In reclaiming his title of gentleman in ordinary of his majesty's chamber, he himself held out to them the end of the chain with which they might have attached him if they would. I owe this testimony to Madame de Pompadour, that he was exiled against her will. She interested herself for him, she sometimes inquired for him of me, and, when I answered that it depended only on her to make her inquiries unnecessary, "Ah! no, it does not depend on me," said she, with a sigh.

It was then from Geneva that Voltaire animated the co-operators of the Encyclopedie. I was of the number; and my greatest pleasure, every time I went to Paris, was to find myself in their society. D'Alembert and Diderot were satisfied with what I wrote, and our relations strengthened more and more the bonds of that friendship, which ended but with life: they were more intimately, more tenderly, more assiduously cultivated by d'Alembert; but not less sincere, not less unalterable with the good Diderot, whom I was always so delighted to see, and so charmed to hear.'

The origin of Marmontel's celebrated Tales does him great credit. He had procured the appointment of Editor of the Mercure François for Boissy, a man of letters in distress; Boissy found himself unequal to the task of supporting the publication, and applied to Marmontel for his friendly aid:

Destitute of assistance, finding nothing passable in the papers that were left him, Boissy wrote me a letter, which was a true picture of distress. "You will in vain have given me the Mercure," said he ; *this favour will be lost on me, if you do not add that of coming to my aid. Prose or verse, whatever you please, all will be good from your hand. But hasten to extricate me from the difficulty in which I now am; I conjure you in the name of that friendship which I have vowed to you for the rest of my life."

This letter roused me from my slumber; I beheld this unhappy editor a prey to ridicule, and the Mercure decried in his hands, should he let his penury be seen. It put me in a fever for the whole night; and it was in this state of crisis and agitation that I first con ceived the idea of writing a tale. After having passed the night without closing my eyes, in rolling in my fancy the subject of that I have entitled Alcibiade, I got up, wrote it at a breath, without laying down my pen, and sent it off, This tale had an unexpected success. I had required that the name of its author should be kept secret. No one knew to whom to attribute it; and at Helvétius's dinner, where the finest connoisseurs were, they did me the honour of ascribing it to Voltaire, or to Montesquieu.'

After the death of Boissy, the patent for the Mercure was given to Marmontel, and he quitted Versailles. His account of the plan on which he conducted that paper is very amusing, especially as it comprehends some anecdotes of Galet and Canard, already celebrated in the joyous life of Piron.-Sed manum de tabulā.

[To be continued.]

ART.

ART. V. The Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain, displayed in a Series of select Engravings, representing the most beautiful, curious, and interesting Antient Edifices of this Country; with an Historical and Descriptive Account of each Subject. By John Britton. 4to. Part I. with eight Engravings. 1os. 6d. sewed, Longman and Co. 1805.

DESCRIPTIONS of architectural antiquities are given either as examples for building, or to illustrate some circumstances in the history of the times to which they relate. In the former case, they are represented with various degrees of accuracy, depending on the abilities of the artist, the diligence bestowed, or the expence intended to be incurred in the undertaking. How much soever may be professed, scarcely an instance can be adduced of a work which describes an object of antient architecture with sufficient information for executing a similar edifice; and the most celebrated publications give only the external dimensions and forms, neglecting the description of the internal structure from which those external forms arise. The recent volumes of a learned society are by no means free from these defects: which is the more to be lamented because the example will have an extensive influence; their drawings being made professedly to enable future generations to imitate the celebrated buildings which they repre

sent.

The half ruined state of these architectural objects generally affords ample means of developing the interior structure; and, which is of still more consequence, it assists us to investigate the fundamental principles on which those buildings were erected. Every style of antient architecture, with which we are acquainted, proceeded on sound principles, deriving exterior forms from a just conformation of the several parts; and there is too much reason for saying that it was left to this age alone to produce forms which have no reference to the destination of the building, and are at variance with the construction :forms which are thus distorted, and of which the duration, in consequence, is scarcely more than coeval with the race that gives them existence.

Expensive publications continually appear, presenting picturesque views of this class of antiquities, from which very little information can be derived. The plan of the present: work is of a more useful kind, and does great credit to the projectors it gives, besides perspective representations, such specimens of the detail as tend to elucidate the general character of the buildings: each subject accompanied by a descriptive account, and a concise and well digested history, col

lected

lected from different authorities. The objects are well chosen: the plates are beautifully executed; and the whole constitutes a pleasing performance at a moderate price; containing as much as may be deemed necessary, where deep researches or extensive architectural information are not desired.—It is introduced by a short prefatory advertisement, in which the author observes:

It may be proper to remark, that, as I wish to illustrate and historically develope the Ancient Architecture of Great Britain, untramelled by any theory, or favourite system, I shall gladly avail myself of any suggestion, description, or document, that gentlemen may be inclined to honour me with. As there are many curious remains in Scotland, Ireland, and Normandy, any descriptions, with illustrative sketches, of those, will be peculiarly acceptable.

Each Part of this Work will be complete in itself, as indeed will every subject; by which plan of publication, the reader may arrange the prints and descriptions, either in chronological order, or in such classes as may be most agreeable to his fancy, or adapted to his collection.'

The present number, or part the first, includes a plan and three views of the remains of the priory church of St. Botolph at Colchester: three plates of the priory church at Dunstaple: one of Layer Marney house in Essex; and one of St. Nicholas church and the abbey gateway at Abingdon in Berkshire. From the accompanying letter-press, we extract the account of Layer Marney house as a specimen :

Of the Domestic Architecture which was peculiar to the AngloRomans, Anglo Saxons, and Anglo Normans, there are no specimens remaining; and its characteristics are only imperfectly noticed in the pages of the Historian, and the Antiquary. Unfortunately for us, these notices are so extremely vague, that they serve rather as hints to the fancy, than as satisfactory evidences to the judgment. Hence the diversity of opinions that prevail on this subject, and hence the imperious necessity of obtaining and perpetuating correct delineations with faithful accounts of the most ancient structures. For it must be evident that authentic information relating to the comparative state of the useful arts at different periods, constitutes an important object in the history of a kingdom, and serves materially to characterize the manners, customs, and habits of a people.

The dissolution of monasteries by Henry the Eighth, occasioned an extraordinary change in the features of the times; and the state of Domestic Architecture has to date a new epoch from that event. Many religious houses were then converted into mansions; and some of the newly-erected seats were built in imitation of the monastic dwellings. "LAYER MARNEY HALL," observes Morant*, " was a grand and capacious house, wherein many persons could be conveniently

*History of Essex, z Vols. folio.'

lodged

lodged. The building was square, enclosing a court with a grand entrance towards the south.". This estate continued the property of the Marney family, from the time of Henry Second, until the 35th of Henry the Eighth, when with other lands in Essex, it was obtained in exchange by Sir Bryan Tuke +. The present mansion appears to have been built by Sir Henry Marney, "who was Captain of the Guard to Henry VIII. made Knight of the Garter, Lord Privy-Seal, 14 Henry VIII. and in the same year was created Lord Marney Towards the latter end of Henry the Seventh's, and the beginning of Henry the Eighth's reigns, the mansions began to lose their real castellated character, though still retaining many of its peculiarities: small windows, thick walls, base courts, turrets, and a sort of embattled parapet still continued). Layer Marney Hall appears of this description: chequered compartments of flint, and diagonal lines of dark gla zed bricks were frequently introduced into the fronts of buildings about this period. With a large court in the centre, measuring 104 feet 6 inches by 76 feet 4 inches, surrounded by lofty buildings, and. entered by a handsome tower gateway, this mansion must have been spacious in its interior, and have displayed much grandeur and dignity externally. The two projecting octagon towers, about 73 feet high, are each divided into eight stories or floors, lighted by small pointed arch windows. Two floors, occupied by two rooms, fill up the space between the towers: these have large square windows, with mullions, which partake of the character of the Ionic pilaster. The decora tions on the summit, with those of the windows, cornices, &c. are made of a species of white brick, which was cast in moulds, in large and thick masses. All the fire places are made of soft fire stone, the door-posts and lintels of the stables, &c. are of Purbeck marble, and the whole of the walls are of brick. These are not peculiar either in size or substance, but the mode of building is eminently substantial. Exclusive of the great defalcations in this structure, many absurd and destructive alterations have progressively been made by successive proprietors. Abandoned to neglect and decay, it was, till within these few years, fast-hastening to total ruin, when its present owner, N. C. Corsellis, Esq checked its mutilating progress by some praise-worthy repairs, and judicious restorations.'

Henry II. in the 48th year of his reign, grants to Wm. de Marney leave to impark his wood of Lire, within the precincts of the forest of Essex. And the same time he had liberty granted him to hunt within the forest of Essex. Salmon's History of Essex, fo. p. P. 447.'

+ Private Acts, 35th Hen. VIII ch. 9.'

Salmon's History, &c. p. 448.'

Henry the Seventh granted a licence, or permission, to fortify the manor-house at New Hall, Essex, with walls and towers ; and Gosfield Hall, which was built in his reign, in a manner to evade the law, has & large quadrangular court in the centre, and was equally strong and well secured as many baronial castles. Beauties of England and Wales. Vol. V. p. 265.361.'

REV. Nov. 1805.

S

We

We shall have great pleasure in announcing the continuation of this work; trusting that the same elegance and good 'selection will characterize the succeeding parts. Under these circumstances, the reasonableness of the price must insure its success. A number is intended to appear every three months; and the second is just published.

ART. VI Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, for the Year 1805. Part I. 4to. tos. sewed. Nicol. MEDICAL and CHEMICAL PAPERS, &c.

TH HE Croonian Lecture on Muscular Motion. By Anthony Carlisle, Esq, F.R.S.-The objects to which Mr. C. pár ticularly directs his attention, in this paper, are the changes that prevail in muscles during their contraction and relaxation, and the connection of these actions with the vascular, respiratory, and nervous systems. After some remarks on the struc ture of muscles, as composed of the proper fibres divided into bundles of various sizes, he details a set of experiments which were instituted to prove that the cohesion of muscles in the direction of their fibres is diminished by death. They were performed on the hinder legs of frogs; and the result was that an irritable limb sustained a weight of one-sixth more than a similar limb deprived of its vitality.

The origin of the muscular fibre is involved in much obscurity; whether the first rudiment in the egg (the punctum saliens, as it is usually styled,) derive its organization immediately from the parent, or whether it be a part of entirely new formation, resulting from the effects of incubation, is still undecided: Mr. Carlisle inclines to the former opinion. It may be concluded that albumen is the source whence the first element of the animal is generated, since during incubation the albumen ovi is consumed. This indeed might be inferred from a knowlege of the chemical structure of the body; for we observe, in all parts that contain any peculiar substance,—as the earth of bones, or the muscular matter,-that it is imbedded or deposited in a mould of albumen.

Mr. C. differs from other anatomists in supposing that the ultimate muscular fibre may be visible to the eye. He describes it as a solid cylinder, the covering of which is a reticular membrane, and the contained part a pulpy substance irregularly granulated, and of little cohesive power when dead. In general, it has been supposed that the muscles are so far indefinitely divisible, that their ultimate fibres clude the sight, even when assisted by the most powerful microscopes: but this point can only be determined by future observations. It is also here maintained,

11