This compofition may be considered as a curiosity, from other reafons than thofe which mere criticifm affords. The poem was bad, the readers were many. The fubject was facred, the author a reputed atheist, and the profits which it produced exceeded two thoufand pounds fterling. The fortunate writer relieved himself from the jaws of famine by this strange prehenfible eulogy on the charms and advancement of Chriftianity, which has been received in Paris, with a fort of fashionable frenzy. Another pfeudo-bard

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has announced his intention very shortly of iffuing from the prefs, a work which he conceives will be more faleable and a greater favorite with the public, in which he intends ironically to combat the doctrine of the Trinity, by gravely refembling it to the the Deity taking fnuff between two looking glaffes, fo that when he fneezes, two refemblances of him are feen fneeze alfo, and yet that there are not three fneezers, but one fneezer.

Some other outlines of this work were imparted to me at Paris, but the pen turns with difgust and detestation, from fuch low and naufeous profanation. I have only condefcended to mention the compofition, and the laft anecdote, to fhow how much the world is deluded, by the received opinion that the French are become a new race of exemplary devotees. Therecoil from atheifm to enthufiafm, is not unusual; but the French in general have not, as yet, experienced this change. That they are fufceptible of extraordinary tranfitions,

CHAP. XVI.j

IN FRANCE.

183

their history and revolution have fufficiently manifefted. In the Journal de Paris, written in the reigns of Charles VI. and VII. is preferved rather a curious account of the velocity with which religious zeal has, in former periods, been excited. "On the 4th day of April, 1429," fays the Journal," the duke of Bur"gundy came to Paris, with a very fine body of "knights and efquires; and eight days afterwards "there came to Paris, a cordelier, by name Frere "Richart, a man of great prudence, very knowing in "prayer, a giver of good doctrine to edify his neigh

bor, and was fo fuccefsful, that he who had not "feen him, was bursting with envy against those who "had. He was but one day in Paris, without preach

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ing. He began his fermon about five o'clock in "the morning, and continued preaching g till ten or "eleven o'clock, and there were always between five "and fix thoufand perfons to hear him preach. This "cordelier preached on St. Mark's day, attended by "the like number of perfons, and on their return "from his fermon, the people of Paris were fo turn"ed, and moved to devotion, that in three or four "hours time, there were more e than one hundred "fires lighted, in which they burnt their chefs boards, "their back gammon tables, and their packs of "cards."

To this fort of fanaticifm, the Parifians are unqueftionably not arrived. A more eloquent man than the Frere Richart, muft appear amongit them, before fuch meliorations as are recorded in the Paris

journal, can be effected in the diffolute and uncontrolled habits of that gay and voluptuous city. I do not mean, from any previous remark which I have made, to infer that there are not many good and very, pious people in France, and it has been a favorable circumstance to the ancient religion of the country, that the revolution never attempted any reform in it, or to fubftitute another mode of worship. That great political change in the ebullition of its fury, proftrated the altars of the old church, without raifing others of a new, or improved conftruction. It prefented a hideous rebellion against the glorious author of all good, and declared an indiscriminate war of extermination against his minifters and followers, and every principle of the Gofpel and morality. Every form of faith, every mode of adoration, fell indifcriminately under the profcriptions of its unfparing wrath. The towering abbey and humble oratory, were alre fwept away in the general tornado, and mingled their rains together. But the race of the good were not all expelled from this fcene of havoc and outrage. The voice of piety still found a paffage to her God. The filent prayer pierced through the compact covering of the dungeon, and afcended to Heaven. Within the embowering unfearchable receffes of the foul, far beyond the reach of revolutionary perfecution, the pure unappalled spirit of devotion erected her viewlefs temple, in fecret magnificence, fublime, and sinaffailable!

The child who had never heard the bell of the Sak

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-bath found, who had never beheld the folemn ceremonies of authorifed adoration, was told that thofe awful and fplendid piles, which filled his eyes with wonder, and his mind with inftinctive reverence, were raised for other purposes than thofe of becoming auxiliary to the ferocity of war. That genius and taste, and toil and coft, had not thus expended their unri* valled powers, and lavifhed their munificent resources, in erecting gothic magazines of gunpowder, and faxon. fheds for the accommodation of atheistic fabricators of revolutionary cannon balls.

The young obferver in private, and by stealth imbibed from parental precept or example, the fentiment. of a national religion, fuppreffed, not extinguished, or in the gloomy absence of all indications of it; remained unsolicited by any rival mode of worship to beftow his apoftacy upon an alien creed. Thus the minds of the rifing generation, who were engaged in favor of the catholic perfuafion, during the frightful period of its long denunciation, by ftolen, fecluded and unfinifhed difplays of its spirit and form, contemplated its return with animated elation, or beheld its approach,. unimpreffed with thofe doubts or prejudices which religious, as well as fecular competitions, very fre quently excite; in that aufpicious hour, when the policy, if not the piety of a powerful government, reftored it to the French people. The subject is highly interesting; but Imust refign it to abler pens for more ample difcuffion..

I was much gratified by being presented to the celebrated philofopher Mons. Charles, by Madame S. He has a fuite of noble apartments in the Louvre, which have been bestowed upon him by the governe ment, as a grateful reward for his having prefented to the nation Ifs magnificent collection of philofopha ical apparatus. He has alfo, in confideration of his ability and experience, been conftituted the principal lecturer on philofophy. In these rooms his valuable. and coftly donation is arranged. In the centre of the dome of the first apartment, called the Hall of Elec-1 tricity, is fufpended the car of the first balloon which was inflated with inflammable air, in which he and his brother afcended in the afternoon of the lft of December, 1783, in which they continued in the air for an hour and three quarters; and after they had defcended, Mons. Crofe alone to the aftonishings height of 10,500 feet. In the fame room are, immenfe electrical machines and batteries, fome of which had : been presented to him by Madame Sobal

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In this room, amongst many other fanciful figures which are used for the purpose of enlivening the fol emnity of a philofophical lecture by exciting fenti ments of innocent gaiety, was a little Cupid. The tiny god, with his arrow in his hand, was infulated upon a throne of glass, and was charged with that electric fluid which not a little resembles the fubtle fpirit of his nature. The youngest daughter of Madame S, who accompanied us, was requested to touchit. In a moment it discharged its penetrating fpark