METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. Kept by C. BLUNT, Philosophical Instrument-maker, 38, Tavistock-street, Covent-Garden. PREVAILING WINDS-N 2-NE 2-E 2-SE 1-S 6-SW 5-W 6-NW Mean temperature Maximum, 76 . Minimum, 41 Mean Bar, Pres. From the on the 24th of July, to the D on the 31st of July. 29'99 29'99 30.15 Mean Temp. 57.94 58.87 58'93 54'93 In answer to the numerous enquiries relative to the best channel for transmitting the New Monthly Magazine to Ireland and Foreign countries, we beg leave to state that it is-regularly delivered by the Postmasters in all parts of Europe at Two Guineas per annum, or One Guinea for six months, if orders are given, and payment made To Mr. AUSTIN, General Post Office, London, for Ireland. To Mr. Cow1E, General Post Office, for France, Germany, and Holland. To Mr. WILLIAM SERJEANT, General Post Office, for the Countries bordering on the Baltic and the Mediterranean, and for Portugal and the Brazils, To Mr. THORNHILL, General Post Office, for the West Indies, Bahama, Madeira, Bermuda, and Nova Scotia. To Mr. Guy, of the East India House, for the Cape of Good Hope, and all parts of India. Printed by J. Gillet, Crown Court, Fleet Street, London. THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. 33.] OCTOBER 1, 1816. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. ACCOUNT OF THE REGJ STUDJ, OR ROYAL MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES, PAINTINGS, CAMPANIAN VASES, AND HERCULANEUM MANUSCRIPTS AT NAPLES. BY DR. SICKLER. (Continued from p. 132.) ON ascending the staircase from the ground-floor, you come to the recently erected picture gallery, which contains many valuable performances. It is composed partly of the treasures of the Capo di Monte, many exquisite pieces of which have however been removed to Palermo, and partly of works that belonged to the suppressed convents and churches, and to various palaces of King Ferdinand's. Though not very rich in productions of the most eminent masters, it nevertheless contains at least a few good pieces of each of the celebrated schools; but it surpasses every other gallery in this particular, that it possesses a complete series of all the works of the Calabrían and Si cilian painters, who are universally distinguished by boldness of composition and force of execution. Here you meet with works and names of extraordinary merit, to which our catalogues of artists and histories of the arts are total strangers. Here are the grandest and most valuable performances of Lanfranco, in which he has represented the romantic wildness of his native country with the greatest energy and in the most finished manner; though in this respect his largest work in the Medina palace at Matera in Calabria, where I saw it, is certainly his master-piece. This gallery is also asserted to possess the Cartoons executed by Coreggio himself for his vast painting for the cupola at Parma. They are certainly beautiful in every respect, and well worthy of notice for this reason, because the painting of the cupola, as I have convinced myself, is become so very dark, that scarcely any of the objects can be discriminated: but whether these Cartoons are really from the pencil of that master is yet doubted. The collection of cork models of the Temple of Pæstum and other ruins, placed in the anti-chamber of this gallery, is likewise deserving of attention. NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 33. [VOL. VI. From this gallery you proceed into the cabinet of Campanian vases and all kinds of household utensils of earthenware and other materials distributed in several spacious and well arranged apartments. Here you find the greatest part of the treasures of Nola, Taranto, Herculaneum, Pompeji, and other places of antiquity, which have become celebrated for the numerous remains discovered there. No other similar cabinet can stand any comparison with this in regard to copiousness. The researches at Pompeji have furnished almost daily contributions, and though these severally considered may seem unimportant, yet each article is of value to those who love to contemplate the domestic usages of antiquity, as tending to render the whole more complete. Not merely one, but several household establishments of very different kinds might be wholly replaced in the state in which they formerly existed. Here you see that of a rustic; there that of an opulent person, with all the luxurious requisites for a splendid entertainment, for bathing, anointing, and for the female toilet. Here, too, are the implements of various artisans, artists, surgeons, and apothecaries. Whatever the ancients while living required in their dwellings, even the furniture of their graves, of the last habitations of those who were initiated into the mysteries of Bacchus, as well as of those who were not-are here exhibited in the greatest variety to the inspection of the curious, on whom, however, they make the less impression, on account of their multiplicity. As to the vases, or the gifts of the initiated which accompanied then to the tomb, these are upon the whole sufficiently well known; but they have not yet been explored with those critical lights which the modern researches of Bottiger, Heeren, Creuzer, Millin, and other antiquaries, have furnished. A complete description of this cabinet, drawn up with the requisite degree of erudition and antiquarian knowledge, would certainly throw new light on many important objects of antiquity, and prove an acceptable present to all the lovers of classic recollections. 20 VOL. VI. 194 Neglect of the Libraries and Literature in Italy. [Oct. 1, Another door leads from the stair-case. Even the Latin works of northern and to the great public library. It is com- particularly German literature, that have posed of the Farnese library, particularly appeared during the last century and a valuable on account of its manuscripts, half, are in very small number. In order of the library of the Jesuits, of that of to ascertain this point I have frequently the palace, and latterly of additions from asked for the editions of Dutch scholars many of the suppressed convents. There of modern times, such as Wittenbach's, is not yet any complete catalogue of the Valkenaer's, &c., for Brunk's, Heyne's, whole library; but catalogues of the va- Gesner's, Ernesti's, Wolf's, and for rious parts of which it is composed, those published by English and French though very defective, are shown. The literati, but every inquiry of the sort total number of works to which places was fruitless. It was in the library of have been assigned, as well as of those St. Mark at Venice alone that I met to which they have not, was stated to me with several of these modern luminaries at 160,000; but upon this subject there of philological literature, the particular seems to be no certainty, and in my opi- patrons and cultivators of which the Itanion the persons appointed to arrange lians are nevertheless solicitous to be considered. Hence it is easy to judge how scantily the libraries of Italy must be supplied with works in the other departments of science, and with the resources connected with them. and take care of them are too few to attain speedily to any thing positive on this subject. Of the more ancient, extensive, and costly works there is no want; but here, as in all the libraries of any consequence in Italy, the funds assigned by the state for the purchase of modern books are inadequate to the purpose. All these libraries were founded by convents or by private persons for their own use, and scarcely ever by kings and princes out of the funds of the state for the public benefit. Such was and such is still in a great measure the case with the Ambrosian at Milan, with that of St. Mark at Venice, with the Laurenzana and Magliabechiana (private libraries) at Florence, with those of S. Maria Sopra Minerva, S. Augustino, Collegio Doria Pamphili, Collegio Romano, the Sapienza, (all conventual libraries,) with the Vatican (the private library of the Popes, out of which no book whatever is allowed to be lent), and with the Barberini and Corsini (private) libraries, in Rome. All these, after the death of their founders, or after the zeal of the societies had cooled, were left destitute of funds for the purchase of modern works. Hence it is that these collections were not adapted to the wants and pursuits of persons of all classes, but merely to those of the founders and their successors. All their revenues were devoted to the purchase of manuscripts both ancient and modern, yet solely in Italian literature, so that to this class alone their additions were confined. As to the productions of foreign literature, especially since the time when the English, French, and Germans began to write in their respective languages, and the best works were published in the peculiar idiom of each of these nations, it would be in vain to look for them. Books of this kind are shewn as rarities only, and such as they have are exclusively French. This poverty is seen even in history, that is to say, as far as regards such works as have appeared for near two centuries past in all the countries of Europe; but in works on every branch of the natural sciences, travels, and belles lettres, they are still more deficient. The decline of the belles lettres and classic literature in Italy, especially in that part of the country situated beyond the Apennines, was followed by the total decline of the libraries, so that several of the most celebrated are not even possessed of the superior editions of their own classics, and very few contain the best works of their modern writers, though these are to be found in foreign collections. In this respect even the university libraries of Padua and Pisa, though better than any of the rest, are greatly deficient. The necessary consequence is that persons of the learned professions are strangers to the progress made since the middle of the 17th century in the sciences, and that among other people of education as they are called, such ignorance prevails as it would be difficult to form a conception of in many other countries of Europe. Were not a high degree of intellectual polish innate, as it were, in the Italianswere not genius and talent in every variety of form the peculiar portion of the people of this country, they would long since have sunk into universal barbarism. Very few, excepting the professed literati, ever think of reading for information; indeed the number of those who read for amusement only is very small. In the Roman as well as in the Neapolitan states there are towns and villages, where, with the exception of the priests 1816.] Herculaneum M.SS. in the Regj Studj at Naples. and two or three persons in official situations, not a creature can read. In the larger towns the most polished circles seek amusement in music and dramatic exhibitions alone. The extent of the reading of females of the highest rank and distinction is confined to their prayers and the legends of their saints; and the ignorance of the other sex, in the higher as well as in the lower classes, is equally deplorable. Two princes of the house of B*** at Rome, one of whom not long since acted a conspicuous political part, were 20 years old before they learned to read, and the elder was 26 when he was taught to write by his wife at Paris. For these reasons the existing public libraries are but little frequented. The farther you proceed from the Alps, the inore they are neglected. There is still some desire of information at Florence; less at Rome; but scarcely any at Naples. In this city I went almost every day to the copious and indeed unique library in the Studj, but in general I was the only visitor, and a kind of phænomenon to the librarians, as they are only accustomed to attend inquisitive strangers through their rooms, like conductors through a cabinet of curiosities. As to the manuscripts in this library, it is in the first place particularly rich in works of the earliest and most eminent classics of Italy. Whoever wishes to publish complete editions of Ariosto, Dante, Tasso, Boccaccio, and Guicciar dini, will here find valuable materials and resources. Here, too, the lovers of Latin and Greek literature may enjoy the advantages of many codices which have never yet been used. Of many of the classics there are several very ancient manuscripts thus, of Horace alone there are five, of Virgil three. In this respect the department of Arabic literature is peculiarly copious. All these treasures, however, lie here disregarded, buried in dust and consumed by insects. A separate entrance conducts to another collection-the only one of its kind in the world--the invaluable collection of the Herculanean manuscripts. It is well known how these are arranged in glass cases, how they are unrolled and decyphered, and what success has hitherto attended these operations. We natives of the north, at least such of us as pretend to any education, have certainly taken a much stronger interest in them than the inhabitants of the very country which possesses these treasures; but as the insignificant results obtained from the unrolling of some of these 195 manuscripts must tend to lessen our expectations from the whole, it may not be amiss to subjoin some reflexions on this' subject. In these remains indisputably lies a hidden treasure for ancient classic literature, the value of which is not duly appreciated; but it is and will remain in the strictest sense of the term a thesaurus carbo, till genius shall find means to obviate the impediments inherent in the process hitherto employed for bringing it to light. Nothing but skill acquired from past experiments; profound philological knowledge; perseverance which overcomes all difficulties; and the support so necessary for the persons engaged in the undertaking, can enable us in time to reap the full benefit of these treasures. It may confidently be asserted, that, notwithstanding the good intentions of the Neapolitan government, the attempts hitherto made have not been of that serious nature which the importance of the subject required; and that to this circumstance must be ascribed the little success which has attended them. On this point three different visits to Naples, which extended in the whole to about six months, and my frequent attendance in this cabinet, have enabled me to speak positively as an eye-witness. I have often been present whole hours during the unrolling of some of the works; I have paid particular attention to the operations of the workman, and conversed both with him and with the director on the obstacles which in this process impede the complete reading of the manuscripts: and my observations have led me to a mode of proceeding confirmed by various experiments, the adoption of which would soon put the public in possession of the contents of these rolls. It is as simple as possible; it seems to be the most natural of any, but probably on this very account it has not yet occurred to the persons engaged in this business. Engravings and descriptions of the machine employed for unrolling these manuscripts have been given in various works. This machine is certainly ingenious, and with the exception of some improvements that might easily be made in it, well adapted to the purpose. It is known from the account given by Winkelmann* that there is no writing on In this account of Winkelmann's there are, however, many inaccuracies, which originated either in a cursory observation, or in the erroneous information received by him at Naples. There they were probably at that time too jealous of those treasures to allow 196 Errors of Winkelmann on the Herculaneum M.SS. these rolls except upon the inner side, from which it must be brought out and rendered visible. It is also known that the writing does not run across the rolls but in columns duly separated from one another, so that, in unrolling, the beginning only, of each line, first makes its appearance. It is known that as soon as the roll is affixed to the machine, the workman begins with applying gum to the outer side, and sticking upon it small oblong stripes of gold-beater's skin, which, being placed close together, gradually impart to the roll such consistency that it may be drawn up by strings, The and removed to another table. them to be minutely examined by such a critic as Winkelmann, who had moreover several enemies among the literati of that city or if this were not the case, many things on which time has thrown light were still enveloped in darkness. In the first place, Winkelmann is wrong when he says that the gum applied to the manuscripts has a loosening, separating, and at the same time adhesive property. This is a contradiction in itself; and if the gum were capable of loosening, this could only be for a few moments while it is fresh. The real use of the gum with which the outer side is besmeared with a brush is merely for the purpose of sticking goldbeater's skin to it; but during the unrolling itself, the inside is wetted with pure water with a pencil, and the natural gum of the paper, exuded during the carbonisation, is damped and carefully scaled off with a lancet. Winkelmann was also wrongly informed, when he says that the interior of the rolls is here and there decayed by water which has penetrated into them, so that when held up to the light they look like tattered rags. Such rolls as have sustained no damage on the outside are also uninjured within. The chasms which are not to be seen till after they are unrolled take place during the process. It is an erroneous notion that humidity, and even torrents of water penetrated with the ashes during the eruption into the library; for the room which contained it was perfectly free from ashes, and must have been securely closed, since, though the entrance was blocked up with heaps of ashes, not the least trace of them was discovered within it. That this room remained free from ashes is indeed evident from Winkelmann's own statement that in the middle of it stood a detached repository of wood, round which the spectator could walk, but which fell to pieces as soon as it was approached. The true notion has at length been adopted at Naples, that Herculaneum, as well as Pompeji, was originally buried by a prodigious fall of ashes, which perfectly agrees with the narrative of the younger Pliny, who, as may be seen in his letters, [Oct. 1, merely mechanical labour being thus finished, the whole is delivered to the engraver, or exhibited to the friends of literature and curious strangers as a new trophy won by the machine. This method is extremely defectiveindeed, I might say destructive; for in this manner it is that the greatest part of the manuscripts are rendered so illegible and so full of holes from the breaking out of pieces during the process, that when they come into the hands of the scholar, but very few lines, and even words, can be made out: he then bas recourse to conjectures, which frequently extend to whole periods, and the result speaks of nothing else. It was not till the shower of ashes was over, and had buried the whole unfortunate town, that this stratum was covered by the torrent of lava, which, slowly descending from the mountain, spread over this quarter, but not over Pompeji. It was this torrent that produced the heat and pressure which gave to the subjacent ashes the compactness of a volcanic tuff, in which respect they differ from the ashes at Pompeji, which are still loose. This effect could not have been produced by torrents of rain or the bursting of clouds, which, whether at that time or since, must have happened at Pompeji as well as at Herculaneum. Thus all that Winkelmann says concerning the bursting of clouds, which according to him inundated Herculaneum at the time of its destruction, penetrated into the library, and damaged the interior of the rolls (though ocular demonstration proves the contrary), is nothing but bold conjecture. In his time such notions might probably be generally entertained at Naples. Pliny says not a word about any such inundation, and on this subject he is the only authority. The carbonisation of the rolls was produced by the operation of the lava through the ashes, and it was the intervention of the latter, together with the exclusion of the air, that saved theni from total destruction. Had they been accessible to humidity they would long since have been annihilated. Winkelmann was equally mistaken when he supposed that these manuscripts were all Greek works, and on philosophical subjects only. How he, who had seen but four small rolls undone, could form such a premature estimate of the value of the whole, it is difficult to conceive. The small Latin poem lately unrolled proves the fallacy of his assertion. That traces of humidity are to be found in some of the Herculaneum manuscripts is true; they are not frequent, and are owing, as I was informed at Naples, to the damp vault at Portici, in which they were deposited after their removal from Herculaneum, and before the room in which they were formerly kept at Portici was prepared for their reception. |