11 AUGUST 1838, Page 20

The Hundred-and-Fifth Volume of L AR DNER'S Cycloptedia commences a

series of Lives of the Literary and Scientific Men of France,—containing, of wits, MONTAIGNE and RABELAIS; dra- matists, CORNEILLE, MOLIERE, and RACI NE ; poets, LA FON- TAINE and BOILEAU ; philosophers or wise men, PASCAL and FENELON ; social observers, ROCHEFOUC AULD and SEVIGNE. The biographies are informing, and respectably executed, but are not of very striking merit.