Retrofpec? of French Literature.—Hiftory. 
by the menaces 'of the patriarch, he be- 
held his patient without daring to utter a 
Single fyliable. Having deceived the vigi- 
lance of the fpics who furrounded him, he 
contrived, however, to make her underftand 
by figns, that bleeding would be high!y ufe- 
ful ; but there was no pesfon to perform 
the operation. fo that the fick lady expired, 
confumed at once by forrow and the ar- 
dours of a burning fever.” 
In the mean time, the empire is de{crib- 
ed as reduced to the loweft degree of mi- 
fery, and tottering to its fall. Weakened, 
and almoft reduced to Thrace, it exhibited 
thofe convulfive motions which already 
announced its approaching end. 
The Genoefe ettablithed at Galata made 
the capital tremble, and feemed to be on 
the point of rendering themlelves matters 
of it. The Serbes, under the command 
of their Kral or chief, by turns, took part 
with the different factions, and enriched 
themfelves at the expence of all. The 
Bulgarians adopted the fame policy ; 
while the Tartars or Tatars of the Cri- 
mea ravaged Thrace wherever they were 
in expectation of finding plunder. Ano- 
ther empire exifted at Trebizonde, and 
was alfo threatened with immediate diffo- 
Jution. A Turk, who had obtained pof- 
{eflion of Smyrna, called himfelf Prince of 
Yonia ; another was Sultan of Bithynia. 
Cantacuzene, during a ftrugele of five 
years with his enemies, had recourfe, by 
turns, to all thefe barbarians: this was 
nothing better than an invitation to them 
to ruin that very empire to the command 
of which he himéelf afpired. Amer, Sul- 
tan of Smyrna, was his friend ; and Ore- 
han, Sultan of Smyrna, became his fon- 
in-law. 
We are at the fame time flocked at the 
atrocity of the manners of the people. 
The Greeks had by this time attained the 
character of being the mof& fubtle poifon- 
ers in the whole world, and the Italians 
never rivalled them in this horrid art, un- 
til an habitual iotercourfe had rendered 
them apt {cholars. 
The law of nations was wholly difre- 
garded, and it required far more courage 
to be an ambafiador than an officer. 
‘Thofe fent to negociate treaties were fome- 
times thrown into jail, fometimes torn to 
pieces by means of whips, and at other 
_times cut afunder by fwords. Conftanti- 
nople was a fea-port, and yet the inhabi- 
tants were entirely ignorant of naval af- 
fairs ; they could only oppofe to the Ge- 
noefe, veflels badly conftructed, unfkilful 
crews, and admirals ftill more ignorant 
than themfelves. 
693 
All the riches which Conftantine had 
brought with him from Rome, the wealth 
amafled by his fucceffors, and the {poils of 
fo many nations, were by this time all diffi+ 
pated. When Cantacuzene caufed himfelf 
to be confirmed in the capital, by the cere- 
mony of confecration, which he received 
along with Paleologus, his colleague, the 
folemuity became ridiculous in confequence 
of the poverty every where apparent. 
“© The falfe diamonds and coloured 
ftones (we are told) replaced thofe magni- 
ficent jewels which were formerly feen dur- 
ing the feftivals of the court. Cups and 
difhes of pewter, brafs, and clay, fupplied 
the place of gold ; and, while inftead of 
rich ftuffs, which were accuftomed to 
adorn the apartments, gilded leather was 
onlyr ta: De teense aus 
In another part we find the following 
paflage: ** Along with vice and crimi- 
nality reigned the moft ridiculous fuper- 
ftition. Cantacuzene undertook to cele- 
brate the fanétity of the Bifhopof Didymoe 
ticus. Heaven itlelf, forced relutantly by 
the fervent prayers of this prelate to give 
a falfe teftimony, permitted a woman, 
guilty of the crime of adultery, to carry 
a red-hot iron in her hand, in order to 
demonftrate her innocence to her hufband 
and the public.”” The above language 
is very firong, and an attempt has doubt- 
lefs been made upon this occafion to imi- 
tate Voltaire. Here follows a paflage, 
which appears to be written with fimilar 
Views; 
‘* A herefy, which originated among 
the monks of Mount Athos, was about 
this time {pread abroad at Conftantinople 
Thefe fiupid folitares tmagined, that 
by deep meditation, added to the cir- 
cumftance of contemplating their xavel 
without interruption, they would behold 
the light of Tabor. The great difficulty 
was to difcover, whether this light was 
eternal or created? A couscil was con- 
voked on purpote to punifh the enemies of 
this herefy, or, more properly {,eaking, of 
this madnefs, who were anathematized, 
perfecuted, mafficred, and deprived of 
the rites of fepulture. | Cantacuzene, 
who throughout the whole of his Me- 
moirs vaunts his profound wifdom, pro- 
teéted the fenfelefs Palamites; for it was 
thus that thefe fectarifts were denominated 
from the name of Palamas their chief. 
He alfo became the ardent perfecutor of 
Nicephoras Grégoras, who refufed to f{a- 
crifice his reafon to the defpotifm of the 
prince.”’ 
While treating of Nicephoras Grégo- 
ras, M. Ameilhon here endvavours to 
give — 
