completing the Forth and Clyde navigation. By the same act, the balance of money to be paid in was to remain under the care of the Court of Exchequer in Scotland, subject to the future disposition of Parliament."

It appears that out of the said balance several additional sums were granted by successive acts of Parliament, for public purposes in Scot land; namely 2000l. to the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge; 3000l. to the Highland Society in Scotland: 1000l. to the building a jail at Inverness; and 1000l. for building a bridge over the Pease or Pass of Cockburns-path in Berwick-shire.

'

By these various grants the ba lance at the disposal of Parliament would have been considerably redu ced, had not the Forth and Clyde navigation repaid the 50,000l. it had borrowed from the fund. In consequence of that payment, Parliament was enabled to lend that sum for promoting two important public undertakings, namely, 25,000l. to the proprietors of the Crinan Canal, for completing the same, and the like sum to the Magistrates of the city of Edinburgh, for enlarging and im proving the harbour of Leith.

The following is a state of the fund now at the disposal of Parlia

ment :

Besides the above sum, the Magistrates of the city of Edinburgh will have to pay 1250l. of interest on the 6th July next, and the Royal Bank of Scotland will be indebted, on the 29th of June next, to the amount of 8921. for interest on the above balance of 22,3291. now in its hands.

By transferring the payment of these annuities from the fund of 15,1251. which bears an interest of only 4 per cent. to the 25,000l. due by the city of Edinburgh, which is at 51. per cent. the said capital of 15,1251. would become immediately disposable; and as the annuities to these officers are now reduced to 4601. per annum, there remains a free disposable income of nearly 350l.

15,125 0

9,000 0

L. 46,454 18 4

exclusive of the principal and the interest of the sum lent out to the proprietors of the Crinal Canal, who, it is to be hoped, will be enabled to pay the same out of the income produced by that undertaking when the work is completed.

Upon ascertaining the state of this fund, your Committee were naturally led to inquire to what useful purposes in Scotland the same could be applied; and they have the satisfaction of stating to the House, that, by a proper distribution of the capital, and the interest above mentioned, a number of most important public objects may be obtained, which, they are satisfied, will prove of infinite advantage to that part of the United

暴

to the remaining officers of the late Board of Annexed Estates. The sums are reserved as a fund, whence other useful objects, which Parlia. ment may afterwards be disposed to encourage, may receive public aid.

Parallel between the FRENCH and ENGLISH National Character.

means.

From the French of Sabatier.

Fas est et ab hoste doceri.

THE French character, and the beauty of the climate, naturally dispose the inhabitant to pleasure, and consequently invite him to procure daily enjoyments of every kind, to multiply and vary them as much as possible, and even beyond his Do we enjoy what is called a fortune? Do we occupy a distinguished place? we like, we even think ourselves obliged, to appear in the world in a manner suited to our situa tion; every thing in our houses is in harmony with our appearance in the world. This manner of living occasions a very great internal consumption, and of consequence multiplies within the profits and the returns of

commerce.

The silent and reflecting character of the English people has a very different effect; it is only by starts, at fixed hours, and with an excess which cannot suit us, that they abandon themselves to pleasure, and carry it even to satiety.

The tavern, where each pays his reckoning, is in England, the place most frequented by the rich, and those who occupy the most distinguished rank in the world. There, removed from their wives, their children, whom they never, even in their own house, admit to a partici. pation in their pleasures, they give themselves up to every kind of excess, and never quit the party while they are able to continue in it. These

manners do not reign in France; ge. nerally speaking, we prefer with reason our own houses, and the meeting of a few friends, to these excesses which degrade humanity. This character, this urbanity, this elegance, this generosity, which makes us beloved when we go among foreigners, cannot be compared to the English character, which some have attempt. ed in vain to introduce among us. I shall admire always the useful institutions of England, which tend all to the prosperity of the inhabitants. I shall admire the public spirit of this nation, and its devotion to the common welfare; but never, in what concerns private life, shall I prefer the English to the French national

character.

Was there ever at Vienna and in all the kingdoms and principalities which compose Germany, at London and in all England, at Madrid, and in all the Spains, at Amsterdam, and in all Holland, in Switzerland, in Italy, &c. &c. Was there ever, I say, Frenchmen who have gone to inhabit these countries, is equal number with the foreigners whom we have seen flowing into our territory? Did we go abroad before the revolution? every one agrees that it was very rare to find French families estab. lished voluntarily in any of these countries.

If, on the contrary, the foreigner came into France, he could very easily meet families of his own nation, domiciliated, nay naturalized among us, allied to our families, and who, by the pleasures which they enjoyed, had lost all desire of returning into their country. Even the English, notwithstanding their antipathy against the French, are perhaps the people who, by numerous establishments upon our soil, have most frequently attested the truth of what I here advance, and belied by the sentiment, and the interest which leads them thither, the vain

shew

shew of their affected contempt. But did the opulent men of France go to expend their revenues in England? Generally speaking, when we travelled abroad, even in England, notwithstanding the attentions which were paid to us, and which were due to the pleasures afforded by our society, did we not tire to return to our homes?

The nature of public shews contributes not a little to determine the progress of civilization among a people. I shall enter into some detail on this subject.

The spectacles which charm most the English people, and in which rich men throw away enormous sums, are those of horse-racing; it draws together an immense crowd, and lasts commonly eight successive days: in France, before the revolution, and at Paris only, some wished to introduce this kind of amusement; they could not succeed, for though they took care to announce it several days before, the spectators were much less numerous there than in England. Truth however obliges me to admit, that these races, so long as they do not degenerate into a vain show of barren luxury, are in the eyes of well-informed men, a means not to be rejected of rearing valuable horses; an object which in France demands all the care of administration.

But scenes much more blameable, and which also attract many spectators in England, are the different kinds of fighting. Pride, and a sort of susceptibility arising from it, mul. tiplies duelling in the higher classes, and boxing in the lower.

They have finally come to make of this last a sort of game, equally repugnant to reason and humanity; above all, when its object is only a simple wager, and its effect often cruel and constant sufferings, or death. The people flock in crowds to these sort of spectacles, which appear to be their delight. The French cha

racter will always revolt against such a diversion.

Cock fightings also are very much followed in England; they give occasion to very considerable wagers. They arm these animals with long spurs of iron; they make them fight in arenas surrounded by amphitheatres; the interest of the wager is not that which animates the specta ters, they attend to the animals themselves; to the degree of their courage and address. These sort of spectacles are not suited either to our tastes or our characters.

I do not mean to depreciate, England; I know that great knowledge may be acquired by travelling thro that country, and frequenting the society of the learned men, whom it possesses in very great number. I have even done to its administration the justice which is due to it under many relations. The multiplicity of the canals and roads of this country, the perfection of its industry and agriculture, the extent of its com merce, its public spirit, the gene. rosity of its inhabitants towards the unhappy, the general abundance dif fused among a laborious and instruct ed people, are advantages peculiar to it, and which cannot be too much admired and even envied. But its civilization in certain particulars is not carried so far as ours; they have not yet in their cities multiplied enjoyments for all classes of society, as we have done in France; its climate is not so agreeable as ours; it does not engage the foreigner to make so long a stay.

guage of the actors, and with only an imperfect explanation by interpreters of the words of their songs.

The scene is in the open air: the whole labour and expence of its construction consist in a great cloth, or curtain, which two men hold extend ed to the height of their head, to conceal the performers during the intervals between the acts, and while they are changing their dress. They Jay this cloth or curtain flat upon the ground, when the actors are to appear upon the scene.

These representations take place during the night, and are lighted by two men carrying each a torch or flambeau, at the side of the performers, advancing or retreating along with them, and following rapidly all their movements, so that a bright light may be constantly thrown upon them.

The parts of the women were played by men in disguise, and loaded from head to foot, with all the ornaments of pearls and trinkets, which are worn by opulent women and dancing girls.

These performers are of the cast of the Bramins; and as they mingle always something of their religion in these farces, the condition of an actor is very much respected among these people, because it belongs to the first cast, to many individuals of which it furnishes a means of subsist

ence.

At these plays and spectacles, there appear through different interrupted scenes, women who advance and fall back, perform the circuit of the stage with a rapid motion, which is a kind of dance, singing words aecompanied by music. Sometimes a distracted woman, who comes to seek a lover whom she has lost, or to deplore his infidelity and injustice: farcical characters are mixed to enli

ven the scene.

Another time appears Siven, one of the gods of the Gentiles, mount

ed on an ox, with his wife before him. The head of this ox is artifi cial, with an oval frame or sash, which supports a long muslin petti. coat, and forms the rump of the ox; the whole fixed to the body of the two actors; the limbs of the two actors form those of the animal; they thus ride rapidly about, and make various evolutions upon the stage, accompanied by a thousand grimaces.

In another scene, the great Mogul appears in all his splendour; he arrives, wearing the aspect of dominion and severity; a dancing girl appears and displays her talents and graces before him. The monarch is affected, insensibly loses his dignity, and, to please the fair one, he sends her first a shawl, then his own gir dle, and concludes by stripping himself entirely in her favour. His valet also gives all the effects of his master to second his generous disposition..

But

Another time, we see a governor arrive to take possession of his employment. He makes an account of the territorial revenues be given to him by the receiver or farmer; he blames them for having given half of the produce to the cultivator, and for having paid that part which, according to the law of the country, belongs to the pagoda. You should have taken the whole, says he. women are spoken of, or they appear on the scene; then this man, lately so covetous, spares nothing to obtain or to satisfy them. Some time after, the conduct of this governer draws upon him the reproaches of his sovereign he is degraded and arrested, and falls into a state of disgrace, meanness, and contempt. Then (doubtless by means of money) he succeeds in justifying himself, and in being restored to his place. He then resumes his empire, his insolence, and his severities.

:

A young princess, loaded with all

the