© Retrofpe of French Literature...Novels, &c, 
to embitter the life of his more fortunate 
rival, by a recurrence to the bafeft arts. 
In conlequence of this, the Count de 
Holrem, the father of Matilda, had de- 
termined to difinherit his daughter, as 
fufpicions had been infufed into his mind 
‘relative to his wife’s virtue: but the 
fon of the Baron de V., who happened 
to be in love with the heroine, produces 
the moft fatisfaétory teftimony, left by 
his father on his death-bed, that the charge 
of infidelity was entirely deftitute of truth. 
_ The two laft aéts exhibit fituations 
produétive of fuitable effect. 
‘© ie Tondeur,’’ &c. The Shearer, 
a Comedy, which has been refufed by 
feveral of the Theatres of Paris. By C. 
Pafquet, Author of Tétes tondues Siffiées, 
&c. Citizen Pafque+is a Parifian barber, 
who has given a very appropriate name 
to his drama: his profeflion difarms cri- 
ticifm, 
NoveEts, RoMANCEs, &c. 
“ La Nuit Anglaife, ou les Aven- 
tures,” &c. The Englith Night, or the 
extraordinary Adventures of M. Dabaud, 
Merchant of Paris; a Romance, like too 
‘many others, tranflated from the Arabian 
into the Iroquois, from the Iroquois into 
the Samoiede, from the Samoiede into the 
Hottentot, from the Hottentot into the 
Lapland, and from the Lapland into the 
French language. By R. P.SprctTrRo- 
RUINI, an Italian monk. 2 vol. 12mo. 
To be purchafed at the ruins of Pulluz- 
zi, the caverns of St. Claire, at the ab~ 
bey of Grafville, the caftles of Udolpho, 
Lindenberg, and, in fhort, wherever 
haunted towers, monks, dungeons, &e. 
are to be found. 
This is a parody on modern romances, 
and, like them, abounds with log cor- 
ridors, gloomy veftibules, lofty cupolas, 
and bafaltic columns. ‘Nor are bloody 
poniards, rufty keys, chofts, fkeletons, monks, 
and all the ufual machinery calculated to 
create awe andinfpire terror, forgotten : 
“A fe pdmer ou d’aife ou terreur,, 
Suivant le goit et les nerfs du leéteur.”” 
‘¢ Alphonfe, Hiftoire Portugaife,”’ &c 
Alphonfo, a Portuguefe Adventure, 
which occurred during the Earthquake 
at Lifbon.. Alphonfo, the hero, is a very 
worthy young man, who undertakes a 
voyage to the Indies, on purpofe to re- 
eftablifh his father’s affairs, which had 
been deranged by a variety of unexpected 
occurrences. An unlucky thipwreck, 
on his return, bereaves him of all the ad- 
vantages he had dérived from his- pious 
zeal. His unhappy parent dies of chagrin ; 
and he himfelt, being deftitute of every 
1067 
other refource, becomes clerk to an opu- 
lent merchant, who {oon diftinguifhes his 
merit, and even gives him his daughter 
in marriage. With this lady, by whom 
he has feveral children, he lives very hap- 
pily, until the memorable earthquake had 
{wallowed up his houfe, his family, and 
his fortune, and he himfelf efcapes only 
by an accidental abfence in the country. 
So far is within the limits of poffibili- 
ty ; but we now find him conduéted 
through the air by a genius, who, re- 
maining ftationary for fome time above 
' Lifbon, points out the caufes of the de- 
ftruction of that city. He afterwards 
explains the manner in which the intel- 
leétual world 1s governed, and affigns to 
every mortal a good and:a bad agent, &c. 
*< Le Voyage Sentimental en France 
fous Robefpierre, &c.’ A Sentimental 
Journey through France, during the Ty- 
ranny of Robefpierre ; by VERNES DE 
GENEVE, Author of a Sentimertal Jour- 
ney to Yverdon, é&c. 2 vols.'12mo0. This 
is an imitation of Sterne, with this dif- 
ference however, that whereas the one 
reprefents every thing under a gay and 
pleafing afpeét, the other gives a tinge 
of melancholy to the whole of his work. 
The author happening to arrive at Pa- 
ris during the reign of terror, is inftantly 
imprifoned, and expofed to an unrelent- 
ing perfecution. Among his fellow-fuf- 
ferers, he, however, finds many infinite- 
ly more unhappy than himfelf, and takes 
this occafion to paint a number of affect- 
ing piétures, finely wrought up with 
fcenes of love, friendfhip, and. defpair. 
Among the epifodes which thefe rwo 
little volumes prefent, thofe entitled to 
moft noticé are the following: “ Ame- 
lie, ou l’Ecole du Malheur,” (Amelia, 
or the School of Misfortunes); “ L’Hi- 
ftorie de Servan,” (The Story of. Ser- 
van); ‘* Les Deux Aveugles de Francon- 
ville,” (The Two Blind People of .Fran- 
conville) ; ‘“* Le Centenaire de la Mon- 
tagne,’” (The Mountaineer, a Hundred 
Years, old, &c.). Itis to be obferved, 
.. however, that the ftory of Montuffon, 
and fome others, is greatly exaggerated. 
‘¢ Moina, oula Villageoife, &c.”’ Moi- 
na, or the Peafants of Montcenis. The 
author of this romance, while traverfing 
the valleys of the Alps, difcovers one of 
the companions of Buonaparte’s glory. 
At the conclufion of a long convertation 
relative to the wars of Italy, the guondam 
foldier relates his adventures with Moina. 
After experiencing the ufual hardihips of 
romantic lovers, in confegifence of the re- 
fufal of ¢rue/ parents, a long separation, 
6 X 2 Prd om 
