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the progress of the narrative. For instance, vol. ii. p. 278, M. de la Blancherie is named as author of a certain publication, which was reviewed in our 21st vol. p. 583: this work, a very peculiar one, is attributed to Vaurien the hero of the novel; and Vaurien, in other respects a creature of the imagination, is introduced as guilty of horrible perfidy, and of an attempt at seditious and revolutionary actions in London. Thus a wholly unfounded denunciation is pointed at an individual, unfortunate, and insecure already beneath the despotism of the alien bill.

The fable of these sketches is meagre, but the local finishing is frequently good. The 26th chapter introduces a Platonist.

He had unfortunately plunged deeply into the commentaries of certain Platonists, who explain Homer into allegories, discover celestial systems, and convert the Iliad into a Greek Bible of the arcana of nature.

When he quitted the school, his mind was deeply tinctured by all the colorifications of the Platonic prism. He mused on the bewitching notion of universal beauty, which pervades that enthusiastic philosophy; but when at length he obtained a complete copy of Plato's works, the intellectual malady diffused itself in every nerve of his mind; and such was the conflict of his animal spirits, that he could never read Plato without violent palpitations of the heart, and more than once such has been the agony of his sensibility, that he fainted over the volume as he held it with a kind of religious tremor. These indeed are the peculiar features of enthusiasm, that abstraction of the imagination which roves amidst unknown scenes, and gazes on poetical chimeras. It is felt by poets in the fary of their orgasm, by philosophers in the ideal fabrication of their systems, and by mystics in their attempts to abstract themselves from earth to heaven.

When we read the discoveries of another, we acquire a spirit of discovery. The imitative genius of man becomes every thing to which it is accustomed. He read of a thousand fine meanings in Plato and Homer, which he could never have imagined, but having once imagined them, he added a thousand more of his own. A mind like his only requires the scattering of a small handful of seed to cover it's extensive and fertile soil with a vast efflorescence; and like that happy climate that feels not the rigour of a changing season, his mind was a year of one continued summer. Every day brought it's new discovery, and every day was a day of triumph.

Like other inspired persons (for he considered his delight as inspiration) he now conceived it a duty to enlighten a dark and erring world. All Europe," he cried, " is surrounded by a dismal night; hence men are continually molesting each other, and one man only impedes another while he himself is impeded." He observed old religions decaying, while modern sects were filthily spawned forth, and Jamely crawled from each antiquated and expiring monster. He first; communicated his notions to a private circle; some considered them as the curiosities of a student of great learning, some as the philoso

phical amusements and paradoxical vanities of a man of genius, but few discerned that they were the delusions of a literary lunacy. Their doubts soon ceased, when, to the astonishment even of the learned world in this close of the eighteenth century, were published two quarto volumes, in which he avowed himself a Platonist in it's most religious sense, and in which he affected to prove, that the Christian religion was merely a bastardized and barbarized Platonism. The divinities of Plato were the divinities to be adored; and he affirmed, that no people could be virtuous and happy if they were not taught to call God, Jupiter; the Virgin, Venus; and Christ, Cupid.

It was now in vain to dissemble. His friends attempted to reason; but logic reforms no enthusiast. An enthusiast cannot fail to gain his cause, because he alone can be his own judge. In vain the world opposed, and worse than opposed, neglected. He was an Atlas for himself; the solitary supporter of a system even too un reasonable to be adopted by philosophical reasoners, and even too delusive to delight philosophical fanciers. He knew, he said, he was the Gemistus Pletho of the age, and he was content. To the opposing world he therefore opposed Plato and Homer; and he looked not in this barbarous age to be rewarded with a garland in the school of philosophy.'

The Platonic system had obtained him some admirers among the fair sex. It was not ill adapted to their capacity; for being incom prehensible, it's mysteriousness irritated female curiosity, and it was at least more sublime than disclosing an enigma, or unfolding a charade. It was pregnant with the dissolving energies of a delicious sentiment; for what the Plantonist terms "the science of universals," is made to consist in "UNIVERSAL BEAUTY," It was a homage to the sex. He used sometimes to break out in expressions like these: "Beauty walks silently on the extremities of it's feet, alluring, ra-, vishing, and raising all things by it's power; it swims above the light of forms; it covers the occult union of the gods!" The entire system was elegant and brilliant; it exhibited only forms of symmetry and grace; and the female attention, that was once allured by the ideal perfection of an eternal beauty (the image existing in the mind of the divine architect) and became initiated into the Platonic doctrine of ideas, was soon entangled in a tissued net of silk and silver, that adorned rather than perplexed the lovely captive. Where she sought a master, she found a lover; and, entranced, listened to the eloquence of diction, the dazzling of metaphors, the inexhaustible poetry, and the infectious enthusiasm of a man who came recom mended by many accomplishments of personal figure, and by many graceful acquirements. The Platonist is a masterly musician, a sub lime poet, and, when warmed, his voice is melodious, his eye is illuminated by quick intelligence, his face takes all the changes of his soul, every gesture is adapted to every sentiment, and, like the Cumean Sybil, he looks the image of inspiration. His usual style on these subjects shews all the art of poetry without its labour; he pours forth an opulence of diction, and his copious periods roll with magnificence, as if he were reading an English imitation of Cicero's manner; with felicitous expression he intenders by pathetic senti

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ment, and charms by the gaiety of exuberant imagery. Even his mystic unintelligibility becomes a grace; it serves as a resting-place to repose the mind that has followed him in his elevations; and they who are not void of imagination lament when the Platonist closes his voluble and enchanting elocution."

This delineation calls forth the following observation, which is perhaps but too well founded:

The age seems propitious to every species of fanaticism. Scepticism spreads rapidly, and superstition gathers new energy to oppose scepticism. Established opinions are too moderate for either; hence religion breaks into sectarism, and philosophy divides into systems. Extravagance wrestles with extravagance; the imagination wanders. astonished and half-delighted, but calm sense looks around, and retires in horror. Religion and philosophy have become two gladiators; one departs not without destroying the other; yet who shall be certain that one alone will triumph? Two gladiators have sometimes perished together by their mutual aim.'

The work is composed, as the writer observes, in his preface, in the form rather than the matter of a novel.' It abounds with shrewd observations on the prevailing manners, morals, politics, parties, and fanatics of the times: but we think that the ingenious and piquant satirist is wanting in candor towards those persons whose religious or political creed is not in concord with his own. He seems to hold the Dissenters from our Church-establishment in no small degree of abomination; especially the Anti-trinitarians; and he has no mercy on the Godwins, the Priestleys, and the Holcrofts of the age. In general, he writes with spirit; and we must acknowlege that, on the whole, his performance has afforded us much entertainment,in defiance of several objectionable passages:-with which however, as the article is already of sufficient length, we shall not trouble our readers. Yet we cannot conclude without observing that, in p. 219, of the second volume, there is a curious note, relative to the sacrament; asserting that this is a 'simple rite, now performed every Sabbath night, by the religious Jew, who is master of the house, &c. It is added, Jesus, amidst his disciples, was performing this rite, called Keedush; and, in the allegorical style of a young Rabbin, said of the bread and wine, "This is my blood, and this is my body;" which they certainly were, when assimilated in his person. To this simple circumstance we owe all the idiocy and cruelty of transubstantiation. We leave this idea to the consideration of the theologian.

ART.

ART. X. Indian Antiquities: or Dissertations, relative to the An cient Geographical Divisions, the Pure System of Primeval Theo logy, the Grand Code of Civil Laws, the Original Form of Government, the Widely-extended Commerce, and the Various and Profound Literature, of Hindostan : compared, throughout, with the Religion, Laws, Government, Commerce, and Literature, of Persia, Egypt, and Greece. The Whole intended as introduc tory to, and illustrative of, the History of Hindostan, upon a comprehensive Scale. Vol. VI. 8vo. pp. 440. Ios. 6d. Boards.

Richardson. 1796.

AN advertisement at the end of this volume informs us that the author intended to complete his work with this publication: but that the introduction, at the earnest request of numerous subscribers, of a new and important subject, the an tient Commerce of Hindostan, without which a work of this kind must have been imperfect to gentlemen connected with India, necessarily occasions its extention to a seventh volume.'

The present volume is divided into two parts, and contains two dissertations: one, on the Origin of the Druids, and the striking affinity which their religious rites bore to those of the Brahmins: the other, on the Commerce carried on, in very remote ages, by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Greeks, with the British Islands, &c. The first of these, consisting of three sections, is thus introduced by the author:

My intention, in the following Dissertation, is to prove, as far as the remoteness of the æra alluded to, and the abstruse nature of the subjects dicussed in the course of it will allow of proof, that the celebrated order of Druids, anciently established in this country, were the immediate descendants of a tribe of Brahmins situated in the high northern latitudes bordering on the vast range of Caucasus: that these, during that period of the Indian empire when its limits were most extended in Asia, mingling with the Celto-Scythian tribes, who tenanted the immense deserts of Grand Tartary, became gradually incorporated, though not confounded, with that ancient na tion; introduced among them the rites of the Brahmin religion, occasionally adopting those of the Scythians, and, together with them, finally emigrated to the western regions of Europe.'

Mr. Maurice's design, we think, has been fully accomplished; and we doubt not that this volume will afford greater pleasure, to most English readers, than any of its predecessors. We will give a brief analysis of it, chiefly in the author's own words; and then select some passages which we deem the most enter taining.

In the first section, Mr. M. treats on the great extent of the antient Indian empire, and the wide diffusion of Indian mytho logy throughout Asia. Sir Wm. Jones and Mr. Halhed are here his principal guides; and indeed he does little more than

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connect their narratives. With them he oppugns the system of Bailli and D'Ancarville, who assert that the religious opinions of the Hindoos were all borrowed from Scythia; which these two writers consider as the cradle of the sciences, as well as of the human kind. According to Mr. M. and his vouchers, the immediate descendants of Noah inhabited the regions nighest to Taurus, and had their first schools in caverns in the Median mountains. From the colleges of Naugracut and Thibet, colonies of the priests of Buddha migrated to Tartary, and thence into Europe, under the name of Druids. Towards the end of this section, Mr. M. gives some remarkable instances of affi nity between the primeval languages of Asia and those spoken in Europe, particularly in the British isles. His atyma, howe ever, are sometimes too far fetched: but this is the common fault of almost all etymologists.

In sect. ii. the author traces the religion and superstitions of the British Druids from the Cuthæi, whom he supposes to be the immediate progeny of Cush. Those superstitions, he thinks, exhibit many evident remains of the pure patriarchal theology, blended with the corruptions of Sabian idolatry. Here he enters into a more particular account of the Indian divinity Buddha, or Boodh, the Hermes of Egypt and the Mercury of the West; and he finds various eastern designations of Mercury equivalently represented in the religion of the British Druids, and in many relics of their festivals and sports, still practised in Britain The section concludes with an extensive parallel be tween the rites and customs antiently prevalent in India, and in the northern empires of Europe.

This parallel is continued in sect. iii. which contains a large portion of information, and treats on the Druidial worship of rude stones, their sanguinary sacrifices, their worship of the sun under the form of pyramids, the stupendous solar temple of Stonehenge, that of Rolldrich, or the Druid's wheel, and that of Abury, so accurately described by Dr. Stukeley, who takes it to have been one of those temples called Dracontia or Dragon-temples.-He then gives us a short essay on the sexa genary cycle of India and China, with a brief account of the serpent-egg of the Druids, their lustrations compared with those of India, their doctrine of transmigration, the leading feature in the Brahmin religion, and the belief of both that the world was to be destroyed by a general conflagration, their conformity of casts or orders, of sacred vestments, &c.—with the general result of the preceding observations: which we here transcribe verbatim.

From the evidence above submitted to the candid reader, he will be able to form his own judgement concerning the truth or futility of

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