tain "I do not understand how you could mainyour wife and two children on the pay of a dragoon."—"The truth is," answered he, "it was my wife who maintained me and the children. She used to get three livres ten sols for making a shirt; now there are no people of quality, she receives only forty sols. I do not complain, because I am a good patriot-however, I have always been very fortunate." FIGHTING. THERE seems to be some principle in nature which renders the sight of fighting highly interesting to the generality of mankind. In this country, the only mortal combats which are permitted, and prevail as a public amusement, are those of cocks; but the shocking scenes which were acted on the Roman amphitheatres, prove to what a height this taste for bloody spectacles may be brought in a whole nation. To behold men cut and mangle each other; to expose them to be torn in pieces fighting with wild beasts, became the favourite entertainment of that people, and increased to such a degree, that all other amusements became comparatively insipid; they remained whole days in the amphitheatre, feasting their eyes on these horrid scenes, from which the calls of business or duty, were often too feeble to draw them. Were the Romans of a different nature from the rest of mankind? or, were the hearts of that people gradually hardened by the horrid policy of permitting such spectacles? Is it clear that those who take delight in viewing cocks mangle and kill each other, but think with horror of what passed on the Roman amphitheatres, would not gradually come to delight in the combats of gladiators, and of wild beasts, if such combats were permitted by the government and laws of the country? Mankind are essentially the same in all climates; the points on which they differ are few and trifling, when compared with those in which they agree. Britons are more humane than the Romans, because their government is better, their laws milder, and because the same scenes of cruely are not exhibited before their eyes. The Poet's observation respecting vice in general, is peculiarly true when applied to scenes of cruelty : "Which to be hated, need but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, ENNUI. Or all the contrivances to exclude this intruding demon from the mind of man, the most debasing and destructive is the use of intoxicating liquors that pernicious habit blunts all de sire of improvement, deadens emulation, obscures the understanding, sinks the soul into sluggishness, renders men insensible to the love of reputation, familiarizes them with the idea of contempt, and extinguishes every enjoyment but that maudlin delirium, executed by spirituous liquors, which soon carries them to their graves. LE PEUPLE, In France, is a term of reproach-un homme du peuple, implies a want of both education and manners; un homme comme il faut, on the other hand, does not imply a man of sense or principle, but simply a man of birth or fashion; for a man may be homme comme il faut, and yet be devoid of every quality which adorns human nature. LE ROI.* AN Englishman, though he views the virtues of his king, with a jealous eye, during his reign, yet he will do them all justice in the reign of his successor. * We translate le Roi, by "the King," which is by no means equivalent. Le Roi does himself, and makes others do what he pleases. The king cannot do what he pleases, but acts according to the wishes of his people. A German, while he is silent with respect to the foibles of his prince, admires all his talents, much more than he would the same qualities in another person. A Turk or Persian, contemplates his emperor with reverence and fear, as a superior being, to whose pleasure it is his duty to submit as to the laws of nature, and the will of providence. But a Frenchman, while he enumerates the follies of his king, and laughs at them, is nevertheless attached to him by a sentiment of equal respect and tenderness. Roi is a word which conveys to his mind the ideas of benevolence, gratitude, and love; as well as those of power, grandeur, and happiness." MISFORTUNE. DIFFICULTIES, dangers, misfortunes, often strike at particles of genius which might otherwise have remained latent and useless, and contribute to the formation of a vigorous character, by animating those sparks of virtue which a life of indolence would have completely extinguished. That the faculties of the understanding, like the sinews of the body, are relaxed by sloth, and strengthened by exercise, nobody will doubt. *The Frenchman, which our author sketches, is that of 1779 I imagine the same analogy, holds in some degree, between the body and the qualities of the heart. Benevolence, pity, and gratitude, are, I suspect, exceedingly apt to stagnate into a calm, sluggish, insensibility in that breast, which has not been agitated from real misfortunes. There are many exceptions, but in general those persons who are exposed to the stings and arrows of outrageous fortune, who have experienced the base indifference of mankind, are endued with the truest sympathy. THE VALETUDINARIAN AND HIS PHYSICIAN. How do you find my pulse, Doctor? Upon my word, much better than could have been expected, after what you have told me. How does my tongue appear? Very clean, indeed. Alas! what renders my cure so hopeless, is, that there is no symptom to lay hold of, and prescribe for ? I acknowledge, I should be much at a loss. Though my whole system is deranged, yet all the particular parts are in good order; are they not, Doctor? They really seem so. What a pity it is, Doctor, that I never had the gout; that is a disease, I understand, which removes others that have resisted every method of cure. |