"In general, indeed, thofe agree able conversations which we daily hear mentioned as having been enjoyed even in the fociety of diftinguished characters,ifrigidly fcrutinized,would, probably, fall far fhort of our expectation. I never had the honour of being admitted to the affembly of the Bas Bleu club, which confifts of the moft celebrated female characters in the kingdom. But from thofe who have enjoyed that felicity, I have heard that the converfation often turned upon fashions, the occurrences of the day, and other chit-chat which prevails in other female affemblies. "In fo numerous a mixed company, indeed, where every one comes full charged with literature and science, ready primed for explofion, a little harmlefs fmall-talk among the lefs enlightened members, may be better than one general discharge of wit and learn ing from the whole affembly, which muft neceffarily produce a Babel of confufion. "As for thofe tumultuous affemblies called routs, we might as well expect edifying converfation from a flight of martins and fwallows on the eve of their migration, as from fuch a multifarious concourfe of fluttering fops and flaunting flirts as are there ufually crowded together. An evening at a tavern 'is generally spent in an equally infignificant, though, perhaps, more joyous and fociable, and lefs formal ftyle of converfation. "But, what, then! are we to believe, that the obfervation of fome of our beft writers is unfounded: That the hours spent in conversation with our friends, are fome of the moft ⚫ delightful portions of our exiftence?' By no means; what I would infinuate is, that when a numerous concourfe of individuals, unconnected and of different difpofitions, is affembled together in one company; each ambitious of displaying his eloquence and gaining attention, or obtruding his intelligence of frivolous occurrences, uninteresting to the company, though, perhaps, gratifying to himfelf; this may be called talking, or haranguing, or what you pleafe, but hardly merits the name of conversation. "But when a finall circle of friends and acquaintance, of nearly equal rank and of fimilar difpofitions and habits of life, meet together, defirous to please and to be pleafed, the reciprocal communication of fentiments and obfervations, with kindness and goodhumour, cannot but be highly pleafing and improving to all parties. But the usual error of too many is a desire to fhine, rather than to inform, and to please themselves rather than their company, by engroffing more than their due fhare of the conversation. "They have no defire to be informed or diverted themselves, but think thofe the most agreeable companions who will patiently attend to their fuperior wisdom, and admire their fplendid talents, and applaud their eloquence. "This accounts for the gratification which the French lady received from the vifit of Triftram Shandy. She declared to every one she met, that he never had a more improving 'converfation, than with that gentleman, though (fays he) the lady had all the converfation to herfelf; for, I call heaven to witness, that not five words paffed my lips.' "We may conclude then, I think, that the pleasure which we receive from the converfation of a circle of friends, does not arife from the fine things which are faid, the fhrewd obfervations which are made, the learning which is fhown, or the wit which is difplayed, fo much as from the benevolent difpofition, and the exercife of the kind affections which accom pany this friendly intercourfe, and the cafe and freedom with which every one delivers his fentiments, proposes his doubts, or unbofoms himself of any remarks which he may have made, and which he wishes to communicate. When, therefore, you may have me * «‹ Amicorum confpectus ipfe delectat.' SENECA." W! with this refined gratification, and enjoyed an attic entertainment, do not boaft of your good fortune, nor tell every one you meet what an agrecable converfation or delightful evening you have fpent; and how merry or how facetious you were; much lefs give any fpecimen of your good cheer; for the wit or humour of what is faid depends on fo many circumstances of time and place, that it is ten to one but what set the table in a roar' at night, will appear very infipid in the morning, and what you relate may be received with cold indifference, and expofe yourself to the fneers, and your friends to the ridicule of perfons entirely uninterested in your unfeasonable narratiye." P. 97. SYMPTOMS OF SELF-IMPORTANCE. fame diftrict, or even on the face of the fame globe with themselves. "I fometimes meet a man so stately in his deportment, fo haughty in his look, with fuch an air of defiance in his whole manner, that I shrink from his appearance, and feel myfelf annihilated in his prefence. Yet, on recovering from my difmay, and reflecting on the limited power and capacity of every human being, I find probably, on inquiry, the real charac ter of this illuftrious perfonage: that his pompous air conceals a mean fpirit, and that the folemn countenance is only a veil for his ignorance and infignificance. "Such are many of thofe coloffal figures who feem to beftride the world, and under whofe legs, as it were, we petty mortals muft peep about,' to find a loop-hale to pass by I will frown as I pafs by; and let them them, without being crushed against take it as they lift. SHAKESP. the wall, or juftled into the kennel. "One man, whom I have met, perhaps, at a third place, affumes a referved and diftant air, left I should claim him as an acquaintance*. Another man, with eyes fixed, looks ftraight forwards, and though our elbows almost touch, seems unconscious that any one is near him, or at least worth his notice. "A third is near-fighted; and though we have met, perhaps, on various occafions, has not the honour to recol lect my name. All these are different ftratagems of pride and felf-importance, which, though not reducible ta the precife rules of quarrelling, like the lie direct,' and for which we can call a man to account; yet may, and ought to be refented, or rather treated with the contempt which they deferve. "I remember a flout fellow, with a moft terrific countenance, who, if he met a man ftrutting along in fublime contemplation of his own importance, and a fovereign contempt of all around him, he would, on a fudden, run up to him, turn his large white eyes upon him, and cry, Boh! This, it may be fuppofed, often involved him in a fcuffle, or rough rencounter; but generally raised a laugh at the expenfe of the haughty defpot. "The Tepino-phoby, or dread of low acquaintance,' prevails more in Bath, perhaps, than in any other public place in Europe.” "A proud *A proud look is an infult on the public. Pride was not made for man: nor for woman neither. Yet I have feen a fair fpinfter, rather paft her bloom, who has been converfing with a polite fmile in the midft of two or three gentlemen; but on the appearance of a young nymph in the gloffy, luftre of fifteen, affume an haughty air, and furvey the blufhing harmlefs virgin. with fuch a murderous afpect, that I have been alarmed for the confequences. "What then do I expect from thofe whom I meet in public, and who certainly have a right to look, as well as to ad, as they please, in defiance of my affamed cenforial authority? "Why, I expect, that every man fhould look with an air of kindness and benignity on all mankind; or, at least, not to affume an hoftile or menacing afpect towards thofe who have never injured or offended him. "Let a man of rank or diftinction affume the dignity becoming his ftation and character; but let not those who have no rank, nor, perhaps, any character, to diftinguish them from the vulgar, affect that fuperiority, which is an affront to every one they meet, and which will not easily be allowed them in a country of true liberty, and where education and virtue make the only. real diftinction; and where men will not be impofed upon or kept in awe by a folemn appearance or arrogant pretenfions. "A friend of mine, when he meets a man of this defcription, fnaps his fingers at him, and ejaculates a fcrap of Latin after him, Non hujus te facio! I do not care this for you! "For my own part, as I love all mankind, I rather pity than refent the folly of this theatrical hero, who ftruts his hour on the stage, and then • is feen no more'." P. 97. AN INVETERATE RHYMER'S FARE- Written in a Morning's Walk at "STILL charm'd with groves and lawns and winding ftreams, And all the witchery of poetic dreams; While these gay vifions, realiz'd by Hoare, While num'rous friends, attentive to affuage Still warm my fancy, active at fourScore; 3 The various ills that hover round old age, With kindness 'undeferv'd, politely ftrive To keep my languid love of life alive; How can I with thefe comforts to forego, The charms which thefe Arcadian fcenes beftow? "But when I feel, alas! each year, each day, Some blunted fenfe or faculty decay; When useless grown to life's import ant ends, I live a burden to indulgent friends; Doom'd an inglorious holiday to keep, My fole concern-to eat, and drink, and fleep; When no return my feeble pow'rs can make, Why fhould I thus their friendly care partake? Why fhould I longer wish to linger where No ray of hope remains life's gloom to cheer? Why not retreat; nor tire the public eye; At home contented live-and learn to die?" P. 193. MARTIAL, EP. 74. B. X. Jam parce, Roma, gratulatori "SPARE me! my Lord, I beg you will; Of levees I have had my fill: And crowds of ravenous dependants*, "My trifling works want no reward, To fleep, my Lord, and be at rest.” CX. A ftatifical Account of the Population and Cultivation, Produce and Confumption, of England and Wales. Compiled from the Accounts laid before the Houfe of Commons, and the Reports of the Board of Agriculture: together with Obfervations thereupon, and Hints for the Prevention of a future Scarcity. By BENJAMIN PITTS CAPPER, of Kennington, Surrey. 8vo. pp. 119. 45. Kearsley, Hurft. CONTENTS. ON the increafed Population-Agriculture and Produce of the Nation-Confumption of the Nation -Statistical Tables, &c.--Mifcellaneous County Obfervations.-Appendix. EXTRACTS. POPULATION OF MIDDLESEX. “IT will, no doubt, be a matter of furprise to many, after declaring that the population of the capital is in a flourishing ftate, notwithstanding the war, to find in the Statistical Table, that the whole county of Middlefex, including the cities of London and Westminfter, contains little more than 800,000 people, and this return made when the British Parliament was assembled; but I beg to remark, that none serving in the regular army or navy, or registered veffels, are included in the returns, agreeable to the act of Parliament, but given feparately in the fummary. Thefe add to the apparent populousness of *"Ante ambulones & togatulos." "Ferventis auris fuccos." ttta "Centum plumbeos. Sort of leaden tickets." Quid concupifcam, quæris ergo; Dormire." 66 the the metropolis*, and ferves to show how very fallacious is the theory of political arithmetic, when most of our modern furveyors and statistic writers calculate it nearly double t." P. 26. CULTIVATION-CANALS. "THE difference of the feafons of late years has been particularly felt in Wales; where, in the beft, it is not very favourable to corn, and the whole diftrict of Wales never produced above one half its confumption. The nature of that country is fuch, that it is more adapted for pafturage than tillage; but I am forry to find that natural advantage is not taken of what it would produce, and thereby the principality be enabled to supply its neighbours with butter and cheese in return from thofe counties in England, which, on the fame plan, could fpare corn. I fhall only mention one inftance out of many, of the neglected state of that country: at Kidwelly, near Carmarthen, there are are now two large commons, befides an extenfive wafte (called a mountain) in that neighbourhood, that evidently has been corn land, as the ridges are yet remaining, and it is now only grazed by a few skeleton fheep and horses. "It has been contended, that the improvements and cultivation of wafte lands, of late years, would be found "fully adequate to the increased population; and it has even been stated, that upwards of two millions of acres have been brought into cultivation fince the acceffion of his prefent Majefty: but, after allowing the greateft quantity poffible, if we fum up the lofs cultivation fuftains, through the various ca nals and navigations, we shall find the balance against agriculture. "It may be fuggested, that although we have nominally loft fuch a quantity of land, we shall find that space contribute its equal fhare to the fuftenance of man, by the produce of its fish, and the diminution of the number of horses, that would be otherwife ufed in land carriage and tillage. But so far from any benefit being derived to the community with respect to fish, that instead of any produce from this new formation of waters, even thofe rivers, that were, a few years ago, the most abundant and well supplied with them, are now totally clear, through the nume rous mills and manufactories erected on them; and thofe parts of Yorkshire that were once well supplied with salmon and trout, can now barely produce a few minnows. "Many of my readers, no doubt, will be furprised at firft, at my com putation of the land loft by navigations; but they must understand, that the actual lofs of land to cultivation, is not merely the contents of the space occupied by water, but likewife that of the many towing-paths, banks, and adjacent grounds, &c. rendered unproductive from various trespasses and the trade of the canals. "In fhort, each furveyor, in his report of the different counties, in mentioning the effect of inland navigations towards the increase of trades and manufactories, could not help, at the fame time, admitting the decrease agriculture would fuftain thereby. "Another reafon why the fyftem of converting arable into meadow and pafture land, is fo prevalent, is the prefent univerfal hobby-horfe, of the "For the fatisfaction of my readers, the following is the exact account of London: The calculations alluded to, are excufable, as they may ferve to publish an appearance of our national strength and importance to foreign nations; but how reprehenfible is he, who, under the garb of magiftracy, publishes volumes of falfities, to exaggerate the depravity of our metropolis, and ftates the proftitutes in London only 52,000!" improvements |