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ty of Burns. He has copied the spo- the half-crown ; or of little Dan withken language of passion and affection, out breeches, and his thievish grandwith infinitely more fidelity than they father. Let them contrast their own have ever done, on all occasions fantastical personages of hysterical which properly admitted of such schoolmasters and sententious leechadaptation : but he has not rejected gatherers, with the authentick rusthe helps of elevated language and ticks of Burns's Cotter's Saturday habitual associations; nor debased Night, and his inimitable songs; and his composition by an affectation of reflect on the different reception babyish interjections, and all the pu- which these personifications have ling expletives of an old nursery- met with from the publick. Though maid's vocabulary. They may look they will not be reclaimed from their long enough among his nervous and puny affectations by the example of manly lines, before they find any their learned predecessors, they may, “ Good lacks!"_" Dear hearts!” or, perhaps, submit to be admonished 65 As a body may say,” in them; or by a self-taught and illiterate poet, any 'stuff about dancing daffodils and who drew from Nature far more disister Emmelines. Let them think, rectly than they can do, and produwith what infinite contempt the pow- ced something so much liker the aderful mind of Burns would have pe- mired copies of the masters whom rused the story of Alice Fell and her they have abjured. duffle cloak; of Andrew Jones and

FROM THE MONTHLY REVIEW.

Le Siege de la Rochelle, &c. &c. i. e. The Siege of Rochelle, or Misfortune and

Conscience, by Madame de Genlis. 12mo. 3 vols. Paris, 1808.
OF this third effusion of Mad. estates were so settled, that the

greatDE GENLIS's fertile pen, in which er part of them was destined to be. we expected to find nothing but cha- long to the young Julius ; whose racters and events notorious in the father was consequently unable to civil wars that long divided France provide, as amply as he would have between Catholicks and Hugonots, wished, for his intended second wife. we were agreeably surprised to dis- The father of Clara, a remorseless, cover that the title and about twenty mercenary man, whose individual additional pages formed the whole interests were considerably affected historical portion. Instead of impli- by this circumstance, formed the eating the subject of the story, the horrid project of murdering the title only fixes the epoch al which it is child, and accidentally carried it into supposed to have taken place; and effect at such a time and in such a instead of being introduced to the situation, that the suspicion fell encouncils of ministers and party-lead- tirely on his innocent and unhappy ers, and detecting the secrets of daughter. Without detailing the camps and cabinets, we are presented circumstantial evidence which apwith a wild and extravagant romance, peared to amount to proof positive which is devoted to the unmerited against her, it is enough to state that sufferings, the various adventures, the judges, before whom she was and the extraordinary destiny, of a tried, considered themselves as bound beautiful and persecuted female. to condemn her to an ignominious

Clara de Montalban was betrothed death. The monster Montalban had to Valmore, a rich and amiable wi. the audacity to upbraid her with the dower of high rank, who had an only crime, though she had the power of son by his former marriage. His bringing it home against him, if filial piety had not prevented her from pared to carry her off by force. Not ransoming herself by the sacrifice of wishing that a man should seize her by her unworthy father. Valmore, who, This movement of modesty and dignity

the arm, she determined to follow him. notwithstanding his sorrow and in

restored her strength ; for all the springs dignation, continued still to feel a

of the soul have a marvellous connexion warm affection towards her, and had with one another. She allowed herself to rescued her from the fury of the po- be guided, persuaded that she was led to pulace when the bloody deed was

her death. He made her descend a stairfirst discovered, succeeded in pro- ment of the castle, that of the master,

case, and brought her into the great apart. curing a pardon for her, on condition

where he shut her in. Her blood froze of her being confined for life in a pe- in her veins, on finding herself in this nitentiary convent, the asylum of vice apartment, where she ought to have found and infamy. In this miserable abode, full protection, and where she every moher mind was sustained by a sense of ment expected the appearance of her

murderer. Frikmann re-entered, and gave duty, and the exhortations of her confessor ; who was alone, of all man

her a sign to follow him. • It is done

then!' said Clara, with a suffocated voice; kind, convinced of her innocence and 'O my God, take pity on the murderer the guilt of Montalban, though he ap- and the victim.' She could say no proved too highly of her resolution of more. The speech expired on her disscreening her father, to denounce the coloured lips ; and without loosing per. real criminal.

ception, she fell into a state of annihilaWhen the consolations of religion either from walking or supporting herself

tion and sinking, which prevented her and the force of habit had in some on her feet. Frikmann gave her his arm, degree reconciled her to this mode or rather carried her, and hurried her of life, she suddenly received a dread out of the apartment. After having passful order to place herself under the

ed three large rooms, he made her cross protection of her father, who design- they descended a small

, secret stair case,

a long, narrow, and dark corridor, when ed to carry her to his lonely castle on and found themselves on a terrace. There the banks of the Rhone; and she had Clara distinctly heard the howling of the scarcely time to write a short billet waves of the Rhone, which was greatly

• At length to father Arsene, when Montalban's agitated at that moment. servant, a phlegmatick German who could not articulate a word) • I know the

then I know,' she said inwardly (for she could speak no French, arrived, and

manner of death to which I am doomed ! conveyed her to the place of her im- I am to be plunged into the stream ! prisonment, which she was firmly The moon concealed by clouds gave no persuaded would prove also the scene light..... The whistling of the wind, the of her speedy death. Her father, she tumultuous roar of the waters, menacing understood, would follow after a short and the profound darkness, rendered

thunder rolling unceasingly at a distance, delay. On the second night of her

more striking by the rapid flashes of solitary and alarming residence in this lightning, all appeared to the eyes of dismantled castle,

Clara in unison with the horrour of her

thoughts. It seemed to her that all na“ Exactly at ten o'clock, she distinctly ture revolted at a crime which violated heard a coach enter one of the courts of all her laws. Suddenly, Frikmann stopped; the castle, and immediately an extraordi- and in a strong and gloomy voice, he said, nary bustle throughout the house,-a in German, five or six words which were climbing of staircases, an opening of repeated by the echoes of both the shores. doors with noise, and a walking in all the A minute afterward, a whistle was three galleries. “Oh! exclaimed Clara, this times sounded; and Frikmann, opening a time it is not an illusion : he arrives : it is door, found himself on the bank. he.” “Half an hour afterward, Frikmann proceeded about thirty steps along the appeared. He seemed agitated, and no- shore. Then a dazzling flash of lightning thing could be more striking than a trace of discovered to Clara a boat close to her, emotion on his naturally cold countenance. in which was a man alone, wrapped in a He approached Clara, took her hand, and mantle that entirely concealed his figure, dragged her along. Clara, frightened, *Tis he!' said Clara to herself, shud: opposed resistance, and Frikmann pre- dering. She saw him ! she knew him!

YOL, II.

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He

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she already felt the deadly blow; for she difficult, she prevailed on father Ar. believed that she should be poignarded,

sene to change her retreat for the and then plunged into the river. Her hair rose on her head. Frikmann placed tal of one of the

German electorates ;

house of an aged widow in the capiher almost dying in the arms of this man, and fled with rapidity. Clara, motion where she was accidentally introduced less and frozen, voluntarily shut her eyes, to the elector's daughter, and entirely that she might not once see the assassin. won her confidence and affection. Her shrinking heart had no longerthe pow. This amiable princess, whose spirits er to beat. She ceased to breathe, yet she preserved sensation and consciousness,

were depressed by a secret affliction, She remained thus a moment suspended opened her whole heart to her young between life and death ; when, on a sud- favourite, and related her melancholy den, oh surprise ! oh inexpressible ecstacy! history. She had been betrayed into -she felt the arms which supported her a private marriage with one of her gently pressing her! She heard sighs and father's ministers, who treated her groans! It is no mistake-tears are shed upon her! O God! oan the murderer of with coldness, and appeared to have Julius, the unnatural father who so sacri- lost all affection for her. Here, the ficed his daughter, can he be capable of suspense of the story is in a great an emotion of pity ? does outraged nature measure destroyed; for the reader reclaim her rights, and will she triumph

sees at once that Clara is the daughover so much barbarity?

ter of the princess. Her father, Ro“ Meanwhile, the clouds which concealed the moon dispersed, and her mild light senberg, who at an early age had inrevived. The wind was hushed, and the trusted her to Montalban, returned violent tossing of the boat fastened to about this time; and having been the bank was moderated. At this instant, convinced that she was guilty of the the arms which supported Clara lifted her murder, he threatened her with imand placed her on a seat, and she found mediate detection and exposure unherself opposite to the object of her me

She returned, lancholy fears.---Clara raised towards him less she left the place. a sad and timid eye; but scarcely had therefore, to her refuge near Roi she perceived him, when she recovered chelle ; where, after various adven. all her faculties and all her sensibility, tures, which are not always of the and, prostrating herself, exclaimed with most probable kind, her innocence transport not to be described, 'O my

was manifested to the world. Mon. deliverer! She recognised her venerable friend, and embraced the knees of talban died confessing his guilt. Valfather Arsene."

more was united to his beloved Clara ; Her worthy Confessor now con- and Rosenberg (who had very fortuveyed her to a place of safety at a nately brought some German auxi. farm-house near Rochelle, which be- liaries to the assistance of the became the head quarters of the gene- sieged Hugonots) blessed their auspi. ral who commanded the besieging cious marriage. army. This general was Valmore ; The story, though very striking in who, though he could not see her particular scenes, is tedious and unface, which she had the precaution to equal; and it is eked out by a num. keep constantly veiled, was reminded ber of episodical narratives which of his former love and sorrow by her neither assist the progress of the figure and appearance. He passed main argument, nor have much in. the night in a room divided from her trinsick merit. We would not rashonly by a thin partition; and she had ly charge Madame De G. with dethe melancholy satisfaction of hear scending to the arts of book-making : ing him express those feelings of an but really the stories of the hermit unextinguished affection, which she and the old woman answer no purpose could never be permitted to return, besides that of swelling the work. while labouring under the load of in. The latter, however, is introduced by famy that had been heaped on her. a description of a maritime village, Concealment becoming daily more so lively, original, and picturesque,

that our readers, will probably not of France by those of former times, be displeased by seeing it translated : we think that the publication before

“ The mixture of rustick manners and us exhibits a similar approximation maritime toils gives to this village a sin- to the ancien regime on the subject of gular and striking aspect. A person religion. Every opportunity is taken might find there in families a wonderful store of knowledge gained from experi- monasteries, and to deny the exist

to justify the system of convents and ence and tradition, united to all the prejudices of ignorance and all the simpli

ence of those enormities with which city of a country village. The interiour of they have been often charged. The almost all the houses was adorned with worship of images is mentioned with the productions of India or the ocean; and a degree of awe and veneration, greatthey were at once decorations and trophies, which attested long voyages and catholick divine of the present day

er, we apprehend, than any judicious perilous navigations. There the same hands were often employed in construct.

would express on the subject; and ing vessels and fabricating ploughs; and the fervent prayers of Clara are more the men, divided into two classes, offered, than once rewarded by distinct revein their mode of life, on the one hand lations from heaven. We have also the picture of temerity, boldness, and all the agitations produced by ambition and

too many providential interferences, curiosity; on the other, the affecting and too many quotations from the image of innocence and peace, the happy scriptures. A romance is the worst fruits of moderation and a tranquil life.” possible vehicle for onction ;~a word

If we were right in the conjecture of extensive and mysterious signifiwhich we threw out, on a late occasion, cation, which has been very imperrespecting Madame De Genlis's fectly rendered by our common term, wish to remodel the present manners cunt.

FROM THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.

Lettre aux Espagnols-Americains. Par un de leurs Compatriotes. A Philadelphie, 8vo. pp. 42.

THIS curious and interesting try, and took refuge in the dominions address is the production of Don of the pope in Italy. At the time Juan Pablo Viscardo y Gusman, a when the dispute about Nootka Sound native of Arequipa in Peru, and an threatened to produce a war between ecclesiastick of the Order of Jesus. Great Britain and Spain, and when When the Jesuits were banished Mr. Pitt, in the view of that event, from all the territories of Spain, had adopted the scheme of revoluhe, with the rest of his order, who, tionizing the Spanish colonies in whatever may have been their deme. America, he invited, at the sugges. rits in other parts of the world, had tion of general Miranda, a certain been the chief benefactors of Spanish number of the ex-Jesuits of South America,* was deprived of his coun- America from Italy, for the purpose

of using their influence in disposing * Dr. Robertson, when treating of the the minds of their countrymen for rapacious, oppressive, and licentious lives

the 'meditated changes. Of this of the ecclesiasticks of that country, says: "It is remarkable that all the authors, number was the author of the present who censure the licentiousness of the appeal, in which the inhabitants of Spanish regulars with the greatest severity, concur in vindicating the conduct of takes such full possession of every memthe Jesuits. Formed under a discipline ber of the order, the Jesuits, both in more perfect than that of the other mo. Mexico and Peru, it is allowed, maintainnastick orders, or animated by that con- ed a most irreproachable decency of mancern for the honour of the society, which ners.”-History of America, vol. iv. note 19.

South America are called upon, by subjected; and, after enlarging on every consideration interesting to the galling restraints in respect to human kind, to take the manage- personal liberty, and the ruinous efment of their own affairs into their fects of the exorbitant, commercial own hands, and to establish a just and monopoly to which they have been beneficent government, which may condemned, he alludes to their exat once ensure their own happiness, clusion from all offices of profit and and open a liberal intercourse of be- trust, even in their own country, in nefits with the rest of mankind. a strain of patriotick indignation. This uncommon person, who evinces After this picture of slavery, the a si:are of knowledge, of thought, author proceeds to demonstrate the and of liberality, worthy of the most foundations of liberty; and, consienlightened countries, died in Lon- dering the education he had received, don in the month of February 1798, the country where he was reared, and and left the present tract, in manu. the society to which he belonged, the script, together with several other beneficence and justness of his views papers, in the hands of Mr. King, at are worthy of no ordinary approbathat time minister in this country tion. He then displays the solid from the United States. It was al. principles of liberty which were oriterwards printed by means of general ginally interwoven in the constitution Miranda, for the purpose of being of Spain, and assisted by the spirit circulated among his countrymen. of the people ; and, in the following

At a moment like the present, we short passage, states, with much doubt not it will appear of importance discernment, the miserable, but deto our readers to contemplate the lusive causes of its loss. sentiments of a man who may, to so

“ The reunion of the kingdoms of Casgreat a degree, be considered as the tile and Aragon, together with the great

states which at that time came to the representative of the leading classes kings of Spain, and the treasures of the of his countrymen, on a question at East Indies, gave the crown of Spain an all times highly interesting to Great unexpected preponderance, which grew Britain, but which, in the present so powerful that in a very short time it situation of Europe, assumes an in- overthrew all the barriers erected by the calculable importance.

prudence of our ancestors to secure the

liberty of their posterity. Regal power, In presenting to his country men

like the sea breaking over its limits, a short sketch of their history, he overflowed the whole monarchy, and the tells them, after Herrera, that their will of the king and of his ministers be. progenitors won the country by their

came the universal law. own enterprise, and established them

Despotick power, once so strongly selves in it at their own charges, cient cortes no longer existed. There re

established, the shadow even of the anwithout a farthing of expense to the mained for the natural, civil, and religious mother country; that, of their own rights of the Spaniards no other protec. free accord, they made to her the tion than the good will of the ministers, donation of their vast and.opulent or the ancient formalities of justice, callacquisitions ; that, instead of a pa- have sometimes opposed the oppression

ed juridical proceedings. These may ternal and protecting government, of innocence without, however, preventthey had experienced, at her hands, ing the proverb from being always true : the most galling effects of a jealous, The king's will makes the law." rapacious, and oppressive administra- When he at last comes to call upon tion; and that, for the long period his countrymen, from a united view of three centuries, their attachment of the nature of things, and of their to her had triumphed over the strong. own particular circumstances, to aest causes of resentment. He then dopt the resolution of becoming their draws a picture of the oppression to own masters, he cites, for their exwhich the colonies of Spain have been ample, the celebrated revolt of the

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