Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellaneous. 
iabued with the spirit of citizens, and 
may possibly retain a certain degree of 
indignation, in consequence of the man- 
ner in. which they have been treated, 
they are never permitted to be formed 
into distinct regiments, but separated 
from each other, and incorporated among 
the veterans, who have been drilled in- 
to servitude and obedience. 
Formerly, married men who had chil- 
dren were exempt from the laws of 
conscription. This, however, naturally 
produced an abuse, asall the youths pro- 
vided themselves with wives, in order to 
escape from the odious ballot. In con- 
sequence of the multitude who had been 
: screened, in 1798 this cause of 
emption was declared to be annihilat- 
ed, so that an ummensc portion of the 
population is now at the command of 
the emperor, and anarmy of five, six, 
or even seven hundred thousand men, 
including the allies, and the domestic 
reserve, might be obtained at his bid- 
ding. Such j is the nice discrimination 
recurred to, in respect to all those not 
immediately under the protection of the 
court, that temporary diseases afford 
but a temporary suspension of service, 
and even then, under the name of indem- 
nification, a certain sum, in proportion to 
the supposed wealth of ‘the absentee, is 
to be paid to the government. Among 
other exemptions from actual Services, 
are to be included, the eldest brother of 
an orphan family, who is supposed to_ 
act as a parent and protector; the only 
son of a widow woman, who looks to 
him for her bread ; or Ga labourer who 
has attained the fall ave of seventy; or 
any person who has a brother already 
engaged in the arthy. The same privi- 
lege extends to those who have become 
sub-deacons in the Gallican Church ; 
but none of these are wholly and entire- 
ly dismissed: on the contrary, it is con- 
sidered a great favour for them to be al- 
lowed to appertain to the army of _ re- 
serve, and thus be obliged only on 
great occasions to repair to the scene of 
action. 
Bat the greatest of all oppressions, is 
the responsibility of parents for their ab- 
sent children, who are thus rendered 
liable to be punished for actions over 
which they can have no possible con- 
troul, up to the very mument that they 
produce an official certificate of their 
deaths. 
more difficult, all false attestations~ are 
punished with a peculiar degree of ri- 
gour. “Accordingly any surgeon or civil 
‘five years duration -in irons. 
.they are lodved in the citadel, 
To render the means of escape — 
695 
officer, who forges acertificate for this 
purpose, is liable to an imprisonment of 
Military 
men fay ouring an escape, are subjected 
to severe fines, while those who actually 
counterfeit mfirmities, or proceed so far 
as. to mutilate themselves, are con- 
demned to five years labour on the high- 
Way. 
For the refractory conscripts, the law 
holds forth all its terrors. Nine garri- 
sons are assigned for. their detention, 
clad 
mm) a particular auitorm, obliged to 
work, and they aré to haye their heads 
shaved during the term of five whole 
years. But the necessities of the state 
generally call for their services at an 
earlier period, so that under pretence of 
lenity’and forgiveness, they are sent to 
their respective regiments long before the 
expiration of this term. In certain cases 
the punishment of the ball, which weizhs 
eight pounds, and must be fastened to 
the leg of the culprit, 1s superadded, and 
we are afraid that secret wnprisonment, 
that disgrace of civilized society, is fre- 
quently recurred to. Death is justly in- 
flicted on those who go over to the ene- 
my ; but this is perhaps al exaggcrated 
measure of punishment, when applied. to 
those who merely carry off their arms. 
To the credit of the French code, how- 
ever, the horrid, brutal, and degrading 
punishment of the dash, is entirely un- 
known, and we trust it will be abolished 
throughout Kurope, as exhibiting the 
appearance of a hated engine of snilitary 
torture, which renders the service dis- 
gusting, without producing any corres- 
pondent effects. 
“ Histoire de Chili, &c.” The History 
of Chilt, Geographical, Natural, and Ci- 
vil; by Signor the Abbot Don J. Ignatius 
Molina. 
This work was originally written in 
Italian, under the title of “ Saggio sulla 
Storia Naturale del Clult,” which was 
printed some years since at "Bologna, and . 
has now been rescued from oblivion, i in 
consequence of the critical situation of 
the Spanish colonies in the New World. 
Tt is no less remarkable than true, that 
there have been two authors of the sane 
“name, who were both born and resided in 
South America, and were each of them 
Jesuits. Louis Molma, was a native of 
Cuenca in New Castille, and died at Ma- 
drid many years since, at a period when 
the society of which he was a celebrated 
member, still retained all its power and 
conseyenee. The Abbot, Giovanni 
; {nagio 
