The Sun.
London, England, 1814-10-04 00:00:00

XLL)

/I C.:Pica? .Inalysis of acrerat straing• and incongraons Pas-
-11 in Madame DE STAE7:q Work on *GferTany, with
hri.vtoriral _decourit qf that Coaltry,' by a GEUMAN;
152.—Pirblis6cd by S. LEIGH, Strand. '
Several accidcntql circumstances have
.given to

711:nlatne d :_•;TAEI., so high a literary reputation in
t Irk country; and her Nirtak on Germany has been
so much- read and spoken of, that such a Volutne as
that, -WhICII is the subject of this Ess[iy must be
highly. conducive to the general interests of Lite-
Of the merits of Madame de SIAEL'S

rature.

Germany, considered merely as an interesting
picture of the,literature and society in that coun-
try, Brit ,h readers may form a just estimate ;
none but a German can discover its intrinsic
worth—can judge of the apcuracy of her descrip-
tious, or nicely weigh her opinions.
For this .task the Author of the Analysis before

us has proved himself to he eminently qualified:—
nniyes for undertaking such, a Work are thus
mentioned in his Preface :-
1 own I felt %displeased with most part of the
Work (Madame de STAcu's). For, flotwithstaml-•
that a long- rcsideneein this country, and a

,•
participation in the blessings of a free,Constitn=
• ton, have inspired nue with an attachment to this
wl►ich is little,sliort of patriotic,- still it
has not deadened in me my loVe. for my native
Couniry ; a love which, from being connected
with recollections of youth and early happiness,
can hardly ever be eradicated from the hiumkn.

The department or criticism in which the AM,
thor has employed himself—the exposure of -in-
consiStencies—the detection of minute .errors—
the vindication of truth, is !lot always the most
atti'actke, but is in general the most decidedly
useful. Alluding to' the teniporary•popularity of
this last Work of Madame (le STAEL, our Author
very jasily,observes, that it is. to be attributed to
the circumstances under ‘+hich it was printed in.
this Country, and not to any high degree of ex-.
cellence in the Work itself, noi: ttny vitiation of
literary taste in the public.
" Expatriated by .a tyrannical foe, whom every
English heart justly iihhorred,--Madamejle STAEL
appeared here as an c:Ole ; seeking shelter iii this
immiticcht Islawl, and claiming the liberty of
the English Press fora book which Buoi:AFAttre's
fury had consigned to the flames."
" With such claims on the geafrosity of E
'glishmen, suocess could not be doubtful."
" Thus a book became popular, which
.might
not at any other time, perhaps, have been taken
-notice °l.,'

with all its faults, we cannot but.be pleased

with the popularity which this production of the fer-.
tile genius of an enterprising female has obtained,
because it has contributed 'to correct the 'very er-
roneous notions which our countrymen bad formed
of German literature. It had most unfortunately

happened, that a very large proportiOn of the li-
terary productions, which had been imported to
us from' Germany, and that had been generally
introduced to the British public, were the very
sennt and offal of the German book-shops. It is
nor, therefore, very strange, that there should
have existed in this country, for a time, a strong
prejudice against German literature. This was
unfortunately fomented and increased by the ex-
tent to which the cursed doctrines which the in-
fatuation of the wretched 'propagatOrs of the
most spurious philosophy that ever was attempted
to lie imposed on the credulity of the ignorant,
bad been carried on in most•parts of Germany.
The contempt with which e•nr countrymen
regarded every thing relating to science and lite-
rature which came from Germany, was the
natural consequence of the exposure of these
degrading doctrines. We forgot that they were
but the offspring of a faction, despised even in
their own country; and we were hardly prepared
to expect that the despicable farragoes of Tom
PAIN, 'the proceedings, the writings, and ha-
rangues of the whole revolutionary cabal of•
atheists. dissenters, deists, and fools, which for a
while. infested our Island, caused, among the es-
timatole part of the. German nation,. a prejudice
equally strong against every thing British.
Thank,God ! these delusions are now at an end
—the storm is at an end—the clouds of error that
,enveloped us sire dispersed—and the natioas of
Europe. begin to recognise in each other their
real characters. It is as helps- to this laowledge
that we esteem such works as that of Madame
tle STAEL valuable. Of the Critical Analysis Oefore
us, we cannot speak but its terms of the highest
approbation. The Author's observations are acute
and caiv.lid.. In such a production, which•consists
almost entirely of passages-collated from the sUb-
ject of criticism—the inconsistencies developed,
and the errors exposed, it is not easy to make
any extract Which can be given as a specimen of
the ingenuity *nd discrimination of the Author.
Thoughhe has not entirely divested himself of
the prejudices which a German must be supposed
to feel towards his country ; in this respect be is
scarcely offensive. He nobly vindicates the Ger-
man soldiery front the aspersions of the French
woman ; and appeals with . justice to the claim-
siasin of the Prussians-at the commencemeat of.

that unfortunate canipaign, which was terminat-
ed by the fatal battle of Jena. Madaine.de =\T EL,
however, is too ranch in the right, in her obser-
vations On the sentimentality of the German Ladies,
to be proved inco: rect by the Author's vindication,
in whit:lole is less judicious than usual. This is
also the ease %viol his deftrice of the dramatic
productions of his countrymen. INot that we
think ALI:Wile (k 'krictitres evince much
ood taste of judgment : on the contrary, con-
g
sioering how open the subject is to just and se-
%le think she has been most mime-
eessful ; we did not . believe: it possible until
we rend Madame de STAEL, that any thing. could
be wyitten.in censure .of Germanpiays, which we
wouid nor coteially approve,.
On the A!dame de Si"AEL has written
ticrwitny like a Ironek woman ; and our Critic

has -ana.lyA!d hcr book with th fidelity of a Ger-
ihan. His' work will be. read with infinite ad-
vantage- by those:\vhd have traded tliroq2;ll Ma-
dame de STAEL'S thrce octavo VOltlillt,S; but espe-
cially by Englit•lpvcaders. Indeed ho. work will
be read ‘vith instruction.. by those of• one
countryumn_w_bo do nor study this able
The. picture of the society .and literature: of a
country, drawn by.a foreigucr, inust, of necessity;
be in many parts incorrect.
:Nothing- can prevent a sn'ani.:;er from
.drawing
general conclusion-8 from. the. particular objects
which attract b.is notice iv 11 foreign country.
None but one. born
.to ti:e thanacts and customs
'of a people; or at least lon4.iicquainted,with thsrn,
can, dktinguislr the accidental from- the habitual.

In the conduct of affairs—in the u•es to Ivhich
things are'applied—in the wanne:•s of.a people—
ill 'their temper and conyers;iooo----in short, in
the whole detail of mensi actions and',opinions,
those traits that give a gcu►cyul character to a na-
tion can easily be 'narked by a st:unger 3 for he
finds every thing different from ghat-he has been
accustomed to iii other countries.

But it is this very cause that prevents him from
discerning what is common
,Brow what is aecidee-
tal. He forgets that all that is unconimon to hint
may not be common to, -the country he visits.
The inferences which he xvill draw will always be
those which are most obVious; but on this.acconut
they are not wire likely to be tune. •
It is with travellers_ as tvith ltistorians—they
are but too apt to guess' at motives, .atid then to
state them,
.as things.unilisputed, and ascTertained
beyond doubt. They give to the world -ciuide
conjectures in the shape of positive and allowed•
facts. They thus tui,,lead their readers, quit their
proper sphere, destroy their_ own reputittion, and.
injure that departmenkof literature_in which they
take their rank.
Thus it is with Madame de ST AML, iir.hcr " Ger-
many," and her account of the state of society and
literature in that interesting ciintrY, is therefore
often incorrect, and seldom consistent,
She has written with much freedom, and with
less regard that she should say what is correct
than what may be novel or brilliant. Just such a
work as one. would expect from a Frenchwoman
—sprightly, superficial, unprincipled.
Afraid of nothing except of being dull, 'she
never scruples.to sacrifice truth to a piece.of flimsy
raillery ;—and she would rather finish a sentence
with an unintelligible metaphor, provided it vas
new, than with an intelligible.remark,. which the
frivolity of a Frenchman might think heavy. Front
an author thus little scrupulous abot.tt accuracy,
we must expect, at least, a work that may be
peruse,d with pleasure.
Those whin react ;I",f.adame:DE STAEL'§ Germany,
merely for aninseinent, are likely .to be gratified;
hut those who would study- it,
,itt expectation of
finding in it an accurate delineation of 'German
literature and German manners, will shut the
book with little satisfaction. It. is impossible for
any. person. of good taste not to be
.as much'dis-
gusted with some of her observations, as with the
worst parts of some of her former works.
Admonitions concerning delicacy -and moral
conduct front Madame de STAEL are rather too
much ; and neither Englishmen nor Germans of
sense, nor any of those who retain sterling.prin-
ciplcs of honour and prcprzety, can hear them
with patience front such a quarter. There are
more•conetries in Europe than Great Britain,
where the publication Of fine sentimental phrases
about morality and,religiOn Will not be deemed a
Sufficient passport for the introduction of a female,
whose life has been spent in the continued breach
of those delicate'virtues that adorn at woman, to
the company of the wives arid daughters of gen-
tlemen and men of honour,