. . - 
Retrospect of French Literature —M. iscelldnyes. 
Pa 14 ® 
tion of the Isis Faria. The Col. nem. of 
the medal of Nimes was formerly ex- 
plained by Coluber Nemausensis, or by 
Colligavit nemo. ‘he globe placed on an 
altar, in a piece of money, struck du- 
ring the reign of Constantine, appeared 
to Peiresc, to designate the sacrifice of 
the mass. J. G. Koch pretends that 
the Samaritan are ancient Egyptian 
medals, adorned with hieroglyphics, 
and he puzzies his brain in order to. ex- 
plain the legends by means of the Ara- 
ic. Descarrier imagines the prow 
of the vessel on) the Roman as to bea 
plough, 
» “ What bas been already said, is sufli- 
gient in my opinion to exhibit the ad- 
vantages which may be reaped from the 
study of antiquity. The different monu+ 
meats belonging to the same country, 
will serve to determine the particulars of 
many remarkable events; to distinguish 
the genius and the taste of those nations 
who haye been in possession of it, and 
to establish the epochs of the infancy, 
progress, and decline, of the arts. In 
Egypt the pyramids, the obelisks, the 
remains of ancient temples, and other 
monuments of a similar nature, will fur- 
nish an apology for Herodotus, who has 
been accused of. fiction. They teach us 
also that the Egyptian nation was ad- 
dicted to labour, that it possessed a 
knowledge of mechanics, whatever Lin- 
guet may have said to the contrary, and 
that it was firmly persuaded of the 
immortality of the soul. Other build- 
ings of that country demonstrate, that it 
was under the dominion both of the 
Greeks and Arabians. 
“Ic is thus that monuments are the gua- 
rantees of the veracity of history: the co- 
Jumn erected at Rome in honour of Tra- 
jan, when compared with the medals of 
that emperor, attest his two expeditions 
into Dacia; they also exhibit to us a pa- 
tern of thesculpture of that period. The 
view of the theatres and amphitheatres 
preserved even in our own time, inform 
‘us relative to the nature of the games, 
there performed. The barbarity of the 
mations who have trpdden under their 
feet the Western enspire, cannot be bet- 
ter proved, than by the loss of the fine arts, 
and of the goed taste occasioned by them. 
The works of sculpture, paintings, me- 
dals and engraved stones, present us 
with the figures of the divinities adored 
‘by different nations; they instruct us re- 
lative to their priests, their worship, 
their games; they inform us of the series 
of magistrates and kings by whom they 
have been governed; they serve to fix 
Moytiry Mac., Np. 150. 
~ 
655, 
i, 
the epochs of the foundation of empires, 
natious, and cities’; they’ teach “us’their 
military usages; they make us acquaimt= 
ed with the dresses of nations; many 
objects are better detailed, and “more 
amply explained’ in their :inscriptions 
than elsewhere; they contain “laws, 
edicts, treaties of peace and alliance: 
in short they are the monuments which 
have aided the critics to restore to the 
ancient authors their primitive simpli- 
city, 
“Le Petit Magasin des Dames.”— 
The Ladies Little Magazine, for 1808, 
1 vol. 18mo. We have before noticed 
this annual collection of poetry,» bon- 
mots, &c. 
tague, here called mi Lady Montague, 
find a place in this collection, which we 
chiefly mention on account of the motto 
prefixed to it, ‘ mtimating that a woman 
of taste, and talents, will love and edu- 
cate her daughters better than if she 
were destitute of such qualifications. We 
think the sentiment, cannot be too often 
repeated, or too frequently inculcated. 
Epigraphe: 
«© Une mere dans sa famille, 
Avec du gout et des talens, 
En aimera mieux ses enfans, 
En élevera mieux ses filles.” 
“Te Glaneur :’—The Gleaner, 4 
vols, 8vyo. This work, consists of a mis- 
cellaneous collection in verse and prose, 
The first article we shall mention, is en- 
titled, “ Observations on the Letters of 
Madame du Chatelet.” “ These letters 
(we are told), cannot fail to render Ma- 
dame de Chatelet beloved; she never 
thinks of being witty, but what is infi- 
nitely better, she is always just. In ad- 
dition to this, our fair author frankly de- 
velopes her heart, displays a mind, .at 
once strong and generous, mixed, per- 
haps, with a little pride; but it is)the 
pride of one who bas been caressed’ and 
flattered. Her letters are not only well 
written, but actually the best of their 
kind. All the phrases are energetic, re- 
plete with passion, and yet extremely 
negligent in point of expression ; thence 
there resuits a peculiar kind of charm, 
which does not arise. out of style; for al- 
though her words be sometimes badly 
arcanged, yet her thoughts are so natu- 
ral, and animated, and’so amiable, that 
one feels, if they had been more correct, 
that they would have proved less intere 
esting. 
“It is extremely difficult to convey a 
just idea of these letters, for if a compa- 
vison be made between them and those’ 
4P of 
Some verses by Mrs. Mon- ~ 
