The fourth book treats of the imperial government, from the removal of the feat of empire to Byzantium by Conftantine, to the revival and diffufion of the Roman laws over Europe in the twelfth century. The firft chapter contains a view of the state of the Roman government and laws, from Conftantine to Juftinian. The next exhibits the ftate of the laws after Theodofius II. with the reformation of them by Juftinian. In this chapter the hiftorian relates the origin of the Institutes, Digeft or Pandects, the Code, and the New Couftitutions; all which conftitute the body of the Civil Law.

6 Upon an impartial review of this princely collection, fays our author, which contains the quinteffence of whatever is ufeful and excellent among the accumulated productions of fourteen centuries, instead of enviously dwelling upon its defects, or complaining of its magnitude, we fhould rather admire the judgment and perfeverance of thofe learned perfonages who had courage to undertake this more than Herculean labour; and reduced the whole into fo reasonable and moderate a compass, as that in which it is now extant.'

The laft chapter of the volume delineates the state of Justinian's laws in the Eaft; the alterations by Bafilius Macedo and Leo the philofopher; the progrefs and decline of those laws in the Weft; with their revival in the twelfth century, and a particular enquiry into that event.

In this History Dr. Bever has, with great perfpicuity, traced the progress of the celebrated fyftem of civil law through a feries of near two thousand years. He difcovers the strongest marks of accurate enquiry, as well as judicious reflexion. Having fo much enriched the prefent volume with hiftorical detail, and pertinent remarks, we may expect a yet more interesting fund of obfervation in the fecond; which will not only relate the connexion of the civil with the feudal and canon laws, but their joint effect on the refpective governments of those countries where they have been adopted. Due attention, we are informed, will be paid to the various operations of those laws in the different parts of the British empire, especially in the maritime and ecclefiaftical courts. We cannot help expreffing a defire, that Dr. Bever's profeffional engagements may afford him leifure to complete a work, which cannot fail of proving highly acceptable to every enquirer into the history of our conftitution and juridical fyftem.

Theatre

Theatre of Education. Tranflated from the French of the Countess 4 Vols. 8vo. 11. in boards. Cadell.

de Genlis.

As the formation of the minds of youth is a matter of the

utmost confequence and importance in every state, those who direct their ftudies towards it, are doubtless highly deferving both of attention and applaufe: the task, however, is by no means an eafy one; nothing is more difficult to a good writer than to adapt himself to the capacity of his inferiors, and to lead the young readers into a knowlege of men and manners, without, at the fame time, running the hazard of depraving their taste or corrupting their manners: this arduous task Mademoiselle de Genlis, the original author of the work before us, has performed with fingular judgment and fuccefs.

The work, as the tranflator has obferved, is equally adapted to the instruction of both fexes, who will find engaging defcriptions of characters well worth their imitation, and meet with instructive examples to deter them from thofe vices and follies which are most incident to an early period of life. Though the Comedies of the countefs de Genlis, in which she has fhewn extenfive knowlege, fine tafte, exquifite fenfibility, and the most exalted virtue, were written for the ufe of youth, they are not confined to the improvement of the young; perfons of all ages, of all ranks and profeffions, may difcover ufeful hints for the regulation of their conduct in the most important fituations of life where they meet not with inftruction, they will always find amufement, but in general, it has been the aim of this refpect able lady to unite thefe objects, in which she has so happily fucceeded, that her work is confidered as an agreeable domestic mo nitor in most families on the continent.'

The four volumes contain twenty-four little comedies, of one, two, or three acts, each of which represents fome interefting domeftic circumftance, and inculcates fome particular moral, or focial duty. The dialogue is, in general, cafy, fprightly, and fenfible, conveying many judicious reflections on men and things; fuch as may be peculiarly ferviceable to young women, whom they were principally calculated to inftruct.

In a prefatory advertisement to one of thefe comedies, which is called the Queen of the Rofe, we meet with an entertaining account of a fingular cuflom kept up for many years, and still prevailing in Picardy, which we fhall here fubjoin for the amusement of our readers.

"There is ftill (fays the author of the memorial) a part of the world where fimple genuine virtue receives public honours.

It is in a village of Picardie, a place far diftant from the politeness and luxury of great cities. There, an affecting ceremony, which draws tears from the fpectators, a folemnity, awful from its venerable antiquity, and falutary influence, has been preferved notwithstanding the revolutions of twelve centuries; there, the fimple luftre of the flowers with which innocence is annually crowned, is at once the reward, the encouragement, and the emblem. Here, indeed, ambition preys upon the young heart, but it is a gentle ambition; the prize is a hat, decorated with rofes. The preparations for a public decifion, the pomp of the feftival, the concourfe of people which it affembles, their attention fixed upon modefty, which does itself honour by its blushes, the fimplicity of the reward, an emblem of thofe virtues by which it is obtained, the affectionate friendship of the rivals, who, in heightening the triumph of their queen, conceal in the bottom of their worthy hearts, the timid hope of reigning in their turn: all these circumftances united, give a pleafing and affecting pomp to this fingular ceremony, which makes every heart to palpitate, every eye to fparkle with tears of true delight, and makes wifdom the object of paffion. To be irreproachable is not f fficient, there is a kind of noblenefs, of which proofs are required; a noblenefs, not of rank and dignity, but of worth and innocence. Thefe proofs muft include feveral generations, both on the father and mother's fide; fo that a whole family is crowned upon the head of one; the triumph of one, is the glory of the whole; and the old man in grey hairs, who fheds tears of fenfibility on the victory gained by the daughter of his fon, placed by her fide, receives, in effect, the reward of fixty years, fpent in a life of virtue.

66

By this means, emulation becomes general, for the honour of the whole; every one dreads, by an indelicate action, to dethrone either his fifter or his daughter. The Crown of Rofes, promised to the most prudent, is expected with emotion, diftributed with juftice, and establishes goodnefs, rectitude, and mo rality, in every family; it attaches the beft people to the most peaceful refidence.

"Example, powerful example, acts even at a distance; there, the bud of worthy actions is unfolded, and the traveller, in approaching this territory, perceives, before he enters it, that he is not far from Salency. In the courfe of fo many fucceffive ages, all around them has changed; they alone will hand down to their children, the pure inheritance they received from their fathers: an institution truly great, from its fimplicity; powerful, under an appearance of weaknefs; fuch is the almost unknown influence of honours; fuch is the strength of that easy fpring, by which all men may be governed: fow honour, and you will reap virtue.

"If we reflect upon the time the Salencians have celebrated the feftival, is the most ancient ceremony exifting. If we attend to object, it is, perhaps, the only one which is de

dicated

dicated to the fervice of virtue. If virtue is the most useful and eftimable advantage to fociety in general, this eftablishment, by which it is encouraged, is a public national benefit, and belongs to France.

"According to a tradition, handed down from age to age, Saint Medard, born at Salency; proprietor, rather than lord, of the territory of Salency (for there were no fiefs at that time), was the inftitutor of that charming feftival, which has made virtue flourish for fo many ages. He had himself the pleafing confolation of enjoying the fruit of his wifdom, and his family was honoured with the prize which he had inftituted, for his fifter obtained the Crown of Rofes.

"This affecting, and valuable festival, has been handed down from the fifth century to the present day. To this rofe is attached a purity of morals, which, from time immemorial, has never fuffered the flightest blemish; to this rofe are attached the happinefs, peace, and glory of the Salencians.

"This rofe is the portion, frequently the only portion which virtue brings with it; this rofe forms the amiable and pleafing tie of a happy marriage. Even fortune is anxious to obtain it, and comes with refpect, to receive it from the hand of honourable indigence. A poffeffion of twelve hundred years, and fuch fplendid advantages, is the fairest title that exists in the world.

"An important period for the Festival of the Rose, was, when Louis the Thirteenth fent the marquis de Gordes, the captain of his guards, from the caftle of Varennes to Salency, with a blue ribbon, and a filver ring, to be prefented from him to the Queen of the Rofe. It is from that honourable epocha that a blue ribbon, flowing in ftreamers, furrounds the crown of rofes; that a ring is faftened to it, and the young girls of her train, wear over their white robes, a blue ribbon, in the manner of a scarf.

"In 1766, Mr. Morfontaine fettled a yearly income of one hundred and twenty livres upon the girl then elected queen. This income to be enjoyed by her during life, and, after her death, each fucceeding girl, who fhould be crowned queen, to have one year's income on the day of her election. This noble generofity can only be rewarded by the homage of the public, and honour alone is the worthy recompence.

"Some days before the feast of Saint Medard, the inhabitants affemble in prefence of the officers of juftice, where this worthy company deliberate upon the important bufinefs of making a choice; in doing which, they have no object in view but equity. They know all the merits that give a title to the crown; they are acquainted with all the domeftic details of their peaceful village; they have not, nor cannot have, any other intention, but to be juft enthufiafm and refpect for the memory of the holy inftitutor, and the excellence of the inftitution, are still in full force

among

among them. They name three girls, three virtuous Salencians; of the most esteemed and refpectable families.

"The nomination is immediately carried to the lord of Salency, or to the perfon appointed to reprefent him, who is free to decide between the three girls, but obliged to choose one of them, whom he proclaims queen of the year.

"Eight days before the ceremony, the name of the fuccessful candidate is declared in church.

"When the great day of the festival arrives, which is always the eighth of Jnne, the lord of Salency may claim the honour of conducting the queen to be crowned. On that grand day, he is greater than all by whom he is furrounded; and that greatnefs is of a nature which has nothing in common with the ufual diftinctions of rank.

• The lord of Salency has the privilege of going to take virtue from her cottage, and lead her in triumph. Leaning upon his arm, or the arm of the perfon whom he has fubftituted in his place, the queen steps forth from her fimple dwelling, escorted by twelve young girls, dreffed in white, with blue fcarfs; and twelve youths, who wear the livery of the queen; fhe is preceded by mufic and drums, which announce the beginning of the proceffion: fhe paffes along the streets of the village, between rows of fpectators, whom the festival has drawn to Salency, from the distance of four leagues. The public admire and applaud her; the mothers fhed tears of joy, the old men renew their ftrength to follow their beloved and queen, compare her with thofe whom they have feen in their youth. The Salencians proud of the merits of her to whom they give the crown; fhe is one of themselves, the belongs to them, the reigns by their choice, the reigns alone, and is the only object of attention.

are

"The queen, being arrived at the church, the place appointed for her is always in the midst of the people, the only fituation could do her honour; where fhe is, there is no longer any distinction of rank, it all vanishes in the prefence of virtue. A pew, placed in the middle of the choir, in fight of all the people, is prepared to receive her: her train range themselves in two lines by her fide; fhe is the only object of the day, all eyes remain fixed upon her, and her triumph continues.

"After vefpers the proceffion begins again; the clergy lead the way, the lord of Salency receives her hand, her train join, the people follow, and line the streets, while fome of the inhabitants, under arms, fupport the two rows, offering their homage by the loudeft acclamations, until fhe arrives at the chapel of St. Medard, where the gates are kept open: the good Salencians do not forfake their queen at the inftant when the reward of virtue is going to be delivered; it is at that moment in particular, that it is pleafing to fee her, and honourable for her to be seen.

"The officiating clergyman bleffes the hat, decorated with rofes, and its other ornaments; then turning towards the af

fembly,