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bred in the most profound ignorance, and they should be taught from their infancy to consider themselves a distinct species. To impress this more deeply, they should be disfigured as much as might be consistent with their usefulness: both of their ears might be spared; so might their noses. It might injure their healths to paint them, but it is a pity that a certain dyestuff could not be invented, through which perspiration might pass. In short, they should in all respects be treated like beasts of burden; though I hardly go so far as Cato the Censor, who advises, when they are grown old and infirm, to sell them.

The surprising difference which obtains between the English servants and ours, is not entirely owing to the influence which the Federal Constitution has on their characters. The English servant is chained to servitude; in many respects, little removed from helotism. He has no imagination, no ambition; a holiday or a debauch bounds his hopes, and consummates his wishes. In the United States, on the contrary, a servant's imagination is ever on the wing; he calculates even to a day, and that day is not distant, when he shall be independent as the person whom he serves. He indulges the most flattering prospects, feels himself already a freeman

and wanders, in romance, through scenes of future

life, or reposes from labour in the cool of his own shade. As he approaches personal independence, he expects the deference of his master, and of his fellow citizens, while his master, foreseeing how soon his servant may be his equal, is disposed to facilitate the approaching equality. Hence, he discovers nothing of that humble, debasing demeanour, which is so apparent in the English servant.

I confess, the majestic carriage of our servants would revolt the feelings of one accustomed to travel the Bath road; for he might be in danger of starving, before he could learn the language of the country.

Adicu.

LETTER XV.

LONDON, JANUARY 17th, 1803.

I

WAS at the theatre, last evening, where I saw their Majesties, with three of the princesses. Nunc scio quid sint Rex et Regina. They all behaved with great deference to the spectators: the queen, particularly, seemed happy. We, half civilized folks in the United States, can form no conception of the solemn pomp, the dignified importance and sacred reverence, which append to these awful exhibitions of royal personage. The cold feelings of our citizens, on these happy occasions, would look like pointed disaffection.

The box, in which their Majesties sat, was fitted up on purpose, while the trappings carried you back to the style of Persian monarchs. How would an English courtier have laughed to have seen the late President and lady, without a guard, without any attendance, without any peculiarity to distinguish them from the other citizens, take their seats in the theatre at Boston!

Soon as their Majesties appeared in the front of their box, a tumult of applause commenced, which,

had it been cordial, must have been really pleasing: but as all this was nothing to me, I sunk into a reverie, and thought of Timagoras the Athenian. After the noise was over, their Majesties sat down, and the favourite song of" God save great George our King" commenced this being sung several times by the whole posse theatri finished the royal reception. When the entertainments were concluded, the same solemnities finished the evening.

:

The king is a fine, healthy looking man, and is good, if he do not die of apoplexy, for fifteen or twenty years, as the life insurers say. He wore a sort of half wig, so I could not discover whether hard times had hastened his hair prematurely to gray. Poor man, I could not but pity him, for it is not altogether his fault, that he has fallen into so many bad hands.. He made constant use of an opera glass; it is a royal custom, I suppose, to see with artificial eyes.

If the countenance be allowed to indicate the disposition, his Majesty has a very good heart; and he has more intellect, than you would judge from his countenance on the coin. On the whole, I contemplated him with a considerable degree of complacency: for though kingly government might original

"The

*Not so the generous Cathmor: he retired when his praise was sung. voice of Fonar rose in praise of Cathmor, son of Larthon: but Cathmor did not hear his praise. He lay at the roar of a stream."

Ossian. Temora.

ly have been elective, and all hereditary government is founded, directly, or indirectly, in usurpation; yet, where a people acquiesce, this usurpation, at least during the acquiescence, receives a popular sanction..

The three princesses were to me objects of commiseration. I viewed them as the wretched victims of political expediency. "Born under the ago. nies of self denial and renounced desire,"* amidst the mockery of a court, they endure the penance of a nunnery. The virgin's innocence is dear to her, only with reference to opinion, and she preserves it only in hope of bestowing it on the proper object.. But in what estimation can a woman hold her chastity, if she is condemned to carry it with her to the grave? Or how can that woman be happy, who feels herself alone in the midst of millions, not one of whom regards her more than a piece of state furniture? The heart must have some object on which to repose, or it will prey on itself: the trappings of royalty, the idiotical applause of thousands, and the elevation of momentary pride, heightened by comparison, leave but transient impressions, which lose their importance with every recurrence. In such a miserable state there is not even play for a woman's vanity for she is above the temptation to be vain :

*Lavater's Aphorisms.