Retrospect of French Literature—Biog apap up 651 
themselves the creatures of the ministers, 
and indeed of every man in place who 
could contribute to their, fortune. As 
they commenced by embrac cing the pro- 
fession of arms, they soon comman ened 
to the officers under them the corrup- 
tion of their own hearts, the same sup- 
pleness of character, and an equal want 
of application.” 
The next article we shall notice con- 
sists of detached thoughts. 
these is as old as the times of the Greek 
republics. bay's 
‘The laws are like cobwebs: 
the small fish are taken in the meshes, 
Bae the great ones break through. 
. “The success of Racine only serves _ 
to prove to what a degree the great Cor- 
are was inimitable. 
$3. “Hope deceives us, for it prevents 
wie) ment. 
“ The magic of style, occasions all 
ane success of our modern dramas. 
“ Happiness is a term at_once lofty 
oe vain, it is a daring invasion of the 
nes of Heaven. 
Do you wish to escape from folly? 
ve act so. as if you were dealing with 
a creditor who makes. you pay dearly for 
mS delay he grants. 
“ The degree of happiness ought to 
be shea by the degree of sensibility. 
8. * Those who Bape loved the ladies 
with ardour, can sea) love a thing» 
— 
9. “ Insuch a case nothing can replace 
their favours; not even those of fultune. 
Warleguin become a king, regrets: his 
maccaroons ; Cincinnatus bis. plough. 
10. “Many sentences and maxims have 
succeeded in consequence of a certain 
enigmatical tone, which solaces the pet- 
ty vanity of the. reader, in consequence 
of the satisfactivn arising from tlre ! hope 
of -penetrating the meaning. Thus 
Rochefoucault tells us, that ‘ gravity is a 
mystery of the body, invented for the 
purpose of concealing the defects of the 
mind.’ M.deF ontenjlle also gives us the 
following: ¢ All religious would be de- 
stroyed, provided those who professed 
them were. obiged to love one another.’, 
11.“A mar without an object on whom 
he sets his affections, and at the same 
time destitute of friends, exactly resein- 
bles an apartment with figures wrought 
in tapestry. 
12. “ All on earth isbut shadow: be- 
yond it every thing tssubstance. 
13. “ Nothing is more eloquent than 
‘the silence of the tombs, 
1A. “ Women are always com! 
1 
14] 
SING 
The first of 
love, and would.be exceedingly sorry 
not to have it to combat.” 
On the whole, the Baron de Besenval - 
may be considered as an avreeable wri- 
ter; and several parts of his works 
abound with traits both of genius and 
humanity. 
“ Mssai Historique sur Henri Saint 
John, &e.2—An , thi storical Essay rela. , 
tive to Henry St. John, Viscount Bos. 
lingbroke. Imported by J. De Boife, 
French bookseller, Nassau-street, Soho. 
Ina former article we gave an account 
of the lettres, bistoriques, politiques, phis 
losophyques, &c. of this celebrated man. 
(See Appendix to Monthly Magazine for 
January, 1810.) We seize the present 
Opportunity to complete our labours, by 
‘means ofa Life of one of the MOSt €X= | 
traordinary mien oat Engiand has ever 
produced. 
The family of St. John, or more pro 
perly speaking St. Jean, was of great 
antiquity in the duchy .of Normandy, 
One ofits members occupied an employ= 
ment of trust and consequence in the 
army of the C Seas ene and distinguished 
himself greatly during the battle of Has- 
tings, which was fought on the 74th of 
October, 1066, and in consequence of 
the events of that day, William I. was 
placed on the throne of England. » Lands 
were bestowed by the victor on all his 
foliowers; and St. John received such a 
portion, as is supposed, to have enabled 
him to make good his pretensions to the 
heiress of the fami ily of Portt, which was 
one of the most affluent, we are teld, 
then existing in England. Their de- 
scendants formed still more illustrious 
alliances ; for the mother of one of them 
was also that of kienry VIL. whoclainied 
the crown in virtue of'his mother, Mar- 
gueritte de Beaufort, daughter of John 
de § Somerset, of the hoase of Lancaster. 
This princess was daughter, by a second 
marriage, of another Mare 
consequence of the former one, had two 
sons, who formed two separate aancies, 
the St: Johns of Bletsoe, and Tr regoze, | 
Walter Se. John, the erandiather AE 
the viscount, and desce ‘ded from the 
latter of these, sat as knight of the shire 
‘for the co nty of Nee curing the reigns 
of Charles “ily James IL, and William. 
lil. Hedied at Battersea, near Lon- 
don, July 8, 1708, at the age of eighty- 
seven, and was a-man of considerable 
talents. Ifis son Henry, who also pos- 
sessed. the reputation of abilities, es- 
poused lady M arv, da ghier of RGBece 
Rich earl of Warwick, They had 
several 
garet, who in. 
| 
