The Sun.
London, England, 1821-08-31 00:00:00

TURKEY AND RUSSIA.

VIENNA, AUG. 17.—Dispatches have arrived
this day from Constantinople, dated the 31st ult.,
which communicate most important intelligence.
Our last ad vices from that c:ty were of the 25th,
on which day the Divan were assembled in con-
sultation upon the propositions made by Russia.
The following is the substance of them, and it
cannot be denied that they are conceived in an
extremely moderate spirit. They begin by call-
ing on the Turks, in the name of all the Christian
Powers of Ettrope, to put a speedy end to pro-
ceedings which have outraged religion and huma-
nity ; to effect which it is required—

1. " That all the Christian Churches whicl
have been destroyed or pillaged shall be reboil
and put into a state of service for their holy des
tinations, by which means Europe may be con
soled for the death of the Patriarch of Constan
tinople, and the profanations which followed tha
deplorable event.

" That distinction shall be made between

the authors of the existing troubles, or those
Greeks who have been led to take part in them,
and between those whose innocence should pro-
tect them from the severity of the Divan.
3. " That the door of peace shall be opened
to those who may have remained tranquil, and
to those who within a limited period return to
s-übrnission.

4. " That Russia shall be enabled, in the
syirit of existing treaties, to assist in the pacifica-
tion of Moldavia and Walachia; to place order
and tranquillity there on a permanent footing, to
the end that the example of those provinces may
be such as to recall to obedience all Greeks who
sincerely love their country."
It was understood, that if the Porte should
accede to the propositions contained in the RUS-
aim' Note, the Ambassador was authorised to
make arrangements for carrying them into effect,
or at least should stipulate for some period
within which the Turkish Government should
evince, by some decisive step, the sincerity of its
determination.

- These are undoubtedly the tenour of the pro-
positions made by Russia to the Porte, though,
as they are detailed from memory, they may not
-. be correct to the letter. The instructions to the.
. Russian Ambassador, by which they were ac-
. compauied, were to require an answer from the
Divan in eight days, and Baron Strogonoff seems
to have adopted the determination strictly to ad-
here to them. On. the 20th July, which was the
• last day alloived for the answer of the Turkish
- Divan, he sent for their reply. lie was informed
verbally,_ that the Porte had determined on corn-
pliante With'all his propositions, but that on ac-
count of the length of the Russian note, and the
necessary time that would be consumed in its
translation from the French into the Turkish
language, and the reply of the Divan from the
Turkish language into the French, they would
require forty-eight hours delay before they
could transmit their answer to Baron Strogo-
noff in the official form. It appears, however,
that the peremptory manner of the Russian Am-
bassador accelerated the movements of the Di-
van... By the evening of the 26th they had corn-
pleted . their reply in the official form, and sent
a message to Baron Strogonoif that it was ready
for his acceptance, thus complying with the letter
of the- Russian note even to the period allowed
them for- acquiescence or refusal. No reply to
• this communication was condescended by the
Russian Ambassador. On the following morn-
_ ing, two dragomans (interpreters,) attached to
the. Russian embassy, appeared at the Divan,
and demanded passports for Baron Strogonoff and
• his -spite to 'quit Constantinople. Instead of
" compliance with that demand, the official reply
and .submission of the Porte to the propositions
• '.of Russia were then tendered. Acceptance was
refusecriv the Ambassador, who declared that
:heycould not accept a " tardy answer," and the.
- ft-demand for passports was repeated. They were'
at length granted for his suite and for his vesself
but,-the insertion of Baron Strogonoff's name in
any passpoit was refused, it being understood";
..-,hOWev,eroliatrno opposition would be made to his
:_departure.—: On :the other hand; they would not
-ex.pressli consent to. it. Baron 'Strogonoff de-
' Oaied reMatedly to the' other Ambassadors,' who
of d'ulurgp watched anxiously all his 'proceedings,-
--that Avhetherhe obtained passports'or not he was..
'cle6rmitied to depart... The motives assigned:
here for •his, extraordinary conduct among the
diplomatic circles are, that knowing of his recall
at the time, he was solely bent on making his
retreat go as to save his credit, and to preserve
the- secret of his disgrace-. •

PIEDMONT, Aua. 3.—We hear that a Conven-
tion has been concluded between our King, who
resides at Modena, and the Austrian Govern-
ment, by which 12,000 Austrian troops are to
occupy, till the end of September, 1822, certain
districts and towns mentioned in the Convention.
The Austrians are to relieve their garrisons every
four months with troops from the Milanese. On
the other hand, King Charles Felix pays 300,000
francs per month, and furnishes daily 12,000 ra-
tions of. bread. Various reports having been
spread in Upper Italy respecting an intended
interference of Austria in the internal affairs of
Sardinia, his Majesty, Charles Felix, has caused
a Circular Note to be delivered to all the Fo-
reign Alinisters at Modena, which Note has been
also communicated to all the European Courts,
in which these reports are formally contradicted.l

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

(No. XXXVI.)

CEUVRES COMPLETES de L'EMPEREUR JULIEN,
i. e. the WORKS of the EMPEROR JULIAN, translated
for the first time into French from the Greek, with RemarkS
and Notes, to which is prefixed an Historical and Critical
Notice of his Life, by R. TOURLET, Member of several
Academies and Literary Societies, and TranSlator of Pindar,
and Quintus of Smyrna. Three Volumes, Bvo. Vol. I.
Paris, 1821.

There are some severe critics who daily de—
plore the literary sterility of our age, yet several
remarkable productions have recently appeared
which attest the triumph of the arts and sciences.
It would be unjust to imagine that human know-
ledge is on the decline, though, perhaps, it may
be admitted that interesting subjects are begin-
ning to be scarce. The works of antiquity, how-
ever, present new literary treasures which we
ought to endeavour to conquer : it is true this
conquest is not to be achieved without some pains;
but it is the duty of great talents to attempt
great enterprises, and by genius alone ought the
productions of genius to be interpreted.
Among the precious relics which for ages have
remained hidden from public admiration, the
!Forks of the Emperor Julian, on account of their
historical and political importance, seemed to de-
mand the attention of those esteemed literati
who take a pride in enriching modern literature,
by reproducing the chef d'oeuvres of antiquity.
The united labours of Labletiene and the Mar-
quis d'Argens gave a very imperfect idea of the
works and system of Julian ; even the lettered j
public knew little more of this Emperor than his
military and political renown ; and it was re-
served for the learned translator of Quintus of
Smyrna, and Pindar, to bring completely to
light the brilliant ideas of the illustrious author
of the Misopogon.
The first of the three volumes of his translation
has just. made its appearance : it comprises the
Life of ;Julian, the Oration addressed to the Em-
peror Constans, that containing the eulogium of
the great actions of this Prince, and the third
dedicated to the glory of the Empress Eusebia ;
the volume is terminated by the discourse in
honour of the Sun King, and by the reflections
of the translator.
M. Tourlet has doubtless had to contend with

he greatest difficulties at every step. No edition
of the Works of Julian was perfect : errors and
omissions rendered the ambiguity of the style
extremely troublesome, and increased the obscu-
rity of a metaphysician, whose ideas are fre-
quently very abstracted : these impediments
would seem to make it almost impossible for the
.most subtle spirit to follow the developements of
a system, in which truth is only -to be seen in-
volved in the illusions of an ardent imagination ;
for Julian was at the same time a poet and a
philosopher. This philosophy, it is true, bears
the impress of the age : religious disputes then
began to divide the Universe; in the midst of
ruins smoking with blood, the ancient mythology
and the new worship disputed the empire of the
soul. Julian (lid not adopt the philosophy of
Epicurus. Platonism, which conceals real unbe-
lief under the veil of allegory,-acrd-seems to hold
a middle course between the system of nature
and religious principles, became therefore the
object of his enthusiasm : sublime contemplations,
consoling illusions, are naturally agreeable to a
highly poetic imagination.
Julian wrote in the midst of the anxieties of
war and politics ; the cares due to his vast empire,
martial exercises, the perfecting of the laws, the
cultivation of letters, occupied in turn every mo-
ment of his existence. Surrounded by the wiles
of treason, menaced by the daggers of envy, this
master of the world invariably maintained his
serenity of mind : superior to his own fortune
itself, which placed him in an age when men
were commonly ignorant of the best part of their
duties, Julian showed himself the just Sovereign,
the magnanimous warrior, the legislator, philo-
sopher, and poet. We must not, therefore, be
surprized if the multiplicity of labours of quite
opposite natures should prevent our illustrious
author from giving to his works that precision
which, by condensing our ideas, increases their
force and clearness ; nor should we be astonished
that discordant images, and far fetched compa-
risons, too often render his diction obscure and
prolix, and break the chain of his arguments, at
all times imbued with a mysticand vague coloring.
Rather let us do justice to all that is brilliant and
solid in his imagination, to all that is ingenious
and useful even in his fictions ; and let us con-
gratulate ourselves that his works have not been
swallowed up in the gulf in which so many sub.,
lime productions have disappeared for ever. Let
us also congratulate ourselves that he has attract-
ed the.attention of a writer so admirably quali-
tied to. communicate his works in a modern tongue.
A profound Grecian, a judicious critic, M.
Tourlet has succeeded in introducing perfect
order into the text, and also 'completes it by
fragments, which have been hitherto•un published
or scattered about in various works. The trans-
lator, versed in. the knowledge of the philosophi-
cal systems of antiquity, has explOred at a single
glance the intricacies of the labyrinth into which
'he has plUnged ; he trac,es..them with a firm and
confident step, and establishes on just grounds
the connection of the most obscure ideas. In all
parts he is master of his • subject, and possesses
the vigour of the original : he never adds any
empty ornaments, but frequently imparts to it
Additional splendour and clearness.
-.M. Tourlet has. likewise enriched his fine work
With learned antiquarian notes, which. are re-
markable for their ingenuity and truth, and serve
as a key to the system of Julian. Convinced
that •the public would interest itself more re-
specting the productions of an author whose his-
tory was known to them, M. Tourlet has very
judiciously prefixed to his translation a minute
account of the life of the Emperor Julian. This
memoir must have cost him infinite labour and
research : he has collected from a variety of
sources a number of facts which were quite un-
known, and with which many events of great
importance, and very valuable to history, are
connected. The pencil of the translator is bold,
firm, and brilliant : he paints with a manly and

noble originality the striking contrasts of the
physignomy of the Royal philosopher.
The recovery of the works of Julian is an im-
portant service rendered to literature. What-
ever may be the wanderings of his ardent imagi-
nation, the productions of this lettered Emperor
justly entitle him to be ranked among the cele-
brated men of antiquity ; his writings instruct,
his person interests ; we love to contemplate
such portraits; we love to see on the brow of
Sovereigns the imperial crown united to the
crown of letters and the arts, not that talent
derives its splendor from the illustrious personage
who cultivates it, but it is delightful to observe
the great and powerful pay the tribute due to the
arts and philosophy. We hope soon to be able
to announce to our readers the appearance of the
succeeding volumes of this translation.