Retrofpect of French Literature—LMifcellaneous, 
_ paratory Difcourfe for Children ; tranflat- 
ed from the German of M. M. Schletzer 
and Schreck. 
A number of celebrated Frenchmen, 
fuch as Bofluet, Mehegan, and Millot, 
have already publifhed Treatifes on Uni- 
verfal Hiftory, but yet the prefent tranfla- 
tion will be found to poffe/s merits pect- 
liar to itfelf. The introductory difcourfe 
is original in its way. Being perfuaded 
that the hiftory of things fhould: precede 
the narration of faé?s, the author makes 
his pupils acquainted with the three 
kingdoms of nature, and all the phyfical 
changes that have taken place on the face 
of the globe, before he {peaks to them 
about hiftory. — 
‘© To learn general hiftory,’’ fays he, 
“it is neceffary to become intimate with 
the various changes which the earth has 
been (ubjeét to for the laft fix thoufandyears; 
it is allo neceflary to learn the changes 
which man has undergone from the time 
of Adam, and to inveftigate the caufes 
why one nation has remained fttipid, ro- 
buft, and white, while another has be- 
come intelligent, diminutive, and black. 
*¢ Young inhabitant of the earth, doft 
thou with to know whither thou ,art to 
go, and what thou ought to do, in arder 
to be happy after this life? Addrefs 
thyfelf to religion. 
«© Doft thou with to know whence thou 
comeft, and why thou art not a ftupid 
Barbarian, or a difgufting Hottentot, or a 
flat-nofed Negro, with thick lips, and 
woolly hair; why thou doft not devour 
men, like many of thy feliow-creatures in 
New Zealand; nor horfes, like all thy an- 
ceftors in Germany; in fhort, why thou 
eateft potatoes and ccrn in Saxony, where 
thefe vegetables did not grow in former 
times? Addrefs thyfelf to General Hif- 
tory.” 
Vies, Amours, et Aventures, &c—-The 
Lives,' Loves, and Adventures of feveral 
illuftrious Solitaries of the Alps; or, the 
Misfortunes that proceed from an Indul- 
gence in the Paffions, 4 vols. r2mo. 
This novel is the production of Citizen 
Paces, who has not added much to his 
reputation by its publication. 
Elemens de la Grammaire Allemande, 
&c,—Elements of German Grammar, by 
Citizen P. A. Basse, Member of the Ly- 
ceum of Arts at Paris, and alfo of the 
Lyceum of Sciences; Belles-lettres, &c. 
at Alengon, Profeffor of the Living Lan- 
guages, &c. Paris. . 
The author introduces his own Gram- 
mar, by obferving, that no elementary 
book on this fubjett has hitherto ever met 
Monrauy Maa, No. 75. 
621 
his eye, which was not too fimple on the 
one hand, or too bulky and abftrufe on 
the other. He of courfe confiders his 
own as ahappy medium between the two 
extremes. 
Refultats Poffibles de la Fournée du 18 
Brumaire, &c.—Poffible Refults of the 
18th Brumaire ; or, a Continuation of the 
Effays on the Prefeut State of France, to 
May 1, 1790, by Citizen FonvifL Le, of 
Youloufe, 1 vol. 8vo. Paris. ! 
The following quotation, which is pres 
fixed to the title-page, will give thereader 
fome idea of the author’s intentions :—, 
“¢ It is neceffary to awaken the proprietors 
to a notion of their own dignity, for in the 
focial fyftern, either property is the bafis 
of the cantraét formed among nations, or 
that contrast conftitutes nothing but dif- 
order.”’ The work itfelf is divided inta 
three parts. The. firft treats of govern- 
ment ; and, under this head, we are pre- 
{ented with a long and interefting detail on 
the finances. The influence of taxation 
on the manners, cufloms, and fituation of 
a people, conftitutes a moft fertile fource 
of inquiry. The author confiders the 
modern fyftem of borrowing, for the pur- 
pofe of carrying on wars, &c. as the 
caufe of the prefent ‘ depopulating luxn- 
ry” in Europe, which, without adding 
any thing to the relative ftrength of each 
nation, not. only perpetuates the abule of 
their real ftrength, but conducts them to a 
ftate of abfolute exhauftion. According 
to him, England, which was the fir to 
conceive and propagate this falfe policy 
of loans, as a mean of attaining power, 
«* will foon become the victim of her fatal 
imprudence; and the gold that fhe now 
{catters, in order to cali forth the armies 
of Europe againft France, muft haften this 
terrible cataftrophe.”” 
In fine, Citizen Fonvielle deems it a 
confideration of the utmoft importance, 
** to anticipate the excefs of the evil occa- 
fioned by the funding fyftem; and when- . 
ever a general peace fhall clofe thewounds 
of a ten years’ war, Europe will be utterly 
unable to avoid diffolution, if all the 
powers which compofe it do not haften 
with one common accord to make an 
immenfe reduction of their refpective 
fortes both by fea and land.” 
After examining the various items of 
revenue and expenditure, in both ancient 
and modern governménts, and ftating the 
neceffity of appropriating a certain deter. 
minate clafs of taxes to a particular ob- 
je&, he proceeds to examine what clafs of 
men is beft calcuiated for the government 
of a great nation, and; infits that the 
Ay & L, greatett 
