4.00 
and return of comets, &c.’’? In proof of 
her fatistaétion, the great Catherine re- 
munerated our Rumoviki with magnificent 
prefents, and in a manner highly honour- 
able. 
Although Rumovfki have now attained 
an age,when, after having rendered fo many 
fervices, it is allowable to long for and 
indulge in repofe, yet the aétivity of his 
mind has notin the leaft decreafed. He 
ftill contifiues to make the current obfer- 
vations of the heavens ;_ and, not only ful- 
fills his duty as a diligent academician, 
but dedicates part of his time likewife 
to inftruction extremely important to the 
ftate. The Ruffian admiralty has, by or- 
der of the prefent Emperor Paul, fent off- 
cers to the White Sea and the Frozen 
Ocean, to make there nautical and geo- 
graphical obfervations. Thefe officers re- 
ceived, during the winter of 1798 and the 
fummer of 1799, aftronomical leffons from 
Rumovifki: he taught them the ufe of the 
_ aftronomical inflruments, with which they 
were fupplied, and at prefent are fully 
employed in making obfervations at the 
places of their deftination. 

For the Monthly Magazine. 
ACCOUNT of MODERN FRENCH AU- 
THORS, with @ RAPID VIEW of thei? 
PRINCIPAL WORKS. 
AVISSE. 
HIS writer proves, that the eyes of 
the underftanding and of the imagi- 
nation are worth more than thofe of the 
body: for, although blind, he has com- 
pofed\an excellent comedy, which has been 
performed under the title of Rufe @A- 
e 
_ weugle, par des Aveugles, and in which he 
played a part. He has alfo written a 
very pretty fable, entitled, L’ Epingle et 
le Fichu; another called, Requéte a Bene- 
xech (minifter of the interior); and a 
third, which he denominated an £pitre a 
ma derniére chemife.. All thefe are written 
with tafte, and with the true piquancy of, 
wit, | 
BEAUHARNAIS, 
This fair author has lately publifhed, 
“¢ Lettres de Stephanie,” with confiderable 
credit to her pen. She had before given 
the world a fpecimen of her talents, under 
the title of «* L’ Abeillard fupposé.” Mad. 
Seauharnais 1s faid to be allied: to the 
French conqueror_of Italy; but as it is 
her relationfiip with the Mufes onty we 
enquire into, we fhall pafs over that cir- 
cumitance, 
Account of Modern French Authors, 
[June r, 
, UAVALLEE (JOSEPR), 
Member. of the Society of Arts, Sciences, 
and Belles Letires. : 
This Author has written a Poem on 
the pictures, with which tne French army 
of Italy has enriched the Mufeum at Paris; 
and by this work has acquired confidera- 
ble reputation. His Canto, entitled 
“< [ Eté,” in his poem des Saifons, has 
been highly applauded whenever it has 
been read. For chis unqueftionably va- 
luable produétion, his partial countrymen 
have placed him befide the two great poets 
of this defcriptive kind, Thomfon. and 
Delille. Some, indeed, from enthufiafm 
have gone fo far as to exalt him above 
either of them. 
DELILLE DESALLE. 
This author had obtained confiderable 
celebrity by his ** Philofophie de la Nature 
ma Republique,” as alio by his ‘* Hiffoire 
des Hommes 37’ but his ** Le Vieux dela 
Montagne,” an oriental hiftory, faid to be 
tranflated from the Arabic, has greatly 
added thereto, and is faid to be exempt 
from many of the faults of modern ro- 
manices. 
BEAUMARCHAIS (CARON DE). 
A woman reputed for her wit, being 
afked what fhe thought of this extraordi~ 
nary man, anfwered: He will be banged, 
but the cord will break. ‘The predigtion 
has not been accomplifhed to the letter ; 
but, if it 1s recolle&ted, how the author 
of The Barbier de Seville-—Marriage de — 
Figaro—des deux Amis,—La. Mere cou- 
pable, Sc. Sc. got through the revolu- 
tion ; we fhall be ftruck with his conftant > 
good luck and good addrefs. His politi- 
cal opinion was a problem to all the par- 
ties, which he equally fperted with. , The 
exiftence of this man, who has lately ex- 
pired in his bed, after having aéted fo 
great a part, whilft Linguet and other 
cotemporaries died on the {caffold, exhibits 
a character of fingularity bordering on the 
romantic, which it will be difficult clearly 
to develope. The memoirs he has left 
behind him are greatly efteemed, and 
eagerly fought atter; but fhould fome 
mafterly pen take upon itfelf one day to 
give impartial memous of Beaumarchais, 
they will be the more curious, as he had 
to do with the two governments of 1788 
and 1793, and was connected with them 
‘in a manner which cannot tail to throw a 
great light upon the hiltory of thefe latter: 
times. We may judge of the turn of 
mind of Beaumarchais, by the infcription 
he 
