but philofophy, can procure us this knowlege? It was for this reafon the ableft Greek philofophers not only taught (as we hinted before) but wrote alfo treatifes upon rhetoric. They had a farther inducement, and that was the intrinfic beauty of their language, as it was then spoken among the learned and polite. They would have been afhamed to have delivered philofo. phy, as it has been too often delivered fince, in compofitions as clumfy as the common dialect of the mere vulgar. The fame love of elegance, which made them attend to their ftyle, made them attend even to the places where their philofophy was taught. Plato delivered his lectures in a place faded with groves; on the banks of the river Hifius; and which, as it once be longed to a perfon called Academus, was called after his name, the Academy. Arıtotle chose another fpot of a fimilar character, where there were trees and fhade; a spot called the Lyceum. Zeno taught in a portico or colonnade, diftinguished from other buildings of that fort (of which the Athenians had many) by the name of the Variegated Portico, the walls being decorated with various paintings of Poly gnotus and Myro, two capital mafters of that tranfcendent period. Epicurus addreffed his hearers in thofe well-known gardens called, after his own name, the gardens of Epicurus. Some of these places gave names to the doctrines which were taught there. Plato's philofophy took its name of Academic, from the Academy; that of Zeno was called the Stoic, from a Greek word fignifring a portico. The fyftem indeed of Ariftotle was not denominated from the place, but was called Peripatetic, from the manner in which he taught; from his walking about at the time when he differted. The term Epicurean philofophy needs no explanation. Open air, fhade, water, and pleafant walks, feem above all things to favour that exercife the best fuited to contemplation, I mean gentle walking, without inducing fatigue. The many agreeable walks in and about Oxford may teach my own countrymen the truth of this aflertion, and beft explain how Horace lived, while the ftudent at Athens, employed (as he tells us) inter filvas Academi quærere verum. called among the Greeks by the name of Gymnafia, in which, whatever that word might have originally meant, were taught all thofe exerciles, and all thofe arts, which tended to cultivate not only the body but the mind. As man was a being confifting of both, the Greeks could not confider that education as complete in which both were not regarded, and both properly formed. Hence their Gymnafia, with reference to this double end, were adorned with two ftatues, thofe of Mercury and of Hercules; the corporeal accomplishments being patronized (as they fuppofed) by the God of strength, the mental accomplishments, by the God of ingenuity. It is to be feared, that many places, now called Academies, fcarce deferve the name upon this extenfive plan, if the profeffors teach no more than how to dance, fence, and ride upon horfes. It was for the cultivation of every liberal accomplishment that Athens was celebrated (as we have faid) during many centuries, long after her political influence was loft, and at an end. When Alexander the Great died, many tyrants, like many hydras, immediately fprung up. Athens then, though the still maintained the form of her ancient government, was perpetually checked and humiliated by their infolence. Antipater deftroyed her orators; and he was facked by Demetrius. At length she became fubject to the all-powerful Romans, and found the cruel Sylla her fevereft enemy. His face (which perhaps indicated his manners, was of a purple red, intermixed with white. This circumitance could not efcape the witty Athenians: they described him in a verfe, and ridiculously faid, Sylla's face is a mulberry, fprinkled with meal. The devaftations and carnage which he caufed foon after, gave them too much reafon to repent their farcafm. The civil war between Cæfar and Pompey foon followed, and their natural love of liberty made them fide with Pompey. Here again they were unfortunate, for Cæfar conquered. But Cæfar did not treat them like Sylla. With that clemency, which made fo amiable a part of his character, he difmiffed them, by a fine allufion to their illuftrious ancestors, faying, that he spared the living for the fake of the dead." Another form followed foon after this, the wars of Brutus and Caffius with AuguThefe places of public inftitution were ftus and Antony. Their partiality for li Kk berty berty did not here forfake them; they took part in the conteft with the two patriot Romans, and erected their ftatues near their own ancient deliverers, Harmodius and Ariftogiton, who had flain Hipparchus. But they were ftill unhappy, for their enemies triumphed. They made their peace however with Auguftus; and, having met afterwards with different treatment under different emperors, fometimes favourable, fometimes harth, and never more fevere than under Vefpafian, their oppreffions were at length relieved by the virtuous Nerva and Trajan. Mankind, during the interval which began from Nerva, and which extended to the death of that beft of emperors, Marcus Antoninus, felt a refpite from those evils which they had fo feverely felt before, and which they felt fo feverely revived under Commodus, and his wretched fucceffers. Athens, during the above golden period, enjoyed more than all others the general felicity, for the found in Adrian fo generous a benefactor, that her citizens could hardly help efteeming him a fecond founder. He restored their old privileges, gave them new; repaired their ancient buildings, and added others of his own. Marcus Antoninus, although he did not do fo much, ftill continued to fhew them his benevolent attention. If from this period we turn our eyes back, we fhall find, for centuries before, that Athens was the place of education, not only for Greeks, but for Romans. "Twas hither that Horace was fent by his father; twas here that Cicero put his fon Marcus under Cratippas, one of the ableft philofophers then belonging to that city. The fects of philofophers which we have already defcribed, were ftill exifting when St. Paul came thither. We cannot enough admire the superior eloquence of that apofthe, in his manner of addreffing fo intelligent an audience. We cannot enough admire the fublimity of his exordium; the propriety of his mentioning an altar which he had found there; and his quotation from Aratus, one of their well-known poets. AЯs xvii. zz. Nor was Athens only celebrated for the refidence of philofphers, and the inftitution of youth: Men of rank and fortune found pleasure in a retreat which contributed to much to their liberal enjoyment. The friend and correfpondent of Cicero, F. Pomponius, from his long attach ment to this city and country, had attained fuch a perfection in its arts and language, that he acquired to himself the additional name of Atticus. This great man may be faid to have lived during times of the wort and cruelleft factions. His youth was spent under Sylla and Marius; the middle of his life during all the fanguinary fcenes that followed; and when he was old, he faw the profcriptions of Antony and Octavius. Yet though Cicero and a multitude more of the best men perished, he had the good fortune to furvive every danger. Nor did he seek a fafety for himself alone: his virtue fo recommended him to the leaders of every fide, that he was able to fave not himself alone, but the lives and fortunes of many of his friends. When we look to this amiable character, we may well suppose, that it was not merely for amufement that he chofe to live Athens; but rather that, by refiding there. he might fo far realize philofophy, as to employ it for the conduct of life, and not merely for oftentation. Another perfon, during a better period (that I mean between Nerva and Marces Antoninus) was equally celebrated for affection to this city. By this perfon I mean Herodes Atticus, who acquired the last name from the fame reafons for which a had formerly been given to Pomponius. We have remarked already, that vicifitudes befal both men and cities, and changes too often happen from profperous to adverfe. Such was the ftate of Athens, un der the fucceffors of Alexander, and fo or from Sylla down to the time of Auguftas It fhared the fame hard fate with the Roman empire in general, upon the accefica of Commodus. Among other things he informs us, that the celebrated portico or colonnade, the Greek name of which gave name to the fect of Stoics, had, by an oppreffive proconful, been defpoiled of its fine pictures; and that, on this devaftation, it had been forfaken by thele philofophers. In the thirteenth century, when the Grecian empire was cruelly oppreffed by the crufaders, and all things in confufion, Athens was befieged by one Segurus Leo, who was unable to take it; and, after that, by a Marquis of Montferrat, to whom it furrendered. Its fortune after this was various; and it was fometimes under the Venetians, fometimes under the Catalonians, till Mahomet the Great made himself matter of Conftantinople. This fatal catastrophe (which happened near two thousand years after the time of Pififtratus) brought Athens, and with it all Greece, into the hands of the Turks, under whofe defpotic yoke it has continued ever fince. The city from this time has been occafionally vifited, and defcriptions of it pubhhed by different travellers. Wheeler was there along with Spon, in the time of our Charles the Second, and both of them have published curious and valuable narraves. Others, as well natives of this iland as foreigners, have been there fince, and fome have given (as Monir. Le Roy) fpecious publications of what we are to fuppofe they faw. None however have equalled the truth, the accuracy, and the elegance of Mr. Stuart, who, after having refided there between three and four years, has given fuch plans and elevations of the capital buildings now flanding, together with learned comments to elucidate every part, that he feems, as far as was poffib'e for the power of defeription, to have reored the city to its ancient splendour. He has not only given us the greater outlines and their measures, but separate meafures and drawings of the minuter decorations; fo that a British artift may (if he pleafe) follow Phidias, and build in Britain as Phidias did at Athens. Spon, fpeaking of Attica, fays, that the road near Athens was pleafing, and the very pealants polifhed.' Speaking of the Athenians in general, he fays of them ils ont une politefie d'efprit naturelle, & beaucoup d'addreffe dans toutes les affaires, qu'ils entreprenent." Wheeler, who was Spon's fellow-traveller, fays as follows, when he and his company approached Athens: "We began now to think ourfelves in a more civilized country than we had yet paft: for not a fhepherd that we met, but bid us welcome, and wifhed us a good journey." p. 335. Speaking of the Athenians, he adds, "This must with great truth be faid of them, their bad fortune hath not been able to take from them what they have by nature, that is, much fubtlety or wit." p. 347. And again. "The Athenians, notwithstanding the long poffeffion that barbaritm nath had of this place, feem to be much more polished, in point of manners and converfation, than any other in thefe parts; being civil, and of respectful behaviour to all, and highly complimental in their difcourfe." p. 356. Stuart fays of the prefent Athenians, what Spon and Wheeler faid of their forefathers;" he found in them the fame addrefs, the fame natural acuteness, though feverely curbed by their defpotic maiters." One cultom I cannot omit. He tells me, that frequently at their convivial meetings, one of the company takes what they now call a lyre, though it is rather a fpecies of guitar, and after a fhort prelude on the inftrument, as if he were waiting for infpiration, accompanies his inft.umental mufic with his voice, fuddenly chanting fome extempore verfes, which feldom exceed two or three diftichs; that he then delivers the lyre to his neighbour, who, after he has done the fame, delivers it to another; and that fo the lyre circulates, till it has paft round the table. Nor can I forget his informing me, that, notwithstanding the various fortunes of Athens, as a city, Attica was still famous for Olives, and Mount Hymettus for Honey. Human inftitutions perith, but Nature is $211. Anecdote of the Modern GREEXS. I fhall quit the Greeks, after I have re lated a short narrative; a narrative, so far curious, as it helps to prove, that even among the prefent Greeks, in the day of fervitude, the remembrance of their ancient glory is not totally extinct. When the late Mr. Anfon (Lord Anfon's brother) was upon his travels in the Eaft, he hired a veffel to vifit the isle of Tenedos. His pilot, an old Greek, as they were failing along, faid with fome fatisfaction, "There 'twas our fleet lay." Mr. Anfon demanded, "What fleet ?" "What fleet!" replied the old man (a little piqued at the Kk 2 question) queftion)" why our Grecian fleet at the fiege of Troy." Harris. § 212. On the different Modes of Hiftory. The modes indeed of hiftory appear to be different. There is a mode which we may call hiftorical declamation; a mode, where the author, dwelling little upon facts, indulges himself in various and copious reflections. Whatever good (if any) may be derived from this method, it is not likely to give us much knowledge of facts. Another mode is, that which I call general or rather public hiftory; a mode abundant in facts, where treaties and alliances, battles and fieges, marches and retreats, are accurately detailed; together with dates, defcriptions, tables, plans, and all the collateral helps both of chronology and geography. In this, no doubt, there is utility: yet the fameness of the events refembles not a little the fameness of human bodies. One head, two shoulders, two legs, &c. feem equally to charecterife an European and an African; a native of old Rome, and a native of modern. A third fpecies of history ftill behind, is that which gives a fample of fentiments and manners. defcribed, 'twas natural they should paint the life and the manners which they faw. Ibid. §213. Concerning Natural Beauty; its Idea the fame in all Times-THESSALIAN TEMPLE.-Taste of VIRGIL, and HORACE of MILTON, in defcribing Paradife-exbibited of late Years for in Pictures-thence transferred to ENGLISH Gardens-not wanting to the inlightened Few of the middle Age-proved in LELAND, PETRARCH, and SANNAZARIUS.-Comparison between the Younger CYRUS, and PHILIP LE BEL of FRANCE. Let us pafs for a moment from the elegant works of Art, to the more elegant works of Nature. The two fubjects are so nearly allied, that the fame tafte ufually relishes them both. Now there is nothing more certain, than that the face of inanimate nature has beer. at all times captivating. The vulgar, indeed, look no farther than to fceres of culture, because all their views merely ter minate in utility. They only remark, that 'tis fine barley; that 'tis rich clover; as an ox or an afs, if they could speak, would inform us. But the liberal have nobler views; and though they give to culture its dee praife, they can be delighted with natural beauties, where culture was never known. Ages ago they have celebrated with enthufiaftic rapture, "a deep retired vale, with a river rufhing through it; a vale having its fides formed by two immense and oppofite mountains, and thofe fides diverfified by woods, precipices, rocks, If the account of thefe last be faithful, it cannot fail being inftructive, fince we view through thefe the interior of human nature. 'Tis by these we perceive what fort of animal man is: fo that while not only Europeans are diftinguithed from " Afiatics, but English from French, French" from Italians, and (what is still more) every" and romantic caverns." Such was the individual from his neighbour; we view at the fame time one nature, which is common to them all. Horace informs us that a drama, where the fentiments and manners are well preferved, will please the audience more than a pompous fable, where they are wanting. Perhaps what is true in dramatic compofition, is no lefs true in hiftorical. Plutarch, among the Greek hiftorians, appears in a peculiar manner to have merited this praife. Nor ought I to omit (as I fhall foon refer to them) fome of our best Monkish hiftorians, though prone upon cccafion to degenerate into the incredible. As they often lived during the times which they This ftory was told the author, Mr. Harris, by Mr. Anfon binnof. fcene produced by the river Peneus, as ran between the mountains Olympus and Offa, in that well-known vale the Thefalian Tempé. Virgil and Horace, the firft for tafte among the Romans, appear to have been enamoured with the beauties of this character. Horace prayed for a villa, where there was a garden, a rivulet, and above thefe a little grove : Hortus ubi et tecto vicinus jugis aquæ fons, Sat. VI. a. and to be hid under immenfe fhade in the -O! qui me gelidis in vallibus Hæri T The great elements of this fpecies of beauty, according to thefe principles, were water, wood, and uneven ground; to which may be added a fourth, that is to fay, lawn. 'Tis the happy mixture of thefe four that produces every fcene of natural beauty, as 'tis a more mysterious mixture of other elements (perhaps as fimple, and not more in number) that produces a world or universe. Virgil and Horace having been quoted, we may quote, with equal truth, our great countryman, Milton. Speaking of the towers of Paradife, he calls them flowers, --which not nice Art In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon Pours forth profufe on hill, and dale, and plain. P. L. IV. 245. Soon after this he fubjoins this was the place, A happy rural feat, of various view. He explains this variety, by recounting the lawns, the flecks, the hillocks, the valleys, the grots, the waterfalls, the lakes, &c. &c. And in another book, defcribing the approach of Raphael, he informs us, that this divine meflenger past through groves of myrrh, And flow'ring odours, caffia, nard, and balm, IV. 292. The painters in the preceding century feem to have felt the power of thefe elements, and to have transferred them into their landscapes with fuch amazing force, that they appear not fo much to have followed as to have emulated nature. Claude de Lorraine, the Pouffins, Salvator Rosa, and a few more, may be called fuperior artists in this exquifite tafte. Our gardens in the mean time were tastelefs and infipid. Those who made them, thought the farther they wandered from nature, the nearer they approached the fublime. Unfortunately, where they travelled, no fublime was to be found; and the farther they went, the farther they left it behind. But perfection, alas! was not the work of a day. Many prejudices were to be removed; many gradual afcents to be made; afcents from bad to good, and from good to better, before the delicious amenities of a Claude or a Pouffin could be rivalled in a Stourhead, a Hagley, or a Stow; or the tremendous charms of a Salvator Rofa be equalled in the fcenes of a Piercefield, or a Mount Edgecumb. Not however to forget the fubject of our inquiry.-Though it was not before the prefent century, that we established a chafter talle; though our neighbours at this inflant are but. learning it from us; and though to the vulgar every where it is totally incomprehenfible (be they vulgar in rank, or vulgar in capacity): yet, even in the darkeit periods we have been treating of, periods when tafte is often thought to have been loft, we shall still difcover an enlightened few, who were by no means infentible to the power of these beauties. How warmly does Leland defcribe Guy's Cliff; Sannazarius, his villa of Mergillina; and Petrarch, his favourite Vauclufe! Take Guy's Cliff from Leland in his own. old English, mixt with Latin-" It is a place meet for the Mufes; there is fy"lence; a praty wood; antra in vivo faxo "(grottos in the living rock); the river rolling over the ftones with a praty "noyfe." His Latin is more elegantNemufculum ibidem opacum, fontes liquidi et gemmei, prata, florida, antra "mufcofa, rivi levis et per faxa decurfus, "nec non folitudo et quics Mufis amicif"fima."-Vol. iv. p. 66. Mergillina, the villa of Sannazarius, near Naples, is thus fketched in different parts of his poems: Excifo in fcopulo, fluctus unde aurea canos |