Star.
London, England, 1823-05-26 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Mr. Roaoe has been for a considerable time
e-gaged on an English Version of Sismondi's admi-
rable Work on the Literature of the South of Eu-
rope, which, we understand, will be published in a
few days.

Tus WORICS or AtmNut CANOVA. Engraved in Outline. By
1.1.-:ry Moses. With Descriptions, front the Italian of Isa-
bella, Countess Albrizzl. Parts I. to VI. Imperial Octavo.
London, 1823.
Though every one has heard of the name of the
modern Phidias, Canova, yet his works are compa-
ratively unknown in' this country, beyond a bust or
a statue. It was therefore with peculiar pleasure we
learned that a young and enterprising publisher was
about to present to the British Public a collection of
Outlines from the principal works of this great
sculptor. Six Numbers of this work have already
appeared; and we congratulate the-artist, Mr. Moses,
on his success in imparting to outlines so much of the,
delicacy and spirit of the original marble. It is not
necessary to see the statues of Canova, to know his
excellence as a sculptor: the Engraver gives ample
evidence of this, in his correct representation of the
works in sculpture and modelling of the great artist.
The descriptions which accompany the plates are
from the Italian of the Countess Alb: izzi, a lady of
distinguished reputation for taste on subjects of Lite-
rature and the Fine Arts. The Countess is an enthu-
s'a,tic, but not an indiscriminate admirer of the works
of Canova. Though she does not profess a scient;fic
knowledge of the sublime art of sculpture, nor at-
tempt a critical analysis or technical examination of
the works of Canova, yet she is evidently intimately
acquainted with the subject, and fully capable of ap-
preciating the merits; the beauties, and the detects
of the works she describes.

The work is well got up, and published in a very
liberal manner. Each Number contains five Engrav-
ings ; the letter•preys is neatly printed, and the whole
w.ll form a very elegant and valuable description of
the works of one of the greatest of modern artists.

MODE OF SPANISH WARFARE.
The following extract front a Work of the Abbe de Flub; Is
worthy of consideration, as disclosing the history of an at-
tempt on Spin, which may be prophetic of the result of that
which is now in operation :

While Napoleon employed himself at Madrid in
arranging the internal affairs of Spain, the war be-
came general over the whole surface of the country,
and it was then that he could estimate its difficulties.
In the Asturias, Marshals Lefebvre and Victor had
won the battles of Reynosa and Espinosa, and over.
run that province as conquerors, without gaining
any real advantage. The siege of Saragossa was,
begun ; the battle of Tudela had dispersed the most
considerable Spanish army; Rosas was taken, and
Giron also. Marshal Gouvion St. Cyr had destroyed
in the engagernent of Wals the victors of. Baylen and
their Commander, Rediny; and, nevertheless, mat:
ters were not the farther advanced. Spain seemed
to imitate the manoeuvre of those battalions which
open iu order to let the enemy pass, and then, form-
ing behind him, shower blows upon him while he it
hurried along by the rapidity of their movement._'
This is what happened to the French : they were the
masters of the spot which they occupied, from the
head to the last ranks of their column—:the wings
did not belong to them : the Spaniards fled at their
approach, but returned as soon as they were goae;
their number at any one time was small, compared
with the extent of ground which they had to cover.'
They were compelled to be perpetually in motion ; to
oppose an enemy always beaten, but always re-ap-
pealing—always flying, but likewise always present
everywhere.—Such was the dreadful career of the
French troops—such was the true cause of their de-
struction in Spain. Ii is not by battles that they
were wasted away, but by the mountainous face of

the country, the difficulty of communication, the in-
sulated character or the settlements, the want of se-
cure places of retreat and regular subsistence, the
unremitting hostilities of the population, the futility
of their victories, and the incessant marches after an
enemy that shelved himself only to disappear. Spain
is not formed like miser countries; she is cut by
mountains, which eparts
mpass some, of her ter-
ritory in a regular liner : this configuration pro-
duced her political graphy and her division into
distinct States. The mountains present obstacles to
assailants, and strong points and plaoes of refuge to
the defenders of the country, and, moreover, cur-
tains behind which you see nothing. The habitations
are collected in towns or villages, so as to leave
great desert intervals between them. You do not
Area there, as in other parts of Europe, those dwel-
lings through the interior and along the high roads,
which furnish shelter and the means of subsistence:

all the cross-roads are bad—wood, shade, and water,
are wanting ; no large vehicles for transportation are
found—everything is done by beasts of burden; the.
hostile population harass the invader in a thousand
ways; a large army has extreme difficulty in keep-
ing together—a small one is of little use. A Spanish
war, then, is attended with difficulties peculiar to it-
self, and insurmountable when you( are not favoured,
as the British were, and have not, as they had, an
abundance of money at command."
* • *

" I shall proceed to examine what the Spanish war
cost France in melt. From the 2d May, 1808, the date
of the insurrection at Madrid, and the first fighting
in Spain, to the 10th April 1814, when the war ended,
diet e were six entire campaigns. These were not in-
terrupted by any of those intervals of rest under the
name of armistices, winter quarters, &c. which sus-
pend blows and give the combatants time to breathe.
In' Spain there was no intermission of hostili;ies—not
a day passed without the effusion of blood, and that,
over the Whole surface of the country. The national
hatred and vengeance admitted of no respite and no
lenity. Destruction and death reigned for six years.
Every Frenchman, however employed and wherever
found, was treated as an enemy and put to death
without discrimination, except as to the greater or
less ferocity with which he was dispatched. Here
there was a cruse of mortality unknown in other
wars. Add to this thelatal influence of the climate;
the absence of all assistance itt hospital; bud nourish-
ment, and the fatigues a the arduous marcher.
,6 According to the best calculations and the most
correct returns, the loss of men each year on ao
average Mut& bee:dimmed at less than ote henebtif
thousald. I do not doubt that there* perished. e*h
year its- Spain 100,000 Frenchmen, including all

classes and professions ; which makes a total of six'
hundred thousand during the :is years of the invasiop..
The French lost more than tVezpankrds. • I'llettefl/2110
Wards fought an infinite nurhber df bittles; t it;
tasked,iodividualky' ip-bundi greet and small, at all'
hours ;4they spared no Frenchman that could be de-
- oyeet They fired from windows, from behind
walls, from acclivities and fastnesses; defeats in thel
Id . never shook their determination nor arrested-
'their hcistilitiet; in the great battles they fled quickly
d on every side; but they soon rallied in parties
and-hunted down the mastes of the field."