to a second son, Messer Valerio, an acute genius, who communicates the work to his friend Messer Casti, our poet, during his travels in Malta. This prologue, of one hundred and three stanzas, closes with an apology for the 'strano linguaggio,' the outlandish gibberish, frequently employed in the work. In the 'età pre-Adamitica,' usages and diction of a different nature prevailed: these the author discovers; but he is obliged to adopt the modern titles of majesty, count, baron, general, colonel, &c. because the devil himself knows not what titles were then in use-neppure il diavolo li sa.' We have led our readers cautiously around the suburbs. In exploring the city itself, we shall not examine minutely every street and alley in this metropolis of politics. We shall pause at the entrance, take a general view of the place, and wander at random. The work comprises a preface, twenty-seven cantos of animali parlanti,' a supplemental canto, four distinct apologues, and a few notes illustrative of the text. No arguments are prefixed to the cantos: the subjects we now enumerate:-Debates among the animals on forms of government and the choice of a king-election of a despotic monarch, the lion-his court and regulations-court of the lioness-coronation-levee, paw-licking (our kissing hands), and public dinner-death of the lionregency of the lioness-education of the young lion-club in opposition to the queen-regent-wars among the animals-gallantry and licentiousness at the court of the lioness-alliancesneutrality, and court-banqueting-negotiations-mythology, religious ceremonies-manifestoes-forced levies-marches of armies-defeats, battles-throne vacant-funereal rites of the second lion-mediations-deputies, conspiracies, general assemblies-deliberations and various opinions of quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles, on systems of liberty and manner of governmentand a conclusion of the work, by a convulsion of nature, which disperses the deliberating assembly. the subjects which we have particularised, with the preface, and supplemental canto before unfolded, our readers will be enabled to perceive that the poet has skimmed the whole region of politics, through every vicissitude of season. Before we terminate our remarks, we shall elucidate the manner in which his narrative is conducted, in a rapid progress through the first canto, to the election of the lion. The poeta animalesco,' or bard of brutes, proposes for his subject the manners, usages, contentions, wars, and vicissitudes of animals, during their age of reason.' He invokes the zodiac, which had changed beasts into constellations, to illumine his verse. He then introduces us to a meeting of delegates from each species, duly accredited, at a solemn sitting, in which they proceed to examine synthetically and analytically every form of government: -o buono o tristo, Repubblican, monarchico, o pur misto.' Democracy-the aristocratic beasts concur with the author in condemning a mixed government, which they consider as hermaphroditic, and containing the seeds of its own destruction. Of a monarchy, and its divine origin, the poet himself thus speaks: • Viene la carestia? vien la gragnuola? Chi vive in monarchia non muor d'inedia, Prendi uom rozzo, fanne un monarca, Tutto a un tratto divien: pare un miracolo.' Canto i. st. 17, 18, Are seasons hard? comes hail, comes scant? In these sentiments the animals agree with the poet. Whether the monarchy shall be absolute or regulated, elective or hereditary, is the only subject of debate. The powerful animals at first oppose a despotic monarchy, recommend distinctions of rank, and an upper and lower house— • Divider in due camere, e in due classi, Gli alti animali e gli animali bassi.' Some propose an elective monarchy: the majority inclines to absolute sway. At the head of the latter is a large, fierce, longhaired, black-muzzled, red-eyed, scowling, grumbling, barking, impudent dog. Educated at college, he had acquired a fine elocution ❝—gli uscian bei periodi di bocca.' He had also collected various political scraps into the celebrated treatise, La Politica del Cane,' Dog's Politics. Although ambitious, yet too wise to aspire to the supreme dominion, he en tertained a secret understanding with the lion, whom he engaged to support on a promise of being appointed prime minister. In a long harangue, he resists every regulation proposed to control the monarchy, as entirely chimerical. His speech is received with applause: but the fox remains very shrewdly observant of his manoeuvres. The horse, undistinguished by any poetical description, apologises for differing in opinion from his friend the dog, but suggests that his arguments lead to slavery:Sotto despota re, nulla tu sei, O sei solo ciò ch'ei vuol che tu sia." The dog, in reply, considers the horse too scrupulous, and supports his own judgement by the example of the sagacious bipeds, who usually prefer despots for their governors. This fact, he contends, ought to decide the debate. An old bear, however, who had escaped from his chains-a dancing bear, we conjecture-indignantly reproaches the dog for citing this authority, and requires a better precedent than that of the absurd bipeds. Some sarcasms pass between dog and bear; but the latter continues his speech in favour of absolute rule, and ends amidst acclamations E i molti bravo alto gridavon bravo!" A few muttered curses; but the grinnings and simperings of powerful animals the dog construed into approbation. The delegates now proceed to a poll, and examine minutely the merits of the respective candidates-a precaution which the poet greatly prefers to the usage among men of voting at hazard: -dare alla diavola il suffragio.' The horse, who bears another on his back, and has no paws, tusks, or horns, is disqualified. The tiger is too cruel: a king should be merciful. The bear is at first a favourite with the democratic part of the meeting: but the dog, who rules the roast by his eloquence, describes him, though robust, as a block head and buffoon. Who would have a buffoon for king?-The bear retorts, but is excluded. The stag, notwithstanding his lofty antlers, is too cowardly. The bull is strong, but only qualified to rule over cows. The ass-Ch' il crederia ?" Who would believe it?-proposes himself, boasting his long ears, his possente raglio,' and other merits; but is rejected with scorn. The mule is highly offended at the affront offered to his cousin, and makes a long speech in his favour, until cried down by— C a basso il mulo, il mulo a basso.' Other animals, absent on account of distance, or engagements, are proposed by agents and friends; as the tall giraffe, and the half-human ourang outang. The dog, however, predetermined, insists that sovereigns should be perfect brutes, or perfect men. Confusion of bipeds and quadrupeds would be a monstrous political corruption. Besides, he cites various authorities from 'the devil knows where '-d'onde tratte, il diavolo lo sà; perhaps from some pubblico dritto, lex non scripta, or common law of brutes, to prove that no animal can be chosen king, unless personally present. Of the dog's political information and legal knowledge, after his elevation to the office of minister-although he is supplanted by the fox during the regency-we give our readers an idea, by quoting the ninety-sixth stanza of the seventh canto: · Questa, ed altre prammatiche, rescritti, The great majority of beasts now agree-the tiger and some others dissentient-that the competition shall rest between the elephant and the lion. The dog makes his panegyric on the lion, as a bold, majestic, and magnanimous brute; and calumniates the elephant, who, enraged, imprudently attacks the dog, and loses the election. The lion is proclaimed king; establishes his court in a cavern, amidst inaccessible mountains beyond the Ganges, overshadowed with trees and refreshed by streams, with two convenient little caves for his bed-chamber and cabinet, and a spacious adjoining apartment for the lioness. The dog assumes the office of prime minister; the business of state commences; distinctions of rank, orders of nobility, and numerous regulations, are established: and the story proceeds through the whole routine of politics, to a revolution, which terminates in nothing, the assembly of revolutionists being dissolved, as we have observed, by a convulsion of nature. This political allegory of our aged poet, whose brutes record so many turns of fate below,' displays multifarious reading and observation, religious, physical, historical, and literary. His beasts, birds, and reptiles, speak and act as accurately in character as can be expected in such a drama. His versification flows with a familiarity and arch facility peculiar to the language of 'improvvisatori:' but the work is not rendered interesting by original conception, penetrating remark, or luxuriant imagery. Even in his separate apologues, he possesses no fascinations, as a fabulist, of power to seduce us from the grazia e leggiadria of La Fontaine, the elegant precision of Phædrus, or the unadorned sagacity of Esop. His Animali Parlanti' may be sought to supply political hints, in regions where the maxim prevails that the temerity of journalists ought to be restrained - la petulanza esser dovea repressa E la temerità de' gazzettieri.' Cant. xi. They may amuse in France or in Italy; but in Britain, where political instruction yet flows from a free press, the discussions of bipeds will supersede these bestial authorities. ART. VII.-Monumens Antiques inédits, ou nouvellement expliqués, Collection de Statues, Bas-reliefs, Bustes, Peintures, Mosaïques, Gravures, Vases, Inscriptions, Médailles, et Instrumens, tirés des Collections Nationales et particulières, et accompagnés d'un Texte explicatif. Par A. L. Millin, Conservateur des Antiques, &c. de la Bibliothèque Nationale, &c. &c. 4to. Paris. Millin's ancient Monuments inedited, or newly explained, &c. Imported by De Boffe. WE hasten to announce the first number of this interesting and elegant work, which is designed as a continuation of the collections of count Caylus, published at Paris 1756, in seven volumes quarto; and of Guattani, published at Rome, from the year 1784 to 1789, in six volumes of the same size. The numerous works of M. Millin in this department render him no unworthy follower of those distinguished antiquaries. The present undertaking is designed to be completed in six volumes, within four years; each volume, printed by Didot, will contain 400 pages of text, and at least forty plates, in six numbers, The number before us comprises sixty-eight pages, and nine plates. France possesses many antiquities which have not yet been published; and if her late acquisitions (we have been accusomed to give them a harsher name) be considered, they must |