668 
Au chantre de Henri, quel honneur tu viens 
faire ! 
Héros qui méritas un chantre tel que lui, 
Toi Mhonorable ami de notre grand Voltaire. 
En vifitant fon fanétuaire, 
Henri, tu mets le comble a fa gloire au- 
jourd’ hui. 
Creft quand Vaigle divin fur fon autel fe pofey 
Qu?il ne manque plus rien a fon apothéofe. 
Mais cet autel, Henri, n’eit il donc pas le 
tien? 
Vois comme aux temps futurs avec nous on 
arrive. 
De l’immortalité nous compofons Varchive: 
De Frederic le Grand, frére, mule et foutien, 
Les hauts faits, les vertus, legons de tous les 
ages, 
Rempliront a leur tour nos plus brillantes 
pages. 
“« De l’Egypte aprés Ja Bataille d’Hé- 
liopolis, et Confidérations générales fur 
POrganization phyfique et politique 
de ce Pays, par le Général de Divifion 
Reynier, Paris, x vol. &vo. de 288 p. 
avec une Carte de la Baffle Egypte, 
Prix 5 fr. et franc de port 6 fr.”"-—Of 
Egypt afier the Battle of Heliopolis ; 
to which are added, general Confidera- 
tions relative to the phyfical and poli- 
tica} Organization of that Country, by 
the General of Divifion Reynier, r vol. 
Svo. . ; 
Although Egypt, after pafifing in 
fucceffion into the hands of the French 
and Englifh, has once more been forced 
to fuccumb to the dominion of the 
Porte, yet every thing refpeCting that 
country will be {till confidered as inte- 
refting to the inhabitants of Europe, 
more efpecialiy as it has been lately the 
fcene of fo many gallant exploits. Rey- 
niet, who ferved on the fpot, and was 
acquainted with all the details, here 
undertakes the tafk of relating the re- 
cent defeats of his countrymen, and 
pointing out the caufes. 
In a well-written introduction, he 
prefents his readers with a differtation 
relative to the government and territo- 
ry of Egypt; and, at the fame time, 
points out the fyftem of defence beft 
adapted tothe country. Pococke and 
Norden, in former times, and Volney, 
in our own, have all written refpecting 
Syria, Egypt, and Paleftine. The Ge- 
neral frequently commends the fecru- 
pulous exattnefs of the laft of thefe, and 
refers to him on a variety of occafions. 
He alfo fupports his teftimony by means 
of new facis; and, in the character of © 
a naturalift, explains with equal faga- 
city and circumfpection in what man- 
ner Lower Egypt is chiefly indebt- 
Retrofpedt of French Literature.— Hiftory, ee, 
ed for its exiftence, to the overflowings 
of the Nile. | 
The incresfe of this river commences 
with the fummer folfice ; it acquires 
its greateft degree of elevation at the 
autuninal equinox, foon after which it 
gradually diminifhes, and the lands at 
length begin to be cultivated; the 
country may be then penetrated in all 
directions. It refults from his obferva- 
tions, that Lower Egypt cannot be vi- 
fited by a military force during five 
months of the year, and that therefore 
the operations of war can only be care 
ried on with effect for feven months. 
Reynier next undertakes an exami- 
nation of the fyftem of war, and of forti- 
fication, adopted by the French in -this 
part of Africa,both of whichareentirely 
different from that praétifed in Europe. 
It appears clearly, that Bonaparte, with 
a keen and penetrating eye, took ad- 
vantage of the fituation of the coun. 
try, and planned his campaigns in ex- 
act conformity to the genius of ‘the 
place. His ideas were followed by 
Kleber, but abandoned by his fucce{= 
for, and it perhaps may be owing in 
part to this circumftance that he proved 
unfuccefsful. The entire privation of 
wood—of the neceflary inftruments for 
their operations—the want of work- 
men—the exceflive price demanded for 
every thing—an entire ignorance re- 
fpecting the country, and the manners, 
‘cuftoms, and opinions of the natives— 
all thefe obftacles concurred to render 
the firft efforts of the invaders diftre{-, 
fing, and almoft unavailing. The per- 
feverance of the French, however, fur- 
mounted moft of the difficulties they 
had to encounter with, and perhaps 
the merit of their leaders is ftill greater 
in this point of view, than when, confi- 
dered as military men, facing dangers 
unappalled, and fometimes vanquifh- 
ed, fometimes viciorious. . 
Our author, like Volney, perceives 
among the Egyptians ail the different 
fhades of civilization, from the fimpli- 
city of the paitoral ftate, to that. of 
man enervated and depraved by luxu- 
ry. He no where, however, could dif 
tinguifh any portion of the inhabitants 
whofe minds wereexalted and improved 
by the ftudy of the arts and ferences. 
‘* From the Bedouin Arab (fays he) to 
the chiefs who conduét the govern- 
ment, force and riches are the fole 
means that conduét to power. All 
evince but little delicacy relative te 
the means of acquising wealth ; all en- 
deavour 
