Retrospect of French Literature. 



649 



frightful monotony, enlivened now and 

 then, it is true, by a poor hermitage, the 

 sacred cross, an image of our Lady of 

 the happy Meeting, a roaring cataract, 

 or an abyss, wliich tiie mind cannot con. 

 template without horror; tlie inhabit- 

 ants with goitres, and in manners and 

 intellect a shade below the Hottentot. 

 In this description of a route wliich "C 

 have travelled at a period anterior to M. 

 Millin, we must except Cliambray and 

 its environs. We shall give a specimen 

 of our author's manner. — 



•* It has been repeated in several works 

 that Montmeillan is the ancient station 

 that the Itinerary of Antoninus and the 

 Theodosian Table call Montala ; but, as 

 this Itinerary fixes at fifteen miles the 

 distance between this place and Seraene, 

 it is evident that Montala must be more 

 distant. The monuments of the twelfth 

 eentury inform us, that Montmeillan 

 was called Monmeliacum and Mons 

 Emelianus. The first counts of Savoy re- 

 sided there; Amaria:u3 III. and Amariajus 

 IV, were born in the castle, which Henry 

 IV. called a ' marvellous strong place, 

 and the best he ever saw.' Although 

 master of the rest of Savoy, he despaired 

 of taking It, until Sully's plan was adopt- 

 ed. It was there that this sovereign, so 

 distinguished by his valour, proved that 

 the greatest courage may, on a sudden 

 explosion, like a weak mind, show signs 

 of fear. He visited, with the worthiest 

 friend that a monarch ever possessed, 

 the bftttery which Sully had just esta- 

 blished, when a discharge of heavy ar- 

 tillery covered him with earth and a 

 shower of gravel. Henry made the sign 

 of the cross, and Sully was not afraid of 

 offending his prince in saying to him — 

 * It is now, sire, I discover that you are 

 a good Catholic' .... The town of 

 Montmeillan is agreeably situated, but 

 the streets are all upon the descent: it is 

 divided into two groups of habitations, 

 separated by fields, which do not contri- 

 bute to distinguish it as the site of the 

 busy hum of men. The beautiful view 

 which extends along the course of the 

 Isere — the clustering summits of the 

 mountains, and Mont Blanc, in the dis- 

 tance, raising above all, as their king, 

 his majestic head, form an imposing 

 Spectacle." 



In speaking of the inhabitants of the 

 Maurienne, he says their appearance is 

 by no means proper to remove the dis. 

 gusting impression we have received 

 from books of Travels: they consider the 

 frifthtful goitres as a benedictinn from 

 Utaven, and consiuer liignbclvcs the 



elect of God, who, they say, has only 

 afflicted them in tliis world to recom- 

 pence them in the next. This idea is 

 founded on the text, •' Blessed are the 

 poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 

 of God." It is not very clearly demon- 

 strated that the Cretins enter more 

 easily than persons of sense, but it is 

 certain that they can do nothing which 

 can render them uiideservnig ; and un« 

 der this idea they are regarded as the 

 protectors of the house, and this belief 

 procures them, under the roof that 

 gave them birth, the succours of which 

 they have need; and, were it not for 

 that, they would be cruelly al)anduiied, 

 and their fate most miserable." 



It is thus that our learned author, car- 

 rying every where the eye of observa- 

 tion, enriches his work with an immense 

 variety of materials. Now, we see hin» 

 exploring an ancient monument, and 

 discussing the tradition of its origin; 

 now, we find him describing the palaces 

 of princes, examining the libraries of 

 the curious and the learned, who every 

 where throw open their arms to greet 

 the illustrious traveller ; now, we find 

 him deserting " the feast of reason and 

 the flow of soul," to mix in the humbler 

 scenes of rur.il happiness, and attend 

 and describe with miivete a rustic wed- 

 ding, or the nvt less umuiing ceremonies 

 of the dead; under his pen the classic 

 ground of Italy receives new charms; 

 the very ground he treads on supplies a 

 glowing retrospect of its ancient glory ; 

 we travel with him, his pictures are real, 

 we see the spots be describes, and trans- 

 port ourselves with him, through the 

 lapse of ages, to repose on periods whea 

 it was glorious to be born in Italy. 



The second part of the Travels, or 

 those in Lombardy, increase in interest. 

 Milan, Genoa, and Mantua, afford noble 

 themes for tlie exercise of the genius and 

 learning of the traveller. Monza, too, 

 is not without its interest. Ic is there 

 that is to be seen the celebrated Iron 

 Crown, which served for the coronation 

 of the kings of Italy. 



This crown is a simple circle of gold, 

 enriched with occidental jewels divided 

 into compartments, in the midst of which 

 are flowers equally formed of pearls and 

 coloured stones. In the centre is a cir- 

 cle of iron, to which the crown owes its 

 name, and which (it is said J was formed 

 of the nails of the true cross. The 

 chapter of Milan combats this tradition, 

 but Monza is too wise to listen to attacks 

 of reason in matters of faith. It is said 

 tliat it served fur the coruiialion of the 



ktiij^s 



