the 
fenfe and difcretion, however, every 
Retrofpeél of Spanifh Literature. : 
t2mo. but the two firft only are as yet 
publithed. 
“© De l’Education des Filles, &c. 
On the Education of Daughters, by 
Fenelon, Archbifhop of Cambray, &c. 
to which is added a Letter from the 
fame Author to a Lady, on the Educa- 
tion of her only Daughter; and a 
Preliminary Difcourfe on fome of the 
Changes that have taken Place in Re- 
{pect to Education, &c. by J. S. Bour- 
LET, 
The name of Fenelon has undoubt- 
edly contributed to the fuccefs of a 
work, which hasalready paffed through 
feveral editions. It is written with 
great fimplicity and precifion, but no 
where exhibits the brilliant imagery of 
author of ‘Telemachus; good 
where prevail. 
“© Do not be afraid of any thing fo 
much,” fay the good Archbifhop, “as 
the vanity of young women ; they are 
born with a violent defire to pleafe; 
629 
the road which conduéts men to glory 
being fhut to them, they endeavour to 
indemnify themfelves by the charms of 
both body and mind. Hence arifes 
that fweet and infinuating converfa- 
tion; hence they afpire not only to 
beauty, but to all the internal graces, 
and are fo. paflionately fond of drefs. 
A cap, a bit of ribband, a lock of hair 
placed higher or lower, or the choice 
of any particular colour, are fo many 
objects of importance to them. This 
{pecies of excefs is alfo carried higher 
in our nation than in any other. Phe 
changeable humourthat prevails among 
us occafions a continual variety of. fa~ 
fhions ; to the love of drefs, therefore, 
is fuperadded that of novelty, which 
has extraordinary charms on minds fo » 
difpofed: in fhort, thefe two follies, in 
conjunction, mingle different ranks 
and degrees with each other, and pro- 
duce the moft fatal effetts on female 
manners.” 2 
ps 
Cop acdsee TES ee 
HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF SPANISH LITERATURE. 
E fubmitted our laft Retrofpeg& to 
the public witha few general obfer- 
vations on Spanifh Literature; the remarks 
we fhall now make are merely thofe that 
naturally arife from the view cf the pro- 
ductions within the lalt fix months com- 
prifed in the fubfquent catalogue. 
Among the periodical works of Spain, 
the Hiftorical and Political Mercury, and 
the Literary Memorial, are continued ; 
but in this department, we obferve no 
accefhon : without affecting to fuppofe the 
inundation that foams in torrents from 
the preffes in our own country, and fome 
neighbouring ftat:s, is always pure, and 
ever direfted into right channels; yet, 
coinciding with the late General Wath- 
ington, we confider opinion advantage- 
oufly developed by thefe intruders, which, 
on a thouland occafions, remove the tran. 
fient vis inertie of themind, and give it 
activity and elevation. 
In our lalt view, it was afferted, that 
many of the works were mere tranflations 
frora the ftock of other countries: this 
frequent borrowing abroad implies pover- 
ty at home; but when there is not only 
a deficiency in original works, but the 
produétions themlelves, inftead of being 
drawn from the f{pring-head, are tranfla- 
tions of tranflations, it indicates, not only 
‘@ want of genius in the country, but even 
Montaix Mac, No, 82, 
his powers. 
a paucity of means to avail itfelf of yenera 
knowledge and improvement. In the 
publications arranged in this Retrofpeét, © 
among the numerous tranflations, except. 
ing from the French, we recolleét only 
one from any modern language. 
Under the title Archeology, Natural 
Hiftory, or Taétics, we have not been 
able to procure a fingle article; with re- 
{pect to the former, we have before figni- 
fied our regret, that the Saracenic Anti- 
quities of that nation have been‘ fo long 
concealed. With regard to the fecond, 
Spain is a country peculiarly favourable to 
the purfuits of the naturalift. Mental ap. 
plication ufually induces corporeal imbe- 
cility : the man of {cience refembling the 
midnight flame, his companion, a fudden 
guft deftroys his aétivity and extinguifhes 
With a form enervated by 
the ttudies of the clofet, if he venture 
abroad to purfue his inveftigations under 
a clear fky, and in a friendly climate, he 
contemplates nature without being ‘ob- 
ftructed by thofe inclemencies to which 
his frame is obnoxious : this advantage he 
enjoys in Spain; in the irriguous vallies of 
the Pyrenees, fheltered by the excavations 
of the mountains the .celebrated Tourme- 
fort explored the fecrets of vegetation. ' 
While the Prince of Peace was ‘glit- 
tering in the blaze of military {plen- 
aM "Que 
