ity of the productions of Italy, and an appalling
population of authors swarm before the imagination.[235] Hail then the
peaceful spirit of the literary historian, which sitting amidst the
night of time, by the monuments of genius, trims the sepulchral lamps of
the human mind! Hail to the literary Reaumur, who by the clearness of
his glasses makes even the minute interesting, and reveals to us the
world of insects! These are guardian spirits who, at the close of every
century standing on its ascent, trace out the old roads we had pursued,
and with a lighter line indicate the new ones which are opening, from
the imperfect attempts, and even the errors of our predecessors!

FOOTNOTES:

[231] "Edinburgh Review," vol. xxxiv, 384.

[232] Will this writer pardon me for ranking him, for a moment,
among those "generalisers" of the age who excel in what a critical
friend has happily discriminated as _ambitious writing_? that is,
writing on any topic, and not least strikingly on that of which they
know least; men otherwise of fine taste, and who excel in every
charm of composition.

[233] The late Wm. Upcott possessed, in a large degree, a similar
taste for miscellaneous collections. He never threw an old hat away,
but used it as a receptacle for certain "cuttings" from books and
periodicals on some peculiar subjects. He had filled a room with
hats and trunks thus crammed; but they were sacrificed at his death
for want of necessary arrangement.

[234] Gessner--Simler--Bellarmin--L'Abbe--Mabillon--Montfaucon--Moreri--
Bayle--Baillet--Niceron--Dupin--Cave--Warton--Casimir Oudin--Le
Long--Goujet--Wolfius--John Albert Fabricius--Argelati--Tiraboschi--
Nicholas Antonio--Walchius--Struvius--Brucker--Scheuchzer--Linnaeus--
Seguier--Haller--Adamson--Manget--Kestner--Eloy--Douglas--Weidler--
Hailbronner--Montucla--Lalande--Bailly--Quadrio--Morhoff--Stollius--
Funccius--Schelhorn--Engles--Beyer--Gerdesius--Vogts--Freytag--David
Clement--Chevillier--Maittaire--Orlandi--Prosper Marchand--Schoeplin--
De Boze--Abbe Sallier--and de Saint Leger.

[235] The British Museum Library now numbers more than 500,000 volumes.
The catalogue alone forms a small library.

SECRET HISTORY OF AN ELECTIVE MONARCHY.

A POLITICAL SKETCH.

Poland, once a potent and magnificent kingdom, when it sunk into an
elective monarchy, became "venal thrice an age." That