Retrofpec? of French Literature.—Hiftory. 
predecefiors, as well as our own, can no 
jonger be loft to pofterity. Like a be- 
wildered traveller on beholding the 
Tifing of the fun, on contemplating the 
bright luminary of philofophy,we forget 
thofe chimerical tears relative to the 
return of ignorance, and journey on, 
with a firm itep, through the immenfe 
career henceforth opened to the hn- 
man mind.” . 
After having defcribed the fpecific 
point which the feiences had attained 
at the memorable period of the Revolu- 
tion, the author enters into greater de- 
tails, and becomes more particular.— 
He reminds his reader of the abfolute 
deprivation of public initruction which 
took place in confequence of the anni- 
hilation of the ancient inftitutions.— 
He, at the fame’ time, contemplates 
the diflolution of the Univerfity of Pa- 
ris witha certain degree of regret 5 but 
he is obliged to acknowledge that it was 
feveral centuries behind in refpect to 
every thing connegted with the arts 
and {ciencés,.  - 
‘* Attached to the FPeripateticks, 
when the world had renounced, with 
Defcartes, the philofophy of Ariftoéle ; 
it became Cartefian, when the Newton- 
ian fyftem prevailed. This ci:cum- 
ftance arifes from the very nature of 
bodies which teach others. Invetted 
at the period of their formation with a 
great influence over opinions, becaufe 
compoted of the mo enlightened men 
of their time, they become defirous to 
maintain their advantage, and itis with 
great difficulty that they permit any 
doctrines to be formed or propagated 
out of their fociety, which, in theend, 
may counterbalance theirown. This 
has induced the ceiebrated Adam 
Smith to remark, that fyftems the moft 
decried, as well as the mott ab/urd pre- 
judices, ftill figd an alylum in the uni- 
verfities when they are chafed from ail 
other corners of the world.” 
The fury attendant on the fpirit of 
party during the time of the Conven- 
tion, was about to ftifle all the means 
ef inftruéiion that remained in France, 
when the public danger, we are told, 
forced the legiflature to recur to extra- 
ordinary, and. almoitt fupernatural, ef- 
forts. ‘* It became neceflary to arm 
nine hundred thoufand men, and meit 
of the eltablifhments for the manufac- 
ture of arms were either deftroyed or 
in the poflefion of the enemy. On 
this the /avaas, er {cientific men, were 
employed to defcribe and to fimplity 
659 
the various procefles. The melting of 
the bells produced all the brafs necef- 
fary for cannon; but fteel was {till 
wanting, and the art of making it was 
unknown : the fame inftructors imme 
diately gave direétions for its creation. 
The neceffities of war required topo- 
graphical information ; on thisa board 
of geographical engineers fupplied che 
neceflary knowledge. . ane 
‘¢ Powder was ‘demanded from all 
quarters, for thofe accuftomed te fup- 
ply that article declareil themfelves un- 
able to produce more than three mil- 
lions of pounds weight per annum ; 
while the Committee of Public Safety 
announced that feventeen millions of 
pounds would be required in the {pace 
of afew months only. Saltpetre was 
accordingly colleéted every where, but 
if was foon difcovered that, while ina 
rude ftate, it became totally unfit for 
the manufacture of this commodity, 
being mingled with earth and {alts, 
which render it humid, and thus dimi- 
nifh its activity. 
“« The ufual procefles for purifying 
it would have occupied much time, 
and the conftruétion of the mills alone 
would have confumed feveral months, 
before the expiration of which term, 
France muft have been fubjugated,— 
Tn this predicament the adepts in che« 
miftry invented new methods to refine 
and dry faltpetre in the cour(e of a few 
days. Subititutes for machinery were 
allo difcovered; men being employed 
to turn or roll cafks, in which charcoal, 
{fulphur, and faltpetre, previoufly pul- 
verized, were mingled together by 
means of balls of copper. By this fim-~ 
ple procefs powder was fabricated in the 
{pace af twelve hours. 
“* After the downfal of the bloody 
throne of Robefpierre the fame efforts 
were of courfe continued, becaufe the 
danger remained as before. Thofe 
modes of manufacture, ufually termed 
revolutionary, were, however, replaced 
by permanent ettablifhments, founded 
on the beit principles and the moft ap- 
proved theories. Means were difcover- 
ed to extract from the pine the pitch 
neceflary for the marine, while balloons 
and teiegraphs became machines of 
war. Every thing relative to this art 
was fimplified and perfected in a fecret 
eftablifhment formed at Meudon. In- 
quiries were made, and inftrudtons 
given, concerning the means of repro 
ducing or replacing thofe commodities 
which the neceflities of the mosicat 
had 
