Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellanics. 679 
prejudice; he affirms, that'the numerous 
descriptions of Italy are all copied from 
each other, to avoid any resemblance to 
whieh, in his work; he has promised that 
every thing shall be original. 
Ife now conducts the reader, during a 
tour of four days through the Cumpagna 
di Roma, Weave accordingly preseuted 
with a description of the coast, where 
itnueas is said to have landed, We have 
the spot where the Trojan camp was 
first pitched, pointed out to us,: while 
Laurentum, Ardea, and Laviniam, are 
miade to re-appear. ‘ 
In order to decide whether Virgil has 
described from an actual survey, the in- 
telligent author took the Mantuan bard 
im his hand, and found the latter tally 
with the modern geography, making tlie 
necessary allowances, however, for some 
little alterations which must cf course 
have oceurred in the lapse of time. He 
asserts, after due deliberation, that the 
Trojan chief must have fixed his encamp- 
ment near the present town of Ostia, 
distant about three miles from the an- 
cient port bearing the same name; and 
he points out an angle, formed by the 
Tiber, abd the adjacent lake; for the 
precise spot. Here, too, he describes 
the fertile plain bounded by volcanic 
hills on one side, and the adjacent Jake 
on the other, which according to him 
was the theatre of so many celebrated 
ececurrences. But what was then, per- 
haps, a delightful, romantic, and healthy 
country, is at present dismal, forbidding, 
and deleterious. 
While describing the Campagna, he 
‘dwells on its unwholesome atmosplicre, 
and comments at large on its forlorn and 
miserable state, for it becomes uninha- 
hitable, in the Fatio of its depopulation, 
In addition to this, which is an e1creasing 
evil, the few Wretched mortals who re- 
main, are frequently in want of food, and 
not seldom attacked with infectious dis- 
eases, ‘The country people, who have 
RO incitement to agyricultural pursuits, 
make use of the very same plough at this 
moment, as that employed a thousand 
years ayo. The vine flourishes there; 
but such is their supine ignorance, that 
the natives are incapable of manufactur- 
ing its juice into a tolerable beverage. 
“ What achange! The air of this ter- 
ritory was formerly wholesome, the. soil 
fertile, the cultivation excellent, the 
towns, villages, and hamlets numerous. 
Tt is now denuded of trees; it was for- 
erly shaded with their foliage ! 
‘Monrury Mac., No, 180, 
Tt is not a little remarkable, that 
throughout Italy, and more especially in, 
this swampy soil, a fine species of reed 15 
produced (the Arwndo Donaxr of Lin.) 
and now converted into espaliers forvines, 
instead of being employed, as formerly, 
to very different purposes. Pbe author, 
while treating on this subject, makes the 
following singular and’ unexpected re- 
mark: * This slender, but strong, reed 
will; perhaps, one day serve as ours to 
the aérostatic balloons, after having been 
formerly employed as flutes tor Pan and 
the Satyrs Pliny, speaking of that 
species of which arvows were maile, 
observes, ‘ that this plant hath conquered 
one half of the known world.’ 
Among the statistical remarks con- 
tained in this interesting work, we obtain 
an account of the population of Rome for 
a series of years; and also a measure. 
ment of Latium, which is said to contain 
oe hundred and seven squaré miles. 
Two-fifths of the soil, we are told, apper- 
tain to the church, while the remaining 
three-fifths are divided among one hun- 
dred proprietors. There are no owners of 
little farms, as in this country; and in- 
deed we are assured, that the scanty 
inhabitants of this once flourishing, but 
now desolate, tract, are alike devoid “ of 
education, of justice, and of credit.” 
In the course of his Itinerary, M. de 
Bonstetten gives a description of Rome 
as well as its environs; and tc some this 
will appear one of the most interesting 
portions of his work, as every object re- 
cals the memory of ancient days. Thus, 
as he proceeds, he reminds us of the ca- 
pitol, the cavern of Cacus, and the reign 
of Evander. ‘The church of St. Paul ene 
ables him to describe the state ef the 
Christians who resided in this quarter, 
with other poor people, during the time 
of the emperors. He points out alsoa 
variety of springs, the sources of that 
plentiful supply of water, with which an- 
cient Rome abounded, and he deduces, 
from that circumstance alone the ad- 
mirable police which prevailed throughous 
the capital of the world. 
As a proof of the poputousness of 
this portion of the empire, he tells us, 
that almost in the vicmity of the city, 
but where it is now a desart, the tra- 
veller, at every step, meets with the 
ruins of aqueducts, houses, and villas, 
and he seizes this occasion, to point out 
an essential ditference between tlie an- 
cients and myderns.. The country houses 
of the former, according to him, were 
45 designed 
