ty, clearness, and precision, it yields to no modern speech; but it wants force, dignity, and sublimity.

Literature and Education. The sciences have risen to a very great height in France; and its literary character commands universal respect and admiration. The names of their celebrated writers would almost fill a volume. The arts of painting and sculpture are better understood' in France than in most other countries of Europe. Since the revolution, a new system of public instruction has been adopted.

Cities. PARIS, the capital of France, is situated on the Seine, which traverses it from east to west. It does not yield to any city in the world, in the beauty of its edifices; in its industry; in its love of the arts and sciences; and in its establishments, formed for the promotion of human knowledge, and to preserve the productions of nature and genius. It is now ten leagues in circumference, and has 547,756 inhabitants.

souls.

LYONS is next to Paris in population, containing 100,000 MARSEILLES and BOURDEAUX have each about 80,000. These cities, together with Lisle, the capital of French Flanders, Valenciennes, Amiens, and Thoulouse, are deservedly celebrated for opulence, commerce, and manufactures.

Antiquities and Curiosities. France contains numerous and valuable remains of antiquity. There are many triumphal arches, the most perfect of which is at Orange, erected by Caius Marius. Nismes exhibits stupendous remains of an aqueduct erected by the Romans. At Arles is an obelisk of oriental granite, 52 feet high and 7 in diameter, consisting of one stone.

History, Religion, and Government. The kingly government of France continued from Clovis, who established himself at Soissons, in 436, till January 21st, 1793, when Louis XVI. was beheaded on a public scaffold at Paris. France, after continuing a monarchy for upwards of 1200 years, was, by the national assembly declared a republic. With the fall of monarchy, all the titles of nobility were abolished; and all ecclesiastical domains, such as abbeys, monasteries, convents, &c. were decreed national property; all tythes were abolished; the revenues of the higher order's of the clergy reduced, and the number lessened.

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After experiencing a series of rapid and bloody changes, the government of France became imperial in Napoleon I. who ascended the throne in May, 1804, and was crowned by the pope in December of the same year, and who had virtually under his influence and control all the continental nations and governments of Europe, till April 1814, when he was deposed and sent to the Island Elba, on a pension. The Roman Catholic religion has been established, and the appendages of regal government were restored by Bonaparte.

FRENCH ISLES. The islands around the coast of France are small and unimportant. Those known by the name of HYERES, near Toulon, have a barren and naked appearance. They contain some botanic riches, and claim the fame of being Homer's Isle of Calypso. OLERON is on the western coast, 14 miles long, and two broad. RE, YEU, and BELLISLE are inconsiderable isles along the coast. USHANT, OF OUESSANT, is the farthest western head land of France, 12 miles from the continent and 9 miles in circumference.

NETHERLANDS.

THE country called the Netherlands, though united to, and forming an integral part of, the French empire, we - have thought proper to describe in a separate article.

Situation, Boundaries, and Extent. It is situated between 49 and 52 degrees north latitude, and between 77 and 82° east longitude. Bounded on the north by Hol-land; east by Germany; south by France; west by the English channel; 200 miles long, and 180 broad.

Climate. The air on the sea coasts is bad; but in the 'interior more healthful. The seasons are more regular than in England. The face of the country is generally low and flat, like Holland; toward the east, it is swelled with gentle elevations.

Rivers and Canals. The principal rivers are the Maese and Sambre, which unite at Namur; and the Scheldt, which, after receiving the two Nethes, the Demer, Dyle, Senne, Dender, Escaut and Lys, empties into the sea among the islands of Zealand. The canals are almost innumerable; but the most important are those of Brussels, Ghent, and Ostend.

Soil and Productions. The soil and its produce are rich, especially in corn, fruits and flax. The agriculture of this country has been celebrated for 600 years; and the Netherlands were formerly denominated the granary of France and Germany.

Mines and Minerals. Mines of iron, copper, lead, and brimstone, are found in this country; also marble quarries, coal-pits, and great plenty of fossil nitre.

Population. The whole number of inhabitants in the Netherlands, in 1808, was 4,140,225.

Manners and Customs. The Flemings, for so the inhabitants of Flanders and the Austrian Low Countries are generally called, are said to be a heavy, blunt, honest people. Formerly they were known to fight desperately in defence of their country. For several years past they have been in a subjugated and depressed state.

Commerce and Manufactures. The chief manufactures of the Netherlands are their beautiful linens and laces ; in which notwithstanding the boasted improvements of their neighbors, they are yet unrivalled; particularly in that species called cambrics, froin Cambray, the chief place of its manufacture. These manufactures form the principal articles of their commerce.

Dress and Language. The inhabitants of French Flanders are mere French men and women in both these particulars. The Flemings on the frontiers of Holland, dress like the Dutch boors, and their language is the same; but the better sort of people speak French, and dress in the

same taste.

Religion. The established religion here, till the revolution, was the Roman Catholic; but protestants, and other sects were not molested.

Literature. The society of Jesuits formerly produced the most learned men in the Austrian Low Countries, in which they had many comfortable settlements. Works of

theology, the civil and canon law, Latin poems and plays, were their chief productions. Strada is an elegant historian and poet. The Flemish painters and sculptors have great merit, and form a school by themscives. The works of Rubens and Vandyke cannot be sufficiently admired.

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Universities. Louvain, Douay, Tournay, and St. Omer. The first was founded in 1426, by John IV. duke of Brabant, and enjoys great privileges.

Cities. GHENT is the capital of the province of Flanders. Its walls are ten miles in circumference. It has a cathedral, six parish churches, and 300 bridges; the streets are large, and the market places spacious. It has considerable trade in corn, cloth, linen, and silk. The population is 55,161.

BRUGES holds the second rank among the cities of Flanders, and has 33,632 inhabitants. It is a league and a half in circumference, and advantageously situated on a plain, having, by means of canals, a navigable communication with Ghent, Ostend, Dunkirk, Sluys, &c. In the 14th century, this city was a place of the greatest trade in Europe.

OSTEND is a strong seaport town, surrounded by many forts, and has 10,459 inhabitants. YPRES is only a strong garrison town. The same may be said of CHARLEROY and NAMUR. LOUVAIN, the capital of Austrian Brabant, instead of its once flourishing manufactures and places of trade, now contains pretty gardens, walks and arbors, and 3,060 inhabitants. BRUSSELS, called the ornament and delight of the Netherlands, retains somewhat of its ancient manufactures, and has 66,297 inhabitants. ANTWERP, on the eastern side of the Scheldt, is a large and handsome city. The streets are generally wide and straight, and surrounded by a wall, and regular fortifications. It contains 56,318 inhabitants.

It may be observed here, that every gentleman's house is a castle, or chateau; and that there are more strong towns in the Netherlands, than in all the rest of Europe. Travelling is safe, cheap, and delightful, in this luxurious country. The roads are generally a broad causeway, and run for some miles in a straight line, till they terminate with the view of some noble buildings. Cassel, which is situated on a hill, commands a view of thirty-two towns.

History. The Netherlands are a part of the ancient Belgic Gaul, and belonged to the French, Austrians, and Dutch. They were divided into 10 provinces, as follow:

These provinces made a part of the late French empire, and were divided into nine departments, and annexed to France by the order of the government.

HOLLAND.

Holland comprehends that part of the ancient Belgic Gaul, which was long distinguished by the name of the SEVEN UNITED PROVINCES.

Situation, Extent, Boundaries. Holland is situated be tween 51 and 54° north latitude, and between 78 and 82° east lon. 150 miles long and 100 broad, containing 12,662 square miles. Bounded north and west by the German ocean; east by Germany; south by the Catholic Netherlands and France.

Divisions and Population. The civil divisions of this country, are 7 provinces, viz. Holland, Overyssel, Zelland, Friesland, Utretcht, Groningen, Guelderland, and Zutphen, beside the Texel and other islands. Holland contains 113 cities or large towns, 1400 villages, and in 1809 2,001,416 inhabitants; its military force, in 1801, was 22,384 men.

General Appearance. The soil of the country is so soft and marshy, that, but for the constant care in forming and making ditches and canals, it would be hardly capable of cultivation; some part of it lies even lower than the sea, from which it is secured by dykes or dams. The meadow grounds are rich, and generally under water in the winter.

Rivers. The chief rivers of Holland are the Rhine, the Maese, the Scheldt, and Vecht. The Rhine is one of the largest rivers of Europe. Soon after it enters Hoiland, it is divided into several branches, forming a number of islands, which constitute a considerable portion of Holland. Near Arnheim it is divided into two branches, one of which takes the name of Yssel, and falls into the