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Porio. however, comparatively few porisms so simple in their origin, or that arise from problems where the conditions are but little complicated; for it usually happens that a problem which can become indefinite may also become impossible; and if so, the connection already explained never fails to take place.

Another species of impossibility may frequently arise from the porismatic case of a problem which will affect in some measure the application of geometry to astronomy, or any of the sciences depending on experiment or observation. For when a problem is to be resolved by means of data furnished by experiment or observation, the first thing to be considered is, whether the data so obtained be sufficient for determining the thing sought; and in this a very erroneous judgment may be formed, if we rest satisfied with a general view of the subject; for though the problem may in general be resolved from the data with which we are provided, yet these data may be so related to one another in the case under consideration, that the problem will become indeterminate, and instead of one solution will admit of an indefinite number. This we have already found to be the case in the foregoing propositions. Such cases may not indeed occur in any of the practical applications of geometry; but there is one of the same kind which has actually occurred in astronomy. Sir Isaac Newton, in his Prinopia, has considered a small part of the orbit of a comet as a straight line described with an uniform motion. From this hypothesis, by means of four observations made at proper intervals of time, the determination of the path of the comet is reduced to this geometrical problem: Four straight lines being in position, it is required to draw a fifth line across them, so as to be cut by them into three parts, having given ratios to one another. Now this problem had been constructed by Dr Wallis and Sir Christopher Wren, and also in three different ways by Sir Isaac himself in different parts of his works; yet none of these geometers observed that there was a particular situation of the lines in which the problem admitted of innumerable solutions: and this happens to be the very case in which the problem is applicable to the determination of the comet's path, as was first discovered by the abbé Boscovich, who was led to it by finding, that in this way he could never determine the path of a comet with any degree of certainty.

Besides the geometrical there is also an algebraical analysis belonging to porisms; which, however, does not belong to this place, because we give this account of them merely as an article of ancient geometry; and the ancients never employed algebra in their investigations. Mr Playfair, formerly professor of mathematics, and now of natural philosophy in the university of Edinburgh, has written a paper on the origin and geometrical investigation of porisms, which is published in the third volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, from which this account of the subject is taken. He has there promised a second part to his paper, in which the algebraical investigation of porisms is to be considered. This will no doubt throw considerable light upon the subject, as we may readily judge from that gentleman's known abilities, and from the specimen he has already given us in the first part.

Such as are desirous of knowing more of this subject may consult Dr Simson's treatise De Porismatibus, which

Perlock

is contained in his Opera Reliqua, published after his Paris death at the sole expence of the earl of Stanhope. We have already mentioned Dr Stewart's General Theorems which contain many beautiful porisms, but without demonstrations. A considerable number of them, however, have been demonstrated by the late Dr R. Small, of Dundee, in the Trans. R. S. Edin. vol. ii. There is also a paper upon the subject of porisms by Mr W. Wallace, now of the Royal Military College, in the fourth volume of the same work, entitled Some Geometrical Porisms, with examples of their application to the Solution of Problems.

PORK, the flesh of swine killed for the purposes of food. See Sus.

The hog is the only domestic animal that we know of no use to man when alive, and therefore seems properly designed for food. Besides, as loathsome and ugly to every human eye, it is killed without reluctance. The Pythagoreans, whether to preserve health, or on account of compassion, generally forbade the use of animal food; and yet it is alleged that Pythagoras reserved the use of hog's flesh for himself. The Jews, the Egyptians, &c. and other inhabitants of warm countries, and all the Mahometans at present, reject the use of pork. It is difficult to find a satisfactory reason for this, or for the precept given to the Jews respecting it, though unquestionably there was some good one for it. The Greeks gave great commendations to this food; and Galen, though indeed that is suspected to be from a particular fondness, is everywhere full of it. The Romans considered it as one of their delicacies; and if some of the inhabitants of the northern climates have taken an aversion to it, that probably arose from the uncultivated state of their country not being able to rear it. Pork is of a very tender structure; increased perhaps from a peculiarity in its economy, viz. taking on fat more readily than any other animal. Pork is a white meat even in its adult state, and then gives out a jelly in very great quantity. On account of its little perspirability and tenderness it is very nutritious, and was given for that intention to the athlete. With regard to its alkalescency, no proper experiments have yet been made; but as it is of a gelatinous and succulent nature, it is probably less so than many others. Upon the whole, Cullen's appears to be a very valuable nutriment; and the rea- Mat. Med. son is not very obvious why it was in some countries forbid. It is said that this animal is apt to be diseased; but why were not inconveniences felt on that account in Greece? Again, it has been alleged, that as Palestine would not rear these animals, and as the Jews had learned the use of them in Egypt, it was necessary they should have a precept to avoid them. But the Egyp tians themselves did not use the meat; and this religious precept, indeed, as well as many others, seems to have been borrowed from them. Possibly, as pork is not very perspirable, it might increase the leprosy, which was said to be epidemic in Palestine; though this is far from being certain.

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PORLOCK, in the county of Somerset in England, is a small sea-port town six miles west from Minehead. This whole parish, including hamlets, contained 633 inhabitants in 1811. The situation of the town is very romantic, being nearly surrounded on all sides, except towards the sea, by steep and lofty bills, intersected by deep vales and hollow glens. Some

Upper Egypt; and in separate nodules in Germany, Porphyry. England, and Irela

Ficoroni takes notice of two exquisitely fine columns of black porphyry in a church at Rome. In Egypt there are three celebrated obelisks or pillars of porphyry, one near Cairo and two at Alexandria. The French call them aguglias, and in England they are called Cleopatra's needles.

Perlock of the hills are beautifully wooded, and contain numbers of wild deer. The valleys are very deep and picturesque; Porphyry, the sides being steep, scarred with wild rocks, and patched with woods and forest shrubs. Some of them are well cultivated and studded with villages or single farms and cottages, although agriculture here is very imperfectly understood. Most of the roads and fields are so steep, that no carriages of any kind can be used; all the crops are therefore carried in with crooks on horses, and the manure in wooden pots called dossels. Many of the poor are employed in spinning yarn for the Dunster manufactory. W. Long. 3. 32. N. Lat. 51. 14.

PORO. See CALAURIA.

PORPESSE. See DELPHINUS, CETOLOGY Index. PORPHYRIUS, a famous Platonic philosopher, was born at Tyre in 233, in the reign of Alexander Severus. He was the disciple of Longinus, and became the ornament of his school at Athens; from thence he went to Rome, and attended Plotinus, with whom he lived six years. After Plotinus's death he taught philosophy at Rome with great applause; and became well skilled in polite literature, geography, astronomy, and music. He lived till the end of the third century, and died in the reign of Dioclesian. There are still extant his book on the Categories of Aristotle; a Treatise on Abstinence from Flesh; and several other pieces in Greek. He also composed a large treatise against the Christian religion, which is lost. That work was answered by Methodius bishop of Tyre, and also by Eusebius, Apollinarius, St Augustin, St Jerome, St Cyril, and Theodoret. The emperor Theodosius the Great caused Porphyrius's book to be burned in 338. Those of his works that are still extant were printed at Cambridge in 1655, 8vo, with a Latin version.

"Porphyrius (says Dr Enfield) was, it must be own-ed, a writer of deep erudition; and had his judgment and integrity been equal to his learning, he would have deserved a distinguished place among the ancients. But neither the splendour of his diction, nor the variety of his reading, can atone for the credulity or the dishonesty which filled the narrative part of his works with so many extravagant tales, or interest the judicious reader in the abstruse subtilties and mystical flights of his philosophical writings."

PORPHYRY, a compound rock, essentially consisting of some base or ground, in which are interspersed crystals of some other substance, as when an argillaceous stone, or a pitchstone, has crystals of feldspar or quartz interspersed in it, and hence is denominated an argillaceous or pitchstone porphyry. See GEOLOGY Index. Porphyry is still found in immense strata in Egypt. The hard red-lead coloured porphyry, variegated with black, white, and green, is a most beautiful and valuable substance. It has the hardness and all the other characters of the oriental porphyry; and even greatly excels it in brightness, and in the beauty and variegation of its colours. It is found in great plenty in the island of Minorca; and is well worth importing, being greatly superior to all the Italian marbles. The liard, pale-red porphyry, variegated with black, white, and green, is of a pale-flesh colour; often approaching to white. It is variegated in blotches from half an inch to an inch broad. It takes a high polish, and emulates all the qualities of the oriental porphyry. It is found in immense strata in Arabia Petræa, and in the

The art of cutting porphyry, practised by the ancients, appears now to be lost. Indeed it is difficult to conceive what tools they used for fashioning those huge columns and other porphyry works in some of the ancient buildings in Rome. One of the most considerable of these, still entire, is a tomb of Constantia, the emperor Constantine's daughter. It is in the church of St Agnes, and is commonly called the tomb of Bacchus. In the palace of the Thuilleries there is also a bust of Apollo and of twelve emperors, all in porphyry. Some ancient pieces seem to have been wrought with the chissel, others with the saw, others with wheels, and others graduallyground down with emery. Yet modern tools will scarcely touch porphyry. Dr Lister therefore thinks*, that the ancients had the secret of tempering Philos. steel better than we; and not, as some imagine, that Transact. they had the art of softening the porphyry; though it is N° 203. or probable that time and air have contributed to increase Abrid. vol. its hardness. Mr Addison says, he saw a workman at ii. p. 560. Rome cutting porphyry; but his advances were extremely slow and almost insensible. The Italian sculptors work the pieces of old porphyry columns still remaining (for the porphyry quarries are long since lost) with a brass saw without teeth. With this say, emery, and water, they rub and wear the stone with infinite patience. Many persons have endeavoured to retrieve the ancient art, and particularly Leon Baptista Alberti; who, searching for the necessary materials for temper, says, he found goats blood the best of any; but even this avails not much; for in working with chissels temper ed with it, sparks of fire came much more plentifully than pieces of the stone. The sculptors were thus, however, able to make a flat or oval form; but could never attain to any thing like a figure.

In the year 1555, Cosmo de Medicis is said to have distilled a water from certain herbs, with which his sculptor Francesco Tadda gave his tools such an admirable hardness and so fine a temper, that he performed some very exquisite works with them; particularly our Saviour's head in demi-relievo, and Cosmo's head and his duchess's. The very hair and beard, how difficult soever, are here well conducted; and there is nothing of the kind superior to it in all the works of the ancients; but the secret appears to have died with him. The French have discovered another mode of cutting porphyry, viz. with an iron saw without teeth, and grez, a kind of free stone pulverized, and water. The authors of this invention say that they could form the whole contour of a column hereby if they had matter to work on. Others have proposed to harden tools so as to cut porphyry, by steeping them in the juice of the plant called bear's breech or brankursine. See Birch's Hist. R. S. vol. i. p. 238. vol. ii. p. 73, &c. Mr Boyle says, that he caused porphyry to be cut by means of emery, steel saws, and water; and observes, that in his time the English workmen were ignorant of the manner of working porphyry, and that none of them would undertake

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Da Costa supposes, and perhaps with reason, that the method used by the ancients in cutting and engraving porphyry was extremely simple, and that it was performed without the aid of any scientific means that are now lost. He imagines, that, by unwearied diligence, and with numbers of common tools at great expence, they rudely hewed or broke the stone into the intended figure, and by continued application reduced them into more regular designs; and that they completed the work by polishing it with great labour, by the aid of particular hard sands found in Egypt. And he thinks, that in the porphyry quarries there were layers of grit or loose disunited particles, analogous to the porphyry, which they carefully sought for, and used for this work. See Hist. Nat. of Fossils, p. 285.

PORPHYRY-Shell. See MUREX, CONCHOLOGY Index. PORPITES, the HAIR-BUTTON STONE, in Natural History, a name given by some authors to a small species of fossil coral; which is usually of a rounded figure considerably flattened, and striated from the centre to the circumference. These are of different sizes and of different colours, as grayish, whitish, brownish, or bluish, and are usually found immersed in stone.

PORRUM, the LEEK; a species of plants belonging to the genus of Allium. See ALLIUM, BOTANY Index; and for an account of the method of cultivation, see GARDENING.

PORT, a harbour, river, or haven, formed either by nature or art to receive and shelter shipping from the storms and waves of the open sea.

Artificial ports are those which are either formed by throwing a strong mound or rampire across the harbour's mouth to some island or rock, or erecting two long barriers, which stretch from the land on each side like arms or the horns of a crescent, and nearly inclose the haven; the former of these are called mole-heads and the latter piers.

PORT, is also a name given on some occasions to the larboard or left side of the ship, as in the following instances. Thus it is said, "the ship heels to port," i. e. stoops or inclines to the larboard-side. "Top the yard to port?" the order to make the larboard extremity of a yard higher than the other. "Port the helm !" the order to put the helm over to the larboard-side of the vessel. In all these senses this phrase appears intended to prevent any mistakes happening from the similarity of sounds in the words starboard and larboard, particularly when they relate to the helm, where a misapprehension might be attended with very dangerous conse

quences.

PORTS, the embrasures or openings in the side of a ship of war, wherein the artillery is ranged in battery upon the decks above and below.

The ports are formed of a sufficient extent to point and fire the cannon, without injuring the ship's side by the recoil; and as it serves no end to enlarge them beyond what is necessary for that purpose, the shipwrights have established certain dimensions, by which they are cut in proportion to the size of the cannon.

The ports are shut in at sea by a sort of hangingdoors called the port-lids; which are fastened by hinges to their upper edges, so as to let down when the cannon are drawn into the ship. By this means the water

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PORT, is also a strong wine brought from Port-a-port, and also called Porto and Oporto.

PORT of the Voice, in Music, the faculty or habit of making the shakes, passages, and diminutions, in which the beauty of a song or piece of music consists.

PORT-Crayon, a pencil case, which is usually four or five inches long, and contrived so as that the pencil may slide up and down. Its inside is round, and its outside is sometimes filed into eight sides or faces, on which are drawn the sector-lines; sometimes it is made round both with-side and within, and has its length divided into inches and parts of inches.

PORT-Fire, a composition for setting fire to powder, &c. Port-fires are frequently used by artillery people in preference to matches; and they are distinguished into wet and dry port-fires. The composition of the former is saltpetre four, sulphur one, and mealed powder four. When these materials are thoroughly mixed and sifted, the whole is to be moistened with a little linseed oil, and rubbed between the hands till all the oil is im bibed by the composition. The preparation for dry portfires is saltpetre four, sulphur one, mealed powder two, and antimony one. These compositions are driven into small paper cases, to be used when necessary.

PORT-aux-Prune, so called by the French, is a country on the coast of Africa, to the north of the island of Madagascar. It is a rich country, and fertile in rice and pastures; it is inhabited only by the negroes, who are an industrious good sort of people, but very superstitious. There are no towns, but several villages, and they have some customs which seem to incline to Judaism.

PORT-Jackson, in New Holland. See New HOLLAND, N° 7, &c.

PORT-Royal, a sea-port town in the island of Jamaica. It was once a place of the greatest riches and importance in the West Indies; but in 1692 it was destroyed by an earthquake, in 1702 by fire, in 1722 by an inundation of the sea, and in 1744 it suffered greatly by a hurricane. It is now reduced to three streets, a few lanes, and about 200 houses. It contains the royal navy-yard for heaving down and refitting the king's ships; the navy-hospital, and barracks for a regiment of soldiers. The fortifications, which are very extensive, being in excellent order, and having been lately strengthened with many additional works, it may be said to vie in point of strength with any fortress in the king's dominions. The harbour is one of the best in the world, and 1000 ships may ride therein, secure from every wind that can blow. It is six miles east of Spanishtown, and as much by water south-east of Kingston. W. Long. 76. 40. N. Lat. 18. o.

PORT-Royal, an island in North America, on the coast of South Carolina, which, with the neighbouring continent, forms one of the most commodious harbours in the state. It is 15 miles in length; and the town on the north shore is called Beaufort. W. Long. 80. 20. N. Lat. 31. 40.

PORT-Royal, the name of two monasteries of Cister

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The nuns of the former of these monasteries proving refractory were dispersed; when many ecclesiastics, and others, who were of the same sentiments as these religious, retired to Port-Royal, took apartments there, and printed many books. Hence the name of PortRoyalists was given to all their party, and their books were called books of Port-Royal: from hence we say the writers of Port-Royal, Messieurs de Port-Royal, and the translations and grammars of Port-Royal.

PORTA, or Vena PORTA, in Anatomy, a large vein distributed through the liver in the manner of an artery. See ANATOMY, N° 96.

PORTA-Augusta, in Ancient Geography, mentioned only by Ptolemy; a town of the Vaccai in the Hither Spain; thought by some to be Torre Quemada, in Old Castile; by others Los Valvases, a village between Burgos and Torre Quemada.

PORTE-ROMANÆ, in Ancient Geography. According to Pliny, Romulus left but three, or at most four, gates of Rome afterwards, on enlarging the Pomaria, or compass of the city, they amounted to 37.

PORTAL, in Architecture, a little gate where there are two gates of a different bigness; also a little square corner of a room cut off from the rest by the wainscot, and forming a short passage into the room. The same name is also sometimes given to a kind of arch of joiners work before a door.

PORTATE, or a Cross PORTATE, in Heraldry, a cross which does not stand upright, as crosses generally do; but lies across the escutcheon in bend, as if it were carried on a man's shoulder.

PORTCULLICE, in Fortification, is an assemblage of several large pieces of wood, joined across one another like a harrow, and each pointed with iron at the bottom. They are sometimes hung over the gate-way of old fortified towns, ready to let down in case of surprise, when the gates could not be shut.

PORTER, a kind of malt-liquor which differs from ale and pale beer, in its being made with high-dried malt. See ALE, BEER, and BREWING.

PORT-GLASGOW. See GLASGOW, No 12. PORTGREVE, or PORTGRAVE, was anciently the principal magistrate in ports and other maritime towns. The word is formed from the Saxon port, "a port or other town ;" and geref, “a governor.”—It is sometimes also written port-reve.

Camden observes, that the chief magistrate of London was anciently called port-greve; instead of whom, Richard I. ordained two bailiffs; and soon afterwards King John granted them a mayor for their yearly magistrate.

PORTICI, a palace of the king of Naples, six miles from that capital. It has a charming situation on the sea side, near Mount Vesuvius. It is enriched with a vast number of fine statues, and other remains of antiquity, taken out of the ruins of Herculaneum.

The museum consists of 16 rooms, in which the different articles are arranged with very great taste. The floors are paved with mosaic, taken from the recovered towns, and the walls of the court are lined with inscriptions. Besides busts, statues, medals, intaglios, lamps,

Portland.

and tripods, there is scarcely an article used by the an- Portici cients of which a specimen may not be seen in this museum. "But the most valuable room is the library, from the numerous manuscript rolls which it contains. Watkin's What a field is here for conjecture! what room for Travels hope! Among this inestimable collection, how many through Swissergreat works are there, of which even the names are now land, Italy, unknown! how many unbroken volumes, whose very &c. fragments, preserved in the writings of the ancient scholiasts, convey to us moral improvement, information, and delight! perhaps, all the dramatic pieces of Menander and Philemon; perhaps, nay, certainly, the lost Decades of Livy; for it is impossible to suppose, that among so many rolls, the most admired history of the people who possessed them is not to be found: what private library in Britain is without the best histories of England? But how I tremble for their situation, as Portici is built on the lava that overwhelmed Herculaneum! How I tremble too for the indifference of the king of Naples towards this invaluable treasure, in which all the most enlightened people of Europe are deeply interested! When I first saw them, I had no idea of what they were, as they resemble wooden truncheons burnt almost to charcoal. They are so hard and brittle, that the greatest caution must be used in removing them, lest they crumble to dust; nevertheless, an ingenious friar of Genoa, named Raggi, undertook to unroll them; and by a most curious, though tedious process, so far succeeded, as to transcribe three Greek Treatises on Philosophy and Music; but finding (as I hear) no other encouragement than his salary, which was but little more than you pay some of your servants, the work was unhappily discontinued. Were these manuscripts in England, they would not long remain a secret to the world." See POMPEII.

PORTICO, in Architecture, a kind of gallery on the ground; or a piazza encompassed with arches supported by columns, where people walk under covert. The roof is usually vaulted, sometimes flat. The ancients called it lacunar. Though the word portico be derived from porta, "gate, door ;" yet it is applied to any disposition of columns wlrich form a gallery, without any immediate relation to doors or gates. The most celebrated porticoes of antiquity were, those of Solomon's temple, which formed the atrium or court, and encompassed the sanctuary; that of Athens, built for the people to divert themselves in, and wherein the philosophers held their disputes and conversations, (see PORCH); and that of Pompey at Rome, raised merely for magnificence, consisting of several rows of columns supporting a platform of vast extent; a draught whereof, Serlio gives us in his antique buildings. Among the modern porticoes, the most celebrated is the piazza of St Peter of the Vatican.-That of Covent-Garden, London, the work of Inigo Jones, is also much ad mired.

PORTII. See POMPEII.

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Portland. ployed in London, and other parts of England, for building the finest structures. St Paul's church, in particular, is built of this stone. W. Long. 2. 35. N. Lat. 50. 30.

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The following custom at Portland is worthy of notice. "While I was looking over the quarries at Portland (says Mr Smeaton), and attentively considering the operations, observing how soon the quarrymen would cut half a ton of spawls from an unformed block, and what large pieces flew off at every stroke; how speedily their blows followed one another, and how incessantly they pursued this labour with a tool of from 18 to 20 pound weight; I was naturally led to view and consider the figure of the operative agent; and after having observed, that by far the greatest number of the quarrymen were of a very robust hardy form, in whose hands the tool I have mentioned seemed a mere play-thing, I at last broke out with surprise, and inquired of my guide, Mr Roper, where they could possibly pick up such a set of stout fellows to handle the kevel, which in their hands seemed nothing? for I observed, that in the of space 15 minutes, they would knock off as much waste matter from a mass of stone, as any of that occupation I had ever seen before would do in an hour. Says Roper, 'we do not go to fetch those men from a distance, they are all born upon the island, and many of them have never been farther upon the main land than to Weymouth.' I told him, I thought the air of that island must be very propitious, to furnish a breed of men so particularly formed for the business they followed. The air (he replied), though very sharp from our elevated situation, is certainly very healthy to working men; yet if you knew how these men are produced, you would wonder the less; for all our marriages here are productive of children.' On desiring an explanation how this happened, he proceeded: Our people here, as they are bred to hard labour, are very early in a condition to marry and provide for a family; they intermarry with one another, very rarely going to the main-land to seek a wife; and it has been the custom of the island, from time immemorial, that they never martill the woman is pregnant.' ry But pray (said I) does not this subject you to a great number of bastards? Have not your Portlanders the same kind of fickleness in their attachments that Englishman are subject to? and, in consequence, does not this produce many inconveniences? None at all (replies Roper), for previous to my arrival here, there was but one child on record of the parish register that had been born a bastard in the compass of 150 years. The mode of courtship here is, that a young woman never admits of the serious addresses of a young man, but on supposition of a thorough probation. When she becomes with child, she tells her mother, the mother tells her father, her father tells his father, and he tells his son, that it is then proper time to be married.' But suppose, Mr Roper, she does not prove to be with child, what happens then? Do they live together without marriage? or, if they separate, is not this such an imputation upon her, as to prevent her getting another suitor? The case is thus managed (answered my friend), if the woman does not prove with child after a competent time of courtship, they conclude they are not destined by Providence for each other; they therefore separate; and as it is an established maxim, which the Portland women observe with

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great strictness, never to admit a plurality of lovers at Portland. one time, their honour is noway tarnished: she just as soon (after the affair is declared to be broke off) gets another suitor, as if she had been left a widow, or that nothing had ever happened, but that she had remained an immaculate virgin.' But pray, Sir, did nothing particular happen upon your men coming down from London? Yes (says he) our men were much struck, and mightily pleased with the facility of the Portland ladies, and it was not long before several of the women proved with child; but the men being called upon to marry them, this part of the lesson they were uninstructed in; and on their refusal, the Portland women arose to stone them out of the island; insomuch, that those few who did not choose to take their sweethearts for better or for worse, after so fair a trial, were in reality obliged to decamp; and on this occasion some few bastards were born: but since then matters have gone on according to the ancient custom."

PORTLAND VASE, a celebrated funeral vase which was long in possession of the Barberini family; but which was lately purchased for 1000 guineas by the duke of Portland, from whom it has derived its present name. Its height is about ten inches, and its diameter where broadest six. There are a variety of figures upon it of most exquisite workmanship, in bas relief of white opake glass, raised on a ground of deep blue glass, which appears black except when held against the light. It ap pears to have been the work of many years, and there are antiquarians who date its production several centuries. before the Christian era; since, as has been said, sculpture was declining in excellence in the time of Alexanber the Great

But we

Respecting the purpose of this vase, and what the fi gures on it were meant to represent, there have been a variety of conjectures, which it is not our business to enumerate. We think with Dr Darwin* that it was not * Lace of made for the ashes of any particular person deceased; the Planti, and therefore that the subject of its embellishments is not a private history, but of a general nature. are not sure that he is right in conjecturing it to represent a part of the Eleusinian mysteries; because that conjecture depends on Warburton's explanation of the sixth book of the Eneid, which does not now command that respect which it did when it was first proposed. We shall therefore give a short account of the several figures, without noticing any of the theories or conjectures that have been made about them.

In one compartment three exquisite figures are placed on a ruined column, the capital of which is fallen, and lies at their feet among other disjointed stones: they sit under a tree on loose piles of stone. The middle figure is a female in a reclining and dying attitude, with an inverted torch in her left hand, the elbow of which supports her as she sinks, while the right hand is raised and thrown over the drooping head. The figure on her right hand is a man, and that on the left a woman, both supporting themselves on their arms, and apparently thinking intensely. Their backs are to the dying figure, and their faces are turned to her, but without an attempt to assist her. On another compartment of the vase is a figure coming through a portal, and going down with great timidity into a darker region, where he is received by a beautiful female, who stretches forth her hand to help him: between her knees is a large and playful ser

pent.

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