248 
in fituation ; their conduct towards their 
mother, to whom fo much was due, and 
‘whom they loved fo fincerely, was uni- 
formly ever y thing that g atitude could 
diétate, and affection infpire. Her two 
other fons were in the army; the eldeft of 
them a Lieutenant Colonel,- now on fer- 
vice with his regiment, whofe conduct as 
a fon, a gentleman, and a foldier, has 
ever been moft truly gratifying to the 
feelings of a mother. The youngeft fon, 
who with fuch a brother to excite his 
emulation, was advancing with credit 
and fuccefs in bis military career, fell a 
fecond victim to the fatal fever at Suri- 
nam, the 16th of September, 1806, in 
his 22d year. His mother, who was par- 
ticularly attached to him, was fortunate 
in being {pared the mifery of knowing he’ 
had preceded her to the grave; “the 
fad tidings not having reached England 
till after her deceafe. 
Mis. Smith’s poetical works are too 
well known, and have been too long the 
admiration of the public, to require any 
farther illuftration; the number of edi- 
tions through w hich they have pafled, 
fufficiently ettablifhes their merit. Thofe 
which have been publifhed fince her de- 
ceafe, offer an aftonifhing proof of the 
energy of her genius, for they were ail 
written within the laft two years, while 
fhe was undergoing fuch bodily fuffermg, 
and her mind was ftill harraffed with 
many cares. Yet none of her earlieft 
poems are fuperior either in taite or ima- 
ination to thofe which comprife this vo- 
ae! and in the opinion of fome very 
excellent judges they even exceed any 
fhe had ever written. 
It would {well this article to too great 
a length, were we to enter into an acute 
examination of the various novels of this 
lady ; that they brought on her much un- 
deferved abufe, is not very furprifing, her 
intellectual fuperiority was too obvious 
to efcape the fhafts of envy and malig- 
nity; and when thofe who have cenfured 
and calumniated her have fuffered under 
the fame aggreffions, we will allow them 
to be adequate judges of her conduét. 
Fortunately the idle remarks of the ftupid, 
the unfeeling, or the envious, either arc, 
or will be forgotten, while the brilliancy 
of Mrs. Smith’s genius will fhine with 
undiminithed luftre, as long as the Eng- 
lifh language exifts. Of her profe works, 
her School-books are amongft the mott 
admirable which have been written for 
the ufe of young perfons, and are emi- 
nently calculated to form the tafte, in- 
dtruct the mind, and correct the heart, 
Voltaire's Literary Confeffions. 
_kind of amufement : 
[April 1, 
VOLTAIRE’S LITERARY CON- 
FESSIONS. 
[The Soirées de Ferney, printed at Paris in 
1802, has not received an Englith drefs. 
It appears to be the work of fome French 
Bofwell, who has been as fuccefsful in ex- 
hibiting Voltaire in converfation with his 
feenan as our Bofwell has been, in the 
fame refpect, with regard to his friend 
Johnfon. 7 
From this publication, which may be called 
Voltaire’s Table Talk, have been felected 
fuch articles as cannot fail to be interefting 
to our readers. | 
ONSIEUR de Voltaire had for 
fome time enjoyed a perfeét fiate 
of health; he appeared to be entirely 
free from complaint, and, with his bodily 
{treneth, he had recovered his ufual 
tranquillity: and peace of mind. His 
friends were no longer under the ne- 
ceflity, in order to raife his fpirits, of 
launching out into praifes of his literary 
works in his prefence. It was fome 
months fince he had been obferved to 
fhed tears. The happinefs he felt feemed 
to be communicated to ail about hun. 
Ferney was become the feat of every 
entertainments fuc- 
ceeded each other without intermiffion ; 
no foreigner of diftinGion paffed. the 
place without paying a vilit to Voltaire ; 
dramatic pieces were performed in the 
theatre; and Voltaire’s niece, Madame 
Denys, ‘anfiruaned the young folks of the 
‘Pays de Gex iv the art of declamation. 
After a dinner, to which a numerous 
company had been invited, whilft every 
one was in the highett fpirits, Voltaire 
addrefied his guefts in the following man- 
ner : 
My worthy friends, to flew you the 
confidence I repofe in you, and to give 
you a perfect idea of the franknefs of my 
difpofitioa, IT will make my Literary Con- 
fellions in prefence of ali who are now 
here. Ido declare, it is my imtention 
to acknowledge faults of whatever nature 
they may be. I fhall reftrict my econ- 
feffions to my literary labours, becaufe it 
is on them my reputation is founded; 
and becaufe it is through them J have 
raifed fuch a hoit of enemies. Religious 
people will tell you, my works have done 
much harm, that they have led many 
fouls aftray from the paths of godlinefs, 
and have -ftabbed religion in its very 
vitals. My works have been tranflated 
into every language; they have been 
read, they have been imitated, and are 
quoted by people of every country. 
Sometune fince ayn ex-jefuit wrote me 
thefg 
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