BONONIENSE SCIENTIARUM ATQUE ARTIUM
INSTITUTUM AD PUBLICUM TOTIUS
ORBIS USUM.
Here is a most valuable library, in three spacious5 rooms, where any person may study, and have the use of the books, four hours every day; also apartments for the students of sculpture, painting, architecture,[302] chemistry, anatomy6, astronomy, and every branch of natural philosophy. They are all ornamented7 with designs, models, instruments, and every kind of apparatus8 requisite9 for illustrating10 those sciences. There are also Professors, who regularly read lectures, and instruct the students in those various parts of knowledge. There is a hall, full of models in architecture and fortification, a valuable collection of medals, and another of natural curiosities, as animals, earths, ores, minerals, and a complete collection of specimens11, to assist the study of the Materia Medica, and every part of Natural History. A gallery of statues, consisting of a few originals, and very fine casts of the best statues in Italy. I went one evening to the academy of painting and sculpture; two men stood in different attitudes on a table, in the middle of the room; about fifty students sat in the amphitheatre around them, some drawing their figures in chalks, others modelling them in wax, or clay. As each[303] student viewed the two men from different points, the variety of manner in the different students, together with the alteration12 in the Chiaro Scuro under each point of view, gave every drawing the appearance of being done from a different figure. Nothing can be so advantageous13 to the young student as this kind of exercise, which is sometimes practised by daylight, and sometimes by the light of lamps, and must give a fuller idea of the effect of light and shade than any other method.
Honorary premiums14 are distributed every year among the artists, for the best designs in painting, sculpture, and architecture.
The Anatomical Theatre is adorned15 with statues of celebrated physicians; and in the Museum, which belongs to it, there are abundance of anatomical preparations; also a complete suite16 of anatomical figures in wax. A man and woman in the natural state; the same with the skin and cellular17 membrane18 removed, the external[304] muscles of the whole body and limbs appearing. In the subsequent figures the more external muscles are gradually removed, till nothing but the simple skeleton remains19. These figures are very well rendered, preserving the natural appearance and situation of the muscles and blood-vessels, with as much exactness as could be expected in a work of this nature. There are also models in wax, of particular parts, and of several of the viscera of the human body separately; yet those waxen models could not stand in comparison with the preparations of the real parts in Dr. Hunter’s museum. If brought to that test, the Bologna waxworks20, though admirable in their kind, would appear as their best casts of the Vatican Apollo and Laocoon would, if placed beside the originals. Indeed, the real preparations to be seen here, are far inferior to those of that great anatomist; who is now possessed21 of the most complete, and most accurate collection of anatomical preparations, that ever was[305] made by human skill and industry. We have faithfully performed our duty in visiting all the churches and palaces of this city, which contain some of the highest specimens of art; yet, as the recital22 might be less amusing than the tour itself, I shall exercise your patience with great moderation on that subject.
The church of St. Petronius forms part of that large, irregular square, in which the fountain, formerly23 mentioned, stands; it is the largest in Bologna. In the pavement of this church, Cassini drew his meridian24 line; and within the walls of this same edifice the Emperor Charles the Fifth was crowned. Those circumstances may interest the astronomer25, and the historian; but the statue of a soldier, which stands in one of the chapels26, engages the attention of the pious27 Catholic. This man, being at play, and in danger of losing all his money, offered up a very fervent28 prayer to the Virgin29 Mary, for a little better luck;[306] to which she, who never shewed any favour to gamesters, turned a deaf ear. When he found that his bad fortune continued, this furious wretch30 drew his sword, and wounded both the Virgin, and the Infant in her arms. He instantly, as you may suppose, fell to the ground, deprived of motion; he was carried to prison, and condemned31 to an ignominious32 and painful death. While he remained under confinement33, he came to a proper sense of his wickedness; and the blessed Virgin was so much softened34 by his repentance35, that she restored him to the life of his limbs; and the Judges, taking the hint, gave him a full pardon. As a satisfactory proof of this memorable36 event, they shew the identical sword with which the assault was made.
A Dominican convent, situated37 on the top of a hill, about three miles from this city, is in possession of a portrait of the Virgin, by St. Luke. It is not[307] perfectly38 known how it came there; any enquiry of that nature savours of heresy39, and might give offence. The people in general are persuaded of its originality40, and happy in the honour of such a neighbour. This portrait has wrought41 many miracles in favour of the inhabitants of Bologna. A curious gallery, open to the south, and closed by a wall to the north, is built all the way from this city to the convent. On the open side it is supported by a long row of pillars, and was erected42 by voluntary contribution, in honour of the Virgin, and for the conveniency of pilgrims. This long colonade is about twelve feet in breadth, from the pillars to the wall, and of a convenient height; all the communities of the town walk once a year, in solemn procession, to the convent, and bring the holy picture to visit the city. It is carried through the principal streets, attended by every inhabitant who can afford to purchase a wax taper43. During this procession,[308] the bells continue ringing, the cannon44 are fired; and the troops under arms observe the same ceremonies, when the picture passes, as if it were Commander in Chief of the forces. The common people imagine, the picture is extremely fond of this annual visit to the town of Bologna; they even are convinced, that, if it were not carried, it would descend45 from the frame, and walk the whole way on foot; but they do not desire to see the experiment made, both because it might disoblige the Virgin, and because, if the picture were once set a walking, there is no knowing where it would stop.
Though the nobility of Bologna are not now very rich, many of their palaces are furnished in a magnificent taste, and contain paintings of great value. The palaces were built, and ornamented, when the proprietors46 were richer, and when the finest works of architecture and painting could be procured47 on easier terms than[309] at present. The galleries, and apartments, are spacious and magnificent; yet there are circumstances in the most splendid, that must hurt the eye of those who are accustomed to that perfect exactness in finishing which prevails in English houses. The glass of the windows of some palaces is divided into little square panes48, which are joined together by lead; and the floors of all are so very indifferently laid, that you often feel a loose brick shaking under your feet as you walk through the finest apartments.
The most precious ornaments49 of the palaces are the paintings, particularly those of the celebrated masters which this city had the honour of producing. Raphael is generally allowed to have excelled all painters in the sublimity50 of his ideas, the grouping of his figures, the beauty of his heads, the elegance51 of his forms, and the correctness of his outlines; yet, in the opinion of some, he has oftener imitated[310] those noble ideas of beauty, transmitted to us by the Greek sculptors52, than what he saw, or could observe, in nature. Those who hold this opinion assert, that the best masters of the Lombard School studied, with equal assiduity, the elegance of the antique statues, and the simplicity53 of nature; and from this combined attention to both, with geniuses less sublime54, and not so universal, as that of the Roman painter, they have produced works equal, if not superior in some respects, to his. In all this, I beg you may keep in your remembrance, that I am not affecting to give any opinion of my own, but merely repeating the sentiments of others.
Next to Rome itself, there is, perhaps, no town in the world so rich in paintings as Bologna. The churches and palaces, besides many admired pieces by other masters, are full of the works of the great masters who were natives of this city. I must not lead you among those masterpieces;[311] it is not for so poor a judge as I am to point the peculiar55 excellencies of the Caraccis, Dominichino, Albano, or compare the energy of Guercino’s pencil with the grace of Guido’s. With regard to the last, I shall venture to say, that the graceful56 air of his young men, the elegant forms, and mild persuasive57 devotion, of his Madonas; the art with which, to all the inviting58 loveliness of female features, he joins all the gentleness and modesty59 which belong to the female character, are the peculiar excellencies of this charming painter.
It requires no knowledge in the art of painting, no connoisseurship60, to discover those beauties in the works of Guido; all who have eyes, and a heart, must see and feel them. But the picture more admired than all the rest, and considered, by the judges, as his master-piece, owes its eminence61 to a different kind of merit; it can claim none from any of the circumstances above enumerated62. The piece I mean is in[312] the Sampieri palace, and distinguished63 by a silk curtain, which hangs before it. The subject is, the Repentance of St. Peter, and consists of two figures, that of the Saint who weeps, and a young apostle who endeavours to comfort him. The only picture at Bologna, which can dispute celebrity64 with this, is that of St. Cecilia, in the church of St. Georgio in Monte. This picture is greatly praised by Mr. Addison, and is reckoned one of Raphael’s capital pieces. If I had nothing else to convince me that I had no judgment65 in painting, this would be sufficient. I have examined it over and over with great attention, and a real desire of discovering its superlative merit; and I have the mortification66 to find, that I cannot perceive it.—After this confession67, I presume you will not desire to hear any thing farther from me on the subject of painting.
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1 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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2 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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3 edifice | |
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室) | |
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4 inscription | |
n.(尤指石块上的)刻印文字,铭文,碑文 | |
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5 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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6 anatomy | |
n.解剖学,解剖;功能,结构,组织 | |
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7 ornamented | |
adj.花式字体的v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8 apparatus | |
n.装置,器械;器具,设备 | |
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9 requisite | |
adj.需要的,必不可少的;n.必需品 | |
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10 illustrating | |
给…加插图( illustrate的现在分词 ); 说明; 表明; (用示例、图画等)说明 | |
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11 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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12 alteration | |
n.变更,改变;蚀变 | |
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13 advantageous | |
adj.有利的;有帮助的 | |
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14 premiums | |
n.费用( premium的名词复数 );保险费;额外费用;(商品定价、贷款利息等以外的)加价 | |
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15 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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16 suite | |
n.一套(家具);套房;随从人员 | |
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17 cellular | |
adj.移动的;细胞的,由细胞组成的 | |
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18 membrane | |
n.薄膜,膜皮,羊皮纸 | |
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19 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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20 waxworks | |
n.公共供水系统;蜡制品,蜡像( waxwork的名词复数 ) | |
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21 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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22 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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23 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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24 meridian | |
adj.子午线的;全盛期的 | |
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25 astronomer | |
n.天文学家 | |
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26 chapels | |
n.小教堂, (医院、监狱等的)附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 );(在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的)礼拜仪式 | |
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27 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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28 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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29 virgin | |
n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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30 wretch | |
n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人 | |
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31 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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32 ignominious | |
adj.可鄙的,不光彩的,耻辱的 | |
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33 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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34 softened | |
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰 | |
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35 repentance | |
n.懊悔 | |
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36 memorable | |
adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的 | |
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37 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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38 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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39 heresy | |
n.异端邪说;异教 | |
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40 originality | |
n.创造力,独创性;新颖 | |
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41 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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42 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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43 taper | |
n.小蜡烛,尖细,渐弱;adj.尖细的;v.逐渐变小 | |
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44 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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45 descend | |
vt./vi.传下来,下来,下降 | |
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46 proprietors | |
n.所有人,业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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47 procured | |
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 );拉皮条 | |
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48 panes | |
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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49 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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50 sublimity | |
崇高,庄严,气质高尚 | |
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51 elegance | |
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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52 sculptors | |
雕刻家,雕塑家( sculptor的名词复数 ); [天]玉夫座 | |
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53 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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54 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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55 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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56 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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57 persuasive | |
adj.有说服力的,能说得使人相信的 | |
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58 inviting | |
adj.诱人的,引人注目的 | |
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59 modesty | |
n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 | |
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60 connoisseurship | |
n.鉴赏家(或鉴定家、行家)身份,鉴赏(或鉴定)力 | |
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61 eminence | |
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家 | |
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62 enumerated | |
v.列举,枚举,数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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64 celebrity | |
n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望 | |
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65 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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66 mortification | |
n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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67 confession | |
n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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