The Sun.
London, England, 1820-12-18 00:00:00

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

Mu.,tTAny litsTon.y.—We observe by The
Gazette -de France of t Ire I Ith of this matith, that the first
livsairon of a new Edition of the Histoire Critique rt Mill-
taire des fluerres de la Revolution, by the celehrut eel General
Jomini, has lately been published at Paris. M. Jontini has
distinguished himself by several scientific: publications on the
Art of War, and about two years ago, by his translation arid
illustrations of the excellent work of his Imperial Highness,
the Archduke Charles, entitled, " The Principles of Strategy,
or Military Science;" developed by a detail of the Campaign
of 1796, in Germany. •In treating of this partivular period
of the Wars consequent on the French Revolution, as well as
on the principles of Military ',4Cience, much important and va
luable information may be derived from the production of that
illustrions warrior; and we anticipate that M. Jorniiii has
availed himself of these advantages which will render the
present edition of his History peculiarly desirable and inte-
resting. We understand ttiat the work will be enriched with
numerous maps, engraved with great care, at d executed with
such precision as veil triable its readers to follow the Opera-
tions of the different armies, and to .eoMprelrend with, the
greatest case the strategical demonstrations occasioned by
such operations. This production has rendered important
services to the 'Military Art, and Will be extremely useful to
youth destined to the professiore.of arms..
UNIVERSAL II APHY.—A considerable time
has elapsed since the perblidation of the 44th Volume of the
Riograpltie Unirerselle, aneienne et nroderne, arid we hare
now the pleasure to announce from 7/e Journal des .I)e6ats.
of the ilth inst., that the 25th and 26th Volumes of this
Work have issued front the Parisian Press. Wowed not in-
form our readers that the Iliographte Unirerselle is under-
taken by a,soctety
_of literary and szientific men, and that
the two last. Viriumes,, aS well as those• which preceded
them, are the produCtion of the same individuals. The
same erudition, the same judgment, principles, good sense,
and talent, which characterized the former parts of this
work, are conspicuous in the tatter l'eluiries. M. •Lacre-
tette, the younger, has contributed two excellent articles on
the reigns of Limns XIV and Louis XV, -so which he has in-
troduced a vindicatiati of the charecteraff-Madanie de Main-
tenon front the calumnies of Saipt Simon. They will together
form one vol. The merits of this ilistdrian are well known to be
of the highest order,. and have been justly appreciated.. The
Biography of the virtuous and magnanimous Malesherties is
well given by ,M. Bonald; who describes hint as uniting the
virtues of ancient tittles with the tipinions of the present day.
M. Villemain has enriched these voluines With two important
articles on Latin Literature, thoseof-Lucretius and Lucan, two
great poets; the former exhibitiug the splendid flight of the
•Renian Muse, the other its decline.; Locate was forced to
commit siticide at the age of years, and Lucretius was
• the victim of a voluntary death, it is said, at the age of 44
..years. The shot t life of one and the .Obscure life of the other,
do not furnish the Historian with many materials ; but tkis
void is tichlksupplied by just and spirited reflections, try solid
and ingenious literary opinions, and by masterly delinea-
' tions ref the two terrible epochs -ill whicb the genius of
these two Poets shore to, tha thus giving a greater in-
terest to his two articles ithan could have been effected
by the recital of facts and anecdotes. Loran lived under the
reign of Nero, whom he had the misfortune to offend, and the
still greater mitfortune to flatter in the basest anti most
disgusting manner. Lucretius had witnessed, more than
a century before, the -ho;•rors of the civil wars, anti the
• proscriptions of Marius and and his ardent imagina-
tion, deeply affected at this frightful spectacle, had imbibed
in their contemplatton his gloomy and disheartening philoso-
phy. •" Not daeing to attribute," justly observes M. de For).
tames, " the disordersiof his country to the-gods esteemed fur
their wisdom mid justice, lie attempted to deny the existence
of a Providence which seemed to abandon the world to the
passions of a few ambitious tyrants."
• M. Villvotaio palms in forcible colours these different
: his pencil is vigorous, hold, and spirited. However,
iq the article on Lucas, his judgment is trot always correct,
-and his ititott and expressions are sometimes too far-fetched.
—lle has: also been guilty of an inconeistency, which
perhaps may be only an apparent not a real one• In com-
menting on the various and opposite opinions respect-
ing :the author of the Pharsalia, he says, 'Voltaire has
spoken of hint with admiration; and a few lines further he
quotes a passage, in which Voltaire expresses himself in
terms of moderate commendation with justice arid taste.
Of the two articles, we prefer that of Lucretius. The prose
of M. l'illemain may take its station by the side of the elegant
anti liarmoitions prose Of JI, tie Fantaries, from which lie has
given two lone, extracts. We sti..h M. Villemaiii had been
•able in this aiticle; to do justice to the talents of great poet
of our tines, NI, De Lille, who, like Lucretius, haS versified
the most unpoetical and abstract subjects; a poet less cf..
garous, less energetic than his predecessor, but possessing
mote brilliancy, more elegance acid Taste. He applied these
rare qualities to ,a better philosophy, and proved in equally
elegant verse, in the eighth canto of the Aegne de la Nature,
the great and important truths unknown and despised by
Lucretius. These volumes contain -a variety of (Abet.'" mote-
resting and valuable articles; arid we have only spaCe to
mention, that M, Dint lias-cuntrilitited his talents and abili-
ties to the celebration of those learned acid scientific charac-
ters, who are comprehended under the term savans.

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THE SUN.

SOLEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM dIUDEAT

LONDON, -
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1820.