thousand, to give Normandy in fief, and Brittany in arrière fief, did they leave any archives by which it may be seen whether they were the fathers of all the Normans of the present day?

the close of the reign of Charles VII. It might as well be said that the Algonquins and Chicachas had written laws. Men are never governed by authentic laws, consigned to public monuments, until It has been a long time believed that they have been assembled into cities, the Franks came from the Trojans. Am- and have a regular police, archives, and mianus Marcellinus, who lived in the all that characterises a civilised nation. fourth century, says,-" According to When you find a code in a nation which several ancient writers, troops of fugitive was barbarous at the time it was written, Trojans established themselves on the who lived upon rapine and pillage, and borders of the Rhine, then desert. As to which had not a walled town, you may Æneas, he might easily have sought an be sure that this code is a pretended one, asylum at the extremity of the Mediter- which has been made in much later ranean, but Francus the son of Hector times. Fallacies and suppositions never had too far to travel to go towards Dus-obliterate this truth from the minds of seldorp, Worms, Solm, Errenbeistein, &c. the wise. Fredegarius doubts not that the Franks at first retired into Macedonia, and carried arms under Alexander, after having fought under Priam; on which alleged facts the monk Otfrid compliments the Emperor Louis the German.

The geographer of Ravenna, less fabulous, assigns the first habitation of the horde of Franks among the Cimbrians, beyond the Elbe, towards the Baltic sea. These Franks might well be some remains of these barbarian Cimbri defeated by Marius; and the learned Leibnitz is of this opinion.

It is very certain that, in the time of Constantine, beyond the Rhine there were hordes of Franks or Sicambri, who lived by pillage. They assembled under bandit captains, chiefs whom historians have had the folly to call kings. Constantine himself pursued them to their haunts, caused several to be hanged, and others to be delivered to wild beasts, in the amphitheatre of Treves, for his amusement. Two of their pretended kings perished in this manner, at which the panegyrists of Constantine are in ecstacies. The Salic law, written, it is said, by these barbarians, is one of the absurd chimeras with which we have always been pestered. It would be very strange if the Franks had written such a considerable code in their marshes, and the French had not any written usages until

What is more ridiculous still, this Salic law has been given to us in Latin; as if savages, wandering beyond the Rhine had learnt the Latin language. It is supposed to have been first digested by Clovis, and it ran thus: -Whilst the illustrious nation of the Franks was still considered barbarous, the heads of this nation dictated the Salic law. They chose among themselves four chiefs, Visogast, Bodogast, Sologast, Vindogast, &c. taking, according to La Fontaine's fable, the names of places for those of

men:

Notre magot prit pour ce coup

Le nom d'un port pour un nom d'homme. These names are those of some Frank cantons in the province of Worms. Whatever may be the epoch in which the customs denominated the Salic law were constructed on an ancient tradition, it is very clear that the Franks were not great legislators.

What is the original meaning of the word Frank? That is a question of which we know nothing, and which above a hundred authors have endeavoured to find out. What is the meaning of Hun, Alain, Goth, Welch, Picard? And what does it signify?

Were the armies of Clovis all composed of Franks? It does not appear so. Childeric the Frank had made inroads as far as Tournay. It is said that

being only a vague expression, by which ignorant people have been continually deceived, not knowing really how much they receive or how much they pay.

Clovis was the son of Childeric and, Queen Bazine, the wife of King Bazin. Now Bazin and Bazine are assuredly not German names, and we have never seen the least proof that Clovis was their son. All the German cantons elected their chiefs, and the province of Franks had no doubt elected Clovis as they had done his father. He made his expedition against the Gauls, as all the other bar-is not probable that a man chosen for a barians had undertaken theirs against the Roman empire.

Charlemagne did not consider himself as a Frank; he was born in Austrasia, and spoke the German language. He was of the family of Arnold, Bishop of Metz, preceptor to Dagobert. Now it

preceptor was a Frank. He made the greatest glory of the most profound igDost thou really and truly believe that norance, and was acquainted only with the Herulian Odo, surnamed Acer by the profession of arms. But what gives the Romans, and known to us by the most weight to the opinion that Charlename of Odoacer, had only Heruliansmagne regarded the Franks as strangers in his train, and that Genseric conducted to him, is the fourth article of one of his Vandals alone into Africa? All the capitularies on his farms. If the Franks, wretches without talent or profession, said he, commit any ravages on our poswho have nothing to lose, do they not sessions, let them be judged according to always join the first captain of robbers their laws. who raises the standard of destruction?

The Carlovingian race always passed As soon as Clovis had the least suc- for German: Pope Adrian IV., in his cess, his troops were no doubt joined by letter to the archbishops of Mayence, all the Belgians who panted for booty; Cologne, and Treves, expresses himself and this army is nevertheless called the in these remarkable terms: "The emarmy of Franks. The expedition is very peror was transferred from the Greeks to easy. The Visigoths had already in- the Germans. Their king was not emvaded one-third of Gaul, and the Bur-peror until after he had been crowned by gundians another. The rest submitted the pope... all that the emperor posto Clovis. The Franks divided the land {sessed he held from us. And as Zaof the vanquished, and the Welch culti-charius gave the Greek empire to the vated it. Germans, we can give that of the Germans to the Greeks."

The word Frank originally signified a free possessor, whilst the others were slaves. Hence come the words franchise, and to enfranchise,-"I make you a Frank," "I render you a free man." Hence francalenus, holding freely; frunk aleu, frank dad, frank chamen,, and so many other terms half Latin and half barbarian, which have so long composed the miserable patois spoken in France.

However, France having been divided into eastern and western, and the eastern being Austrasia, this name of France prevailed so far, that even in the time of the Saxon emperors, the court of Constantinople always called them pretended Frank emperors, as may be seen in the letters of Bishop Luitpraud, sent from Rome to Constantinople.

Of the French Nation.

Hence, also, a franc in gold or silver to express the money of the king of the Franks, which did not happen until a When the Franks established themlong time after, but which reminds us of selves in the country of the first Welches, the origin of the monarchy. We still say which the Romans called Gallia, the twenty francs, twenty livres, which sig-nation was composed of ancient Celts or nifies nothing in itself; it gives no idea Gauls, subjugated by Cæsar. Roman of the weight or value of the money, families who were established there,

the same as Cæsar painted the Gaulsprompt to resolve, ardent to combat, impetuous in attack, and easily discouraged. Cæsar, Agatius, and others say, that of all the Barbarians the Gauls were the most polished. They are still in the most civilised times the model of polite

Germans who had already emigrated, there, and finally of the Franks, who had rendered themselves masters of the country under their chief Clovis. Whilst the monarchy subsisted, which united Gaul and Germany, all the people, from the source of the Weser to the seas of Gaul, bore the name of Franks. But when atness to all their neighbours, though they the congress of Verdun in 843, under occasionally discover the remains of their Charles the Bald, Germany and Ganl levity, petulance, and barbarity. were separated, the name of Franks remained to the people of western France, which alone retained the name of France. The name of French was scarcely known until towards the tenth century. The foundation of the nation is of Gallic families, and traces of the character of the ancient Gauls have always existed.

The inhabitants of the coasts of France were always good seamen; the people of Guienne always compose the best infantry; those who inhabit the provinces of Blois and Tours are not, says Tasso, robust and indefatigable, but bland and gentle, like the land which they inhabit:

Gente robusta, e faticosa,

La terra molle, e lieta, e dilettosa
Simili a se gli abitator, produce.

But how can we reconcile the character of the Parisians of our day with that which the Emperor Julian, the first of princes and men after Marcus Aurelius, gave to the Parisians of his time?— "I love this people," says he in his Misopogon, "because they are serious and severe like myself." This serious

Indeed, every people has its character as well as every man; and this character is generally formed of all the resemblances caused by nature and custom between the inhabitants of the varieties which distinguish them. Thus French character, genius, and wit, result from that which has been common to the different provinces in the kingdom. The people of Guienne and those of Normandy differ much; there is howeverness, which seems at present banished found in them the French genius, which forms a nation of these different provinces, and distinguishes them from the Indians and Germans. Climate and soil evidently imprint unchangeable marks on men as well as on animals and plants. The affluence, opulence, and idleness Those who depend on government, reli- of the people, who may occupy themgion, and education are different. That selves with pleasures and the arts, and is the knot which explains how people not with the government, have given a new have lost one part of their ancient cha- { turn of mind to a whole nation. racter and preserved the other. A people who formerly conquered half the world are no longer recognised under sacerdotal government, but the seeds of their ancient greatness of soul still exist, though hidden beneath weakness.

In the same manner the barbarous government of the Turks have enervated the Egyptians and the Greeks, without having been able to destroy the original character or temper of their minds.

The present character of the French is

from an immense city become the centre of pleasure, then reigned in a little town destitute of amusements: in this respect the spirit of the Parisians has changed notwithstanding the climate.

Further, how is it to be explained by what degrees this people have passed from the fierceness which characterised them in the time of King John, Charles VI. Charles XI. Henry III. and Henry IV. to the soft facility of manners for which they are now the admiration of Europe? It is that the storms of government and religion forced constitutional vivacity into paroxysms of faction and fanaticism; and that this same vivacity, which always will exist, has at

present no object but the pleasures of society. The Parisian is impetuous in his pleasures as he formerly was in his fierceness. The original character which is caused by the climate is always the same. If at present he cultivates the arts, of which he was so long deprived, it is not that he has another mind since he has not other organs; but it is that he has more relief, and this relief has not been created by himself, as by the Greeks and Florentines, among whom the arts flourished like the natural fruits of their soil. The Frenchman has only received them, but having happily cultivated and adopted these exotics, he has almost perfected them.

The French government was originally that of all the northern nations, of all those whose policy was regulated in general assemblies of the nation. Kings were the chief of these assemblies; and this was almost the only administration of the French in the two first generations, before Charles the Simple.

always formed the predominant character of the nation.

Gallantry and politeness began to distinguish the French under Francis I. Manners became odious after the death of Francis II. However, in the midst of these horrors, there was always a politeness at court, which the Germans and English endeavoured to imitate. The rest of Europe, in aiming to resemble them, were already jealous of the French. A character in one of Shakspeare's comedies says, that it is difficult to be polite without having been at the court of France.

Though the nation has been taxed with frivolity by Cæsar, and by all neighbouring nations, yet this kingdom, so long dismembered, and so often ready to sink, is united and sustained principally by the wisdom of its negociations, address, and patience; but above all, by the divisions of Germany and England. Brittany alone has been united to the kingdom by a marriage; Burgundy by right of fee, and by the ability of Louis XI.; Dauphiny by a donation, which was the fruits of policy; the county of Toulouse by a grant, maintained by an army; Provence by money. peace has given Alsace, another Lorraine. The English have been driven from France, notwithstanding the most signal victories, because the kings of France have known how to temporise, and profit on all favourable occasions;-all which proves, that if the French youth are fri

One treaty of

When the monarchy was dismembered, in the decline of the Carlovingian race, when the kingdom of Arles arose, and the provinces were occupied by vassals little dependant on the crown, the name of French was more restricted. Under Hugh Capet, Henry, and Philip, the people on this side the Loire only, were called French. There was then seen a great diversity of manners and of laws in the provinces held from the crown of France. The particular lords who became the masters of these provinces in-volous, the men of riper age, who govern troduced new customs into their new states. A Breton and a Fleming have at present some conformity, notwithstanding the difference of their character, which they hold from the sun and the climate, but originally there was not the least similitude between them.

It is only since the time of Francis I. that there has been any uniformity in manners and customs. The court, at this time, first began to serve for a model to the United Provinces; but in general, impetuosity in war, and a lax discipline,

it, have always been wise. Even at present the magistracy are severe in manners, as in the time of the Emperor Julian. If the first successes in Italy, in the time of Charles VIII. were owing to the warlike impetuosity of the nation, the disgraces which followed them were caused by the blindness of a court which was composed of young men alone. Francis I. was only unfortunate in his youth, when all was governed by favourites of his own age, and he rendered his kingdom more flourishing at a more advanced age.

is painted on our retina, at a determinate angle. Our eyes were not given us to know sizes and distances: to know these, other aids and other operations are ne

Bambabef seemed much astonished at this position. Whang, being very patient, explained to him the theory of optics; and Bambabef, having some conception, was convinced by the demonstrations of the disciple of Confutzee. He then resumed in these terms :

The French have always used the same arms as their neighbours, and have nearly the same discipline in war, but were the first who quitted the use of the lance and pike. The battle of Yvri began to de-cessary. cry the use of lances, which was soon abolished, and under Louis XIV. pikes were also discontinued. They wore tunics and robes until the sixteenth century. They left off the custom of letting the beards grow under Louis the Young, and retook to it under Francis I. and only began to shave entirely under Louis XIV. Their dress is continually changing; and at the end of each century the French might take the portraits of their grand-you will at least acknowledge that our fathers for those of foreigners.

FRAUD.

Whether pious Frauds should be practised upon the People?

BAMBABEF.

If God does not, as I thought, deceive us by the ministry of our senses,

physicians are constantly deceiving children for their good. They tell them that they are giving them sugar, when in reality they are giving them rhubarb. I, a fakir, may then deceive the people, who are as ignorant as children.

WHANG.

I have two sons; I have never de

ONCE upon a time the fakir Bambabef met one of the disciples of Confutzee (whom we call Confucius); and this disciple was named Whang. Bambabefceived them. When they have been maintained that the people require to be deceived, and Whang asserted that we ought never to deceive any one. Here is a sketch of their dispute :

ВАМВАВЕР.

We must imitate the Supreme Being, who does not show us things as they are. He makes us see the sun with a diameter of two or three feet, although it is a million of times larger than the earth. He makes us see the moon and the stars affixed to one and the same blue surface, while they are at different elevations: he chooses that a square tower should appear round to us at a distance: he chooses that fire should appear to us to be hot, although it is neither hot nor cold in short, he surrounds us with eniors, suitable to our nature.

WHANG.

What you call error is not so. The sun, such as it is placed at millions of millions of lis from our globe, is not that which we see, that which we really pereeive we perceive only the sun which

sick, I have said to them :-"Here is a nauseous medicine; you must have the courage to take it; if it were pleasant, it would injure you." I have never suffered their nurses and tutors to make them afraid of ghosts, goblins, and witches. I have thereby made them wise and courageous citizens.

BAMBABEF.

The people are not born so happily as your family.

WHANG.

Men all nearly resemble one another; they are born with the same dispositions. Their nature ought not to be corrupted.

BAMBABEF.

We teach them errors, I own; but it is for their good. We make them be lieve that if they do not buy our blessed nails, if they do not expiate their sins by giving us money, they will, in another life, become post-horses, dogs, or lizards. This intimidates them and they become good people.