birth, and breathe a fpirit becoming the Romans in their days of untainted virtue, too steady to be feduced by minifterial influence; and thus, being above all temptation to their country's ruin, are forbidden to bear or poffefs arms for its defence. Nothing is fo dreadful to a corrupted adminif tration as untainted probity.

BUT why am I painting the fituation of thefe people, or upbraiding the ministry that undoes them? I am an alien here; what charm has this land for me? Alas! it is or ought to be the univerfal affliction of mankind to think that without fome fudden intervention, the rofy cheek of health must fade in pining flavery; the heart, which at present prompts the spirit of mirth in evening fongs beneath the fhady beach, muft be loaded with anxiety, and fighs burst from that bosom, that now breathes the voice of jollitry! Such the dreary moment paints them to my imagination.

AMONGST the rural inhabitants of all the nations I have feen, none equal the natives of this country; the farmer has a liberal air, and

the

the females a beauty not to be found in any other place. The peasants of Italy have a famished mein and poverty of afpect. The French the fame, or even worfe; they feem another race of mortals from the people of condition in their refpective countries; nothing of this kind appears in England, all is of another caft."

1 METHINKS the very horfes and cattle participate of this ftate, and have an air of freedom not to be seen in thofe of other nations; at leaft they are handfomer than the animals of our country. Perhaps it is that prevalent love of beauty in us which creates this fentiment of freedom in their favour!

WHEREVER we pafs, there are no remains but those of abbies, ruined houses, where once the church triumphed in fplendour and magnificence. Alas! the fatted ox comes no more to thefe habitations, and the fleek monk bleffes the teeming board no more, nor quaffs the sparkling liquor down his rofey throat! Such revolutions have attended the fons of St. Peter in this kingdom.

THE good fenfe of the common people is amazing to thofe ftrangers who vifit this country in all converfation where they can be supposed to understand the subject at all, they fhew a degree of knowledge not to be found amongst the peasants of any nation; the meanest Jabourer has fomething to say in his favour, which cannot be met with in any other place.

THIS advantage they draw from being accustomed to think for themfelves; their minds are naturally inquifitive; and not being flavishly dependant on priest or master, there is a liberality of thinking amongst them all, and a probity not easily conceived: the poor of the country-villages, who gain their daily bread, are extremely honest, and have not yet loft the influence of religion! Liberty effects this amongst fmall numbers and ruins great.

IN London amongft the lower class all is anarchy, drunkenness, and thievery; in the country good order, fobriety and honeftý, unless in manufacturing towns, where the resemblance of London is more confpicuous. No country can

be

be more inviting to pass the fummer in than this; the heats are temperate, the verdure in the fields the most brilliant, and continues through the year; even the autumn is far from being disagreeable; but alas! the dreary winter makes me figh for the funny shores of Baja; the ferenity of sky, and tepid breezes of that place, added to this clime, would make the whole Elyfium. Adieu,

LETTER XXVIII.

To the Reverend Father DOMINICO MANZONI, at Rome.

Dear Sir,

O where is the word liberty mention'd with

N°

fo much ardour as in England, and no where lefs understood. The general meaning of

it, as it is received in this nation, is the

of

power each man doing what he pleafes, and preventing the rest from doing the fame thing: this is rather fovereignty than freedom; and as people know in this country, that property and title beget a kind of defpotifm, it is a common thing to add in the advertisement of the fale of an estate, as a recommendatory confideration, a nota bene, "No Lord within ten miles of it."/

THIS defire of liberty fo conftantly in the mouth of man, and yet in his practice fo little to be found with an inclination to allow it to others, has often made me reflect whether this was so natural a paffion as has been afferted? and