1810.) Progress of the French Language, &¢. since 1789. 
which M. Suard delivered, as perpetual 
secretary, in che name of the, class of 
French Literature; and the, same func- 
tions have been performed with equal 
success, in the name of the other classes. 
NM. Arnault, on several solemn occasics\s, 
has infused great interest into subjects 
of public instruction. Amongt the pa- 
negyrists, M. de Boufilers, M. Francois 
de Neufchateau, M. Cuvier, Portalis, 
have been distinguished by the brilhancy 
and facility of their style; and the eulo- 
giuin of Marmontel, a work of great 
merit, which philosophy and friendship 
dictated to M. Moreliet, appears in par- 
ticular to have. been heard with uniform 
pleasure throughout, Finally, as it is 
impossible to quote all, a multitude of 
productions are sufficient securities to us, 
that this species of writing will resume 
the useful influence which it formerly 
possessed; as well in the French Aca- 
déemy, as in the Academy of Sciences ; 
where more than one celebrated author, 
a member of both societies, preserved 
between their different studies that 
union, whicn renders scievces more 
generaliy useful, and gives to literature a 
more extensive direction. 
The important branch of histery, Sire, 
will jong engage our. attention. Not 
that we pretend to rescue from oblivion, 
amass of private memoirs on the French 
revolution. Defective in point of style, 
containing - besides only pleadings in 
favour of the different parties ; they, be- 
jong to the class of polemic writings, and 
we shall discard them indiscriminately. 
We shall, however, have to give an ac- 
count of a great number of works. In 
one, M. Castera, describes aa empress, 
who shone thirty years on the throne of 
Peter the Great. In another, M.de 
Segur, in drawing a political view of 
‘Europe, during a tempestuous period, 
communicates to his style the luminous- 
ness of his opinfons. We shall display 
the merit of an Abstract of the History 
of France, a work of M.de Thouret, one 
of the members of the Constituent As- 
seinbly. The period furnishes us with 
another superior work, at least for the 
great qualities of the art of writing. 
Rulbiere, an academician, now no 
more, has related the memorable events 
of the last century, in those regions, 
Sire, where your Majesty, accompanied 
hy victory, has dictated a glorious peace. 
Although this posthumous work remains 
incomplete, we shall discover, in every 
part of it, the stamp of agenius improved 
by labour, and at times uncommonly 
09 
splendid. We shall not forget an inter- 
esting publication of M. de Beausset: 
the life of that immortal prelate, who 
enriched our language by Telemachus, 
combined eloquence, religion, philoso- 
phy, and was at the same time simple in 
his genius, his piety, and Ins virtue. 
Voyages and travels form a part. of 
history. Weshali follow through North 
America, the steps of M. de Volney, 
who formerly, in traversing Egypt and 
Syria, wrote one of the finest works of 
the eighteenth century, and a master: 
piece of its kind. Able .men have col. 
lected the annals of the sciences, or 
drawn a faithful view of human opinions, 
M. Naigeon, completing the great labour 
commenced by Diderot, describes the 
luminous progress of ancient and modern 
philosophy: M. Bossut, interests by-his. 
diction, in the History of Mathematics: 
with M. de Volney, eloquent Reason in- 
terrogates ruins, accumulated during 
forty centuries: with M. Dupuis, a 
judicious Erudition searches for the come, 
mon origiv.of religious traditions. Tere 
we find again, a profound and rapid 
sketch of the progress of the human 
mind, the last work, and nearly the last 
sigh of Condorcet, a will made by a sage 
in favour of humanity. 
Before the art of writing was.apphed 
amongst us to the history of the sciences, 
it was known to what. an elevation it 
could attain, even in the sciences the 
object of which is the study of nature. 
Buffon had taught it; and we shall have 
an vccasion to remark, how well his 
worthy continuator, M. de Lacepede, 
has benefited by the lessons of so great 
amaster. We shall see Lavoisier, and 
Vourcroy diffusing over chemistry that 
clearness, which is the first quality of 
style, and the most necessary for in- 
struction. We shall next examine 
whether the theories, relative to the 
different arts of imitation, do not offer in 
the same light very remarkable improve- 
ments. Our researches will not be fruit- 
less. We shall remark particularly, with 
what ease and elegance M. Gretry has 
treated the musical art, which he -has 
long honoured,.by compositions, the me- 
lody and truth of which can never be- 
come obsolete. ie 
We shall not. proceed to, poetry with- 
out taking a rapid view OF novels, a kind 
of writing, which, resembles history, by 
the recital of events;.the epic by an 
action wholly, or partly fabulous; tra~ 
vedy by the passions, comedy by the re- 
préSentations of society. ~ We shall not 
notice 
