Curiosities of Literature, Vol. II | Page 9

an imitation of that which fell from heaven on the
victim offered by Aaron, and long afterwards religiously kept up by the
priests. Servius, one of the seven kings of Rome, commanded a great
fire of straw to be kindled in the public place of every town in Italy to
consecrate for repose a certain day in seed-time, or sowing.

The Greeks lighted lamps at a certain feast held in honour of Minerva,
who gave them oil; of Vulcan, who was the inventor of lamps; and of
Prometheus, who had rendered them service by the fire which he had
stolen from heaven. Another feast to Bacchus was celebrated by a
grand nocturnal illumination, in which wine was poured forth profusely
to all passengers. A feast in memory of Ceres, who sought so long in
the darkness of hell for her daughter, was kept by burning a number of
torches.
Great illuminations were made in various other meetings; particularly
in the Secular Games, which lasted three whole nights; and so carefully
were they kept up, that these nights had no darkness.
In all their rejoicings the ancients indeed used fires; but they were
intended merely to burn their sacrifices, and, as the generality of them
were performed at night, the illuminations served to give light to the
ceremonies.
Artificial fires were indeed frequently used by them, but not in public
rejoicings; like us, they employed them for military purposes; but we
use them likewise successfully for our decorations and amusement.
From the latest times of paganism to the early ages of Christianity, we
can but rarely quote instances of fire lighted up for other purposes, in a
public form, than for the ceremonies of religion; illuminations were
made at the baptism of princes, as a symbol of that life of light in which
they were going to enter by faith; or at the tombs of martyrs, to light
them during the watchings of the night. All these were abolished, from
the various abuses they introduced.
We only trace the rise of feux-de-joie, or fireworks, given merely for
amusing spectacles to delight the eye, to the epocha of the invention of
powder and cannon, at the close of the thirteenth century. It was these
two inventions, doubtless, whose effects furnished the ideas of all those
machines and artifices which form the charms of these fires.
To the Florentines and the Siennese are we indebted not only for the
preparation of powder with other ingredients to amuse the eyes, but

also for the invention of elevated machines and decorations adapted to
augment the pleasure of the spectacle. They began their attempts at the
feasts of Saint John the Baptist and the Assumption, on wooden
edifices, which they adorned with painted statues, from whose mouth
and eyes issued a beautiful fire. Callot has engraven numerous
specimens of the pageants, triumphs, and processions, under a great
variety of grotesque forms:--dragons, swans, eagles, &c., which were
built up large enough to carry many persons, while they vomited forth
the most amusing firework.
This use passed from Florence to Rome, where, at the creation of the
popes, they displayed illuminations of hand-grenadoes, thrown from
the height of a castle. Pyrotechnics from that time have become an art,
which, in the degree the inventors have displayed ability in combining
the powers of architecture, sculpture, and painting, have produced a
number of beautiful effects, which even give pleasure to those who
read the descriptions without having beheld them.[6]
A pleasing account of decorated fireworks is given in the Secret
Memoirs of France. In August, 1764, Torré, an Italian artist, obtained
permission to exhibit a pyrotechnic operation.--The Parisians admired
the variety of the colours, and the ingenious forms of his fire. But his
first exhibition was disturbed by the populace, as well as by the
apparent danger of the fire, although it was displayed on the
Boulevards. In October it was repeated; and proper precautions having
been taken, they admired the beauty of the fire, without fearing it.
These artificial fires are described as having been rapidly and
splendidly executed. The exhibition closed with a transparent triumphal
arch, and a curtain illuminated by the same fire, admirably exhibiting
the palace of Pluto. Around the columns, stanzas were inscribed,
supported by Cupids, with other fanciful embellishments. Among these
little pieces of poetry appeared the following one, which ingeniously
announced a more perfect exhibition:
Les vents, les frimats, les orages, Eteindront ces FEUX, pour un tems;
Mais, ainsi que les FLEURS, avec plus d'avautage, Ils renaîtront dans
le printems.

IMITATED.
The icy gale, the falling snow, Extinction to these FIRES shall bring;
But, like the FLOWERS, with brighter glow, They shall renew their
charms in spring.
The exhibition was greatly improved, according to this promise of the
artist. His subject was chosen with much felicity;