utmost, and had spoken impieties enough to bring down the thunder upon the house, if it fell for such things. The Abbé Galliani, Secretary of the Embassy of Naples, had listen ed with patience to all this dissertation; at length, rising, Messieurs,' said he, Messieurs les philosophes, not so fast, if you please. I shall commence by acquainting you, that if I were Pope, I'd send you all to the Inquisition, and if King of France, to the Bastille; but, as I have the good luck to be neither the one nor the other, I shall return here on Thursday next, and you shall grant me the patience I have bestowed on you. Agreed, cried we, atheists and all, on Thurs day.' Thursday arrives: after dinner and coffee, the Abbé seats himself in his chair, crosses his legs according to custom, and taking his wig from his head with one hand, it being warm, and gesticulating with the other, he thus commenced:- I suppose, gentlemen, that he amongst you who is most convinced that the world is the work of chance, playing at dice, and that his antagonist throws once, twice, thrice, every time, the cast of six. For as short a time as the game does last, my friend. Diderot, who is losing his money, exclaims, that the dice are loaded, and that I am a scoundrel. Ah! my good philosopher, because ten or twelve casts of dice have made you lose six francs, you believe firmly that it must be in consequence of some adroit manœuvre, or artificial combination; and yet seeing, in this universe, effects produced a thousand times more difficult, more complicated, more sustained, and more useful, you never suspect that the dice of nature are prepared, et qu'il y a là haut un grand fripon qui se fait un jeu de vous attraper," &c. Morellet proceeds to relate how he himself maintained the dispute against an obstinate neighbour, to whom he addresses a letter the next day, with the facetious commencement of Monsieur, et très cher athée. When such were the professors and defenders, of religion in the country, we no longer wonder that churchmen were decreed to be but a useless and expensive body. The illustrations of the Abbé Galliani, so much admired by Morellet, seem to us to offer a very poor sample of those all-intelligent discussions, and we have no doubt that the argufyings to which it was an answer were quite as stupid as itself. Had a single spirit, such as Pascal, lived in those times, he would have made minced-meat of the whole tribe, atheists, theists, religionists, and all, who, in their assembled sovereignty of intellect, have not bequeathed to the world even the shadow of a new truth. But if we were to condemn, as it me rits, this compromising spirit in a minister of religion like Morellet, what words could we find to stigmatize such churchmen as Gregoire, Sieyes, and Bishop Talleyrand. In 1772 the Abbé took a trip to England, on a visit to Lord Shelburne, and gratefully records the attention and the amusement he received in London. He does justice to the merits of Garrick, whom he compares to Le Kain. Garrick placed him in the or chestra at Drury-Lane, strictly for bidding him to look at the book of the piece, with which the Abbé had pro vided himself. "I ventured to disobey him once or twice," says Morellet, "but he threw such looks at me from the stage, that I was obliged to shut the book altogether; and although the words were lost to me, Garrick made the sense of the acting quite intelligible." He seems to dwell with great pleasure on his stay in England, and mentions a dinner on the grass, near Plymouth, endeared to him by hearing some young ladies bien chanter a Scottish song, of which, says he, j'etais very fond. It was The Lass of Patie's Mill. At the peace of 1783, Lord Shelburne requested the French minister to bestow an Abbey on Morellet, in return,' as Lord S. politely said, for the latter's having liberalized his ideas on the subject of commercial regulations. Vergennes gave the Abbé a pension, although by that time the English minister was out of power. While in England, Morellet formed an intimacy with Franklin, which was renewed when Benjamin took up his residence at Passy. Whatever may be The chief street of Passy is called Rue Franklin; also there is the Barrière Franklin, that enters from Passy to Chaillot. VOL. XI. Y I ver disturbed the connexions of private intimacy; while, on the contrary, Turgot never could conceal his dislike to the Genevieve banker, and once, in particular, treated him with a rude ness that would have justified/retali-s ation. Before, however, Morellet had entered the lists of political contention, he had laboured privately for the Encyclopaedie, and furnished the articles of Foi, Fatalité, Gomaristes which, by the by, it is a wonder that Diderot and D'Alembert would have given up to another, especially a young writer, since they were such excellent themes for the inculcation of their doctrines. But, indeed, we should not wonder that any degree of intellect or ardour should grow weary in the composition of an Encyclopædia. The Abbé also contributed forcibly to wards overthrowing the reverence due to the Romish Hierarchy, by publishing, under the title of " Manuel des Inquisiteurs," a translation and compendium of an old and forgotten work, which he had found in Italy, written by a grand Inquisitor of the fourteenth century. His other literary productions at this period of his life were, a translation of Beecaria's treatise, some attacks on Le Franc, Le Pompignan, for one of which he was lodged in the Bastille, and the commencement and plan of a Dictionary of Commerce, which the troubles of the Revolution, and his consequent poverty, obliged him to abandon. The world has heard enough about the literary society of France, that assembled at Madame Geoffier's, Madame Neckar's, and the Baron de Holbach's; but as these Memoirs are the cope stone to the voluminous private his tory of those times, we may be allow ed to translate a few extracts. Madame Geoffier was timid in permitting political discussions at her parties, whence the wits frequently retired from her saloon to that of some umbrageous tree in the garden of the Thuilleries, where they talked republicanism under the shade of the royal palace. Before Madame Neckar, free opinions were also constrained on the subject of religion; it was at De Holbach's alone that every thing in the shape of argument was welcome; here were to be seen, not only the beaux esprits of France, but also the foreign faces, which Morellet enumerates, of Hume, Wilkes, Sterne, Galliani, Beccaria, Caraccioli, Lord Shelburne, the Conte de Creuze, Veri, Frizi, Garrick, the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, Franklin, Priestley, Colonel Barré, the Baron d'Alberg, &enus de EHeare the worthy Abbe's own ac count of himself and friends: sa "The Baron d'Holbach had regu larly two dinners every week, Sunday and Thursday, at which were assem bled, without prejudicing the visits of other days, generally from twelve to twenty men of letters and taste. There was always plain cheer, but good, excellent wine, excellent coffee, much disputing, and never quarrelling, sitplicity of manners without rudeness, and mirth without folly. Frequently a single person took the word, and proposed his opinions, whatever they might be, peaceably, and without being interrupted. At other times there was single combat in form, of which the rest of the so ciety remained tranquil spectators "a species of deference rarely to be met with elsewhere. It is there that I have heard Roux and Darcet pro pound their theory of the earth-Mar montel, the excellent principles sub sequently digested in his Elements of Literature-Raynal detail, to the very livres, sous, and deniers, the commerce of the Spaniards with the Phi lippines and Vera Cruz, and that of England with her colonies the Am bassador of Naples, and the Abbé Galliani, tell us long stories after the Italian fashion, a species of drama, which we always heard to the endDiderot discuss a question of philosophy, of the arts, or of literature, and, . by his copiousness, his eloquence, and 3 look of inspiration, forcibly attract the attention. It is there, if I may men tion my own name by the side of those so much my superiors, that I have been permitted to develope, more than once, my principles of public economy. And there also, it must be confessed, “ Diderot, Dr Roux, and the worthy Baron himself, established dogmati cally their creed of absolute atheism→→→ that of the Système de la Nature, with an internal persuasion and a goodb faith, edifying even for those who, like myself, dissented from their opi-” nions, &c. "I shall never forget a very good ing after dinner on this subject; Discene one evening. We had been talkderot and Roux had argued to their utmost, and had spoken tmpleties enough to bring down the thunder upon the house, if it fell for such things. The Abbé Galliani, Secretary of the Embassy of Naples, had listen ed with patience to all this dissertation; at length, rising, Messieurs," said he, Messieurs les philosophes, not so fast, if you please. I shall commence by acquainting you, that if I were Pope, I'd send you all to the Inquisition, and if King of France, to the Bastille; but, as I have the good luck to be neither the one nor the other, I shall return here on Thursday next, and you shall grant me the patience I have bestowed on you.' Agreed, cried we, atheists and all, on Thurs day.' Thursday arrives: after dinner and coffee, the Abbé seats himself in his chair, crosses his legs according to custom, and taking his wig from his head with one hand, it being warm, and gesticulating with the other, he thus commenced:- I suppose, gentlemen, that he amongst you who is most convinced that the world is the work of chance, playing at dice, and that his antagonist throws once, twice, thrice, every time, the cast of six. For as short a time as the game does last, my friend Diderot, who is losing his money, exclaims, that the dice are loaded, and that I am a scoundrel. Ah! my good philosopher, because ten or twelve casts of dice have made you lose six francs, you believe firmly that it must be in consequence of some adroit manoeuvre, or artificial combination; and yet seeing, in this universe, effects produced a thousand times more difficult, more complicated, more sustained, and more useful, you never suspect that the dice of nature are prepared, et qu'il y a là haut un grand fripon qui se fait un jeu de vous attraper," &c. Morellet proceeds to relate how he himself maintained the dispute against an obstinate neighbour, to whom he addresses a letter the next day, with the facetious commencement of Monsieur, et très cher athée.. When such were the professors and defenders of religion in the country, we no longer wonder that churchmen were decreed to be but a useless and expensive body. The illustrations of the Abbé Galliani, so much admired by Morellet, seem to us to offer a very poor sample of those all-intelligent discussions, and we have no doubt that the argufyings to which it was an answer were quite as stupid as itself. Had a single spirit, such as Pascal, lived in those times, he would have made minced-meat of the whole tribe, atheists, theists, religionists, and all, who, in their assembled sovereignty of intellect, have not bequeathed to the world even the shadow of a new truth. But if we were to condemn, as it me rits, this compromising spirit in a minister of religion like Morellet, what words could we find to stigmatize such churchmen as Gregoire, Sieyes, and Bishop Talleyrand. In 1772 the Abbé took a trip to England, on a visit to Lord Shelburne, and gratefully records the attention and the amusement he received in London. He does justice to the merits of Garrick, whom he compares to Le Kain. Garrick placed him in the or chestra at Drury-Lane, strictly for bidding him to look at the book of the piece, with which the Abbé had pro vided himself. I ventured to disobey him once or twice," says Morellet," but he threw such looks at me from the stage, that I was obliged to shut the book altogether; and although the words were lost to me, Garrick made the sense of the acting quite intelligible." He seems to dwell with great pleasure on his stay in England, and mentions a dinner on the grass, near Plymouth, endeared to him by hearing some young ladies bien chanter a Scottish song,' of which, says he, j'etais very fond.' It was The Lass of Patie's Mill. At the peace of 1783, Lord Shelburne requested the French minister to bestow an Abbey on Morellet, in return, as Lord S. politely said, for the latter's having liberalized his ideas on the subject of commercial regulations. Vergennes gave the Abbé a pension, although by that time the English minister was out of power. While in England, Morellet formed an intimacy with Franklin, which was renewed when Benjamin took up his residence at Passy. Whatever may be The chief street of Passy is called Ruc Franklin; also there is the Barrière Franklin, that enters from Passy to Chaillot. VOL. XI. our opinions of Franklin with respect to his public conduct, he certainly is one of the most original independent minds on record. In his lighter productions, we know of no one, except indeed Goldsmith, who can lay an equal claim with him to the epithet of genuine. The little parable of his quoted by Home, is perhaps the only imitation of inspired writing in our language that deserves to be tolerated. Morellet has preserved many little sketches and anecdotes of his; one upon drinking, with fac simile illustrations, which we shall pass by, it being more witty than decorous. His letter to Madame Helvetius we will endeavour to translate. Letter from FRANKLIN to MADAME Chagrined by the resolution, Madam, which you pronounced so strongly last night, to remain single all your life, in honour of your departed husband, I returned home, fell upon my couch, dreamt that I was dead, and found myself in the Elysian fields. They demanded if I wished to see any particular person. Yes,' said I, "bring me to the philosophers.-There are two, sir, living here in this garden, very good neighbours, and great friends. Who are they? Socrates and Helvetius. Indeed! I esteem them both prodigiously; but pray introduce me to Helvetius first, for I know somewhat of French, but the deuce a word of Greek. Helvetius received me with much courtesy, having known me by hearsay, he said, for some time. He asked me a thousand questions concerning the war, the present state of religion, and of the liberty and government of France. Are you not anxious to hear of your friend Madam Helvetius?" said Ishe loves you still excessively; 'tis not an hour since I have quitted her. Ah!" exclaimed he, you recall my ancient felicity; but we must forget such things here, if we would be happy. For some years I thought of nothing but her; at last I am consoled; I have taken another wife, as like her as I could find. She is not, to be sure, so well-looking, but she has all her good sense and amiability; her continual study is to please me, and she has this moment gone out to buy six penny-worth of nectar and ambrosia for my supper. Stay, and you shall see her. I perceive,' said I, that your old mistress has been more constant than you; for although she has received many good offers, she has refused them all. I must confess that I have loved her myself to folly; she was inexorable, and refused me, all for the love of you. 6 I am sorry for your ill success,' said he; for truly it is an amiable and a worthy woman. But the Abbé de la Roche, and the Abbé Morellet, are they not sometimes with her? "Oh yes,' said I; she has not lost one of her friends.'- Ah! if you had gained the Abbé Morellet, with a good cup of café à la crème, to speak in your favour, perhaps you might have succeeded; for a subtle reasoner he is, as Scotus or St Thomas, and puts forth his arguments in an irresistible order. Or if you had engaged the Abbé de la Roche, by the gift of some old classic, to speak against you, you might have carried 'your point; for I always observed, that when he counselled any thing, she became strongly inclined to the reverse. At these words entered the new Madam Helvetius with the nectar, whom instantly I recognized to be my old American friend Mrs Franklin. I reclaimed her; but she coldly addressed me: My good sir, I have been your obedient wife for fortynine years and four months-nearly half a century; be content with that. I have here formed a new connexion, which shall last to eternity. Discon tented with this reply of my Eurydice, I took the immediate resolution of quitting these ungrateful shades, and returning to earth, that I might behold the sun and you. Here I am. Let us avenge ourselves." At length literature commenced to reap the bitter fruits of the seed it had sown. Its followers at first regarded the tumult they had raised, with vanity and self-complacency, but they soon found that the only return accorded to their labours was contempt; and that contempt even did not save them from destruction. In the elections for the Tiers Etat, men of let Our respected Correspondent is not aware, that Benjamin stole this beautiful Apologue almost verbatim from Jeremy Taylor. C. N. ters were universally overlooked or de- Le fer, il boit le sang; le sang nourrit la rage, Et la rage donne la mort; While his brethren in the Convention were necessitated to be foremost in the attack on the dearest interests of their own profession, like mariners compelled to run their vessel upon their own shores for safety. Champ. fort attacked the French Academy, of which he was a member, and moved for its dissolution. Chénier spoke from the tribune a wretched tirade against the liberty of the press. To the honour of Morellet be it recorded, that he defended, if not effectually, at least fearlessly, those rights and privileges against his apostate brethren. 'Tis a wonder, as he himself says, how he escaped with his head: Chénier took a less wicked though a meaner revenge, by omitting the name of Morellet in his "Historical Picture of French Literature."+ Mirabeau, with the as sistance of Champfort, had fixed the day, and even written the speech, which was to decide the fate of the Academy, when the death of Mirabeau saved the institution for a while. It was in July, 1793, that it was visited by the officers of the Convention, and its doors sealed: Morellet succeeded in preserving the edition of the Dictionary they were preparing, as well as the archives and registers of the Society, by conveying them to his own house, whence he had the happiness to reproduce them on the restora tion of the Academy. He thus gives the political opinions of the body at the time of its dissolution. "There were a good many of us who were revolutionary in every sense of the word-La Harpe, Target, Ducis, Sedaine, Lemierre, Chamfort, Condorcet, Chabanon, Bauzée, Bailly, &c. Of the opposite party we may reckon Marmontel, Maury, Gaillard, the Maréchal de Beauvau, Brecquigny, Barthélemy, Rulhières, Suard, SaintLambert, Delille, Vicq-d'Azyr, myself, &c. I speak here but of those most forward to display their sentiments; and although I divide them but into two classes, do not pretend that there were not many different shades in the aristocratic or democra tic sentiments of both sides. The aristocracy of the Abbé Maury and the Abbé Delille, for instance, was more pronounced (to speak the language of the time) than either Suard's or mine; but there was little difference between the sentiments of our brethren who supported the Revolution, and I must confess to have frequently heard Chamfort and Sedaine, Ducis and La Harpe himself, who has since made-noble No one will accuse us of seeking to be the defenders of Roberspierre, but we wish to take notice of a palpable defect in Lacretelle's justly esteemed history of the Assemblée Constituante. That historian, though he fully execrates Roberspierre, and declares him to be equally devoid of talent as of humanity, yet quotes from the speeches of the sanguinary tyrant, the only two passages, perhaps, in which he displayed the least particle of genius, the one concerning the irresponsibility of sovereigns, which commences, "C'est créer un Dieu sur la terre,”—and the other, which we can by no means understand necessarily in a sanguinary sense," Perissent les colonies plutôt qu'un principe." These sentences, the only ones of Roberspierre quoted by Lacretelle, give an idea of the assassin's talent, quite contrary to what the historian intended. The fratricide Chénier has been introduced to notice lately by an article in the Edinburgh Review, in which he himself and his principles are treated with just indignation. Chénier was born in Greece, and was chosen member for Versailles in the National Convention. He faltered almost to fainting in the tribune, on voting the death of the King. It could not have been affectation, yet it is difficult to account for, in one that refused to speak a word in behalf of his brother's life. |