Antiquities found: Dry Summer. Among other consequences of the dryness of the last Summer, the extraordinary lowness of water in the river Rhone, laid dry much of the marshy lands near that river, wherein was formerly found the beautiful statue known by the name of the Venus of Arles. The inhabitants recollecting their former good fortune, have taken advantage of circumstances to direct their researches and diggings in the same spot; and they have met with success. Among other things obtained, is a Vase, three feet high, of elegant form and workmanship; also, fragments of Architecture, lamps, cinerary and lachrymatory urns, coins, a medal of Constantine, &c. Theatrical Novelties; various. At Paris were presented during the course of 1818 one hundred and thirty four new pieces, on the various Theatres of that city. The Opera, or as it is more loyally styled, the Royal Academy of Music, gave two Operas and three Ballets, -the Theatre Francois gave seven new Comedies; Feydeau gave eleven Comic Operas; Favart gave twenty-two Comedies; the Vaudeville gave twenty two Comedies, historical facts, vaudevilles, anecdotes, episodes, reviews, &c.; the Variétés gave twenty pieces of divers characters: the Theatre of Porte St. Martin gave thirteen Melodramas, Comedies or Vaudevilles; the Gaieté fourteen; the Ambigu ten; the Olympic Circus, although shut during a great part of the year, gave five new pantomimes. Of these hundred and thirty-four novelties, not so many as fifteen have held possession of the Theatre; and not so many as five have merit sufficient to justify their reception as stock pieces. New Religious Journal, The Bible Society at Strasburgh has charged M. C. G. Krafft with the Editorship of a journal in the German language, in which accounts will be given of the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures, and of the general state of Christianity among all nations. New Publication. At Leipsick has lately commenced publication a General Repertory of the most recent Literary works of Germany, including also foreign countries. It is formed by the contributions of several men of letters; and gives a rapid view of the principal contents of the most valuable productions in most branches of literature. GREECE. Architect: Studies of. Letters from Corfou dated in January last, inform us that, M. Gerasimos Pizzamanos, a native of Cephalonia, and formerly pupil of M. Percier of the French Institution, and of the French Academy at Rome, has returned from traversing various districts of Greece and Asia Minol, where he has visited numerous monuments of Antiquity. He is now at Corfou, with his port-folio filled with a great number of The Government beautiful drawings. confided to him the undertaking of furnishing plans for the palace of the Grand Master of the new Order of St. Michael and St. George; and his designs having been adopted, he has also been employed to make drawings for a new Grand Colin which, no doubt, he will display addilege, and for other public establishments; tional proofs of his natural talent, cultiand much reflection; and we may again vated and improved by extensive study see the Fine Arts of Greece revive, and perhaps establish themselves, in their native soil. ITALY. Experimental Farm: resolved on. The Royal Society of Agriculture of the department of the Higher Garonne, persuaded that the best theories ought not to be generally received, until after they have The Emperor of Austria has given dibeen subjected to the test of positive ex-rections for the Establishment at Milan, periment, has undertaken to establish a of a professorship of Chemistry applicable farm for the purpose of making such exto the Fine Arts. periments in Agriculture as to the majority of the body may appear to be useful. GERMANY. At Breslau has been published, by J. G. Busching, Researches on the life of the Germans in the middle ages; including their Arts, and the extent of their knowledge, with lithographic prints; the first volume. At Naples the art of Lithography has obtained patronage; and presses are established for the practice of it; from which valuable results are expected. RUSSIA. · Manufactures: liberty of following. It is, probably, known to our readers, that not every individual of the communi dinavia, by Scandinavia intending the now United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway. Cataract, extensive. ty in Russia was allowed to engage in such manufactures and arts as his inclination might lead him to that was a privilege attached to the nobility, and to men of business, who were members of the first and the second body of Artizans. The mines of Sweden have long been The Emperor Alexander has removed known as the great source of wealth to this obstacle to the free exercise of genius, that country; and with design to promote by an Imperial Ukase, dated December them more effectually, Commissaries 28, 1818. O. S. by which the peasantry of have been sent into Lapland in order to the Empire are allowed to establish ma-institute mineralogical researches. nufactories and warehouses at their own late Report of these Commissaries takes pleasure. This cannot but prove an ad-particular notice of a cataract in the ditional stimulus to industry. This order contains five articles, the first of which exempts peasants who establish works, during the first four years of the existence of such works, from all imposts to which peasants engaged in commerce are subjected by the laws of February 11, and December 19, 1812. A Lulen, which may well pass for the largest in Europe. It is nearly a quarter of a league in breadth. The neighbouring inhabitants call it Neomelsaskas; the hare's leap. DISCOVERIES OF ANTIQUITIES IN New Institution: Mineralogical. An occasional visit to the British The extensive Empire of Russia conMuseum has reminded us that we have tains, beyond all question, Minerals of various, and of the most valuable kinds, connot yet noticed, in a regular manner, cealed in different parts of its soil. To the labours performed under British discover them is difficult; to work them patronage, with their results, in that profitably is still more difficult. The Em-scene of wonders the land of Egypt. peror has, however, endeavoured to meet The Egyptian Room in our National this difficulty by extending his patronage Repository has received an interesting to a Society instituted for the purpose of exploring the Mineral riches of Russia. addition in a colossal bust, very imThis Society is yet young: it celebrated properly, and indeed, unhappily, called January 7, the second anniversary of its a young Memnon." Whatever it foundation, with much solemnity. It has really was, it is a wonderful instance been observed, that among its members of art and labour. It demonstrates the may be found the knowledge of all lan-truth of travellers' accounts concerning guages. This particular cannot but prove of essential use to a country the districts of which are so unlike each other; and where the indications of peculiar productions will naturally be expressed by very unlike denominations and terms; and where, also, the peasantry in the neighbourhood, and others equally ignorant, are likely to be the persons from whom the first intelligence of the contents of the soil around them, may be obtained. The language of science, though now general throughout the world, is not sufficient for the discoveries wished for in localities so barbarous, and so difficult of access. SWEDEN. New Publications. M. Liljegren has lately published at Stockholm, the first volume of Scandinavian Fables, with historical notes: including the fable of Gange-Rolf. The volume is ornamented with several plates. Dr. Djuberg, has published at Stockholm, a Geographical Dictionary of Scan other colossal figures, since the whole The following article describing | conceived, when we state that on comother exploits of this singular discoverer, mencing his operations the bed of loose is partly copied from a contemporary sand which he had to clear away was upjournal, and partly enlarged from a wards of fifty feet deep. He carried hence foreign communication. The whole con- two lions with the heads of vultures, and tains unusual interest. a small statue of Jupiter Ammon. From the superior style of sculpture found in this temple to any thing yet met with in Egypt, Mr. Salt infers that the arts de From Thebes M. Belzoni proceeded to Nubia, to examine the great Temple of Ybsambul [Ibsambul, Ebsambul, or Ab-scended hither from Ethiopia. simbul], which lies buried more than twice its height in the sands near the second cataract. On this occasion, however, he was unable to effect any thing, and therefore returned to Thebes, where he employed himself in new researches at the temple of Karnack. Here, several feet under ground, he found surrounded by a wall a range of sphynxes, about forty in number, with heads of lions on busts of women, of black granite, and for the greater part beautifully executed. Mrs. Belzoni succeeded in digging up at the same place a white marble statue of Jupiter Ammon holding a ram's head on his knees. And on his second journey to Thebes in 1817, M. Belzoni discovered a colossal head of Orus, of fine granite, larger than the Memnon, measuring ten feet from the neck to the top of the mitre with which it is crowned, exquisitely finished and in fine preservation. He carried with him to Cairo one of the arms belonging to this M. Belzoni, by a kind of tact which seems to be peculiarly his own, discovered, on his return to Thebes, six tombs in the valley of Biban El Moluck, the Tombs [or rather Gates] of the Kings, (in a part of the mountains where ordinary observers would hardly have sought for such excavations,) all in a perfect state, not having been viewed by previous intruders, and giving a wonderful display of Egyptian magnificence and posthumous splendour. From the front entrance to the innermost statue. As he succeeded so well in re moving the Memnon, may we not hope that he will be encouraged also to attempt the removal of this head, and that we may ere long see it placed beside its colossal brother in the British Museum? After this, M. Belzoni proceeded again to Nubia, and, in spite of many hindrances and much inhospitality which he experienced, succeeded in opening the celebrated temple of Ybsambul, which no European had ever before entered. In this temple (the largest and most wonderful excavation in Egypt, or in Nubia) he found fourteen chambers and a great hall, and in the latter, standing, eight colossal figures, each thirty feet high. The walls and pilasters are covered with hieroglyphics beautifully cut, and groups of large figures in fine preservation. At the end of the sanctuary he found four sitting figures about twelve feet high, cut out of the natural rock and well preserved. Belzoni's labour may be chamber in one of them, the length of passage, cut through the solid rock, is 309 feet: the chambers, which are numerous, cut in a pure white rock, are covered with paintings al fresco, well executed, and colours as fresh as if newly laid on. In with hieroglyphics quite perfect, and the one of these chambers he found an exquisitely beautiful sarcophagus of alabaster, nine feet five inches long, three feet nine inches wide, and two feet one inch high, covered within and without with hiero glyphics in intaglio, sounding like a bell, and as transparent as glass-supposed by M. Belzoni to have been a depository of the remains of Apis. In the innermost room he found the carcase of a bull embalmed with asphaltum, which seems to give some confirmation to his idea. We are happy to learn that this matchless production is now on its way to England, to be placed by the side of the sarcophagus supposed to have contained the remains of Alexander. Mr. Salt, assisted by Mr. Beechey (son of the well-known artist of the same name), has, with much labour and care, copied several of the paintings within this tomb, which will by and by be given to the public. These paintings are quite fresh and perfect. The colours employed are "vermillion, ochres, and indigo;" and yet they are not gaudy, owing to the judicious balance of colours and the artful management of the blacks. It is quite obvious [says Mr. Salt.] that | wards, and uncovering the face of the they worked on a regular system, which had for its basis, as Mr. West would say, the colours of the rainbow; as there is not an ornament throughout their dresses where the red, yellow and blue are not alternately mingled, which produces a harmony, that in some of the designs is really delicious. It is a curious fact, that in one of the Theban tombs two statues of wood, a little larger than life, were found as perfect as if newly carved, excepting the sockets of the eyes, which had been of metal, pro-bably copper. We have to mention another successful labour of M. Belzoni, perhaps the most singular, because, to all appearance, absolutely hopeless and unpromising the opening of the second pyramid of Ghiza, known by the name of Cephrenes. According to Herodotus, (whose information has generally been found correct,) this pyramid was constructed without any internal chambers. M. Belzoni, however, believed the fact might be otherwise; and having reasons of his own for commencing his operations at a certain point, he began his labours, with so much foresight as actually to dig directly down upon a forced entrance. But even after this success, none but a Belzoni would have had the perseverance to pursue the labour required to perfect the discovery. It was by attending to the same kind of indications which had led him so successfully to explore the six tombs of the kings in Thebes, that he was induced to commence his operations on the north side. He set out from Cairo on the 6th of February, 1818, pretending (as he did not wish to be interrupted by visitors) that he was going to a neighbouring village. He then repaired to the Kaia Bey, and gained permission; the Bey having first satisfied himself that there was no tilled ground within a considerable distance of Ghiza. On the 10th of February he began with six labourers in a vertical section, at right angles to the north side of the base, cutting through a mass of stones and cement which had fallen from the upper part of the pyramid, now so completely agglutinated together as to spoil the mattocks, &c. employed in the operation. He persevered in making an opening fifteen feet wide, working down pyramid. During the first week there was but little prospect of meeting with any thing interesting; but on the 17th one of the Arabs employed called out with great vociferation that he had found the entrance. He had in fact come upon a hole into which he could thrust his arm and a djerid six feet long. Before night they ascertained that an aperture was there about three feet square, which had been closed irregularly with a hewn stone: this being removed, they reached a larger M. Belzoni was now satisfied that this opening, filled with rubbish and sand. was not the real but a forced passage. Next day they had penetrated fifteen feet, where stones and sand began to fall from above: this was removed; but still they continued to fall in large quantities, when after some more days labour he discovered an upper forced entrance, communicating with the outside from above. Having cleared this, he found another opening running inward, which proved on further search to be a continuation of the lower horizontal forced passage, nearly all choked up with rubbish: this being removed, he discovered about half way from the outside a descending forced passage which terminated at the distance of forty feet. He now continued to work in the horizontal passage, in hope that it might lead to the centre, but it terminated at the depth of ninety feet; and he found it prudent not to force it further, as the stones were very loose over head, and one actually fell, and nearly killed one of the people. He therefore now began clearing away the aggregated stones and lime to the eastward of the forced entrance; but by this time his retreat had been discovered, and he found himself much interrupted by visitors. On the 28th of February he discovered at the surface of the pyramid a block of granite having the same direction as that of the passage of the first pyramid, or that of Cheops; and he now hoped that he was not far from the true entrance. Next day he removed some large blocks, and on the 2d of March he entered the true passage, an opening four feet high and three feet and a half wide, formed by four blocks of granite, and continued descending at an angle of about 26° to the length of Uleg Bey, &c.); and on other parts of the walls inscriptions, supposed by M. Belzoni to be in Coptic. He now returned to the descending passage at the bottom of the above-mentioned perpendicular. Its angle is about 26°: at the end of forty-eight feet and a half it becomes horizontal, still going north fifty 104 feet five inches, lined all the length with granite. From this passage he had to remove the stones with which it was filled; and at its bottom was a door or portcullis of granite (fitted into a niche, also made of granite) supported at the height of eight inches by small stones placed under it. Two days were occupied in raising it high enough to admit of enfive feet, in the middle of which horizontal trance. This door is one foot three inches part there is a recess to the east, eleven feet thick, and with the granite niche occupies deep, and a passage to the west, twenty seven feet of the passage, where the granite feet, which descends into a chamber, thirtywork ends, and a passage, twenty-two two feet long, nine feet nine inches wide, feet seven inches leading towards the and eight and a half high. In this room centre commences; at the end of which were only a few small square blocks of is a perpendicular descent of fifteen stone, and on the walls some unknown infeet. On the left is a small forced scriptions. He now returned to the horipassage cut in the rock, and above on the zontal part; and advanced north, ascending right a forced passage running upward at an angle of 60°; and in this, at a short and turning to the north thirty feet, just distance from the horizontal part, he met over the portcullis. At the bottom of the with another niche, which had been forperpendicular, after removing some rub-merly furnished with a granite door, the bish, he found the entrance of another passage which inclined northward. quitting this for the present, he followed his prime passage, which took a horizontal direction, and at the end of it, 158 feet eight inches from the above-mentioned perpendicular, he entered a chamber fortysix feet three inches long, sixteen feet three inches wide, and twenty-three feet six inches in height, for the greater part cut out of the rock; and in the middle of this room he found a sarcophagus of granite, eight feet long, three feet six inches wide, and two feet three inches deep inside, surrounded by large blocks of granite, as if to prevent its being removed. The lid had been opened, and he found in the interior a few bones which he supposed to be human: but some of them having been since brought to England by Capt. Fitzclarence, who was afterwards in this pyra-in breadth: (weight 120 tons.) mid, and one of them (a thigh bone) having on examination by Sir Everard Home been found to have belonged to a cow, we may doubt whether any of them ever be-debted for so many discoveries, is a native M. Belzoni, to whom the world is in But longed to a human subject. The size indeed of the coffin seems better fitted for the reception of a cow than of a man. fragments of which were still there: at forty-seven feet and a half from this niche, the passage was filled with large stones to close the entrance, which issues out precisely at the base of the pyramid. All the works below the base are cut in the rock, as well as part of the passages and chambers. the pyramid, he opened the foundation By clearing away the earth eastward of and part of the walls of an extensive temple, which stood before it at the distance of forty feet; and laid bare a pavement composed of fine blocks of calcareous stone, some of them beautifully cut and in fine preservation. This platform probably goes round the whole pyramid. The stones composing the foundation of the temple are very large-one which he measured was 21 feet long, 10 high, and 8 he was in Edinburgh, where he exhibited of the Papal States. About nine years ago feats of strength, and experiments in hydraulics, musical glasses and phantasmagoria, which he afterwards repeated in Ireland and the Isle of Man, whence he On the west wall of this chamber is an Arabic inscription, testifying that this pyramid was opened by the Masters Mahomet El Aghar and Othman, and inspect-proceeded to Lisbon, where he was ened in the presence of the Sultan Ali Mahomet the 1st, Ugloch (a Tartaric title, as gaged by the manager of the theatre of San Carlos, to appear in Valentine and |