Retrospect of French Literature—H istory. 
“ Brunet Latini, a Florentine, speaks of 
this very Mariniére, in the same terms, 
as well as the Cardinal de Vitry; the 
former wrote anterior to 1294, the latter 
in 1200. 
“ Thus the human mind already began 
to experience the effects of a salutary 
fermentation, throughout the kingdom of 
Naples, when under the reign of Joan, 
A.D. 1346, new tragedies were acted, 
less bloody indeed than the former, but 
no less criminal. Andrew, her husband, 
was strangled by some of the Neapo- 
litan nobility ; 3 and itis queen, gay, light, 
and inconsiderate, but suspected rather 
than convicted of an act which scems to 
have affected herself with dismay, sought 
every where for tribunals that might ab- 
solve her from the charge. She accor- 
dingly addressed herself to the famous 
Prienzi, thac demagogue, who in modern 
itome affected to act the part of the an- 
cient Brutus, and who assumed to him- 
self the vaunting title of Tribune of the 
Universe ;” but he was too politic to de- 
cide ou so delicate a question. 
“ Posterity, however, always severe in 
its decisions, wit! regard Joan as culpable, 
for having too openly manitested, before 
the murder of Andrew, her aversion to 
that unfortunate husband, whose un- 
worthy end was avenged by the King of 
Hungary. Louis, irritated, and indig- 
nant, rusned forward at the head of his 
troops, who were preceded in their march 
by a banner, on which was depicted the 
cruel death of his brother. At the sight 
of this funeral standard, the Neapolitans 
turned pale, and without opposing the 
least resistance, permitted the authors of 
the crime to be immolated in the gallery, 
of that very palace, where it. had been 
perpetrated. Joan, who-had betaken 
herself to flight, did not return to ber 
states, until after the retreat of the Hun- 
garians. 
* Having become a wife for the fourth 
time, her last husband, Otho of Bruns- 
wick, was unable to defend her from 
Charles de Duras, who had been called 
by this princess to succeed her. She 
wished afterwards to exclude him, and 
that too at a time when she was his pri- 
soner; to prevent this, he stifled his be- 
nefactress ! 
“ The new king was desirous to unite 
the crown of Hungary to that of Naples, 
This attempt cost him his life; and it was 
decreed that two humiliated queens, who 
had been obliged to drop their sceptres 
at his feet, should cut the thread of his 
existence, 
jou, and René the Good: 
643 
“ Under Ladislaus, or Launcelot, and 
Joan Il. vice no longer knew any re- 
straint, and the whole of the kingdom, 
following tle example of these two sove- 
reigns, presented the most scandalous ex- 
ample of effeminacy and debauchery. 
Ladislaus rendered himself thrice master 
of Rone; and althouyi always victorious 
in combat, he was unable to subdue any 
one of his own passions. A despot, an 
Oppressor, sanguinary, and incontinent, 
he expired, exhausted as it were with 
pieasures, ainidst the transports of frenzy. 
Joan, his sister, and heir, became the 
Meccatina of her age. ‘This lascivious 
queen, that she might resign herself en- 
tirely to her passions, sent James de 
Bourbon, her husband, into France; and 
ber unworthy lovers, on being released 
from this feeble constraint, fed on the 
tears and the blood of the unhappy Ne- 
apolitans, 
“Tn 1414, Alphonso [. ascended the 
throne; his competitors were John d’An- 
it was he who 
once more united the kingdom of Naples, 
to that of Sicily, from which it had been 
separated, for one hundred and sixty 
years. During that space of time, an- 
archy had enti: ely desolated that blooil- 
stained island, and the history of the Si- . 
cilians, during this period, is entirely des- 
titute of any Interesting events. On the 
death of the magnanimous Alphonso, the 
inhabitants resumed their former cha- 
racter and conduct ; and their disorders, 
instead of being diminished, encreased 
duriag the reigns of Ferdinand 1. Ale 
phonso IL. and Frederic. 
* At length Charles VEIL. reviving the 
claims of the house of Anjou, with equal, 
rapidity subjected and relinquished Italy, 
and the kingdom of Naples; and with a 
handfui of gallant soldiers, re-entered his 
own kingdom, although opposed by an 
army four times superior to his own. 
Naples yielded to the elforts of Louis 
XIL. and Frederic, the last king of that 
dynasty, in which the blood of Arrazon 
was united to that of France, amidst ‘the 
sweetness of retirement, was taught to 
forget the loss of his throne. [is states 
were dividedin 1505, between the French, 
and the Spaniards; the latter partly by 
the policy of Ferdinand King of Arragon, - 
and partly by the valour of F Gonsalvo de’ 
Cordova, chased their rivals from the 
kingdom of Naples, and declared them- 
seives the sole possessors, 
“Then was at length beheld, what in 
all ages and countries may be obtained, 
by the sage firmness of a good governs 
ment, 
