portant in distinguishing good wheat flour which the powder of guaiac tinges of a fine blue, while bad flour remains unchanged. Those, therefore, who expect to find this book 'brought down to the present state of chemical science,' as the title promises, will be certainly disappointed. A COURSE OF MODERN HISTORY. Cours d'Histoire Moderne. Par M. Guizot, Professeur d'Histoire à la Faculté de Lettres de Paris. Histoire Generale de la Civilization en Europe, depuis la chute de l'Empire Romain jusqu'à la Révolution Française. Paris, 1828. THE name of M. Guizot is too splendidly known amongst us, by researches into our own history, unrivalled amongst our own countrymen, that we should need to introduce, by any notice of the author, our remarks on this his recent publication, which comprises the substance of a course of lectures on modern history, delivered in the last season at Paris, since the re-opening of those theatres of public instruction which a seven years tyranny had closed. The progress of European civilization (a term too often vaguely employed) is the leading internal fact of modern history, which M. Guizot applies himself to trace throughout the series of outward actions and events, which are the burthen of ordinary annals. Examining, in the first place, the meaning attached to this term by the common consent of mankind, he discovers two elements of human civilization, the improvement of the social and material state of man, and the development of his individual powers and faculties. Into one or other of these may be resolved whatever events have been considered as conducive to civilization; and in the fortunate union of both, or, at least, in the extraordinary vigour of either has consisted the pre-eminence of those lands and eras which have been noted as the most civilized. It is the aim of M. Guizot to prove that the appearance, at any epoch, of one of those features of progression, to which we have already alluded, may be taken as a sure forerunner, though perhaps at the distance of ages, of corresponding development in the other. Hence, in laying out the chart of Europeon civilization, he measures the influence of those leading events which have hastened its career, or modified its character, by their more or less bearing on the social amelioration or individual development of sans of absolute power recoil all at once, and, as it were unconsciously, from the results of their own doctrine; one feels that there are influences, ideas, around them, democracy are subject to the same law. Now here is which arrest them in mid-volley. The favourers of that impurturtable audacity, that blind force of logic, which break forth in the civilization of antiquity. Opinions offer the same contrasts, the same variety: an energetic love of independence, with a wonderful facility of submission; rare fidelity from man to man, and, at the same time, an imperious appetite of doing one's own will, of shaking off every yoke, of living alone, without disturbing oneself for others. Minds are as diversified, as agitated as societies. The same character betrays itself in literature. It is impossible to deny that, regarded in the point of view of form and of perfection of art, they are vastly inferior to the literature of antiquity; but in the point of view, of substance, of sentiments, and ideas, they are incomparably stronger and richer. One sees that of points, and to a far greater depth. The imperfectthe human soul has been moved on a greater number ness of form proceeds from this very cause. The more copious and rich the materials the more difficult to reduce them to a form of simplicity and purity. What constitutes the beauty of a composition, what in works of art receives the denomination of form, is clearness, simplicity, symbolic unity. The prodigious diversity of ideas and of sentiments, which has been the offspring of European civilization, has made it much more difficult to arrive at this simplicity, at this clearness, European civilization is manifest. Undoubtedly, there Everywhere, then, this dominant characteristic of is the inconvenience annexed to it, that when we consider separately such or such particular development of the human mind in letters, arts, in all the directions in which the human mind can make progress, one finds it in general inferior to the corresponding development in antique civilization; but, on the other hand, when one regards it as a whole, European civilization displays itself incomparably more rich than any other; it along with it. Accordingly, behold! it has now lasted has brought a greater number of different developments progression; it has not advanced, by many degrees, at fifteen centuries, and it is still in a state of continual a rate of such rapidity as the Greek civilization, but its progress has acquired incessantly increasing acceleration. A boundless course is dimly before it, in which from day to day it moves with more and more velocity, because freedom more and more attends its movements. While, in other civilizations, the exclusive empire, or, at least excessive preponderance of one single principle, of one single form, has been a cause of tyranny. In modern Europe the diversity of elements in the social order, the impossibility of excluding each other under which they have laboured, have engendered the liberty which reign at this day. Want of power to exterminate each other, has obliged the different principles to live together, to make a sort of compromise amongst themselves. Each has consented to be satisfied with the portion of development assigned to it: and while elsewhere the predominance of one principle produced tyranny; in Europe, liberty has resulted from the variety of elements in its civilization, and from the state of strife in which they have continually existed.' With the civilization of modern Europe it has been altogether otherwise. Without entering into auy detail, look around you, consult your memory; "Gentlemen, this is a real, a vast superiority; and it will immediately appear to you diversified, confused, if we go farther, if we penetrate below exterior facts tempestuous; all the principles of social organization into the nature of things, we shall have to admit that co-exist in it; the spiritual and temporal powers, the this superiority is legitimate, and stamped by reason, theocratic, monarchical, aristocratic, democratic elements; every class and situation in society mingle, ment European civilization, let us carry our contemas well as proclaimed by facts. Forgetting for a mojostle; there are infinite gradations in liberty, riches, plation over the world, over the general course of influence. And these diverse faces are in a state of earthly phenomena. What is its character? constant struggle, without any one being strong enough goes the world? How to stifle the rest, and to take sole possession of society. of elements, with that constant struggle which we reIt goes on precisely with that variety In ancient times, at every great epoch, every society mark in European civilization. Evidently it has not seems cast in the same mould; it is now pure mobeen assigned to any principle, to any particular organarchy, now theocracy or democracy, which prevails;nization, to any special force, to domineer over the but each in turn does prevail completely. Moden Euworld, to model it at once for all, and to exclude from rope affords examples of every system, of every eleit every other tendency. Different powers, principles, ment of social organization-monarchies, pure or mixed, theocracies, republics more or less aristocratical, procal limitation, by turns prevalent or yielding, never and systems, maintain incessant opposition and recihave flourished simultaneously; and, in spite of this completely conquering or conquered. The general diversity, they have all a certain resemblance, a cerstate of the world exhibits diversity of forms, of ideas, tain family likeness, which cannot posssibly be misof principles, and their contests, and their struggle towards a certain unity, a certain ideal, which perhaps will never be attained, but to which the human race tends by liberty and labour. European civilization is then the faithful image of the world: like the course of things in the world, it is neither narrow, nor exclusive, nor stationary. For the first time, I imagine, the character of specialty has disappeared from civiliza tiken. In the ideas and sentiments of Europe, the same variety, the same struggle. Theocratic, monarchic, aristocratic, popular creeds come in contact, combat, modify, and limit each other. Open the boldest writings of the middle age; you will never find an idea followed out to its ultimate consequences. The parti tion: for the first time it has developed itself under an aspect as diversified, as rich, as laborious as the theatre of the universe. European civilization has entered, if it is allowable to say so, into eternal truth, into the plan of Providence; it advances according to the ways of God. This is the rational principle of its superiority.' To pour new blood into the veins of an effete and lifeless polity in the last stage of the Roman empire's irrecoverable decay, was an experiment tried, and vainly tried, by some among its rulers, in particular by Honorius and the younger Theodosius, of whom a rescript is extant, addressed, in the year 418, to the prefect of Gaul, of which the sole intention is to establish, in the south of Gaul, a sort of representative government, and, by its aid, preserve the unity of the empire. The provinces and towns rejected the boon-none would either act as electors or as deputies. There was a fatal before the scattered elements of European society necessity for utter dissolution and decomposition, could reunite in the formation of a wholesome body politic. At a later epoch, in the earliest pause of barbarous invasion, and before municipal order was entirely effaced from the despoiled and bleeding bosom of Europe, a last effort to the same end was made; and the attempt, which failed to revive civilization, has immortalized the name of Charlemagne. A darker hour was doomed to succeed-an age of utter uncontrollable disments; and a new element, introduced by the organization. Society was resolved into its eleGerman invaders, unknown to the Roman world, the whole civilization of antiquity, the ruling as to the Christian church, or, indeed, to almost passion of personal independence, broke forth in all its fierce and barbarous energy. That such a passion, acting on ignorant and ferocious dispositions, should conform itself to any order, national else was feebleness, it should draw to itself whator municipal, was impossible; that, where all natural and actual result. Such was the origin ever still remained of social tendencies, was the of the feudal system; and such, under various forms and names, has ever been, and ever must be, the first organization of nascent or revived human intercourse. Perhaps the universality of this law has not been seized by M. Guizot with his usual comprehensiveness; at all events, he has not thought the complete elucidation of it demanded by the task before him. Nothing, howhis survey of the system itself, which he tries by ever, can be more complete and masterly than the two standards of civilization which, as we have seen, he had already laid down. We cannot refuse ourselves the pleasure of citing the results of his investigation. and, on the whole, a salutary influence, on the inte 1st. Feudalism must have exercised a considerable, rior development of the individual; it excited in the mind energic sentiments, moral wants, extraordinary developments of character and passion. 2dly. In a social point of view, it was neither capable of founding a social order, nor political securities; it was indispensable, in order to regenerate in Europe society so utterly dissolved by barbarism, that it was wholly unsusceptible of a form more regular and extended; but the feudal form, radically vicious, could not possibly either regularise or extend itself. The only political right which the feudal regimen could maintain, was the right of resistance; I do not say of legal resistance, there could not be any question about legal resistance in a society so little advanced. The progress of society is precisely to substitute, on the one hand, public power to individual will; on the other, legal resistance to individual resistance. This is the great end, the ultimate perfection, of social order: a great latitude is left to personal liberty; then, when personal liberty fails, when it is forced to render up an account of itself, an appeal is made solely to the public reason: the public reason is called upon to settle the litigation which has arisen about the liberty of the individual. Such is the system of legal order, and of legal resistance. You comprehend, without difficulty, how, under the feudal system, there was no room for any thing of the kind. The right of resistance which was maintained and practised under that system, was the right of personal resistance; a right terrible and nsociable, for it appeals to force of arms, to the destruction of society; a right, however, which never must be abolished at the bottom of the heart of man, for its abolition is the reception of servitude. All feeling of the right of resistance had perished in the corruption of the Roman society, and could not reproduce itself from its ruins; nor could it naturally originate, in my opinion, from the principles of Christian society. The feudal system has replaced it in the manners of Europe. The honour of civilization is to render it for ever inactive and useless; to have constantly professed and defended it, is the honour of the feudal regimen. * In modern times, some men of talent have attempted to restore the credit of feudalism as a social system; they have chosen to see in it a state of law, of rule, and of progressiveness: they have made of it an age of gold. Ask them where they place it; summon them to find for it a local habitation or fixed era; they will not succeed in doing so it is a dateless Utopia, a drama for which one finds in the past neither theatre nor actors. The cause of the error is easily discovered; and it equally explains the mistake of those who can not pronounce the name of feudalism without annexing to it an absolute anathema. Neither the one nor the other have taken pains to contemplate the double aspect under which feudalism presents itself, to distin age, is to imagine him, for the sake of office, to be ca- Mr. Cobbett, because we regret to observe, that the enormities of his character have seduced our 6 The name of Russell,' we are told, sounds in a British ear like the most delightful music and melody.' The virtues of Lord John Russell appear to have been got, in part, from his family; he appears to have picked up in company with the rest of his moral and intellectual excellencies Lord Mountcharles, the Duke of Devonshire, and others, at the Rev. Mr. Smith's school, at Woodnesborough. And, indeed, he must have made good use of his time, because on his first entrance into Parliament in 1819, assuming a modest, but important and influential station, he, in fact, at once took possession of the place vacated by the death of Charles James Fox. We suppose that the fact of this contingent remainder of the leadership of his Majesty's Opposition has been learned from some unpublished chronicle of the Whigs, for it is rather surprising intelligence to the British public. · guish, on the one hand, its influence on the individual (To be continued.) PUBLIC CHARACTERS, &c. We mean no offence to Mr. Spring Rice, but we must say, that even the information that he Public Characters. Biographical and Characteristic senators and orators from which Ireland, if she furnishes a fair sample of that description of Sketches, with Portraits, of the most distinguished could find them multiplying in her land, would Personages of the present Age. Vol. II. 18mo. pp. have much to expect,'-will not lead us to look 324. Knight and Lacy. London, 1828. further, so much are we repelled by the awful THIS work begins with a portrait and a cha-portraiture which is given as a resemblance of his racter of Prince Leopold, we suppose because he has more character than any person of the present day. Indeed, he is, from our author's account, a rare manifestation of the human animal. 'In early youth he was excellently tutored, and manifested a superior understanding and heart. As he advanced, he discovered a decided and habitual preference to those intellectual pursuits which ennoble the human nature in princes as well as subjects. He was always restrained, by careful tuition as well as a tender conscience, from dissipation and licentiousness. He became master of several languages-proficient in the mathematics-and so skilful in the fine arts, that it has often been thought he might have rivalled first rate professors. The several campaigns in which he had served, raised him to military fame, which has rendered his appointment as a British Field Marshal something more than a mere honorary designation due to his exalted rank.'-p. 12. outward man. upon us is such, that we close the book, lest we to read it. VIDOCQ'S MEMOIRS. Memoirs of Vidocq, Principal Agent of the French Po- of individual moral feeling would have been scientific interest of the performance; an Italian mingled with it, and have interfered with the would have marred the value of his rascalities by bedaubing them with lies; a Spaniard would have himself, but probably would not have opened to able by the simple fact of their connection with made all the events of his narrative appear laudso much delights to make us contemplate. In us that fine vista of public utility which M. Vidocq truth, however, the very ground-work of this inimitable history could not have existed except in France, the country of organisation, where all that is most excellent, and all that is most vile,both of them incapable in other countries of being uniformly systematised. materialised in institutions, are regularly and There is only one other observation which we with some amusing extracts, namely, that nothing are anxious to make before presenting our readers can be conceived more horrible or demoralising than the plan of prison-punishment adopted in France. Bad as these things are with us, in this respect the great nation' is many a year behind We doubt, however, whether their laws create so many frivolous offences as ours. us. 6 'These two men, who for many years were sent away with every chain, and as frequently escaped, were once more back again in Paris; the police got information of it, and I received the order to search for them. All testified that they had acquaintances with other robbers no less formidable than themselves. A music mistress, whose son, called Noel with the Spectacles (Noel aux Bésicles), a celebrated robber, Noel was a well educated woman and an admirable musician; she was esteemed a most accomplished perwas suspected of harbouring these thieves. Madame employed her to give lessons to their daughters. former by the middle classes of tradespeople, who wards those individuals who were at issue with justice; that the passport was obtained. A powerful mixture 'Mother Noel had never seen me; my features were quite unknown to her, although she had frequently heard of my name. There was then no difficulty in presenting myself before her, without giving her any cause for alarm; but to get her to point out to me the hiding place of the men whom I sought to detect, was the end I aimed at, and I felt that it would be impossible to attain it without much skill and management. At first I resolved on passing myself off as a fugitive of some thief, whom her son or his comrades had galley-slave; but it was neessary to borrow the name mentioned to her in advantageous terms. Moreover, a little resemblance was positively requisite, and endeavoured to recollect if there were not one of the galley-slaves whom I knew who had been associated from the previous portions of the work, for it with Noel with the Spectacles, and I could not reexhibits M. Vidocq as an agent of police, and in-member one of my age, or whose person and features stead of recounting the shifts to which he was at all resembled mine. At last, by dint of much effort compelled to resort to escape from punishment, Royer, alias "the Captain," who had been an intimate of memory I recalled to mind one Germain, alias displays the stratagems by which he attempted to acquaintance of Noel's, and although our similiarity subject to justice his former brethren. These was very slight, yet I determined on personating him. difficulty did not deter me: my hair cut, a tu mode des 'I had much to do in personating Germain; but the Bagnes, was dyed black, as well as my beard, after it had attained a growth of eight days; to embrown my countenance I washed it with walnut liquor; and to Lord Hill, who is a General at least, if not a British Field Marshal, occupies the next place, accordWE have already offered to our readers a notice ing to a new order of precedency, which seems to and a sample of this very remarkable book. The have been adopted since the accession of the second volume of the English translation has present ministry. We are happy to notice that the just been published by Messrs. Hunt and Clarke. present commander of the forces of this Pro-The latter half of it is of a different character testant land is descended from the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London; and we are also delighted to assure our military friends, on the authority of the book before us, that, with respect to the management of the army, confessions could not have been obtained in such On the suspicion that the Duke of Wellington is still the real head of the army, we need not stay to comment. Lord Hill is an honourable and indepen-perfection from a native of any other country dent man: there is not one more so in the army, or the nation, or the world; and to suppose that he would stoop to be the jackall of the great lion of the than France. An English spy would have held perfect the imitation, I garnished my upper lip thickly with a kind of coffee grounds, which I plastered on by means of gum arabic, and thus became as nasal in my twang as Germain himself. My feet were doctored with equal care; I made blisters on them by rubbing in a certain composition of which I had obtained the recipe at Brest. I also made the marks of the fetters; and when all my toilet was finished, dressed myself in the suitable garb. I had neglected nothing which could complete the metamorphosis, neither the shoes nor the marks of those horrid letters GAL. The costume was perfect; and the only thing wanting was a hundred of those companionable insects which people the solitudes of poverty, and which were, I believe, together with locusts and toads, one of the seven plagues of old Egypt. I procured some for money; and as soon as they were a little accustomed to their new domicile, which was speedily the case, I directed my steps towards the residence of Madame Noel, in the Rue Ticquetonne. 'I arrived there, and knocking at the door, she opened it a glance convincing her how matters stood with me, she desired me to enter, and on finding myself alone with her, I told her who I was. "Ah, my poor lad," she cried, "there is no occasion to tell me where you have come from; I am sure you must be dying with hunger?"-" Oh yes," I answered, "I am indeed hungry; I have tasted nothing for twenty-four hours." Instantly, without further question, she went out, and returned with a dish of hog's puddings and a bottle of wine, which she placed before me. I did not eat, I actually devoured; I stuffed myself, and all had disappeared without my saying a word between my first mouthful and my last. Mother Noel was delighted at my appetite, and when the cloth was removed she gave me a dram. "Ah, maman," I exclaimed, embracing her," you restore me to life; Noel told me how good and kind you were:" and I then began to give her a statement of how I had left her son eighteen days before, and gave her information of all the prisoners in whom she felt interested. The details were so true and well known, that she could have no idea that I was an impostor. "Yes, yes, my friend," she said, "I know you well; my son and his friends have told me of your misfortunes; welcome, welcome, my dear captain. But heavens! what a state you are in; you must not remain in such a plight. I see you are infested with those wretched tormenting beasts who but I will get you a change of linen, and contrive something as a comfortable dress for you." ; I expressed my gratitude to Madame Noel; and when I saw a good opportunity, without giving cause for the slightest suspicion, I asked what had become of Victor Desbois and his comrade Mongenet. "Desbois and Le Tambour? Ah! my dear, do not mention them, I beg of you," she replied; "that rogue Vidocq has given them very great uneasiness; since one Joseph (Joseph Longueville, an old police inspector,) whom they have twice met in the streets, told them that there would soon be a search in this quarter, they have been compelled to cut and run, to avoid being taken." "What," cried I, with a disappointed air," are they no longer in Paris?" Oh, they are not very far distant," replied Mother Noel; they have not quitted the environs of the great village' (Paris); I dare say we shall soon see them, for I trust they will speedily pay me a visit. I think they will be delighted to find you here." "Oh, I assure you," said I, "that they will not be more delighted at the meeting than myself; and, if you can write to them, I am sure they would eagerly send for me to join them." "If I knew where they were," replied Mother Noel, "I would go myself and seek for them to please you; but I do not know their retreat, and the best thing for us to do is to be patient and wait their arrival." In my quality of a new comer, I excited all Madame Noel's compassion and solicitude, and she attended to nothing but me. "Are you known to Vidocq, and his two bull-dogs, Lévesque and Compère?" she inquired. "Alas! yes," was my reply; "they have caught me twice." "In that case, then, be on your guard: Vidocq is often disguised; he assumes characters, costumes, and shapes, to get hold of unfortunates like yourself." 'We conversed together for two hours, when Madame Noel offered me a foot-bath, which I accepted; and, when it was prepared, I took off my shoes and stockings, on which she discovered my wounded feet and said, with a most commiserating tone and manner, "How I pity you; what you must suffer! Why did you not tell me of this at first? You deserve to be scolded for it." And, whilst thus reproaching me, she examined my feet; and then, pricking the blisters, drew a piece of worsted through each, and anointed my feet with a salve, which, she assured me, would have the effect of speedily curing them. The bath concluded, she brought me some clean linen; and, as she thought of all that was needful, added a razor, recommending me to shave." I shall man's clothes, as that is the best disguise for men who then see," she added, "about buying you some workwish to pass unnoticed; and, besides, good luck will turn up, and then you will get yourself some new ones." 'As soon as I was thoroughly cleansed, Mother Noel which served as the workshop for false keys, the enconducted me to a sleeping room, a small apartment trance to which was concealed by several gowns hang. in which your friends have slept three or four times; ing from a row of pegs. "Here," said she, " is a bed and you need not fear that the police will hunt you out, you may sleep secure as a dormouse." "I am really in want of sleep," I replied, and begged her permission to take some repose, on which she left me to myself. Three hours afterwards I awoke, and, on getting up, we renewed our conference. It was necessary to be armed at all points to deceive Madame Noel; there was not a trick or custom of the bagnes with which she was not thoroughly informed; she knew not only the names of all the robbers whom she had seen, but was acquainted with every particular of the life of a great many others; and related with enthusiasm anecdotes of the most noted, particularly of her son, for whom she had as much veneration as love. ““The dear boy, you would be delighted to see him?" said I. "Yes, yes, overjoyed." ""Well, it is a happiness you will soon enjoy; for Noel has made arrangements for an escape, and is now only awaiting the propitious moment." Madame Noel was happy in the expectation of seeing ber son, and shed tears of tenderness at the very thoughts of it. I will own that I was affected, and for a moment wavered if for once I would not betray my duties as a police agent; but when I reflected again on the crimes committed by the Noel family, and consifirm and determined in my resolution to go through dered what was due to the interests of society, I remained with my enterprise at all risks. 'In the course of conversation, Mother Noel asked me if I had any affair (plan of robbery, in contemplation); and after having offered to procure me one, in case I was not provided, she questioned me on my skill in fabricating keys. I told her I was as adroit as Fossard. "If that be the case," she rejoined, "I am easy, and you shall be soon furnished; for as you are so clever, I will go and buy at the ironmonger's a key which you can fit to my safety lock, so that you will have ingress and egress whenever you require it." : 'I expressed my feelings of obligation for so great a proof of her kindness and as it was growing late, I went to bed reflecting on the mode of getting away from this lair, without running the risk of being assassinated, if perchance any of the villains whom I was seeking should arrive before I had taken the necessary precautions. 'I did not sleep, and arose as soon as I heard Madame Noel lighting her fire; she said I was an early riser, and that she would go and procure me what I wanted. A moment afterwards she brought me a key not cut into wards, and gave me files and a small vice, which I fixed on my bed; and as soon as my tools were in readiness, I began my work in presence of my hostess, who seeing that I was perfectly conversant with the business, complimented me on my skill; and what she most admired was the expedition of my work, for in fact, in less than four hours I had perfected a most workmanlike key, which I tried, and it fitted almost accurately. A few touches of the file completed the instruments; and, like the rest, I had the means of unobstructed entrance whenever I wished to visit the house. 'I was Madame Noel's boarder; and, after dinner, I told her I was inclined to take a turn in the dusk, that I might find whether "a job" I contemplated was yet feasible, and she approved the suggestion, at the same time recommending me to use all caution. "That thief of a Vidocq," she observed," is a thorn in one's path, mind him; and, if I were you, before I made any attempts, I would wait until my feet were well." "I shall not go far," I replied, 66 nor stay away long." This assurance of a speedy return seemed to quiet her fears. "Well then, go," she said; and I went out limping. ; 'So far all succeeded to my most sanguine wishes it was impossible to stand better with Mother Noel but, by remaining in her house, who would guarantee that I should not be knocked on the head? Might not two or three galley-slaves arrive together, recognize me, and attack me? I, consequently, endeavoured so to lead her on, that she should herself suggest to me the necessity of quitting her house; that is, that she should advise me no longer to think of sleeping in her domicile. 'I had observed, that Madame Noel was very intimate with a fruit-seller who lived in the house, and I sent to this woman one of my agents named Manceau, whom I charged to ask her secretly, and yet with a want of skill, for some accounts of Madame Noel. The event proved that I was not deceived;-no sooner had my agent fulfilled his mission, than the fruit-woman hastened to Madame Noel with an account of what had passed; who, in her turn, lost no time in telling me. On the look-out at the steps of the door of her officious neighbour, as soon as she saw me, she came to me, and without further preface, desired me to follow her, which I did; and on reaching the Place des Victoires, she stopped, and looking about her to be assured that no one was in hearing, she told me what had passed :-" So," said she, in conclusion," you see, my poor Germain, that it would not be prudent for you to sleep at my house; you must even be cautious how you approach it by day." Mother Noel had no idea that this circumstance, which she bewailed so greatly, was of my own planning; and, that I might remove all suspicion from her mind, I pretended to be more vexed at it than she was, and who would not leave us at peace. I deprecated the cursed and swore bitterly at that blackguard Vidocq, necessity to which I was reduced, of finding a shelter out of Paris, and took leave of Madame Noel, who, wishing me good luck and a speedy return, put a thirtysous-piece into my hand. 'I knew that Desbois and Mongenet were expected; and I was also aware that there were comers and goers who visited the house, whether Madame Noel was there or not; and she was often absent, giving music know these gentry; and to achieve this, I disguised lessons in the city. It was important that I should several of my auxiliaries, and stationed them at the corners of the street, where, mixing with the errandboys and messengers, their presence excited no suspicion. "These precautions taken, that I might testify all due appearance of fear, I allowed two days to pass before I again visited Madame Noel; and this period having elapsed, I went out one evening to her house, accompanied by a young man, whom I introduced as the brother of a female with whom I had once lived; and who, having met me accidentally in Paris, had given me an asylum. This young man was a secret agent, but I took care to tell Mother Noel that he had my fullest confidence, and that she might consider him as my second self; and, as he was not known to the spies, I had chosen him to be my messenger to her whenever I did not judge it prudent to show myself. "Henceforward," I added, "he will be our gobetween, and will come every two or three days, that I may have information of you and your friends." "I'faith," said Mother Noel, "you have lost a pleasure; for, twenty minutes sooner, and you would have seen a lady of your acquaintance here." "Ah! who was it?" ""Mongenet's sister." ““Oh! indeed; she has often seen me with her brother." "Yes; when I mentioned you, she described you as exactly as posssible;- a lanky chap,' said she, 'with his nose always grimed with snuff."" 'Madame Noel deeply regretted that I had not arrived before Mongenet's sister had departed; but certainly not so much as I rejoiced at my narrow escape from an interview which would have destroyed all my projects; for, if this woman knew Germain, she also knew Vidocq; and it was an impossibility that she could have mistaken one for the other, so great was the difference between us! Although I had altered my features so as to deceive, yet the resemblance which, in description, seemed exact, would not stand the test of a critical examination, and particularly the reminis cences of intimacy. Mother Noel then gave me a very useful warn- ing, when she informed me that Mongenet's sister was a very frequent visitor at her house. From thenceforward I resolved that this female should never catch a glimpse of my countenance; and, to avoid meeting with her, whenever I visited Madame Noel, I sent my pretended brother-in-law first, who, when she was not there, had instructions to let me know it, by sticking a wafer on the window. At this signal I entered, and my aide-de-camp betook himself to his post in the neighbourhood, to guard against any disagreeable surprise. Not very far distant were other auxiliaries, to whom I had confided Mother Noel's key, that they might come to my succour in case of danger; for, from one instant to another, I might fall suddenly amongst a gang of fugitives, or some of the galleyslaves might recognize and attack me, and then a blow of my fist against a square of glass in the window was the signal which was to denote my need of assistance, to equalize the coutending parties. Thus were my schemes concerted, and the finale was at hand. It was on a Tuesday, and a letter from the men I was in quest of, announced their intended arrival on the Friday following; a day which I intended should be for them a black Friday. At the first dawn I betook myself to a cabaret in the vicinity, and that they might have no motive for watching me, supposing, as was their custom, that they should traverse the street several times up and down before they entered Madame Noel's domicile, I first sent my pretended brother-in-law, who returned soon afterwards, and told me that Mongenet's sister was not there, and that I might safely enter. "You are not deceiving me?" said I to my agent, whose tone appeared altered and embarrassed, and fixing on him one of those looks which penetrate the very heart's core, I thought I observed one of those ill-suppressed contractions of the muscles of the face which accompany a premeditated lie: and then, quick as lightning, the thought came over me that I was betrayed; that my agent was a traitor. We were in a private room, and without a moment's hesitation, I grasped his throat with violence, and told him, in presence of his comrades, that I was informed of his perfidy, and that if he did not instantly confess all, I would shoot him on the spot. Dismayed at my penetration and determined manner, he stammered out a few words of excuse, and falling on his knees, confessed that he had discovered all to Mother Noel. "This baseness, had I not thus detected it, would probably have cost me my life; but I did not think of any personal resentment, it was only the interest of society which I cared for, and which I regretted to see wrecked when so near port. The traitor, Manceau, was put in confinement, and young as he was, having many old offences to expiate, was sent to Bicêtre, and then to the isle of Oleron, where he terminated his career. It may be conjectured that the fugitives did not return again to the Rue Ticquetonne; but they were, notwithstanding, apprehended a short time afterwards. 'Mother Noel did not forgive the trick I had played her; and, to satisfy her revenge, she, one day, had all her goods taken away; and when this had been effected, went out without closing her door, and returned crying out that she had been robbed. The neighbours were made witnesses, a declaration was made before a commissary, and Mother Noel pointed me out as the thief; because, she said, I had a key of her apartments. The accusation was a grave one, and she was instantly sent to the prefecture of police, and the next day I received the information. My justification was not difficult, for the préfet, as well as M. Henry, saw through the imposture; and we managed so well that mother Noel's property was discovered, proof was obtained of the falsity of the charge, and, to give her time for repentance, she was sentenced for six months to St. Lazarre. Such was the issue and the consequences of an enterprize, in which I had not failed to use all precaution; and I have often achieved success in affairs, in which arrangements had been made, not so skilfully concerted or so ably executed.'-Vol. ii. pp. 214-226. The version is almost always spirited, and generally accurate. The translator having gone so far as to paraphrase the slang terms of the thieves in St. Giles's Greek,' might as well have given us the English expressions for those foreign names of places which undergo transformation in becoming naturalized among us. The book is, in its kind, one of the most amusing, and, to him who knows how to use it, one of the most valuable we have seen. CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ. The Life and Times of William Laud, D.D., Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. By John Parker Lawson, M.A. 2 vols. 8vo. Rivingtons. London, 1829. WE did not receive the work early enough to eview it for the present Number of our Journal. We have seen enough of it, however, to judge that Mr. Lawson is exactly the proper kind of biographer for Laud. He is adapted for the task by an unhesitating faith in the perfection of his hero, and a hatred for his opponents, only qualified by contempt. In his eyes, every Puritan of the seventeenth century was either a fanatic or a hypocrite. We shall review the book in time for our next week's publication. A Critical Investigation into the Merits of the Lecture delivered in the University of London, November 11, 1828, by Hyman Hurwitz, Professor of the Hebrew Language and Literature. By Solomon Bennett. 8vo., 18 pp. Printed for the Author. London, 1829. WE are sorry, for Mr. Hurwitz's sake, that he is not met by some worthier antagonist than this miserable and ignorant blockhead. There is no footman in London who does not know more of the English vocabulary, and the laws of grammar, than Mr. Solomon Bennett. Belgic Pastorals, and other Poems. By Francis Glasse, Esq. 1 vol. 12mo. Rodwell, New Bond-street. London, 1829. THE following is the 'Argument' of the first Belgic Pastoral. At the close of the usurped reign of Buonaparte, Belgium was allotted to the Prince of Orange, who then took the title of "King of the Netherlands;" soon after which, Strephon, formerly a Belgic shepherd, but for the preceding twenty years a soldier in the French army, on his arrival from Siberia, and while clothed in a French uniform, finds Hylas tending his flock by a road-side in the Netherlands,' &c. &c. We assure our readers, that, to the best of our belief, Mr. Glasse does not design to write parodies. We have extracted literally, and the poems are worthy of this high argument. Some Inquiry into the Causes which have obstructed the 'Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, Shakspeare. A CONSIDERABLE portion, if not the whole, of this little work has appeared in one of the newspapers. We are glad that this is now published in a more permanent form. Mr. Haydon may be wrong in his views; in some of them he certainly is so. But it is a fine thing to see the workings of a mind so imbued with the love of art, and so wrestling against unfavourable circumstances. We have, unhappily, no means either of relieving Mr. Haydon's distresses, or promoting historical painting. We should be glad to do both. We fear the public will do neither. NEW MUSIC. Himmel's Polacca from Funchon, arranged for the Piano Forte, and respectfully inscribed to the Hon. Mrs. Henry Cavendish, by M. C. Wilson. Cramer and Co. A CLEVER, well arranged production, neither puerile nor difficult. An introductory allegro risoluto in B flat ushers in Himmel's graceful polacca in an appropriate manner, and the whole exhibits a successful diverti mento. 'The Blue Harebell,' a Ballad, composed, and inscribed to David Morrison, Esq., by G. H. Gibsone. Lindsay As the name of the above writer was new to us, and musical composers spring up more plentifully than mushrooms, we were very agreeably surprised at the very pleasing and correct piece exhibited. The melody is quite simple, and does not lay claim to much originality; but the arrangement of the accompaniment is ingenious and clever, particularly the use made of the extreme sharp 6th, and the minor applied to the last verse. In the 6th bar of the 5th page, either the vocal part or the accompaniment should be altered, as they do not (in the edition we have seen) agree, and it is a pity the work should be disfigured by that which is apparently only a typographical error. Rondo on Piu lièta piu bella,' from Rossini's Opera 'Elizabetta;' arranged for two performers on one Pianoforte. Composed and dedicated to the Misses Barton, by Frances Hünten. Op. 28. Cocks and Co. THIS presents a brilliant, interesting, and wellarranged duet; possessing all those qualities, without requiring much practise on the part of the performers; a peculiar desideratum in musical writing. In arranging duets for two persons to play upon one piano-forte, it too generally happens that the composer does not sufficiently employ the whole scope of the instrument, particularly in the bass part; hence the hands of the second performer are necessarily thrust upwards into an approximation with those of the colleague, in an inelegant and uncomfortable manner, and in the present example some improvements are wanting in that respect; and in the fifth bar from the end of the duet, in the treble on page 15, some very indefensible fingering is engraved, which should be reversed decidedly, at least the thumb and first finger marks. The whole, however, is adapted in good taste, and is worthy a place in the port-folios of every pianiste. C They tell me thou hast gone from me,' a Ballad, sung by Miss Farrar; the Music composed with Orchestral Accompaniments, and also arranged for the Piano Forte, by T. Reed. Dedicated to his friend J. C. Hopké, Esq. Card.-The words (from an American publication) suggested by that part of Pen Owen,' which describes the affliction, the mute and uncomplaining grief of the beautiful, faded, and credulous Rose Weston, when informed of the baseness and desertion of Frank Wettenhall. ་ te propter eundem Extinctus pudor, et qua solâ sidera adibum. Fama prior. ENEIS. AFTER the perusal of the above diffuse and voluminous title (Latin and all!) it was impossible, but that the fable of the Mountain and Mouse' should present itself to the imagination, upon turning over to a quiet pastoral ballad although in full score for instruments! We, however, experienced much pleasure in finding it an expressive morceau, full of feeling, accompanied by correct and clever modulation. The ballad consists of two movements, in the highly superior key of A flat, and the composer deserves much credit for the unusual pains bestowed upon the whole arrangement. An Echo Trio, sung at the Theatre Royal Drury-lane, by Miss Fanny Ayton, Mr. Braham, and Mr. Bedford. Written and composed by John Parry. Goulding and Co. THIS is a playful and pleasing trifle, of the most simple and unpretending nature; the last words of each line being ingeniously adapted to form a reply, upon being repeated by other singers, who should be behind the scenes of a theatre, or out of sight in a concertroom, when practicable; otherwise, the echoes are to be sung very softly, the singers turning their heads on one side, when there are no extra vocalists to perform them; thus it is written in imitation of Dean Swift's humorous and famous 'Gentle Echo on Woman,' in the Doric manner; which we might be tempted to insert, if it were not too indelicate for the present period. The music and language of Parry's trio are well adapted to each other, and upon the stage must have been effective. 'I'd be a Dove.' Composed by John Barnett, arranged for the Piano-forte, and dedicated to Miss Richards, by E. Solis. Mayhew. AN easy, pretty piano-forte rondo, well adapted for incipient performers, and consequently will be found generally useful for teachers. An introductory adagio of one page in C minor appropriately precedes the melody, which is simple, gay, and trifling. The Bohemian Brothers.-These singers are neither Bohemians nor brothers. The dress in which they ap pear is not that of the country to which they pretend to belong, and their singing is decidedly Kamschatkan. THE ATHENÆUM AND LITERARY CHRONICLE OF State of the Literary Mar- 33 34 41 Roman Fragments, No. III. 41 A Course of Modern His- EDUCATION OF SPANISH REFUGEES. scanty subsistence, and, consequently, how pre- execution. the Roman forum, entered the Via Lata, the same street by which they had traversed the city the preceding day. Here they fell in with a vast throng of citizens, of all ranks, who were pressing onward to the scene of amusement. The more wealthy and effeminate were borne in sellæ or lecWe are glad to observe among them several ticæ, (two species of litters, differing principally in well known for their literary attainments. Our size, in the number of bearers,) the rest of the readers, we feel assured, will pardon our devoting company were on foot. For the space of more than a line or two to record them. Don Agustin Ar- one hour this immense concourse of human beguelles, D. Felipe Bauza, D. José Calatrava, D.ings had been pouring through the street. The José Canga Arguelles, D. N. Cardano, D. Ra- slaves, forbidden by the Roman laws from being mon Gil de la Cuadra, D. Antonio Alcalá Galiano, present at these amusements, were eagerly gazing D. Mariano La Gasca, D. Pablo Mendibil, D. from the tops and lattices of the neighbouring José Nunez Arenas, D. Cayetano Valdez, D. houses upon the multitude as they passed alongJoaquim Villanueva. All these gentlemen, about every scene was full of bustle and animation, to become the instructors of their juvenile every countenance beamed with expectation and countrymen, have filled offices of state more or delight. When the two friends reached the amless important in their native country, and, with phitheatre, which was situated on the scite of the only three exceptions, have all been deputies to present Palazzo di Monte Citorio, Metellus rethe Cortes. paired without delay to the interior, in order to place his friend as near as possible to the imperial pavilion, for Caligula designed to preside in person. The arena was occupied by a host of naked barbarians, who, drawn up in bands on opposite sides of the podium, were awaiting with amazing indifference the moment that was destined to lay most of them in a bloody grave; a promiscuous crowd of plebeians, seated on the upper benches of the building, were measuring out their expressions of approbation, or contempt, for the different nobles who entered at every moment to take their places. We trust the plan may be put in execution ROMAN FRAGMENTS. THE AMPHITHEATRE. AMONG the privations which present themselves as embittering the lot, in other respects sufficiently melancholy, of the unhappy exile, the want of the means of affording to his offspring an education adequate to his own rank in life, has ever appeared to us to be one of the most distressing. It seems to cast a cloud of gloom over the only hope which remains to cheer him in his desolation, the hope of seeing free institutions shedding their blessings on his native land. Sad, indeed, would it be for him, that should this consummation be at length attained, the self congratulations of the patriots should be allayed by the regrets of the parent, and that he should be doomed to the painful mortification of beholding his own children incapacitated by the want of education from participating their full share of the benefits of the regeneration of their country, and from assuming their station in the state for the sake of whose freedom he had himself endured so much. It was with no common degree of satisfaction, therefore, that we observed, in a number of The Times' of last week, mention of a suggestion received by the Refugee Committee for procuring the advantages of education to the sons of the exiled families in London. We have taken pains to inform ourselves on the subject; and in justice to the worthy men who have come forward to aid in so desirable an undertaking, not less than as an interesting piece of intelligence to our readers, we are happy to be able to publish the following particulars. The project, it seems, originated with the Senor Nunez Arenas, who has already, we learn, devoted much of his time during his exile to giving gratuitous instruction in mathematics to some children of companions in misfortune. His lectures became popular THE greatest superiority of the modern over among his countrymen, and were attended, not the ancient world consists in the use of public merely by youths in the progress of education, opinion: had the intercourse of political sentibut by grown-up persons, who found in them a ment prevailed at Rome in anything like the deremedy for the want of occupation incidental to gree in which it now obtains among most Eurotheir circumstances, and a distraction, worthy of pean nations, outrages like those of the Emperor refined minds, from reflection on the miseries of Caligula could not have been permitted for the their situation. This success suggested to D. Nunez space of a day, and probably they would never Arenas, and to his friends and fellow-country- have been attempted. But in times when there men, D. Mariano La Gasca and D. Pablo Mendibil, was no press, and no ready means of collecting also exiles, the practicability of forming an estab- or consolidating the sense of the community, the lishment for the extension of the very limited brutal despot went on plundering and butchering range of tuition till then afforded to the instruc- an unarmed population, long after almost every tion of the Spanish youth now in London, in individual among them would have willingly abmost, if not all, of the necessary and ornamental jured his authority. At this period, indeed, the branches of polite education. The two last men- high spirit of ancient days was gone, the people tioned gentlemen proposed to join their efforts were contented to be slaves, and it was only when with those of D. Nunez Arenas, and to take upon their servitude became intolerable that they turned themselves the instruction of classes in such round and murdered their oppressors. The embranches as came within the sphere of their re-perors, on their part, never neglected some of the spective capabilities. In the full persuasion that a number of their countrymen would be anxious to join in an undertaking so desirable, the three colleagues submitted their ideas on the subject to the Committee for the Spanish Refugees, with the intimation, that all that was required for carrying the plan in question into execution, were suitable rooms in which the lectures might be given, and assistance towards defraying the few incidental expenses actually required to be defrayed. The proposal was received with favour by the committee; a sub-committee was appointed to promote it, and an application was made to the directors of the Mechanics' Institution, who generously yielded the use of their lecture rooms, for the accommodation of the refugees. In the mean time, offers of assistance and support were tendered by several others of the most eminent exiles in London, in such number and of such qualifications that nothing will be wanting to render the system of education complete. The merit of the conduct of these gentlemen who have set this measure on foot, will be the more appreciated, when it is considered with what toil and difficulty they themselves, by the strenuous exercise of their talents, under all disadvantages, acquire the means of a 'Are these indications of public feeling to be considered as much the test of merit now as in the days of Cicero, do you think?' asked Cœlius of his friend. You shall judge,' replied Metellus. "You marked that tall senator, whose appearance was hailed with such idle tumult, I mean the man now standing with his arms folded; that is Protegenes, the direst villain, save one, in the Roman empire; and you will soon perceive that the distinguished exception I allude to, the man who never permitted a more meritorious deed than the murder of his uncle and benefactor, is a prodigious favourite with these ragged brawlers.' 'Hush!' exclaimed Cœlius, you mean Caligula; they are gathering round us, and will hear.' By this time the capacious body of the amphitheatre was intensely crowded, and presented one vast horizon of human beings, ascending in regular gradations; the emperor's presence was alone required for the work of death to begin. His approach was soon announced,-a body of lictors entered, and clearing the avenue to the Imperial canopy, called aloud Room! room! give room to the Emperor.' Caligula appeared. As had arts by which the people might be reconciled to been predicted by Metellus, a burst of thundertheir government, or at least diverted from plot-ing applause followed, and all ranks and orders of ting against it. By their edicts, corn, the contri- spectators rose to do him honour. Caligula bution of the provinces, was distributed gratuiwas of a tall, awkward, and ungainly figure, aptously to the multitude, and lest men who had no proaching in some degree to corpulency, at the necessary employment should employ themselves same time a singular emaciation was visible in his in projecting mischief, public spectacles, prepared face; indeed the hollowness of his temples, his by the supreme authority, were continually soli- deeply sunken eyes, a forehead distorted with citing their attention. At no period of their exwrinkles, and destitute of hair, communicated to traordinary history could the Roman people be him the semblance of a man worn out with illness considered as enjoying any rational political freeor excess, and assailed before his time with the dom; but now they were satisfied to depend upon infirmities of age. a master who assigned them the food that supported life, and an occupation that rendered it contemptible. Of all species of popular amusement none appears to have been so favoured by the Romans as the exhibitions of the amphitheatre; indeed the extravagant and ferocious delight which such scenes excited might have been perfectly unintelligible in these days but for the histories we have received of pastimes somewhat similar among peoples of modern Europe, It was to a spectacle of this nature, given by the Emperor Caligula, in the amphitheatre of Statitius Taurus, that Metellus was proposing to conduct his friend. They descended the Palatine together, and passing through the magnificent porticoes of He advanced amid reiterated acclamations, Drusilla; several ladies and senators followed in leaning on the shoulder of his favourite sister his train; Caligula threw himself carelessly on the his retinue was disposed around him, gave the couch prepared for him, and, without waiting till signal for commencing the sanguinary festivity. It was not long after he had taken his seat that the restless and suspicious eye of the Roman Emperor was fixed upon Cœlius: when he gazed forward, methinks, we have known each other at him for a moment, friend,' said he, stooping * This description is founded upon the best existing authorities in history and sculpture. |