nitary a little out of his proper situation in these memoirs. Under such circumstances, we perhaps might take the liberty to consider M. de Pradt merely as a man of letters, who condescends both to write books and to sell them. Gil Blas teaches us, that no oratorical display, no brilliancy of figure can soften the severity of criticism; and perhaps the French prelate, notwithstanding his liberal notions, deserves no more mercy than the Spanish bishop. However, passing over the phraseology of M. de Pradt, our limits will perhaps allow us to notice a little contradiction in an interesting part of the production. In page 222 is given the moral portrait of Napoleon, and from this view of him it might be concluded, that the only defect of Bonaparte was an extraordinary impulse of mind, which led him to incessant versatility. Seeing always new relations of things, and constantly generating new ideas (to use his own words)" il changeoit tant qu'il y trouvoit plaisir et avantage, et faisoit, pour satisfaire son penchant a la mobilité, ce qui portoit avec soi l'apparence de l'ambition ou de défaut de sincérité. Dans plusieurs cas on l'a cru perfide, il n'etoit que changeant."-On this principle, the deformity of vice exhibited at Bayonne is but a trifling change of temper, and with such an extraordinary spirit of charity, we might even pardon Mr. Pradt himself. When our bishop, accustomed to the pleasures of a court, and to the indulgence of wealth during his mission to Warsaw, contented himself with a mean apartment unsuited to his office and his duties, because it cost him nothing, he was thought to be avaricious, but it was merely this frivolous defect of versatility; when he violently declaimed against the journalists, after having employed them to publish articles most gratifying to his pride, it was thought he was insincere, but it was mere versatility. When he revealed the secrets of his old master, and threw the dirt of abuse at him, after worshipping him as a god, it was conjectured that he was ungrateful, but it was simple unconscious versatility. The numerous accidents that occur by the clothes of females and children taking fire might be prevented, by the linen, of which their dresses are made, being passed through a solution of alum, which is an effectual security against their catching fire. Several beautiful petrifactions have been found at Wood-End, by Mr. Ryde of Awre. He has, also, from the wasting of the shore, occasioned by the subsiding of the Severn tides, discovered a petrified tooth of some enormous unknown animal. The school of sacred music in Edinburgh, at this time reckons more than 250 pupils: they are taught upon the German plan, viz. by means of a large black board, on which the master writes his lessons with chalk. Mr. J. A. Pope, translator of the Ardai Viraf Nameth, proposes to publish by subscription, the Maritime Philology of Hindustan, comprising a dictionary of all the sea terms used by the nations of Bengal, as well as those of Western India; with their derivations, and from whence adopted, with most of the proper names, in Arabic, Guzeratee, Concanee, and in the common jargon of Hindustan, in Chinese, and many in Malbaree and Malays; with a dissertation on the present state of Arabian, Indian, Chinese, and Malay navigation; and notices respecting all the maritime tribes. The work will include, beside the sea terms and phrases, many geographical and commercial terms and descriptions. To which will be prefixed a dissertation on the poems sung and recited by all the maritime tribes of Arabia and India. The readers of the Asiatic Journal cannot have failed to remark the literary activity which distinguishes all communications from Java. It would probably be derogating unjustly from the merits of the several members of the Literary and Scientific Society in that settlement, were we to forget any of them in our grateful acknowledgments for the industry which so manifestly prevails; but, at least till we are otherwise informed, we shall attribute a very large proportion of what we so much admire, to the excitement and example of its excellent president, governor Raffles. To the valuable account of a tour in Java, contained in the two preceding numbers of this journal, is added, in the present, a portion of a discourse delivered by the president on the 11th of September last, (see page 341.) The remainder will appear in the succeeding number. In that paper, the research, penetration, and grasp of mind of the president, have enabled him to present us with a hive of new and interesting materials. The theatre of his observations embraces the Eastern Islands, and extends to Japan. His philological remarks on the language of Celebes and Java are highly estimable, and important both to history and to the philosophy of the human mind. With respect to the Eastern Islands, he opens a new world of antiquities, of all the bearings of which he is not himself, perhaps, at present aware. Those who do not subscribe to all his conjectures, will yet thank him for all his information. The views and character of Japan, communicated on the authority of Dr. Ainslie, in this discourse, will be found gratifying, and, to most readers, unexpected in the extreme. The applause bestowed by the Japanese upon the work of Kampfer is a singular literary anecdote; and the fact, that the English language is studied by order of the emperor, and English books eagerly asked for in Japan, strongly marks the age in which we live, and the progress of human intercourse. "It is an extraordinary fact," says the president, "that notwithstanding the determination of the empire of Japan not to enter into foreign commerce, the English language, for seven years past, since the visit of captain Pellew, has in obedience to an edict of the emperor, been cultivated with considerable success, by the younger members of the college of interpreters, who, indeed, on occasion of Dr. Ainslie's mission, were anxious in their inquiries after English books." Mr. Raffles says, a commerce between this country and Japan might easily be opened; and we find it rumoured that the court of directors of the East India company is far from differing greatly in opinion with this gentleman upon the subject. To the ardent and indefatigable mind of Mr. Raffles, all external stimulus is perhaps superfluous; and still less can any increase of industry be expected from the humble tribute of applause which this journal is able to convey. Mr. Raffles is treading in a field of inquiry in which it seems probable that his name will never be forgotten. It is earnestly to be hoped that he has the means of procuring accurate drawings of the antiquities he describes. Though it has been said above, that much of that literary lustre which has been mentioned as now spread over Java, is probably derived from the excitement and example of Mr. Raffles, it is also to be confessed, that the president appears to be not without worthy associates, in major Johnson, captain Baker, lieutenant Heyland, and Drs. Horsefield and Ainslie; and, on the whole, there seems good reason to lament, that if any copies of the transactions of the Literary and Scientific Society of Java have reached England, they have at least, been very few in number. The twenty-fourth article of the Classical Journal contains, amid a variety of articles in classical, biblical, and oriental literature, an essay, the design of which is to trace the Abyssinians to a Hebrew origin, and a continuation of professor Scott's inquiry into the causes and diversity of the human character in various ages, nations, and individuals. Governor Raffles is said to be engaged in a translation of one of the old Javanese poems described in his discourse. The literary spirit in Java is not confined to the English inhabitants. "The angry discussions on Dutch colonial literature," says a Bombay paper of July last, "which have lately agitated the patriotic spirit of all genuine Hollanders have not yet subsid The gazettes of every succeeding week are vehicles of long philippics; several of which contain a considerable share of point and humour, and must be exceedingly amusing to those acquainted with the subject under disquisition, and the individual combatants." The excavations at Pompeii are prosecuted after a certain plan, so as to go round the whole town, which, when cleared from the ashes which cover it, will probably become one day the most remarkable monument of antiquity. Some men employed to sink a pit in Reading abbey, have found an ancient stone sarcophagus, which there is little doubt, from its being placed to the right of the altar in the church, formerly held the coffin of Henry the First, the founder of the abbey. The end of a thigh bone, nearly perished, was also discovered. The sarcophagus is seven feet in length, two feet six inches wide at the head, and two feet at the bottom; and seven inches and a half think. It is carved round in columns, and iron rings are fixed in the sides, and at each end. Several MSS. have lately been discovered in the house of Madame Lavater, belonging to her late husband. A Greek literary society has been recently established at Athens. It is composed of the most distinguished native and foreign literati residing in that city. JUST PUBLISHED. NEW MAPS. A topographical map of the province of Lower Canada, in two parts, which, when united, form an entire length of eleven feet by four and a half, on a scale of two and three quarter miles to an inch. This map displays the divisions of districts, counties, seigniories, and townships; the settlements, roads, rivers, and streams, with all the most prominent features of the country; the islands, rocks, shoals, soundings, &c. of the river St. Lawrence. A Topographical Description, in one volume royal octavo, containing accounts of all the seigniories and townships; their state of cultivation, and other peculiarities, with a great variety of local information, never before offered to the public; embellished by seventeen landscape views, plans, &c. Geographical Map (four feet by two and a half) of Upper and Lower Canada, and part of the United States of America; extending westward to the source of the river Mississippi, and eastward to Newfoundland, taking in all the territory between the 39th and 52d degrees of north latitude, thereby including the cities of Washington, Philadelphia, &c. By Joseph Bouchette, esquire, his majesty's surveyor general of Lower Canada, and lieutenantcolonel C. M.-Price 71. 7s. 6d. At a late meeting of the society for encouraging arts, manufac tures, and commerce, in the Adelphi, London, the vice-president, J. C. Curwen, Esq. M. P. delivered to lieut.-colonel Bouchette, of Quebec, the gold medal voted to him by the society as a mark of its approbation of the skill and ability shown in the construction of his topographical map of Canada; he was also elected a corresponding member of the society. |