-The religion of the state is by law the Roman Cathe great majority of the people are of that religion; ing to the constitution agreed to by Louis XVIII. ration, other sects are tolerated, and all Frenchmen admissible to civil and military employments.*

, &c.-The French are in general sprightly, and fond ent; ingenious and polite; and strongly influenced by stinction and glory.+

e period of the Reformation, France has always con-
iderable number of Protestants. These have, at different
ed severe persecutions from the Catholics. At the mas-

Bartholomew's day, on the 24th of April, 1572, ninety
testants were sacrificed in France, in the most insidious
nner. After various struggles, the famous edict of Nantes
n 1593, by Henry IV. in favour of the Protestants, which
em liberty of conscience and civil rights. After various
s of this edict, it was formally revoked, in 1685, by
This event gave rise to an active and severe persecution,
it numbers lost their lives; and above 500,000 of the
ous and valuable inhabitants were driven into exile, to
ury of France, and to the great advantage of Britain
ntries in which they settled, and where they introduced
d several manufactures before unknown. Since that time
s have been often exposed to severe treatment; but are
ple, tolerated and protected under the new constitution.
number is about two millions. The number of Catholic
18, and of bishops 74. Since the Revolution, these
-r voice in the house of peers. The nomination of all
ether Catholic or Protestant, belongs to the crown.
he commencement of the Revolution, amid the frenzy
the time, the Christian religion was formally abolished.
I all the revenue and property of the church seized by
The priests were subjected to a severe persecution; in
à 1792 and 1795, nearly 3000 were put to death, and
were obliged to save themselves by flight. These pro-
followed up by the consecration of Reason, as an object
ad a festival in honour of her was celebrated in the ca-
s. For some years, one impiety succeeded another; till
ut 1799, re-established the Roman Catholic religion,
for others; and in that state, matters continue to be at

pus and moral feelings and principles of the people ected by the irreligion and general laxity of the times on; and the effects, thus produced, may be expected to rticularly on a people naturally and habitually lively, inary scenes of the Revolution were unable to check ve of amusement. At that time, 24 theatres were open ight, and were numerously attended; and persons of

Curiosities, &c.-In Foix there is a natural cavern capable of containing 2000 men. The cascade of Gavarnée, in the Pyre nees, is said to be 1266 feet in height. The fountain of Vaucluse, celebrated by Petrarch, presents, in its ordinary state, a great many little streams issuing from the bottom of a rock 600 feet high; but, in spring, it becomes a vast cascade, from the melting of the snows.

Historical Sketch.-France was subdued, about 60 years before Christ, by the Romans under Julius Cæsar, and long continued to be a province of the empire. In 481 Clovis laid the founda tion of the French monarchy, and in 496 introduced Chris tianity. In 768 Charles, son of Pepin, became king; and, from his success in war, was called Charlemagne, or Charles the Great. He greatly extended his dominions, and founded the German empire, which was soon separated from France. In 987 Hugh Capet supplanted the reigning family, and made himself king. Among the succeeding events in French history may be mentioned the wars with Edward III. and Henry V. England, which were so disastrous to France, that, in the for mer war, John, the French monarch, was made prisoner; and, in the latter, on the death of Henry V. his son Henry VI. was crowned king of France. The English, however, soon lost all a they had acquired, and Charles VII. recovered the throne of his ancestors. The reign of Henry IV. of Bourbon, called Henry the Great, commenced in 1597, and contributed greatly to the prosperity of the kingdom. He was assassinated in 1608 Louis XIV. began to reign in 1643, at the age of 5 years, died in 1715. In his reign, France made great advances in lite rature and science, and assumed a high rank among the nations of Europe. In 1789, the ancient government was overturned by one of the most remarkable revolutions on record. The king, Louis XVI. was beheaded in 1793, and a republic estab lished, which in its turn was subverted; and Napoleon Bond parte, a Corsican, became the supreme ruler of the nation, under the title of First Consul, in 1799; and then of Emperor,

and Ga

Bis

F

of Cate

Vale

、

every time of life, from childhood to old age, spent a great part their leisure hours, particularly on Sunday, in dancing. To thes scenes of pleasure; which were made to usurp such a portion of valu Mur able time, in so unprofitable a manner, and more especially on thai day which should be sacred to better objects, may be added gaming, and various kinds of debauchery, which prevailed in Paris to a degree not equalled, perhaps, in any other place; and yet such are the spirit and habits of the people, that one of the most unpopular acts of and b Louis XVIII. before the return of Bonaparte from Elba, was all attempt to cause the shops and theatres to be closed on Sunday, and the day to be observed with external decency.

Cape

from

cone

At length, the ancient royal line was restored in 1814, on of Louis XVIII. when Bonaparte was obliged to e throne, and retire to the island of Elba. Escaping etreat in 1815, he made an unsuccessful attempt to former power; and, after the famous battle of Waterendered to the prince regent of England, and was. ner to St. Helena, where he died in 1821.

SPAIN.

ries.-Spain is bounded on the north by the cay, and the Pyrenees; on the east, by the ean; on the south, by the Mediterranean, of Gibraltar, and the Atlantic; and on the e Atlantic and Portugal.*

28.-Spain is divided into 14 provinces; some of their provincial subdivisions, are

Alava

Vittoria

Pampeluna, Tudela

FOUR EAST.

Saragossa, Huesca

Barcelona, Tarragona, Tortosa
Valencia, Alicant

Murcia, Cartagena

etween the parallels of 35° 57' and 43° 41' north; 8' east, and 9° 18' west longitude. Its length, from Cape Ortegal, is about 640 miles; and its breadth, of Gibraltar to Cape de Penas, about 530 miles: and ace of nearly 230,000 square miles.

PROVINCES.

Granada

Andalusia

Spain.

TWO SOUTH.

SUBDIVISIONS.

CHIEF TOWNS.

Granada, Malaga

Seville, Cadiz, Gibraltar

Cordova Cordova

Jaen

Badajos, Alcantara

Islands.-Majorca, Minorca, Iviza or Iviça, and Fromentera, in the Mediterranean.*

At

not

Ma

nad

Seaports and Bays.-Passages, Bilboa, Santander, Ferrol, Corunna (called by English seamen, the Groyn), Vigo, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malaga, Almeria, Cartagena, d Alicant, Valencia, Murviedro, Tortosa, Tarragona, Barcelona, Mataro.

Capes. Ortegal, Finisterre, Trafalgar, De Gata, De Palo, St. Sebastian.

The principal towns

taker

plote

The city of Cadiz

Ingen

18

* These are often called the Balearic Isles. are, in Majorca, Palma; in Minorca, Ciudadella and Port Mahon;

and the chief town of Iviza is of the same name.

is also in an island called Leon.

+ Murviedro is built on the site of the ancient Saguntum.

ins, &c. The principal mountains of the of Spain and Portugal, are the Santillanos, of Biscay and Asturias, a continuation of the the Sierra de Estrella, and its continuation, ian Mountains; the Sierra de Toledo; the rena; and the Sierra Nevada.*

-The Tajo or Tagus, Duero, Guadiana, vir, Minho, and Ebro.t

Towns.-Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Vaanada, Cadiz, Saragossa, Salamanca, and

il, and Produce.-Spain is a warm country; and any places, is rich and fertile, producing excellent , and other kinds of grain; besides good fruit, oil,

panish language, the term sierra is used to denote a tains; because their successive summits present to the ice, the appearance of a saw, the name for which, in ra. The mountains of the peninsula consist chiefly of sposed in nearly parallel directions, and extending from th a slight inclination to the south-west. Some peaks Nevada, or Snowy Mountains, are higher than any Curope, except the Alps. Venleta and Mulhacen, in each nearly 12,000 feet high.

flows south-easterly into the Mediterranean, through f Spain. The other principal rivers of the peninsula ly or south-westerly direction, through the spaces bes of mountains, and discharge themselves into the and Portugal have no lakes that merit particular

tion of these towns is supposed to be as follows: D; Barcelona, 100,000; Seville, Valencia, and Grah; Cadiz, 70,000; Saragossa, 50,000; Salamanca, ar, 12,000, exclusive of the garrison.

pital, is a handsome city, with regular streets and t buildings; and, from its elevated situation, it enjoys

of the strongest fortresses in the world, has belonged 704. Since that time, it has been repeatedly betaken. The last siege commenced in 1779, and and is one of the most remarkable that has ever for the magnitude and vigour of the means emniards, for reducing the town; and the courage and d by the British, in its defence.

o warm as Italy, and some other countries in the