664 
3480. An uniform goodnefs confti- 
tutes the bafis of his character, but the 
embarrafiments of royalty were too fa- 
tiguing for him. Content with bis 
little territory, he lived rather likea 
gentleman than a king; he pofieffed 
‘nothing of the fovereign, but the ever 
active defire of rendering his fubjects 
happy. This conftituted his fole am- 
bition, and he was fatisiied with it. 
It is told of him, that when the north 
wind blew a few days in fucceffion, he 
nade hafte to diminith the impoits, lef 
the people fhould be unable to fupport 
their weight. 
‘* His valour, which was unimpeach- 
able, did not dread any of the dangers 
of war, but he wanted conftancy to 
fupport the fatigues of it, while the 
accompanying misfortunes banifhed 
every idea of glory. Repofe appeared 
to him to be the fovereign good. He 
carried the paffion of love even into 
the theep-cote; and Jeanne de Laval, 
his fecond confort, was accultomed to 
tend a flock with him in the fields of 
Provence. Poetry conftituted his de- 
light, and painting his occupation: he 
has left fome pattoral and other produc- 
tions behind him. Aix, Avignon, 
Martfeilies, and Lyons ftill contain 
fome of his pictures; he alfo painted 
Miniatures at his Jeifure hours. He 
cultivated flowers and fruit, and is 
faid to have introduced feveral new 
ipecies of both into France. 
In Provence they love and ftill fearch 
for every thing that can recal the idea 
of King René, whofe name is never 
feparated from the idea of good. Many 
princes have been more re{pected, but 
none have ever been either more ami- 
abie or more beloved. The goodnefs 
of our Louis XII. and Henry IV. -fa- 
voured more of refleétion, but was lefs 
natural and lefs popular. On receiving 
intelligence of his demife, all the fhops 
were thut, while the temples refounded 
with fervent prayers and lamentable 
cries. The artifans and populace ran 
to the palace, to fee their beloved king 
once more, and bid him a laft adieu; 
tenderly familiar with him after his 
death, as during his life, they prefled 
his cold hands between their own ; 
they kiffed and bathed them with their 
tears. Ail bewailed a friend; each in 
turn loft a father. It was even. necef- 
jary to {teal away his body from Pro- 
vence, in order to tranfport.it to An- 
gers, where he wifhed it to be depofit- 
@u in the tomb of his forefathers.” 
Retrofpect of French Literature,—Hiftory, Sc. 
‘© Abrégé de lHiftoire des Helve- 
tiens,’” &c—An Abridgment of the 
‘Hittory of the Helvetians, alfo known 
by the Appellation of Swiis, by G. 
Favey, 1 vol. 8vo. printed at Lau- 
fanne. | | 
A defcription of the grand events 
that have occurred in any nation can- 
not fail to be initructive; and it Is na- 
tural to fuppofe, that the hiftory of 
fuch a country as Switzerland, muft be 
peculiarly intereiting to its inhabitants. 
The author, however, complains, in 
his Preface, that this ftudyus but little 
relifhed among his fellow-citizens, and 
he attributes this neglect to the native 
hiftorians, fome of whom are fo volu- 
minous, that the rich alone can pur- 
chafe, and idle men only read, them; 
while others have publifhed fuch paltry 
abridgments, that they contain» no 
more than an acccunt of dates, and 
difguit by their drynefs. 
M. Favey divides his work into 
three parts:—The firft treats of an- 
cient Helvetia, obliged, by turns, to 
fubmit to the Romans, the Kings of. 
France, and the Emperors of Germany. 
The fecond difclofes the particulars of 
that revolution, which, at the begin- 
ning of the fourteenth century, pro- 
duced the liberty of the Swifs, and the 
Helvetic confederation. The third de- 
{cribes the epoch of the reformation, 
or the revolution that took place in the 
religious opinions of a large portion 
of the nation; it extends to the prefent 
time, and concludes with the opening 
of the diet, in September, 1801, The- 
following paflage will convey fome 
idea of the reft of the work:— 
** The Helvetic league was not pro- 
duced by any well-combined or duly- 
confidered plan; on the contrary, it 
was merely the blind refult of chance, 
and of circumftances. Such a fyftena 
was formerly liable to lefs inconve. 
nience than at prefent. The different 
ftates of Switzerland were not then at 
variance with their original inititue 
tions ; a greater degree of affinity ex- 
ifted between them ; they were all unil- 
ed by a common aim and commaa 
dangers; a pure patriotifm, joined 1o 
an ardent love of liberty, fupplied all 
that was wanting, in refpect to ther 
conititution: in fhort, there was im 
equality of difadvantages between them 
and their neighbours, for every tite 
in Europe formed, at that period a 
fpecies of confederation; they ware 
ali divided into a multitude of pety 
loys- 
