IS 



Monthly I'/ienl ileal Review. 



[Jan. 



proceedings. The first volume is dedicated 

 to theoretical views. The second is prac- 

 tical, and discusses criminal and ci^-il le- 

 gislation. The third treats rfe l' Organiza- 

 tion Judiciaire, and a general summaiy of 

 the whole work. 



Conyrcs de Panama. Par M.de Pkadt.— 

 No event of modern days is fraught with 

 more perspective results than tliis cele- 

 brated congress, in which America, having 

 founded her own freedom on an indestructi- 

 ble foundation, guarantees, by iier conduct, a 

 similar blessing to her southern sister— thus 

 shaking the iron thrones of despotism and 

 intolerance to their very foundations. The 

 objects of this congress were of incalculable 

 importance, and some of the points of in- 

 tense difficulty for republican legislators to 

 meddle with. The chief feature was, a 

 public declaration of the justness of tlieir 

 cause, and a consequent solemn and per- 

 petual league between the northern and 

 southern states of the western world against 

 the despotism of Spain. The points on 

 religion were lightly handled, and skilfully 

 disposed of. The question on slavery 

 touched the interests of these republicans, 

 and they blundered in tlieir statements, 

 were inconsistent in their reasonings, and, 

 with the ensign of liberty abo\e their heads, 

 and the cry of liberty on their tongues, de- 

 clared, that the possession of slaves was to 

 be permitted. We are no raving wwnMmwsio/i- 

 ists, but we are indignant at such inconsistent 

 hypocrisy, and feel contempt for the Ameri- 

 cans on this one point. It is like a festering 

 gangi-ene on the bosom of health and vigour, 

 disgusting to behold, and carrying death in 

 its aspect, unless it be removed. M. de 

 Pradt has felt the grandeur of his subject, 

 and allowed it to carry him away in the full 

 tide of eloquence, vvliich adds a charm to 

 his important and interesting book. 



CEuvrts Choisics de Stanislas, roi de Po- 

 logne. Due d<: Lorraine, Sec, prccSdces d'une 

 Notice hi^torique. ParMme. de St.Ouen. 

 ^The life of Stanislas Leszczinski is a true 

 romance, of which there are more in tliis 

 world than is dreamt of in the philosophy 

 of romance-readers. The reverses of for- 

 tune endured by this extraordinary man are 

 known, and so need no notice here. As a 

 king, a warrior, and a statesman, he is 

 worthy of being made a subject for some 

 able historian ; and affords an example of 

 jirivate worth not to be neglected, since 

 examples are more productive of good than 

 precepts. Let liim he contemplated, after 

 years of anxiety and toil, the rulcrof a petty 

 state — the protector, the father, and sup- 

 porter of the children of tlie monarch who 

 dethroned him, and the idol of his people — 

 and his magnanimity must cherish our bet- 

 ter feelings. Read his colloquy between an 

 European and an inhabitant of an unknown 

 island, and his mental vigour and justness 

 of feeling will be highly appreciated. His 

 observations on Poland, and " Coup-d'cnil 

 sur la Russie," are po\\'erful and profound. 

 ISIadanie de St. Ouen has made a judt'cious 

 epitome of his voluminous works, which is 

 much esteemed in France. 



La Famille Noire, ou la Traitc et VEscla- 

 vage, par Mme. Sophie Dain. — All mo- 

 derate discussion on this subject, wliich at 

 the same time defends the s!a\e, and does 

 not, in theorj' or practice, tend to injure 

 the proprietor of Indian estates, deserves 

 to be commended ; we therefore an- 

 nounce with pleasure the appearance of 

 this work among the polite circles of Paris. 

 The attractive and fer\id st)Ic will com- 

 mand notice, and, ^^•e hope, make prose- 

 lytes to the cause of gradual, systematic, 

 just and judicious measures for the aboli- 

 tion of slaverj-. 



MONTHLY THEATRICAL REVIEW. 



COVENT GARDEN. 



A comedy, a tragi-comedy, and two 

 afterpieces, one in two acts and the other 

 in one, have been brought out within the 

 last few weeks in rapid succession at tliis 

 theatre. 



The first, " Love's Victory,''" or A School 

 for Pride," is a lively, and, we may very 

 truly add, a sterling comecy, from the pen 

 of Mr. Hyde, already favourably kno\\ii to 

 the lovers of the drama by his tragedy of 

 "Alphonsus." The design of the comedy 

 is equally laudable and simple ; it is to shew 

 how very foolish it is for a young lady to 

 forswear marriage, for no other reason than 

 because she is too proud to be a wife, and 

 to teacli all hapless lovers \\ho may be 

 doomed to a courtship of such a being, 

 that to " oppose pride to pride " is to ensure 

 a " victory." The heroine of the drama, 



the Princess Diana, heiress to the rich 

 duchy of Barcelona, declares to her father 

 and her numerous suitors, that she will live 

 and die a free maiden. Don Cesar, the most 

 ardent of her adorers, by the advice and 

 assistance of her secretary Perin (wlio has 

 a mistress and an ally in her maid of 

 honour. Donna Floretta) finally subdues 

 her philosophy. She discovers that she is, 

 after all, but a woman, M'ith all a woman's 

 nature — confesses her passion, and sub- 

 mits tobe — manied. This excellent comedy 

 belongs rather to the theatrical occurrences 

 of a former month, and we are therefore 

 the more brief in its analysis. It was well 

 got up. Miss Lacy played the Princess 

 with great vigour and feeling : C. Kcmble 

 was, as lie almost always is, an admirable 

 lover. Jones, as an honest, plotting .secre- 

 tan' of the Princess, who aids all the 



