people. Here we have a true picture of the littleness and the neatness of a Frenchman's mind. The anecdote of Rutilius discovers the basis of liberty, practical virtue in the individual, and prudence to guard it inviolate. M. Royou admires the splendour of such an action, but never inquires into the per"sonal virtue necessary to effect it. This shews the difference between honor and conscience; between those who are influenced only by the popular approbation, and those who are actuated solely by principles of justice.

The author commences his second volume with the war between Rome and Carthage. Here the national glory of a Frenchman, and his vulgar prejudices against maritime countries, naturally animates him to express his sentiments with an energy somewhat more worthy of a Roman. The grand military operations, the hostile dispositions, violence, and agitation which every where predominate, furnish topics of pompous declamations, and even interesting incident. The intrigues and ambition of the commanders, although naturally cast in the back ground, must still be very sensible objects. The errors, not to say crimes, of democracy, on which imperial Frenchmen are now more politely eloquent than republican ones were, lately, on its beauties, furnish a too-favourable occasion for declamatory sycophancy, not to be eagerly embraced by a sujet de sa majesté l'Empereur et Roi. The factions of the nobles, and the sanguinary civil wars, are no less capable of being applied to the past days of modern France. The subject, indeed, would be highly interesting in the hands of an impartial and philosophical historian, who would thence draw lessons of wisdom for posterity; but when perverted by groveling adulation, the whole scene is too degrading to rational man. There is, nevertheless, some analogy between the progress of the degeneracy of ancient Rome into absolute monarchy, and that of modern France to the same state of political and moral degradation. The transit from a government of demagogues to the establishment of five despots, bears some similarity to the elevation of Sylla by his own faction; the cinque hommes, too, like the triumvirate, terminated their career by the powerful hand of a successful despot. The details of the violation of the constitutional laws, in the 666th year of Rome, and 88th before cur æra, conclude M. C. Royou's second volume.

"The happy days of the Republic," observes the author, "are already passed; we still, indeed, see talents and virtues, traces of glory, a prodigious man, but not a moment of happiness, or even repose. Every page of history is imbrued in blood."

“ን

M. Royou devotes his third volume to the relation of the events during the age of Sylla, Cato, Cæsar, Pompey, Cicero, &c. &c. to the illustrious names and remarkable incidents of this period, the subjugation of the Gauls, and of Asia, at the same time that Rome was a prey to factions; the rivality of Cæsar and Pompey; the fall of the latter, and the triumph of the conqueror of the Gauls; are all events which led to the destruction of the power of the senate, and, finally, to the establishment of the Roman empire. The history of this period is so well known, that it was not to be expected that the author could add much, either in manner or matter, to what has already been done. Those who have read St. Real's dissertations on different events during this momentous age, will not derive much pleasure from Mr. Royou's narrative; still less will they be greatly instructed by the profundity of his philosophy.

The last volume contains the history of Rome from the year 1704 of its foundation, till Octavius, called Augustus, mounted the throne of the universe, about twenty-nine years before the Christian æra. The principal, if not only merit of M. Royou's "Roman History," is that of uniting a knowledge of the great events which decide the fate of nations with that of the personal conduct, and, in some measure, private life of all the distinguished actors on the scene. Although the author discovers no peculiar talent for seizing the characteristic traits of great men, yet his miscellaneous combination of public facts, and private anecdotes, renders his work more interesting to general readers, than a more political history would otherwise be. For this he has the example of the Greek and Roman historians, and, like them too, notwithstanding the copiousness of his facts, and the limited extent of his work, the love of perspicuousness has sometimes led him almost to diffusion. Yet M. Royou has studied to adopt his history to general use, and to avoid the dryness of abridgments, and the tedious diffuseness of more voluminous writers. Whatever relates to the government and customs of the Romans, indeed, he has treated with considerable perspicuity.

To this work are added, what are very rare in France, complete indexes to each volume, containing a summary of its contents, which must assist the memories and the judgments of young persons, by enabling them both to remember and to comprehend what they have read. The indexes are also accompanied with a gazetteer of all the places mentioned in the work, with their ancient and modern names, and the whole is completed by an account of the writers of Roman History. It must, indeed, be confessed, that M. Royou has produced a

very useful history, notwithstanding its numerous defects. He is more indebted to Goldsmith than he has the candour to acknowledge.

Corinne, ou l' Italie.

Corinna, or Italy. By Madame de Stael Holstein. 2 vols. 8vo. Paris.

The extravagant praises which, this work has received/render it necessary to examine its contents, appreciate its literary merit, and expose its dangerous tendency. Few publications have appeared in this century so well adapted to the purposes of seduction, so subversive of all chastity and rational virtue, or so artfully blending historical knowledge, taste, and factitious morality, with the most unbounded licentiousness. The hero and heroine of the piece are well drawn to insure the approbation of the Edinburgh critics, as Oswald, lord Nelvil, is a Scotchman, who travels in Italy; Corinna is the daughter of a Northumbrian by an Italian lady. The young and virtuous lord Nelvil visited France at the commencement of the Revolution, became acquainted with a count Raimond, who is represented as a paragon of goodness, but who had a sister, Madam d'Arbigny, a young widow, and a most artful coquette. This intriguing woman, whose character is sketched with great fidelity to nature, endeavoured to inveigle Oswald to marry her; and succeeded so far as to detain him a year in France, contrary to the wish of his father, who died of chagrin at his son's absence. Oswald, who was all filial affection, became melancholy in consequence of neglecting his father, whose spirit he imagined to be continually watching and reproaching him for his disobedience. In this state he went to Italy, astonished the people of Ancona by his spirited and successful efforts to extinguish a fire, which the superstitious people thought was a judgment on their town, and proceeded incog to Rome, where he beheld Corinna as an improvisator, or speaker of extemporary verses. At one of those festivals of crowning with bays, not uncommon in Italy, Oswald first beheld Corinna in the capitol, where, after reciting some extemporary verses in praise of her country, and performing some pieces of music, she was decorated with a crown of laurel, and received the plaudits of numerous spectators. Her beauty and extraordinary talents, as well as her artful address to the particular feelings of Oswald, instantly inspired him with the most lively affection, which in return was met by the most ardent love. In this state of enthusiastic and mutual love they

surveyed all the antiquities of Rome; examined the tombs, -churches, palaces, statues, and paintings; reviewed the manners and character of the Italians, and the literature of Italy; and finally describe the popular feasts, musical entertainments, and the holy week in Popish Rome. From the capitol the lovers proceed to Naples, and the hermitage of St. Salvador, where lord Nelvil relates his adventures in France, his tender affection for his father, and the artifices of Madame d' Arbigny. Vesuvius and the city of Naples are next described; and Corinna discovers her real name, relates her history, her mother's death, her visit to England, and her step-mother's character. Oswald and Corinna, daily becoming more and more enamoured of each other, return to Rome, and afterwards make a tour to Venice, where Oswald determines to return to England to join his regiment; and Corinna and he, with much difficulty, separate, after mutual protestations of eternal love. Oswald's delay in England becoming insupportable to Corinna, she determined to follow him to London, where she saw him, with his regiment, at a review, in Hyde Park, accompanied with her step-mother and half-sister. Continuing to conceal herself, Oswald departed for Scotland, without her obtaining an interview, when she instantly followed him, discovered incog his attachment to her sister, sent him his ring, and the permission to marry another, and returned to Italy, in the utmost despondency. Oswald was then married, but continued unhappy; and learning that Corinna had actually visited this country, and discovered his neglect of her, determined to go to see her in Florence, accompanied with his wife and daughter. On his arrival in Italy, Corinna refused to see him, till she was near expiring, when she forgave and 'blessed him and his family.

In this brief outline of the principal incidents in Corinna, the reader will perceive that it contains nothing new, that it required no effort of genius, no invention, to produce such a work. But its chief, and perhaps only merit, are the dissertations on the antiquities, paintings, and other objects of the arts, with descriptions of the manners, character, and literary history of Italy, all of which are very accurate for a novel, but insufferably vague and unsatisfactory for a tour. As to Corinna's laboured praises of her country, its fine climate, and still more delicious manners, they all tend to the same purpose, to excite and to gratify the passions in the highest degree, to generate appetites, and to apologize for their unrestrained indulgence, and to reduce the manners to a softness and effeminacy incompatible with virtue, or the discharge of our social

duties. Madame de Stael has attempted to unite Italian and French voluptuousness with English virtue; but it will not do; to every real observer of human nature it is evidently a physi cal impossibility: "virtue is made of sterner stuff" Volup tuous dalliance, and enthusiastic tenderness, may not be incom... patible with general benevolence, but can never be united with energy of mind, and moral rectitude, in the same person. Such an attempt, indeed, must ever be abortive, except so far as it may succeed in corrupting a few weak, characters. Had Chesterfield studied human nature more profoundly, he would have known, that his ridiculous system of suaviter in modo. and fortiter in re was not more practical than the union, of light. and darkness. The most desirable suavity is that which arises from a naturally benevolent heart, and unperturbed mind.

As Madame de Stael's sentiments are not all reprehensible, we shall translate some of the most laudable. Her picture of the superstition of the Italians, exhibited at Ancona, where a few houses were on fire, and extinguished by the presence of mind and vigilance of Oswald, is lively and correct.-Lord Nelvil, assisted by a few English sailors, continued to pour such tor rents of water on the flames, as soon extinguished them, while the priests were walking in religious processions, and the people praying to the images, instead of endeavouring to arrest the progress of the destructive element..

"The fire extending to the quarter in which the Jews were enclosed every night, Oswald demanded that it should be opened, when the people threw themselves at his feet, and conjured him to let them alone. You see,' said they, oh! our good angel! that it is most assuredly on account of the Jews who are here, that we have suffered this fire; it is they who have occasioned our misfortune, and if you set them at liberty, all the water in the sea will not✨ extinguish the flames; and continued to supplicate Oswald to let the Jews be burned, with as much eloquence and sweetness as if: they had solicited an act of clemency. When the flames extended. to the lunatic hospital, Oswald inquired what was in the building, and learned that it contained incurable maniacs. It is the blessing of heaven,' said the people, for them and for their relations, if they die in this manner, without its being the fault of any one. Oswald, however, brought all the most furious maniacs out of the flames, and the people were struck with admiration almost to fanaticism; threw... themselves on their knees before him, exclaiming, Surely, you are St. Michael, the patron of our city; display your wings, but do not it quit us; mount on the spire of the cathedral in order that all the town may see and invoke you.' My child is sick," said one; cure him. Tell me,' said another, where is my husband, who has been absent several years I'