face of the earth, without leaving the flighteft monuments of their exiftence behind them.”—“ We know the names and tenets of the firft philofophers, and are able to trace knowledge from its first dawn to its prefent luftre. Thefe particulars feem clearly to fhow, that the world is of late origin. This opinion has accordingly been current among early nations. All of them had traditions among them concerning the creation of the world and the origin of the human race, though fome of thefe traditions were more distinct and more probable than others.” P. 26.

We have extracted the foregoing paffages chiefly to remark a refemblance of argument and expreffion between Mr. Arthur and an author who is now nearly forgotten, Ludovico Vives, the accomplished friend of Erafmus.

"Mundum vero æternum non fuiffe demonftrant rerum nova inventa quotidie enim aliquid prodit veteribus inauditum, incognitum, tanquam proficiente mundo: quot genera morborum, artium, regionum vidit noftra ætas, majoribus prorfum ne de nomine quidem nota: tum vetera inventa, non longe a fuis initiis progreffa, ut appareat nova effe omnia. Dicunt mutari vices rerum et eafdem infinities reverti. Cur ergo illorum non meminerunt priora fecula? Nam nec eluvies nec exuftio terrarum ulla univerfum orbem femel corripit.""Quod fi eluvioni vel incendio ullus eft reliquus, is ad pofteros de clade fuorum velut per manus tradiderit: fin nemo, fed novi illuc migrant aquis exficcatis, aut conflagratione reftinéta, at ifti faltem aliquid de origine, antiquaque fua patria pofterorum memoriæ commendarint." Vives de Prima Philofophia, p. 451, Coloniæ 1536.

Some objections have been made to the evidence arifing from the appearance of wifdom in the works of nature, from certain marks of irregularity which were thought to be perceived in the fyftem: but thefe were chiefly urged by the Epicureans of antiquity; and fubfequent difcoveries in fcience have fo completely overthrown them, that we believe no fceptic of modern times is hardy enough to rifk the imputation of ignorance by using them. We now proceed to make a few remarks on fome of the literary Difcourfes. Their subjects are, 1. On Qualities of inanimate Objects which excite agreeable Senfations. 2. Concerning Mr. Burke's Theory of Beauty. 3. Concerning Dr. Hutchefon's Theory of Beauty. 4. Remarks upon the Senfations occafioned by grand and by terrible Objects. 5. Concerning Novelty confidered as an Ob. ject of Tafte. 6. Remarks on fome Objects of Tafte that feem not reducible to Beauty, Grandeur, or Novelty. 7. Concerning the Influence of Cuftom upon our Judgments in Matters of Tafle. 8. On the Arrangement of ancient and modern Languages. 9. On the Caufes that have promoted or retarded

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retarded the Growth of the Fine Arts. 10. Concerning the Study of the ancient Languages as a neceffary Branch of a liberal Education. 11. On the Importance of Natural Philofophy. 12. On Senfibility. 13. Concerning the Effects of critical Knowledge on the Advancement of the Fine Arts. 14. On the Punishment of Crimes. The firft effay is fo full of matter, that it is difficult to give the reader an idea of it without quoting too much. Mr. Arthur informs us in it, that there is a ftandard of tafte, founded on natural principles, although every one cannot be brought to fee it. Mens' affociations are very differently formed; and, as tafte depends. greatly on affociation, it cannot reasonably be fuppofed, that all men will feel and judge alike on the fubject. Yet there are fome common points on which they agree, as in preferring the form of a weeping birch to that of a spruce fir, or a winding ftream to a straight one. The obfervations on beauty of colour and form are written with philofophical spirit and eloquence. We transcribe a few sentences on the colour green.

"The verdure of nature seems to be the moft gay and cheerful of all colours. It is equally removed from the fierceness of the red and the languor of the violer. The furfaces on which it is ufually feen are smooth and gloffy. Hence the different lights exhibit upon them all the fhades of this colour, from that which approaches the blue, to that which joins the yellow, infenfibly connected with one another. At the fame time, no one fhade occupies fo large a fpace as to be contemplated by itself, feparately from the fhades connected with it. These two circumftances, of infenfible connection, and quick fucceffion, among the different fhades, seem to be the caufe, that this colour upon vegetables is fo highly agreeable, as all acknowledge it to be, By means of the infenfible and uninterrupted connection which fubfifts among the different fhades, it affumes the appearance of a regular whole, and enters the mind with the greateft facility. The quickness of the fucceffion occafions the gaiety of the fenfation. When the mind broods over a fingle thought, it is in a folemn ftate; but when a variety of objects, fo united as not to embarrass it, are presented before it, it is gay and cheerful." P. 191.

Our readers may here compare with advantage the writings of Mr. Arthur with those of Croufaz, in his Traitè du Beauté, vol. i. Both in his fentiments, and in his manner of expreffing them, Mr. Arthur has a decided fuperiority. In the fourth Difcourfe, following Addison, he obferves, that magnitude alone does not conftitute grandeur. An object to be grand, however, muft have magnitude, with an obvious har. mony in the diftribution of its parts. He combats the opinion of Burke, that our notions of fublimity arise from a connection

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nection between mind and body: in confequence of which, they mutually influence each other. He thinks that the plea fure we receive from the contemplation of terrible objects arifes from the various emotions which agitate the mind, and produce enjoyment by their exercife. The mind, too, is led by curiofity to enquire into the causes of terror, the gratification of which principle is in itself another fource of pleasure. We own that this does not feem to us quite fatisfactory: there should have been a distinction drawn between terrible objects as they are actually seen, and those that occur only in reprefentation, on the canvass, or on the stage. Of the first kind, we think the emotions cannot be agreeable, let the activity of mind they occafion be never so great. The emotions arifing from terrible objects as they appear in representation may be agreeable; but then they are modified by others of a different kind, thofe of fympathy for the fufferers, and thofe of admiration excited by the powers of the painter or the poet. In fuch cafes, all that remains of the impreffion of terror is not fufficient to interrupt our feelings of ecftafy, when we contem plate the picture of the famished Ugolino, or liften to the wild raving of Lear.

Did our limits permit, we could go on to a much greater length in pointing out the excellencies of this volume; but we hope it will be fufficient thus to have announced the works of the fucceffor of Hutchefon, Smith, and Reid; and we truft that they will meet with fuch notice, as may induce the editors to publifh the remaining productions of their ingenious and modeft friend.

ART. VIII. The Hiftory of Bath. By the Rev. Richard Warner. 4to. 21. 12s. 6d. Robinfons. 1801.

THE prefent period continues to be very fertile in topographical productions; not a month, and fcarcely a week paffes, without fome publication illuftrative of the internal hiftory of our country. Of thefe, far the greater part are entitled to high commendation for vigilant research, indefatigable diligence, and profound antiquarian knowledge. The prefent volume has a no less respectable claim, and seems diftinguished by perfpicuous arrangement, by a very comprehenLive, and yet not fuperfluous, collection of whatever may be prefumed effential to its fubject.

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The City of Bath poffeffes fo many incitements to curiofity, and is fo eminent in the annals of Britain, that the wonder is, that it has not more frequently exercifed the industry of thofe who are accuftomed to antiquarian refearch. But, though it bears an important part in the Hiftory of Somersetshire, Mr. Warner's is the only work of any magnitude which profeffes to treat, individually, of this ancient and interesting place.

This volume commences with the British Hiftory of Bath, and the legendary tale of Bladud and his Swine. We next tread upon the furer ground of Roman Hiftory, and have a circumftantial detail of Bath, while the Romans had the fovereignty of our island. As this was a memorable epoch in its annals, we fubjoin the following extract.

"The Roman army, deftined to conquer and colonize Somersetfhire, and to found a city at Bath, landed on the British coaft in the year of our Lord 43, (in the reign of the Emperor Claudius) under the command of Aulus Plautius, an accomplished general, who was ably feconded by Vefpafian, Sabinus his brother, and feveral other excellent commanders. The firft operations of the forces were directed against the brave Caractacus, who was defeated in a pitched battle, and obliged to retire towards Wales; an event which occafioned the immediate fubmiffion of the Dobuni or Boduni, people inhabiting the counties of Oxford and Gloucester. But notwithstanding this partial fuccefs, many tribes of the Britons ftill boldly afferted their independence, and continued their preparations for a vigorous oppofition to the further progress of the Roman arms. Under these circumftances, Plautius deemed it prudent to invite the Emperor himself to affume the command of the army in Britain, having been exprefsly ordered to adopt this measure, in cafe he fhould find any material obftacles to the conquet of the country. Claudius accordingly came over, and, putting himself at the head of the troops, directed his march towards the weftern parts of Britain. His fuccefs feems to have been very great, for although he was abfent from Italy on this expedition only fix months, he reduced, during that short space of time, a confiderable portion of South-Britain under his dominion, without a fingle battle, or the least effufion of blood.

"During the period of Claudius's command we may look for the origin of Bath, fince it appears from many teftimonies, that his troops were for fome part of the time in this neighbourhood. Whilst they continued here, it was hardly poffible that fo fingular a phænomenon as the hot fprings of this valley fhould efcape their obfervation. Extremely curious with refpect to natural appearances, the bituminous cuticle covering the furface of the morafs, and the warmth of the waters ftagnating under this mantle, would catch their attention. An immediate inveftigation of the caufes of thefe phænomena would take place, and the mineral fprings, which had hitherto burst unnoticed from

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the ground, and wasted their medicinal virtues on the defart around, would be at length discovered, cleared, and collected together.

"Addicted as the Romans were to the ufe of the repid bath, this difcovery must have been confidered by them as a very inportant one, and would immediately tempt them to form a permanent ftation on the spot where it occurred. This they would probably be further inftigated to by Scribonius, the phyfician of Claudius, and his companion in this expedition, who seems to have entertained an high opinion of the efficacy of warm bathing, and prescribed it as a fpecifick in certain diforders. His advice induced them to forego their ufual principles in the choice of fituations for camps, and (inftead of choofing any of the furrounding hills) to build a town in the morally hollow of a clofe vale.

"As the ftay of Claudius in these parts was very fhort, he would merely have time to give directions for cleanfing and collecting the fprings, and fecuring the treasure by the erection of a city on the spot where they iffued from the earth. His impofition of the Greek name (in which language he was skilled) Yara Orgu, warm water, in allufion to the natural wonders of the place, before he left the army to return to Rome, would follow of course.

Admitting the above fuppofitions to be probable, we arrive at the origin of Bath, and may fix the building of the firft town on the fpot about the year of our Lord 44, exactly seventeen hundred and fiftyfive years ago.

"The legions that compofed the British army of Claudius were the second, the ninth, the fourteenth, and the twentieth. Of these forces a large body was fent, under the command of Vefpafian, (after the fubmiffion of the Hadui) against the Silures; another proportion continued its operations against the Belge; whilft a detachment of the fecond legion was left at the hot fprings, to pursue the directions of Claudius, and build the projected town. Thefe labours were commenced, therefore, by the legionaries tracing out a pentagonal line, approaching to an irregular parallelogram, about four hundred yards in length from east to west, and three hundred and eighty yards in the broadest part from north to fouth; the hot fprings forming the central point of the inclofed area. On this line they constructed a wall, rifing twenty feet above the ground, and gradually leffening in thicknets from fixteen feet at the foundation to eight feet at the fummit. This wall was ftrengthened with five angular towers at the corners, and accommodated with four gates, facing (according to the Roman practice) the four cardinal points, and communicating with each other by two rectilinear streets, which interfected each other in the centre of the city, and divided it into nearly four equal parts. Fortunately for the lovers of antiquities, fome remains of thefe walls were discovered about five years ago, in digging an excavation for certain intended buildings on the fcite of the Borough-walls, oppofite to the Hofpital; and from what was then laid open, it evidently appeared that the whole work had been finished in a file of incomparable mafonry. At the depth of eleven feet the workmen reached the foundations of the old Roman walls, forming the bed or bafis of thofe of later date. They appeared to be about fifteen feet in thickness, widening gradually as they defcended.