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THE

LONDON REVIEW,

AND

LITERARY JOURNAL,

FOR APRIL, 1818.

QUID SIT PULCHRUM, QUID TURPE, QUID UTILE, QUID NON.

Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent, during the Years 1799-1804, by Alexander de Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland. Written in French by Alexander de Humboldt, and translaled into English by Helen Maria Williams. Vol. III.

HE continuation of M. Humboldt's

when every subject connected with the Southern Continent of America acquires gmented interest and importance. Bat independent of circumstances which adventitiously enhance the value of the present volume, we are persuaded it will be found to possess peculiar attractions for the general reader: it is more cops in those personal details which universally interest and please; it offers striking examples of that peculiar style of description in which M. Humboldt is confessedly without a rival; and, above all (for the unscientific public), it affords more accurate information respecting the geography, the agriculture, the civil and political state of this immeuse country, than has been supplied by any preceding writer.

ing, that it was at Caraccas that M. Humboldt discovered a spirit more analogous to that of European society-it was at Caraccas that Franklin was honoured and Washington adored.

"Caraccas is the capital of a country which is nearly twice as large at Peru at present, and which yields little in extent to the kingdom of New Grenada. This country, which the Spanish government

General de Caraccas, or of the (united) provinces of Venezuela, has nearly a million of inhabitants, among whom are sixty thousand slaves. It contains, along the coast, New Andalusia, or the province of Cumana (with the island of Margaretta), Barcelona, Venezuela or Caraccas, Coro, and Maracaybo; in the interior, the provinces of Varinas and Guiana, the first along the rivers of Santo-Domingo and the Apure, the second along the Oroonoko, the Casiquiare, the Atabapo, and the Rio Negro. In a general view of the seven united provinces of Terra Firma, we perceive, that they form three distinct zones, extending from east to west.

"We find at first cultivated land along the shore, and near the chain A considerable part of this work is of the mountains on the coast; next occupied by an account of the Chayma savannahs or pasturages; and, finally, nations, and of the religious establish- beyond the Oroonoko, a third zone, ments which, under the name of Mis- that of the forests, into which we can sions, prevail in New Andalusia. M. penetrate only by means of the rivers Humboldt gives a pleasing sketch of that traverse them. If the native inhathe monks with whom he associated bitants of the forests lived entirely on at Caripe, and a delicious picture of the produce of the chace, like those of bis own contemplative and philosophi the Missoury, we might say, that the caf existence. To this is appended a three zones, into which we have dimasterly disquisition on the Chayma vided the territory of Venezuela, prelanguage, and on the constitution of sent an image of the three states of

Indian and Colonial society. We preface the following extract by remark Europ. Mag. Vol. LXXIII. April 1919.

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the pastoral life, in the savannahs, or lanos: and the agricultural, in the high vallies, and at the foot of the mountains on the coast. Missionary monks and a few soldiers occupy here, as in all America, advanced posts on the frontiers of Brazil. In this first zone are felt the preponderance of force, and the abuse of power, which is a necessary conse quence. The natives carry on a civil and sometimes devour one another. The monks endeavour to augment the little villages of their missions, by avail. ing themselves of the dissension of the natives. The military live in a state of hostility with the monks, whom they were intended to protect. Every thing offers alike the melancholy picture of misery and privations. We shall soon have occasion to examine more closely that state of man, which is vaunted as a state of nature by those who inhabit towns. In the second region, in the plains and the pasture grounds, food is extremely abundant, but has little variety. Although more advanced in civilization, men without the circle of some scattered towns do not remain less isolated from one another. At the view of their dwellings, partly covered with skins and leather, it would seem, that, far from being fixed, they are scarcely encamped in those vast meadows, which extend to the horizon. Agriculture, which alone lays the basis, and draws closer the ties of society, occupies the third zone, the shore, and especially the hot and temperate valleys in the mountains near the sea."

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"Where we seek to form a precise idea of those vast provinces, which have been governed for ages, almost like separate states, by viceroys and captainsgeneral, we must fix our attention at once on several points. We must dis tinguish the parts of Spanish America that are opposite to Asia, from those that are bathed by the Atlantic Ocean ; we must discuss, as we have already done, where the greatest portion of the population is placed; whether near the coast, or concentrated in the interior, on the cold and temperate table-lands of the Cordilleras. We must verify the numerical proportions between the natives and other casts; search into the origin of the European families; and examine to what race, in each part of the colonies, the greater number of whites belong. The Andalusian-Canarians of Venezuela, the Mountaineers,

and the Biscayans of Mexico, the Catalonians of Buenos Ayres, differ essentially in their aptitude for agriculture, the mechanic arts, commerce, and the objects connected with the unfolding of the intellect. Each of those races has preserved, in the New as in the Old World, the shades that constitute its national physiognomy; its harshness or mildness of character; its moderation, or its excessive desire of gain; its kind hospitality, or its taste for solitude. In the countries where the population is for the most part composed of Indians and mingled casts, the difference, that manifests itself between the Europeans and their descendants, cannot indeed be so strongly marked, as that which was observed anciently in the colonies of Ionian and Doric origin. The Spaniards transplanted to the torrid zone having become, under new skies, strangers to the remembrances of their mothercountry, must have felt more sensible changes than the Greeks settled on the coasts of Asia Minor, and of Italy, the climates of which differ so little from those of Athens and Corinth. It cannot be denied, that the character of the Spanish Americans has received different modifications from the physical constitution of the country; the isolated site of the capitals on the tablelands, or in the vicinity of the coasts; the agricultural life; the labour of the mines, and the babit of commercial speculations: but in the inhabitants of Caraccas, Santa Fe, Quito, and Bue nos Ayres, we recognize every where something that belongs to the race, and the situation of the people."

M. Humboldt discovered most science at Mexico, most literature at Lima, and the most enlightened views of policy in the Caraccas, where Washington was mentioned with veneration. In a population of fifteen millions, diffused over the continent, he computes three millions of the Creoles, or HispanoAmericans, allowing only two hundred thousand Europeans. The negroes, though unequally distributed, amount to a considerable number. Slavery in general assumes a milder form in the Spanish colonies; yet the most atrocious outrages are often committed, to which the legislature affords no redress.

We are tempted to present another short extract, in which M. Humboldt demonstrates that philosophy is not incompatible with poetry, and that the

laborious researches of science do not impede the exercise of a cultivated

taste.

"Nothing can be compared to the impression of majestic tranquillity which the aspect of the firmament inspires in this solitary region-following with the eye, at the entrance of the night, those meadows that bound the horizon, those plains covered with verdure and gently undulated, we thought we saw from afar, as in the deserts of the Oroonoko, the surface of the ocean supporting the starry vault of heaven; the tree under which we were seated, the luminous insects flying in the air, the constellations that appeared toward the south, every object seemed to tell us, that we were far from our native soilif amid this exotic nature the bellowing of a cow, or the roaring of a bull, were heard from the depth of a valley, the remembrance of our country was awakened, suddenly; in the sound they were like distant voices resounding from beyond the ocean, and with magical power transporting us from one hemisphere to the other."

Lellers from the Abbé Edgeworth to his Friends, wrillen between the Years

1177 and 1807, with Memoirs of his Life. By the Rev. Thomas R. England. 1818.

To rescue from oblivion the memory of superior virtue, to vindicate religion, and to give dignity to human nature, by exhibiting in his native colours one of the most valuable and distinguished characters of the day in which he lived ach is the avowed and laudable ob ject of the present very interesting publication.

The Abbé Edgeworth was in the number of those who shared in the perils and calamities of the French Revolution: but although it is notorious that he attended the ill-fated Louis to the scaffold, his exemplary character bas hitherto been little known, and but imperfectly appreciated.

The Abbé was born at Edgeworth's Tower, in Ireland, from whence his father, a Protestant clergyman, thought it advisable to emigrate, with his family, in consequence of having embraced the Catholic persuasion. From this period his second son Henry was destined for the church. Having completed his academical studies, he removed to Paris, and became an inmate in the seminary

of les Missions Etrangers, where he remained many years, eminently distinguished by his moral and religious conduct, and by his strict performance of his appropriate duties. In 1779, he was introduced to the court by being made Confessor to the Princess Elizabeth. From this moment he was devoted to the Royal Family, whom he followed through all the vicissitudes of fortune, with unshaken faith and fidelity.

Involved in the revolutionary persecution common to all the friends and partizans of that unfortunate family, he found it prudent to withdraw from Paris to Choisy, where, however, he was not permitted to remain in privacy. The occasion of his recall is related by himself, in a manner at once so interesting and so simple, that we cannot forbear to extract it for our readers. It affords, indeed, a fair specimen of the work; the intrin sic value of which is much enhanced by the judicious forbearance of the Editor, in permitting the Abbé's genuine epistolary composition to appear without correcting even those Gallic idioms which lend the stamp of unadulterated authenticity.

"The unfortunate Lewis XVI. fore

seeing to what lengths the malice of his enemies was likely to go, and resolved to be prepared at all events, cast his eyes on me to assist him in his last moments, if condemned to die; but would not make any application to the ruling party, nor even mention my name without my consent. The mes sage he sent was moving beyond expression, and worded in a manner which I never shall forget. A king, though in chains, had a right to command; but he commanded not. My attendance was requested, merely as a pledge of my affection for himas a favour which he hoped I would not refuse; but, as the service was likely to be attended with some danger for me, he dared not insist, and only prayed (in case I deemed the danger to be too great) to point out to him a clergyman wrthy of his confidence, but less known than I was myself; leaving the person absolutely to my choice.

"This message, as you may believe, gave me more to think than any mes sage I had received in my life. The general opinion was, that the clergyman called to that awful ministry would

not survive the prince; and it must be allowed, that the horrid policy that prevailed at that time made this opinion probable enough. However, as far as I can judge, this consideration was not the one which preyed most upon my mind; and if I do not deJude myself, I was perfectly resigned to my fate. But the confusion in which I saw the largest diocess of France, now committed to my care, was a consideration of far greater weight with me, as I clearly saw myself lost for it, whether I survived the King or not. However, being obliged to take my party upon the spot, I resolved to comply with what appeared to be, at that moment, the call of Almighty God; and committing to his providence all the rest, I made answer to the most unfortunate of kings, That whether he lived or died, would be his friend to the last.'

·

"As soon as I had given the final answer, I received orders to remain in Paris, and not to stir out of my house until I saw what turn affairs would take. Many days elapsed; and I leave you to judge, in what tortures of mind they were spent. However, I profited of them, to put my affairs in order to make my will, and provide, as well as I could, for the diocess, in case of death."

The Abbé continues to describe his impressions at that agonizing moment when he had just witnessed the last struggles of his injured sovereign.

"You will undoubtedly be curious by what luck I escaped the danger, which both friends and foes apprehended on this occasion, for my life. To this, the ouly answer I can give is, that I really know it not: all that I can say is, that as soon as the fatal blow was given, I fell upon my knees, and thus remained until the vile wretch, who acted the principal part in this horrid tragedy, came with shouts of joy, showing the bleeding head to the mob, and sprinkling me with the blood that streamed from it. Then, indeed, I thought it time to quit the scaffold; but casting my eyes round about, I saw myself invested by twenty or thirty thousand men in arms; and to pierce the crowd, seemed to me a foolish attempt. However, as I must take that party, or, by remaining, appear to share the public joy, my only resource was, to recommend myself to Providence, and steer my course to

wards the side on which the rank seemed to have less depth. All eyes were fixed on me, as you may suppose, but as soon as I reached the first line, to my great surprise, no resistance was made the second line opened in the same manner; and when I got to the fourth or fifth, my coat being a common surtout (for I was not permitted, on this occasion, to wear any exterior marks of a priest), I was absolutely lost in the crowd, and no more noticed than if I had been a simple spectator of a scene which for ever will dishonour France."

Sensibility, the Stranger, and other Poems. By W. C. Harvey. Foolscap Svo. pp. 319.

If the poetry of the present day was as generally profitable to its authors, as is the case with a few highly gifted indivi duals, we should cease to be surprised at the constant and unceasing increase of volumes, similar to that before us. The case is, however, far, very far, otherwise; and to the love of fame, rather than the desire of riches, must we look for the source of that unabating flood of poetry which sometimes threatens to overwhelm us.-The present production is scarcely in any res pect distinguished from the multitude of its compeers. The language is in most instances correct and elegant, and the fables are in general appropriate and interesting: but in the present age, this is scarcely to be termed a compli ment, as the art of writing good poetry appears of much easier acquisition than formerly; and though our great poets are not, perhaps, increased in number, our second-rate bards are certainly far superior to those of any former æra. Youth, our author tells us, might he offered as an apology for bad rhyming; but he wishes not to propitiate criticism by any such assertion:" of course, he does not deprecate our severity, and has no right, therefore, to expect a leuiency which he does not solicit. The present Poems, however, require not the advantage of any such trite excuse; and with a general ap proval of the volume, we will point out only two defects, as being those which our critical duties would not permit us to pass over.-Page 199 contains a most palpable plagiarism from a poem generally attributed to the pen of Lord BYRON, and so little altered, as to

induce us to suppose, that the soi-disant
author must have long since given over
blasting as an inconvenient appendage
to authorship; the other blameable
piece, occurs at page 261, and should
the work ever happily reach a second
edition, we hope Mr. Harvey will make
the amende honorable for these impro-
prieties in his first.
T.

As History of Muhammedanism: comprising the Life and Character of the Arabian Prophet, and succinct Accounts of the Empires founded by the Muhammedan Arms: an Inquiry into the Theology, Morality, Laws, Literature, and Usages of the Muselmans, and a View of the present State and Extent of the Muhammedan religion. By Charles Mills. The Second Edition, revised and augmented. pp. 490. THE analogy between the natural and moral worlds suggests many arguments capable of removing the secret doubts of the wavering, and of repelling the open blasphemy of the infidel. Though analogical reasoning is not the highest species of proof, yet it has its merits, and those are peculiar. Moral certainty may be attained by the evidence of facts, and may produce submission of mind, but reasonableness is as important as authority; and when we know that any objections to Christianity strike at the root of religion altogether, the most daring sceptic will pause before he runs into the dreary wastes of Atheism. The existence of evil in the moral world, the varied dispensation of the gifts of Providence to the natural, are facts plain, palpable, and solemn; and imply the agency and creation of some superior Being. The gradual progression of nature's works is evident to the most careless enquirer, and that great law and principle must rise into the mind, whenever it is tempted to ask the question, why Christianity was not contemporaneous with the birth of time. The variegated appearance of the natural and intellectual worlds, is as striking as the fact is true, that the sun of Christianity has as yet but partially shone. Comparative similarity of design, appears in nature and grace; and reason and revelation cry aloud, that the God of this earth and the God of the Christians are the same. If, then, inequality does not imply imperfection, we cannot wonder at the origin and continuance of the Muhammedan, or

any other false religion. In the six thousand years which the world has counted, scourges and evils of every sort have existed, and Muhammedanism after Christianity, is no greater proof of the failure of the divine goodness, than the existence of Paganism before it.

The volume now under notice, presents us with a liberal view of the history and actual state of the professors of Islamisin, with the causes and mode of the establishment of the religion: and no writer could select a more interesting subject. It comprises a period of twelve hundred years; it covers a large space of geography, and it is connected with the temporal and spiritual happiness of a population scarcely inferior to the Christian world. If the subject be interesting, the mode of treating it is equally difficult, and these two circumstances have a reciprocal influence in estimating the merits of the work before us. Difficulty will beget candor in the reader, and interest will forbid presumption in the writer. More than half of this volume is occupied with a sketch of the annals of the various people who have embraced Islamism, so far as those annals are connected with the establishment of the religion. The graud and general features of this portion of history, the causes and consequences of events are all that are important. The details are ever the same, ever savage, brutal, and sanguinary. Yet in this map of human woe, the philosophical observer of man casts his eye on some particular characters. Our attention is arrested by the author of a mighty revolution. Fanaticism gave rise to his empire, and the sword spread it from the Ganges to Gibraltar. Mahmud, the founder of the Muhammedan sovereignties in India, and Tamerlane, are names familiar in our mouths; but Zingis was the greatest of all the Tartarian heroes. His power died not with him. When he descended into Persia with four hundred thousand men, he did not head the undisciplined rabble of Tartary, but a well governed people; and at his death he left a fair and ample inheritance to his children. Mr. Mills' comparative view of Zingis and Timour, is one of the best executed passages, and the most original portion of the bistorical part of his book. It' is, however, too long for an excerpt.

When the din of arms had ceased, and the standard of Islamism was dis

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