Collins, in his Mufic of the Paffions, delineates her as a huntrefs: obviously al luding to the effects of exercise in promoting a cheerful disposition. But, O, how alter'd was its fprightlier tone, The penfive hymn, to Cheerfulness by Akenfide, exhibits no other picture of the power he invokes, than that of "a triumphant fair, fweet of language, and mild of mein." He beltows, indeed, many, lines on her genealogy, in which he makes her the daughter of Love by Health; but a genealogy is more eafily invented than a portrait. I fhall conclude the list of mixed perfonifications with Mr. Hayley's beautiful portrait of SENSIBILITY. After defcribing her flowery garland, and thin transparent robe, decked with rofes, he proceeds: Of that enchanting age her figure feems, When fmiling nature with the vital beams Of vivid youth, and pleafure's purple flame, Gilds her accomplish'd work, the female frame, With rich luxuriance tender, fweetly wild, The youthful fair her vacant hand extends command, Succeffive fall at her approaching hand; While her foft breaft with pity feems to pant, And shrinks at every fhrinking of the plant. Triumphs of Temp. C. v. Of this engaging figure, both the natural and the emblematical expreffion are happily conceived; but from the principal circumftance of action I fhall take occafion to make a few remarks, which will alfo be applicable to feveral of the preceding and fubfequent quotations. The ufe offymbolical accompaniments to mark out the character of many perfonifed beings, has been rendered fufficiently evident; but it may ftill be a question, how are thefe fymbols to be employed? Are they to be used merely as filent fignatures, annexed to the figure as a part of his dress, like a general's baton, or a lord-treasurer's wand? or are they to be employed by him as inftruments, and in fome manner or other to constitute his MONTHLY MAG. NO. XLII. action? Numerous authorities may be produced for both thefe methods; and each may become proper, according to the nature of the fymbol, and the character and purpose of the fancy-formed perfonage. The merely quiefcent mark of diftinction feems to be inoft common in the defigns of the ancients, whether in painting or poetry. The more varied and complex invention of the moderns has generally connected the fymbol with the perfon, by fome circumftance of action; and this must be allowed to be an improvement in point of spirit and expreffion. The danger is, left fuch action thould produce an incongruity, and interfere with the fcope of the allegory. To apply this confideration to the beautiful paffage juft quoted. If the perfonified figure of Senfibility were merely to pafs before the eye in a fort of pageant (as the characters do in Spenfer's Mafque of Cupid), there would be no impropriety in fixing her whole attention on her fenfitive plant; the action would be as expreffive as any in which a fingle tranfient figure could be employed. But as, in Mr. Hayley's elegant fiction, fhe is made a queen of numerous fubjects, in whofe fate the is deeply interested; to whom the, is -quick to pay The tender duties of imperial iway. I cannot but think it derogatory from her character and dignity, to employ her in trivial affiduities about a favourite vegetable. The Mimofa fhould rather be borne by her as a fignature, than occupy her attention. III. I now proceed to the third class of perfonifications, thofe in which the figure presented may be called purely emblematical. This must be the cafe, where, if the fubject be a quality, it is one which exhibits in its effect on others, rather than on the poffeffor of it-if it be a metaphyfical being, it has no particular reference to any one bodily form or mode of expreffion; and though it must take fome human fhape in order to become a perfon, yet this is its vehicle, not its effence. There will, indeed, be a greater propriety in certain attributed forms, than in others, on account of fome congruities of character which almost every mind will perceive; thus Time and Death, if prefented in a bodily form to the imagination, will almoft univerfally be affociated with age and deformity; and Love and Hope with youth and beauty; yet thefe circumftances are not the characteristical parts of the portrait; and of theinfelves would Ꮲ do do nothing towards the likenefs, which muft entirely depend upon fymbolical additions. I fhall begin with the exhibition of a being much celebrated by modern poets, who have, however, eftablished a conception of him fomewhat different from that of their immediate predeceffors. This is FANCY, who, by the earlier English writers, was confidered rather as the genius of caprice, levity and mutability, than, as now, under the character of the power of poetical inspiration and invention. The former is the idea evidently entertained by Spenfer, in his beautiful picture of Fancy, as he marches firft in the Mafque of Cupid. The first was Fancy, like a lovely boy, In the next stanza he is made the parent of Defire; and common language still reprefents fancy as the cause of that love which has no foundation in fober reafon. A reprefentation of this being, very different in figure, but formed upon a fimilar conception of character, is given by Addison, in his Vifion of the Mountain of Human Miferies: "There was a certain lady of a thin airy fhape, who was very active in this folemnity. She carried a magnifying glafs in one of her hands, and was clothed in a loofe flowing robe, embroidered with feveral figures of fiends and fpectres, that difcovered themfelves in a thoufand chimerical shapes, as her garment hovered in the wind. There was fomething wild and diftracted in her looks. was Fancy." Spectat. No. 558. Her name The employment of this phantom was to aggravate every one's misfortunes or deformities in his own eyes, and to infpire a reftlefs and capricious inclination for change. It is the fame idea of Fancy, as prompting a trivial and irrational eftimation of things, that forms the subject of the monitory fong in the Merchant of Venice, where Baffanio is to make his choice of the mystic caskets. POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL. months of its administration, erected to The prefent government, in the firft itself a glorious monument by the efta blifhment of this univerfal inftruction. The polytechnic fchool occupies a great part of the quondam Palais Bourbon: there live the directors, the teachers, and even the pupils: there are the halls of inftruction, the laboratories, the collections of books, of models, of inftruments and tools of all the arts, which belong to this fchool. The object of this establishment is to improve all those branches of natural and mathematical knowledge which bear relation to the fciences and mechanic arts. The inftruction is divided into two principal branches, mathematics and phyfics. Ι. The mathematical department comprehends the analytic and graphic defcription of matter, with the application of the analyfis by means of geometry and mechanics. Defcriptive geometry, as the first part of the graphic develope ment ment of matter, is divided into three principal branches-ftereotomy, civil works, and military architecture. Stereotomy has for its object the laws and methods of defcriptive geometry applied to the cutting of ftones, to carpenters' work, to the fhadows of bodies, to perfpective, to levelling, and to fimple and complex machines. Civil works comprehend the conftruction and repair of roads, bridges, canals, ports, the work ing of mines, architecture, and the planning of the public fêtes. Military architecture extends to the difpofition of fortifed pofts and towns, of lines on the frontiers, and to their attack and defence. The art of drawing, which is the fecond part of the graphic developement of matter, is employed in the imitation of pro. minences, in defigning from nature, and in cultivating the principles of tafte by the ftudy of works on compofition. 2. Phyfics extend to all the productions of nature, and the most effential of thofe produced by chymiftry. General phyfics develope the principal properties of bodies, and the mechanic arts dependent thereon; and embrace the knowledge of the structure, ftrength, and motion of all animals, together with the ufe to which they may be applied in mechanics. Particular phyfics, or chymiftry in all its branches, has for its object brute matter (together with its application to the different arts, efpecially thofe which bear relation to the public works), the falts and organifed bodies found in the three kingdoms of nature. The inftruction in all thefe branches of knowledge is the refult of the information given by the teachers, and of the private labours of the ftudents. All together it occupies three years. First year-tereometry-general principles of analyfis, applied to geometryfirft principles of ftatics-ftereotomygeneral courfe of phyfics-first principles of chymistry, applied to falts-art of drawing. Second year-civil works-analyfis of mechanics applied to folid bodies and fluids architecture zootechnics* principles of the purification of the airthe fecond object of chymistry, relating to animal and vegetable organisation-art of drawing. Third year-military architecture application of analyses-calculation of the effect of machines-fortification-fea ports and their buildings-examination of the most important works on the mechanic arts and chymistry—third object of chymistry, relating to mineral productions-art of drawing. After the first triennial course, the future pupils are to be separated into three divifions, each of which will fucceffively advance to the courfe of the following year. The period when the pupils are to quit the fchool, the mode in which their places are to be filled by others, and the gradation of their instruction, are regulated by a fpecial ordinance. For the convenience of their private exercises, the pupils are again fubdivided into three companies, who, under the inspection of a preceptor, alternately work in the chymical laboratories. The management of this inftitution is conducted by the director, preceptors, adminiftrators, heads of companies, artists and workmen of the laboratories, and other perfons intrusted with its interior economy. The conftitution prefcribes a particular rule for the employment of each. The council of the inftitution confifts of the director, the preceptors, their affiftants, the adminiftrators, and a fecretary. This council regulates the inftruction, the time, the choice of labours, the preparation of inftruments and models, and digefts plans for carrying the inftitution to perfection. It directs its internal police in the first instance, allots the annual expenditure, and presents a statement of it to the minister of the home department. The executive directory nominates the director: the council nominates the adminiftrators, on prefentation by the members to whom the vacant places are fubordinate. The days for the meeting of the council, and the form of its deliberations, are alfo prescribed in the plan. The inftitution publishes every month its Polytechnic Journal, in which it gives an account of the progrefs of the inftruction, and of the labours of the preceptors, pupils, and other perfons employed. The materials for this publication are collected by the secretary. At the expiration of the year, the director renders to the minister of the home department an account of the expenditure, and gives in an estimate of the neceffary funds for the enfuing year. At the fame time he delivers to him a fketch of the state and labours of the inftitution. Such are the foundations on which refts *The application of animals to mechani- this grand and excellent eftablishment. cal purposes. The number of the pupils has been fixeḍ at at three hundred and fixty. They must give proof of their talents previous to admiffion, and none are admitted under the age of fixteen or above that of twenty years. phitheatre capable of containing above fifteen hundred auditors; and the entrance is free to whoever chooses to attend the public meetings. Second Year. Here follow the names and rank of the This establishment is the nurfery of teachers and their affiftants, according to artillerifts and engineers for the land and the plan of a three years' course, fea fervice. Whoever wishes to be adFirst Year. mitted into either of thefe bodies, must be Geometry-Monge, Hachette. prefented to the polytechnic fchool, and Chymistry-Fourcroy, Vauquelin. undergo an examination, The cafe is Phyfics-Haffenfratz, Barnel. the fame with thofe who are defirous of being employed on the bridges and roads, in the construction of fhips, or the direction of mines. The youths who are found to poffefs the requifite abilities, are, after having paffed through the gradations of the fchools and completed their courfe, admitted to the places vacant in Fortification--Catonare, Say. thofe different departments, each in that Mechanics--Profny, Fourier. line which he has particularly made the Chymistry--Guiton-Morveau, Pelletier. object of his ftudies. Art of drawing, for the three years~~ Neveu, Merimée, Genou. The great, and we might fay eccentric, luxury, in which the directory, through a peculiar and well-founded predilection, fupports this new eftablishment, appears dangerous to its duration. Already, from various quarters, complaints have been heard against the exceffive and unneceffary expenfes; and the government has even already begun to retrench fuperfluities. Of this kind were the twenty-four laboratories destined for the private labours of the pupils, where confiderable fums were diffipated in fmoke without any effential utility, before thofe young men had acquired a fufficient portion of fubftantial knowledge to derive any great benefit from their coftly experiments. The number of thofe laboratories has been reduced to eight-a reform which has already produced a confiderable faving. The apparatus of the inftruments of natural philofophy is rich, and thofe inftruments are perfectly well executed, One remarkable circumftance attending this collection, is, that it contains the identical inftruments which were employed in the great difcoveries of Lavoifier, Coulon, and others, who have created an æra in natural philofophy: precious reliques of the fciences, and of thofe great men! An equal share of admiration is due to the collections of models, of moulds in plafter of Paris, and of drawings, which are expofed in great halls finely ornamented, for the inftruction of the pupils. The fyftematic arrangement of the models is difpofed in chronologic gradation, from the first and coarfeft invention of machines, to their latest stage of perfection. The great auditory is an am Bridges and roads-Lambardie, Griffet. Mathematics, for the three years-La SCHOOL OF MINES. Next to the polytechnic school, that of the mines is one of the most remarkable of the newly-organifed inftitutions. It was founded by the committee of public fafety, by a law paffed in July 1794, but has been fince reformed in every particular, and entirely re-organifed, by a new ordinance of the directory, of the 24th of October, 1795. Its object is a fubterraneous knowledge of the republic with refpect to its mineral productions, the arrangement and improvement of the labours of the mines, and of the different profeffions engaged in collecting and working the minerals adapted to various ufes, in order to procure to the nation all the advantages which he can expect to derive from her own foil, For the labours of this inftitution, there has been appointed a certain number of agents, inspectors, engineers, and pupils. It is directed by a council eftablifhed at Paris; and the whole of the eftablishment includes the following arrangements; 1. A practical fchool, established in the vicinity of a mine already wrought with fuccefs, to inftruct the pupils in the mode of fearching for mines, and subjecting mineral substances to the ufual proceffes. 2. A public and gratuitous courfe or lectures on the art of fearching for mines. 3. A collection of mineral productions, arranged in fyftematic order, and compofed, principally, of indigenous minerals, belides the foreign fpecies. 4. A laboratory, and a collection of chymical productions, directed by a chymift, as infpector, and manual operator. 5. A collection of books relating to metallurgy, affaying, mineralogy, and lithology, under the inspection of a librarian skilled in foreign languages. 6. A collection of plans and drawings of mines and foffils. 7. A collection of models of furnaces, and of all the inftruments ufed in the working of mines. 8. A cabinet of mineralogico-historic manufcripts and memoirs. The direction of this inftitution is vefted in three perfons. They hold correfpondence with the directors of the mines belonging to the republic; they fuperintend the fearches for mines, and prefcribe the ufe to be made of the different minerals: they render to the government an account of the ftate and progress of the fchool, as well as of the mines: they publish every month a Journal of the Mines, in which they alfo give the public an account of those particulars. Eight infpectors and twelve engineers are attached to this fchool. Twentyfive young pupils are maintained in it at the expense of the state, and are admitted after undergoing an examination. During Eight months of the year, the pupils, with the inspectors and engineers, are feparated, to perform mineralogical tours through the whole territory of the republic, which is divided into eight fubterraneous departments. On thefe tours, they vifit and examine all the founderies, and the preceptors inftruct their pupils in all the different works, give advice and encouragement to the proprietors for the difcovery and working of new mines, make collections of minerals, lay down maps, take drawings of furnaces and every fort of machines, note down the process of fearching for mines, and keep a journal of researches, difcoveries, and experiments. At the conclufion of their tours, conferences are held on all thofe objects in the meetings of the council of mines. The theoretic inftruction in the fchool at Paris comprehends the four courfes of Lectures on mineralogy, phyfical geography, metallurgy, affaying and the fearch for mines. After a competitory examination, a part of the pupils are chofen to go and refide at the mines, and there receive practical instruction. Every year two pupils are chofen, who rife to the grade of fupernumerary engineers with an annual appointment of five hundred livres*, are afterwards promoted to vacancies in the inftitution, and fucceeded by pupils of the polytechnic fchool. Ten non-refident pupils are admitted to the fchool at their own expenfe. Two profeffors are affigned to the practical fchool of mines; the others are employed in teaching the art of affaying and metallurgy. For affiftants they have two mineral engineers. The school will be established at Sainte Marie aux mines, in the department of Upper Rhine. The teachers in the theoretic school at Paris are as follow: HAUY, for mineralogy, with the additional office of infpector of the collection of minerals. VAUQUELIN, for the art of affaying; at the fame time inspector and operator in the laboratory. LOMET, for geometry. DOLOMIEU, for the fite of minerals. CLOUET, librarian, and profeffor of the German language. COQUEBERT, for geography as connected with mines. To the fchools for the public fervice belong alfo the following inftitutions, which have been either recently founded, or recently organised: The fchools of the nine regiments of artillery artillery fchools"-under the direction of the minister of the war department.-They are established at the headquarters of the nine regiments, at La Fere, Belançon, Grenoble, Metz, Strafburg, Douai, Auxonne, Toulouse, and Rennes; but they are not yet all organifed. Before they can be admitted into these fchools, the youthful candidates are obliged to undergo an examination in the preliminary branches of knowledge, and the fciences fubfervient to that art; and they are required to have paffed through a previous courfe of at least two years' ftudy in the polytechnic fohool at Paris; after which they receive the additional education requifite to qualify them for officers of artillery. They are inftructed in all the arts connected with the erection of works, and in all the military details, and the exercises relating to the artillery. The profeffors refide in the fchools; and each school is under the direction of a commandant or brigadier of artillery. The jchool of military engineers at Metz, under the direction of the war minifter.The examination of such youths as are |