ter, where the art of engraving is deduced from Tubal Cain ; though from the tranflation of one of them, with which Mr. Strutt has indulged us, Tubal Cain feems rather to have made and fharpened the graver, than ufed it. Had Mr. Strutt commenced his inveftigation a fcore or two of centuries lower down, we are apt to think he would not have thereby deprived his readers of any material piece of information; particularly as his fubject regards only that kind of engraving calculated for yielding impreffions on paper. The plates défcribed in the 7th chapter are moftly well executed copies from fearce engravings of old mafters. Refpecting the hiftorical part of this work, the Author in a manner anticipates the accufation of dulnefs, by observing, that very little amufement, exclufive of what relates to the arts, can be gathered from the lives of perfons who lived and died in obfcurity. We cannot help obferving the impropriety of applying the term, "flourished," to the miferable exiftence of many inferior artifts on whom he has bestowed it; furely fuch men, unJefs engravers of penmanship, cannot be faid to have ever flour.fhed. In fine, after fairly weighing and eftimating the merits of this work, against the many errors and omiffions difcoverable in it, the balance preponderates in its favour; and although we hoped for and expected a fomewhat better performance, this work will, with whatever imperfections it may be chargeable, ftill be found, as a book of reference, ufeful to artifts, and to collectors of prints. The prefent volume terminates with the letter G inclufive. Gr-e

ART. VIII. A Hiftory of the Art of Engraving in Mezzotinto, from its Crigin to the prefent Times, including an Account of the Works of the earlieft Artifts. Printed at Winchester. 8vo. 25. Sold by Egerton, London. 1786.

HE Author of this Tract informs us, that it owes its origin to his having obferved, that no exprefs treatise had as yet been publifhed on that fubject; and from his confidering it, on account of the acknowleged fuperiority of our English artifts, as a tribute in fome fort due to the honour of his country. In England at leaft' (fays he) the art ought not to pass without diftinct notice. In this country it has been cultivated, in this country it has indifputably received its highest improvements, and it is therefore that a late foreign writer has given to it the name of "The English manner" by way of cminence.'

Refpecting the invention of this art, known abroad by the title of "la maniere noire," although the honour of it has generally been given to Prince Rupert, feveral unquestionable authorities are adduced, proving that it was really difcovered by

Colonel

Colonel de Siegen, a Heffian officer, either in the year 1643, or 1648; he left behind him two fpecimens of his discovery.

Our Author also introduces another very diftinguished claimant, of our own nation, whofe pretenfions, he obferves, he cannot properly pass by unnoticed, although they feem to reft on mistaken grounds; this is Sir Chriftopher Wren. In the preface to Dr. Hooke's Micrographia it is faid, "he (Dr. Wren) was the first inventor of the art of graving in mezzotinto, which was afterwards profecuted and improved by his Royal Highness Prince Rupert, in a method fomewhat different, upon the suggestion (as is faid) of the learned and ingenious John Evelyn, Efq:Of this art fome original effays are extant: viz. the head of a Moor, &c. by the Inventor; the execution of St. John Baptift, by the Prince; on the fword is the mark R. P. f. (i, e. Rupertus Princeps fecit); over it an electoral coronet."

As the circumftance of this invention is not mentioned by Mr. Evelyn, in his treatife written exprefly on the subject of engraving, where he celebrates Dr. Wren's fkill in defigning, his filence is, by our Author, confidered as an objection of fuch weight, as leads him to fuppofe Dr. Hooke's affertion founded on a mistake.

The mechanic procefs of this fpecies of engraving, its peculiar character, its excellencies, and the fubjects beft adapted to it, are confidered and explained; fome account is alfo given of the earliest artifts who have practifed this mode of fculpture, with a lift of their principal pieces.

In the appendix are given, No. 1. Comparative Tables of Artifts, in mezzotinto, of different nations, before the middle of the prefent century. No. 2. Lift of Modern British Artifts, and of those now or lately living. No. 3. Lift of Mezzotintos after ancient mafters, by modern artists.

This Work will, we make no doubt, prove an acceptable acquifition to all lovers of the arts, particularly to the collectors of mezzotintos; and appears to us, as the Editor likewise obferves, in the advertisement, to have added, in many inftances, to the ftack of information, which the Public were before poffeffed of, relative to that fubject.

Di

ART. IX. Remarkable Ruins, and Romantic Prospects in the Nort of Scotland, accompanied with fingular Subjects of Natural History, and ancient Monuments, hitherto undelineated and undefcribed. Drawn and defcribed by the Rev. Charles Cordiner, of Banff, and engraved by Peter Mazell. 4to. The first fix Numbers at 5s. each. White, &c.

THE

HE Public are indebted to the pencil of a felf-taught genius for the reprefentations of thefe remote views, antiquities, and curious fubjects, which, without the affiftance of

his labours, would probably have mouldered away unknown; we must not therefore examine thefe performances too critically, nor expect to find in them, all the fcience of a profeffed artift.

This work confifts of the four following heads, Remarkable Ruins, Romantic Profpects, fingular fubjects of Natural Hiftory, and Ancient Monuments: let us confider each of these articles feparately.

With refpect to the first, justice obliges us to observe, that Mr. Cordiner feems a little ceficient in the knowledge of perfpective, both linear and aerial; and this is more ftrikingly apparent in delineations of buildings, than in any other subject: we would therefore advife him to make himself master of the principal rules in that science, which he will, if a mathematician, attain in a very fhort time, by studying Brook Taylor's most valuable treatife on that fubject; otherwife, let him perufe Highmore, Kirby, or fome one of the many commentators on that able mafter.

The fame deficiency, in point of perspective, occurs in the profpects, though the linear errors are not quite fo confpicuous in thefe fubjects as in architecture, as was before remarked; but as a want of keeping, or violation of the aerial perspective, is too obvious in many of them, we would also advise our Author to study that article, in the works of fome of our beft artifts, and at the fame time to attend to their management of light and fhade, particularly with an eye to the general effect. -Notwithstanding thefe ftrictures, both the ruins and profpects have a confiderable degree of merit.

The fubjects in natural history appear to have been drawn with great accuracy and neatnefs, from fpecimens uncommonly curious and interefting.

The ancient monuments confift chiefly of fculptured ftones placed over the graves of princes, heroes, and other great men, generally containing fome allufions to war, or the chace. Thefe, as well as the preceding article, are executed with tafte and neatness, (and there is every reafon alfo to believe) with the ftricteft fidelity.

This work is published in numbers, each containing four plates, with letter-prefs defcriptions. The plates meafure feven inches and a quarter, by five and a quarter. They are neatly engraved, and printed on good paper. Only feven numbers have yet been published. It is to be hoped Mr. Cordiner will meet with fo much of the public favour, as may induce him to continue this pleafing and curious publication; for, should any accident cause him to relinquish it, it may, probably, be long ere another perfon, equally qualified, will be found, in that remote country, to complete what he has fo well begun.

As

As Mr. Cordiner here ftands in the double capacity of draughtsman and hiftorian, in order to give our Readers an idea of his abilities for executing the latter, let him fpeak for himfelf:

A SINGULAR POLYPE.

The Zoophyta are in general distinguished by such displays of intelligence, and wife defign in the formation of them, as fills our minds with admiration. The detail of particular facts relating to their structure and deconomy, become hence most exceedingly interefting, as it leads to new discoveries of the univerfal care of the great Author of Nature. This is the primary object of natural history, and enhances the delight and entertainment of it.

• This very beautiful Polype, at A and C*, we shall call the Sea Marygold, until abler hands fhall appoint it a more characteristical place in the fyftem of marine animals.

It is remarkable, that the cafe B, in which it lodges, is not a fhell, nor of a fhelly fubftance; but is of a fkinny nature, foft, compreffible, elaftic; by this peculiarity it is effentially diftinguished from all those animals that are the inhabitants of tubular fhells. Its rays, or tentacula, are admirably contrived for catching and inclofing minute animals; and it is often employed in playing them round in the water, feemingly in fearch of food and nourishment; and is feen evidently catching at something, at atoms which elude human observation.

The ftructure of the tentacula is very remarkable; the extremity of each appears like a miniature of the whole; and each individual ray, viz. 1, 2, 3, &c. is an active trap; they feuerally bend and wave in oppofite directions, and in thefe exertions vary their form, as at E.-D. is one of the tentacula on a ftill larger fcale, by which the exquifitely fine formation of the whole is the more clearly displayed.

"It is altogether moft delicately alive to any hoftile touch, and feems even to have a prefentiment of the approach of injury, probably from the movement of the water; and then with inftantaneous dexterity retreats into the cafe B; and is there fo completely shut up, as not to be the leaft difcernible.

When all has been quiet about it for fome time, it expands by flow degrees, as if fearful of the danger, or the enemy being. not yet paft; but feeling no difturbance, fpreads forth again in all its beauty. A, is the natural fize on the tubular coraline to which it adhered.-C, the fame magnified.-It was dredged up from the bottom of fifty fathom water, from hard ground, fome leagues from the coaft of Banff; where corals, and ftones co

• We copy thefe references (though we cannot give the plates), to avoid mangling the Author's expreffions.

vered

vered with fhells, are frequent, and exhibit varieties of animals not found on the fhores."

N. B. The feventh number of the above work is published, but we have not yet feen it.. Gre

ART. X. Letters and Papers on Agriculture, Planting, &c. Sel ted from the Correfpondence book of the Society inftituted at Bath for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, within the Counties of Somerfet, Wilts, Glocefler, and Dorfet, and the City and County of Briftol. Vol. III. 8vo. 75. Boards. Dilly. 1786.

F Agriculture is not, in all cafes, a profitable business to I gentlemen of fortune, it is, at leaft, in every fituation, a pleafing amufement, as it not only induces a moderate bodily exercife, highly conducive to health, but alfo tends to excite thofe fociable affections which conftitute one of the highest pleafures of life. Even among thofe who follow agriculture as a bufinefs, this laft circumftance is confpicuous in an eminent degree, when compared with other occupations of men, in a fimilar ftation or rank. Among manufacturers, and artifans of every kind, a fpirit of monopoly is univerfally prevalent. They view others of their own profeffion with a jealous and diftruftful eye, and the firft leffon taught in their apprenticeship is to take 'care not to divulge the fecrets of their trade. If any one in thefe employments is fo lucky as to make a ufeful discovery in the line of his bufinefs, his greatest study is to conceal it from others, and fo to difguife his operations, as to lead them on a wrong fcent in their attempts to copy after him.-Not fo the farmer. If he makes any ufeful difcovery, he, on all occafions, fhows a generous fatisfaction in communicating every particular concerning it to as many as are difpofed to liften to him. He rejoices in the profpect of benefiting others. He anticipates the good effect that may probably refult from it; and, instead of hiding his candle under a bufhel, he does every thing in his power to diffeminate that knowledge as univerfally as poffible.

The volume now before us, and the two former that have been published by the fame Society, fufficiently illuftrate these posttions, and much good may be expected to refult from their labours, if they perfevere, and are extremely careful in their felection of papers for the Public. The objects of agriculture are many, and they may be varied by fuch a number of circumtances, as to occafion a diverfity approaching to infinite. It muft therefore happen, that certain anomalous cafes will frequently occur, which, by being confidered as general, will open a wide field for imagination to range in, and lead to conclufions that can by no means be authorized by general practice. The bafinefs of an editor of a work of the kind before us fhould be