INTRODUCTION. The works mentioned under the head of Belles Lettres, are necessarily of a miscellaneous character, since many have found a place in this branch, to which it was difficult, and sometimes impossible, to appropriate one in any other department. On the study of the Belles Lettres, the excellent work of ROLLIN still maintains the high character which it has acquired, from the learning, the taste, and the piety of its estimable author. Next to this, the book likely to be perused with greatest advantage, is, perhaps, FLEURY'S "Choix des Etudes.” On the history of early French literature, especially of the Troubadours, the work of SAINT-PALAYE, as edited by MILLOT, and the collection of RAYNOUARD are well deserving of attention. The "Cours de Littérature" of LA HARPE, though faulty, in many respects, ought to be read by every one who wishes to become acquainted with the subject it treats of; and if to this be added the more modern compositions of BARANTE and of CHÉNIER, on the same subject, a consi derable knowledge may be obtained of French literature. The high reputation enjoyed by the works of Madame de STAEL, especially by those entitled "De l'Allemagne" and "De la Littérature," renders it necessary merely to mention her name, in order to suggest the propriety of their forming a part of every library. M. SIMONDE DE SISMONDI's work on the Literature of the South of Europe, being as much esteemed in England. as it is on the Continent, it were unnecessary to recommend it to the reader. Of the different Literatures of Europe, short histories have lately been published, in Paris, under the title of " Résumés," and the subjects, although briefly, are in general, ably treated in them. In the branch of literature, denominated Bibliography, the French are parcularly rich, and the works of De Bure,Brunet, BARBIER, and PEIGNOT, SO frequently quoted in the course of the present work, do great credit to their taste and their industry, and are equal if not superior, to the productions of the authors of any country, who have written on the same subject. |