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implements to carry on their work. Their cars have the rude appearance of the earliest ages; these vehicles are flowly drawn by two ftout oxen. The corn is fhelled by the treading of the fame animals as in the days of the IfraeLites; hence, probably, the fcripture proverb, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth the corn. They have many other customs, which, to us, appear very fingular; for example, women fit with the left fide toward the horse's head when they ride. A poftillion ides on the left horfe. Footmen play at cards while they are waiting for their mafters. A taylor fits at his work like a fhoemaker. A hair-dreffer appears on Sundays with a fword, a cockade, and two watches, or at least two watch chains. A tavern is known by a vine bufh. A house to be let, by a piece of blank paper. An accoucheufe door, by a white crofs. And a Jew is known by his extra-Catholic devotion.

The lower clafs, of both fexes, are very fond of gaudy apparel; we obferve even the fish-women with trinkets and brackets of gold about the neck and wrift. The fruit-women are distinguished by a particular drefs.

All the drudgery is performed by Galicians, who may be called the hewers of wood and drawers of water of this metropolis; they are patient, induftrious, and faithful to a proverb. One of the principal employments, in which they are daily engaged, is fupplying the citizens with water, which they carry on their fhoulders in fmall

wooden barrels from the different fountains.

Every Galician, in this fervitude, is obliged, by the police of the city, to carry one of thefe veffels, filled with water, to his lodgings, every night, and, in cafe of fire, to haften with it to afilt in extinguishing the flames, at the first found of the fire-bell; any neglect in this refpect is feverely punished; on the contrary, they are fure to be rewarded in proportion to their vigilance. But the people are feldom vifited by that dreadful fcourge: during my refidence

here, there was not an inftance of any accident by fire.

In the houses of foreign merchants, the Galicians are the only fervants employed, and many of the Portuguese prefer them to the natives in that capacity; they cook the victuals, clean the rooms, and make the beds. If there be any female fervants in the house, under the age of five and thirty, they are invifible, except to the mistress and her daughters; after this age they are left to their own difcretion, as their charms are then fuppofed to be fufficiently faded to render them fecure from the invafions of gallantry.

The ladies feldom breath the pure air, except in their fhort excursions to the next chapel, which they visit at least once a day.

The Portuguefe ladies poffefs many amiable qualities! they are chafte, modeft, and extremely affectionate to their kindred. No woman goes out of doors without the permiffion of her husband or parents. To avoid all fufpicion, men, even though relations, are not allowed to vifit their apartments, or to fit befide them in public places. Hence their lovers are feldom gratified with a fight of them, except in the churches; here they make figns and fignals:

Addrefs and compliment by vifion,
Make love and court by intuition.

Hudibras.

the duenna, the lovers contrive to exNotwithstanding the watchful eye of change billet-doux, and that in fo fubtile a manner, that none can perceive it whose breast glows not with a fimilar flame. The little boys who attend at the altar, are often the meffengers on thefe occafions. When one of thefe winglefs cupids receives the letter, he makes his way through the audience till he approaches the fair one, then he throws himfelf on his knees, repeating his Ave Maris flella, and beating his breaft; after finifhing his ejaculations and croffing his forehead, he falls on his face and hands, and fervently kiffes the ground; in the mean time he con

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veys the letter under the lady's drapery and brings back another.

At other times when the lovers are coming out of the church, their hands meet, as it were by chance, in the holy water font; by this means they exchange billets, and enjoy the delectable pleafure of preffing each other's fingers. Various are the contrivances to which they are compelled to refort, in order to elude fufpicion; and in no part of their lives do they evince more prudence than during their courtship. Their natural difpofition to fecrecy is the means of their continuing for years under the impreffion of the tender paffion; and they must have fallen victims to it, were it not that refined, that virtuous, love which Guevara describes.

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"Arde y no quema; alumbra y no danna; quema y no confume, refplende y no lastima, purifica y no abrafa; y aun calienta y no congoxa.-It glows, but fcorches not; it enlightens, but hurts not; it confumes not, though it burns; it dazzles not, though it glitters; it refines without destroying; and though it be hot, yet it is not painful." Marriage feafts are attended with vast expence; the refources of the lower clafs are often exhausted in the preparations made on thefe occafions. The nuptial bed-chamber is ornamented in the most costly manner, with filks, brocades, and flowers; even the weddingfheets are trimmed with the fineft lace.

In their christenings and funerals alfo they are very extravagant; but in other refpe&s very frugal and temperate, particularly the females, who feldom drink any thing but water; if they drink wine, it gives rife to fufpicion of their chastity, and fufpicion is often held tantamount to a crime. The Empress Dona Lea nor, daughter of Edward king of Portugal, endeavoured to introduce the like cattom among the German ladies; but neither her majesty's example or perfuafion could induce them to exchange the "milk of Venus" for the limpid rill. The abftemioufnefs of the Portuguese ladies is confpicuous in their countenance, which is pale, tranquil, and mo

deft; those who accustom themselves to exercise have, nevertheless, a beautiful carnation. Their eyes are black and expreffive; their teeth extremely white and regular. In converfation they are polite and agreeable; in manners affuafive and unaffected. The form of their drefs does not undergo a change, perhaps, once in an age; milliners, perfumers, and fancy drefs makers, are profeflions as unknown in Lisbon, as in ancient Lacedemon.

Widows are allowed to marry, but they do not avail themselves of that privilege as often as in other countries. There are many Portuguefe, particularly thofe of the good old stock, who look upon it as a species of adultery sanctioned by the law.

Women do not affume the familynames of their husbands, as with us. In all the viciffitudes of matrimony, they retain their maiden names.

The men are generally addressed by their Chriftian names, as Senhor Pedro. Supernames are also very common here, which are derived from particular trades, remarkable incidents, places of residence, or striking blemishes or accomplishments.

Strangers' furnames are frequently tranflated, efpecially if they bear any allufion to fubftantives or qualities. For example, Mr Wolf, they call Senhor Lobo; Mr Whitehead, Senhor Cabeca Branca. To the Chriftian names of men and women, are often fuperadded thofe of their parents, for diftinction fake. This custom obtained very much. among the ancient Irish, and is not unufual at this day in the fouthern provinces of that country.

With refpect to the middling class, in their ideas and manners they differ from thofe of the rest of Europe; the unfrequency of travel, except to their own colonies, excludes them from modern notions and modern customs; hence they retain much of the ancient fimplicity of their ancestors, and are more converfant in the tranfactions of Asia or America than of Europe.

Whether it proceeds from a fondnefs

for eafe, or want of curiofity, they appear to have an averfion for travelling, even in their own country, A Portuguefe can steer a fhip to Brazil with less difficulty than he can guide his horfe from Lisbon to Oporto.

People, thus eftranged from the neighbouring nations, are naturally averfe from the influx of mere theoretical doctrines, which tend to disturb the tranquillity of established opinions. They exclude at once the fources of modern luxuries and refinements, modern vices and improvements.

Hence their wants, comparatively fpeaking, are but few, and these are eafily fatisfied; their love of ease exempts them from many paffions to which other nations are fubject; grofs offences are rarely known among them, but when once offended they are not eafily appeafed; paffions that are feldom roufed, act with the greater violence when agitated; under this impreffion individuals have fometimes been hurried to violent acts of revenge; but now, the vigilance of the magistrates, and the growth of civilization, have blunted the point of the dagger.

The temperance of the people, and their exemption from hard labour; the fragrance of the air, and the number of mineral fprings with which the country abounds, are circumstances fo favourable to the human conftitution, that we should naturally expect to find the Portuguefe live to a great age, yet there are not many remarkable instances of longevity among them; but there are fewer cut off by natural caufes before the age of threefcore, than among an equal number, perhaps, in any other part of Europe. One rarely meets a Portuguese, however aged, crippled with the gout, or bowed with infirmity.

The handsomeft perfons of both fex es, are found in the province of Eftramadura; that fcourge of beauty, the fmallpox, does not rage here with the fame violence as in cold climates. The inhabitants neglect one thing, which, in a country like this, would tend to expand the human frame to its full per

fection, I mean bathing; neither do they take exercife enough for the prefervation of health.

The lower clafs are endowed with many excellent qualities; they are religious, honeft, and fober, affectionate. to their parents, and refpectful to their fuperiors. We must not, however, expect to find them poffeffed of these qualities on the verge of feaport towns, as their manners are there corrupted by mingling with refugee adventurers from various nations. Strangers, therefore, are often misled, who form the character of the people through this adulterated medium. It is in the country only they can be found, uninfluenced by foreign manners or foreign customs, in their true national state; and there we behold them honeft, obliging, affable, and mannerly. A Portuguese peasant will not walk with a fuperior, an aged perfon, or a stranger, without giving him the right-hand side, as a mark of refpect. He never paffes by a human being without taking off his hat, and faluting him in thefe words: "the Lord preferve you for many years." In fpeaking of an abfent friend, he fays,

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morro com faudades de o ver: I die with impatience to fee him." Of a morning, when he meets the companions of his toil in the field, he falutes them in a complaifant manner, and enquires after their little families. His day's work is computed from the rifing of the fun to its fetting; out of which he is allowed half an hour for breakfast, and two hours for dinner, in order to refresh himself with a nap during the meridian heat. If he labour in the vineyard, he is allowed a good portion of wine. When his day's work is over he fings vefpers, and on Sunday he attunes his guitar, or joins in a fandango dance. His male children are educated in the neighbouring convent, whence he also receives fuftenance for himself and family, if diftreffed or unable to work. They all imagine their country is the bleffed elyfium, and that Lisbon is the greateft city in the world. In their proverbial language, they fay, "He

who

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who has not feen Lisbon, has feen nothing." Indeed they have proverbs for almost every thing, which, being founded on long experience, are generally true, though the above is a striking inftance to the contrary. Of the countries which, like their own, do not produce corn, wine, and oil, they enter tain but a mean opinion. They picture to themselves the mifery of the inhabitants of northern climates, who fhudder in the midst of frost and fnow, while they themselves are basking in their green fields. Thefe circumstances, and the affectionate attachment they have for their king, endear them to their native foil. They centre a great portion of their happiness in the fine climate with

which nature has bleffed them, and the abundance of delicious fruit the foil yields with little labour. Under every misfortune they are fure to find confolation in religion; and next to thefe divine favours, mufic is the greatest folace of their lives: it diffipates the forrows of the poor man, and refines the fentiments of the rich; life glides on agreeably amid fuch endearing fcenes. It would be vain to perfuade a Portuguese, that he could enjoy fuch happinefs in any other quarter of the globe: he is purtured in this opinion, and if chance or misfortune fhould impel him into a foreign land, he pines as if in a state of captivity.

(To be continued.)

NATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE SCOTS.

SIR, THE following attempt, by a South Britain, to characterize the Scotch, may be amufing to your readers. I think it is not without difcernment, though, perhaps, it is not strictly juft. By giving it a place, you will oblige your Ź.

conftant reader,

SINCE the union effected between the two kingdoms of Scotland and England, the Scotch have formed fo confiderable and diftinguished a part of fociety in this country, that it may not be, perhaps, an ufelefs or unimportant task, to delineate their national character, as it may contribute to rescue merit from the detraction of calumny, on the one hand, and to circumfcribe within the bounds of truth, the praife which is attributed to it in the other.

In confidering them with a view to their intellectual faculties, we must acknowledge, that they poffefs a quickness of comprehenfion, a clearness of conception, a penetrating fagacity, and a folid judgment; but they are diftinguished rather for a ftrength of understanding, than a fublimity of genius, or a brilliancy of imagination.

Their minds are a rich foil, which is always fertile in proportion to its culti vation; poffeffed of faculties rather inVOL. LVIII.

tellectual than creative, they owe their attainments more to the of ratiopowers cination than the intuition of genius. Excited by the natural activity of their tinual exercife, laborious, fteady, and minds, which are ftrengthened by conperfevering, they feldom fail to attain the object of their purfuits.

In their tempers they are naturally choleric, petulant, and pertinacious, impatient of contradiction, and indignant at reproof; but their natural habits are often times fubdued by prudence, corrected by difcretion, and foftened by the influence of polite intercourse.

In their manners they are originally unpolished, but they afterwards become nicely adapted to their fituations in the world: Strangers to that equality of refinement which is produced by the general diffufion of affluence in a wealthy ftate, and accustomed to the established gradations of faperiority, their manners are originally ftamped with the impreffion of their particular station, and afterwards conform themselves only to the exigency of temporary circumstances. To their inferiors they are haughty, to their equals fevere, and to their fuperiors fubmiffive; but their haughtiness is not always accompanied with contumely, their feverity with moroseness, or their fubmiffion with meannefs. In the qua

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lities

lities of their heart, as in the faculties tion by the acquirement of power;

of the mind, we find them impreffed with the stamp of education: imbibing, in their earlieft age, the facred principles of religion, their conviction commonly remains for ever imprinted on their minds, and they are therefore generally fincere in its profeffion, even though they may not be exactly obfervant of its precepts: rarely becoming profligate, though they may have ceafed to be virtuous, and retaining a fenfe of piety, although they may have difregarded the dictates of morality.

Influenced by thefe principles, they commonly act with integrity, unless corrupted by affluence, or excited to ambi

power; but

governed by the precepts of that frugal prudence which is a part of their education in an inaffluent ftate, or biaffed by the confiderations which fuggeft themfelves to the mind employed in the purfuit of wealth, they poffefs not, in a very eminent degree, the more generous affections of the human breast. Careful only to obey the compulfory mandates of duty, if they fatisfy its demands, they feldom exceed its limits; and, contracting the expanfe of human charity, they too often circumfcribe the extent of their beneficence within the circle of national philanthropy.

66

CUSTOMS AND DIVERSIONS OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. THE cuftoms introduced by the the husbandman. By thefe purfuits,' Normans to England, were, in general, fays John of Salisbury," they lofe their praife-worthy and gentleman-like, when humanity, and become monsters like compared to thofe of the Anglo-Saxons. the favage animals they chafe; fhepKnighthood, which neceffarily compre- herds and their flocks are driven from hended a brave and liberal heart, a firm their pastures, that wild beafts may demeanor, and a graceful performance range in them at large; fhould one of of manlike exercifes, flourished under thefe potent noblemen approach your their protection. The knight, after dwelling, haften to bring out every rehaving ferved a kind of apprenticeship, frefhment which you have in your house, during feven or eight years as an ef or which you can beg or borrow of your quire, bound himself, by a folemn oath, neighbours, left you fhould find the fato be loyal to his king, to protect the tal confequence of your neglect; and, virtuous part of the fair fex, and to re- perhaps, be accused of treafon." fcue widows and orphans from oppreffion, at the hazard of his life. The tilts and tournaments (which were pompous feftivals, where the skill and agility of the knight were feverely tried,) afforded perpetual incentives to excel lence in military science; and the picturefque duty annexed to chivalry, of chufing a fupreme lady, in defence of whofe beauty and virtue, her knight was always ready to combat, hid its own abfurdity under a veil of elegance.-Stance was wanted in the field. ExcefPalaye fur la Chevalerie.

Befides the tournament, a diverfion only allotted to persons of rank, the favourite fports of the principal Normans, were hunting and hawking; thefe the king's prelates, and noblemen, pursued with an incredible eagerness, and without the smallest regard to the labours of

The game of chefs, and ftill more the various chances of the dice, conftituted domeftic amusements for the great. That they carried thefe to excefs we may judge from many circumftances. Even the horrors of civil war could not damp the fpirit of gaming; for M. Paris complains of the barons, affociated to refift the tyranny of John, for fpending their time in luxury, and playing with dice, when their appear

five gaming at fea was reftrained by the fecond of thofe laws, which the united kings of England and France drew up in 1190, for the government of the force fitted out against the Saracens. There it is enacted that knights and clerks fhall be restrained to the lofs of twenty fhillings (nearly what fifteen

pounds

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