1829.) 
town life—from the seductions of gain—the 
contentions of ambition, and professional 
distinction—the emulations of finery and 
ostentation, and the idle pursuit of splendid 
acquaintance—who can bear for a moment 
to be alone, abstracted from all absorbing 
agitations, in the retreats of privacy—this is 
a soothing and delightful little book. It is 
the production of an amiable, and in these 
respects, we would fain believe, an enlight- 
ened person—with a mind cultivated by 
self-examination rather than by conflicting 
with others—finding enjoyment, not in 
topics of transient interest, but of permanent 
value—the aims and ends of life, and the 
means of attaining its best felicities—seek- 
ing in literature for the results of long and 
patient thinking, not the mere sparklings of 
conceit—calculated only to surprise and ex- 
tort applause, rather than excite admiration 
or respect. Luxury—the question proposed 
—is described mainly by negatives ; but so 
far as any thing positive is enforced, a con- 
fident dependence in a moral providence is 
the main spring—a conviction, that is, that 
evil produces evil, in one shape or other, to 
those who practise it ; and that good pro- 
duces good. Next to this principle, which at 
once restrains and impels—the writer insists 
upon moderate views, retirements, avoid- 
ance of display, and whatever the native 
emotions of the individual do not demand, 
which excludes at a sweep the artificial. The 
example of the Quakers is held up as the 
brightest object of imitation ; and we must 
think—from some little experience of our 
own—very injudiciously. Surely the writer 
would himself think the same, if he re- 
flected upon Mincing-lane—that is, if he 
ever heard of such a place; but, generally, 
Quakers are thorough money-makers, and So- 
lomon long ago told us what sticks between 
buying and selling. They have good qua- 
lities, as a body—they are persevering, quiet, 
and abstain from gross offences—and these 
are good points of emulation for those who 
want such examples; but there is among 
them abundance of arrogance, under the 
‘shows of humility. They have been flattered 
by silly, but well-meaning people, into a 
belief of superiority ; till they fancy it uni- 
versal, and put on with the same ease as 
their dresses. We have observed a sort of 
amazement flashing across them, at the re- 
‘motest hint implying a possibility that others 
“of less seeming than themselves, may be 
‘equally virtuous and humane. A little at- 
tendance on ‘charity’ meetings, where the 
passion for distinction is remarkably ap- 
parent, might usefully dispel something of a 
very common delusion respecting Quakers. 
Among the smaller scraps are some sound 
remarks upon several subjects, especially re- 
Jative to the principle on which lives are 
written, that is, of suppressing or colouring 
whatever is unfavourable to the hero—upon 
Gibbon, and his obscurities and detestable 
affectations—upon vulgar errors, and particu- 
larly, that which supposes a man justified 
Domestic and Foreign. 
421 
by the acceptance of reward or recompence 
in assisting another to make an unjust or 
resist a just claim—directed mainly against 
the lawyers, which, if they were in any de- 
gree corrigible, they would do well, perhaps, 
to attend to. 
The publisher announces, we observe, 
that he jas paid, by desire of the author, the 
whole sum, agreed upon between them as 
the price of the copy-right of this work, to 
Messrs. Fry, for the use of the Guardian 
Society, of which they are Treasurers! 
( Treasurers, indeed !_ What amount of this 
and other charities was in their hands at the 
bankruptcy ?) We must characterise this 
announcement, as it deserves—a humbug. 
What was thesum? We have little con- 
fidence, that a book of this kind will pay its 
own expences—and still less that a pub- 
lisher would purchase. 
The Beauties of St. Francis de Sales, 
selected from the Writings of John P. 
Camus, Bishop de Bellay ; 1829.—Of the 
writings of either Camus, or St. Francis, we 
ourselves know nothing—those of Camus, a 
French bishop—Dr. Dibdin has probably 
seen the title pages—consist it seems, of 
theology, morals, mysteries, &c. composed, 
according to the translator, with wonderful 
facility ; but with too much rapidity for 
elegance, and in a very metaphorical style. 
One piece entitled ‘‘ The Monks,”’ in which 
he handled the monastic fraternities with 
some severity—another, or others, to coun- 
teract the taste for romances prevalent in his 
day (1582-1652). In painting scenes of 
gallantry, ‘ which is expressly forbidden by 
St. Paul,’ he employed colours which ex- 
cited contempt and disgust, so that the 
charms of fiction led the reader to the greater 
charms of truth. But above all, the work 
which he contemplated with most delight 
was one in which he professed to “lay open 
the heart and understanding of his pious 
and highly-gifted friend St. Francis de 
Sales.”” 
The little volume before us is, it appears, 
a selection from this work; and among 
numerous puerilities and credulities, contains 
some remarks of a sharp and shrewd cast, 
with many prompt and happy replies—enough 
to excite a desire to learn a little more of the 
saint. -He has evidently—though large re- 
batements must be made for blind admira- 
tion on the part of his friend—a very clever 
fellow ; and, moreover, honest, direct, and 
above-board, and disposed to treat with con- 
tempt very many matters which his co- 
religionists regarded with reverence. They 
must have been a little shocked now and 
then. Camus is a perfect worshipper, and 
plays to admiration the part which Boswell 
afterwards played to Johnson. 
St. Francis himself was more distinguished 
for piety, activity, and zeal, than for scrib- 
bling; though some of his productions, it 
seems, particularly “‘ ‘The Introduction to a 
Life of Piety,” called Philoshée, and ano- 
