parison with any of those which have preceded it. The Lucretius of Pongerville is said to equal the best translations of Delille. He has also undertaken a version of Ovid, notwithstanding the very estimable one already extant of M. de Saint Ange. M. Tissot, a distinguished critic, has published in French poetry, the Bucolics of Virgil, and the Kisses of Secundus, which he has accompanied with several original elegies, that are esteemed worthy of being placed by the side of those of Parny.

Amongst the prose writers of this age, the merit of M. Chateaubriand seems to be universally felt and acknowledged, notwithstanding the gross imperfections and errors that have been justly charged upon his various compositions. It is known that he has lately disposed of the copyright of his works, for twenty years only, for 550,000 francs, to the book-seller Ladvocat. The principal works that are yet known of this author are, Le Génie du Christianisme, Les Martyrs, and L'Itinéraire à Jérusalem. His famous Essai sur les Révolutions will be reproduced in the new edition, with notes. It will contain also his work entitled Les Natchez, in continuation of Atala. In this work, the promenade of Chactas in Paris, his reception at the court of Versailles, the picture of the great men of the age of Louis XIV. at a supper at the chateau of Ninon de L'enclos, are executed with great fervour of imagination; and a dialogue between Chactas and Fénélon at this famous symposium of the French Aspasia, is managed in the author's best manner. In addition to this work, there is mentioned a Tableau de l'Amérique Sauvage, at the time of its discovery by Columbus, and a Tableau of the same country in its present state of cultivation. There are likewise noticed, Moses, a tragedy, and a collection of odes. M. Chateaubriand has not yet appeared before the world in the character of a poet, and what success he may have in this vocation is at present a subject of curiosity. It is to be hoped that he has not followed his own precepts and principles detailed in his Génie du Christianisme, which are assuredly less orthodox in poetry than in religion. Upon the whole, a man may be a very excellent Christian, and make bad verses; he may be ignorant, too, of the rules of Aristotle, and yet be a good poet. This author, like his own works, has been considered heretofore of rather an anomalous composition, differing not only from others, but frequently at variance with himself. In this new edition of his works, there are said to be notes that tend much to reconcile all these seeming incompatibilities both of his literary and political character; and in the preface there is a profession of faith, which, it is supposed, will not only redeem wholly his popularity, but ensure, on all future occasions, his attachment to those good principles that are so worthy his industry and splendid abilities.

M. de la Mennais has published a well-written book, entitled L'Indifférence en matière de Religion, in which there is quite as much fanatical zeal manifested as evangelical truth; and a great politician, who is not less celebrated as an orator, M. Benjamin Constant, has still in the press, La Religion puisée dans sa Source, of which three volumes have already been published-a work of great erudition, and embellished by a pure and elegant style. His political writings also are numerous; and it is known that they have contributed abundantly to the establishment and preservation of good principles in France, and that the enemies of liberty have not a more formidable antagonist in the Chamber of Deputies than Benjamin Constant. Amongst the political writers of the day, the most prolific is M. l'Abbé de Pradt, cidevant archbishop of Mâlines. During the last fifteen years, he has published more than thirty volumes in 8vo.; and, from the known industry of this author, we have reason to apprehend as many more before the termination of his career. He will let slip no occasion of making a book. His views and principles are generally liberal, but his style and manner somewhat below mediocrity. MM. Comte and Dunoyer, editors of the Censeur, and of the Censeur Européen, by their excellent and luminous essays, deserve to rank among the best politicians of the day; and several of the political writings of Guizot are worthy of attention. M. de Bonald is the champion of the Ultras. Carnot has described, in an admirable manner, the sophistical reasonings of this writer, in his letter to Napoleon. His talent is to throw obscurity upon all subjects the most plain in themselves-a peculiarity which has entitled him, from some one of the wits, to the following epigram:

"Qu'on brule ses écrits, ses sermons et ses lois,

Ils nous éclaireront pour la première fois."

In the career of eloquence, in France, there are several young authors, who have given at least good promise of future distinction. We may remark, particularly, M. Villemain, professor of eloquence in the Sorbonne, in Paris, who is daily rising into reputation. His Eulogy of Montaigne, and that of Montesquieu, have both obtained the prizes of the Academy; and his Mélanges contain various pieces of excellent texture. In his introductory lecture of the present year, he has given a history of French eloquence, passing over that of the revolution. He has promised, in his course, an analysis of English eloquence, and a comparison of their orators with those of antiquity. The following is an extract of his discourse, in speaking of the English Parliament:

"C'est là seulement que nous étudierons cette éloquence politique tant illustrée par les Pitt, les Fox, les Burke, et les Sheridan. En France la leçon serait trop cruelle, et rappellerait de trop sanglants souvenirs. Il en coute de montrer tous ces talents dévorés si vite. Quelque soit le génie de l'homme, qui s'élança VOL. I. -NO. 2. 74

le premier dans cette terrible arène, quelque soit la mâle énergie de ses discours prémédités, l'éloquente rudesse de ses soudaines colères, nous ne rappellerons aucune de ses paroles dans cette paisible enceinte; nous ne redirons pas les combats de cette première assemblée, où l'éclat du talent désigna tant de victimes; plus tard ce n'est pas la pitié, c'est l'horreur qui nous repousse. Elle n'appartient d'ailleurs qu'à l'histoire, cette éloquence furieuse, qui se déchainait au millieu des meurtres et des ruines, qui tuait du haut de la tribune, et décimait ses propres organes. Frénétique et déclamatoire, elle avait pour elle la puissance de la mort plutôt que celle du génie; ses paroles ressemblent à cette lave enflammée de l'Etna, qui, lorsqu'elle jaillit à pleins torrents sur les flancs de la montagne, brule et resplendit au loin, mais qui, bien-tôt après, descendue dans la plaine et glacée dans son cours, n'est plus qu'un grossier minéral, un mélange de fer et de bitume. Telle n'est pas cette éloquence de la raison, et de la liberté, que nous avons quelquefois entendue; elle vit de sa propre force après les passions qui l'inspiraient; elle est douée d'une ame immortelle."

In the House of Deputies, and also in the House of Peers, a few orators have appeared of considerable talent, who deserve, besides, a kind and cordial welcome for having employed their talents in defence of liberal principles. Not being able to introduce into this article any adequate portion of their discourses, we shall forego the pleasure of reciting their names, which are, besides, in circulation with the common news of the day.

The French orators generally do not appear to us to fall often into the evil deplored by Horace, of becoming obscure by labouring to be brief. The prevailing characteristics of their oratory, like our own, are verbosity and declamation-diseases that seem to have infected modern eloquence universally; nor is there perhaps a more distinctive feature of its inferiority to that of ancient times. If it were a proper subject of ridicule, we might say, that the best treatise on rhetoric that could be recommended in this age of words, would be one which should instruct our orators how to hold their tongues,"-such a one as was written by Cleanthes of Athens, and mentioned by Cicero: "De arte rhetoricâ scripsit, sed sic, ut si quis obmutescere concupiverit nihil aliud legere debeat.", A very long speech is not only an abuse of the auditor's leisure, but is in some degree an insult to his understanding. With the ignorant there may be need of detail, but with men of sense something ought to be in mercy left to their intelligence and discernment. No people were more sensible of this necessary rule of taste and discretion than the ancient Greeks. Phocion, preparing to ascend the rostrum, being asked by some one of those near him the cause of his pensiveness, replied, "I am reflecting how I shall abridge what I have to say on this occasion." Of this Phocion, Demosthenes used to say, "This is the axe that prunes my speeches." In Greece, an orator was praised for speaking well; in America, generally, he is admired for speaking a long time. "The governor, we say, "made a speech four hours long"!-—“The attorney-general spoke six hours and a half:"-Now, the longest of Demosthenes's speeches may be read in fifty minutes, and the

most diffuse of Cicero's in an hour. But, revenons à nos moutons.

In historical productions the French have been of late uncommonly fertile. Whilst they had been eminently distinguished in every other department of letters, they were strangely deficient in historical talent; and, before the present century, had not even furnished to the world a good history of their own country. A new spirit has been engendered; a greater number of authors have become emulous of this kind of distinction, and they have become more assiduous and skilful in research. In testimony of this, we may cite the vast enterprise of MM. Guiret, Buchon, and Pétitot. MM. Barante and Augustin Thiery, have gained reputation; the one for his Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne de la Maison de Valois, and the other by his Histoire de la conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands. Both of these authors belong to what is called in France, the writers of the practical school, or those who confine themselves to a simple narrative of facts.

At the head of the philosophical school, we may place M. Simonde de Sismondi, so well known by his Histoire des Républiques Italiennes, and his Histoire des Français, two compositions which have entitled him to the highest consideration in the class of the historians. The Histoire Universelle of the Comte de Ségur, deserves strong terms of praise, both as regards matter and composition. There is also much praise due to Michaud's Histoire des Croisades, as well as to Lacretelle's Histoire du 18me. Siècle et de l'Assemblée Constituante; the latter, however, is censured by some for partiality and inaccuracy of details. To these we may add, M. Dulaure, indefatigable in research; M. Guizot, author of an excellent history De la Révolution d'Angleterre; and especially M. Daru, author of the Histoire de la République de Venise. Very numerous and interesting memoirs are daily publishing in France, concerning the French Revolution. MM. Mignet, Thier, Bodin, and several others, have given proof of excellent talents in this department of composition. M. Pouqueville is especially well known for his work Sur la Grèce; and Daunou, Professor of History and Ancient Languages, by his researches upon interesting subjects of antiquity.

In philosophy, also, the French have acquired in recent times a well-merited celebrity. In metaphysical science, we may first notice the Idéologie of M. Destutt Tracy, and the Leçons de Philosophie of Mr. Laromiguïère, in both of which the intellectual faculties have been analysed, and their operations in thinking and reasoning treated in a concise, interesting, and instructive manner. MM. Collard, and Maine-Biran, have lately revived in France the philosophy of Plato, which has been ex

plained also in eloquent lessons by the translator of Plato, M. Cousin.

The author of the Compensations dans les destinées Humaines, M. Azaïs, has also published a course of general philosophy, or explanation of facts, physical, physiological, intellectual, moral, and political: and Baron Massias, in his work Du Rapport de la Nature à l'Homme, et de l'Homme à la Nature, followed by other works, designed as a complement to this, has with great ingenuity illustrated the origin, progress, and certainty of human knowledge. M. Droz has published an estimable work on moral philosophy, giving an account of the different systems of ethical science; and M. de Gérando, in his work on Self-Education, has displayed great talents and erudition; but this writer's principal fame rests upon his Histoire comparée des Systêmes. In this work he has given a very lucid history of philosophy, ancient and modern, divided into five different periods, correponding with its most visible and material revolutions: the first from its origin to the time of Socrates, continued in the second till the time of its translation into Egypt and Rome, and in the third to the fall of the western empire; in the fourth to the revival of letters; and finally in the fifth, to the end of the last century.

M. Keratry has contributed to the progress of metaphysical science by his Institutions Morales et Physiologiques, and by his translations from the celebrated German philosopher Kant. The works of Dugald Stewart also have been translated, with notes and commentaries, by Buchon. An acquaintance with foreign literature is at present more common and fashionable in France than at any former period. Thousands of volumes are issued from her presses every year, in all the languages of Europe; and the chief works of foreign countries have, in the course of the last twenty years, been translated into the French language; which habit of intercourse has tended not only to enlarge the circle of literary curiosity and to cultivate liberal feelings, but, concurrently with other causes, has communicated a more solemn and serious tone to the intellectual character of the nation. Even in their novels, the French now require some moral and political interest to give them success; and almost the entire brood of their extravagant and voluptuous romances, so common in the last century, have become extinct. Literature, says M. Droz, is not at present a futile art, occupied only in flattering the ear or gratifying licen tious passions; its object is to diffuse just ideas and important information. This writer has himself, with his friend M. Picard, exemplified these principles in their novels of Eugène and Guillaume, and of Jacques Fauvel. M. Picard published, before the revolution, the Exalté, or History of Gabriel Désodry; during the revolution, and under the Empire, the Gil-Blas of the Revo