The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-15 00:00:00

COSMORAMA.

We have hail frequentpportunities of bearing testi-
mony to the extraordinary degree of perfection, to which
the effect of pictorial illusion has been carried, as displayed
in this very admirable and ingenious exhibition. Nor is
the merit of the exhibition confined to the excellence of the
representations; there is an ever-changing succession of
scenery, selected with much taste and discrimination. A
1 variety of several new scenes has been introduced within the
last week. The principal are, the Island of St. Helena, as
seen at sea; an ancient Convent of Dervisea, near Tripoli;
the Valley of Stoubach, in Switzerland; and the Gallery
of Raphael. Of these the Gallery of Raphael is the best
and molt elaborate performance ; it is one of the most com-
plete specimens of deception in the perspective that we have
seen in any exhibition of the kind, not yielding even to
the ingenuity with which this admirable artifice of paint-
ing is managed in the representation of Canterbury Cathe.
dral, at the Moraine. 'Phis Gallery is painted in fresco on
the walls; his orabasques are seen on the pillars; designs
taken from the Scriptures are on the ceiling ; that repre-
senting the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise,
may be seen with perfect clearness over the second arch.
There is some negligence manifested by the artist in the
scenery of which the Gallery commands a view ; a little
more attention to this part of the picture would have
made it quite a masterpiece. The Fall of the Stoubach,
and the country surrounding it, is a very correct represen-
tation of Swiss scenery. This cascade is formed by the
junction of several rivulets, which, uniting at some dis-
tance from the top of the rock, rush down with such velo-
city, and (lash against the bottom with such force, that
they are dissolved into a thin mist, of which the winds
constantly change the form and direction. This mass of
water assumes the shape of a curved column, and is so
completely detached from the side of the cliff, that
any one may stand between it and the foot of the rock,
without any other danger than that of a slight wetting.
In the representation of the Convent of Ikevises, an
opportunity is taken of introducing some very beautiful
Syrian scenery. The cite on which the Convent stands is
an enchanting spot. Tl•e Turks, during the fervor of
Islamism, erected the hionastery ; he imposing structures
are seen on the right, surrounded by half-ruined edifices
and cottages ; which seem suspended from the thick
foliage; a beautiful forest of varied trees extends its shade
to the banks of a torrent, which descends fiom the glaciers
of Lebanon. The other representations are in a (style of
corresponding beauty, and abound in the display of rare
and pieturesqfie scenery.

Mrs. ()pie, the bright-eyed, iiacchante-like Mrs. Opie,
the highly-gifted authoress of poems, novels, and songs,
has actually turned Quaker.—Dublin Paper.
LEGACY PORESTAI.I.LI).—A French peer, a man of wit,
was making his testament : he had remembered all his do-
mestics, except his steward ; " I shall leave him nothing,"
said he; " because he has served me these twenty years.
FASHIONAIIit EeoresiENT.-Mrs. F—, the wife of
Mr. F—, nephew of the celebrated Mrs. F—, eloped
from her husband at Paris, with Lord It—, who in turn'
has deserted his wife. The Parisian saloons and coteries
; are much Amused with this elopement. They say, with'
reason, that the English have nothing to boast of their ma-'
rality.—Dublia Paper.
Deayti or Carat. Lorry.—We have to announce the
I death of that veteran in politics and literature, Cape! Loff.
Esq. lie died on the :Nth of May, at Montcallier, near
Turin, Few have distinguished themselves for such a
length of time in so many various branches of our liter.iry
history. Mathematics, classics, law, poetry, music, cri-
ticism, all by turns occupied his pen, from an early period;
to the latest hour, as his separate works, as well as itunter-;
ous connibutions to periodical publications, will amply
testify. He was a sound scholar; an] to the office of
critic, he brought-great judgment, excellent taste, and a;
mind stored with an amazing share snit variety of human
knowledge. Asa Poet, he was an enthusiast, and per-
haps too fastidious and refitted, but certainly not without
genii's and power of versification. Unwearied in his own
literary pursuits, he was not less so in assisting and foster-
ing those of other,. The encouragement he gave to
Illoomfiekl, and the labour he bestowed on the " Farmer's
Hey," may serve as one instance of many which might be
adduced, to prove the amiable d'sposit'.en of his nature.