in accuracy, where a little more in. dustry would have secured it. He might have mentioned the great stress laid by S. Eloi on externals and formalities, and yet have allowed the moral requisites which occur in the same page. But substitution is a worse offence than suppression, and this is what the editors of the Memoirs of Louis XIV. have committed, in leaving out what he had said in censure of the clergy, and in justification of the Protestants, while other passages, of a contrary nature, have been inserted in their room. Such is the statement of Rulhiére, who had access to the MS. (Scott's Reformation in France, p. 51.)

J. R. accuses 66 a late Calvinist historian " (M. Sismondi) of "resorting to a disreputable artifice," stating, from Mr. Faber,* that this eminent writer, after narrating "the story of Pope Boniface the Eighth's suicide as if true, and yet in a garbled way, puts a reference to Muratori at the foot of the page, where Muratori quotes the story, and dismisses it with an insanum mendacium, which comment Sismondi conceals. Such is the fairness (observes J. R.) of these boasted writers." Now it is possible that M. Sismondi may have committed an oversight, just as he classes Penelope with Briseis and Andromache, the slaves of a conqueror. (Hist. of Litt. iii. 333, Roscoe's translation.) may have drawn an erroneous inference in the act of quoting, or he may have accepted Muratori as an authority for the prevalence of the story, without choosing to be bound by his opinion of it. But the best indication of Sismondi's fairness is to be found in himself; for in his later and smaller work on Italian Republics (published in Lardner's Cabinet Cy. clopedia), he passes over the supposed suicide altogether, and says, that "Boniface died a few weeks after [his arrest] of rage and humiliation" (p. 107), a statement which agrees exactly with that of Romanist historians, for instance, Macquer,- -"il mourut de chagrin." (Ad an. 1303.) Here then

He

* Mr. Frederic Faber, not the author of Hora Mosaicæ and the Difficulties of Romanism.

GENT. MAG. VOL. XX.

we see that Sismondi had reconsidered the point, and given the mildest verdict. But as J. R. has drawn attention to one false report, he will allow me to mention another. Constantine Ponce de Fuente, almoner and preacher to Charles V. of Spain, was confined in one of the foulest dungeons of the Inquisition, for nearly two years, on a charge of Lutheranism. "Constantine (says Llorente) fell sick, and died of a dysentery; it was reported, when the auto-da-fé [of 1560] was celebrated, that he had killed himself to avoid his punishment," (p. 221; and see Mc Crie, Ref. in Spain, p. 266, for the particulars.) But this disappears amid the various mendacities, to borrow a word from your Correspondent's vocabulary, which that tribunal practised on the largest possible scale. "This holy office, veiled by secrecy, unhesitatingly kept back, falsified, concealed, or forged, the reports of trials, when compelled to open their archives to popes or kings." Such is the assertion of their secretary and historian. (Preface, p. xvii.) When we consider how easily innocence might be sacrificed under such a system, and how hopeless it rendered even a posthumous reparation of character, acknowledgment actually suffocates for the moment, while reading or reflecting on it.

The omissions of Mosheim and Sismondi may be paralleled from the writings of the late Mr. Charles Butler. In his Book of the Roman Catholic Church he gave a translation of the Creed of Pope Pius IV. omitting the last and most important clause. He stopped at the words, "to hold and profess the same whole and entire, with God's assistance, to the end of my life. Amen." (Eandem integram et inviolatam, usque ad extremum vitæ spatium constantissime, Deo adjuvante, retinere et confiteri.) But he left out the words which promise that the believer will procure, as far as in him lies, that all who are under him, or of whom he has the charge by virtue of his office, shall hold, teach, and preach the same." (Atque a meis subditis, vel illis quorum cura ad me in munere meo spectabit, teneri, doceri, et prædicari, quantum in me erit, curatorumque eo

X

idem N. spondeo, voveo, ac juro.) The work appeared in 1825, when the Emancipation question was on foot; and such a clause was a material part of the question, as it involved that of ascendancy, the desire of which the Romanists were anxious to disclaim. The character of Mr. Butler, as I have observed of Mosheim, should appa. rently exculpate him. One thing, however, is clear, that if so erudite a Romanist quotes imperfect documents, his assertions may prove to be rash in other respects. When Blanco White exposed the omission in the New Times newspaper of April 5, 1825, Mr. Butler gave no explanation of its origin.

Concerning Gregorio Leti, I may add, that Llorente, while he pronounces his conversations of Charles V. with Carranza unauthentic, says, "it must be confessed that his recital is otherwise very exact" (p. 172), and praises his historical judgment, on the submission of Philip to Paul IV. in 1557. "" Gregorio Leti is right in attributing all the evils that have since arisen from the excessive authority which the priests have arrogated over laymen, to this conduct of Philip II." (p. 185.)

However, the errors and defects which occur in Leti have gained for him the appellation of the Italian Varillas, a name which will be best understood by citing the admissions of De Feller respecting the latter writer, of whose History of Heresies Dryden had projected a translation.

"Quelque bonne que fût sa mémoire, il étoit difficile qu'elle ne le trompât pas souvent; et c'est là une des raisons qu'on pent rendre du nombre de fautes qu'il a faites; noms propres défigurés, faits evidemment faux, chronologie inexacte. Il a quelquefois cité des mémoires qui n'ont jamais existé; mais il est à croire que sa mémoire sa trompoit dans les titres. Il rapporte des anecdotes qu'on a jugées fausses, parce qu'on ne les trouvoit écrites mille part: reste à savoir s'il ne les tenoit pas de bonne source."

The Dictionnaire Historique (which bestows his name on Leti in the way of comparison) says,

"L'histoire des herésies fut attaquée à sa publication par Burnet et Larroque, et son auteur resta convaincu de plagiat et d'inexactitudes. Dès-lors Varillas perdit la reputation presque europeenne qu'il s'était acquise par son Histoire de France, et ne trouva plus de libraire qui voulût se charger de l'impression de ses ouvrages.',

Few literary reputations have declined so quickly and so decidedly. De Feller, obliged as he is to cen

sure

Varillas, apologises at every step for his faults, and the defectiveness of his eye-sight ought certainly to be allowed in the account; but, when he speaks of Leti, his language is that of unmitigated censure. Plus soigneux d'écrire des faits extraordinaires, que des choses vraies, il a rempli ses ouvrages de mensonges, d'inepties et d'inexactitudes." The anecdote which he relates of Leti, as saying, when asked if all in his life of Sixtus V. was true," Une chose bien imaginée fait plus de plaisir que la verité destituée d'ornemens,"- -only shows that he classed himself among romance-writers, and St. Real and Vertot are no more.* But Sabatier allows Varillas no better character. "La fureur de sacrifire l'essentiel à l'accessoire, le desir de bien dire, plutôt que celui de dire vrai, lui ont obtenu le premier rang parmi les historiens infideles." To come down to writers of our own time, as regards credibility in history,-Mr. Keightley, after observing that "it is impossible to conceive any thing more absurd than the accounts given by the Irish historians and antiquaries of the ancient policy and civilisation of their country," adds, "Yet even Mr.

fables." (Hist. of England, i. 158, Moore is not ashamed to repeat these note.) Nor is this an Englishman's jealousy or scepticism, for Mr. Keightley is an Irishman.

Yours, &c. CYDWELI.

If such was the case, why have Romanist writers admitted the story of Sixtus V? It must have come from another source, for Leti was a Protestant, and it is not on such authority that Romanists decry their dignitaries.

sonant to the feelings of the Dundas family, so memorable in the annals of their country for "deeds of arms,") that this tributary relic to the warrior be brought over to the mother country, and find a niche among the other revered memorials of our illustrious dead, or near the tombs of his ancestors.

With his heroic companions in arms, General Dundas (the immediate subject of this memoir) sailed for Guadaloupe under the Commander

* The Island of Guadaloupe has lately been the scene of a terrific earthquake, by which the whole island has been laid desolate. The loss of life has been computed at about 10,000 souls, while the property destroyed amounts in value to about 120 millions of francs.

To relieve the present wants of the unfortunate inhabitants, the French government have agreed to advance 10 millions in the shape of a loan, while the nation has contributed between two and three millions in the form of subscription. The people of the neighbouring islands have also largely contributed to the assistance of their unfortunate brethren, the little hospitable island of Tobago alone having forwarded 8000 dollars for that purpose.

To attempt a description of the horrors and devastation consequent on this awful catastrophe would be impossible; the following extracts, however, from the report of Messrs. L'Abbé Bertin and Jobity, appointed to convey pecuniary and other assistance from the island of Trinidad, will afford some idea of the painful situation of the unfortunate inhabitants, where the rich and poor are now commingled in one mass of misery.

"On the 17th of March, at 8 o'clock A.M. after a passage of six days, we arrived in sight of the ruins of Point à Pitre. (See the Plate.) It is impossible for us to express to you the emotions we felt at landing on its deserted wharfs, once so crowded, and indicatory of so much opulence. In vain we looked for a single house or hut; our eyes met every where but one vast heap of ruins, to which the action of fire had given a sombre hue, resembling the venerable relics of some city of antiquity, overthrown many centuries since.

"The first person who presented himself to us was Mr. Pakan, the harbour master, who immediately introduced us to the Mayor and his adjoints. The

office temporarily occupied by these gentlemen is a miserable-looking building, of which another portion is occupied by the

in-chief General Sir Charles Grey and Admiral Sir John Jervis, all of whom (because he could not conquer in fair fight) that democratic tyrant and wor

in

officers of the municipal government, and the remainder contains the provisions and other articles, which are daily distributed to all the inhabitants; for many who yesterday were possessed of large fortunes, and held the highest places in society, are now reduced to the level of the very lowest, with whom they are obliged to appear every day at the place of distribu. tion, holding out their hands, each in his turn, to receive the daily allowance of bread, salt-fish, rice, &c. distributed to them. The sight of such misery was, deed, heartrending. After a few minutes' conversation Mr. Chamby, Mayor of Point à Pitre, whose name, immortalised by his generous and disinterested devotedness, and that true piety which makes the relief of human suffering its chief object and care, will always remain connected with this terrible disaster, here introduced us to Mr. Jules Billecoq, the Director of the Interior, or Adjoint Governor, who, in the name of his excellency the Governor, then absent, received us in the kindest manner. The worthy Abbé Dupuis, who, since the memorable 8th of Feby. has never ceased adding to the zealous, courageous, and charitable acts for which so many heroes of humanity have distinguished themselves, gave us shelter in his dilapidated dwelling, which has been from the day of the earthquake an open house, where all are welcome, but more particularly those in distress. We met there every day the first men in the colony, from whom we learned many particulars of the heart-rending scenes, of which their country had just been the eventful theatre.

"Our thirty trunks of clothes were of inappreciable benefit to those unfortunate people. We beheld many persons, not a few days ago enjoying all the luxuries which fortune could command, coming to beg of us a pair of shoes, or some trifling article of raiment. After confiding to the Mayor 200 doubloons for distribution, we distributed the remainder of the sum confided to us to sundry persons pointed out to us, and whom shame prevented from exposing their misfortunes.

"It would be in vain for us to attempt to describe the frightful misery in which the awful event of the 8th of February has plunged the whole of the unfortunate inhabitants of Guadaloupe, for the entire colony has suffered. Nearly all the mills and sugar works are thrown down. In