this country. It is certain, however, that this same pointed arch is still seen on the borders of the Red Sea, in Chin Tartary, and several parts of Turkey; but it is much more probable that it travelled through Germany to this country, than that it was discovered in the East by some of the croisaders, and thence brought to England, or France, according to the false assertions of the French antiquaries. In a long account of BEARDS, M. Millin only details some commonplace place facts relative to the Romans and French, and only incidentally mentions other countries, without taking any notice of their use in the Sculpture and mythology of the East. A similarly defective account is given of the character and use of box-wood in gardens, &c. The different COLUMNS in architecture are better explained. The imperfect sketch on the art of DANCING is chiefly taken from Weaver's Lectures, and other English works. Under the head of EAU-FORTE (aqua-tortis), we are told, that the art of etching "has been principally perfected by the French artists." This is totally false: the French artists to the present hour are still ignorant of the art of etching, and in all their attempts to perform it, they have almost entirely failed, and abandoned it in disgust. Treating of the various SCHOOLS of painting, the editor refers to his translation of Dallaway's Anecdotes of the Arts in England, and mentions a few names of artists in this country, in terms of the highest commendation. The second volume occupies the alphabet from H to O inclusive. M. Millin gives an interesting dissertation on the word HACHE, axe (ascia); and after mentioning the principal uses of this instrument among the ancients in their sacrifices, wars, and implements of their gods, proceeds to notice its form in different ages and nations. It is evidently the origin of the halberd, or battle-axe, which has now degenerated to a simple pike, borne by our serjeants of infantry. The explanation of the axe on tombs and sepulchral monuments, however, has baffled all the efforts of the most learned and ingenious antiquaries. Many of these figures of an axe, with the words, sub ascia dedicavit, sub ascia posuit, ab ascia fecit, &c. are still seen on ancient monuments; but all the attempts to explain its real meaning have hitherto amounted only to vain conjectures. The childish conceit of Maffei, that it related to the monument's being white, or made with lime; or of Muratori, that it was a kind of prayer, are unworthy of notice: the most probable explanation is, that it had an allegorical allusion to the power and justice of the law, and that these expressions indicated their = being done under or by the law. Should the historical details under the words HARMONY and HERALDS not be found satisfactory, the number of works mentioned certainly must, as they constitute nearly the half of each article. The sketch of HISTORICAL PAINTINGS, and list of artists in this department, evinces much industry, and contains a considerable number of names. The long account of clocks and dials is rather misplaced among the fine arts; but it serves to shew, that the art of constructing instruments to measure time was first cultivated and brought to perfection in this country. The history of OIL PAINTING is shamefully imperfect that of GAMES and INSCRIPTIONS, particularly the latter, is much less exceptionable. The analytical account of inscriptions, indeed, is neat and interesting. The author's observations on the ancient LAMPS are the most original and accurate article in this Dictionary. The same may be said of his illustrations of the word IVY and HAND, particularly the latter, as the hand of justice, sacred hands, votive APP. VOL. XXV. Kk vative hands, hand on the head, &c. The article MUSIC, like that of architecture, is treated in the divisions of each country, and its history and progress detailed with much more copiousness than accuracy. After giving a rather laboured account of the progress of MUSIC in ENGLAND, and of the expensive establishments dedicated to this art in the latter end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth centuries, he avails himself of the opportunity of expressing his doubts whether the English have any national taste for music, and represents their language as inharmonious, and wholly unfit for musical recitation! The language of Pope, Goldsmith, and Gray, cannot be very rationally accused of want of harmony. The editor, however, does ample justice to the musical productions of our modern professors, particularly Dr. Arnold, whose merit has extorted his reluctant approbation to any thing English in the fine arts. To mere curiosi, these historical outlines of the progress and actual state of music may be one of the most interesting articles in this Dictionary of the Fine Arts. M. Millin, however, is much better qualified to treat with greater curacy and interest the subject of nummi, or coins and medals, and he has accordingly here given a neat abridgment of the various researches in that curious and difficult study. To give some idea of the author's mode of treating what relates to manners or customs, we shall translate the article мOUCHOIR (handkerchief) entire. "In general, the ideas of decency and propriety that prevailed in ancient times differed much from those in modern days. We are far from considering it unbecoming or vulgar to use a handkerchief to wipe the perspiration from the face, or to apply to the nose; on the contrary, it is a decent custom to which we are educated. It was, however, very different among the Greeks and Romans. A lady that in public would have used a handkerchief, would have singularly betrayed great want of delicacy. This custom not only reached to women, but was also a gene. ral rule of decency to which, by some sentiment of convenience, the men also submitted, at least in certain circumstances. The places where decency was observed with the greatest rigour, which the ancients very often transported into laws in common life, were the theatres and the temples. Tacitus and Suetonius agree in saying, that Nero subjected himself scrupulously to the theatrical etiquette: thus, he wiped off the perspiration with the under sleeves of his coat only, and was so much on his guard, that no person ever perceived that he had occasion to spit, or use a handkerchief. To spit, or blow the nose, in the temples, passed for an act of incivility and irreverence. In the daily occupations at the tribunals, or feasts, it appears that the men wore a handkerchief ( sudarium) of fine liuen, but only for wiping off the perspiration, and not for applying to the nose. The women and girls, as well as the men, bathed every day, and thus carried off, in the warm baths, all the perspiration and other impurities of the body. This regimen, joined to the constant use of perfumes, balsams, and crowns of flowers, induced a dry constitu. tion, which necessarily prescribed the use of handkerchiefs. It is nevertheless necessary to observe, that the Latin language has the word crarium, Which signilies a kind of handkerchief larger than ours. This is, at least, the the sense which Vopiscus has given it, when he tells us that Aurelian was the first to order handkerchiefs (oraria) to be distributed, that they might be waved in the air as a mark of applause, at the theatres and public games. According to Eusebius, this mark of approbation to sermons had been some time in use in the Christian churches." The article OPERA meets our most unqualified approbation. It is, indeed, difficult to conceive any thing more irrational, or more injurious to good taste by combining greater absurdities, than this propagator of vice, to which the elegant satire of Addison, nearly a century ago, is still applicable. What is more extraordinary, perhaps, is, that such preposterous combinations of inagnificence and low buffoonery should, in this country, still continue to please the most enlightened assembly in the world! "In the exhibitions which the Italians have distinguished by the name of operas, there is such a strange mixture of grandeur and littleness, of beauties and absurdities, that it is difficult to speak of them in proper terms. In the best operas we see and hear things so absurd, that they appear as if destined only to excite the astonishment of children, or of those people who resemble them in ignorance. In the midst of these taste less and miserable exhibitions, we sometimes find scenes which penetrate the heart profoundly, which fill the soul with the most agreeable voluptuousness, excite the most tender pity, and inspire fear and terror. A scene full of interest is often followed by one where the same personages appear to us no better than jugglers, who, by ridiculous pomp, but in an aukward manner, seek to inspire the populace with terror and astonishment. Offended by these absurdities, which we too often find in the opera, it is with difficulty we can resolve to make it the object of our meditations. As a dramatic performance, it demonstrates the levity of the moderns, who have employed it to degrade the arts of poetry, music, dancing, and painting, by exposing them to just ridicule and contempt." The third volume commences with the letter P, and concludes the alphabet. Under the word PALLADIUM, we have a copious and interesting account of all the different opinions which have appeared relative to this celebrated relique of antiquity. The author, although intimately acquainted with the subject of gems and medals, has availed himself of the learning of Levezow, whose excellent dissertation on the "Stealing of the Palladium by Diomedes and Ulysses" (published at Brunswick in 1801), contains all the more interesting particulars relative to this statue, and the different figures to which it has given existence. The German writers have furnished M. Millin with data for a very interesting article on the various substances used in different countries for writing on, and on the invention of paper made of cotton or linen rags. It is certain, that the knowledge of making paper of cotton was introduced by the Moors into Spain, whence it was disseminated over Europe. In France, the oldest manuscripts on paper do Kk 2 not |