lish, that he thus combats his adversaries: "They complain that
human nature will be exhausted; but I ask, who has ever sought to marry
without finding women enough from amongst whom he might choose? What
murder, or what war, has ever been occasioned for a virgin? It is one of
the consequences of marriage to kill the adulterer, and to war with the
ravisher."

He wrote another treatise _On the perpetual Virginity of the Mother of
God_. He attacks Bonosius on this subject, and defends her virginity,
which was indeed greatly suspected by Bonosius, who, however, incurred
by this bold suspicion the anathema of _Heresy_. A third treatise was
entitled _Exhortation to Virginity_; a fourth, _On the Fate of a
Virgin_, is more curious. He relates the misfortunes of one _Susannah_,
who was by no means a companion for her namesake; for having made a vow
of virginity, and taken the veil, she afterwards endeavoured to conceal
her shame, but the precaution only tended to render her more culpable.
Her behaviour, indeed, had long afforded ample food for the sarcasms of
the Jews and Pagans. Saint Ambrose compelled her to perform public
penance, and after having declaimed on her double crime, gave her hopes
of pardon, if, like "Soeur Jeanne," this early nun would sincerely
repent: to complete her chastisement, he ordered her every day to recite
the fiftieth psalm.

A GLANCE INTO THE FRENCH ACADEMY.

In the republic of letters the establishment of an academy has been a
favourite project; yet perhaps it is little more than an Utopian scheme.
The united efforts of men of letters in Academies have produced little.
It would seem that no man likes to bestow his great labours on a small
community, for whose members he himself does not feel, probably, the
most flattering partiality. The French Academy made a splendid
appearance in Europe; yet when this society published their Dictionary,
that of Furetiere's became a formidable rival; and Johnson did as much
as the _forty_ themselves. Voltaire confesses that the great characters
of the literary republic were formed without the aid of academies.--"For
what then," he asks, "are they necessary?--To preserve and nourish the
fire which great geniuses have kindled." By observing the _Junto_ at
their meetings we may form some opinion of the indolent manner in which
they trifled away their time. We are fortunately enabled to do this, by
a letter in which Patru describes, in a very amusing manner,