OBSERVATIONS ON THE MANNERS OF MANKIND.

trious mode of earning a fubfiftence, in ancient times for all the various mo

and live by going from place to place, and from table to table, where they pay a certain quantity of flattery for a good dinner. Thefe are fometimes called danglers, hangers-on, or led captains, and fometimes toad eaters. Every good natured gentleman, who keeps a plentiful table, receives frequent vifits from thefe free-booters; and, when they are once encouraged, it is not eafy to get rid of them, without ufing methods more harsh than a meekly-difpofed mind relishes. They are above taking hints, and by no means over-nice in punctilios, fo that a fmall affront will not difguft them, and they are always much more inclined to pocket an infult, than to refent it. The former is eafy; the latter they cannot fo well afford. They are not, however, a new fpecies of beings, the production of modern tables and modern idlenefs. Our author characterizes them with great juftice and equal feverity "The life of him that dependeth on another man's table is not to be counted for a life; for he polluteth himself with other men's meat; but a wife man, well-nurtured, will beware thereof. Begging is fweet in the mouth of the fhameless."

difications of human action, whether arifing from ignorance, wickedness, or temper, or from the peculiarity of fituation in life, with refpect to rank or wealth. We fee, too, how nearly the manners of ancient and modern ages approximate in the way of tranfacting bufinefs between men in trade; all the various cafes of fraud, dishonesty, debt, furetiefhip, bankruptcy, are recorded in one shape or other in the books above mentioned, and indeed, might be traced to a much higher fource by any perfon who will read ancient books with an eye chiefly to the manners they occafionally mention. Thefe are direct proofs of the existence of fuch manners, becaufe where a precept is given to avoid any folly or crime, it follows that such folly or crime was then in existence; and we may farther judge of its being common or uncommon, from the precept being more or lefs frequently repeated, or more or lefs ftrengthened by various collateral confiderations. A few hours may be very pleafingly employed by perufing the works quoted with this view.

From a perufal of thefe works, and of the Greek and Roman authors, we These extracts may be extended by may be affured that there existed in the curious reader to a far greater length the world, at the time of their original than it is propofed to carry them in this publication, a much higher degree of paper: Enough, probably, has been civilization in fociety, than we should faid to direct the reader's attention to be apt to fuppofe, were we to imagine this book, and to the Proverbs and that mankind had been in a ftate of unWifdom of Solomon, two pieces in which interrupted progreffion from the creathe most admirable precepts are blend- tion to the prefent time. On the con ed with remarks upon life and manners, trary, we know that civilization has which cannot fail to ftrike an intelligent been, as it were, travelling over the reader. We perceive how very near globe, and refiding a greater or lefs the refemblance is between the man- portion of time in a nation, according ners of ancient and modern times, and to the operation of certain circumstances. how little we can boaft of novelty in This may be underftood by reflecting thofe cuftoms upon which we are moft upon, and comparing the ftate of anciapt to pride ourselves. We fee that ent Rome, in the days of her glory, there is nothing in modern manners, profperity, and virtue, and in that of either good or bad, nothing in the modern Rome, in her prefent effemimodes of active life, in the purfuit of nacy, darknefs, and degeneracy. The bufinefs or of pleafure, which can be flourishing cities of Greece may be retérmed new. Precedents may be found viewed with the fame intention; and

We

The right of primogeniture, moreover, them. The garters of their stockings

together with the weaknefs of the laws to reach inacceffible countries, and more inacceffible men, had, in the revolution of centuries, converted thefe natural principles of connexion between the chieftain and his people, into the most facred ties of human life. The caftle of the chieftain was a kind of palace, to which every man of his tribe was made welcome, and where he was entertained according to his flation in time of peace, and to which all flocked at the found of war. Thus, the meaneft of the clan, knowing himself to be as well-born as the head of it, revered, in the chieftain, his own honour; loved, in his clan, his own blood; complained not of the difference of ftation into which fortune had thrown him; and respected himself. The chieftain, in return, bestowed a protection, founded equally on gratitude and a consciousness of his own intereft. Hence the Highlanders, whom more favage nations called favage, carried, in the outward expreffion of their manners, the politenefs of courts without their vices, and, in their bofoms, the high point of honour without its follies.

Their drefs, which was the laft remains of the Roman habit in Europe, was well fuited to the nature of their country, and still better to the neceffities of war. It confifted of a roll of light woollen, called a plaid, fix yards in length and two in breadth, wrapped loosely round the body, the upper lappet of which rested on the left fhoulder, leaving the right arm at full liberty; a jacket of thick cloth, fitted tightly to the body; and a loofe fhort garment of light woollen, which went round the waift, and covered the thigh. In rain, they formed the plaid into folds, and, laying it on the fhoulders, were covered as with a roof. When they were obliged to lie abroad in the hills, in their bunting parties, or tending their cattle, or in war, the plaid ferved them both for bed and for covering: for, when three men flept together, they could fpread three folds of cloth below and fix above

were tied under the knee, with a view to give more freedom to the limb; and they wore no breeches, that they might climb mountains with the greater cafe. The lightnefs or coolness of their drefs; the habit they had of going always on foot, never on horfeback; their love of long journies; and, above all, that patience of hunger and every kind of hardfhip, which carried their bodies forward, even after their fpirits were exhausted, made them exceed all other European nations in fpeed and perfeverence of march. Montrofe's marches were fometimes fixty miles in a day, without food or halting, over mountains, along rocks, through moraffes. In encampments,

they were expert at forming beds in a moment, by tying together bunches of heath, and fixing them upright in the ground; an art, which, as the beds were both foft and dry, preferved their health in the field, when other foldiers loft theirs.

Their arms were a broad fword, a dagger called a durk, a target, a musket, and two piftols: fo that they carried the long fword of the Celtes, the pugio of the Romans, the fhield of the ancients, and both kinds of modern firearms, altogether. In battle, they threw away the plaid and under garment, and fought in their jackets, making thus their movements quicker, and their ftrokes more forcible. Their advance to battle was rapid, like the charge of dragoons. When near the enemy, they ftopped a little, to draw breath and difcharge their mufkets, which they then dropped on the ground. Advancing, they fired their piftols, which they threw, almoft at the fame inftant, at the heads of their opponents. They then rushed into their ranks with the broad sword, threatening, and fhaking the fword as they ran on, fo as to conquer the enemy's. eye, while his body was yet unhurt. They fought not in long and regular lines, but in feparate bands, like wedges. condenfed and firm; the army being ranged according to the clans that com

pofed

pofed it, and each clan according to Notwithstanding all these advantages, its families; fo that there arose com the victories of the Highlanders have petition in valour of clan with clan, of always been more honourable for themfamily with family, of brother with felves, than of confequence to others. brother. To make an opening in regu- A river stopped them, because they lar troops, and to conquer, they rec- were unaccustomed to fwim. A fort koned the fame thing; because in close had the fame effect, because they knew engagements, and in broken ranks, no not the fcience of attack. They wanted regular troops could withstand them. cannon, carriages, and magazines, from They received the bayonet in the target, their poverty and ignorance of the arts; which they carried on the left arm: then they spoke an unknown language; and, turning it afide, or twisting it in the therefore, could derive their resources target, they attacked with the broad only from themfelves. Although their fword the enemy incumbered and de- refpect for their chieftains gave them, fenceless; and where they could not as long as they continued in the field, wield the broad fword, they stabbed that exact habit of obedience, which with the durk. The only foes they the exceffive rigour of difcipline only. dreaded were the cavalry; to which can fecure over other troops; yet, as many causes contributed: the novelty foon as the victory was gained, they of the enemy; their want of the bayonet accounted their duty, which was to to receive the shock of the horse; the conquer, fulfilled; and many of them attack made upon them with their own ran home to recount their feats, and weapon the broad fword; the fize of store up their plunder. In fpring and dragoon horfes appearing larger to them, harvest, more were obliged to retire, or from a comparison with those of their leave their women and children too dies own country; but, above all, a belief of famine. Their chieftains too weret. entertained univerfally among the lower apt to feparate from the army, upon clafs of Highlanders, that a war horfe quarrels and points of honour among is taught to fight with his feet and his themfelves, and with others.

Prince.

AS DRAWN BY SHAKESPEARE.

'By this hand, thou think'ft me as far in the devil's book as thou and Taltaff, for obduracy and periftency. Let the end try the man. But I tell thee-my heart bleeds inwardly, that my feather is so fick ; and keeping fuch company as thou art, hath in reafon taken from me all oftentation of forrow."

"A MOST useful leffon," fays Mrs Griffith, "might be framed, upon the very fingular character of this amiable perfon. The pattern is not perfect; and, therefore, (fhall I venture to fay it?) the example is the better, for that reason. His manners are idle, but his morals uncorrupt. He fuffers Falftaff to make as free with him as he pleafes, but breaks his head, as Mrs Quickly tells us, in a former fcene, for his having thrown out a jeft upon his father. Young men may learn from him, never to be guilty of more vice, than the

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temptation to it might precipitate them into. He connives at the robbery of his companions, for the diverfion of playing the fame game upon them again, but refolves to make them ample reftitution for the wrong.

He offends his father by the diffolutenefs of his conduct; but his filial affection and refpect are ftill unremitted toward him. He fhews a fpirit of justice in injuftice, and of duty even in difobedience " This part of the prince's character has been likewife confidered by Dr Johnfon: "The prince," fays he, "who is

the