60 
notice a heap of frivolous conrpositions 
of no character; but we shall appreciate 
pep wit and taleuts of several ladies, who 
follow with distinction the steps of the 
Mlustrious female, to whom’ we are in- 
debted for the Princess of Cleves. We 
Shall remark Atala, the crnament of a 
considerable work, in which M. de 
Chateaubriant ilustrates the Genius of 
Christianity, As early as the first year, 
we find the best, the most moral, and the 
Shortest of the novels of the whole pe- 
riod, the Indian Cottage, in which oné 
of our great surviving writers, M. Ber- 
nardin de Saint Pierre, has united, 4§ in 
his other works, the art of painting by 
expression, the art of pleasing the ear by 
the music of speech, with the supreme 
‘art of adorning philosophy by the 
graces. eas 
‘+ Poetry will first present to us the 
‘eminent and sublime species consecrated, 
Sire, to celebrate the men who* form the 
Gestiny of nations, the heroic poem: The 
poets capable’ of atidining the Epopée, 
re notiless rare than the men worthy 
of benig adopted by it. Five master- 
pieces only produced within thirty cen- 
furiés, are a sufficient’ proof of it. If 
within the period which we have to con- 
sider, we perceive scarcely one laudable, 
but defective attempt, the Helvetians 
we may indulge ‘in higher expectations, 
warranted by the poetical talents of M. 
de Fontarnes, who now shines as an 
orator at the head of the legislative body. 
Th proceeding to the Heroi-comic poem, 
we shall not forget the extreme circum- 
Spection necessary, in certain subjects, 
and at the same tinte to pay the tribute 
of praise justly due to one of our best 
poets, M. de Parny. — After orjginal 
compositions, follow imitations and trans- 
lations, in verse, of some celebrated epic 
poems. Amongst the imitators, M. 
Parceval de Grandimaison, to whom we 
are indebted for the Epic Amcours, and 
AM. Luce de Lancival, author of Achilles 
at Seyros, must be distinguished from ‘the 
crowd: but transiations of the greatest 
merit. will more particularly engage our 
attention. Virgil and Milton themselves 
seem to speak our language; and, thanks 
to a living classic; thanks also to Mon- 
-sieur de Saint Ange, an able and 
Jaborious translator of Ovid; we shall 
have the pleasure of observing, that in 
this respect, the present period is supe- 
Until now, at least, . 
rior to every other. 
in works of such importance, the difficult 
art of conquering the beauties of foreign 
Progress of the French Language, Sc. since v189. 
: [Feb. 1, 
poetry, and of translating .genius by 
talent, had not been carried se far. 
In didactic poetry, it is also to M. 
Delille that the period is indebted for its 
fecundity. He has difused through three 
olvzinal poems, the same richness of 
style which he had displayed in trans- 
lating the /Bueid, and Paradise Lost. 
The poem on the Inragination, would 
particularly be a sufiicient foundation, 
kpon which to establish a high renown. 
M. Esmenard,' M. Castel, and some. 
others come next; deserving of praise, 
but far behind their model. Lebrun 
alone, would’ have been equal to the 
competition with M. Dehlile, if be had 
finished his poem on Nature; ef which 
some fragments, of superior merit, re- 
main. Without a rival in the -Ode, 
Lebrun obtained harmonious sounds 
from the Pindaric lyre, so rebellious to 
Vulgar poets; and we shall remark, Sire, 
that his last notes were consecrated ‘to 
your triumphs; he was worthy to-cele- 
brate them. ; 
M. Daru the translator of Horace, | 
has, in that dimicult undertaking, dis=. 
played'a pure taste, a flexible mind, a. 
profound study of the resources of our 
versification. Erotic poetry, is honoured 
by M. -de Parny, by M. de Boufflers. 
Poets, whom, we shall find again with 
Justre oii'the French stave, already vre- 
sent themselves under brilliant and va- 
rious forms: M. Ducis, in the Epistle ; 
M. Arnault, in the Apologte; M. An- 
drieux, in tales; M. Legouvé, M. Ray- 
nouard, in shert poems of a serious and 
philosophical kind. After these expe- 
rienced authors, we observe some rising 
talents now forming, which afford more 
than hopes. During two’ successive 
years, M. Millevoie, distinguished for the” 
elegance of his style, has obtained the 
prize of poetry. M. Victorin Fabre, 
still younger, has merited, -during ‘two 
years successively, an honourable dis- 
tinction. Several, whom it is now im 
“possible to name, will not be forgotten in 
our work, where we shall avoid severity : 
persuaded, that in literature, asin every 
thing else, indulgence approaches nearer 
to justice. ' ee 
tigre is presented to your Majesty’s 
view, dramatic poetry; the two kinds of 
which, had so much influence on our lan- 
guage, our whole literature, and the 
national manners. In tragedy, appears 
first M. Ducis, an inventor, even when he 
‘imitates; imimitablewhen he gives Jan* 
guage to filial piety, a poet deservedly 
iG bn” Sieeaaaraied - 
