Gonzalve de Cordove; ou, Grenade Reconquife. Par M. de Florian, de l'Academie Francoife, &c. 2 Vol. Didot. Paris. WORKS of this kind often difplease the fcientific critic, because it is not eafy to affign them their proper rank in the fcale of compofition. A profaic work, they will not style a poem, and the impofing air, as well as the heroic language of the epopeia, inconfiftent with fimple narrative and an appeal to the heart, prevents them from ranking with romances. This is, in reality, a narrative partly hiftorical and partly fabulous, related in poetical profe. But the arguments against this mode of writing are numerous. Poetry raises the ima gination to the marvellous, and hurries fober reafon away in obedience to the fancy. The author too, who aims at epic honours in profe, muft always occafion difadvantageous comparifons, by recalling the attempts of the more ancient epic poets. If the example of Telemachus be urged, the critic will probably reply, that it was a lucky attempt, which we may ftill admire, but which it would be dangerous to imitate. Befides, that Fenelon has united, in his work, the most beautiful paffages of Homer, Virgil, and Sophocles, which he has rendered familiar to the unlearned reader, and adorned with the magic of his language, and the peculiar charms of antiquity.

The plan of Gonzalva is regular, the principal action well regulated, and the hero is interefting as a warrior, as a friend, and as a lover. M. Florian has been equally fuccefsful in arranging the episodes, which do not obfcure the principal figure, and fufpend, without retarding, the action. The dangers of Gonzalva and Zulema increase, till the catastrophe, which is conducted with skill and propriety, arrives. On the whole, we do not think that M. Florian has forfeited the character which he has already acquired by his former works, in this attempt; though he treads on grounds which are difadvantageous. At the request of fome of cur correspondents, we shall give a more particular account of this work, than we intended, when we glanced at it in our Occafional Retrofpect of Foreign Literature, p. 339.

Gonzalva, the hero of Spain, is in love with Zulema, the daughter of Muley-Haffan, the father of Boabdil, king of Grenada. This city is befieged by Ferdinand and Isabella; and Gonzalva, in an attack, penetrates, a little unaccountably, to the internal parts of the city, which is reprefented as ftrongly fortified. Every thing yielded to his prowefs, when he perceived Zulema in defpair, imploring the protection of heaven, and the pity of the conqueror. Softened by her diftrefs, he ftops the carnage, and retires gently, carrying in the init receffes of his heart, the image of the princefs. Some time afAPP. VOL. V. NEW ARR.

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ter, by a feries of events, fufficiently explained, he is enabled to deliver Zulema, whom an African prince, Alamar, attempted to carry off. Gonzalva, in tearing her from her ravishers, receives many wounds, which endanger his life; but the princefs, whom he preferves, carries him to Malaga, a city under her authority, and lavishes on her unknown deliverer every care and attention. She thinks Gonzalva of the fame nation, and the fame religion with herself, as he was dreffed in a Moorifh habit; he is already, as may be expected, deeply in love with him, and relates all the events of her life: in this artlefs manner, the reader is informed of circumftances neceffary to be known, previous to the commencement of the poem. Unfortunately, this mode is too much hackneyed, and the fame as is employed in the excellent romance of Zaida, by madame de la Fayette, though that lady has rendered the fituations much more interefting.

Some of the other events are alfo too common. If Boabdil, the king of Grenada, in love with Zoraida, compels her to marry him, or to fee her lover Aben-hamet, die; if Gonzalva, urged by honour and duty, to fight the prince Almanzor, is kept back by the tears of Zulema, fifter of the prince, and threatened with the lofs of the fifter, if he fights with the brother; if Zulema defcends to the prifon where Gonzalva is confined, and carries poifon with her, that he may escape the ignominy of a public death, and she may die with him, we recollect the different fituations in numerous romances and plays, particularly of the last century. In fuch circumftances, poetry muft fupply the place of invention, and give the bloom of novelty to what has been already hackneyed in the eyes of men.'

When M. Florian defcribes fome new fcenes, and escapes the comparifon of the ancient poets, he is more fuccessful. The following defcription of a bull-fight is excellent. In the middle of a plain, is a vast circus furrounded with seats rifing above each other. It is there that the auguft queen, who fo ably poffeffes the art of gaining the affections of her subjects by participating their diverfions, invites her warriors to the entertainment fo dear to every Spaniard. There the young chiefs, without a cuirafs, armed only with a lance, in a filken dress, come on the fleeteft courfers, to attack and conquer the favage bulls. The combatants on foot ftill more lightly dreffed, with their hair in nets, hold in one hand a purple veil, and in the other a fharp lance. The alcaide proclaims the law, that no combatant fhould be affifted; the lance only, muft be employed in the attack, and the veil in defence. The kings, furrounded by their courtiers, prefide at thefe bloody games; and the whole army, occupying the immenfe amphitheatres, teftifies by cries of joy, by tranfports of pleasure arising almost to in

toxication,

toxication, its immoderate love for the warlike fports of their

ancestors.

• The signal is given, the barrier opened, and the bull darts into the middle of the circus; but, at the flourish of a thoufand trumpets, at the fhouts, at the fight of the fpectators, he ftops in a restlefs confufion. His noftrils fmoke, his burning eye-balls glare around the amphitheatre: he feems to be equally agitated by aftonifhment and fury. In a moment, he darts on a cavalier, who wounds him, and efcapes like lightning to the other fide. The bull is irritated, purfues him clofely, beats the ground with redoubled fury, and flies on the veil, which the combatant on foot oppofes to him. The dexterous Spaniard, at the fame inftant, avoids him, fixes the flowing veil on his horns, and wounds him with a fharp arrow. Very foon, transfixed by all their weapons, pierced by the arrows, whofe barbed points fix them in the wound, the animal bounds over the arena, vents the most horrible bellowings, runs with agitation round the circus, fhakes the numerous fhafts fixed in its neck, throws around him the broken pebbles, the shreds of the purple veil bathed in blood, copious ftreams of blooody froth and finks, at laft, exhaufted by its efforts, by its fury, and its pains. It was in one of thefe combats, that the rash Cortez endeavoured to end a life destined for fuch great actions. Eager to fignalife himself in the eyes of the beautiful Mendoza, who fo long poffeffed his heart, Cortez on an Andalufian courfer, wounded and escaped from a furious bull. Notwithftanding the impending danger, the young lover looks only to the beauty, who engaged all his attention, when he saw an orange flower, which had adorned her bofom, fall on the arena. He leaps from his horfe, feizes and kiffes it, while the bull turned, and aimed its blow on the imprudent cavalier. A cry from Mendoza turned it afide, and Cortez without quitting the flower, directed with a fteady eye his lance against the fhoulder of the animal, whom he threw, expiring on the fand.'

This narrative is lively and fpirited, and the anecdote of Cortez, happily characterifes the heroic gallantry of the Spanish cavaliers. But we cannot help adding, that it owes much of its intereft to its novelty. The gallantry of the Spaniard was outdone perhaps by the Frenchman, who in a duel, had a rofe, given him by his mistress, between his teeth. It dropped, and he continued the combat, while he picked it up. The action was more gallant because his miftrefs was not prefent.

M. Florian has introduced each of the ten books of Gonzalva by an introduction; but, in this imitation of Ariofto, as well as our own Hudibras and Spenfer, he has not fufficiently attended to the difference of the manners, and of the fubject. The poignancy of Ariofto's prologues are owing to the pleasant,

delicate, lively, and familiar manner which the plan and mature of his poem allows him to adopt. Thofe of Spenfer lead and introduce us to the fpeciofa miracula which the canto contains; and the little poignant introductions of Hudibras always partake fo much of the fly farcaftic humour of the author, that they are of themfelves interefting. We cannot fay as much of the common place, fententious morality, which the plan of this work requires, and which admits of fo little variety, as to become tedious- The greatest and happiest of kings, he on whom victory and fortune have fhowered their bleflings, he who collects round his throne, all the splendor, all the enjoyments of glory, wants that pure fource of happinefs, that most interefting feeling to an affectionate mind, the certainty of being beloved. The respect lavished on him, the praife that overwhelms him, even the fidelity difplayed in his favour, look for recompenfe. It is not to him, it is to his fi tuation that intereft addreffes her vows, and this fingle idea blafts the pleasures of his foul; a well founded diftrust mixes with the most generous feelings of his heart. Unhappy in the power of being able to repay every obligation, he is constrained to think that he owes none.'

Yet we must fuppofe, that there are kings who have had friends; we are certain that there are those who have deferved them; but what we find moft difagreeable is, that these common-place expreffions fhould form the proem of a book, and that the author from their fituation fhould have feemed to think that they deferved particular attention. The others are of the fame kind, and fcarcely in any respect more interesting. They fhould either have been fuppreffed, or executed differently. Indeed M. Florian feems to have felt the vacuity of thefe exordia, for he often endeavours to relieve it, by the polifh of language. But, in thefe circumstances, he exchanges his ufual fimplicity for a language too studied, and sometimes affected. In the tenth book, for inftance, where he compares the enjoyments of love and friendship, he obferves the tears of friendship are more gentle'-Love escapes from obfervation-Friendfhip wifhes to difplay itself to the world' -Friendship more delicate and more courageous fears not to reveal its pains and its pleasures.' Sometimes these exordia are inapplicable. When Zulema believes that Gonzalva has killed her brother, and Gonzalva in confinement cannot explain the circumftances, the author fays, in the exordium to the ninth canto, of what confequence to the real lover are the praises, the homages, the refpect of the whole world?' He wants only the fuffrage of her he loves: he wishes only for her efteem, fince without it, he cannot deferve his own. Yet Zulema knew that honour and duty obliged Gonzalva to fight

with her brother. She detefts the combat, fears the event, but knows that it is inevitable. Where then is the reason, why he fhould lofe her esteem?

We have obferved, that fome French critics object to the purity of this author's language, and we find fome expreffions that feem to countenance the charge; but on this subject it would be prefumptuous to decide. We can point out, with more confidence, a few defects in tafte, which M. Florian fhould have more carefully attended to, When he speaks of Gonzalva and Lara, for inftance, he fays, In their own eyes, they were eftimable only for the virtues of those they loved' If Lara was ever proud, it was in fpeaking of Gonzalva: if Gonzalva ceafed to be modeft, it was in recounting the exploits of Lara. Their moft fecret thoughts, were a weight above their strength, and they fought eagerly to be releived from the burther, by communicating them.'The Defil and his Dam-why it is affectation!'

Again: the author fays of a wounded hero, his front covered with that paleness, the paint (fard) of glory and of heroes.' Zulema, urging Gonzalva to deliver herfelf and father from prifon, tells him- My heart fhall not be thy recompenceI do not give it twice, but my hand fhall repay the service you do my father.' It is an unpleafing task to dwell on thefe little inadvertencies; nor fhould we have noticed them, but that they will leffen the pleasure of the reader, who might think us inattentive, if we had not fhortly adverted to them.

The hiftorical abstract on the Moors we have already commended. It is methodical, well collected, and displays both judgment and knowledge: the whole is concife without being dry, in fome parts extended with propriety, and written in the bold manly ftyle of the bett hiftories. On this, rather than on his poetical works, we could wish M. Florian to rest his fame.

La Flore des Infectophiles, precedee d'un Difcours fur l'Utilité de P'Etude de l' Infectologie. Par J. Brez. Utrecht. REAUMUR, in the first memoir of his work on infects, has wished for a flora of entomologifts. Botanists, fays he, give catalogues of plants which grow in environs of certain cities; but I wish that entomologifts would give us catalogues of thofe infects nourished by each plant. Some trees, as the oak, the afh, and the willow, would afford long lifts. They would inform us what animals we might expect to find on each vegetable; and, when they are once begun, they will be completed infenfibly.' With respect to British plants, this has been in part done by Dr. Withering; but we have noticed the fyftem before us as more complete and extenfive than any Nn3

one