486 
by fome means or other, one of the ableft 
men in France was appointed preceptor to 
the Prince of Parma, inftead of one of the 
ecclefiaftics to whofe charge the education 
of fovereigns has utualiy fallen: an alarm- 
ing circumftance, doubtle{s, in the eyes of 
the ex-Jefuit Barruc]l, whofe former fo- 
ciety founded its greatnefs upon the in- 
fluence it acquired by becoming the infti- 
tutors and directors of moit ot the crown- 
ed heads in Europe. Whether a Protef- 
tant is bound to think in the faine way, 
will admit of a difpute; nor perhaps will 
every one be fenfible of Voltaire’s “ ef. 
frontery,”” in congratulating his triends 
upon fuch anevent. By Condiilac’s own 
account, it appears that he taught his pu- 
pil the Catechifm and Bible; but the go- 
vernor who fucceeded him found that he 
had ‘* negleéted the religious part of his 
duty.”> We may perhaps venture to fup- 
pofe that this neglect confifted in not hay- 
ing fufficiently trained him to the taétics 
of catholic devotion, or, poffibly, not hav- 
ing infpired him with a due abhorrence of 
herefy. Of the manner in which the 
«© more religious governor” imprefied his 
mind, we may judge by the curious piece 
of information, that ** the Prince was fo 
penetrated with a fenfe of his paft dangers, 
as to take an oath before an image of the 
bleffed Virgin, that he would forget all he 
had learned from fuch an impure fource ;” 
and we may be well affured that he kept his 
word. It is afterwards obferved to be 
aftonifhing, that the philofopher’ thould 
openly teach his royal pupil the pernicious 
principles which he has fo carefully con- 
cealed in his works; but where is the 
proof or probability that he did inculcate 
Such principles? ‘The Prince’s fright cer- 
tainly implies no more than the confciouf- 
nels of fome paft omiffions, which his new 
director had reprefented to him ina hein- 
ous ligh. Thefe, it feems, he has fince 
amply compentated, by, adopting all the 
minute devotion of a Capuchin Friar, with 
which the greateft part of his time is oc- 
cupied. Truly, it may admit of a doubt, 
whether he has been much a gainer by 
his change of an inftru€&tor! That Con- 
dillac attempted too much for the capacity 
of his pupil is highly probable ; and cer- 
tainly itis an eafier thing to teach Ave 
Marias, than mathematical or metaphyfical 
theorems. It would, however, have been 
fomewhat curious to have feen how a prince 
would turn out under the education of a 
philofopher:—We know perfectly well 
what they become under the tuition of 
monks and prelates. 
Your's, &c. 
View of Religion, Manners, &&c. in the Yfland of Corfu - [July x, 
/ For the Monthly Magazine. 
VIEW of RELIGION, MANNERS, &c. a 
the ISLAND of CoRFU*, 
RELIGION. 
WoO religions are profeffed in Corfu, 
ee Latin and the Greek. The rites- 
and ebfervances of the former being pretty 
well known to the. generality of Englifh 
readers, it is unneceflary here to dwell 
upon them. The two following particu- 
lars, however, appear not wholly unworthy 
at notice. ; 
By a decree of the Venetian fenate, the 
commander in chiet at Corfu, attended by 
his entire houfhold, which is emphatically 
ftyled his court, is obliged to-attend the ce- 
lebration of divine fervice in the cathedral 
on the prmcipai feftivals, fuch as Chriftmas, 
Eafter, &c. The archbifhop, arrayed in his 
pontifical robes, repairs at the head of his 
clergy to the church doer, where the com- 
mander in chief, in full gala drefs, awaits 
his arrival. They enter the church to- 
gether; but the prelate takes the right 
hand. On the left, in the choir, oppofite 
to the epifcopal throne, ftands that of the 
general, whofe fuite are placed, each ac- 
cording to his rank, in a pew lined with 
crimfon velvet. On retiring from church, 
the fame order is obferved as ,in entering : 
but the general now takes the right of the 
archbithop. When afked to explain the 
reafon of this difference, a Venetian an- 
{wers that the prelate is the fuperior inen- 
tering his cathedral, but ig only a fubje& 
when he comes out. 
** I complied,” fays a late traveler, 
“* with the invitation given to me by a 
newly-ordained> prieft to attend his firft 
mafs. The fervice being concluded, he 
feated himfelf in an arm-chair, with his 
back turned to the altar. His relatives, 
his friends, the perfons whom he had in- 
vited, others who had been attraéted by 
curiofity, went one after another to kneel 
before the new prieft, kiffed his hand, and 
retired, after having depofited a piece of 
money in a bafin placed on a fmall table 
by his fide. In imitation of the others, I 
in my turn ‘approached the altar, where I 
afcertained a faét which I could have {carcea 
ly believed when firft I was informed of 
the cuftom: without kneeling, or imprint- 
Dia SATO TET ASIEN aoa es sae oe 
* The invafion of the French muQt no 
doubt have lately introduced many innova- 
tions, which are not here noticed; the pic- 
ture being intended to reprefent the Corfiots 
fuch as they were previoufly to the entrance 
N, N,~ of their Gallic vifitors. 
ing 
