1831.J Monthly Review of' Lileraiure. 565 



pages. Of the different modes in which a county topography might be executed, 

 Mr. Curtis adopted that which gives, he says, the " principal features of the sub- 

 divisions of the county, as to its present state ; and as brief and condensed a view 

 of the ancient records, as would render these documents intelligible, and be generally 

 useful to satisfy the casual reader, and yet so much as might excite the curiosity 

 of those more particularly interested, whilst the sources were at the same time 

 pointed from whence further information might be drawn, if requisite." The 

 contents of this valuable volume are thrown into an alphabetical form, while the 

 more general matters, such as the history, the divisions, ecclesiastical and civil, 

 rivers, canals and railways, geology, botany, agriculture, manufactures, &c. are 

 thrown into a preface of some 40 or 50 pages. 



No pains have been spared to get at precise information — proof sheets were 

 sent to almost every parish and hamlet, to those who were deemed competent 

 to correct them. The descriptions of Belvoir Castle, Bradgate, Castle Donning- 

 ton. Cole Orton, Gopsal and Stanton Harold — the chief places in the county- 

 have gone through the hands of their several proprietors. We have ourselves 

 some local knowledge of Leicestershire, and can bear testimony to its extraordi- 

 nary correctness even in small matters, in several districts. In the ecclesiastical 

 statistics, so much has been done, that we regret the names of the incumbents 

 are not given as well as the patrons. They are, to be sure, constantly changing ; 

 but still the names, at the period of publication, would have gratified many, and 

 could have added nothing to the compiler's labours — which have been well 

 directed, and efficiently exercised. 



Memoirs of the Empress Josephine, by I. S. Memes, LL.D. — Con- 

 stable's Miscellany. Vol. LXXII. 



Mr. Memes has set up an idol, and calls upon the world to worship the work 

 of his own hands. Josephine is, in his hands, a piece of female perfection — all 

 beauty, grace, and benignity — the ornament of womanhood — a fascination — an 

 enchantment — with the voice of a syren, the seduction of a Calypso, and the 

 purity of a Diana. This kind of extravagance is the common folly of such as 

 describe persons of whom they know nothing but from reports. It is little more 

 than mere accident how the character is painted. All depends on the bias of 

 the writer. If the turn of the dice be favourable, all is angelic — if the contrary, 

 all is demon-like. The materials for Josephine's Memoirs abound ; but the 

 more they abound, the worse is the result with such compilers as Mr. Memes — 

 he has just so much the more means of executing with effect his own purpose. 

 The more he details, the less, it is naturally supposed, is left untold. He gets 

 the credit of reporting all, while, in fact, his is a system of suppressing whatever 

 does not contribute to his purpose. 



The death of Robespierre luckily rescued her from the fate of Beauharnois. 

 From that period till her marriage with Bonaparte — nearly two years — she figured 

 in Madame Tallien's brilliant saloon, without any visible means of subsistence, 

 with Barras, the public purse at his command, a man of notorious gallantry, for 

 her constant attendant. This cannot be denied, nor scarcely the inference. As 

 the wife of Bonaparte, her conduct, in a certain sense, was probably irreproach- 

 able ; but the eternal eulogy is but ill deserved. She set no bounds to her 

 expcnce, and scarcely to her follies. Kind-hearted doubtless she was, but only 

 on sudden impulses producing effect. She was liberal, profuse, prodigal — she 

 liked to have smiling faces about her — scattered favours at random — with un- 

 bounded resources, and regardless of the cost. It was easy to be what people 

 call good in such a position — that is, to be amiable, and win golden opinions at 

 golden prices. Her conduct with respect to Napoleon's family, however, every 

 one of whom hated her, proves that she had some genuine good in her. She 

 never attem|)ted revenge, but appears to have been uniformly disposed to soothe 

 and conciliate the very persons to whom she doubtless at last owed her divorce. 

 It was hJB own family, who were perpetually urging him on — from jealousy of 

 Eugene. 



