Something of passion is to be discovered in these expressions of friendship. When Alexis assumes the name of Celadon, he calls that love which Astrea had only taken for fraternal affection. This was the trying moment. For though she loved him, she is represented as a person most rigorously attached to her duty and honour. She says, what will they think of me if I unite myself to him, after permitting, for so many years, those familiarities which a brother may have taken with a sister with me, who knew that in fact I remained unmarried?

How she got over this nice scruple does not appear; it was however for a long time a great obstacle to the felicity of our author. There is an incident which shews the purity of this married virgin, who was fearful the liberties she allowed. Celadon might be ill construed. Phillis tells the druid Adamas, that Astrea was seen sleeping by the fountain of the Truth of Love, and that the unicorns which guarded those waters were observed to approach her, and lay their heads on her lap. As the fable says, that it is one of the properties of these animals never to approach any female but a maiden, at this strange difficulty our druid remains surprized; while Astrea has thus given an incontrovertible proof of her purity.

The history of Philander is that of the elder D'Urfé. None but boys disguised as girls, and

girls as boys, appear in this history. It was in this manner he concealed, without offending modesty, the defect of his brother. To mark the truth of this history, when Philander is disguised as a woman, while he converses with Astrea of his love, he frequently alludes to his misfortune, although in another sense.

Philander ready to expire, will die with the glorious name of the husband of Astrea. He intreats her to grant him this favour; she accords it to him, and swears before the Gods that she receives him in her heart for her husband. The truth is, he enjoyed nothing but the name. Philander dies too, in combating with a hideous Moor, which is the personification of his Conscience, and which at length compelled him to quit so beautiful an object, and one so worthy of being eternally be loved.

The gratitude of Sylvander, on the point of being sacrificed, represents the consent of Honore's parents to dissolve his vow of celibacy, and unite him to Diana; and the druid Adamas represents the ecclesiastical power. The FOUNTAIN of the TRUTH OF LOVE is that of marriage; the unicorns are the symbols of that purity which should ever guard it; and the flaming eyes of the lions, who are also there, are those inconveniencies attending marriage, but over which a faithful passion easily triumphs.

In this manner has our author disguised his own private history; and blended in his works a number of little amours which passed at the court of Henry the Great. I might proceed in explaining these allegories; but what I have noticed will be sufficient to give an idea of the ingenuity of the author. As they relate to his private history, which I cannot think uninteresting, I hope they have not appeared as tedious as they are in the feeble account from which I have taken them.

Fontenelle, in his introduction to his Eclogues, has made a pretty comparison of this species of pastoral romance with that of chivalry, which turned the brain of Don Quixote. When he reads the inimitable acts of Amadis, so many castles forced, giants hacked, magicians confounded; he does not regret that these are only fables; but he adds, when I read the Astrea, where in a softened repose love occupies the minds of amiable heroes, where love decides on their fate, where wisdom itself preserves so little of its rigid air, that it becomes a zealous partizan of love, even to Adamas, the sovereign Druid, I then grieve that it is only a

romance!

POETS LAUREAT.

THE present article is a sketch of the history of POETS LAUREAT, from a memoir of the French Academy by the Abbé Resnel.

The custom of crowning poets is as ancient as poetry itself; it has indeed frequently varied; it existed however as late as the reign of Theodosius, when it was abolished as a remain of paganism.

LAUREL CROWN.

When the barbarians overspread Europe, few appeared to merit this honour, and fewer who could have read their works. It was about the time of PETRARCH that POETRY resumed its ancient lustre, he was publicly honoured with the It was in this century (the thirteenth) that the establishment of Bachelor and Doctor was fixed in the universities. Those who were found worthy of the honour, obtained the laurel of Bachelor, or the laurel of Doctor; Laurea Baccalaureatus; Laurea Doctoratus. At their reception they not only assumed this title, but they also had a crown of laurel placed on their heads.

To this ceremony the ingenious writer attributes the revival of the custom. The poets were not slow in putting in their claims to what they had most a right; and their patrons sought to encourage them by these honourable distinctions.

The following Formula is the exact style of those which are yet employed in the universities to confer the degree of Bachelor and Doctor; and serves to confirm the conjecture of Resnel.

"We, count and senator," (Count d'Anguillara, who bestowed the laurel on Petrarch) "for us and

our college, declare FRANCIS PETRARCH, great poet and historian, and for a special mark of his quality of poet, we have placed with our hands on his head a crown of laurel, granting to him, by the tenor of these presents, and by the authority of King Robert, of the senate and the people of Rome, in the poetic, as well as in the historic art, and generally in whatever relates to the said arts, as well in this holy city as elsewhere, the free and entire power of reading, disputing, and interpreting all ancient books, to make new ones, and compose poems, which, God assisting, shall endure from age to age."

In Italy these honours did not long flourish; although TASSO dignified the laurel crown by his acceptance of it. Many got crowned who were unworthy of the distinction. The laurel was even bestowed on QUERNO, whose character is given in the Dunciad:

"Not with more glee, by hands pontific crown'd,
With scarlet hats wide-waving circled round,

Rome in her capitol saw Querno sit,

Thron'd on seven hills, the Antichrist of wit."

Canto II.

This man was made laureat, for the joke's sake; his poetry was inspired by his cups, a kind of poet who came in with the dessert; and he recited twenty thousand verses. He was rather the archbuffoon than the arch-poet to Leo X. though ho