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LITERARY.
“FRANCE.”
BY BABY MORGAN’.
» This is an entertaining book—written in a
style of considerable vivacity—but with the
author's usual sins against the canons of good
taste. We have been entertained, however,
with the grace and spirits of some of her de
lineations of Parisian manners—with her
rapid sketches of the interior of its versatile
society, and with its various groups, rapidly
shifting in her page, of fashionables, philo
sophers, literati and diilcntanti; with the em
inent personages of every rank and profes
sion—the politicians of every line—fierce re
publicans and outrageous royalists—moJeres
and uitras. lint in all this dazzling crowd
of greatness, though we find many anecdotes
to amuse, and traits of character to admire,
and accomplishments almost to envy, yet we
cannot forbear blaming our fair authoress, a
little, for compelling us to undergo the fatigu
ing ceremony of introduction to ail her Pari
sian acquaintance—of making a show of so
many of those fashionable, elegant titled and
scientific personages, with whom chance or
notoriety brought her acquainted in the gay
animated metropolis, of the most gay, ani
mated people in the universe—and of abso
lutely overpowering us with this blaze of all
that is brilliant and witty, and illuminated in
this far famed capital.
We think her fortunate in havingseized the
peculiar tone and spirit of French society,
:\ml embodied in her pages many of those
traits in the French character, which have
escaped the courser perceptions of other tra
velled literati whdlkave pretended to describe
this singular peopre. Lady Morgan views
the manners, tastes,^nd opinions and morals
of France from the proper point of observa
tion, and lias more of the true spirit and im
partiality of a philosoph&l observer of man
■era and national cliaigictdr, than many who
have greater pretensions to this distinction.
She did not enter this interesting country to
find exaggerated contrasts to every thing na
live she had left behind, and to caricature the
enjoyment—the tastes—the manners of the
people she had come amongst, because she
was unable to enter with the same spirit into
all the feelings and conceptions peculiar to a
people, whose habitudes appear to result from
their fine and beautiful climate. She very
properly observes, on this subject, that phy
sical causes diversify the manner and enjoy
ments of nations, and that nothing is more
narrow minded and illiberal than to condemn
as frivolous or affected, those sentiments,
feelings and tastes, which stand contrasted
to what we have been ourselves accustomed.
We however, have to blame Lady Morgan for
not generalizing this philosophical and libe
ral opinion, so far as not, to find in the
French manners and opinions, the reasons of
the preference of their own drama to every
other—with all its artificial regularity, its
epigrammatic turns, its' heavy uniformity,
and monotony of declamation.
On the whole, we have been pleased if not
delighted with the work, and think she has
furnished a highly spirited sketeli of the so
ciety and manners of Paris; and which would
not have lost any of its attraction, if she had
not thought it necessary to have enlivened her
picture with quite so many bon vwts and a-
necdotes of almost every body—with por
traits of the scavans of Paris, who have so
often sat for the likeness before—and with de
scriptions of the public edifices and institu
tions, with which every recent traveller into
that country has literally crammed his work.
Yv'e also think it not altogether fair in Lady
Morgan to lay the historical erudition of her
readers under so heavy a tax, by that profu
sion of historical recollections which graces
her text; and to surprize them in ambush by
60 many bewitching artifices of rhelorick—
especially by the agency of that fascinating
auxiliary to fine writing, the interjection Oh!
whose patent spe'l must he found quite irre
sistible in her frequently emphatic passa
ges.—Southern Putriot.
EXTRACT FROM THK WORK.
GENERAL LA FAYETTE.
General La Fayette lias not appeared in
Paris, since the return of the Bourbon dy
nasty to France. And I should have left that
country, without having seen one of its great
est ornaments, had not a flattering invitation
from the Chateau La Grange enabled me to
gratify a wish, long and devoutly cherished,
of knowing or at least beholding, its illustri
ous master. Introduced by proxy to the fa-
maily of La Fayette,- by the young and ami
able princess Charlotte de B* # *, we under
took our journey, to La Grange with the
same pleasure as the pilgrim his first unwea
ried steps ro the shrine of sainted excellence.
In the midst of a fertile and luxuriant wil
derness, rising above prolific orchards and
antiquated woods, a pi need the five towers
of La Grange Blcssncau, tinged with the
golden rays of the sitting sun. Through the
boles of the trees appeared the pretty village
of Aubepierre, once, perhaps, the dependen
cy of the castle, and clustering near the pro
tection of its walls. A remoter view of the
village of D’Hiercs, with its gleaming river
and romantic valley, was caught and Inst,
alternately, in the serpentine mazes of the
rugged road; which accommodated to the
f grouping of the trees, wound amidst brandies
adca with ripening fruit, till its rudeness
suddenly subsided in Ihe, velvet lawn that im
mediately surrounded the castle. The deep
moat, the draw-bridge, the ivied tower and
arched portals, opening into the sqn. • * court
had a feudal and picturesque character,fand
combined with the reserved tints and fine re
pose of evening, associated with that exul
tation of feeling which belonged to the mo
ment preceding a first interview with those,
on whom the mind lias long dwelt with admi
ration or interest.
We found general La Fayette surrounded
by his patriarchal family;—Iris excellent son
and daughter in law, his two daughters (the
shearers of his dungeon in Olmutz) and their
husbands; eleven grand children, and a ven
erable grand uncle, the cxgrand prinrof Mal
ta, with hair as white as snow, and his cross
and his order worn as proudly as when he
had issued forth at the head of Iris pious
troops, against the “paynimfoe,” or Chris
tian enemy. Such was the group tli
eel us in the saloon of La Grange;
the close knit circle that made our bre
and our dinner party; accompanied 1* in our
delightful rambles through the grounds and
woods of La Grange, and constantly presen
ted the most perfect unity of family interests,
habits, taste, and affections.
We naturally expect to find strong traces
of time in the form of those, with whose name
and deeds we have been long acquainted; of
those who had obtained the suffrages of the
world, almost before we had entered it. But,
on the person of La Fayette, time lias left no
impression; not a wrinkle farrows the ample
brow; and Iris unbent and noble figure is still
upright, hold, and vigorous, as tiic mind
tiiat forms it. Grace, strength, and dignity,
still distinguishes the fine person of this ex
traordinary man; who, though more than
forty years before the world, engaged in
scenes of strange and eventful conflict, does
not yet appear to have reached iris climacte
ric. Bustling and active in iris farm, grace
ful and elegant in his saloon, it is difficult to
trace, in one of the most successful agricultu
rists, and one of the most perfect fine gentle
men that France has produced, ? warrior and
a legislator. The patriot, however, is always
disccrnahle.
In the full possession of every faculty and
talent lie ever possessed, the memory of M
La Fayette lias all the tenacity of unworn
youthful recollection; and, besides these, high
views of all that is noble in the mind’s con
ception. Ilis converstion is brilliantly en
riched with anecdotes of all that is celebra
ted, in character and event, for tin* last fif
ty years. He, still talks with unwearied de
light of his short visit to England, to Ills
friend Mr. Fox, and dwelt on the witchery
of the late dutcliess of Devonshire, witli al
most boyish enthusiasm. lie speaks and
writes English with the same elegance lie
does his native tongue. He lias made him,
self master of all that is best worth knowing,
in English literature and philosophy. I ob
served that his library contained many of our
most eminent authors upon all subjects. Ilis
elegant, and well chosen collection of books,
occupies the highest apartments in one of the
towers of the chateau; and, like the study of
Montaigne, hangs over the farm yard of the
philosophical agriculturist. “It frequently
happens,*' said M. La Fayette, as we were
looking out of the window at some flo ks
which were moving beneath, “it frequently
happens that my merinos, and my hay carts,
dispute my attention with your Huuie, or our
own Voltaire.”
He spoke with great pleasure on the visit
paid him at La Grange some years ago, by
Mr. Fox and General Fitzpatrick. lie took
me out, tlio morning after my arrival, to show
me a tower, richly covered with ivy. “It
was Mr. Fox,” said he, “who planted that
ivy! I have taught my grand-children to vc
novate it.”
The chateau La Grange docs not, however
want other points of interest.—Founded by
Louis Le Gros, and occupied by the princes
of Lorraine, the mark of a cannonball is
still visible in one of its towers, which pen
etrated tiic masonry, when attacked by Mar
«lial Turenne. Here in the plain, but spa
cious, salon-amanger, the pheasantry of the
neighbourhood, and the domestics of jthe
castle, assemble every Sunday evening in the
winter, to dance to the violin of the concierge,
and are regaled with cakes, and cau gucree.
The General is usually, and his family are
always, pr;*ent, at these rustic halls. The
young people occasionally danco among the
tenantry, and set the example of new steps,
freshly imported by their Paris dancing-mas
ter.
In the summer this patriarchal rc-union
takes place in the park, where a space is
clared for the purpose, shaded by the lofty
trees which encircle it. A thousand times,
in contemplating La Fayette, in midst of his
charming family, the last years of the life of
the Chancellor de l'Hopital recurred to me;
he, whom the naive Brantomc likens to Cato;
and who loving liberty as lie hated faction,
retired from a court unworthy of his virtues
to his little domain of Vignay, which he cul
tivated himself, Ac. Ac.
Mr. Laclotte has arrived in New-York, with
his print of the battle ot Ncw-Orleans, engra\-
ed in France. He hag besides a portrait of gen.
Jackson. The battle is twenty-six by twenty-
two inches, ami its accuracy is attested to by all
the officers of the army who resided at New Or
leans when the drawing wis completed.
BIOGRAPHY.
FROM Y.’JLKi S&Uti’n MEMOIRS.
GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
He had been introduced at an early age im
to the ltoyaf American or 60th Brills Q res
giment, and during the seven years’ war,
had seen a great deal of active service under
distinguished commanders. He served at
the taking of Lecsburgli under general Am
herst, and the next campaign carried a pair
of colours on the plains of Abraham, the
day that General Wolfe bartered Iris life for
deathless renown. The native ingenuity, li
beral education, literary taste, and polished
address of ensign St. Clair, could not escape
tiic observation of the conqueror of Canada,
and liis able coadjutors, Moncton, Town-
shend and Marry; and the circumstance of
their attentions, enlarged Iris sphere of infor
mation, and gave scope to his genius and dis-
piudtion. After the peace of 1763, lie sold
o^B|nd entered into trade, for which the ge
nerally of his nature utterly disqualified him;
lie, of course, soon became disgusted with a
profitless pursuit, and having married, after
several vicissitudes of fortune,lie located him-
geltin Ligonicr valley, west of the Alleghany
■on tains, and near the; ancient route from
KTTadcpiiia to Pittsburg. In this situation
tifcB American revolution found him, surroun
ded by a rising family, in the enjoyment oi
case and independence with the fairest pros-
lhas
MONITORIAL.
REVERENCING THE DEITY.
In many persons a seriousness ami sense of
ave overspread Hip imagination whenever
tko idea of the Snnbomc Being j4 presented
t# their thoughts. 'This effect, which forms
a considerable sec Irity against vice, lS tiis
consequence not sr much of reflection, an of
aahit; which lialii being generated l>y the
external expressio s of reverence, which wu
asc ourselves, or o serve in others, may h e
destroyed by caus * opposite to these, and es
pecially by tiiat 1 miliar Jovity with wiiirh
some learn to spe;. of the Deity, of his atti i-
outes, providence revclati ms, or worship!
God hath been pie ied.no matter for what ret!
son, although pro ibly for this, to forbid th*
vain mention of hi name, “thou shait not take
the name of the L rd (by God in vain.” Now
the mention is va , when it is useless ; and it
is useless, when i .s neither likely nor inten
ded to serve any ;ood purpose; as when it
flows from the Ji| of idle and unmeaning, or
is applied upon o visions inconsistent with a-
ny consideration [‘religion or devotion, or to
express our ang(, our earnestness, our cou
rage, or our mir ;nr indeed, when it is used
at ail, except in jits of religion, or in serious
and seasonable ^course upon religious sub
jects. The probation of the third command
ment is rccognijd by Christ, in his sermon
upon the mounj which sermon adverts to
poet of affluent fortune, tho foundation of j none but the iinjd parts of the Jewish law.
which had been already established by his (“I nay untoyoiewear not at all; but let your
intelligence, industry and enterprise. From j comm nniratinnpc yea yea, nay nay; for
this peaceful abode, these sweet domestic en-{whatsoever is fire than these, coijietli ofe-
joyments and flattering prospects which ac- vil.” The Jewirobably interpreted the pro~
ompanied them, lie was drawn by tiic claims hibition as resumed to the name Jehovah,
if a troubled country. A man known to have the name whirjthe Deity had appointed „ti,|
been a military officer and distinguished for appropriated tjliiinself. Exod. vi. 3. Tii*
words of Chi t extend the prohibition be
yond the tianukf God to every thing associ*
ated with the lea. “Swear not, neither by
knowledge and integrity could not, in those
times, he concealed even by his favourite
mountains, and therefore, without applica
tion or expectation on his part, he received
the commission of colonel in tins mont h of De
cember, 177-'>, together with a letter from
president Hancock, pressing him to repair
immediately to Philadelphia, lie obeyed the
summons, and took leave not only of his wife
and children, but in effect of his fortune, to
embnrk in the cause of liberty and the Uni
ted Colonics. In six weeks lie completed the
levy of a regiment of 750 men; six compa
nies of which marched in season to join our
troops before Quebec; he followed with the
other four in May, and after the unlucky af
fair of Three Rivers, by his counsel to gen.
Sullivan at Sorel, he saved the army we had
in Canada.—Subsequently to these events lie
rose to the rank of major-general, and w as
honored with the confidence and friendship
of Gen. Washington to the day of his death.
At Trenton he saved the army by the llank
movement to the right, which he recommend
ed in conn-il on the night the of 2d January,
-1777; and at Ticonderoga, in the same year,
l beheld him rising superior to the selfish
obligations which fetter mankind; and by
preferring the safety of the army confided to
his charge, to the bloody honours which were
within liis reach; lie voluntarily plunged
himself into the gulpli of popular detraction.
Well do I remember liis reply to me, when
deploring the necessity of our retreat, “ it
must he so, my boy, ’tis not in mortals to
command success, hut we’il do more, we will
deserve it. I know I could save my charac
ter by sacrificing the army; but were I to do
so, I should forfeit tiiat which the world can
not restore, and which it cannot take away—.
the approbation of my own conscience.”
TALLEYRAND.
“ I had frequently seen this celebrated per
sonage and future historical character, at
court; upon other public occasions, in the
hustle of processions, at the nuptial pomp of
Royalty, undey the holy dome of NotreDame,
at the deepest tragedy,at the liveliest comedy,
amidst the soiemuity of tiic royal chapel and
the revelry of the feasting court: but I saw
him always the same ; cold, motionless, not
abstracted, hut unoccupied, not absent, but
unmoved ; no tint varying the colourless hue
of liis livid compaction, no expression mark
ing its character ou his passive countenance,
tlw figure seemed the shell of a human frame,
despoiled of its organic arrangements : or if
tlie heart heat or tiic brain vibrated, no pow
er of penetration could reach the rccessi s of
the one or guess at the working ofthe other.
From the mind of this man the world seemed
contemptuously shut out; and if this most im
passable form and face indicated character or
opinion, one would have thought at the first
glance, this is surely the being w ho has said,
“ speech was given to man to conceal liis
thoughts.” It seemed as if the intimacy of
love, tfie confidence of friendship, tiic commu
nity of counsel, could never draw the mind to
that countenance, which, amidst all the vicis
situdes, versatility, changes, and contrasts in
the life of its owner, had never been
“ A book, in which men read strange things V
LAOS Mouoair.
KING OF HAYTI.
As a soldier he is valorous and skilful;
in council lie is shrewd and judicious ; in con
versation familiar aW condescending ; with
tlie eye of a physiognomist, he appears to
read the characters of men; lie is indefatiga
ble in attention to business ; in fine lie is mas
ter of all details ; and persons or things with
whom or vvliicli he is once acquainted, he is
never known to forget.
heaven, for it
God’s throne; nor by the earth.
for it is liis fotstool; neither by Jerusalem,
for it is the ci
of tlie Great King.”—Pu'ey,
PROSPKCTBS Oi?
TIE REFLECTOR.
WHATEVER is necessary to he, said of a
japer tiiat wit soon speak for itself muy'tKs
owiprised in j few words. The editor is in
ffeling and principle, decidedly a republican,
Attached to liur political institutions, and
ftieinlly to tin late, and present a.lininistra-
tiins of the general government. Tiiesa sen
timents will stamp the political character of
lis paper ; h it he does not think himself in-
fillible, or believe ail mot to he ignorant or
(•■Irrupt, who differ from him in opinion. Ilia
fellings are tolerant, and Ins conduct will bo
literal. He will duly respect the opinions of
this© who entertain sentiments different from
hi) own, and allow them to be heard if their
language anil manner give them a just claim
t.otlie courtesy. He will endeavor to avoid
pirty strife ami personal altercation, and la-
Inr assiduously to soften party aSperity, to
cdivinre that every difference of opinion is
lift a difference of principle, and to unite, as
Far as possible, the whole American family in
devotion to the happiness and glory of tlie re
public.
Butw'hile our country, Europe and the
virile world, except Spanish America, are at
p ace, and while there are so few subjects jp-
o) which public sentiment among ourselves i#
divided, the political department of the pa-
p«r must necessarily be circumscribed v. ithin,
narrow limits. The editor rejoices at this, as
it will give ample room and opportunity for
advancing objects of vital importance to the
country, such as river and canal navigation,
agriculture, and the usefd and domestic arts,
—for promoting tiic diffusion of scientific
knowledge—inculcating a taste for elegant li
terature, and for giving ardor to virtuous
principles and confidence to religious truths
—employments better suited to tiie editor's
feelings, and which liis judgment assures him
will be more beneficial to his country than a-
ny otter.
Tlie paper shall contain sketches of the proA
(■ceilings of the National and Georgia State)
Legislatures. Prices Current of Augusta, Sa
vannah and Milledgrville. Must of tlie Re
view?, Magazines and reports and transac
tions of learned bodies in America, will be
regularly examined, and their quintessence
radiated from tlie •* Reflector.” In fine, it
will Le tlie editor’s object “ to hold the Jilirror
up to nature, to shew Virtue her feature, and
Vice her image, and the very age and body of
the Time liis form and pressure.”
Conditions.—Tlie “ Reflector” will be pub
lished, weekly, in the town of Millcdgeville,
with a good type, on paper of Super-royal
size, and committed to the mail, or delivered
to subscribers in town, at three dollars a year,
payable in advance.
Advertisements that are not improper for
every eye, will he inserted on the usual terms.
Each year will comprise a volume, at the
end of which an extra sheet will be pub
lished containing a title page and a copious
tahle-oY reference. It is therefore hoped tlie
subscribers will preserve and bind their vo
lumes. The editor flutters himself that they
will be worth preserving, and that in future
yearn they will he advantageously consulted
as a correct history of passing events, and as
a repository of much agricultural, scientific
and literary matter of permanent interest and
value. f
J. B. HIVES.
