Marius and Sylla. M. Brutus, sometime after, enterprised the liberty of his country, but it was too late. Lacedemon offers a similar remark. Lycurgus established what might then be called freedom; but after a few centuries, neither Agis nor Cleomenes could renovate departed principles.

I will also instance the Reformation. This happened at a period fortunate for the people. The Catholic religion, when it has its proper operation, is an effeminate religion, and tends to precocious civilization. Had the English continued, until now, Roman catholics, they would have been much weaker characters, than they are at present. But though the Reformation strengthened the national character of the English, yet a change of religion, in any country, will awaken the most ferocious passions, unless there be an absolute toleration without political restriction and disability. The injuries, which the dissenters, who are one fifth part of the nation, have suffered from the Church of England, and on the other hand, the hard feelings which the churchmen indulge against the dissenters, have given an impression little favourable to the English character.

Political dissensions, which have been urged further in England, than among any other people, except the Guelphs and the Ghebbelins, have also serv

ed to render this people barbarians in the eyes of for

eigners.

The decapitation of Charles, the usurpation of Cromwell, and the consequences of the abdication of James, all had their effect. It is unnecessary to revert so far back as the days of York and Lancaster.

Their inhuman code of criminal law, in the opinion of foreigners, is little favourable to the English character. If we reason only from their criminal laws, without reference to the state of society, it would be a fair conclusion, that the English are either the worst, or most barbarous, people on earth. They have very humanely abolished torture-but they have adopted death. Their humanity cannotendure the broken arm, the lacerated body, the quivering flesh of the criminal; but a simple hanging affects them as little as the loss of a sheep, a sorry horse, or forty shillings. I have heard Erskine laboriously address a jury, in presence of the Chief Justice of England, in behalf of five pounds: yet if a man's life be at stake, whatever may be the palliating circumstances, no counsel is allowed the felon, lest the jury, more humane than the law, should be driven into compassion. Incredible!

The commonalty of the English certainly have a most ferocious appearance: but as far as I have observed, it is only an external habit. We cannot

expect the deportment of those, who bear the whole weight of society, should be so engaging, or their countenances so rounded with complacency, or their dispositions so placid, as if they spent their lives without the pressure of daily anxiety. If two men have originally the same features, different pursuits will so entirely change their physiognomies, that Lavater would have classed them in different orders. Another pursuit might have converted the hard features and sallow complexion of the lawyer, to the round lineament and ruddy glow of the bishop.*

In fine, a people, who have suffered so many impressions as have the English, cannot have a nicely distinct character: they will be likely to have all the airs of freemen, like the senators of Tiberius, with the conduct of slaves; and to those, who are both slaves in their manners and actions, the English will seem barbarians :-yet these barbarians have been governed by women, and were quiet subjects under pettycoat government.

There are only two marks in England of a very barbarous people. The first concerns the inhabitants of London, and the other great cities only; a large portion of whom burrow under ground, and

The business men are chiefly conversant in, does not only give a certain turn to their minds, but is very often apparent in their outward behaviour. Spectator, No. 197.

Z

spend their days below the surface of the earth. This is owing to their want of accommodation, which obliges them to convert their cellars into kitchens. The other concerns the ladies only; like many barbarous people they paint, but with this difference, the one, to look like angels, the other, to look like the devil.

Adieu.

LETTER XXVI.

LONDON, APRIL 29th.

THE English ordinaries and eating houses

offer an inexhaustible source of observation on the national character and manners. You meet not only with all descriptions of London people, but likewise with French, Irish, Scotch and country people; and you may choose your company, from the most humble to the most exalted; that is, you may choose the price of your dinner, from sixpence to a guinea. You are not troubled with the least ceremony; if you wish for nothing more than a dinner, you have only to enter these places, hang up your hat, or keep it on your head, sit down, look at your bill of fare, call for your dinner, pay for it, and walk off.

A Londoner, generally, enters the room and observes nobody, plants himself at table in a dead position, breaks his bread in halves, with an air, falls to, says not a word during his dinner, which he eats rather slowly, yet swallows too quickly for his health, rises from table in resolute reserve, and retires from the room as he would from a cavern.