The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-05-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE AND THE FINE ARTS AT ROME.

A letter from Rome, dated the 10th of last July,
addressed to a correspondent of the writer at Ais,
and lately printed in the Alaga7-in Encyciunedique, ob-
serves, that the Cardinal Borgia is publishing a De-
scriptive Catalogue of the Coptic Manuscripts now
in his possession, the number of which amounts to
three hundred. This Catalogue is the proAuCtion
of the learned Zoega, editor of the will-known
work upon Obelisks. The author does not content
himself with giving a notice upon each of the ma-
nuscripts ; he likewise inserts long fragments of the
text, with a Latin translation in the margin. He
has now arrived at the forty-third manuscript. Tie
Vatican Library had a considerable number of
similar manuscripts, all of which have been removed
by the French. The Cardinal, a little before the
arrival of the French at Rome, had fortunately
caused exalt copies to be taken of them, and with
these his Catalogue will commence, unler the title
of Codices Memihdiej. Next to these follow such as
have been found in the cities of Syene, Thebes, acc.
We find here not only Bibles, Alts of Councils, Ads
of the Martyrs, but likewise historical treatises of
di:Tcrent countries, and a number of memoirs re-
lating to the fine arts.
The Puce ordered considerable subterranean
researches to be made at Ostium, during the winter
and spring of last year, which have led to the dis-
covery of several fine statues. The immoderate
heat of the summer having interrupted the career of
these labours, the government has employed the
workmen on a labour likely to prove equally use-
ful. They are now busy in the emplacement or
site of tlse city, in removing the earth and ruins
which cover the bases of the most considerable and
i mpoi tam. monuments, such as the Colisceum, the
Arches of Titus, of Septimus Severus, &c. &c.
This labour will produce the same effed as that
which took place respecting the Column of Traj.!n,
under Sextus V. The pedestal of that column was
buried in the earth, but was afterwards exposed to
view ; and a large fosse was construa, ed, paved,
and encircled with a wall, on which an escalier or
gallery was made, for the purpose of making the
tour of the column. Already one part of the base
of the Arch of Septimus Severus is open to view,
and they have discovered some pedestals of co-
lumns, decorated with bas-reliefs of great beauty.
'['lie snperintendance of this undertaking is assigned
to the celebrated Canova, the sculptor. This artist
is well known for three beautiful statues—Perseus,
an Athleue, and a Hercules, which the Pope has
caused to be placed in his Museum. Perseus is re-
presented at the moment when he has just cut off
the head of Medusa, and stands in the niche, wirere
the Apollo of Belvidere was placed. This statue
need not have been disavowed by the best Grecian
artist. It may be observed en pasinint, that Pope
Pins VII. favours the arts and a taste for antiquity
with all imaginable ardour, as far as his means
will authorise him.

'llse present Pope shews every inclination, as
far as his slender revenue will permit, to en-
courage the arts. Canova's Perseus has been
placed in the Museum of the Vatican. Engrav-
ings have besides been made of a number of
ancient statues and bas-reliefs, which have hi-
therto been neglected. The subterrancams re-
searches at Ostia go on with considerable success :
besides a number of pillars, statues, and pieces of
Mosaic work, 800 coins have been found, chiefly
bronze, and for theThest part of the times of Trajan
and Adrian ; among them are two very rare ones
of Pertinax. Architetture, it is also expteted, will
receive a rich accession from the antiquities of the
same age, in the discovery of some of those very
rare porphyry stones, Nero antics. New researches
have also begun to be made at the foot of the ('a.
pitol, and the Triumphal Arch of Septimus Seve-
rus. At the depth of 12 feet, the bases of the pillars
have been laid open, and are discovered to be adorn-
ed all around with the most beautiful,bas-reliefs.
Similar researches have been begun around the
Temple of Faustina, and other parts of the Campo
Vaccino. Among the foreign artists at present
resident in Rome, the Danish statuary, Thor-
waldson, has peculiarly distinguished himself, and
is likely to prove a dangerous rival to Canova. He
has been there for the last six years, and has in that
time sent several small pieces to England ; but his
last work chiefly established his reputation as a
great artist. This piece is a Jason, as large as the
life, at thp moment he has got possession of the
golden fleece ; and it is looked upon as one of the
most beautiful pieces of sculpture in modern times.
He has now begun upon the same figure again in a
beautiful block of marble for Mr. Hope, of Am-
sterdam, who has agreed to give 800 ducats for it.
He is besides employed on a has-relief, which repre-
sents the taking away of Briseis from the tent of
Achilles. The rooms in the galleries at Florence,
which have been for some time past shut, have again
been opened, and the statues and paintings which
had been carried away from them have, as far as
possilile, been restored.

Yertf,tiy—Aocrsat.,N•DAY--liuliday at the Public Offices.

MEETINGS .OF CREDITORS AT V.VADZIALL,
TO MOMOOT/. • • N.
H.
Louis Chateauneef, late of I'4Bw-court, Crotched-friars,
dea:er - ' • • • 3 12
Henry Lee, late ofSlute-lane, oittualler • 3
John Jeffircs, Cl.tal.am road, !ion-cc, printselter . 3 13
Richard I)rsl•er, Lt.! of Risholiscase•sne% t, grocer . 3 11
Thomas Hague, r.'annusi•rosr, Westmatigerr, money.

_ .
scrivener . - ' • • 3 le
. Francis gateman Dashvicrid, late of Gain's Hill, near
MIIOOOOII, Woreile..L.,l4llll'S.l.lUter • It
Ewens Tucker, St. Nicht,la., fhl.hrord, tallow-chandler 2 10
Louis Simon, late of Groat Bath-street, Cold goth.fteldq,
watch manufacturer . 2 ]1
Samuel Stadler, I lulhorn, victualler • 2 10
11...nry Ashley lieekle, Peckham, Surrey, surveyor . 2 1
1t01.,:t William:, of Ilod)reliaiii, Camarvou, and Wil-
liam 4Vltilams, of Penmorfa, dealers • 10
Henry Wilson Brown, Cannon str. shoe-manufacturer 1 10
John Edwards a..d li.mrge Mansell, Caie Cash, flint,
im.mifacturers of earthenware • • 1 11
John Field, Watford, Herts, miller • 1 It
I)/ VIDENDS.
'

Willi m Fowler, sw.w otlai;;Fgheiord, Redford, eller.

chant .
t iutda inieu Mure, Itob--rt Mara, and Walltios Mutt, Fen-
church-street, merchants . . 1,
. .
James Sommervail, merchant : 10
• •
Edward Roberta, Sedlord-street, Govent-Gardeo, woollen
draper . .
Willman Key, Duke-street, Oldgate, merest .

• 10

• 10
• 11

CiRTIFICAT ES.
John Junes, of Bradford, Wilts clothier
James Sunderland, of Sandal' Magna, Yorkshire, corn-dealer
John Diedrich Lublin-at, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, merchant
Robert Wood, of Liverpool, wholesale grocer
Edward Denton, of Dyer's Buildings, Holborn, monerißcriv
venni-
John Beek, of Workington, Cumberland, wirminerchant
Joseph Houlbrooke, late of eateaton street, dealer in spirit
Christopher Stain bank, of Old Bond street, prinueller
Ivaac Henry, late of Liverpool, shopkeeper
Thomas Willis, of Bath, carpenter
Robert Johnson, late chief mate of the Honourable the East
India Company's ship the Woodford
John Trott Mills, late of Bridgewater, Somerset, rope and
sail maker.