time is contented to give himself up to levity. Not so the Englishman; his mind preys on itself in that state of calmness, which to some is the most perfect moment of beatitude. That happy languor, which is the repose of the soul, sinks his heart to despondency. Wake him to activity, agitate him, rouse him even to desperation; but do not expect to soothe him with the happy leisure, or monotonous panegyric of the blessed.-Otherwise, how can you account for it, that a man, who, from a humble situation and humbler prospects, should raise himself to great fortune, and to the proudest name of all his contemporaries, who discovered a readiness of expediency in times of the utmost difficulty, which propped, restored, and established a tottering empire, should, after retiring with all which wealth and honour could confer, hang himself in the prime of life ?-Such a man was Robert Lord Clive.

But this is an extreme case, and ought not to be extended beyond an individual illustration, like that of the Roman, in the reign of Nero, who came to a resolution to starve himself, and persisted in his design, notwithstanding the urgent request of Nero to the contrary, with whom he was on terms of intimacy for Nero, tender of his own reputation, observed, "His enemies would attribute the secret cause of his friend's death to himself.”

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The entire history of this people proves them a singular compound of strength and weakness. They are utterly incapable of enjoying what their valour has so frequently accomplished, and are ignorant of exerting their strength to any personal advantage. If main force only be requisite, they can wield the club of Theseus, and like him bend the stoutest tree of the forest, but they cannot, like Theseus, follow Ariadne's clue through the labyrinth. After having conquered their enemies by force of arms, they have generally in their turn been con.. quered by force of treaty. But nothing more strongly marks the domestic character of this people, than their famous conduct at the close of the revolution of 1688. They had then a fine opportunity of making the best possible bargain for themselves with their rulers but by a most stupid contract, they conveyed themselves and posterity to the House of Hanover. Mr. Burke advanced seriously the same thing, which not a little surprised the nation, who, for more than a century, had fancied themselves free. I believe it is not known in England, that De Lolme, who wrote without reference to party, has established the same point in his Essay on the constitution of England.

Adieu.

LETTER XIV.

LONDON, DECEMBER 26th..

THE English, who visit the United States,

complain of the want of attention of those who wait on them. For my part, I am disposed to complain from a very different reason. I am even incommoded, and not unfrequently disconcerted, to be so officiously attended, as one is obliged to be by the English servants. I had reflected, when in the United States, that the lowest classes of the English ought naturally to be the most insolent, knotty, and unaccommodating of all beings. Enjoying under the constitution the same degree of liberty with the higher orders, and yet, in reality, retained eternally in a situation from which no docility of nature, and no impulse of ambition, can redeem them, they ought to possess the ferocity of the savage, without his generous sentiments.

Matthew Prior is the only Englishman that 1 recollect, who ever burst the cearments of servitude, and rose to eminence. This instance is not a fair one: Prior was a vine which must forever have run on the ground, had he not met with a great man

around whom to twine.

Prior discovered after

wards, it is true, abilities of the first order; but had not Prior been a poet, and fond of Horace, his abilities would only have rendered him a worse servant.

It was thought a wonderful occurrence that, Philip York should become Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. Yet Philip York had in the early part of his life as great advantages as the sons of noblemen usually enjoy. What would an Englishman say, were he told, the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States was born in Scotland, and not many years since, sold himself for his passage, and redeemed himself by manual labour?

What do you imagine is the tye which restrains the English servants in this ready servility to their masters? You observe I use the terms, servants and masters: a servant is not offended if you ask him,

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Where his master is ?" It is but a day or two since a brave fellow of forty told me if I would wait a moment, his master would be at home: presently a young man appeared. That," said he, " is my master." Should one ask a person in the United States, "Where his master was?" he would doubtless meet with a rough reply: for in truth, there are no such characters in the United States as masters and servants. I will now tell you the reason why. the English make such excellent servants. They

have three things before their eyes, servitude for life, Botany Bay and the gallows. Servitude they most commonly esteem the least of the three evils. But servitude has its terrors: for, if their masters dismiss them without a character, they are undone. Their habits and education, or rather want of education, rendering them useless, they are forced to enter the lowest class of that great body of men, who live at the public expense in England.

Yet the English complain of their servants, and think them the most worthless fellows on earth. So do I-But if they had to deal with the generality of our servants, they would soon change their tone, or what is more likely, change places with them.

Voltaire says the vulgar in England, less than in any other country in the world, fashion their manners after those of the nobility. This ought to excite a smile should one of the common people here endeavour to imitate a nobleman, his impudence would either mark him for an idiot, or exclude him from all employment.

The servants in England are not exactly what they ought to be: where the fathers and sons, for many generations, are likely to be servants during their lives, it is of great consequence they should possess as little as possible, either of the dress, manners, form or feelings of men. They should be

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