Doubling the Eastern point of the isle of Bua, M. CASSAS soon came in sight of Spalatro, which is the key of Venetian Dalmatia; and his attention was attracted by the maritime façade of the palace of Dioclesian, as well as by the very noble and picturesque scenery which forms the back ground. As this imperial palace at Spalatro (in Latin Spalatum, corrupted from palatium, so that the place derives its name from the building,) is one of the noblest fragments of antiquity in Europe, and as little more than its outside walls and colonade remain, (the inside being occupied by modern erections,) M. CASSAS, or his editor, undertakes to give an idea of what it was when it was inhabited by Dioclesian. Its shape is that of a parallelogram, 630 feet long by 5 10 broad, with the principal front to wards the sea; adorned with a noble colonade, in good preservation, consisting originally of fifty pillars, of which fortytwo remain. This colonade formed a gallery twenty-five feet broad, running the whole length of the building; and behind this gallery (dans le double), were the apartments chiefly occupied by Dioclesian himself. At each angle of the palace, was a square tower; two of them being four and two only three stories high. A portico or colonade ran along the inside of the walls, facing to the north and the west, only interrupted by the grand entrances, behind which were the stairs leading to the principal lodging rooms, or bed-chambers. On entering the Porta Aurea, a large street presented itself to view, consisting of a vast portico, which led to the peristile of the palace, properly 30 called. This street was intersected at right angles, nearly in the middle, by another street, formed in the same manner with pillars, and running from east to west. Thus, if we approached by the Porta Aurea, or golden gate, we should have on the right and on the left two noble piles of buildings, of equal size, but differing in internal distribution. Those on the right were designed for the women, and those on the left for the principal officers in the Emperor's service.-Passing beyond the cross street, we come to a superb colonade, terminated by the steps at the front of the pediment; under the colonade is seen on one side the temple of Esculapius, and on the other that of Jupiter, or more probably of Diana. The portico at the entrance of the Emperor's apartments was supported by four pillars, and led to a circular vestibule, lighted from the top, and decorated with statues. This vestibule again opened into the grand hall of the palace, which measured 9, feet by 75: the root or cieling supported by six immense pillars on either side. This great hall was styled, by the Romans, the Atrium.

The writer then proceeds to particularize the distribution of the other parts of this vast palace, and illustrates

his

his explanations by a ground-plan of the whole : but, as he must have been often guided by conjecture in this undertaking, we shall excuse ourselves from following him farther into the detail. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the private life of the Romans, to arrange the disposition of their apart

ments.

We must omit also the explanations of various inscriptions and bas-reliefs, in order to accompany the voyager to the end of his tour.

M. CASSAS left Spalatro to visit Salone, a place only four miles distant, where Dioclesian was born, and where he resided during the building of his palace. Its present state of ruin and desolation, and especially the confusion in which the sepulchral monuments lie, excite reflections on the dignity of man, and on the immortality of the soul.-Hence we attend him to the great cascade of Cettina, or Titurus; the waters of which, being the issue of a subterraneous river, flow, or rather are dashed from rock to rock, in a country singularly wild, broken, and picturesque, and yield trout which were celebrated in the time of the Romans. This cascade, it is observed, bears no resemblance to that of Scardona, or Kirka, above described, Here every thing is terrific and horrible. The gloominess of the deep channel through which the waters rush along; the blackness of the abyss into which they precipitate themselves; and the sterile nakedness of the enormous rocks piled perpendicularly one on the other, to a most tremendous height; seem to exhibit the remains of a rebellious effort of the Titans against the Gods; and to give an idea, not of the reign of Nature, but of that of Chaos.'

Towards the middle of July, M. CASSAS, fatigued by continued exertions, meditated a return. Having, therefore, gratified his curiosity at Cettina, and at the fortress of Clissa, he came back to Spalatro; where he remained a few days to rest himself, and to make his acknowlegements for the civilities which he had received from the men of learning and others in that city. On the 24th he embarked on his return to Trieste, and to Venice. He touched again at Pola, and staid there some days, in order to finish his drawings of its antiquities; and on the 10th of August 1782, he and M. Grapin, the ingenious companion of his voyage, arrived at Trieste. In the neighbourhood of this last mentioned city, his active pencil was employed in sketching the romantic chateau of Lueg or Predjama, the castle of Novoscollio, and the Grotto into which the Ruecca precipitates itself. At the end of the month he returned to Venice and to Rome, where he arranged that rich collection of drawings which is here presented to the public.

It

It is impossible not to admire the extreme activity of M. CASSAS: who, in so short a space of time, visited so many places, and executed such a number of designs; and while we are disposed to offer every tribute of praise to the indefatigable perseverance of this ingenious artist, we cannot but admire the superb manner in which his labours are exhibited to the world, and acknowlege the abilities of the editor or compiler of the narrative. Sixty plates, most beautifully engraven, enrich the volume: but we have extended this article to so great a length, that we must not farther protract it by an enumeration of the subjects which they exhibit.

We need scarcely remark that the editor has availed himself of the works of Spon and Fortis, since he very ingenuously makes his acknowlegements: but we must observe that he has sufficiently manifested his own erudition and taste; and all who peruse this volume will own themselves greatly indebted to M. CASSAS and him, for so large a share of instruction and entertainment.

ART. II. Traité Théorique et Pratique, &c. i. e. A Theoretical and Practical Treatise on the Culture of the Vine; with the Art of making Wine, Brandy, Ardent Spirits, and simple and compound Vinegar. By M. CHAPTAL, Minister of the Interior, &c. the Abbé RoZIER, Member of several Academies, &c. and MM. PARMENTIER and DUSSIEUX; the former, Member of the National Institute; and the latter, of the Agricultural Society of Paris. 2d Edit. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris. 1801. Imported by De Boffe, London. Price 15s. sewed.

THE

HE history of an elegant plant, which, under the direction of man, has contributed to his enjoyment, and more or less has influenced his character and institutions, cannot fail to interest the generality of readers. In a country, especially, in which the vine has long formed an object of favourite culture and of commercial resource, all important information concerning it will naturally be received with eagerness. Among the mass of French onologists, Olivier de Serres and Maupin merited and obtained the suffrages of their countrymen but it cannot be denied that even the language of the former has become nearly obsolete; and that the latter, though he pointed to much consecrated abuse, and suggested wholesome reforms, attempted to establish positions which experience has proved to be untenable: while neither could avail himself of those lights which may now be derived from the study of chemistry and the physiology of vegetables. Hence, no doubt, the rapidity with which the first edition of the volumes now

before

before us has disappeared, and which has precluded all leisure for correction or alteration in the course of a second impres sion *.

We learn, from the introduction, that M. DUSSIEUX, who arranged and extended the posthumous notes of the celebrated Abbé ROZIER, collected from the printed and manuscript materials of his deceased friend all that portion of the work which relates to the culture of the Vine, the requisite apparaa tus of the wine cellar, and the practical details of distilling brandy; that M. CHAPTAL, under the modest title of essayhas exhibited a complete system of Wine-making; and that M. PARMENTIER, whose researches have been uniformly directed to objects of utility, has not disdained to teach the most approved methods of obtaining Vinegar.

The following leading doctrines of the Abbé RozIER are ably discussed and illustrated in the sequel:

In order to obtain a salutary and desirable wine, which may bear carriage by sca, no trouble must be spared to ensure the maturity of the grape; since, in this state, it abounds with the mucous saccha rine principle, that only genuine clement of the spirituous quality and flavor of wine. Promote the ebullition of the first fermentation; and, at the critical moment, remove the liquor from the vat, and carefully prevent the evaporation of the superabundant air and oxygene.'

The preliminary observations will be found highly worthy of perusal; yet we must be allowed to question whether the present practice of vine-farming in France, with all its imperfetions, (and they are many,) be really inferior to that of former periods. The eulogy on English agriculture would have afforded us more sincere satisfaction, had we been conscious that it is altogether consistent with fact: but the extraordinary produce of some virgin lands forms no criterion of the general state of husbandry in a country; whereas the average returns throughout England are, we apprehend, extremely moderate; and the routine of old practices reigns triumphant, with an expenditure of animal strength that is altogether inexcusable. In many districts, the winnowing machine, so common on the north side of the Tweed, is unknown; and Berwick may now give lessons to Norfolk.

In chap. 1. we meet with some interesting and authentic notices relative to the history of the vine in France. Its total extirpation, in consequence of an order from Domitian, and its partial destruction under Charles IX. are recorded in the

*We state this fact on the authority of the publishers. See the advertisement on the back of the cover.

language

language of merited censure. Though,' continues the writer, the knowlege of two centuries might have diffused sound principles of political and rural economy, we find Lewis XV. in 1731, issuing a prohibition against new vineyards.-But why have recourse to constraint? why, for ever, discourage the cultivator, and prevent him from turning his fields to the best possible account, that he may ease the burden which weighs him to the ground? Surely he knows the nature of his soil better than others,-statesmen not excepted.'

In this chapter, also, the lover of claret may freely indulge in a succinct and well appreciated statement of the most noted varieties of his darling beverage; and he may, perhaps, derive no small comfort from the reflection that Medoc, Grave, &c. of prime quality, may be more easily procured in London than in Bourdeaux.

In a note subjoined to p. 11. M. ROZIER, or his editor, adverts to the former existence of vineyards in England; and, like most French writers, he makes very free with British names; Chipping-Norton being converted into Lhippin-Norton, Madox into Medoc, and the Hon. Daines Barrington into a Dean! (le Doyen B.) This last mistake reminds us of la Derniere Chemise de l'Amour (Love's Last Shift.)

The 2d chap. is chiefly of a statistical complexion, and exhibits, in a series of tables, the average expence of labour per acre (arpent) of vine ground, and the amount of net produce, in different parts of the country. To these are annexed two particular statements; the first, of the quantity of wine, brandy, liqueurs, and vinegar, exported from France in 1778; and the second, the amount of the same articles exported towards the beginning and end of the 18th century. Though such tables are unsusceptible of analysis or abridgement, they become highly interesting in an economical point of view. From the text, we may collect that, in the management of wine crops, the quantity of the produce is increased at the expence of the quality, and vice versa; that, in France, the monks possessed the most extensive and most productive vineyards, yielding, usually, from nine to twelve per cent.; and that the annual home consumption and the demand from abroad would require two millions seven hundred and forty-three acres allotted to the vine alone, instead of one million six hundred thousand, the present number. The late Mr. Hume, if we rightly recollect, somewhere insinuates that France will become impoverished in proportion to the multiplication of her vineyards. This we would neither affirm, on the one hand; nor would we presume to set limits to such multiplication, on the other: but we would plead in behalf of the operation of that enlight APP. REV. VOL. XXXVIII. ened

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