Russian Statistics.-Population return. From the official statement published by the Synod (which however includes only the members of the Russian Greek church) it appears that in the year 1820, there were in the whole empire Born, males, 827,729; females, 742,670-total 1,570,399. Diedmales, 467,683; females, 449,997 -total 917,680-Excess of births, 652,719. The births were 48,265 more than in the year 1819; yet notwithstanding the increase of population, the deaths were 1,429 fewer than in 1819. The deaths of male children under five years of age were 243,029; being above one half of the whole. Among the males who died in the same year (the ages of the females are not stated), 807 had attained an age of above 100 years; 301, 105; 143, 110; 78, 115; 41, 120; 14, 125; 7, 130; 4, 135; 1, between 140 and 145. Lutheran, and other communities; the number of deaths was 9,706. In Education in Portugal.-Portugal contains 873 elementary schools; in 266 of which, Latin is taught, and in 21, Greek and Rhetoric; in 27, Philosophy, natural and moral. At Coimbra, there is a university, directed by six of the faculty, and a preparatory college for students.-The university and college together contain, annually, from 1,280 to 1,600 students. 1819, all these establishments were attended by 31,401 pupils. Besides these national institutions, there are several others, where youth are educated for particular professions, such as the Marine and Commercial Academies at Porto, which contained 315 students in 1820; and the Academy at Lisbon, in which there were 315 students in 1821. The Commercial Academy at Lisbon is attended annually by 150 pupils. In the same city, there are, the The greatest number of those Royal College of Nobles, the Roywho attained the age of above al Academy for the Arabian lanninety years, in proportion to the guage, the Royal School of Civil population, was in the govern- Architecture and Drawing, a Royments of Tambof, Kaluga, and al School for Sculpture, another Kasan; the fewest in Archangel, for Engraving, an Institution for Woronesch, and the Ukraine. In Music, and several other public the governments of St. Peters- Institutions of less note. The burg, Moscow, Archangel, and Military School for mutual instrucMohilew, no person attained the tion, to which are admitted the age of a hundred years. It is to children of citizens, had 2,518 be observed, that if we except the scholars in 1818, and this number ten first years of infancy, the has much increased since. The greatest mortality takes place be- Royal Academy of Sciences at tween the ages of sixty and sixty- Lisbon has published, annually, five; for in this period the deaths memoirs not less learned than useof the male sex were 17,460, that ful, on every branch of knowledge. is, the 27th part of the whole. The Portugueze have lately formThe marriages were 317,805, cd several literary societies, among being 22,470 fewer than in 1819. which are, The Patriotic Literary In St. Petersburg, in 1821, the Society, and the Society of Ennumber of births was 8,504; in-couragement, at Lisbon. The ancluding, however, the Catholic, nual average of books printed in Portugal, between 1805 and 1819, amounts to ninety-four. But liberty has conferred new energies on the press and genius of Portugal; and the publications, within the two last years, have been trebled, besides the increase of journals and newspapers. Petition of Haydon. "To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled. "The humble petition of Benjamin Robert Haydon, Historical Painter, late of Lisson-grove North, now in the King's-bench prison; "Sheweth,That it is now seven years since the committee for the purchase of Elgin marbles, in dismissing the subject of their deliberation, submitted to the attentive consideration of the house how highly the cultivation of the Fine Arts had contributed to the reputation, character, and dignity of every government by which they had been encouraged, and how intimately they were connected with the advancement of every thing valuable in science literature, or art.' "That though this recommendation of the honourable committee excited the hopes and ambition of all those who were desirous of seeing their country distinguished by excellence in the arts, no further notice has been taken of the subject; and that, under the sanction of this recommendation, your petitioner presumes to hope that permission will be granted to him to bring so interesting a subject before the attention of your honourable house. "That as the said committee has admitted the importance of the arts to every thing valuable in science and literature, any attempt to prove their importance to a country would be superfluous; but that, in addition to the benefits which have always accrued to every nation by which the arts have been successfully protected, the improvement of its manufactures cannot be denied nor overlooked. That there are two ways in which your petitioner presumes to think a successful excitement to the genius of the country towards historical painting could be given, viz. the purchase and presentation of pictures to adorn the altars of churches, or the sides of public halls, and the employment of artists of distinguished reputation to produce them. That, were such an example given by your honourable house, the corporate authorities of the most distinguished towns would immediately follow it, as they are doing and have done with regard to the encouragement of sculpture. "That had your hon. house done nothing whatever for any art or science, historical painting could not complain; but as your hon. house has for 50 years bestowed the most liberal patronage on sculpture, as examples have been purchased for its improvement, and galleries built for their reception, your petitioner appeals to the feelings of justice in your hon. house, whether the English historical painters, who, without one public act in their favour, have rescued. their country from the stigma of incapacity which so long hung over it in the opinion of foreign nations, do not deserve to share some part of the favour of your hon. house so liberally bestowed on another department. "That were there no pictures in churches, no music, or no sculp ture, painting could not object to share exclusion with her sister arts; but that as sculpture, and music, and painting are admitted, and as many of the highest authorities in the Church have expressed their approbation at such admission, your petitioner earnest ly hopes that your honourable house will not think it a subject over which you ought to have no control. That most of the historical productions painted in this country, by which its reputation has been raised, have been executed, not as in Italy and Greece, in consequence of encouragement, but in spite of difficulties. That Barry painted the Adelphi for nothing; that Hogarth adorned the Foundling for nothing; that Reynolds offered to grace St. Paul's by his pencil, and yet was refused. That historical pictures the full size of life being inadmissible into private houses from the nature of their execution, and such pictures being the only ones that have given countries their fame, where art has flourished; as the leading authorities of those countries were always the patrons of such productions, and from the expense attendant on their execution could alone be so, your petitioner humbly hopes your honourable house will not think it beneath its dignity to interfere, and by a regular distribution of a small part of the public wealth, place historical painting and its professors on a level with those of the other departments of the arts. "That your petitioner (if he may be permitted to allude to his own misfortunes), has devoted 19 years to the study of historical painting; that his productions have been visited by thousands in England and in Scotland; that he has received signs of regard and esti mation from many of the most celebrated men in Europe; that the day after he was imprisoned, he was greeted by a distinguished honour from a foreign academy; but that historical pictures of the size of life being ill-adapted to private patronage, he has been overwhelmed by the immense expense of such undertakings. That he has been torn from his home and his studies; and all the materials of his art, collected with the greatest care from all parts of the world, the savings and accumulation of his life, have been seized. That he is now in the King'sbench, separated from his family and his habits of employment, and will have to begin life again, with his prospects blighted, and the means by which alone he could pursue his art, scattered and destroyed. "That your petitioner prays you would take the situation of the art into your consideration, more especially at a time when large sums are expending upon the erection of new churches, a very inconsiderable fraction of which would improve those sacred edifices, and effectually rescue historical painting and its professors from their present state of discouragement. And he humbly prays you to appoint such a committee as investigated the subject of the Elgin marbles, to inquire into the state of encouragement of historical painting, and to ascertain the best method of preventing, by moderate and judicious patronage, those who devote their lives to such honourable pursuits, so essential (as your committee has affirmed) to science, literature, and art, from ending their days in prison and in disgrace. And your petitioner will ever pray, &c. &c. "B. R. HAYDON." POETRY. STYRIAN EVENING-HYMN TO THE VIRGIN. From "A Tour in Germany and some of the Southern Provinces of the FADING, still fading, the last beam is shining; Safety and innocence fly with the light, Temptation and danger walk forth with the night; From the fall of the shade, till the matin shall chime, Ave Maria! hear when we call, Mother of him, who is brother of all: Feeble and failing, we trust in thy might; In doubting and darkness, thy love be our light; Then on delight for ever fled They cast a melancholy view, Where, as on pictures of the dead, The likeness makes the sorrow true. But could'st thou from thy page efface What brings regret, remorse, or shame, Nor all our wandering steps retrace, Then mortals might endure thy name. MEMORY. And what art thou, vain Hope? a cheat: Soon as the hop'd-for thing appears, And is no more the fancied good. That which they loathe, despise, detest. True, sister, true! in every age With Wisdom's joy and Reason's care. Emmas and Lauras at thy shrine Attend, and deem thy answers true, And, calling Hope a power divine, Their Corydons and Damons view. And girls at school and boys at taw, Seduced by thy delusive skill, Think life is love, and love is law, And they may choose just whom they will. HOPE. Say is not mine the early hold On man? whose heart I make my own |