(692) 9 
HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF FRENCH LITERATURE. 
HISTORY. 
&¢ IVALITE dela France et de l’An- 
gleterre,depuis la Conquéte de cette 
Tle par Guillaume, Duc de Normandie, 
jofgu’ a laRupturedu Traité d’ Amiens par 
TY Angleterre,”’ &c.—Hittory of the Rivalry 
between France and England, from the 
Epoch of the Conqueft by William Duke 
of Normandy, until the Rupture of the 
Treaty of Amiens on the Part of Eng- 
land, by Vienor VAUBLANC, a Mem- 
ber of the Legiflative Body, 1 vol. 8vo. 
This work includes five principal epochs, 
each exhibiting the moft ample proofs of 
that unhappy jealoufy which has prevail- 
ed between England and France, during a 
period of about eight centuries. The 
firft chapter treats of the invafion in 1066, 
under William the Norman, while the laft 
yetraces the events which preceded the 
conclufion, and have followed the rup- 
ture, of the treaty of Amiens. 
An attempt is here made to prove to 
the other European nations, that the polli- 
cy of England has invariably been, mer- 
cantile, wily, and perfidious ; and it is 
boaftingly and ridiculoufly afferted, that in 
chaftifing our nation, the French govern- 
ment “ will acquit a debt of eight hundred 
years fianding, and avenge humanity of 
the moft violent of its oppreffors!!!”° 
Much praife is given to the moderation of 
the French government, as well as to its 
inviolable refpeét for treaties ; while the 
moft happy refult is prefaged from the im- 
menfe preparations now taking place on 
the hoftile fhores of Gaul. 
‘¢ Hiftoire du Bas Empire, en com- 
mencant a Conftantin le Grand,” &c.— 
A Hitory of the Lower Empire, com- 
mencing with the Reign of Conitantine 
the Great. By M. Lepzace, Perpetual 
Secretary of the Academy of Infcriptions 
and Belles Lettres; continued by M. 
AAMEILHON, formerly a Member of | the 
fame Academy, and at prefent of the Na- 
tianal Inftitute of France, Vol. 25. 
This publication, Arf undertaken during 
the time of the monarchy, is continued 
under what is fancifully termed the repub- 
lic. The author who commenced | the 
work is now no more, and the labours of 
M. Ameilhon, bis fucceffor, have been in- 
terrupted by other purfuits; ‘* as he has 
been employed, for a confiderable time 
paft, in refcuing an immenfe multitude of 
books appertaining to the nation from the 
hands of cupidity and ignorance.”’ 
The volume now before us contains a 
portion of the reign of John Paleologus 
and Cantacuzene; in other words, it 
—eE eee 
includes the period between 1341 and 1352. 
M. Ameilhon is of opinion with Gibbon, 
that Cantacuzene, who retired into a cloif- 
ter, where he compofed a celebrated book, 
rather exhibits in the work an apology for 
his own ambitious views, than the confef- 
fion of his errors; while, inftead of deve- 
loping the characters and defigns of thofe 
men who engaged in the events of the 
time, he only prefents the furface of facts, 
with the addition of an immoderate praife 
of himfelf and his partifans. It muft be 
allowed, however, that he was not unfre- 
quently entitled to compaffion, more efpe- 
cially at thofe periods when abandoned by 
a friend whom hehad raifed to the highett 
offices of the ftate; affailed by the furious 
patriarch who prefided over the Greek 
church; and deprived of his adherents, 
and even of his mother, by treachery and 
injuftice. This lady, whofe fon had go- 
verned the empire, as prime minifter, and 
re‘ufed to accept of the purple when ten- 
dered to him, “* was fuffered to languifh 
during many months in a prifon: fhe was 
condemned to pafs the winter without fire, 
notwithftanding the extreme rigour of the 
cold; and ferved, at the fame time, with 
but a fcanty portion of food. In addition 
to this, fhe was entirely configned to the 
difcretion of the fatellites intrufted to 
guard her: thofe vile and brutal men ex- 
hibited none of that delicacy, which age, 
fex, and condition required. Endeavour- 
ing to torment her by their odious prefence, 
as well as by reproachful words, they were 
never out of fight, and they tafked their 
fancies to invent new untruths, on purpofe 
to render her fituation more difaftrous. 
Sometimes they announced that her fon 
had been brought a prifoner to Conftan- 
tinople ; fometimes they faid that he was 
killed in battle ; that the viétor had fent 
his head to court, and that (if fhe pleafed) 
they would procure a fight of it for 
her! 
«« They examined every thing with the 
moft fcrupulous exaéinefs. If either foup, 
or any liquid intended as a medicine, was 
brought into her chamber, they plunged 
their dirty hands to the bottom. of the 
vafe, to be certain that fome writing was 
not concealed there ; a proceeding which 
infpired this lady with fuch difguft, that 
fhe would no longer take any thing even 
to fupport nature. The want of nourifh- 
ment, chagrin, neglect, and forrow, foon 
reduced her to the moft deplorable ftate. 
In this fituation, the enemy of her fon re- 
fufed her a phyfician, on which the em- 
prefs fent her own; but, being intimidated 
by 
