Retrospect of French, &c. Literature—Miscellanéous. 667 
At "the age of seventeen, however, we 
find him in possession of a handsome 
person, little learning, and but few ac- 
complishments, “ with an ardent mind, 
and a head full of vivacity.” 
On leaving college, he decides in fa- 
vour of the “profession of arms, and is 
taught to ride and to fence. He be- 
gins with one youthful indiscretion, which ° 
Jeads to many more, after which he 
joins his regiment, gives an account of 
his amours, and his follies, and gets into 
a thousand scrapes. A passion for play 
produces. losses, and these induce him to 
borrow. He then fights a duel, flies to 
Savoy, and engages in new intrigues : 
but is at times afflicted at the idea of 
his own conduct, and attributes his re- 
morse to the principles of a good educa- 
tion, and the early lessons. “of morality 
instilled into his mind. 
At length, after a variety of adven- 
tures, Dormenil returns to ’ France, 
enjoys an unexpected intefview with 
the lady to whom he had first paid his 
addresses, and solicits the hand of the 
fair Julia in marriage. 
“ My happiness,” says he, “ sur- 
passes the limits prescribed to human 
felicity, and if the uncertainty of its du- 
ration, now and then obscures it with a 
cloud, this is dissipated by a single 
smile from my avife, whose virtues con- 
stitute the happiness and consolation of 
my father. I entertain no other fear, 
than what arises from the possibility of 
being snatched from so much bliss, and 
even then, religion withdrawing the veil 
that separates this world from the next, 
points out an eternal abode without 
fears for the future, or recollection of 
the past.” 
“ Histoires Nouvelles et Contes Mo- 
reauxr, &c.” New Stories and Moral 
Tales, containing Bettina; Clara, or 
a Convenient Marrage; Lucy, or the 
Error of a Moinent producing the Vir- 
tues of a whole Life; Gustavus, or the 
Anniversary ofa Birth-day; Poor Sarah, 
&c.; by M. L. deSevelinges, 12mo. 1810. 
These little tales appear red in succession 
in the Mercure de France, during the year 
1809, and were read with great satisfac- 
tion; in consequence of which, they now 
make their appearance in the form of a 
little volume. Some of these are formed 
- on. the English model, and in “ Lucy,” 
-we are introduced re a “ Lady Anne 
Rosehill,” “‘ Colonel Westbury,” and a 
«* Miss Dolmers,” the heroine, who is 
the daughter of a clergyman, &c. In 
strict conformity to our daily practice, 
the parties met for the first time at 
tea, and we believe no novellist on 
the Continent would omit such a cha 
racteristic feature of our country. — 
The usual assiduities of a young inan, 
rich, handsome, and debauched, are re= 
ctived to, against a young creature, ig- 
norant of the world, and of course cre= 
dulous and incautious. The colonel 
soon forgets all his vows and deserts the 
woman he has seduced. On his death- 
bed, however, he beholds her with emo- 
“Wns of a very different kind, marries 
the mother, recognizes her daughter, and 
dies happily! 
In another moral tale, we are made 
acquainted with a nobleman, who thinks 
he is a misanthrope, and yet proves the 
most amiable, humane, and honourable 
of mankind; he declares against mar- 
riage, and hates widows, and yet he 
concludes by being united with a widow! 
Several of the stories are written in such 
a manner, as to produce considerable 
effect... « 
“< Hspagne, par M. A. de Laborde, &c.” 
‘An Account of Spain, by M. Alexander 
de Laborde. 
M. de Laborde, the celebrated banker 
in Paris, had conceived the idea of com- 
posing a “ Voyage Pittoresque de l’Es- 
pagne,” with a variety of fine plates, and 
executed after the manner of the Count 
de Choiseul’s work of the same kind. 
That revolution, however, which has 
elevated Joseph Bonaparte to the throne 
of Spain, prevented the completion of his 
labours, and he has now contented him- 
self with a publication inferior to the 
former in every point of view. 
A large portion of the first volume, 
is chiefly occupied with short directions 
for the use of a traveller; together with 
an account of the climate, and geogra~ 
phy of the respective provinces. An 
itinerary fills more than two other vo- 
lumes, and this is followed by a disser- 
tation on the population, manufactures, 
government, &c. 
It is the opinion of this author, that 
Spain was never in a more prosperous 
state than at the period anterior to the 
present unhappy contest, In confirma- 
tion of this, he asserts that it was not 
only more populous, but better culti- 
vated than ever; facts which haye been 
contradicted by a variety of native his- 
torians, and are indeed, in direct op- 
position to popular and received  gpi- 
nions. He also thinks, that the dis- 
covery of America, instead of being 
prejudicial, as hitherto supposed, to the 
mother 
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