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Article REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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Review Of New Publications.
Notwithstanding his opinions , the style of Mr . Belsham is nervous ana elegant ; and , if he were an impartial writer , this history would be a valuable accession , to the stock of literature . A Sketch of Modern France , written in 1796 and 1797 , . luring a Tour . B y a Lady . Edited b y C . L . Moody , L I ... D . & c . 8-z / o . Boards . Cadell A / :. / Davies . THESE letters are well written , and have every appearance of being the
offspring of aCtual observation . We shall subjoin the following extracts from them , which , we have no doubt , will prejudice our readers in favour of the style and manner in which they are delivered . The first is a description of the Luxembourg palace , the seat ofthe Directory , and an account of . 1 public audience , at which the writer was present .
. ' The petitioners are admitted within a kind of barrier ivhich divides the room by the huissiers ( who are dressed in a costume truly Vandyke ) , and there seat themselves on fautcitils or arm-chairs ranged in a circular form , whilst the lookers-on are only permitted to stand in the background ; bu ^ being introduced as a stranger , I had I honneur dc la seance , and was consequently admitted within the circle . ' In a few minutes the Director entered the apartment , wearing the grand he
costume , also it U Vandy ke , superb and extremely costly . As soon as presented himself , the men uncovered , and a kind of silent respeit seemed to diffuse itself round the room ; which could scarcely have been carried to greater lengths in the old regime ; the appearance of state and the number of the military dispersed in various parts of the apartments , may probably , in some degree , influence the niinds of the people . Splendor and , magnificence commonly ' produce this efteCt , and hence results tlie propriety of a . magistrate wearing an appropriate dignified dress when in the execution of his high
office . The impressions of respeCt stamped on the mmd of the ' vulg-ir by the same person , in scarlet robes trimmed with ermine , and in a browh coat , bob-rwig , and dirty boots , would be very different . ' The petitioners draw ' near the Director , and are presented by the principal hUtssier , one by one . He takes the petitions , reads a part , inquires into the cause of their grievances ; and the answer , a week after , is found in an office erected'for that purpose at the bottom of " the grand staircase , called
Vqffic ' e des resei « nemens . As soon as the whole of the petitions have been received , one of the huissiers demands aloud , whether there he any person desirous of speaking to the D ' . reCtor > wheli being answered in tlie negative , he retires , and the people disperse . ' One trait which gave nie singular satisfaction , was the manner in which he . attended to all , though more particularly to the sorrowful tale of a wretched looking woman , who had two children with her , " and one at the breast . This poor creature was the widow of a soldier , who had lately fallen for his country , and left her destitute . Twice he heard her melancholy story , and then bade her seat herself near the fire , until he could determine something in her
favour . This I thought foreboded a good heart , and I wis pleased with the man ; but the appearance of the woman was , in one respect , truly risible , forming a singular contrast by her rags and tatters with the beautiful ornaments'that surrounded her ; for the apartment is precisely the same as ' when inhabited by Monsieur , not any ofthe furniture having been removed . * The hailgings are of crimson damask , with a gold border , cUf-tains , sofa , zndfaicteuili the same , with the addition of a deep gold fringe . The glasses are elegant ; two of the doors have looking-glass in the pahiielsj a noble chandelier graces the middle of the room , while others of" less size hang near the chimney ' : the whole displaying vast' tttste and elegance . ' P . J 57 *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications.
Notwithstanding his opinions , the style of Mr . Belsham is nervous ana elegant ; and , if he were an impartial writer , this history would be a valuable accession , to the stock of literature . A Sketch of Modern France , written in 1796 and 1797 , . luring a Tour . B y a Lady . Edited b y C . L . Moody , L I ... D . & c . 8-z / o . Boards . Cadell A / :. / Davies . THESE letters are well written , and have every appearance of being the
offspring of aCtual observation . We shall subjoin the following extracts from them , which , we have no doubt , will prejudice our readers in favour of the style and manner in which they are delivered . The first is a description of the Luxembourg palace , the seat ofthe Directory , and an account of . 1 public audience , at which the writer was present .
. ' The petitioners are admitted within a kind of barrier ivhich divides the room by the huissiers ( who are dressed in a costume truly Vandyke ) , and there seat themselves on fautcitils or arm-chairs ranged in a circular form , whilst the lookers-on are only permitted to stand in the background ; bu ^ being introduced as a stranger , I had I honneur dc la seance , and was consequently admitted within the circle . ' In a few minutes the Director entered the apartment , wearing the grand he
costume , also it U Vandy ke , superb and extremely costly . As soon as presented himself , the men uncovered , and a kind of silent respeit seemed to diffuse itself round the room ; which could scarcely have been carried to greater lengths in the old regime ; the appearance of state and the number of the military dispersed in various parts of the apartments , may probably , in some degree , influence the niinds of the people . Splendor and , magnificence commonly ' produce this efteCt , and hence results tlie propriety of a . magistrate wearing an appropriate dignified dress when in the execution of his high
office . The impressions of respeCt stamped on the mmd of the ' vulg-ir by the same person , in scarlet robes trimmed with ermine , and in a browh coat , bob-rwig , and dirty boots , would be very different . ' The petitioners draw ' near the Director , and are presented by the principal hUtssier , one by one . He takes the petitions , reads a part , inquires into the cause of their grievances ; and the answer , a week after , is found in an office erected'for that purpose at the bottom of " the grand staircase , called
Vqffic ' e des resei « nemens . As soon as the whole of the petitions have been received , one of the huissiers demands aloud , whether there he any person desirous of speaking to the D ' . reCtor > wheli being answered in tlie negative , he retires , and the people disperse . ' One trait which gave nie singular satisfaction , was the manner in which he . attended to all , though more particularly to the sorrowful tale of a wretched looking woman , who had two children with her , " and one at the breast . This poor creature was the widow of a soldier , who had lately fallen for his country , and left her destitute . Twice he heard her melancholy story , and then bade her seat herself near the fire , until he could determine something in her
favour . This I thought foreboded a good heart , and I wis pleased with the man ; but the appearance of the woman was , in one respect , truly risible , forming a singular contrast by her rags and tatters with the beautiful ornaments'that surrounded her ; for the apartment is precisely the same as ' when inhabited by Monsieur , not any ofthe furniture having been removed . * The hailgings are of crimson damask , with a gold border , cUf-tains , sofa , zndfaicteuili the same , with the addition of a deep gold fringe . The glasses are elegant ; two of the doors have looking-glass in the pahiielsj a noble chandelier graces the middle of the room , while others of" less size hang near the chimney ' : the whole displaying vast' tttste and elegance . ' P . J 57 *