Puisieux at their head as high priestess, and the president as high priest. He was the only man present within the enclosure. An harangue was delivered, and Madame de Vougny recited some very pretty verses. The ceremony of our reception was gone through. Daylight was fast disappearing, when we heard, all at once, very noisy music in the Turkish style, and messengers came round us on all hands to say that the Grand Seigneur was coming in person, with a great escort, to carry off all the vestals from the temple. Our high priest showed on this occasion a firmness worthy of his rank, for he declared that the gates should not be opened. Meanwhile the terrible music was approaching with alarming rapidity, and the Turks soon made thundering knocks at the gates. To avoid a scene that I disliked beforehand, I advised that the gates should be opened, and that we should surrender at discretion; but the president was firmly attached to his own plan, and fond of the pantomime, so that he reproached me with cowardice, and made the sultan be informed that the spot was consecrated ground. Thereupon, though the walls were pretty high, all the Turks jumped over immediately, several among them (who were servants or peasants) carrying torches; the gates were opened; more than three hundred Turks entered the garden, the gentlemen of the party carried off the ladies; the rest carried off about a dozen waiting maids, who had been mingled with us to increase our number. I always hated confusion and tumult, even in games, and this noisy party both displeased and frightened me, for I was afraid there might be some legs broken; and at seeing some Turks approach the vestals rather roughly, I thought the whole plan abominable. While in this bad humour, by the light of the torches I perceived M. de Caraman all glittering with gold and jewels (but who did not look well in his turban), and approaching me with an air of triumph, that roused my anger. I absolutely refused to be carried off, and this in such a rude way that he was greatly hurt. He laid hold of me, I resisted, pinched, scratched, and kicked his legs till he got into a passion, and then carried me off in spite of all my resistance. I was placed on a magnificent palanquin, while the sultan followed on foot, and reproached me bitterly. Seeing, however, that I ought not to spoil the fête by teasing him who really gave it, and who had become the hero only to make me queen, I endeavoured to laugh it off, and succeeded in appeasing him. All the ladies were placed in charming palanquins, and the Turks followed on foot with a band of music playing. In this manner we traversed throughout their whole length these immense and beautiful gardens, which were magnificently illuminated. The prospect was delightful. We found at the extremity of the park a splendid ball-room, with plenty of orangetrees, garlands of flowers, designs, and refreshments. The Grand Seigneur declared me his favourite sultana, and we danced all night. I have had many fêtes given me in the course of my life, but I never saw any so ingenious and delightful as this.

Compare the delight which Madame de Genlis expresses in what would appear to an English or American lady contemptibly childish, with the good and useful sense of her remarks a few pages farther.

I saw many snares and dangers scattered along my path, but I saw splendour, and I was carried away by vanity, curiosity, and presump

tion. We are seldom ruined by great passions, for their danger is too clear, and when the disposition is naturally good, all its resources are employed against them, and it triumphs over their allurements; but we never sufficiently distrust a crowd of little childish feelings, that seem to us totally harmless, and which gradually influence our conduct and lead us into danger. Some adopt the dangerous practice of forming their opinion, and regulating their conduct solely by what an action is by itself, and of lulling their conscience by saying that it is altogether innocent. They ought to reflect on its consequences, and seriously consider whether their situation, temper, and private feelings do not render it dangerous or improper for them, though it may be harmless to others. But when we feel an inclination for any thing, we take good care not to reckon thus, though it is the very thing that ought to be done. * * * Whenever claims are firmly and preservingly supported, though they be not well-founded, they give the persons who make them a certain footing and consideration in society, when they are wealthy, clever, and keep a good table. Sharp-sighted people and keen observers may laugh at them; but the public yield, as the very obstinacy of their pretensions seems to give them a just right. Though the dandies are despised by the ladies, yet they are reckoned hommes à bonnes fortunes. Bustling and self-important individuals without influence deceive no one; yet they are courted and flattered by the votaries of ambition and intrigue, who reckon it prudent to engage them in their interests. Prudes obtain the external respect due to virtue; pedants without real learning, enjoy in conversation almost all the deference paid to the learned. When we reflect on the never-failing success of claims perseveringly supported, who would attach much importance to the suffrages of society?

The comparison is curious and worthy of the notice of those who are ready to approve or condemn the character of nations or individuals on no better foundation than a casual consideration of manners and habits, and apt to consider an action as evidence of frivolity, indelicacy, or something worse, in France or Italy, because it would be so in Germany, England, or America.

Our extracts have hitherto related rather to remarkable circumstances than persons; from many of a different kind which might be given, we select the following respecting the Princess of Lamballe, a name indissolubly associated in the recollections of the world with the brutal ferocities of the revolution.

Madame de Lamballe was extremely pretty, and though her shape wanted elegance, and she had horrid hands, which contrasted strangely, from their size, with the delicacy of her face, she was charming without regularity; her disposition was mild, obliging, equal, and gay, but was totally destitute of talent; her vivacity, her gayety, and her childish air, concealed her insipidity in an agreeable manner; she never held an opinion of her own, but adopted in conversation the opinion of the person who passed for having the most wit, and this in a manner which was altogether peculiar to herself. When there was a serious discussion, she

never opened her lips, but affected absence of mind; and then suddenly appearing to start from her reverie, she repeated, word for word, as from herself, what the speaker had said whose opinion she adopted, and affecting great astonishment when any one told her that the same thing had just been said, she assured every body that she had not heard it. She employed this little contrivance with great address, and it was a long time before I could discover it. She had, besides, a great many little failings, which were in fact nothing but childish affectation; the sight of a bouquet of violets would make her faint-as would the sight of a craw-fish or a lobster, even in picture; on these occasions she would close her eyes, and without changing colour, remain motionless for more than half an hour, in spite of all the assistance which was afforded her, though nobody believed in these pretended fainting fits. I saw her faint in this manner in Holland, in Mr Hope's cabinet, on casting her eyes on a small Flemish picture, representing a woman selling lobsters. Another time at Crécy at the Duke of Penthièvre's after supper, I was sitting by her on a sofa, while Mademoiselle Bagarotti was telling ghost stories; suddenly she heard a domestic in the anti-room yawn aloud, as if waking. Madame de Lamballe affected so much emotion at this she fell fainting upon me, and remained so for such a length of time, that we sent to wake M. Guenault, the duke's surgeon, who came running down stairs in his dressing-gown. As the fainting fit continued, and I was very anxious to go to bed, I proposed aloud to M. Guenault who was a fool, to bleed the princess in the foot, being quite certain that she would recover from her fit before the bleeding. M. Guenault objected that it would be right to wait somewhat longer on account of supper; but I told him I had remarked that the princess had scarcely eaten any thing. Upon this, without hesitation, M. Guenault ordered hot water, and with an air of triumph (for bleeding the princess was a glorious exploit for him) he proposed to go and wake M. de Penthièvre, who always went to bed before us: but this I opposed. At last the basin of hot water arrived: M. Guenault took out his lancet, when suddenly and unexpectedly the princess recovered her senses. I have seen her act a thousand times scenes of this kind. Afterward when periodic attacks of the nerves came into fashion, Madame de Lamballe never failed to have two regularly every week, on the same days, and at the same hours, for a whole year. On these days according to the practice of other patients of the same kind, M. Saiffert, her physician, always, came to her at the stated hours. He rubbed the hands and temples of the princess with spirituous liquid; she was then put to bed where she lay two hours in a fainting fit. During this scene her intimate friends who came on these days formed a circle about her bed, and conversed quietly until the princess rose from her lethargy. Such was the the person who exercised a supreme dominion over the mind of the queen, in the begining of her reign.

The work concludes rather abruptly about the period of the year 1780. We readily recommend it to the perusal of our readers, and hope we may see a continuation of it.

The other work noticed at the head of this article contains three tales, selected from the works of Madame de Genlis. On

these short stories from the pen of an authoress so well known, it is scarcely necessary to make any remark. They are as entertaining as tales of this sort usually are. The spirit of these things depends much on the manner of telling them, and this is apt of course to be injured by translation. We should think that not much had been lost in this way in the present instance, and that the stories on the whole were well told and well translated.

Reform of Harvard College.

(For the Titles, see No. 6 of this Gazette.)
[CONTINUED.]

THE report of the first committee was criticised with considerable severity, and many weighty objections urged against its provisions in the pamphlet numbered 2, in our list of titles. No attempt to refute the reasoning in this pamphlet, nor any explanation or defence of the plan of reform, has ever been officially made public, so far as we know, except what may be found in the speech of Mr Pickering.

This gentleman does not seem inclined to be strenuous respecting that part of the report which regards the distribution of powers in the University, with respect to discipline. He seems to consider this arrangement as one not so urgently called for as those which relate to instruction. He does not attempt to defend it from the charge of utter absurdity and impracticability, which is pretty clearly implied in the "Remarks" on this Report. He refers, however, to the speech of the chairman of the committee, in which, perhaps, some such defence was made. But this speech has not been published. The following extract will show Mr Pickering's opinion respecting the Tutors.

In connexion with the administration of the government, there had been what he considered a radical error; it had been the practice to choose very young men for tutors, at moderate salaries, upon an understanding that their whole time would not be occupied with the duties of their office, and that they would have leisure to pursue professional studies; and although in the profession of the law no allowance would be made to a student for this portion of his studies, yet in divinity, as he had been informed, (he hoped the fact was not so) an allowance was made to students. It was evident, that, under such circumstances, a tutor would not give that undivided attention to the discharge of his

duty, which the good of his pupils, and indeed his own reputation, demanded. So far, also, as respects the mere police of the University, it was understood, that tutors who were candidates for the ministry were allowed to be absent from their rooms on Sundays in order to preach; this indeed was a necessary consequence of the present system; but it was manifestly an inconvenience that any of the College buildings should be left without the instructers. It was much better to pay higher salaries to a few men who should be required to give their whole time to the students, than to employ, at low salaries, a larger number who should devote but a part of their time to them; there could be but little difference in the expenditure on this account, and the gain to the Institution would be incalculable.

We referred, in our last number, to an opinion of this kind, as one that existed among many, who had paid attention to the subject. Much may be said in defence of this opinion, though there appear to be some difficulties connected with the proposed amendment. It may be said that there are three classes of persons, likely to become Tutors in this Institution; first, young men who take this office for various reasons, previous to commencing the study of a profession; secondly, students in theology while actually engaged in their studies, or candidates for the ministry; thirdly, gentlemen who, from a taste for the business of instruction, ill success in their profession, dislike to it, or other reasons, conclude to devote themselves entirely to this business.

With respect to the first class, it may be questioned whether any salary, which it would be reasonable to give, would have the effect of long retaining one who is looking forward to the study and practice of a profession. In a country like ours, young men of talents are not often willing to delay many years the commencement of the business to which they intend to devote their lives. The second class would be excluded, on the ground taken by Mr Pickering. The actual officers, therefore, would, in most cases, be taken from the third class. But in this country men are very apt, when they have entered upon any business which they regard as permanent, to wish to marry, and in point of fact they usually do so. The consequence of this will be, that the Tutors will soon be without the walls, and their places within must be supplied with a set of temporary officers, with lower salaries. The permanent Tutors again must have salaries to support their families on a level with those of the other College officers; and thus the College will be, in the ordinary course of things, after a few years, just where it is now.