of the style of Ossian, which excited very considerable curiosity. From
the remarks of some shrewd acquaintances of mine, who had perused the
work, I learnt that the principles of the poem seemed strongly tinctured
with the bewildered fancies of a disordered mind, conveyed in very heavy
_prosaic_ blank verse. "It was the madness of poetry, without the
inspiration."

This composition may be considered as a curiosity, from other reasons
than those which mere criticism affords. The poem was bad, the readers
were many. The subject was sacred, the author a reputed atheist, and the
profits which it produced exceeded two thousand pounds sterling. The
fortunate writer relieved himself from the jaws of famine by this
strange incomprehensible eulogy on the charms and advancement of
christianity, which has been received in Paris, with a sort of
fashionable frenzy. Another pseudobard has announced his intention very
shortly of issuing from the press, a work which he conceives will be
more saleable and a greater favourite with the public, in which he
intends ironically to combat the doctrine of the Trinity, by gravely
resembling it to the Deity taking snuff between two looking glasses, so
that when he sneezes, two resemblances of him are seen to sneeze also,
and yet that there are not three sneezers, but one sneezer.

Some other outlines of this work were imparted to me at Paris, but the
pen turns with disgust and detestation, from such low and nauseous
profanation. I have only condescended to mention the composition, and
the last anecdote, to show how much the world is deluded, by the
received opinion that the french are become a new race of exemplary
devotees. The recoil from atheism to enthusiasm, is not unusual, but the
french in general have not, as yet, experienced this change. That they
are susceptible of extraordinary transitions, their history and
revolution have sufficiently manifested. In the Journal de Paris,
written in the reigns of Charles VI and VII, is preserved rather a
curious account of the velocity with which religious zeal has, in former
periods, been excited. "On the 4th day of April, 1429," says the
journal, "the duke of Burgundy came to Paris, with a very fine body of
knights and esquires; and eight days afterwards there came to Paris, a
cordelier, by name Frere Richart, a man of great prudence, very knowing
in prayer, a giver of good doctrine to edify his neighbour, and was so
successful, that he who had n