of tiring ourselves; and have sometimes fo well fucceeded, as to take away our appetites for our dinners. I have taken every opportunity of speaking certain truths to these spoiled children of fortune. One thing which I have frequently repeated to them is, that I fincerely returned thanks to Providence, for my not having been born in a rank fo elevated. It is certain, that true content is not their lot. How often have I not told this amiable Prince, that I was poffefled of more refources for happiness than himfelf! An intimate connection with the great is the best school of content for people of our rank.' It will immediately appear, however, that the poor Abbé, in his lower rank of life, was doomed foon to experience that difcontent which he here fo feelingly imputes to those who move in the more elevated fituations: though poffibly the fubfequent extraordinary change in the state of his own mind might pro-, ceed only from phyfical caufes, or fome corporeal derangement. The most affecting part of thefe Memoirs of his life is perhaps that which prefents the Abbé himself in this uncomfortable, indeed horrible fituation'; efpecially as it was the pre-difpofing or diftant cause of his untimely death. After a refidence of about 12 or 13 years at Rome, the Abbé projected a vifit to his native country, in which he promised himself much pleafure; for he announced his intentions to his German friends in a manner which expreffed the highest fatiffaction. He was accompanied by M. Cavaceppi, a celebrated Roman sculptor; who has given a particular account of the fingular alteration in his humour, and particularly the unaccountable depreffion of fpirits, which fuddenly feized his companion foon after they had fet off on their journey. As they were advancing in their paffage through the Alps, at the foot of the mountains, he fuddenly changed countenance; and M. Cavaceppi first perceived this change in the mind of his fellow-traveller. The view of the mountains offended him, and he exclaimed, See, my friend, what a horrible afpect they prefent, and what frightful heights!' Soon afterwards, on entering the German territory, the appearance of the houses gave him equal offence. What miferable architecture,' he cried, have we here! See how the roofs of the houses terminate in angles!' He expreffed with vehemence his difguft at what he faw; and paid not the leaft attention to the reprefentations of his friend, who reminded him of the grand and fublime afpect of the mountains; and of the convenience refulting from the pyramidal form of the roofs, in a climate where fnow falls in great quantities. He reprefented to him how little this delicacy became a philofopher like him; and endeavoured to roufe and enliven him by quoting fome epigrams of Catullus against ill-humour and caprice: but in vain. The Abbé answered that he should be mi ferable, ferable, if he proceeded further; and tried to perfuade him to return with him to Italy. In their rout to Munich, the conftant anfwer which he gave to all M. Cavaceppi's railleries, intreaties, remonftrances, and reproofs, was Torniamo a Roma, let us return to Rome.' His conduct in this respect bordered almoft on infanity: he owned that he was in the wrong; but faid, that he felt a violent impulfe to return to Italy, which he could not poffibly refift: and all that his friend could extort from him, was his confent to proceed as far as Vienna. The Abbé every where met with the honours due to his merit: but thefe diftinétions were not capable of diffipating the dark vapours which clouded his intellect; and he every where followed me, fays M. Cavaceppi, like a criminal. At Ratifbon, adds M. C., he refolved to leave me; and I affected to be extremely offended with him on this account. The Abbé was himself fully fenfible of the difordered ftate of his mind; as appears from a letter here given, which he wrote to M. de Stofch; in which he informs him of his refolution of returning to Rome by the way of Triefte. This rout he unfortunately took. He left Vienna loaded with civilities, and various prefents. Not far from Tricfte, where he defigned to embark for Ancona, in his way to Rome, he unfortunately met with a person, a native of Piftoia, in Tuscany, whofe name was François Archangeli, who had been cook to the Count of Cataldo at Vienna. He had been condemned to death for various crimes; but bad Jately obtained a pardon, and his liberty. To this convict, Winkelmann, ignorant of his character, in the fimplicity of his heart, confided all his fecrets; and particularly fhewed him the gold medals with which he had been prefented at the court of Vienna, together with a purfe well filled. This villain had affected a great love of the arts, and an extreme attachment to the Abbé's perfon. When they arrived at Triefte, the Abbé, not choofing to vifit any perfon in the town, staid at home; amufing himself in reading, writing let ters of thanks to the friends he had left at Vienna, and making fome additions to the present work. He diverted himself too in chatting with a child at the inn; of whom he had become fond, on account of his agreeable prattle. During this time, Archangeli appeared to bufy himfelf much in his affairs; and particuJarly in looking out for a veffel to carry the Abbé to Ancona. On the 8th of June 1768, as we learn from our Biographer, about two in the afternoon, Winkelmann was fitting at a table, writing particular directions to the future editor of this work; particularly with refpect to the impression. He had written two words of the fourth paragraph, when Archangeli enters and interrupts him; telling him, with much feeming concern, that he was obliged to leave him immediately; in order to fet off for the State State of Venice. After he had taken a tender farewell of him, Archangeli, as if he had fuddenly recollected himself, begs of him to fhew him once more his medals, the better to imprint them on his memory. The poor Abbé, in hafte to give him. this fatisfaction, rifes, goes to his trunk, and kneels down, in order to open it. The villain fteals behind him, and drawing out of his pocket a cord with a running knot, throws it over bis head, in order to ftrangle him; but the cord having been ftopped at his chin, he could not accomplish his defign. The Abbé now roufed from his lethargy, feizes and keeps a ftrong hold of the cord; though the affaffin wounds his fingers repeatedly with a knife which he had provided. At length he throws himself upon him, and plunges the knife five times into his belly He would have difpatched him inftantly on the spot," had not the child, of whom the Abbé was fo fond, at that inftant rapped at the door, in order to be let in. On this alarm, the villain immediately fled, without ftopping to feize the medals which had tempted him to commit this horrid crime. The unfortunate Winkelmann received immediate affiftance; but his wounds were found to be mortal. He forgives his murderer, receives the facraments, dictates his laft will with the greateft prefence of mind, and dies in feven hours. The affaffin was feized, and brought to Triefte; where he received the reward of his crimes. The murderer afterwards confeffed that he had fully intended to have affaffinated the Abbé the day before; but that just as he was on the point of executing this refolution, the good Abbé had invited him with fo much benignity to partake of his breakfaft, that his heart failed him, and he found it out of his power to proceed in his horrid purpose. Though the Abbé publifhed many other works, replete with erudition and found criticism, and which have greatly contributed to inspire a true tafte for the objects of antiquity; this is doubtless his capital performance. It is indeed an Unique in its kind, and contains every thing effential to the ftudy of antiqui ties. We fhall only at prefent add, that, in this enlarged and improved edition, the beginning and end of each of the nume rous chapters into which the work is divided, are ornamented with engravings which reprefent fome capital remains of antiquity. We hope foon to have an opportunity of giving our Readers a few fpecimens of the work itself. MONTHLY MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For MAY, 1782. POLITICAL. Art. 11. Ways and Means: or a Sale of the L***s St******1 and T******], by R***1 P********n; premising the Refolutions which fanctified fo irregular a Measure, and exhibiting the Merits, Price, and Destination of the several Lots, with the Names of the Purchafers. 4to. 35. Kearly. 1782. T has, of late, been fashionable wit to sketch out the characters, or allufions to the characters, of eminent perfons, by apt quotations of applicable paffages, from the works of celebrated authors, ancient and modern. In the piece before us, fuch characteristics are attempted in the high flown language of a tonifh auctioneer: Lord North being the Chriftie of the occafion. SPECIMENS. • The Earl of A man of gallantry, a quondam Minifter of integrity; and, to fum up his perfections, a lot of incomparable virtù. Old, yet not decrepid; a debauchee, yet warm as beauty could wish to fancy him; without a penny in his pocket, yet careless, and exulting as the deity who guards him from the fkirmishes of unequal love, and fecures him from the defined hazards of impeachment. At the n-y board, or at a catch club, abfolute and unrivalled. In his fenatorial, or his domeftic capacity, inimitably wonderful; in his houfe, great, in Mother's, greater: In addrefs, incomparable; in undress, ravishing! A hundred thousand guineas! The Town of H. The Earl of· £800.' A Prelate rather amiable than exalted, rather idolized than learned. Yet in the fchools of literature few have excelled him, in the united grandeur of perfonal and hereditary honours, no one equals him. Sage morality, myfterious fcience, and polished erudition, have joined in forming for his brow a triple wreath of genuine excellence. Wit and vivacity mark him for their own, and focial philanthropy enriches him with every teftimony of partial kindness. Ten thousand pounds for this inestimable purchase. The Primate of Id.o.coo.' In this manner the noble auctioneer goes through the whole list of the Upper House; and he fhews himfelf to be equally dextrous and adroit at handling the white-wash and the blacking-brush. The money accruing from the fale, a prodigious fum! is to be appropriated to government fervice. Poffibly this is intended as a stroke of ridicule on certain new plans of public economy. An advertisement from the publisher, in the news-papers, gives the honour of this production to the ingenious author of Kilkhampton-Abbey. • Sandwich. Bristol. Art. Art. 12. Political Obfervations on the Population of Countries. Svo. IS. Elmily. 1782. An extract or two from thefe Obfervations will fufficiently inform the reader of the general principle that is maintained through the whole; which not being extremely clear in itself, to our apprehenfions, we must also confefs that no endeavours of the Author have been able to free it from obfcurity. 'It has been obferved, that where commons have been inclosed, the fame tract of land which was before interfperfed with cottages, each of which contained a family, has afterwards been thrown into one large farm with only one houfe upon it. The fame has also been obferved where the fmall farms, into which the country was formerly divided, are united and lett to one tenant. I fhall not contend for the justice or injuftice of these obfervations; for whether the numbers of the people have been diminished or encreased, the cultivation of the land has been undoubtedly improved, and its produce augmented; and therefore the diminution of inhabitants, if it has taken place, is far from being an evil. On the contrary, the confumption being decreased with the numbers of the confumers, and the produce increased by the improvements of arts and i dultry, the fuperfluity which remains to be employed against the enemies of the state is greater. • Inftead therefore of complaining of a diminution of inhabitants, fuppofing fuch a diminution has happened, we ought rather to rejoice that we have been relieved from a burdenfome fuperfluity, and to with the diminution more rapid, fince a change of circumftances has rendered us unable to find employment for thofe we have. If every perfon maintained by parochial taxes were to emigrate, I believe there is no one will deny that the parliamentary taxes would be lefs burdenfome, of course the public more capable of great exertions. This decrease of population would of itfelf ceafe, as foon as it ceafed to be beneficial. As trade recovered, and the demand for labour iccreased, the natural love of gain would fupply us with inhabitants as faft as we could profitably empley. them; for population, if not confined by artificial obftructions, will preferve as exact a level by the attractive power of private intereft, as water does by the attractive power of the earth. There may be local affluxes and influxes of the one as well as the other; but both will return to their natura! equilibrium, as foon as the contingent or periodical caufes of variation are removed .' Those who apprehend, and join in these remarks, will doubtless wish to fee the whole; and may be more fortunate than we have been in the fatisfaction it may afford them. Art. 13. Lucubrations during a short Recefs. By Member of Parliament for the County of Efq; 8vo. is. od. Thefe lucubrations are not conceived and penned fo as to difcredit the character intimated in the title-page. The object of the pamphlet is a reformation of the parliamentary reprefentation of the people; which the Author, in common with other fpeculatifts, propoles to • P. 7. 7 P. 45. effect |