Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellaneous. 
were the periods selected for the perfor- 
mance of miracles; but the eve ot an 
expedition was the favoarite epoch at 
which all the arts of priestcraft were re- 
curred to, and when the holy impostor, 
not content with lavishing eternal bles- 
sings in the world to come, would even 
inculcate the hope of a corporeal resur- 
rection during the present, to those who 
perished in battle, fighting for the cause 
of the divinity. Such indeed was the faith 
of their besotted disciples, that many of 
them were accustomed to preserve the 
bodies of their husbands and their chil- 
dren, 
promise fulfilled, at the end of three 
days. In short; the Vendeans — in 
general rushed from the cbhureh into the’ 
field of battle, and after the celebration 
of mass, and the ceremony of confession, 
gave or received death with equal con- 
stancy, certain mone case to be honoured 
with the palm of victory, and in the 
other to be decorated with the crown of 
Inartyraom. 
Prejudices of another kind contributed 
too, although in a less degree, to rivet 
the phic. of the peasantry to the 
cause of the clergy and the nobles, which 
they were taught to consider as their 
own. The. heads: of some of the prin- 
cipal noble families of F 
tanny, after instigating their vassals to 
rise and participate in the first commo- 
tious, at length appeared in arms them- 
selves. he sounding title, rather than 
the personal merits “of the Prince de 
Talmont, acquired him a-number of fol- 
lowers; the Chevalier D’Autichamp, and 
the *! Marquis Lescure, Bernard de Ma- 
Tigny, and the Count La Roche Jac- 
quelon, united great valour and consider- 
able talents with high birth; Leroyerie, 
Who, possessed many of the qualities of 
a great statesman; and D’Elbée, who had 
served both in France and abroad, made 
war upon scientific principles. On the 
other hand. a Stofflet, and a Charette, 
although often victorious, ought to be 
considered as active partizans, rather than 
able generals: while a Catineau, a Due 
houx, a Pyron, and a Joly, were little 
better th so many freebooters. 
“tivo brothers of Louis XVI 
| descent and high elaim 
would shave either ayer or united 4 
the ,jarring pretensiohs of the different 
eaders 12 One common cause, 
suffered to repair to La Vendée, there can 
be little doubt that a new turn would 
have becn viven to the contest. At all 
events, a more steady, and ga more for- 
MMontruty Mag. No, 173, 
been” ouly first consul, 
wy 
«| 
617 
midable opposition must have taken 
place in the very heart of France, had 
these princes proved themselves: worthy 
of their descent from Henry LV. 
would have been conducted, perhaps, ia 
triumpa to Paris, the scatfolds throughout 
the capital of the provinces would have 
been stained with tue blood of the re 
They 
publicans, and the holy oil of Rheims 
would have been once more employed, 
In consecrating a form of government 
approaching to despotism, in the person 
of another Bourbon. 
Tt will be seen from the above state- 
view grossly exaggerated, that the author 
is an old repubiican, equally an enemy to 
fanatical priests, and to despotic smo- 
narchs, and like a multitude of others, 
no doubt, hostile on the very same prin- 
ciples, to ‘the real, although splendid ty- 
rauny of Bonapart te. . 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
_ © Manuscrits de M. Necker, Babies , 
par sa Fille.”—Manuscripts of Mr. Neck- 
er, published by his Daughter. Geneva, 
1807, 1 vol. 8vo, 
esting part of this work perhaps, is the 
preface, entitled “Du Caractere de 
M. Necker, et de sa Vie Privée,” or an 
Account of the Character and Private 
which has already been given in the 
Monthly Magazine (vol. xx. p. 137, &c.) 
in ‘expectation of beholding the ment, which is perhaps in many points of 
The most inter- 
Poitou, and Bri- Life. of the Author; a translation of 
‘The attics contained in the body of 
the volume are: 1. On the legislation 
and commerce of grain: this is a subject 
in which M, Necker had written before, — 
and enters more in detail in respect to 
it than any other. 
Life, an Essay. 
3, Political Economy. 
4, The Envious. 
5.’ The Union of Morals and Polites, 
‘6. Proverbial Ideas. | 
7. Mediocrity. 
»S8. Measure, 
9, Necegsity. if 
10. _ Myselt—this, like many of the jae 
mer, Cousists only of eight or nine lines. 
11. Les Journalistes. —‘ You are to 
write against such an author, against 
such a sect, against such a government, 
gainst sucha nation; and the journalisg . 
obeys. Is this an honourable crap Lane 
ment? No, surely.” 
in Number 22, we find Bonaparte, when. 
marked ‘ as a man of 
firmmess and decision in point of charac- 
ter, and this,” it is added, “ is the firge 
quality in the government of a great 
nation.” 
Ke 4 ], : 
ia 
Number: 
