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1796.

Bank 13 per ditt. 14 p. c 5 per Long Short | Stock c.red. conf.

conf.ce ts. Ann. Ann.

180

Jan.

67 71

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176 69 691

843 100

213 6 dif

173 67 67

831 99 1987

21113

Mar.

173

21214

Apr.

176

163

6

208

6

PRICES of STOCK for the Year 1796.

N. B. The highest and lowest Prices of each STOCK in the Course of any Month are put down in that Month.

Omnium

851041 198 11 pr. 1731 69 677 83100 1967

19811 pr.

India India S. Seal Old, New Stock Bords. Stock. Ann. Ann.

179 68270 8531001981 pr. 220 68 67 84 99 194 83 88 831 66 69 85 100 198 810 pr. 217 64766817 982 18

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6654/2

Navy Exche Bills.

Imp. Imp. Bills p.cent An

5 dif.

734

633 45 dif.

75.dif. 657

12

14 18

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2 IS.

7 637 12

14

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123

14 15

4 dif

74

5

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69 6 dif. 235.dif. 651 12 664 52 25. 65 12

98 18

73

210

21 dif.

703

6 dif.

4s.dif. 60g 11

147

60 60

78

944 17

79

6

3 pr. 192

8

69

48

IS. 1573 11.

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623

10 dif.

10s.dif. 582

111⁄2

12 8

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Aug.

153

61 6079

89173

7133 dif. 1831)

60

59 141 dif.

par. 57 11

4

12

I

142 56 50

55 74

85 16

74 6

1746

60

59 9

25.dif. 53103

11 16

Sept.

148 56

581 75

85161

716

7 16 dif. 180 7 dif.

1334 55

534 72

81 15+

9

171410

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64 60 581 2

144 dif

15 dif.

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35. 5110 11 4

28.dif. 551011 17 544106 11 4

531 107 12

3s.dif. 5210

53

10 12 100 12

12

I I

16

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BIOGRAPHICAL

ANECDOTES AND CHARACTERS,

CHARACTER OF COSMO DE' MEDICI.

[From the first Volume of Mr. RosCOE's Life of LORENZO DE' MEDICI.]

"TH

HE character of Cofmo de' Medici exhibits a combination of virtues and endowments rarely to be found united in the fame perfon. If in his public works he was remarkable for his magnificence, he was no lefs confpicuous for his prudence in private life. Whilft in the character of chief of the Florentine republic, he fupported a conftant intercourfe with the fovereigns of Europe, his conduct in Florence was divested of all oftentation, and neither in his retinue, his friendfhips, or his converfation, could he be diftinguifhed from any other refpectable citizen. He well knew the jealous temper of the Florentines, and preferred the real enjoyment of authority, to that open affumption of it, which could only have been regarded as a perpetual infult, by thofe whom he permitted to gratify their own pride, in the reflection that they were the equals of Cofmo de' Medici.

In affording protection to the arts of architecture, painting, and fculpture, which then began to revive in Italy, Cofino fet the great

example to thofe, who by their rank, and their riches, could alone afford them effectual aid. The countenance fhewn by him to those arts, was not of that kind which their profeffors generally experience from the great; it was not conceded as a bounty, nor received as a favour; but appeared in the friendship and equality that fubfifted between the artift and his patron. In the erection of the numerous public buildings in which Cofmo expended incredible fums of money, he principally availed himfelf of the affiftance of Michellozzo Michellozzi and Filippo Brunellefchi; the first of whom was a man of talents, the latter of genius. Soon after his return from banishment, Cofmo engaged these two artifts to form the plan of a manfion for his own refidence. Brunellefchi gave fcope to his invention, and produced the defign of a palace which might have fuited the proudeft fovereign in Europe; but Cofmo was led by that prudence which, in his perfonal accommodation, regulated all his conduct, to prefer A 2

the

the plan of Michellozzi, which united extent with fimplicity, and elegance with convenience. With the confcioufnefs, Brunellefchi poffelfed alfo the irritability of genius, and in a fit of vexation, he deftroyed a defign which he unjustly confidered as difgraced by its not being carried into execution. Having compleated his dwelling, Cofmo indulged his tafte in ornamenting it with the most precious remains of ancient art; and in the purchase of vafes, ftatues, bufts, gems, and medals, expended no inconfiderable fum. Nor was he lefs attentive to the merits of thofe artists which his native place had recently produced. With Mafaccio a better ftyle of painting had arifen, and the cold and formal manner of Giotto, and his difciples, had given way to more natural and expreffive compofition. In Cofmo de' Medici this rifing artist found his most liberal patron and protector. Some of the works of Mafaccio were executed in the chapel of the Brancacci, where they were held in fuch eftimation, that the place was regarded as a fchool of ftudy by the moft eminent artifts who immediately fucceeded him. Even the celebrated Michelagnolo, when obferving these paintings many years afterwards, in company with his honeft and loquacious friend Vafari, did not hesitate to exprefs his decided approbation of their merits. The reputation of Mafaccio was emulated by his difciple Filippo Lippi, who executed for Cofmo and his friends many celebrated pictures, of which Vafari has given a minute account. Cofmo how ever found no small difficulty in controlling the temper and regulating the eccentricities of this extraordinary character. If the efforts of thefe early afters did not

reach the true end of the art, they afforded confiderable afiftance towards it; and while Mafaccio and Filippo decorated with their admired productions the altars of churches and the apartments of princes, Donatello gave to marble a proportion of form, a vivacity of expreffion, to which his contemppraries imagined that nothing more was wanting; Brunellefchi raised the great dome of the cathedral of Florence; and Ghiberti caft in brafs the ftupendous doors of the church of St. John, which Michelagnolo deemed worthy to be the gates of paradife.

"In his perfon Cofmo was tall; in his youth he poffeffed the advan tage of a prepoffeffing countenance; what age had taken from his comelinefs, it had added to his dignity, and in his latter years, his appearance was fo truly venerable as to have been the frequent fubject of panegyric. His manner was grave and complacent, but upon many occafions he gave fufficient proofs that this did not arife from a want of talents for farcafm; and the fidelity of the Florentine hiftorians has preferved many of his fhrewd obfervations and remarks. When Rinaldo de' Albizi, who was then in exile, and meditated an attack upon his native place, sent a mes fage to Cofmo, importing that the hen would fhortly hatch, he replied, She will hatch with an ill grace

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out of her own neft.' On ano ther occafion, when his adverfaries gave him to understand that they were not fleeping, I believe it,' faid Cofmo, I have spoiled their fleep. Of what colour is my hair? faid Cofmo, uncovering his head to the ambaffadors of Venice, who came with a complaint against the Florentines, White,' they re plied; It will not be long,' faid Cofmo,

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