Retrofpeet of French Literature. Hiftory. 613 
to contend with; they received from 
Egypt, from Perfia, and India, the rich 
produce and manufactures of thofe coun- 
tries, and were the carriers of them to 
the Tyrians and Sidonians, the firft mer- 
chants and navigators of the weftern 
world. Another topic of inquiry is the 
difputed fituation of Ophir. Some inte- 
reiting obfervations follow on. the com- 
pafs ;—with orhers on the wealth of na- 
tions, where the cold habits and manners 
of the Arabians are fingularly contrafted 
with the oftentatious difplay of their com- 
mercial treafures by the Perfians, Egyp- 
tians, and Chaldeans. The whole work 
is too conneéted for an exiract. Ia the 
Appendix we have an important paper by - 
Lord Macartney, the object of which is 
toeftablith that the inftrument which the 
Chinefe ule as the mariner’s compals is 
not derived from the Europeans. Alto- 
gether the curious details, both in this 
and the former volume, will gain for Dr. 
Vincent the approbation not only of the 
ancient and modern geographer, but of 
the oriental voyager, and the friend of 
claffic literature. 
At the opening of the tenth volume of 
“© The \Tranfactions of tbe Royal Irifo 
Academy,’’ we are told that the Academy 
defire it to be underftood, that, as a body, 
they are not anlwerable for any opinion, 
reprefentation of facts, ortrain of reafon- 
ing, which may appear in their papers. 
The authors of the feveral effays are alone 
refponfible for their contents. The vo- 
lume is divided into three grand heads—= 
Science, Polite Literature, and Antiqui- 
ties; the firft of which feems the princi- 
pal object of attention. The two molt 
curious papers in this. clafs are, the Ac. 
count of a new femi-metallic Subitance 
called Menacane, and its Ores, by the 
late G. Mitchel, M. B. anda paper On 
the volcanic Theory, by Dr. Richardfon. 
The oniy paper on antiquities is a differ- 
tation, by Mr. Jofeph Cooper Walker, 
On the Origin of romantic Fabling in 
Ireland. 
‘‘ The Botanif?’s Guide through the Coun- 
ties of Northumberland.and Durham’ is 
one of thofe {mall but ufeful works by 
which the botanical hiftory of the king- 
dom 1s promoted 
\ 
HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF FRENCH LITERATURE. 
HISTORY; 
s¢ TPRECIS de LAbrégé Chronologique 
de L’ Hiftoire de France du Prefident 
Henault,” &c.—A Summary of the Chro- 
nological Abridgment of the Hiftory of 
France by the Prefident Henault, adopted 
for the Ufe of the Lyceums and fecondary 
Schools ; augmented with feveral unedit- 
ed Works of the fame Author relative to 
that Hiftory ; together with a Colleétion 
of Hiftorical Events, by Mit or, for 
Students of the Royal Militery School ; 
the whole continued to the Coronation of 
the Emperor Napoleon I., by A. SE- 
RIEYES, Ex-Librarian and Profeffor of 
Hiftory at the Prytaneum, now Cenfor of 
the Lyceum of @ahors, and Author of 
the Chronological Tables adopted by the 
Lyceum ; a new Edition. 
We are told, and that very truly, by 
M, Sérieyes, that Henault’s Abridgment 
has always been confidered to be a work 
of great merit. He however objects to it 
as being too voluminous a work for 
youth, as it now confilts of five volumes, 
without containing the laft and moft inte- 
refting portion of the French hiftory. 
Among the unedited pieces bythePrefident, 
@ Chronological Hiftory in verfe has been 
difcovered,and added to the prefentSumma. 
ry. The lifts of the contemporary princes 
and illuitrious men, inttead of being ine 
ferted in tables correfponding with each 
reign, are here placed at the conclufion of 
the work ; and the labours of the Abbé 
Millot have been employed to complete 
the whole. 
As the original author died during the 
reign of Louis XV., a great porfion of this 
work has of courfe been compofed, by 
others ; and the American War, as well 
as the French Revolution, two important 
epochs worthy of his talents, were referyv- 
ed for iaferior writers. The fame brevity, © 
however, has been adopted, as will be 
feen from the following {pecimen relative 
to Bonaparte, under the date of 24 Ven- 
demaire, An 5. 
“¢ Italy prefented at this period an arms 
ed force of 280,000 men, ready to repel 
the aggreflion of the French. Other ob. 
fiacles awaited them beyond the moun- 
tains : the beat and infalubrity of a cli. 
mate which had fo often proved fatal, the 
oppreflion and influence of a numerous and 
ache clergy over a people rendered 
ervile by fuperftition, and whom they 
took care to prejudice againft the inva. 
ders, 
pe ae ee 
Se ee ee ee ee 
