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Retrofpect of French Literature.-Politics.

fible defence of the French conftitution, as now established. The author begins with thewing the various changes in the national character; he afferts, that Richelieu first broke the power of the people, as he did that of the nobles; and that it was only from the date of his adminiftration that the English looked upon the French as flaves. In this the ingenious author is grofsly mistaken, for Fortescue, in the fifteenth century, forms a comparifon between the English and French, and formally terms the latter flaves, becaufe in France the people had no fhare in the government, the boafted ftatesgeneral being arbitrarily fummoned by the king, and arbitrarily ruled by him and the aristocracy; whereas England had a Houfe of Commons apart, an inititution to tally unknown, at all times, to all other countries in the world. Does M. The remin imagine, that the French ftaresgeneral had the flighteft connexion with freedom? What could a miferable third, the tiers etat, do against the nobility and clergy, united to opprefs them? If this third had ever had the fmalleft influence, would they have permitted the privileged orders to faddle them with all the taxes? He has only to look into Froiffart, and other early French writers, to fee the bletfed power of the ftates-general; the affembling of which the people, in fact, abhorred, as they knew well it was only a fignal of fresh taxations. In 1384, fuch enormous taxes were impofed by, or rather through, the ftates-general, that vaft numbers of French emigrated.

The author proceeds to thew, that the public opinion is not yet fixed and decided, on account of the ferment excited by the charge of property, in the diforders infeparable from a great revolution, in the fale of the national property, and in the tranffer of places and power, from the former monopolifts of rank to men of merit. A natural confequence of this tranfition of property into the hands of friends of the revolution was, that the new conftitution requires property as a qualification to vote; for a great number of those without property either had loft it by the revolution, and were, of courfe, its enemies; or hoped to gain by another change.

Our fpace will not permit us to extend our extracts much further. Theremin, in pointing out the advantages which have followed the revolution, obferves, that the very features of the fair fex have been improved by it, and efpecially thofe of the rifing generation; the hard-conftrain

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ed countenances of flaves begin to dif appear, and are fucceeded by the foft beauty, and Grecian form, fo common in England: old ladies, accustomed to the former court, are aftonished at the change. He then demonftrates the fuperior advantages of a government, conducted by men of letters, like that of France at prefent, to any other form, "because it is that of men of fkill, who defire no applaufe, fave what is given to science and virtue; who are, fo to fpeak, branded with infamy if they enrich themselves at the public expence, having a fame to lofe, and being anxious to preserve it; and being, moreover, accustomed to themfelves for the advantage and inftruction of others, without any view of pecuniary reward." A military government, he fays, is fo completely bad, that a defert is preferable next to this, in producing evils, is the fway of the nobles. That of men of property has great inconvenience, for it affigns every thing to wealth, and nothing to perfonal merit, or skill. In Germany, fays he, a man is valued by birth, in England by wealth, in France by merit only. What would Epaminondas, Miltiades, Regulus, Fabricius, or any ancient hero, proud of virtuous poverty, have done in England? Could any of them have bought an enfigncy? Theremin proceeds to ftate, that the rule of the military, of nobles, or of people of pro, perty, always partakes of tyranny, while men of letters can rule by nothing but reafon; inftead of weapons and prejudices, the fole fupports of the former, they only ufe arguments. "Where fuch men fhew themselves in a public ffation, they evince an extent of mind, a faci lity of conception and general ideas, only to be acquired by ftudy; and they foon furpafs thofe who have only the activity of intrigue, perfonal interefts, or the experience of routine. Hence, amongst the ancient Romans, the most illuftrious of the people and patricians, whether of the fword or of the gown, cultivated letters and philofophy, as indifpenfable in the government of the ftate."

The citizen Anquetil lately read in the Inflitut, a memoir on the peace of the Pyrennées, in 1659. Don Louis de Haro, the ambaffador for Spain, never spoke pofitively; and Mazarin, for France, was always equivocal. Lockhart, the English ambaffador, was, a match for both in this refpect; and England being then, floating between republicanifm and monarchy, he was asked which he preferred? He an

fwered,

Vol. V.]

Retrofpect of French Literature.-Politics.

$35

fwered, "Je fuis le très bumble ferviteur and neceffary in religious worship. In

des événements:" I am the most humble fervant of the events.

Des Réactions, &c. On Political Reactions, by Benjamin Conftant, 8vo. This writer and Theremin are two of the ableft defenders of the prefent conftitution of France; which, if in the eyes of fome not fufficiently democratic, is, at leaft, an excellent fchool for democracy. La Politique d'Ariftote, &c. Ariftotle's Politics, tranflated from the Greek, with notes, by the Cit. Champagne. 2 vols. 8vo. The French revolution has brought the Grecian hiftory and politics home to our doors; and we are become familiar with aristocracy and democracy. This tranflation is faid to be well executed.

Des Caufes de la Révolution, &c. Of the Caufes of the Revolution, and of its Re fults, 8vo. A moderate author in defence of the revolution, which, as he fhews, was produced by no particular events, or intrigues, but by the progrefs of reafon among the people at large, arifing moftly from the-mere fpectacle of faults and errors, prefented to their eyes by the antiquated government.

Les Soirées d'un Solitaire, &c. The Evenings of a Solitary Man, or Confiderations on the Conftitutional Principles of States, by J. E. Chappuzzi, Svo. This work chiefly confifts of reflections on the leading events in the French revolution. The French prefs teems with political works and pamphlets, of which we shall only notice the chief. Who would undertake a review of the pamphlets publifhed during our civil commotions in the laft century, which fill an entire room in the British Mufeum, and may be computed by thousands?

A good tranflation of Mr. Erfkine's pamphlet on the prefent war has appeared at Paris.

Des Effets de la Terreur, &c. On the Effects of Terror, by Benjainin Conftant, 8vo. This pamphlet completes the first edition of the Réactions Politiques of the fame author.

Reflexions fur le Culte, &c. Reflections on Public Worship, on Civil Ceremonies, and National Feafts, by L. M. ReveillereLepaux, Member of the National Inftitute, $vo. The celebrated director, author of this pamphlet, inquires, 1. If certain dogmas and a religious worship be neceffary? He believes that no nation can omit them: 2. If this worship ought to be adopted and regulated by the legiflation? He decides for the negative.

He then examines if pop be ufeful

granting that the multitude must be attracted by their eyes, he afferts that the time is not yet proper, and that found politics oppofe the permiffion of displaying pomp in whatever worship. Perhaps one of the divifions of this, pamphlet, which may attract the most general approbation, is that relative to the civil ceremonies, or thofe which ought to be practifed at the three principal epochs of life, birth, marriage, and death. Pomp appears to him indifpenfible in civil inftitu tions, and particularly in national festivals. On thefe occafions ought to be difplayed all that can kindle the imagination, elevate: the foul to the moft fublime ideas, and the heart to the most noble fentiments.

This little tract abounds with great and benevolent views.

Vues d'un Citoyen, &c. Ideas concern-. ing Sepulture, by a citizen formerly Member of the Legislative Affembly, 8vo. The author, a friend to the arts, recommends perfect freedom to all perfuafions, to erect fepulchral monuments. It had. been agitated, whether a tree planted on the grave fhould not, be the only memorial.

De la Famille, &c. Family confidered as the Element of Society, by T. Guiraudet, 8vo. This work is founded on the well-known bafis, that every fociety, every. ftate, is a compofition of families; it is not deficient in learned illustrations of this interefting topic, and abounds with documents of pure morality.

De l'Egalité, &c. On Equality; or general Principles concerning Civil, Poitical, and Religious Inftitutions, 2 vols. 8vo. This work is a fupplement to a former production of the author, "The Correfpondence of an Inhabitant of Paris, on the Revolution," 1791. This writer is a count of the Holy Roman empire; and it is not furprising that he fhould look on objects with the green spectacles of aristocracy.

Plan d'un nouveau Tarif, &c. Plan of a new Tarif of Contributions, or a Method of diminishing the Land-tax, and increafing the Revenue of the French Republic; prefented to the Council of Five Hundred, by Citizens Loire-Duchemin, furveyors in the canton of Liancourt, department of the Oife.

Manuel adminiftratif, Judiciaire 3-Cummercial.

This is the title of a periodical publication, the first number of which was prefented to the Executive Directory and the Councils, which ordered honourable.

mention

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Retrospect of French Literature.--Biography....Travels.

mention thereof to be made in the minutes of the fitting, and the book to be depofired in the library of the Legislative Body). It contains full and exact accounts of the contributions, of the public debt, and of all other fubjects, which relate to the finances, judicial proceedings, com merce and trade, &c.

Subfcriptions are received, at Paris, at Citizen Darmaing's, No. 1112, Cour des Fontaines.

Code fur la Contrainte par Corps en Matière Civil & de Commerce, &c. A Code of Arrests in Civil and Commercial Matters, pursuant to the law of the 15th Germinal, and to that of the 4th Floreal (6th year), by Citizen Pierre Louis Tiffan dien, &c.

This work is peculiarly useful to merchan's, traders, bankers, brokers, lawyers, collectors, agents, &c.

De la République, ou du meilleur Gouvernement, oworage traduit de Cicéron, &c. On Republics, or on the best Form of Government, a work tranflated from Cicero, and restored after the Fragments and his other Writings, with Notes, hiftorical and critical, and a Differtation on the Origin of the Sciences, Arts, and Philosophy, &c. among the Romans, vol. 8vo.

This work is extremely interefting, not only on account of the name of the author, but alfo from the manner fo fuccefsfully employed to restore this ingenious compofition, which contains the neatest and moft authentic notions on the conftitution of the Roman Republic, and the most interesting difcuffions of a variety of moral, political, philofophical, and hiftotical fabjects.

BIOGRAPHY.

1

Vie de L. Hoche, &c. The Life of L. Hoche, General of the Armies of the French Republic, by A. Rouffelin, followed by his public and private correfpondence with government, and the minitters and generals, &c. in his different commands of the armies of the Rhine and Mofelle, of the coaft of Cherbourg, of Breft, of the Weft and the Atlantic, of Ireland, and of the Sambre and Meufe; the fecond edition, corrected, and augmented with three engravings, reprefenting the blockade of Dunkirk, the affair of Quiberon, and the theatre of the war on the Rhine, 2 vols. -in 8vo.

This fecond edition is far fuperior to the firft, on account of the numerous corrections made by the author; and the addition of the above three engravings, or plans, renders this work peculiarly afeful to military gentlemen. A Hiftory of the

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War of La Vendée, which, in the true import of the word, was not yet written, is fully contained in the life and correfpondence of General Hoche; and there can remain no doubt of its being authentic, for furely no one was better qualified to write this hiftory, than the pacificator of La Vendée.

Biographie de Suicidés, &c. A Biography of Self-murde ers, by Ch. H. Spies, tranflated from the German, with additional Philofophical and Moral Remarks, by J. H. Poll, 2 vols. 12mo.

Hiftoire des Hommes illuftres, &c. The Hitory of thofe illuftrious Men, who have done Honour to France by their Talents and Virtues, arranged by the Days of the Year; a Work ufeful for the Education of Youth, 4 vols. 12mo. This French biography is on the plan of the Lives of the Saints: it prefents a fhort life of each illuftrious perfon, under the date of his birth or his death. "My intention," fays the anonymous author in his preface, "has folely been to furnish rifing generations with precepts and examples; my with is that of Horace, Di probos mores docite juventa! (Ye gods, teach virtuous habits to our youth!) What enlightened teacher will not make it a daily duty to fhew to his fcholars, fometimes a tender father, fometimes a refpectful fon, fometimes a patriotic priest, fometimes a pacific hero? In every family a new fource of inftructive converfation will arife. Today Fenelon was born; to-morrow is the anniversary of the death of Turenne; who will not delight to talk of Fenelon and Turenne?" The lives are chiefly modern; the work is well executed, and has nothing to offend men of any perfuafion.

TRAVELS.

Le Voyageur à Paris, &c. The Traveller at Paris, a picturefque and moral Picture of that Capital, 3 vols. 12mo. This is a kind of abridgment of the works of St. Foix, Dulaure, Mercier, &c.

Une Journée de Paris, &c. A Day's Ramble through Paris, 18mo. This litthe work is in imitation of Sterne, but has likewife original pictures. The author is rather inclined to place the new inftitutions in a ridiculous point of view; but, that ridicule is a teft of truth, is a maxim now completely exploded. Two of the best pictures are the eating-houfe, in which the characters are delineated on the Lavaterian fyftem of phyfiognomy; and the chefs-room, prefenting a fingular delineation of the enthufiafm and abstraction of the devotees of that enchanting game.

Voyages Phyfiques, &c. Journies to the

Pyrennees

Vol. V.]

Retrospect of French Literature. Travels.

Pyrennées in 1788 and 1789, illuftrating the Natural History of a Part of thefe Mountains, with Maps, by Francis Pafumot, 8vo.

537

eruptions, could have exercifed his pencils on this artificial volcano, not lefs ftriking in its effects than the other." He afterwards vifits Sterling, the ancient refidence of the Scottish monarchs: but the inflamed coal-mines at Culros (erroneously put Kukroos prefent objects more analagous to his purfuits. Thefe mines extend under the fea, a phenomena which furprifes M. Faujas, who had not vifited Whitehaven. Whence he proceeds to the Highlands; he is ftruck with the fingular

Voyage dans l'Intérieur des Etats Unis, &c. A Journey to the Interior Parts of the United States of America, during the Summer of 1791, by F. M. Bazard, 8vo. America is to a philofopher what Italy is to an amateur, replete with interefting fubjects of obfervation. Bazard offers important additions to the accounts given by Chatelleux and Briffot. He now par-dreffes and manners of the inhabitants, ticularly confiders the private life, the labours, and amusements, of the American people. It is only to be regretted, that the work is too short.

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Voyage en Angleterre, &c. A Voyage to England, Scotland, and the Hebrides, chiefly illuftrative of the Sciences and Arts, Natural History, and Manners, by B. Faujas St. Fond, 2 vols. 8vo. with Plates. The author of this interesting work had before distinguished himself by his researches concerning volcanos, and other topics of mineralogy. Arrived at London, our traveller becomes acquainted with Sir Jofeph Banks, Mr. Whitehurst, and Mr. Cavallo; and he gives a particular account of Mr. Sheldon's mummy of his mistress. He afterwards goes to Greenwich, and to the more important obfervatory of Mr. Herfchel, at Slough. Kew gardens are next delineated, in the glowing colours of an enchanted botanist. The British Museum he defcribes as an ill-arranged mafs of curious productions of nature and art. The opticians, Ramfden, Dollond, Nairn, the manufactures of Wedgwood in clay, and Parker in glafs, fucceffively engage his attention. The refpectable clafs of Quakers, innocent of the fashionable crime of murder, is mentioned with due refpect.

But the chief object of this journey was to inspect the volcanic appearances in Scotland, and particularly the inland of Staffa. Our ingenious traveller proceeds to Newcastle, and dwells, with complacency, on the grand mineralogic operations there difplayed; nor can he refrain from pointing out to his countrymen the numerous advantages that would arife, if the coal-mines in France were explored. Arrived at Edinburgh, his first object is to visit the greatest iron-foundry in Europe, that at Carron; the grandeur of the objects is delineated in correfponding language: "I with," fays M. Faujas, that the painter of Vefuvius, that Voltaire, who has fo well defcribed the effects of that volcano, in its ftrongeft nocturnal MONTHLY MAG. No. XXXIII.

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and pleased with their hofpitality: for their monotonous mufic he, however, expreffes great contempt. At Oban he em-barks for Mull; and terminates his voyage at Staffa, which strikes him as the moft fublime volcanic production in the world.

On his return to Mull, he discovers another great volcanic appearance, "This is a kind of circus on the ancient plan, formed by natural walls of bafaltro, rifing vertically with fuch regularity, that it is difficult at first to conceive that it is not a work of art and industry; but all the power of human ftrength, affifted by mechanical means, could not move fuch enormous maffes, the productions of fire, which, instead of destroying, has formed refults analogous to creation.-Another point, not lefs curious, is, that the adjacent objects which accompany this fingular production of fubterraneous fire, feem as if placed by defign in the neighbourhood, on purpose to explain the problem of its formation." The columns are near twenty-fix feet high, and about feven feet broad; the length is eighty-nine, breadth feventy-fix, feet. This circus is 102 feet from the fea, on a small eminence formed of lava. The manners and cuftoms of the Scottish iflanders are contrafted with those of the English. In returning through the Highlands he observes numerous volcanic appearances. He croffes to Lock Tay, where pearls are found, and points out to the fishers a mode of difcerning the thells which contain pearls, by the perforations of an infect obfervable on the outfide. Perth and St. Andrews are afterwards defcribed. M. Faujas returns to Edinburgh, and forms an acquaintance with feveral men of fcience. Dr. Cullen recommends to him the use of punch, as an excellent warm ftimulant in cold and wet seasons. He is prefent at the trial of kill on the bagpipe, exhibited by the Highland Society, and expreffes his aftonifhment at the barbarism of the mufic: indeed, to preserve the old mufic, or lan3 Z

guage,

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Retrospect of French Literature.-Mathematics, &c. [Sup.

guage, is merely a barrier against the progrefs of civilization.

Our traveller returns by Manchester, Buxton, the Peak of Derbyshire, which gratifies his curiofity, Birmingham, Warwick, and Oxford. His remarks are always thofe of a scientific and liberal mind; and a tranflation of his work would, doubtlefs, form a pleafing accompaniment to the tour of Penhant, and other modern travellers.

Voyage Phil fopbique, &c. A Philofophical and Picturesque Journey in England and France, in 1790, &c. with an Effay on the Hiftory of the Arts in Great Britain, tranflated from the German, with Critical Notes on Politics, Literature, and the Arts, by Charles Pongrus, vo. with Plates. An interefting work; but the prints are ill-chofen views of common edifices.

MATHEMATICS.

Réflexions fur la Metaphysique, &c. Reflections on the Metaphyfics of the Calculation of Infinites, by the Citizen Carpot, 8vo. This work we only point out to the curiofity of our readers, as the production of the celebrated director Carnot, known, before the revolution, by his Effai fur les Machines en général. It is a fingular phenomenon in the hiftory of the human mind, to see a good mathematician become a great minifter at war.

MEDICINE.

A Collection of Refearches and Obfervations on the different Methods of treating Venereal Difeafes, and efpecially on the Effects of the Remedy, known under the name of Rob Anti-fyphilitique, &c. by Lafferteur, ftreet des Petits Auguftins, No. 1276, at Paris.

MORALS.

Principes & Queftions, &c. Principles and Questions of Natural Morality, a new edition, intended to ferve as a fupplement and correctif of the works of Rochefou cault, 12mo. An useful and pleafing little work.

BELLES LETTRES

Oeuvres de Moncrif, &c. The works of Moncrif, member of feveral academies, a new edition, augmented with the hiftory of cats, two volumes octavo, with portrait and other plates. This author was born at Paris in 1687, and died there on the 12th of November, 1770. His chief works are: 1. An Effay on the Neceffity and Means of Pleafing; an agreeable production, elegantly written; 2. Several Little Tales, full of grace and nature, feafoned with gaiety and morality; 3. Fugitive Poetry, Songs, Odes, and Operas;

4. The Hiftory of Cats are ingenious trifles, ftyled, by himself, a production gravely frivolous. His language is ftrictly pure, his images clear and lumi

Oeuvres completes de Freret, &c. The complete works of Freret, fecretary of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres, published by M. Septchenes, 20 vols. 12mo.; an injudicious compilation of the works of a learned and acute writer. The fmall form, and, above all, the omiffion of the references and quotations, give an air of trifling to erudition, and deftroy the exactnefs of the researches.

Carite Polydon, &c. 12mo. This tale is now printed with the celebrated name of Barthelemy, author of the Anacharfis, by whom it is now indubitably known to have been written.

Idylles de Théocrite, &c. The Idylle of Theocritus, tranflated by Gail, 2 vols. 4to. with plates. Gail is one of the most eininent Greek scholars now in France; and this tranflation will not detract from his former fame in this branch of literature.

Memoires de Gibbon, &c. Memoirs of Gibbon, with fome of his pofthumous works, and fome letters, 2 vols. 8vo. A judicious abridgment of Lord Sheffield's large volumes."

Hiftoire Critique des Myfières, &c. A Critical Hiftory of the Mysteries of Antiquity, 18mo. A miferable performance, and what, in England, would be termed a catchpenny.

Halicarnafe, &c. Halicarnaffus, Pris cuni, Paphos, and Mount Evix; pofthumous pieces of the Abbé Barthelemy, 18mo. We only mention this publication to warn our readers, that it is an impofture, generally difavowed by the Abbé's replies.

A French journalist lately gave the following remarks on the state of literature in his country, which we think too interefting to be omitted:" How much the times are changed, efpecially in France! The trade of a bookfeller has completely fallen; and even when peace may return, it is doubtful whether it can ever become as flourishing as in former times. The political revolution has produced a great change in ideas, as well as in fortunes. Printing, in fuccefsfully ferving opinion, has occafioned incalculable mischief to it. felf. How many works of theology, law, genealogy, even hiftory, &c. are become useless! The capital of these books, which was an hereditary property, is loft beyond recovery. The deftruction of an infinite number of libraries of the fup

preffed

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