very few of which have been published; and that he possessed, what is sometimes an adjunct of a poetical genius, a quick sensibility to sensual enjoyment: which is not only recorded of him, but which, indeed, appears in his writings. He was a man of lively parts, and lively feelings. The Chronicles of Froissart extend from 1326 to 1400. They have been abridged by Sleidon, and continued by Monstrelet down to 1446.

Though there be little, if any, sense in modern dedications, when books are composed, not at the particular desire or expence of any individual, but for the eye, as well as under the patronage of the public, yet there appears to be a degree of propriety in the dedication of these volumes to Lord Thurlow. "For," (says Mr. Johnes to his Lordship) "had not your friendship expressed so favourable an opinion on perusing the first chapters, I should have abandoned the prosecution of the work; therefore, if the public now find in it either interest or pleasure, they will be indebted to your Lordship."

Mr. Johnes, in a preface to the first edition, which was in quarto, tells us, that several MSS. in his own library had been collated with the printed copies, and that the same thing had been done with those in the British Museum, A person is now employed at Breslau, in collating the celebrated manuscript there, which has been supposed to be the only one unmutilated. Should it prove so, we are informed, the additions will be printed at the end of the work.

The engravings are traced from the finest illuminations in our own libraries, and in that [we presume meaning those] of France. By unforeseen accidents, the plates are irregularly given, and they must not be bound up until the whole be completed."

In an Advertisement to the present edition, it is stated, "that in addition to what has been said in the preceding Advertisement, some errors and inaccuracies, which had been overlooked through haste or inadvertence at the time of translating, as far as they have been disco yered, stand corrected."

To the present edition is prefixed the Life of Froissart, corrected from Mr. Jones's former translation from the French of M. de la Curne de St. Palaye, with other preliminary matter. This other pre liminary matter, consists in "An Essay on the Works of Froissart, and a Criticisin on the History of Froissart; both by M. de la Curne: and an Account of the Poetry of Froissart, by an Anonymous Writer, in the Memoires de l'Academie."

As this preliminary matter could not be prepared in time for the first, or quarto edition, it will be given in a supplement, with the additions from the Breslau manuscript, parts of which are arrived. They will, when complete, be printed in octavo, to accompany this edition, and not only the translation, but the original French, for the sake of the authority. Mr. Johnes returns his best thanks to the Rev, Henry Boyd, the translator of Dante (whose original poems were criticised in the 93d Number of our Review), for the obliging manner in which he furnished him, at a very short notice, with Versions of the

Remains

Remains of Froissart's Poetry. Froissart was born at Valenciennes, A. D. 1337. It is supposed by some, from a passage in his poems, that his father's name was Thomas, and that he was a painter of arms. But this is only conjecture; for, as his biographer observes attentive as he was to inform us of the most minute particulars of his life, he does not say one word of his family. This, indeed, is a matter of extremely little importance or interest, at least to readers of these times; and we should not have taken any notice of it, if it had not been for the purpose of observing of how much importance it appears to have been in the sight of his biographer, who labours to trace his descent to some noble stem, in the very teeth of very palpable evidence of the contrary. If Froissart had sprung from a noble family, he would not have been long in telling us of it. "But," says La Curne. de St. Palaye, "we find in his history, a FROISSART MEULLIER, a young knight from Hainault, who signalized himself by his valour at the siege of the Castle of Figueras in Spain, which the English and Gascons attacked in 1381. His country and name induce me to believe that our historian might be a relation of his, and, like him, sprung from a noble family." Men are indeed very easily induced to believe what coincides with their own wishes, whims, or prejudices.

"His infancy announced what he would one day be; he early mani fested that eager and inquisitive mind, which during the course of his life never allowed him to remain long attached to the same occupations, nor to continue long in the same place.

"The different games suitable to that age, of which he gives us picture equally curious and amusing, kept up in his mind a natural propensity to dissipation, which during his early studies must have tried the patience as well as exercised the severity of his masters.

"He loved hunting, music, assemblies, feasts, dancing, dress, good living, wine, and women: these tastes, which almost all showed themselves from twelve years of age, being confirmed by habit, were continued even to his old age, and perhaps never left him. Neither the serious thoughts nor the affections of Froissart being yet sufficiently engaged, his love for history filled up the void, which his passion for pleasure left; and became to him an inexhaustible source of amusement.

"He had just left school, and was scarcely twenty years old, when at the entreaty of his dear lord and patron Sir Robert de Namur, Knight, Lord of Beaufort, he undertook to write the history of the wars of his own time, more particularly of those which ensued after the battle of Poitiers. Four years afterwards, having gone to England, he presented a part of this history to Queen Philippa of Hainault, the wife of Edward III. Young as he then was, he had already travelled into the most dis. tant provinces of France. The object of his visit to England was to tear himself from an attachment which had tormented him for a long time. This passion took possession of his heart from his infancy; it lasted ten years, and sparks of it were again rekindled in a more advanced age, in spite of his bald head and white hairs.”

During the five years he was attached to the service of the Queen

of England, Philippa, he travelled at her expence, not only to diffe rent parts of England, and to Scotland and Wales, but to various parts of Europe. The objects of his travels beyond our seas, seem to Mr. de St. Palaye, to have been a research after whatever might enrich his history. He draws this conclusion from a Preface, which is found at the head of the fourth volume, in several MSS. of the Chronicles of Froissart; and also, as we are informed by Mr. Johnes, in some printed editions, "at the request, wish, and pleasure, of that Most High and Noble Prince, my very dear Lord and Patron Guy,、 Count de Blois, &c. &c. 1 John Froissart, &c. &c. am again awakened, and entered into my workshop, to labour and work at the grand and noble matters that, in former times, occupied my attention, which treat of and examine the facts and events of the wars between France and England, and all their allies and adherents, as they clearly appear from the treaties which have been made and completed until this very day of my being again awakened."

We shall not stop to go along with our biographer through the particulars of Froissart's life, especially as the most important of these are mentioned, sometimes more than once, in the course of his Chronicles. We hasten to Froissart himself; though we cannot pass unnoticed La Curne's (for this is shorter than Mr. de St. Palaye) Essay on his Works, nor his Criticism on his History.

I.

In the Essay, La Curne points out the views with which Froissart wrote his Chronicles, the care he took to be informed of all the events which were to make a part of them, and the rules he had imposed on himself in writing them. In this he does not simply propose to give such an idea of our historian as only to satisfy curiosity: his object is, that the Essay (which he here calls these Memoirs), should serve as an introduction to those who may be induced to read him, and that they should render him more easy, more interesting, and more instructive. He divides his subject into nine heads. The general Plan of Froissart's History. 2. A more detailed Plan of this History. 3. Division of the four volumes of Froissart into Chapters, and of the first volume into several parts. 4. Did Froissart make these divisions. 5. The time which Froissart employed in the composition of his History. 6. The inquiries Froissart made to compose his History, and the pains he took on this subject. 7. What end Froissart proposed to himself in writing his History; and what rules he laid down to himself in its composition. 8. The Chronology of Froissart. 9. Of the first thirty years which Froissart has treated of at the beginning of his History after John le Bel, that is to say, from 1326 to 1356.

It is evident that some of these articles, instead of serving as an introduction to Froissart, that "may render him more easy, interesting, and instructive," cannot themselves be either easy, interesting, or instructive, without some acquaintance with the history to which they relate. A like observation may be made on the criticism. But

two

two articles in the Essay, before perusing the Chronicles, may be read with great advantage. These are, the General Plan of Froissart's History; and The Inquiries Froissart made to compose his History, and the Pains he took on this Subject.

"I. General Plan of his History.

"The history which Froissart has left us extends from 1326 to 1400. It is not confined to the events which were passing in France during this long period, but comprehends, with almost as much detail, every considerable affair which happened in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Flanders. It includes also a number of particulars relative to the affairs of the Popes of Rome and Avignon; of Spain, Germany, Italy; some.. times even of Prussia, Hungary, Turkey, Africa, and other countries, in short, of almost the whole known world. But this immense multitude of facts, so different from each other; the chronological order of which is not very clearly made out, frequently presents to the reader only a confused mixture of events taking place at different times, and in different places, of which he cannot form any distinct idea, nor can his memory unite so many scattered objects, which have a necessary con. nection among each other.

"There will be found, at the end of this Essay, an abridgment of the principal facts related in the course of the history; and, in order to remedy, at least in part, the disorder which prevails in placing these events, I will dispose of each in the class to which it belongs, as well as point out the chapters which it will be proper to read, to follow the train of causes of a similar nature, as well as the history of the same country, or the same nation. It will be impossible for me to go into a very minute detail. To leave nothing to be wished for, it would be right to make references to every article, of all the preceding passages relative to it, and of all those which follow; but this can only be executed as notes to the original itself, and would require all the attention of an editor who should interest himself for the advantage of his readers.”

In the other divisions of the Essay, the author enters into some particulars, rather minute and trifling; and, where his observations are of any considerable interest or importance, they are inferences from what Froissart himself has set down in his Chronicles, for making which an intelligent reader is as comperent as La Curne."

In the criticism he reviews the defects and advantages of Froissart's Chronicles. He vindicates him against the charge of partiality to the English, and, in our judgment, completely. Of all the nations (says La Curne) whom he mentions in his history, there are › but few whom he has not sometimes marked with odious epithets. -There is not one part against the French; on the contrary, this brave nation supports itself, according to Froissart, by the vigour and strength of its knighthood, which was never so totally overwhelmed by its misfortunes, as not in the end to find some marvellous resources in its courage." Notwithstanding all that Froissart tells of the care he took to hear both sides, and to compare their different accounts with each other, La Curne thinks

B 4

"He

"He may be accused of some little negligence on this head. His manner of life allowed him but little leisure to make all the reflections, and all the comparisons, which such an examination would require.-. What he relates of distant countries, such as Africa, Hungary, Tartary, and in general the eastern parts of the world, is full of the grossest blunders. In his time commerce had not formed any connexion between these countries and our own. What was known of them was founded on the faith of those whom accident had carried thither, and who had resided there too short a time to gain sufficient information respecting the manners, customs, and history of their inhabitants.-All these defects, however, and imperfections, do not prevent his Chronicle from being considered as one of the most precious monuments of our history, and the perusal of it from being as agreeable, as instructive to those who, not confining themselves to the knowledge of general facts, seek, in the details of particular events, and of the usages of that period, to develope the character of mankind, and of the ages which have passed. Froissart was born to transmit to posterity a living picture of an age, which preferred the hazard of war to the solid advantages of peace; which, amid the intervals of troubles almost continually agitating it, found relaxation only in the most tumultuous pleasures.”

La Curne, having inserted summarily, in his Criticism on Froissart, a sketch of the opinions which different authors have given of him, adds that of an author who knew, better than any other the full value of a ready and natural genius.

*I love,' says Montagne, historians unaffected or excellent: the unaffected, who have not wherewithal to add of their own, and who are only careful to collect and pick up every thing which falls within their notice, and to put down every thing without choice, and without sort. ing, give us the opportunity of wholly judging of their truth. Such, for example, is the good Froissart, who has gone on with his work with such a frank simplicity, that, having committed a fault, he is no way ashamed of avowing it, and correcting it at the place where he is informed of it; and who tells us the diversity of rumours which were current, and the different accounts that were told to him. It is history, naked and unadorned; every one may profit from it, according to the depth of hiş understanding."

Mr. Johnes, at the end of his translation of La Curne's Criticism, informs us, that since it was first printed, he had obtained permission to have it collated; that he has as yet received only the additions to the first volume, which are very extensive, and more important than Mr. de St. Palaye seems to have supposed; that the whole will be published with due speed, in a supplementary volume to the Chronicles; and will, he hopes, effectually clear up all doubts of Froissart's partiality as an historian.

The design, views, and character of Froissart areeasily to be seen in his own writings, in which, without any egotism, but from their form and style, he is naturally led to communicate many particulars respect