become capable of this concise literal notation. The symptoms of inflection are placed above or below the line, before or after the main word. To his verbs he allows but six tenses; he abolishes the three aorist tenses, and allots an imperfect and a perfect to each of the three heads of time. Personal inflections become needless where the pronoun is expressed. A project for ironical and interrogative accents occurs, which unnecessarily complicates the symbols of expressions. Some accessory characters, or contractions, formed by grouping the distinct cyphers, are also introduced; and the letters of the vulgar alphabet are, by their means, severally provided with a distinct representative. To give an idea of the form of the dictionary, we shall transcribe a fragment. By this plan of arrangement, a aa will indicate en haut, BBB de près, yyy après, and so on. The somewhat arbitrary arrangement of these squares would much increase the diffi culty of translating, into a different European language, the several tables. The necessity of declining, of conjugating, and of stationing every word by the invariable rules of pasigraphic grammar, supersede so effectually all idiomatic associa tions, that no work of imagination nor of eloquence could retain any influence in this new dress. It must, therefore, be the medium of intercourse for science alone :-but science possesses higher principles of classification than are applied in these abecedary tables, and will wage a long controvery, before she substitutes for significant terms such a bank-bill nomenclature. The author is, however, entitled to great praise for the extensive knowlege which he has displayed, in the various departments connected with the philosophy of language; for reviving an important subject of speculation, which occupied much much of the leisure of the encyclopedic mind of Leibnitz; and for the many important suggestions which he has really offered towards the easier construction of an universal character. He suggests also the practicability of giving an oral value to his symbols, by pronouncing each apart as a distinct syllable; and this would at once resolve the other great problem of an universal language. The apparent dearness of the pamphlet ought not to be attributed to any financial speculation, but to the variety of novel types cast on purpose for this truly curious publication. ART. XXVI. Familiengeschichten, &c. i. e. Histories of Families, by AUGUSTUS LA FONTAINE. The Family of the Haldens. 2 Vols. 8vo. MAN Berlin. 1797. ANY of the novels annually produced in this country, to satisfy the increasing wants of circulating libraries, professedly brave the stern looks of criticism; and not a few of them are written by authors who, ignorant of the human heart, as well as of literary composition, are employed only because they work cheaply and expeditiously. Hence the task of a reviewer, to whom is allotted the perusal of such crude materials, is far from being agreeable. Nor is it, in general, less disgusting to toil through the tiresome pages of the foreign novels, especially those of the Germans; who so largely deal in wonders, knight-errantry, and supernaturals, that the majority of their novel-writers, extraordinary as it may appear, are still more regardless of the laws of criticism than our own. It was with such repulsive considerations that we took up the present volumes, the bulk of which did not much contribute to dissipate our apprehensions: but we had not gone far in the perusal of them, before we found ourselves agreeably disappointed, and before we perceived the author rising in our estimation as we went on, and interesting us in a degree which we have seldom experienced since we were accustomed to the pages of Richardson and Fielding. From the general title, it should seem that these histories are o be followed by several others, intended to form a series of amily pictures: but as all novels must in part be such, the uthor appears to have adopted a new plan; and, instead of hrowing the main light on one character or hero, he here neans to diffuse it over several individuals at once. This, in ur opinion, he has attempted so successfully, that it would be seless, and perhaps pedantic, to insist on the accustomed proriety of adhering to the laws of unity. We understand that e work has gained much applause in Germany; and indeed it represents the manners of that country with great exactness, and in an easy natural style, which cannot fail to please the public in general. Its simplicity, however, does not border on vulgarity; and the author knows how to be humorous without becoming indecent. A strict regard is paid throughout to innocence and delicacy; and while the picture furnishes amusement, it imperceptibly inculcates all the great doctrines of morality. The well-known pride of the German nobility, and the absurd education of their children, are held up to ridicule and contempt in the conduct of Madame de Halden and her spoiled son. On the other hand, the influence of good examples on young minds, and the ample rewards of general benevolence, are delineated in the amiable characters of Major Halden and his nephew Hennig. We shall now endeavour to select a few passages, in order to give our readers a competent idea of the author's manner. M. de Halden is thus pourtrayed: He was little more than a copy of his wife; neither bad nor good, neither covetous nor liberal, but a mere nullity, as was visible in his very appearance. He was handsome in person, but without grace or elegance. He had an effeminate full face, neither without nor with colour; and glassy eyes, that made him look half blind. From his infancy, he read much, yet without ever having any idea of his own. What he had read he was tolerably able to repeat, and he would, therefore, set up for a scholar among his acquaintance; the only character, indeed, to which he could lay any claim. He was a collector of coins, minerals, stuffed birds, prints, and even paintings, if not too expensive. He reared Turkish pigeons and Canary birds; taught bull-finches to whistle; fed white mice in a glass-case; had a smattering of antiques; and could venture to talk a little about the sublime and beautiful. At whatever interested people in a great degree, he would appear transported, without ever being so. He wa always busy about something, either mending broken furniture, or manufacturing tooth-pick-cascs, or exercising other mechanical a of equal importance. The servants were used to say: "Master is a prodigious clever man; there is nothing but what he knows and does." Such encomiums never failed to raise a smile of self complacency his countenance. He could not be taxed with downright absola: pride, for he often very good-naturedly shewed his electrical exper ments either to the maid when she swept the room, or to his man while he was laying the cloth for breakfast: but whenever he did he was sure to take care that his wife should not be near, as she co by no means bear his wondrous exhibitions, any more than his de meaning himself so low as to make free with the servants.' The author, as we before mentioned, appears systematical to avoid distinguishing any of his characters from the rest; his partiality for that of young Hennig, who monopolizes main interest of the tale, is conspicuous. It must strike the reader readers, who are acquainted with the glaring defects of private education in Germany, that M. LA FONTAINE intended this favourite of his novel as an illustration of the mode of bringing up boys rationally and usefully, without the too early and perhaps hurtful aid of learned assistants. The Major, solicitous to give to young Hennig, his nephew, a proper education, has recourse to the judgment of his old groom, the companion of his campaigns, who acts a respectable part in this family drama. The trusty servant expresses himself in the following manner: "Why, Sir, there are your forester, gardener, and steward. From them the child may learn enough for the first six years, and then Heaven will point out what is to be done farther. After some time, I should not object to his seeing the world in prints and books: but he ought first to see it as it is in reality; otherwise, they will never do him any good." The Major, not knowing any better method of educating his nephew than that which had been suggested by the groom, acquiesced in it; though privately resolved to ask the advice of some scholar as soon as possible. The groom now took young Hennig with him to the stable, into the gaiden, the forest, the granary, and to the fish-pond; acquainting him, as well as he himself was able, with the natural history of horses and dogs; and teaching him how to distinguish the notes of different birds. The gardener was to tell him the names of all the plants which he raised; the forester, in like manner, brought him acquainted with all the trees in the surrounding country: but the steward had to instruct him in the business and management of housekeeping. The child, attended by the groom, would look for whole hours at the workmen employed in building a barn, and would sometimes carry them some loam in his little wheelbarrow. Thus he learnt the use of all the implements of bricklayers and carpenters, He often took notice how churning, baking, or forging, were performed; and he exercised, on all those occasions, his eyes and ears, his hands and feet. His honest tutor, through fear of being found more ignorant than his pupil, made a point of storing his own mind with as much information as possible. He consequently began to observe many things which he had formerly overlooked, and to make inquiries which he had hitherto thought unnecessary; and thus the boy received very clear ideas of all things around him. So early as in his fifth year, he, together with his old Mentor, rode the horses to water; for although the groom was chief superintendant of many household affairs, he had not suffered the care of the horses to be taken from him. In this manner, young Hennig grew up like a tree in the forest. He was attached to his uncle by the most tender affection, but with the groom he lived on a footing of close intimacy. No father could love his son more tenderly than the groom did this child: consequently they were seldom separated from one another. When the boy had done any mischief, and the old Hussar cast from under his bushy eye-brows a dark look upon him, tears started in the fine blue eyes of Hennig. Q94 Then Then the groom would cry, with out-stretched arms: "Oh! for. shame, old woman!" and the boy, rushing on his neck, intreated him not to be angry. "Nay," replied the old man," then you must not behave like a naughty boy ;" and he wept in concert with the child who, after such a scene, certainly took care, for weeks together, not to fall into the same error again.' : What effect this rude and unfashionable mode of education produced on young Hennig will appear from a visit which the boy, with his uncle and the honest groom, paid to the parental house of Halden; where, though a legitimate son, he was almost become a stranger, and was disregarded by his own mother, who plumed herself not a little on her manner of bringing up Charles, her favourite son. The windows were opened as the visitors approached. The Major, on seeing his nephew alight from his pony with so much grace, smiled and nodded to the old groom: then taking the little fellow by the hand, he triumphantly led him up to the drawing-room, bidding him, in a whisper, turn out his toes. The drawing-room was full of company, and every eye turned with delight on the young visitor; who, though no more than seven years of age, walked in by the side of his uncle with much decorum, yet with a chearful and confident countenance. After a bow, for which even Miss Jenny, the Major's housekeeper, would have given him credit, he kissed his mother's hand, and immediately skipped towards his sister, the recollection of whom had been imprinted on his mind ever since the visit which she had paid to his uncle. He opened his hussar-pouch, hanging from the hilt of his sabre, and presented his sister with flowers, fruit, and cakes, which he had brought for her. The Major, with an air that had some pride in it, turned to his brother, saying: "There is your son! I can tell you, brother, you may expect something of that boy." The father em, braced the Major with tenderness, and taking up his son kissed him and smiled at him alternately. All were crowding about the little Hussar. The girls played with his auburn locks, flowing on his shoulders. One person snatched him from the other, and, kissing him, went up to his mo ther, observing how happy they thought her. She thanked them with becoming politeness, and bestowed some caresses on the child, though with visible coldness, The Major would certainly have quitted the room immediately, in disgust, but that he hoped his nephew would effect some change in the mother's behaviour towards hint: and besides, he recollected his promise to his house-keeper not to lose his temper. He, therefore, only bit his nether lip and renained silent. The mother, then, having called her eldest son, Charles, asked him some questions, which the boy answered with great prolixity. Addressing herself to one of the company, she then Said: "Indeed my eldest son would behave with propriety at any court," After this she proceeded to propose some questions to young Hennig; who, distrustfully looking at her, answered shyly, and often inconsistently. The Major was about to utter something like an oath |