678 
reign of his sovereizn, by so fortunate an 
event: this great genius was well aware, 
that the surest mode of immortalizing the 
ames of kings, was the illustratiun of 
their reigns by means of important dis- 
coyeries in the republic of letters. But 
Trovidence, which chouses at different 
tmes to place different precious stones 
in thediademis of sovereigns, had reserved 
this oriental brilliant for the crown of 
Louis XV. It was pleased to allow a 
few seesls of the Armenian language to 
be scattered in France, during the:ad- 
ministration of one Cardinal, but reserved 
the entire conquest of Armenia for an- 
other: for the pen has its conquests as 
well as the sword, with this difference 
however, (very glorious indeed for the 
Sciences,) that their acquisitions are of 
eternal duration ; while those effected by 
arms, vary with times and seasons, and 
are restored, or withheld, by accident or 
caprice.” 
Armenia indeed, never did make any 
Higantic acquisitions in respect to the 
sciences; but let it be recollected, that 
their progress was always greater than 
what might be expected, either from the 
genius or the age, or her own political 
situation. She always possessed writers 
who were famous for every species of 
Jearning; and it is a remarkable fact, re- 
$pecting the nation in general, that it 
constantly exhibited the difficult art of 
allying modesty to science. None of the 
writers of this country ever affected to 
distinguish themselves by dangerous opi- 
nions; they never professed any but such 
as were useful to good morals, and the 
social order; they never were ambitious 
of any other glory than that of enlight- 
ening the mind, of forming the heart, 
and of conferring happiness on mankind. 
Neither the violence of political convul- 
sions, nor a long series of ills, could ever 
obliterate among the Armenians an ar- 
dent love for the sciences, commerce, 
and the arts. Asa proof how desirous 
this nation ever has been to propagate 
Instruction, notwithstanding the immense 
distance of its situation, it was one of the 
first to intreduce the art of printing. 
Scarcely had a century elapsed, after 
this invention, when at Constantinople, 
at Ispahan, in the Crimea, in Holland, 
in.the Indies, at Venice, at Trieste, and 
other places, Armenian printing-houses 
were introduced in succession. Of what 
important discovery can the Greeks and: 
Roniaus boast that they were the first 
jnventors?. What sciences and arts did 
they possess, which were unknown in the 
Retrospect of French Literature—History. 
East? No, the Romans especially cans 
not affect any superiority over Asia, but 
what proceeded from the fortuge of their 
arms. It is on account of the celebrity 
of the oriental nations, that they were 
jealous of them, and that, the more ef= 
fectually to humble the vanquished, they 
have placed truth herself in fetters, and 
rendered her the slave of their pride. 
There is no species of glory which these 
two European nations have not endea- 
voured to usurp; and it is now high time 
to avenge a people outraged in respect 
to their honour, their glory, and their 
greatmen. To do this with effect, it is 
necessary that the means of rendering 
them intelligible to Europeans should be 
facilitated, and we shall soon have the 
pleasure of hearing the natives of the 
East pleading their own cause before us. 
It is natural that every one should be 
best acquainted with his own affairs; and 
we shall no longer run to Greece 
or to Italy, to learn the history of Ar- 
menia: it is from oriental literary mos 
numents, we shall henceforth learn the 
records of the east! Several learned 
Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Dutchmen, 
bad ali conceived the design of compo. 
sing a new Armenian Dictionary, but 
were prevented by death, except Father 
J. B. de Toxica, who was occupied 
during eighteen years in Armenia itself, 
in the execution of this difficult achieves 
ment. He had already completed a 
large portion of his work, when he was 
obliged by infirmity to resign ltis task 
to Father Villa-For, of Alexandria, 
who employed thirty years in com- 
pleting it, which was at length effected 
at Paris, by the aid of the society for 
oriental languages. It contains all the 
simple and compound words, as also all 
the proper names of ancient history, with 
a summary of the lives of the doctors, 
kings, princes, and grandees, of Armenia; 
the appellations of rivers, of mountains, 
of animals, plants, fruits, herbs, flowers, 
precious stones, &e, &c. _ In short, the 
interpretation of each word is extracted 
from the best authors, and their authos 
rity is cited for every article; and that 
this work may prove useful to all the 
nations which are connected with Are 
menia, it has been translated into Ita- 
lian, Latin, and French, which are the 
three most general languages. 
We have thus far followed the author; 
who by way of enhancing the merit of the 
work, coucludes by telling us, “that it 
has been examined by, and honoured 
with the approbation of, the learned saw 
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