1800. ] 
it contains, and the difficulty of procuring 
the beft editions of the works neceflary to 
complete it. Camus, . after confulting 
every thing wfitten upon the fubjeét, and 
having fearched out the original editions 
of the memoirs collected by Theodore 
Debry, has given us a defcription of a 
complete copy of that important work, 
The Clafs, convinced of the merit of 
thefe refearches, perfuaded Camus to en- 
gage in a new work no Jefs ufeful than 
the preceding, which is to complete the 
important collection of Melchifedeck The- 
venot, and to give a defcription of the 
“documents contained in thefe two grand 
colleStions. After examining the whole 
of this work, the Clafs has ordered it to 
be printed, becaufe it will be alike ufeful 
to the man of Literature, the Geographer, 
and the Navigator. It will fave the latter 
from a multiplicity of refearches no lefs 
indifpenfable with a view to his inftruc- 
tion, than his perfonal fafety. 
GREGOIRE read a paper on the Vofges. 
The author has carefully furveyed that 
chain of mountains, which are fo little 
known, though fo well worthy of being 
known. He enters into minute details 
refpeGting the poptlation, phyfical con- 
ftitution, drefs, agriculture, the waters 
and minerals of that diftritt. He praifes 
the induftry of the laborious inhabitants, 
who keep up an inceflant ftruggle with the 
cilmate and the elements.—Their folemni- 
ties, on the occafions of child-birth and 
matriage, in the latter of which the man 
is obliged to purchafe his young fpoufe, 
their funerals, accompanied with difmal 
howlings and fantaftic ceremonies, prefent 
a picture alike variegated and interefting. 
The author accufes the Vofgeans of a per- 
Nicious improvidence, in having cut down 
the beautiful forefts which crowned, the 
fummits of their mountains. To this 
caufe he atcributes the evident diminution 
of their ftreams and fountains, that wa- 
tered their plains, which are now far from 
being fertile, and which the want of moif- 
ture will foon render completely barren. 
He paints in a touching manner the pa- 
triarchal manners of this good and fimple 
people, who are ftrongly attached to their | 
native foil, and never leave it but with 
regret. The author accounts for this 
attachment, by faying, that nature con- 
ftantly prefenting in thefe mountains agree- 
able images, or grand and terrible fcenes, 
the foul is powerfully moved, and recol- 
letions engraved on the mind which the 
longeft life cannot efface. The Vofges 
have befides. furnifhed the author with 
-fome facts. as curious as unknown. In 
National. Inftitute, 4th of Fan. 1800. 
t 
P 
255 
our own tunes a vaffal has been bound to 
prefent a dith of {now to his lord in the 
mid of fummer. In thefe times alfo, and 
under the monarchical regimen, the Cantoa 
of Brefle, fituated in a deep defile of thefe 
mountains, had formed itfelf into a’ real 
Republic. There are a great number-of 
religious fects. The Anabaptuts live ia 
peace. with the Catholics in this diftri@, 
where one would not expect to have 
found the true Practice of philofophy. 
Religious opinions are here perfetly free. 
It will, perhaps, be thought. ftill more 
remarkable, that there are ftill to be 
found in the Vofges evident traces of the 
worthip of Fountains, and the ancient re- 
ligion of the Druids. The writer juftly 
obferves, that, defpifing all that furrounds 
us, we frequently feek at a diftance for 
objects of curiofity, while we remain ic- 
norant of thofe which ought to intereft 
us moft, and are, as it were, foreigners 
In our own country. 
LEsCALIER, an affociated member, read 
feveral fragments of his Travels in India. 
Among the various fubjeéts which the 
author treats, may be particularly re- 
marked a very minute defcription of the 
Pagoda of Chalembron. This Pagoda 
occupies an extent of 6co metres in length, 
and 400 in breadth. A fecond compart- 
ment contains feveral dwelling-houfes and 
temples, an aftonifhing variety of edifices 
and colonnades, a vat pond, furrounded 
with galleries, and a temple fupported by 
a thoufand pillars, in front of which 
ftands a very high column, remarkable for 
being completely covered with copper. 
The author having been invited by the 
Brahmins to one of their religious fefti- 
vals, gives a very detailed defcription of 
it; and alfo of the dances of the Baya- 
deres. He particularly defcribes the pos 
niard-dance, which was executed with no 
lefs grace than precifion. He pives a 
minute account of the cultivation of rice, 
the ufages, laws, and religion of the 
Indians. From ocular teftimony, he con- 
tradiéts many erroneous accounts, accre= 
dited by authors of high eftimation, but 
who have fpoken of thefe people without 
fuficient information. 
LEGRAND-DELALEU, an afflociated 
member, read a paper on Oftracifm. 
Oftracifm had become a fundamental law 
in the conttitution of the Athenian Re- 
public. According to the fpirit of that 
law, the punifhment never was inflifted 
but on merit and virtue, which had ace 
quired a degree of eminence {uppoled to 
be dangerous to liberty. Six thonfand 
votes were neceflary to the fentence; a 
numbet 
