In this manner he is

do him the honour of telling him your name. perpetually occupied: he has a part to act which renders serious thought unnecessary, and silence impossible. If he has been unfortunate, he recounts his distresses, and in doing so forgets them. His mind never reposes for a moment upon itself.'

Every thing in a French Diligence is life, and motion, and joy. The coach generally holds from ten to twelve persons, and is sufficiently roomy.-The moment you enter you are on terms of the most perfect familiarity with the whole set of your travelling companions. In an instant every tongue is at work, and every individual bent upon making themselves happy for the moment, and contributing to the happiness of their fellow-travellers. Talking, joking, laughing, singing, reciting,-every enjoyment which is light and pleasurable is instantly adopted.-A gentleman takes a box from his pocket, opens it with a look of the most finished politeness, and presents it, full of sweetmeats, to the different ladies in succession. One of these, in gratitude for this attention, proposes what she well knows will be agreeable to the whole party, some species of round game like our cross-purposes, involving forfeits. The proposal is carried by acclamation,-the game is instantly begun, and every individual is included.'

'The French carry on every thing in public, every thing, whether it is connected with business or with pleasure, whether it concerns the more serious affair of political government, or the pursuit of science, or the cultivation of art, or whether it is allied only to a taste for society, to the gratification of individual enjoyment, to the passing occupations of the day, or the pleasures of the evening, all, in short, either of serious or of lighter nature, is open and public. It is carried on abroad, where every eye may see, and every ear may listen.—

'The French nobility, and the men of property who still remain in the kingdom, invariably pass their lives in Paris. Their whole joy consists in exhibiting themselves in public in the capital. Their magnificent chateaus, their parks, their woods and fields, and their ancient gardens, decorated by the taste and often cultivated by the hands of their fathers, are allowed to fall into unpitied ruin. If they retire for a few weeks to their country-seat, it is only to collect the rents from their neglected peasantry, to curse themselves for being condemned to the triste sejour of their paternal estate; and after having thus replenished their coffers, to dive again, with renewed strength, into all the publicity and dissipation of the capital.'

We conclude our quotations by some curious passages relative to French dress, which were suggested to the travellers on visiting at the house of one of the principal lawyers at Aix.

'We were received in a very neat and very handsome furnished house. The mother and daughter were well and handsomely dressed. But seated on one side of the room, was a young man

in an old, dirty, torn great coat, with a Belcher handkerchief about his neck, a pair of old military trowers, of worse than second cloth, dirty white stockings, and his shoes down at the heel this was the counsellor's brother. Never was a more black guard-looking figure. But this is the French fashion in the morning, and often all day the gentlemen are seen in this way.'— 'Among the higher ranks of society you will find many obliging people; but you will also find many whose situation alone can sanction your calling them gentlemen. There appears also in France to be a sort of blending together of the high and low ranks of society, which has a bad effect on the more polite, without at all bettering the manners of the more uncivilized. Now, really, to find out who are gentlemen, and who not, without previously knowing something of them, or entering into conversation, is very difficult. In England, all the middling ranks dress so well, that you are puzzled to find out the gentlemen. In France, they dress so ill in the higher ranks, that you cannot distinguish them from the lower.'

In the higher ranks among the French, a gentleman has indeed a good suit of clothes, but these are kept for wearing in the evening on the promenade, or at a party. In the morning clothes of the coarsest texture, and often much worn, or even ragged, are put on. If you pay a lady or gentleman a morning visit, you find them so metamorphosed as scarcely to be known; the men in dirty coarse cloth great coats, wide sackcloth trowsers and slippers; the women in coarse calico wrappers, with a coloured handkerchief tied round their hair. All the little gaudy finery they possess is kept for the evening.'

In stating our objections to this work as a literary composition, we must remark that it contains, particularly in the second volume, too much detail about small matters; and, which is worse, somewhat of a disposition to go to extremes in the descriptive colouring both of places and individuals. This is more particularly apparent when the author is speaking of the disbanded soldiers of Bonaparte's army, whose aspect is repeatedly styled blackguard and ruffian-like.' Now, whatever may be their appearance from bad clothing or long exposure to the weather, the truth is that these men have lapsed very quietly into the labouring classes, and have scarcely ever been known to commit any of those offences which the sight of them suggested to the imagination of our travellers. Nothing can be a stronger proof of this fact than their forbearance from personal injury and insult towards either the royal party or the emigrants, at the time of the general flight in 1815. In the next place, it is much to be regretted that a respectable writer should have introduced into his pages the string of pretended anecdotes of Bonaparte, which are recorded in Vol. ii. p. 96, et seq.; and which,

whether they relate to his ferocity, his vanity, or, as is the case in one or two instances, to his humanity, we believe to be indiscriminately the fabrication of Parisian scribblers. The 'only part of this chapter that bears the appearance of authenticity is the narrative (p. 149.) of the sub-prefect of Aix, who accompanied Bonaparte from that town to the coast; and the insignificance of the particulars related by that officer affords presumptive evidence against the wondrous tales proceeding from more doubtful sources. Lastly, with regard to the typography of these volumes, we must observe that it is frequently incorrect, and discovers such errors as Russia (Vol. i. p. 252.) for Prussia; fonciese (Vol. i. p. 279.) for foncier; Essconne (Vol. ii. p. 5.) for Essonne; De Gominier (Vol. ii. p. 103.) for Dugommier, &c. Repetitions likewise occur frequently, and sometimes in passages very near to each other, as in the account of the Flemish farmers and cottages; who are represented on two occasions (Vol. i. p. 266. and 274.) as possessing over their French neighbours the same advantages in nearly the same words. We suspect, therefore, that the MS. has been sent to the press, and the work of the press sent into the world, each without sufficient revisal; an omission which it very often falls to our lot to reprehend, and which in the present case we notice the more because the writers are men of observation and reflection, and were evidently capable of careful and finished composition. The comments on the pictures and statues (Vol. i. p. 93. et seq.) will be read with particular interest.

ART. III.-1. Sermons by the late Rev. J. S. Buckminster, with a Memoir of his Life and Character. Boston. 1814. John Eliot. 8vo. pp. 430,

2. Sermons by the Rev. John B. Romeyn, D. D. Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Cedar-Street, New-York. In two volumes. 8vo. J. Seymour

3. The Life and Power of True Godliness; described in a Series of Discourses. By Alexander M'Leod, D. D. Pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, New-York. James Eastburn & Co. and William Gilley. 1816. 8vo. pp. 424.

4. Ten Sermons on Faith. By Ezra Stiles Ely, A. M. Pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church in the City of Philadelphia. Rufus Little. 1816. 12mo. pp. 216.

OUR

UR readers need not be alarmed at this array of theological title-pages. We are not about to become religious polemics; neither shall we set ourselves up for judges, in

all matters of faith and practice. The nature of our publication would forbid us to enter into any dispute about systems of religious opinion. There is, however, some connexion between the general literature of our country and the books which are published on the subjects of religion: and so far as sermons may be considered in a literary point of view, we are disposed to pay them some attention. Indeed, unless we pursue some such course as this, we shall be obliged to pass by, without appearing to observe, the greater part of the literary efforts of the clergy of the United States; for they ordinarily employ all their learning in the elucidation of some subject analogous to the nature of their profession. On this side of the Atlantic, at least, more than half of all the productions, which issue from the press, are written by men devoted to the public services of the church; and, if we examine the lists of new publications in the English journals, we shall find, in every department of letters, Reverend Bishops, Deans, Curates, and Pastors, by no means the least numerous class of authors. Until very lately, the lawyers and the physicians, in America, have been too busy to write much; or else have enjoyed so little of the public confidence, that a bookseller would not risk the publication of what they The ministers of religion, on the other hand, seem to have enjoyed more leisure; and almost any one of them may find so many purchasers among his own flock, and intimate acquaintance, as to defray the expense of a small edition. Hence it is, that you can scarcely find a clergyman, especially in New England, who has not published one or two Occasional Discourses, delivered either at the general election, an ordination, or a funeral. Volumes of sermons have, nevertheless, been rather scarce, among our publications; from no want of matter, we presume; nor from any disinclination to write; but from the reluctance of the people to purchase any writings, except those of some venerable English or Scotch divine. The only volumes of sermons of any considerable note which have originated in America, until those enumerated in the commencement of this paper, have been written by Drs. Edwards, Witherspoon, Davies, and Smith, Presidents of Princeton College; Macwharter and Griffin of New Jersey; Strong, Smalley, Bellamy, and Lee of Connecticut; President Nott, of New York; Lathrop (of West-Springfield), Emmons, Tappan, and Stillman, of Massachusetts; and Kollock, of Georgia. Dr. Nott's Sermons were first published separately; and have been since collected and republished. The Rev. Dr. Morse of Charles

wrote.

town, President Livingston, the Rev. Dr. Mason of NewYork, the Rev. Dr. Miller of Princeton, the late President Dwight, and Bishop White of Pennsylvania, have given the public one or two discourses at a time, very frequently, which, were they reprinted, after a due arrangement, would, we think, leave a lasting memorial of their respective authors. The sermons of Edwards, Witherspoon, and Emmons evince the strong predilection of their authors for metaphysical science. Of these three, the last writes in the most neat and lucid manner; but has less good sense than either. They were all metaphysicians of the school of Locke: but Edwards, on the laws of volition particularly, stood pre-eminent above all other writers. The sermons of Davies manifest a lively imagination and ardent feelings; but comparatively little of human reasoning. He was too much on fire to argue deliberately; but he adduced scripture to back his assertions; and overwhelmed his audience by eloquent interrogations. His sermons are perhaps among the most pathetic in our language. Nott's discourses, like those of Davies, are almost entirely addressed to the finer emotions of his audience; but they are somewhat stiff, and much more laboured than we could wish. He evidently thinks that religion is to be promoted in the world, rather by sensibility than by solid. reasoning. Bellamy was as ardent as Davies; but he has less refinement, and rather more logic. Lee is a plain sermonizer; but has considerable originality of thought, and gives us quite ingenious explanations of several difficult passages of the Bible. Griffin and Miller are smooth writers, and quite persuasive in their manner. Sometimes, however, the former thunders; while the latter is always like a clear morning in May. The Bishop of Pennsylvania is chiefly remarked for the mildness and dignity of his preaching. Dr. Morse shines in historical discourses; and excels in compiling from the best human authorities. He is always clear, often pungent; but not over fond of invention. Lathrop's sermons, and they are many, are written with great ease; but frequently resemble essays and commentaries, rather than systematic discourses. Tappan is rather more elegant and nervous than Lathrop; but in other respects much like him. Macwharter, Strong, Smalley and Stillman are all plain writers; who divide each text regularly; and then adduce a few passages of holy writ, with explanations, to support each grand, and subordinate division. Dr. Dwight was a man of extensive acquirements and flowing language. Redundancy in diction was his chief fault as a preacher. Dr. Mason seems