1824.] Memoirg of Marmontel. 



riiildren, wives, llie gods of tlieir falbcrs, 

 and Ihe tombs of their ancestors. 



After ills address to the Greeks in 

 general, the author conveys further ex- 

 hortations to the learned and rich, &c. 

 to read, study, comprehend, and com- 

 pare, the different statements of the two 

 circulars, alledging that trulh and jus- 

 tice may easily he found in the collision 

 of false principles and delusive reason- 

 ing, with the sentiments they have 

 Iiahitually acquired that perpetually 

 meet tiieir C3es and employ their vacant 

 liours. " I call upon you," says he, 

 " who are at the head of the nation, 

 archons, members of the clergy, digni- 

 fied with the title of ' Most Holy,' as 

 enlightened and vigilant pastors, as the 

 true ministers of God, discharge your 

 duties, more especially in rendering 

 your people capable of thinking for 

 themselves, communicating that know- 

 ledge of social duties which is conducted 

 on proper principles, moral, religious, 

 and political." 



He advises the multiplication of 

 Rhigas's original publications, &c. as, 

 from their character, calculated, in an 

 amazing degree, to do infinite service, 

 urging all to endeavour to comprehend 

 the intelligence they convey, as dislodg- 

 ing prejudices, and giving a right bias to 

 the m-nd. As likely also to beget those 

 exertions, and that competition, whicii 

 with salutary caution may keep pace 

 with the wide spread efl'ccts of that 

 intempcrated criminal authority, which 

 has so long been acted on as irre- 

 fragable. 



The death of Rhigas gave rise to a 

 number of opuscules, or smaller works, 

 in modern Greek. The most remark- 

 able bore tlj^ title of " Nomocralia, or 

 Sacred to the Manes of the Immortal 

 Rhigas." 



ACCOUNT of MAKMONTEL. 



Jean Francois Marmontcl, a lively 

 and interesting writer in almost every 

 branch of literature, was born at Bort, a 

 little townof the Limousin, in 1723. He 

 was an elegant and pathetic poet, and 

 bis works abound with just and |)leasing 

 observations on life and manners, as well 

 as with |)ieces that show he was an in- 

 telligent critic. In short, his produc- 

 tions may be specified as among the 

 most valuable of those wliicli IVanco 

 cxhibiled, in an interesting series, in the 

 course of the eighteenth century. 



Marmontel's early studies were in the 

 Colleges of tlie Jesuits, at INIauriac and 

 Clermont, and he gained all their aca- 



tf ONTHLY Mao No. 397. 



519 

 demical prizes. The chiefs of that order 

 cherished and encouraged his exertions, 

 and endeavoured, but unsuccessfully, to 

 bring him within the pale of those orders 

 under which they acted. His mind had 

 been employed, with much advantage, 

 in the pursuit of that knowledge, philo- 

 sophical, historical, philological, &c. 

 necessary to embellish the scenes then 

 presented to his view. Fain would they 

 have introduced and carried him along 

 with them, l)y irrevocable vows, into 

 those curious parts of their system with 

 which the public, in general, are very 

 superficially acquainted. Many snares 

 were adroitly laid for this accomplished 

 scholar, and he was ready to form an 

 association with tiiat society, but was 

 prevented by his mother. Though enti- 

 tled to every praise for moral intentions 

 and piety, she remonstrated with him 

 on the slavish purposes to which bis ge- 

 nius would be directed, to become, as 

 she called it, a mere machine, — a 

 stranger, alas ! to true independence of 

 thinking. Her efforts were commen- 

 surate to her wishes, in wliicli she was 

 peculiarly fortunate; for, in consequence 

 of her representations, and drawing such 

 a picture as her son could not fail to be 

 struck with, he was established in her 

 sentiments, so desiredly and industri-r 

 ously inculcated. 



In those stages of his youth he how- 

 ever considered the ecclesiastical as 

 what ought to be his profession, and was 

 for pursuing it, with more or less eager- 

 ness, as tiie means siiould be difiicult or 

 simplified. Hereupon he assumed what 

 is called Le Petit Collet, or the costume 

 of an Abbe, and solicited tiie tonsure. 

 But when he presented himself to the 

 Archbishop of Toulouse, Cardinal Roche 

 Aymond, for a demissory, to receive 

 holy orders, he found that prelate averse 

 to join in his measures, and prejudiced 

 against him. The cardinal treated him 

 as one wlio deserved punishment for 

 guilt, rather than any gratifying reward 

 for virtue. He considered Marmontcl 

 as a man of gallantry, making his court 

 to the fair sex ; and of a temper and dis- 

 position, with the talents he possessed, 

 to write idyls and songs for ladies of Ihe 

 haut ton. On the plea of eradicating 

 such impressions from an inexperienced 

 mind, and preventing those errors of the 

 affections into which youth are liable 

 to fall, the young Abbe was sent to the 

 vilest and most hypocritical seminaire 

 in the kingdom, where he had to under- 

 go a long penance. Here, however, be 

 nuniucd bis theological studies in • spi- 

 3 X rit«d 



