progress, towards accomplishing the great work of facilitating intercourse throughout Ireland. The GRAND CANAL is completed, under the engagements of that company with parliament, from Dublin to the River Shannon, near Banagher. Also by a branch from Robertstown to Athy, where it joins the Barrow. The Barrow Company are indus triously proceeding on their contract with this board from Athy to the Tide-Water, thereby communicating with the towns of Ross, Waterford and Clonmell, and with the counties of Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny, Waterford and Tipperary. The navigation from Limerick to Killaloe, and to the Deep Water in Lough Derg, is nearly finished under our immediate direction, as is also the contract by the Grand Canal Company with this board for the navigation of the Shannon from Lough Derg to Lough Ree, when an extent of between seventy and eighty miles will be opened through the midst of the country from Limerick to Lanesborough. The canal from Newry to Lough Neagh is in operation, as is the canal from the collieries in the county of Tyrone to the same lake. The canal from Belfast to Lough Neagh, and that from Strabane towards Derry, are n within our cognizance. The Royal Canal Company have almost finished their contract with this board for the navigation from Dublin to Coolnahay, the extremity of their summit level, about six miles beyond the town of Mullingar. They have had several conferences with this board concerning the further extension of their line to the River Shannon, acording to their original proposal to Parliament, which may be considered as having already had the sanction of the legislature. From Lanesborough to Lough Allen the navigation of the Shannon remains to be done. Mr. Brownrigg, our engineer, has had orders to inspect it, and make his report. These navigations being directly pointed out in the act of parliament under which our board is constituted, claim prior attention from us. The gentlemen of the county of Leitrim are anxiously interested in the accomplishment of these two works, both of which will lead to Lough Allen. Around that lake are great mines of coal and ironstope, both said to be of excellent quality, the successful working of which must in a great degree depend upon and be encouraged by a cheap inland carriage. From these outlines your grace will observe, that the Shannon in one great line of navigation runs through the midst of the country from north to south; that one other great line (the Grand Canal) runs from Dublin across the country to the Shannon, tending to the south of the west ; and that a third great line (the Royal Canal) runs from Dub. in across the country to the Shannon, but tending to the north of the west. The Grand Canal is therefore circumstanced to receive into it at various points all other navigations lying to the southward, and the Royal Canal in like manner to receive all others from the north. The Shannon will receive what may come from Connaught, and by the Grand or the Royal Canal will give to that province a communication with the metropolis. In the year 1800 a proposal was made to us by the noblemen and gentlemen of the Queen's County, for a canal to be carried from Castlecomber in the county of Kilken ny, by the towns of Ballyragget, Ballynakell, Ballyroan, Maryborough, Mountmellick, and Portarlington, to Monastereven, where it was intended to join the Grand Canal. navigation because of the great collieries to We are desirous of giving attention to this which it would reach, the coal of which is particularly suited to smiths work, malting, in the neighbouring hills there is iron stone, bleaching, and other manufactures; also because which formerly while the woods lasted, was smelted. There are also strata of clay for potters ware, and some of a sort particularly suited for crucibles, and other vessels which must bear intense heat. There was also in the woollen manufacture, which at one time neighbourhood of Maryborough an extensive had the encouragement and aid of parliament, and might again be assisted by cheap carriage and more extensive communication. A communication was made to this board through their chairman respecting a proposed Erne to Strabane on the River Foyle, and so navigation from the northern side of Lough the expence of the gentlemen of the county to Londonderry; and surveys are making at whose contributions towards the work we of Derry, and of the merchants of the city, may hope will be liberal; should this plan be munication with a most extensive country carried into execution it would open a comupon the shores of that great lake. The vale through which this navigation should fun, would be highly improved, and the adjoining grounds brought into tillage, and culwould bring to the lands on either side. tivated by lime, which a cheap conveyance We trust that we may safely consider this establishment as one proof among many that the interests of Ireland are not overlooked by the United Parliament; it done at once: but if a series of national unmay be true, that every thing cannot be dertakings equally graud and advantageous be continued, that disposition which remains discontented and unsatisfied will de serve a worse appellation-if there can be a worse than insensible and ungrateful. Memoir relative to the Construction of the In the course of our duty some time ago we had occasion to describe Mr. Arrowsmith's large Map of Scotland, which, in truth, well deserved to be considered as a national undertaking. The Memoir descriptive of the authorities employed in constructing it, which Mr. A. then promised, is now before us. of their branches from the main river, is certainly not unfavourable to this supposition. There is even a natural disposition in man, to the construction of maps; for we read of savages in the South Sea who described the position and bearings of the islands around their own, by placing stones in a corresponding order. That the ancient maps were very erroneous, especially in whatever depended on longitude, is certain: nor till celestial observations were made with accuracy, could their defects be remedied. Even in days comparatively modern, the inadequacies of the instruments in use, forbad precision: and those who were most interested in examining "how the land lay," were obliged to be content with the uncertainties of "there or thereabouts." But, before we notice particularly the merit of his contributions to modern geography, we desire to make our acknowledgements to the ingenious author of this memoir for a fac simile copy of an ancient map (the most ancient known) of the British islands, which he has included in his work. Though we are far from thinking that geography as practiced by the ancients could bear any comparison with the science in its present state, yet we cannot but deem this map something more than a mere curiosity and earnestly do we wish that others equally satisfactory had come down to us, with sundry works of antiquity, to which they would have added inconceivable illustration. Mr. Arrowsmith seems to limit the antiquity of maps to two thousand years; but if he had recollected the instances of Joshua, and Moses, who caused Surveys to be made, he would certainly have allowed them a much deeper antiquity. Joshua's spies we are told " departed, and went over the land, and delineated it, marking the whole of the cities, in seven divisions (sheets) on a book"-folding or rolling map. Josh. xviii. 5. &c. We know that the Egyptians allotted to cach proprietor his portion of land after the subsidence of the Nile, by measurement, on geometrical principles; and nothing more is necessary to the actual construction of a map on such an occasion, but the transcription of some of these allotments according to their real bearings and di-Highlands were then scarcely accessible, mensions by a proportionate scale to paper. The consideration that the seven eared wheat on one stem, of Pharaoh's dream, resembles in form a map of the seven mouths of the Nile after the division We refer to our former article for the history of the planning and execution of new roads in Scotland, for facilitating intercourse: they have tended to civilize districts formerly almost savage; and they have opened passages to glens and coasts, where all the power of arms had proved ineffectual. Vide Panorama, Vol. III. p. 247. The difficulties attending this national attempt, discovered the necessity of new maps for ascertaining the real situations of places; and the surveys indispensable to the execution of this plan were considered as affording a favourable opportunity for revising and reforming a general map of Scotland. These hopes were disappointed. But in August 1805 it was discovered, that a military survey of Scotland, on a large scale, was deposited in the King's library; and the Commissioners for Highland roads and bridges obtained His Majesty's gracious permission to permit Mr. A.'s access to it. The map was commenced, by tracing the outlines of it on transparent paper, the very next day, This survey we learn was instituted immediately after the events of 1746; and probably at the suggestion of William duke of Cumberland. The northern and the disadvantage of being ignorant of their fastnesses and privacies, had been severely felt on recent occurrences: for here the Pretender had set up his standard, and mustered his adherents, while the British parliament, then sitting, was so little aware of his motions, that some of In the course of his remarks, Mr. A. states a degree of the earth's surface as deduced from the measurement of several degrees lately made in France and Spain, and reduced to English measure by Mr. John Crosley, as follows: Degree of the Meridian. At the Equator...... Latitude 45°. .... Length in English feet. 362,907,06 364,546,30 365,244 365,375 its members demonstrated in set speeches | ed the positions of other places from the of great length, wit, and argument, the most authentic maps he could procure: absolute impossibility of his presence in of which he gives a history; and a list of those parts; and they ridiculed the imbe- the published and unpublished, at the cility of ministers, in giving credence to close of his work. He had also assistance such idle rumours. This survey, however, from several proprietors, who communiwas commenced; and, progressively, it cated surveys of their own islands, with embraced the whole north of Scotland: a very commendable liberality of spirit. the number of engineers was increased; the summer months were spent in the field, under tents, and the winter was occupied at Edinburgh, in combining the labours of the preceding part of the year, into one whole. "The instruments used in this survey were plain Theodolites, 7 inches diameter: with common sights, unfurnished with telescopes." In 1752 the Highlands being surveyed, it was determined to extend the operation over the south of Scotland also. A fair copy of the northern part was made; and the grounds and mountains were shaded in a capital style, by Mr. Paul Sandby; whose talents as a landscape draughtsman have long been in high estimation. The survey of the southern part though executed, remained undiscovered, till after Mr. A. had partly engraved those districts from other authorities: but Gen. Sir David Dundas, who in early life had been employed on the work, not only affirmed its existence, but happily discovered the originals safely deposited in the royal library in the same two boxes which he had delivered to His Majesty in person, in 1793. Latitude 51° 40'....... The first two are by the French measurement: the third is by Col. Mudge: the mean is by Bouguer; and was adopted by Gen. Roy. 69° 15' may be taken for the common measure of a degree of latitude on the meridian, in English miles. The Scottish foot is to the English foot as 1000 to 970: the Scottish mile is to the English mile as 1000 to 887: the Scottish acre is to the English acre as 1000 to 787. These notes it may be useful to recollect. It is not possible that the public, un acquainted as the generality, even of the learned, are, with the cost of apparatus for study, should be able to form any estimate of the expences attending the execution of this map; and our readers will probably be surprised to learn that "before Mr. A. was in possession of the first impression of 500 copies, he had expended in copper, engraving, paper, printing and colouring £2050!—add to this, what the Commissioners for Highland roads and bridges paid for copying the military survey, and for reducing their own road plans." Mr. A. concludes bis account, with thanks to his patrons and friends. Our readers will naturally suppose, that now all difficulties were over; but not so: to satisfy a real geographer, the accuracy of this survey itself was to be proved; for, in the course of years during which it was making, the magnetic variation of the compass (on the bearing of which the whole construction depended) had varied. In one year, the bearing between Edinburgh castle and Glasgow bridge (now the middle bridge) was N. W. and S. E. 79° 15′ (i. e. N. 79° 15′ W. and S. 79° 15' E. by compass) the linear distance 214,000 feet. Yet another year gave the same bearing N. W. and S. E. 79° 30′ linear distance 214,150 feet. The variation increased westerly, about 20° in the last century, or 12 yearly. Mr. Arrowsmith next verified the positions of several places; as Hawkshill, As the variation of the magnetic needle near Edinburgh; Glasgow, Aberdeen, is a subject of great curiosity; and as it &c. by modern observations: and adiust-appears to have reached its greatest wes Annexed is a map, on the same scale as that of Scotland, of the Orkney and the Shetland islands: the Ultima Thule of the British dominions. Materials to render this production perfect, were not to be obtained: the islands are nevertheless, almost complete. terly extent, and now to be stationary, woon perhaps to be retrograde, we shall record a few observations, for future comparison. By comparing these periods, we find, that the yearly increase observed at Someret House was, from 1790 to 1800, at the rate of 2' 3" but, from 1800 to 1808, the yearly increase was, only 1' and this retardation of increase, seems to be preparatory to a cessation of progress; which may be expected to introduce an easterly movement. We commend the frankness of an ingenious and studious geographer, as exemplified in this Memoir (which is not the first of the kind; as Mr. A. in 1794 pubfished "a Companion to his Map of the World," in which he introduced information of a similar nature) to the imitation of his brethren. Science would gain by it essentially, in a few years; and every judicious lover of his art, will feel a pleasure in contributing to so pleasing a consequence, especially considering of what immense importance a correct knowledge of the coast must be, to a nation so commercial and adventurous as Britain. Elements of Art, a Poem; in six Cantos; with Notes and a Preface, including Strictures on the State of the Arts, Criticism, Patronage, and Public Taste. By Martin Archer Shee, R.A. 8vo. pp. 428. Price 13. Miller, London, 1809. THE regions of imagination differ so completely from the humble possessions of common sense, that it is extremely difficult for the man of fancy to meet the man of fact on common ground. Poets and painters conversant with fiction, and practiced in a language and manners of their own, are incessantly wondering that nobody can understand them; and they blame even to crimination the dull dolts who find difficulties in comprehending all they intend to express, at a word, or a wink. Their talents, their feelings are inspirations-where then is the wonder that the uninspired do not participate in them? They are peculiar to the select few: how then should the unfavoured mass share in their energies? To accuse the great body of mankind of insensibility to principles and productions which they have no powers to appreciate, and which it is no part of their duty to investigate, is paying but little respect to the natural order of things. We are well known friends to the Arts: but we cannot wish that all the suggestions of the active fancies of their professors were complied with. We are never better pleased than to see merit rewarded; but if every artistwere rewarded according to his own opinion of his own merit, we apprehend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would find his powers fail him in attempting to supply the ways and means. We must take our ideas of life from what the world at large presents: any man, beside an artist, may seclude himself in his closet, and indulge a reverie of wishes: but his wishes will not change the course of the seasons, nor the state of the weather for a single day, or for a single hour. His imagination may transport himself into regions of sunshine; but if it hail, or rain out of doors, it will continue hailing or raining, notwithstanding his "fine phrensy" and mental creations. By what right does he, then, censure those, who stand exposed to "the pelting of the pitiless storm," for their inattention to his lucubrations? Will his ideal fire warm them? Will the emanations and irradiations of his genius direct them through the dark days of life, or guide them over the stepping stones of a bog, or even of a kennel? At this period, when Arms are, around us, can the Arts, the offspring, and unhappily, the occupation of the world fondlings of peace, expect to be patron. ized, as if all were quiet? Is it the duty of our statesmen to build hundred gun ships, or to commission fine pictures, with the national money? On which depends our safety? and which is most essential to the preservation of the other? If this little island escape the desolation threat ened it by the tyrant of Europe; it may, in happier times, employ and patronize the arts; but if it divert for a moment that attention which is demanded by circumstances distressing, yet inevitable, what shall make it amends for the calamities that would immediately overwhelm Bri tain and Britons? We are, nevertheless, of opinion, that the Arts are not disregarded among us, to the extent supposed by Mr. Shee: we see every year a surprising quantity of productions: at whose expence are they created? Have not the authors of them, opportunities by these very articles of manifesting as much merit as they choose, or as they are able? or must every artist who thinks proper to put himself forward in his profession, have just that specific opportunity of shewing his talents to advantage made for him, in which he thinks he could excel? Must every painter who flatters himself he has talents for history painting have a palace erected, in which to shew his powers in grand compositions? Are artists aware of the hazard a nobleman runs in committing great works, permanent works, to genius, itself, until mature, and established? Has not our legislature erected more statues, and other honours, to ilJustrious men within the last twenty years, than had been witnessed by centuries before? And what has the nation got for its money? Statues of British warriors in Roman costume; repetitions of Heathen divinities in christian Churches: ponderous masses of but we pursue this thought no further. Will any competent judge affirm that the opportunities afforded by the Shakespeare gallery, by Bowyer's History of England, by Macklin's Bible, &c. were adequately improved by the artists? Were the pictures respectively worth the money paid for them? They were not: many of them were slight and slovenly, well-finished drawings would have answered their purposes better. The artists then degraded themselves by negligence; they must long continue to feel the effects of their want of spirit. If they say, the War ruined those undertakings, then let them relieve the British public from the imputation of indifference to national merit, and vent their execrations on the war, and the Corsican who inflames it. In a work like this of Mr. Shee's, which we have read with all the attention the notes would permit, we are sorry find too many reflections, the tone which appears to us to be unjustly seve against the public. Among the gre number of patrons required by a gre number of artists, some will be fribb and coxcombs, they will affect a know ledge that they do, not possess, and most ignorant will be the most talkati Never will such characters be banish from the realms of taste: but all are such: there are judicious and wor men, among those who encourage art and we suppose, in as great a proporti now, as at any time whatever. Neither do we think that merit pable of supporting examination is quently) wholly lost at our exhibiti Mr. Shee's admission that "W was known in a week," refutes the sertion. We deny that "Wilson's tures were overlooked" in the rad We know, that several patrons offe themselves to Barry: but, a man could not keep as friends, those whom he had received continued favo was not likely to convert occasional fers of service into efficient protect The man who turned the Duke of Nor out of his house, at his first visit, mi thank himself if other noblemen sto aloof.-Mr. Shee is so sensible of practical truth of these principles, he fairly ascribes the little general mation of the Arts, in this count to want of dignity (he might have adde morals) in the artist. How," says can we be persuaded to respect who do not appear to respect themselve How shall we induce Society to hono profession which many of those practice it are willing to degrade?" From these reflections our readers perceive that we dissent from much this writer's performance, but are therefore, unwilling to do justice to merits; and we shall readily allow these are in our opinion considerable. Mr. S. published a former work, kind of specimen of the present. T was, deservedly, well received by public. The present we doubt not find equal favour. It contains many cellent precepts, delivered in verses might safely be owned by a professor poetry, rather than of painting. Our a thor writes with fire, and imagination his versification is that of a good ear, |