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of a king to the acts of the government, a quite contrary effect, by hardening the heart they ought to terrify. Befides, the fear of an ignominious death, I believe, never deterred any one from the commiffion of a crime; becaufe, in committing it, the mind is roused to activity about prefent circumstances. It is a game at hazard, at which all expect the turn of the die in their own favour; never reflecting on the chance of ruin, till it comes. In fact, from what I faw in the fortreffes of Norway, I am more

which to avoid danger, have no value;
unlefs counterfigned by the Prince Royal;
for he is allowed to be abfolutely an
idiot, excepting that now and then an
obfervation, or trick, escapes him, which
looks more like madnefs than imbecility.
What a farce is life! This effigy of
majefty is allowed to burn down to the
focket, while the haplefs Matilda was
hurried into an untimely grave.

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport.

and more convinced that the fame ener gy of character, which renders a man a daring villain, would have rendered him useful to fociety, had that society been well organized. When a ftrong mind is not difciplined by cultivation, it is a sense of injustice that renders it unjust.

Executions, however, occur very rarely at Copenhagen; for timidity, rather than clemency, pallies all the operations of the prefent government. The malefactor, who died this morning, would not, probably, have been punished with death at any other period; but an incendiary excites univerfal execration; and as the greater part of the inhabitants are ftill diftreffed by the late confiagration, an example was thought abfolutely neceflary; though, from what 1 can gather, the fire was accidental.

BUSINESS having obliged me to go a few miles out of town this morning, I was furprised at meeting a crowd of people of every defcription; and inquiring the caufe, of a fervant who spoke French, I was informed that a man had been executed two hours before, and the body afterwards burnt. I could not help looking with horror around the fields loft their verdure-and I turned with difguft from the well-dreffed women, who were returning with their children from this fight. What a fpectacle for humanity! The feeing fuch a flock of idle gazers, plunged me into a train of reflections, on the pernicious effects produced by falfe notions cf juftice. And I am perfuaded that till ca pital punishments be entirely abolished, Not but that I have very feriously executions ought to have every appear- been informed, that combuftible mateance of horror given to them; inftead rials were placed at proper distances, of being, as they are now, a fcene of by the emiffaries of Mr Pitt; and, to amufement for the gaping crowd, where corroborate the fact, many people infift, fympathy is quickly effaced by curiofity. that the flanies burft out at once in difI have always been of opinion, that the ferent parts of the city; not allowing allowing actors to die in the prefence of the the wind to have any hand in it. So audience has an immoral tendency; but much for the plot: But the fabricators triffing when compared with the ferocity of plots in all countries build their con acquired by viewing the reality as a fhow; jectures on the "bafelefs fabric of a for it feems to me, that in all countries vifion;" and, it feems even a fort of the common people go to executions to poetical juftice, that while this minifter fee how the poor wretch plays his part, is crufhing at home, plots of his own rather than to commiferate his fate, conjuring up, that on the continent, and much lefs to think of the breach of in the north, he fhould, with as little morality which has brought him to fuch foundation, be accufed of wifhing to fir the world on fire.

a deplorable end. Confequently executions, far from being ufeful examples to the furvivors, have, I am perfuaded,

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that two perfons came to the ftake to property is the root of all evil. Here drink a glafs of the criminal's blood, it does not render the people enteras an infallible remedy for the apoplexy. prifing, as in America, but thrifty and And when I animadverted, in the com- cautious. I never, therefore, was in a pany where it was mentioned, on fuch capital where there was fo little appeara horrible violation of nature, a Danish ance of active industry; and, as for lady reproved me very feverely, afking gaiety, I looked in vain for the sprighthow I knew that it was not a cure for ly gait of the Norwegians, who in every the difeafe? Adding, that every attempt refpect appear to me to have got the was justifiable in fearch of health. I ftart of them. This difference I attridid not, you may imagine, enter into bute to their having more liberty: a an argument with a perfon the flave of liberty which they think their right by fuch a grofs prejudice: And I allude inheritance, while the Danes, when to it not only as a trait of the ignorance they boast of their negative happiness, of the people, but to cenfure the govern- always mention it as the boon of the ment, for not preventing fcenes that Prince Royal, under the fuperintending throw an odium on the human race. wifdom of Count Bernftorff. Vaffallage is nevertheless ceafing throughout the kingdom, and with it will pass away that fordid avarice which every modification of flavery is calculated to produce.

Empiricifm is not peculiar to Denmark; and I know no way of rooting it out, though it be a remnant of exploded witchcraft, till the acquiring a general knowledge of the component parts of the human frame, become a part of public education.

If the chief ufe of property be power, in the fhape of the refpect it procures, Since the fire, the inhabitants have is it not among the inconfiftencies of been very affiduously employed in fearch- human nature moft incomprehenfible, ing for property fecreted during the con- that men fhould find a pleasure in hoardfufion; and it is aftonishing how many people, formerly termed reputable, had availed themfelves of the common calamity to purloin what the flames fpared. Others, expert at making a distinction without a difference, concealed what they found, not troubling themselves to enquire for the owners, though they fcrupled to fearch for plunder any where, but among the ruins.

ing up property which they fteal from their neceffities, even when they are convinced that it would be dangerous to display fuch an enviable fuperiority? Is not this the situation of ferfs in every country; yet a rapacity to accumulate money feems to become stronger in proportion as it is allowed to be ufelefs.

Wealth does not appear to be fought for, among the Danes, to obtain the To be honester than the laws require, elegant luxuries of life; for a want of is by moft people thought a work of tafte is very confpicuous at Copenhagen ;' fupererogation; and to flip through the fo much fo, that I am not surprised grate of the law, has ever exercised the to hear that poor Matilda offended the abilities of adventurers, who wish to rigid Lutherans, by aiming to refine get rich the fhortest way. Knavery, their pleafures. The elegance which without perfonal danger, is an art, fhe wifhed to introduce, was termed brought to great perfection by the ftatef- lafcivioufnefs: yet I do not find that man and fwindler; and meaner knaves the abfence of gallantry renders the are not tardy in following their footsteps. wives more chafte, or the husbands It moves my gall to difcover fome of more conftant. Love here feems to the commercial frauds practifed during corrupt the morals, without polishing the present war. In fhort, under what the manners, by banishing confidence ever point of view I confider fociety, it and truth, the charm as well as cement appears to me, that an adoration of of domeftic life. A gentleman, who VOL. LVIII.

3 H

has

has refided in this city fome time, af indolence of mind, and dull fenfes, fures me that he could not find language than from an exuberance of life, which to give me an idea of the grofs debau- often fructifies the whole character, when cheries into which the lower order of the vivacity of youthful spirits begins to people fall; and the promifcuous a- fubfide into strength of mind. mours of the men of the middling class with their female fervants, debafes both beyond measure, weakening every fpecies of family affection.

I have every where been truck by one characteristic difference in the conduct of the two fexes; women, in general, are feduced by their fuperiors, and men jilted by their inferiors; rank and manners awe the one, and cunning and wantonness fubjugate the other; ambition creeping into the woman's paffion, and tyranny giving force to the man's; for moft men treat their miftreffes as kings do their favourites: ergo is not man then the tyrant of the creation?

I have before mentioned, that the men are domeftic tyrants, confidering them as fathers, brothers, or husbands; but there is a kind of interregnum between the reign of father and husband, which is the only period of freedom and pleasure that the women enjoy. Young people, who are attached to each other, with the confent of their friends, exchange rings, and are permitted to enjoy a degree of liberty together, which I have never noticed in any other country. The days of courtfhip are therefore prolonged, till it be perfectly convenient to marry the intimacy often becomes very tender: and if the lover obtain the privilege of a husband, it can only be termed half by ftealth, because the family is wilfully blind. It happens very rarely that these honorary engagements are diffolved or difregarded, a ftigma being attached to a breach of faith, which is thought But to return to the straight road of more difgraceful, if not fo criminal, as obfervation. The fenfuality fo preva- the violation of the marriage vow. lent appears to me to arife rather from. From Mrs Wollstonecraft's Letters.

Still harping on the fame fubject, you will exclaim.-How can I avoid it, when most of the struggles of an event ful life have been occafioned by the oppreffed ftate of my fex: we reafon deeply, when we forcibly feel.

CHARACTER OF THE DUTCH,

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF ROTTERDAM.

the late hour at which we entered, all were up and active, and by fix o'clock we were feated in a cabriolet, and took leave of this curious company.

THE Dutch are very industrious, by five o'clock; and notwithstanding and rife very early-men of all ranks drink coffee in great abundance. The labourers fip their coffee before they go out to their toils, and appear to eat very little. This may, in all probability, be owing to the quantities of fpirits which they are accuftomed to fwallow. I have repeatedly feen the most robuft men taking their morning's meal, previous to the fatigues of the field, and this has confifted in two or three cups of weak coffee, a glass or two of Hollandsthen the pipe is kindled, and with one, fcarcely fquare, inch of bread, thefe laborious hinds are equipped for the moft fturdy fervices. Our old hoftefs had kindled a fire and boiled our coffee

A great change of fcenery takes place as you proceed to Rotterdam. The country is ftill open, but lefs deformed with wild wastes or marfhy grounds. The roads alfo improve, and you have an agreeable variety of villages and rivers. The Old Maefe, which we firft paffed, exhibited a noble view. This is navigable for veffels of confiderable burden. Numbers of these were lying in the river, and gave a very commercial appearance to the country. Our route after this lay through fome

villages

villages, whofe extreme neatness at- produced. The artist has inspired the tracted our particular attention. No- countenance with wonderfully fine inthing can equal the purity of these cot- telligence. tages. The exceffive labour they bestow on every article of the most minute importance, leaves nothing to offend the eye, and gives the humblest cot that air of elegant fimplicity which palaces do not always poffefs.

The different degrees of zeal with which the memory of Erasmus was cherished, befpoke in paft times a grow ing tafte for literature. The ftatue first raised in honour of this great scholar, A. D. 1540, was of wood. Seventeen years refined their feelings, and blufhing for the little respect they had hewn to the memory of the man who had immortalized their city, the ftatue of wood was exchanged for a ftatue of stone. A fucceeding age emulous of its predeceffors, gave to the Apotheofis of Erafmus the last touch, and raised this ftatue of bronze. Doubtlefs this economical people had at the first well calculated the extent of the future expenditure, if literary characters should abound in the republic; but finding this fwampy foil unpropitious to genius, and productive only of dull

Rotterdam is a fine object for many miles before you reach it. The country is quite open, and the road pursues a very ferpentine courfe, which gives you fufficient time to meditate on the fingular beauties of that celebrated city. Rotterdam, will strike the traveller with wonder; perhaps no town in Europe poffeffes objects fo expreffive of commercial importance. The canals are numerous and large; crowded with veffels in all parts, and covered with numerous draw-bridges; they exhibit a magnificent scene. All these canals are bordered with trees and prominades. Wherever the eye turns, objects of commentators and fombrous logicians, commercial grandeur ftrike it with astonishment. The public buildings are all confecrated to the fame purposes. The churches are heavy and tasteless. There are cabinets of paintings in the poffeffion of fome private individuals; but the only public monument of letters and the fine arts, is a ftatue to the memory of Erafmus, who was a native of this place, and among the few luminaries of fcience which this country has diffipated.

they converted the image of wood into a ftatue of ftone, without rifquing, in confequence of this precedent, any máterial diminution of the public revenue. In the fixty-five years which fucceeded, no rival Erafmufes yet appearing, the utmost extravagance of civic honours was exhausted upon him, and a statue of bronze erected, all apprehenfion of future claim being at length entirely From Owen's Travels.

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REFLECTIONS ON NATIONAL CHARACTER. NATIONAL varieties form the of man, and as the rules of human con

grand fource of entertainment to a traveller: nor is it of confequence to him, whether the manners and customs of the people he vifits, claim any manifeft fuperiority over thofe of his own country; it is fufficient for the purposes of his curiofity that they differ. Novelty is the charm which commends them to his attention, and the merit of the difference is a fubject of fubsequent reUfections.

A celebrated moral philofopher has affigned three laws for the government

duct-the law of honour, the law of the land, and the divine law. These are certainly very competent to the decifion of any question in morals; but had he chofen to have been more universal, he might have added a fourth law-I mean, the law of etiquette for the law of honour, in which fome might suppose it included, only prohibits the perpetration of any act which would degrade the gentleman, or interrupt the offices of focial harmony. This, therefore, applies only to the more prominent 3 H 2

parts

parts of conduct, and those actions which border upon morality. The law of etiquette confines itself wholly to thofe minutie of deportment, which have as little connection with morals as with phyfics. A word, a look, or a motion, contrary to etiquette, fixes upon you the stain of culpability. And then, though you had obferved the other three with the fpirit of a man, the fidelity of a citizen, and the virtue of a faint; you would stand no fairer chance of maintaining your rank in polished society than a Hottentot. And fo various are the characters and fentiments of the people of different countries, that a man might as well attempt to find the reasonings of Newton in the fyftem of Des Cartes, and deduce the doctrines of the Koran from the writings of Voltaire, as to determine from the general principles of politeffe the maxims of national etiquette.

I was led to these reflections by a circumftance which took place the evening of the ball given by the ladies club. An English gentleman, who had been introduced as a stranger, and whofe ignorance of French etiquette might feem to plead his excufe, was actually obferved holding converfation with his partner when the dance was ended. Had he been a married lady, this would have attracted no notice. The circumftance would have been imputed to gallantry, or intrigue, in either of which cafes the lady is fubject to no authority, and the gentleman refponfible to no tri. bunal-but that of her husband. He is, in all probability, engaged in too many fimilar intrigues, to find leifure for fo irkfome a business. Thus a têtea-tête of this nature would neither have

been deemed criminal nor dangerous. But the lady was unmarried, and the extraordinary conduct of the gentleman was referred to the fudden influence of a foft attachment. The eyes of the company were upon him. "Le pauvre homme! il est amoureaux," was circulated in whispers. This fudden paffion filled up the chaẩm of conversation in the morning circles; and my friend, who had hitherto continued unfufpicious, was furprised the following evening, by finding the eyes of the company pointedly fixed upon him. He received with aftonishment the congratulations of fome, the condolences of others, and the affurances of all-that he was really in love. It was in vain that he denied the charge, and perfifted against the existence of the paffion; it was in vain that he urged the shortness of the converfation, and the innocence of its object; all were unanimous in deciding against him and it was refolved, nem. on. that when a gentleman holds converfation with an unmarried lady, love must be either the cause or the confequence.

:

I should perhaps intreat your indulgence when I record thofe trivial details. But though the bold and prominent lines of character are to be found in acts of higher importance; though heroifm is moft fuccefsfully traced in the field, and fagacity in the cabinet; manners are only to be deciphered in the leffer incidents of focial intercourse. It is the zephyr and the shower which difclofe the foilage of the rofe or the myrtle, though ftorms and tempefts may be neceffary to prove the ftrength of the oak or the cedar.

From Owen's Travels.

CURIOUS PARTICULARS RESPECTING THE LAZARONI raid (GYPSIES) OF NAPLES,

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A GREAT city is a great evil. It or five hundred thousand perfons: yet cl devours the population of a country. fuch is the fertility of the neighbouring It is the grave of good morals, and foil, that provifions abound, and arcount exhales to a great diftance its peftife- very cheap. Among thefe are reckonszal rous influence. Naples is a very great ed ices; and a scarcity of them would on and very respectable. It contains four occafion popular commotions. In food

and

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