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VOLNEY (C. F.)

L'Alphabet Européen, appliqué aux langues asiatiques, ouvrage élémentaire, utile à tout voyageur en Asie. Paris, 1819, 1 vol. 8vo. “This volume is a continuation and completion of a work of M. de Volney, entitled' Simplificateur des langues orientales ou Méthode nouvelle et facile d'apprendre les langues arabe, persanne, turque, avec des caractères européens.' The curious in etymological studies, will find in this work many learned views, and scientific observations."-Revue Ency. vol. 2, p. 115-117.

Les Ruines, ou Méditations sur les Révolutions des Empires. Paris, 1821, 1 yol. 8vo.

"Volney was indefatigable in his search after Truth; not content with what Books contained, he sought it in the wilds of Egypt and Syria. He braved hunger and thirst, and exposed himself to every danger. He mixed with tribes of Arabs, learned their language, and adopted their customs. Arrived before the ruins of Palmyra, his admiration knew no bounds, and here those inspirations took place which he has transmitted to Posterity."-Revue Ency. vol. 11, p. 174.

POETRY, NOVELS,

THE DRAMA, &c.

INTRODUCTION.

The most celebrated epoch of French literature, particularly in the departments of Poetry and the Drama, may be dated from the days of Corneille down to those of Voltaire. The chefs-d'œuvres produced during this period are much too numerous to be characterised here. We must be content to refer the reader to the account of the works of CORNEILLE, RACINE, MOLIÈRE, VOLTAIRE, &c. to be found in the succeeding pages. The name of LA FONTAINE is dear to every lover of nature; his fables, a compound of gaiety, grace, and elegance, have justly procured him the name of the inimitable. BOILEAU, though less read in England, still enjoys a high and well-deserved reputation. The same may be said of J. B. ROUSSEAU. Though few among the modern Poets of France will bear a comparison with those just mentioned, the productions of DELILLE, ANDRIEUX, DELAVIGNE, the two LE BRUN, LAMARTINE, JOUY, BERANGER, and TASTU, have a great number of admirers.

As novellists, after LESAGE and SCARRON, may be placed PRÉVOST and PIGAULT LEBRUN, ROUSSEAU, MARMONTEL, and ST. PIERRE. Among the names of female novel writers, those of STAEL, COTTIN, GENLIS and Souza are so well known as to require only to be mentioned.

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