In a private circle, where we had frequently the pleasure of meeting M. Onesyme Leroy, we chanced to speak of one of Shakspeare's plays, particularly mentioned and discussed, as it happened, in his own work, whereupon he remarked, with singular coolness, that he was unacquainted with the English language.

The principal works of M. Quartremère de Quincy are likewise biographical commentaries of standard merit. His histories of the lives and works of Raphael and Michael Angelo, are highly esteemed by all lovers of the fine arts; his taste and knowledge serve him as sure guides in his artificial investigations. It is, however, in his History of the Life and Works of Canova, his illustrious and beloved friend, that M. de Quincy shines to the greatest advantage, and his admiration of the genius and private virtues of the artist animates him to his noblest effort; the regrets of bereaved friendship throw a cast of melancholy over his dissertations, which lends to them an additional charm, while the chiselings of the immortal sculptor are delineated with enthusiasm.

But the greatest biographical monument of the present day, which, from its character and extent, forms, as it were, an era in that department of literature, is the Biographie Universelle, edited by Michaud, brother of the historian of the Crusades. It may be dedescribed as one of the most considerable literary enterprises undertaken in this century, and as executed in a manner worthy of all commendation. It was commenced in 1810, and reached in 1828 its fifty-second volume; and since that period, about ten supplementary volumes have been added. Such an undertaking cannot properly be said to belong to one age or country; it belongs to all nations and all ages; and it is to be regretted that it is not more universally known in foreign countries—in England, for instance, where it is confined to a comparatively narrow circle. The Biographie Universelle is the result of co-operative labors on the part of several distinguished writers of the present century; and although various elements have thus assisted in its composition, it is singularly free from all traces of confusion or inconsistency, which is to be attributed to the caution and discernment that presided over the distribution of its several parts; and, therefore, whilst possessing all the advantages of a combination of diversified talent and knowledge, it boasts a homogeneous character, as far as is feasible in a work of the kind. The different individuals selected as contributors entered upon their task with ardor and zeal for the success of the enterprise, and each received the articles best suited to his taste and habitual studies.

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285

An undertaking of this extensive nature cannot be accomplished by a very limited number of men, however comprehensive their powers and information. Alexander Chalmers, although he only added to and republished the English Biographical Dictionary, was not equal to the magnitude of such a work. The dictionary that now commonly bears his name was, we believe, first published in 1761, and, after several successive enlargements, a fresh edition was published by him in 1817; there are many defects and omissions in it, although Mr. Chalmers spent his life in collecting materials to perfect it; but, nevertheless, the compilation is a valuable one, and is calculated to afford great assistance in the preparation of works of a similar nature. The Biographie Universelle, notwithstanding a few errors, and the omission of some of the English theological writers, is the most complete publication of its kind. Mr. Hallam, alluding to it in the preface to his History of the Literature of the Middle Ages, says "I must speak respectfully of a work to which I owe so much, and without which, probably, I should never have undertaken the present." If the German Converzations Lexicon (an avowed version of which in the English language exists, entitled the American Encyclopædia), that masterly production had been especially dedicated to biography, we should not have presumed to speak as we have done of the French work; but, from its more extended scope, and its condensation into sixteen volumes, however admirably edited, it is insufficient in many parts, and particularly in the biographical department.

We have now reached the point when we may terminate our observations on the state of historical studies in France during the present century. We have found them in the highest degree prosperous; and as history is cultivated in France, as in Germany, as one of the principal branches of education, it may naturally be expected that as a science it will continually increase in value and importance. We derive one paramount idea from an attentive consideration of the historical and philosophical labors of our epoch, namely, the idea of progress. We become more firmly impressed with the belief of the progressive nature of humanity, of its gradual advancement towards such perfection as may be attained by mortals, under the genial influence of civilization and Christianity, from the study and contemplation of the developments of society in the successive phases of history.

СНАРТЕR EIGHТН.

ROMANCE.

Sir Walter Scott's Definition of the Romance and the Novel-his Observation on the Romances of the Middle Ages-Late Researches on the Subject.-Character of Sir Walter Scott's Novels-their Influence.-The French Novelists-Prospects of that Department of Literature.-Innovations in Style.-Tendency of the Modern School.-Influence and Character of Various Works at the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century.-M. de Chateaubriand's René.-M. de Sénancour's Obermann.-Byron's Manfred.-Goethe's Faust and Werther.-Madame de Stael's Corinne.-M. Victor Hugo's Works-Bug-Jargal-Notre-Dame de Paris-Characteristics of that Novel-its Principal Scenes-its Defects and Beauties.-M. Alfred de Vigny-his Cinq-Mars-Period of History it Illustrates -Character of the Work-its Closing Scene.-M. de Vigny's Stello and Grandeur et Servitude Militaires.-M. de Balzac-Variety of his Works-their Merits and Defects.-George Sand (Madame Dudevant)—Observations on that Novelist, and the Excesses of her first Works-Subsequent Changes-Different Character of her last Work.-Maritime Novels-their origin-their Appearance in America, England, and France.-M. Eugène Sue-Character of his Workstheir Tendency.-M. Corbière.-M. Lecomte.-M. Frederic Soulié-his Historical Novels-his Mémoires du Diable-their Object and Style.-M. de Salvandy.M. Saintine.-M. Alfred de Musset.-M. Alphonse Karr.-M. Alexandre Dumas. -M. Charles de Bernard.-M. Léon Gozlan.-Bibliophile Jacob.-M. SainteBeuve.-De Stendhal.-M. Emile Souvestre.-M. Charles Nodier-Versatility of his Intellect-his Various Works.-M. Merimée.-M. Edgar Quinet.—Paul de Kock.-Group of Secondary Novelists.-General View of that Department of the Literature of France.

UNDER the denomination of Romance, we intend to class and consider all the works of fiction that hold any rank in modern French literature, although the distinction that exists between a romance and a novel is clearly established. Sir Walter Scott, in his Essay on Chivalry, Romance, and the Drama, observes, that a romance is a fictitious narrative, the interest of which turns upon marvellous and uncommon incidents; and that a novel is also a fictitious narrative, but differing from the romance, because accommodated to the ordinary train of human events, and especially to the modern state of society. This distinction we consider as one which modern usage sanctions; but we shall not observe any classification founded on it in our remarks on the French novelists: any division of them into classes would be of no utility, and merely productive of confusion, be

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cause the same name would frequently be found in each department, and others again which could be ranked in neither. We purpose, moreover, to speak of the French novelists, not according to their literary merit, but as far as possible, according to their popular influence.

Sir Walter Scott says, in his admirable essay, that, in every point of view, France must be considered as the country where chivalry and romance flourished in the highest perfection; and that the originals of almost all the early romances, whether in prose or in verse, whether relating to the history of Arthur or Charlemagne, are to be found in the French language, whereas other countries possess only translations of them. They both— originals and translations-very early fixed the attention of that illustrious writer. But it is only of late years that those monuments of the middle ages, so valuable to philologists, have been the subject of serious study and investigation. The publications of M. Francisque Michel and M. Jubinal on Anglo-Norman, ordered by the Minister of Public Instruction, are well known; and those of MM. Raynouard and De la Rue on the Romance language, have been justly regarded with admiration by the antiquaries of all countries. MM. Leroux de Lincy and Paulin Paris have also rendered great service to philology, by bringing to light many literary productions of the chivalrous ages; and such studies have been additionally facilitated by the late work of M. Thommerel on the Fusion of the Franco-Norman and Anglo-Saxon. If any parallel between the present epoch and the middle ages were admissible, we might remark upon the contrast discernible in the lighter literature of the respective periods. What will be thought hereafter of the mass of French romances of our time? What a source of error and corruption as to language and history most of them must be, if future ages adopt them, without the greatest caution and discrimination, as authorities on historical points, or as pictures of manners! France, since the time of Lesage and his inimitable Gil-Blas, has scarcely produced any standard work, which, like Gil-Blas and the creations of Sir Walter Scott, will descend as a literary monument of its age. The works of the Scottish novelist, on the contrary, will ever remain a source of delight and an incentive to historical pursuits.

Although historical novels certainly existed before Sir Walter Scott, he was altogether original with regard to his peculiar style of historical novels, and was the undoubted founder of a new school of literature. He was the first to embody the spirit of

past times, to bring before us the costumes, the habits of life, and in some degree the motives of action, in ages to which, in these essential particulars, we were utter strangers. Previous to the publication of Ivanhoe, it was scarcely suspected by any but professed antiquaries, that, in the reign of the Plantagenets, England contained a race of helots-strangers in the land of their nativity -enslaved to foreign lords, who scourged and plundered them at pleasure. Still, notwithstanding our great admiration of his genius, we must acknowledge that he did not accomplish the important revolution he had the glory of commencing. Although very superior in his descriptions of institutions and manners, he traced but feebly their effects, and seldom investigated their causes. Imbued with a blind respect for chivalry, and with deep aristocratic prejudices, he viewed the feudal ages through those delusive mediums, and pardoned the horrors of vassalage for the imaginary graces of knighthood. It is well known that historical characters are often grossly misrepresented in his novels: thus, the ferocious Plantagenet, the lion-hearted Richard, merciless in war, undutiful to his father, perfidious in peace, and tyrannical to his subjects-Richard becomes an amiable monarch, who merely prefers perilous adventures to the honors of royalty; thus, James I., that pedantic despot, the cowardly murderer of Raleigh, is represented as a good-natured sovereign, with a few harmless eccentricities; even the moral monster Louis XI. does not pass without apologies. The fact is, that Sir Walter Scott would not investigate too closely any object of his partiality; and all persons possessed of rank and power were regarded by him with especial favor and reverence.

The field discovered and cultivated by Sir Walter Scott was entered at his death by three living writers, James, Grattan, and Bulwer, who, following the bent of their respective inclinations, have each struck out a path for himself. In France, he gave rise to a school productive of a small number of highly estimable works, but also of a multitude of parodies, distorted by every species of affectation and excess. Numerous obscure writers, to prove that they are children of Young France-men without prejudices-who know everything, and for whom no error or deception exists-parade scepticism and licentiousness on the one hand, despair and defiance on the other. They often prostitute the sacred name of God, irreverently introducing it into their immoral dramas or novels, under some wretched pretence, belied by the whole tenor of their writings, of upholding religion and morality; for even they feel that the age of infidelity is