others of copper, with the effigy of Vef pafian. In the hall to the left fragments of pictures, painted on wood, half carbonized, were diftinguishable: they were iuclofed in a kind of niches: this was the bed chamber; eight little columus by which it was fupported may ftill be feen they are of bronze, and to their fummits still adhere fome pieces of gilded wood, which probably formed a canopy. On the lateral wall were painted two priests with long beards, and clothed in robes of blue and green: they have been removed to the Mufeum. The kitchen contained a great quantity of utensils, mostly of iron inlaid with filver in inconceivable perfection. But what moft ftruck me were five candelabras painted in fresco on a ground of an extremely brilliant yellow : I fcarcely knew how to leave the room which contained this mafter-piece of taste and elegance: they are fupported by fmall figures, whofe attitude, drefs, and drapery, are fo exquifitely graceful, that they might ferve as models to all the belles in the world. In this houfe, as in most others of the ancients, you find no window opening towards the ftreet. I was ftruck with the fragments of a chariot which is ftill remaining in the coach-house you may perfectly diftinguish the wheels and the brafs ornaments of the chariot itfelf.-Close to the habitation is feen a door that conducts to another, and which, to judge by its exterior, will not furnish fewer beauties whenever it fhall be permitted to be opened." Mifs Edgeworth will publish early in January a new work, in two volumes, entitled Leonora.-Lon. Month. Mag. STATEMENT OF DISEASES, From Feb. 20th to March 20th. THE weather of the past month has been, for the most part, cold and unpleafant. This is to be attributed to the prevalence of rough north-easterly winds, which have exifted through the month, almost without intermiflion. "No gently-breathing breeze prepares the spring;" but nature has again invested herself with her wintry robe. To the north-easterly winds may be afcribed innumerab.e catarrhs, fome of which have been fo fevere as to demand medical aid. Pneumonic inflammation has been common, but not fatal. Befides thefe inflammatory diseases, there have been fome cafes of cynanche tonfillaris, and we are informed that the cynanche maligna exifts. Typhus mitior, which was prevalent in the autumn and did not entirely difappear during the winter, feems again to have become frequent. Some time fince, we remarked" that vaccination was fcarcely heard of." It is with forrow that we repeat this remark. People think that phyficians are eager to propagate this difeafe for their own advantage. This is a very mistaken notion; for the faculty rather receive injury, than profeffional emolument, from the vaccinating practice. A fpirit of philanthropy has excited great exertions for the diffufion and prefervation of this practice; yet the time may come, when that fpirit will be extinguished by the prejudices of fome, and the cold indifference of others. Editors' Notes. THE continuation of the review of the Transactions of the Academy unfortunately was not prepared in season for the present number. We should be proud to number the Authors of the Essay on Method and the Character of Dr. Howard among the regular contributors to the Anthology. It makes us nobis carior to be allowed to unite with ours the productions of minds, stored as theirs are with the riches of ripened thought, and ample and digested knowledge. The verses of L. are classical and ingenious. We should be pleased to be frequently indebted to the writer of the beautiful lines on Shipwreck. We do not precisely understand A. B.'s design. If he means to quarrel with the Reviewer of the sermon in question, he takes an odd method, by coinciding with him in opinion ;...if with the Writer, he cannot expect that we should make our work the theatre of the dispute. sisted upon Island of Nisida...lake of Agnano...grotto del Cane...baths of St. Germain. The lake of Agnano is one of circumference. There were vathe objects which is pointed out to rious species of wild fowl sporting the curiosity of a stranger. It is on its surface. They appeared to about four miles from Naples. Af- be conscious of the security they ter passing the grotto, there is a enjoyed, for they suffered me to house on the road side, where a coine close to them without disa guide is taken to conduct him to composing themselves. The surthe lake, and the grotto del Cane. face of the lake is sometimes alThe man was instantly ready, and most covered with them. It forms was bringing as usual a torch and a part of the territory devoted to à dog. The poor animal was the hunting pleasures of the king, meagre and feeble, and was unwil- and no vulgar sportsman ever lingly dragged along. I had no dares disturb the tranquillity of wish to see him tortured, and in- the place. As the king seldomi his being released, and hunts here, the birds live unmohis actions seemed to me more sested, and multiply continually. expressive than words could have Nothing could be more picturbeen. When the man let go the esque than this lake surrounded rope which was round his neck he by hills ; its smooth surface was did not immediately run away, but unruffled by the sligimest breeze, looked up at us and seemed to the wild ducks were swimming wonder how he had escaped his and diving in perfect security ; accustomed torture ; he continued there were no houses to be seen, thus till we drove off, and then a few goats were reposing under turned slowly round and returned the shade of some trees on one to the house. side, and except these there was The guide got up behind the nothing to interrupt this delicious carriage and we soon turned off to solitude, which recalled to my the right. After passing for some mind the fabled tranquillity of the time beautiful fields highly culti- golden age. vated, we descended a hill and On the side of one of these hills came in sight of the lake, surroun- is situated the grotto del Cane. ded by hills. It is a beautiful This is only a hole in the side of piece of water, about half a mile in the hill, closed with a gate. It is Vol. III. No. 4. X not capable of containing more This circular valley,in the centre than half a dozen people. The of which is situated the lake ofAgnabottom is muddy, covered with a no, is without doubt the crater of an vapour, destructive to animal life. extinguished volcano. The appearThe guide prepares hirself with ance of the sides evidently denotes two lighted torches to shew the this, and these vapours are remeffect; the moment that one of nants of its ancient volcanick state. them is brought within a few in- The æra must be very remote ches of the bottom it is instantly when this crater was in a burning extinguished. The vapour does state, as no record of it is found not rise above a foot from the in history, and the sides of it are surface, and is confined to a part now covered with a fertile soil ; of the cave. The experiment of and to effect this process, nature the torch is sufficient to exemplify requires the aid of many centuries. the effects, but a number of dogs On my return from visiting the are kept to gratify the miserable lake, as it was a fine afternoon, } curiosity of those who choose to did not return inmediately to the see their sufferings. The animal, city, but rode down to the shore, after being held a minute in the which is about two miles from the çare, is thrown into strong con- grotto. On the left was the provulsions, and would soon expire if montory of Posilipo, and to the suffered to remain ; but as his right the beach extends towards torture must be repeated to gratisy Pozzuoli. In front, and but a short the next traveller wlio comes, he distance froin the shore, is the is taken out before he is quite dead island of Nisida ; this is a mere and thrown into the lake, where rock, of small circumference, rising he soon recover3. From this ef- almost perpendicularly out of the fect upony dog3, the hole, for it is water; it contains a small fort. It nothing else, receives its name. is a place where vessels perform A little distant from the grottó quarantine and unlade their cardel Cane, and on the border of the goes, when they come from any lake, are the sweating baths of St. country where contagious diseases Germain. These are some low prevail. The directors of the buildings constructed over crevic health office will not permit them ces in the earth, through which to come within the mole of Naples, hot sulphureous vapours arise, and they are obliged to remain which are considered of great ser- here forty or sixty days, and somevice in many disorders. The sick times for a longer period. from some of the hospitals at Na-- It is a pleasing ride from the ples are occasionally brought here, beach to the grotto, and a common and placed for some hours in these excursion in the afternoon. On The walls and floors are returning through the grotto to-covered with sulphur, nitre, de- wards evening, if the servant is not posited by the vapour in the most provided with a torch, it is the cusa beautilul forms. The vapour is tom to purchase at a house close continually flying out in different by the entrance a little bunch of places, and some of the rooms are bark stripped from the grape vines, so hot as to occasion immediate which burns long enough to lighs perspiration. you through the grotto. rooms. a FOR THE ANTHOLOGY. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. No. 6. IN my last number, as may be ing us to talk, but also by hurry, remembered by a few, I admitted ing us to act. We must do somethat gentlemen of the faculty are thing, at least so the Doctors comtoo fond of indulging in theoretical monly think, or we shall be disspeculations. After remarking placed, not by the more knowing, that all mankind were prone to the but by the more daring. Under the same lazy habit, I stated some such circumstances the medical causes which particularly led phy- man discovers that his reputation sicians into it. The reasons there depends not so much on his real stated were founded upon a pre- acquisitions, as evidenced in his sumption that the Doctors knew practice, as upon keeping up a the truth, but could not make it good face, and talking well. intelligible to others. But we are But it is asked, what all this still more strongly induced to talk leads to ? Must the patient detail nonsense, when we are unable to his complaints and then receive make an explanation satisfactory his orders without any explanation to ourselves. For how shall we of his situation, without any intiavow this to the patient, and thus mation of the importance of his authorize him to doubt our omnis- disease, or of the probable course cience. Explain we must ; and of it? Must no good lady follow here again if others are satisfied the Doctor to the door to ask what with our sophistry, which they he really thinks, and kindly to sugmay easily be made to be, we are gest her own remarks ? I answer apt to feel contented with it like that I propose not such severe wise. restrictions. If principles are . Let it not be supposed that I straight lines, as practice is never am making a precious confession governed by one principle alone, of the ignorance of the faculty. so the line of practice is variously Doubt not, gentle reader, that we inflected. The anxiety of the sick are stored with science. But our and their friends must be attended knowledge is still progressive. to, and even their curiosity gratiWe shall not for a century to fied when it can easily be done. come know what plants will But if a physician is employed, in spring up in a garden, when we whom a proper confidence is reknow not what seed has been posed, he should be allowed his sown in it ; nor shall we sooner own time to form and to express than that be able to assign to his sentiments ; or, at least, the every vegetable its true place by patient and his friends should only seeing its first germination, or by give him occasional opportunities viewing a single leaf. The sci- of making explanations without imence of physicks is embarrassed by posing on him an absolute necessity its relation to facts ; it has not of so doing. The physician at the yet approached so near to pure in same time should feel bound to telligence as mathematicks. state every thing within his knowOur patients lead us to adopt ledge, of which the communicafalse doctrine not only by oblig. tion can benefit the patient. C. FOR THE MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY. THOUGHTS ON TACITUS. Nemora verò, et luci, et secretum ipsum, tantam mihi afferunt voluptatem, ut inter præcipuos carminum fructus numerem, quòd nec in strepitu componuntur Tacitus Dial de Crat. 12. But woods and groves and solitary places to me afford sensations of a pure delight. It is there I enjoy the pleasures of a poetick imagination; and among those pleasures it is not the least that they are pursued far from the noise and bustle of the world. Murphy's Trans. contemplation, he has his pleasing visions. He treads on consecrated ground." THE silent recesses of poetry are the residence of pure hearts and cultivated minds. Folly and vice do not disturb by their intemperance or criminality the distant retreat of the poet; and leisure is always to be found for strengthen ing the foundations of piety, and invigorating the germinations of genius. Nature affords continual subjects for the experiments of fancy, and her admirer always delights to exercise his mind in such pleasant recreations. He is surrounded by scenes, which may gratify the fullest exuberance of imagination; and before him are scattered thousands of objects, which by some peculiar attribute give new incitement to the playsomeness of fancy, Remoteness from noise and dissipation is to the pure lover of poetry approximation to beauty and truth. As he has receded from vice, he has advanced towards purity; and if he has left the pomp and prodigality of a Roman metropolis, he lives in the coolness and greenness of the valley, communing with his own spirit, or conversing with those illustrious intelligences, who are immortal in their writings. Secedit animus in loca pura atque innocentia, fruiturque sedibus sacris. "Free from those distractions, the poet retires to scenes of solitude, where peace and innocence reside. In those haunts of Tacitus, in the Dialogus de Oratoribus, has in the person of Maternus described in finished composition the beauties and the charms of poetry. He has exhib. ited them in the strength of truth and in the elegance of fiction; and he has added new power to his picture by contrasting them with the disgust and deformity of the practice of law and publick declamation. This however was not the particular object of Tacitus. It only serves as a most beautiful introduction to the general subject to be afterwards fully discussed, the causes of corrupt eloquence. We are indeed highly indebted to the Roman historian for such a dialogue, and perhaps we ought not to regret, that he has discoursed more upon oratory, than poetry. Yet Tacitus might have entered farther into the description of the elegance of verse and the felicity of the poet. He might also have opposed the serenity of silence and the attractions of retreat to other causes of disquietude, than the perplexity of law and the tumults of eloquence. An orator, whose heart is bursting with ambition, and whose cheek is bloated with declamation, and a lawyer besieged with complaining clients and tormented with con |