MADAME DE STAEL+NOLSTEIN’S DELPHINE, 
liely affronted at.an assembly, which has 
2 prodigious effect on the irritable mind 
of Leonce, who is ever keenly alive to 
public opinion. Soon after this, Matilda, 
who has miraculously remained ignorant 
of what had been long known in all the 
circles of Paris, the attachment of her 
husband to Delphine, is at length in- 
formed of it; and in an interview with 
Delphine, demands of her to quit Paris, 
and abstain from all further intercourse . 
with Leonce. ‘This is acceded to, and 
Delphine goes into Switzerland, and be- 
comes a boarder in the Abbaye du Pa- 
radis. It happens that Mons, de Va- 
lorbe has also taken refuge in this neigh- 
bourhood, and not finding her disposed 
to marry him, according to the tacit en- 
gagement she had entered into, makes 
use of a mancuvre to compel her. 
Through his means she is informed, that 
heis arrested for debt, at Zell, and anx- 
jous to make him at least a pecuniary 
compensation, she visits him in person, 
and he detains her in hi apartment to 
so late an hour, that he imagines she 
will marry him to save her reputation. 
She however prefers to become a nun, 
and makes her profession in the abbaye 
-du Paradis. Valorbe, in despair, tears 
Open some wounds he had received in 
_ two recent duels, and dies miserably at 
Zell. In the mean while Matilda dies 
her lying-in, at Paris, and Leonce, 
freed from his fetters, hastens to the 
¢onvent, to claim Delphine, and is 
thrown into a paroxysm of rage and 
“grief, to find her bound to celibacy by 
Frevitable vows. M. de Lebencey, a 
protestant friend, advises her to break 
er vows and fly from the convent, to 
which, without the smallest difficulty, 
she consents. When she has: escaped 
_ from her convent, and gained Leonce, 
she finds so cool a reception from him, 
owing to his nice sense of honour, which 
makes him rather averse to allying him- 
self with a run-away nun, that she re- 
fuses to marry him. They remain, how- 
ever, together, uncertain how to act, 
“till at length the fate of Leonce is deter- 
mined, as follows : 
_ * Atthis momenta regiment passed under 
my windows, 2nd a band of music playing a 
- beautiful warlike march. Leontius, on hear- 
P this, raised his head with an expression of 
dignity and enthusiasm so imposing and sub- 
me, that for a moment, forgetting my sor- 
‘rows, I Jooked at him with eestacy, and 
-drank*once more the intoxicating draught of 
‘Ive. He digined my thoughts, aud letting 
619 
his head fall on my hands, I felt his tears 
pour down upon them in abundance. The 
music ceased, and I.contius, having appa- 
rently recovered his coniposure, said, my soul 
is more tranquil, the celestial intelligence 
that watches over thee has inspired a salutary 
counsel. Adieu, my friend, 1 have need of 
repose, adieu till to-morrow !— Till to-mor- 
tow,’ repeated I~ Oh, ves,’ he replied : 
f adieu !’~-and he left me without uttering 
another word,” 
Leonce therefore, set agog by the 
martial drum and  spirit-moving fife, 
abandons Delphine, and hastens to join 
the combined armies, who are marching 
into France. Delphine, who very luck; 
ily meets with M. de Serbellane, deter- 
mines to follow him, and chances to ar- 
rive at Verdun the very day that he is 
brought in a prisoner. He is condemned 
to be shot: she passes the night in pri 
son with him 3 urges him to take poison, 
which he refuses; accornpanies him the 
next morning to the place of execution ; 
and having herself taken poison, which 
happens to operate precisely at the cri- 
tical moment, they both expire nearly 
at the same time, 
About two years are occupied by the 
events of this story; and during this 
short period our readers will observe, 
that the amiable Delphine promotes a 
criminal intercourse between Theresa 
and De Serbellane, which causes the 
murder of Mons. de Ervins ; attempts to 
deprive her cousin Matilda of her be- 
trothed lover; afterwards carries on a 
secret culpable intercourse with her cous 
sin’s husband; breaks an engagement 
with poor Valorbe; binds herself by a 
solemn religious vow, though at the 
same time she contemns the principle of 
that religion; breaks without the small- 
est scruple, vows thus solemnly con- 
tracted ; urges Leonce to commit sui- 
cide; and, at length, dies herself a mise- 
rable self-murderer ! 
Besides the general dulness of this 
novel, there are passages bordering on 
the ridiculous. Of this kind-are, « Hark’ 
you, Leontius,’ said 1, with enthusiasm, 
‘I love you.’’ “ Marriage a ceremony 
of death.” « Delphine, i will see you 
this evening ; you shall teach me your 
religion.” Which put us in mind of 
Lady Bab, in High Life Below Stairs. 
‘« Shakspeare, Shakspeare ! I don’t know 
him, but I will read him one afternoon!’ 
“ You know.not how expressive is the 
countenance of M. de Mondoville, and 
with what crergy and beauty he can ex- 
