In this particular France is the first country in the world; and may be cited as a pattern, which it were to be wished the reft of Europe would copy with as much eagerness, as it does those many other of its cuftoms no lefs deferving of contempt. than the former is worthy of applause.

It has often been complained, that notwithstanding the flourishing state of literature in England, men of learning enjoy not the happiness of a free and easy intercourse with the great, unless there is a profpect of turning their abilities to a political use.

This was notoriously exemplified in the conduct of the lords Bolinbroke and Oxford; each of whom, though fond of being confidered in the light of a Mecænas, had evidently, in their patronage of scholars, a principal eye to the service they promised themselves from their pen, in the political altercations of thofe troublesome times.

• The uncommon regard paid in France to perfons eminent in literature, is no lefs extraordinary than commendable, when it is confidered that neither moral nor intellectual worth are so quickly discovered, or meet with fo much confpicuity of notice and esteem in extenfive as in smaller states, where individuals are within reach of each other, and more at hand to enquire into the character of all who are above the meer vulgar. In fuch a state, indeed, it is of peculiar confequence to stand in a perfonally meritorious light, as merit is not only more visible, but by the credit and deference it procures among all ranks, becomes, in a manner, its own recompence.

The cafe is far otherwife in large empires; where men are placed at too remote a distance for these reciprocal scrutinies; and where, from the prodigious inequality of conditions, effected by the difparity of pecuniary circumftances, they who are ftationed on the inferior lift, however deferving in other refpects, are hardly deemed worthy of any obfervation. In fuch a fyftem, therefore, riches are neceffarily, through the elevation they confer, almoft the fole object of attention; being, in fact, the only means to dazzle and lead the ignorant, unprincipled multitude, infenfible to any inducements but fuch as operate on the groffeft perception.

A great nation confifts of too many members to be won feparately by dint of reafon. Their applaufe and admiration are no otherwife obtained than by fuperficial fplendor, which needs no argument to recommend it to the generality, Hence the aim of all who afpire at power and grandeur is the acquifition of opulence, which alone is fully fufficient to fecure them respect and intereft ;" and while they need no additional qualifications, there is no cause to wonder they should

under

undervalue in others, what they find no reafon to lament the want of in themselves.'

It would far exceed the bounds of a review to give a detail of all the fubjects handled by this judicious and philofophical writer: befides, it would be doing him a fort of injustice, as his own reflections are frequently the most valuable. All we can therefore do, is to select those paffages, where, either the facts from their curiofity may be moft acceptable to the Englifh reader, or the reflections from their juftnefs and folidity may chance to be moft beneficial to him. Our author's account of the Abbés is extremely entertaining, which for that reason we shall infert entire.

• While taking notice of the domeftic and familiar intercourfe fubfifting between the clergy and the fair fex in France, it were unpardonable to omit a being of which we fimple Proteftants entertain no fort of idea.

This being is what they call here an abbé, a term not to be rendered in our language, as their exiftence is pofterior to the Reformation, and no fuch character was known among the Romanifts till about a century and a half ago, and scarce even then. Their origin, like that of fome nations, is hardly difcernible; though one may venture to affert that France has tht beft right to claim the merit of having produced them.

Their first appearance feenis to have been about the commencement of the last century, as before that ara it is prefumed the title of abbé is not to be met with, unless in the monaftic fenfe, (in which it is very ancient) or to denote a perfon poffeft of thofe revenues of an abbey that fell to the department of the abbot; but as to the now common and almoft burlesque denomination of abbé, it is of the recent date above-mentioned.

It is, however, a very convenient word to fignify what could not otherwife be comprifed in one; as an abbé, according to the strictest definition, is a perfon who has not yet obtained any precite or fixed fettlement in church or state, but moft heartily wishes for, and would accept of either, just as it may happen. There is no deviation, it is to be hoped, from truth in reprefenting them in this light.

In the mean while their privileges are many. They are admiffible in all companies, and no degradation to the beft, notwithstanding they are fometimes found in the worst. Their drefs is rather that of an academic, or of a profeft fcholar, than of an ecclefiaftic; and never varying in colour is no in. cumbrance on the pocket. Their fociety is far from avoided ; as numbers of them are genteel, fenfible, well-bred, and enlightened

Tightened men, fit for the converfation of any whofe pursuit is either entertainment or instruction.

It should also be remembered, that the title of abbé is not only applicable to those we have been defcribing, but likewife to ecclefiaftics of the highest rank; cardinals and bishops only being above it in the ufual mention of churchmen; all degrees of whom it is otherwife promifcuoutly annexed to, and neither hurts nor benefits any body's character.

And really it is fome comfort to a poor gentleman, as well as fcholar, that he can produce himself to the community under the shelter of fome decent appellation. That of gentleman becomes ridiculous when the means of fupporting it are apparently wanting; and that of fcholar would be rather vain and affected.

• These abbés are very numerous, and no lefs ufeful. They are in colleges, the inftructors of youth; in private families, the tutors of young gentlemen: and many procure a decent livelihood by their literary and witty compofitions of all kinds, from the profoundett philofophy to the most airy romances. They are, in short, a body of men that poffeffes a fund of univerfal talents and learning; and is inceflantly employed in the cultivation of every various branch of literature and ingenuity. No fubject whatever efcapes them; ferious or gay, folid or ludicrous, facred or prophane, all pay tribute to their refearches; and as they are converfant in the loweft, as well as the highest topics, their fame is equally great in the learned and in the feribbling world."

An effential article would be wanting in this defcription of the abbes were we to pafs by their devotion to the fair fex; whofe favourites, in return, they have the honour of being in the fullest and moft enviable degree. The wit and finartnefs for which they are ufually remarkable, are juft the very thing that suits the ladies here; to pleafe whom, all must labour in vain who are not abundantly provided with this grand defideratum, in France, where it is more in request and lefs willingly difpenfed with, in all who aim at ingratiating theinfelves with the fex, than in any other country whatever. l'efpirit et de la vivacité, a lively and facetious difpofition, is the only paffport which, among the French ladies, will enfure the party a gracious reception. Whoever has it not, is far from being acceptable in the generality of French companies; where, as the ladies fit umpires, they who are deficient in what they deem the most neceffary requifite, will make but a very indifferent figure.

De

Hence though we ferious, grave Englishmen are by not means undervalued, among the French gentlewomen, who

know

know how to fet a full and proper estimation on our respective merit, yet they are ever accufing us of being perpetually plunged in a reverie, from which nothing can totally extri

cate us.

Their accufation, however, falls erroneously on numbers of our countrymen, who are as jocund and airy as the merrieft and moft lively of their own. But then the gaity of an Englishman is only occafional, the toujours gay is peculiar to a Frenchman: and it is worth obferving, that such a difpofition is fo very far from being cogenial to the former, that an affectation of it is the great pierre d' achoppement, the fure ftumbling block of our young English travellers; as an Eng lishman, indeed, a man of any nation, always appears to the best advantage, when he fhews himself as he really is, and feeks not to fet himself off by foreign airs unnatural to his temper and inclination; and which only lay him open to ridicule, by the aukwardnefs of his endeavours to imitate originals, of which nature never defigned him for a copy.

To return to our abbés, they are like Gay's univerfal appar.tion, prefent every where. The reafon of which is ob vious, being fought after by moft people, on various accounts, as, they are equally men of bufinefs and pleasure, not lefs expert in the most serious tranfactions, than fond of enjoying their share of whatever occupies the gay world. Hence they diligently frequent all public fpectacles, which are thought incomplete without them; as they compose the most intelligent part of the company, and are the most weighty approvers or condemners of what paffes in almoft all places.

Certain it is, that they are, in many refpe&s, not only the inspectors, but the cenfors general of the land: and that the judgements which flow from their tribunals are commonly very decifive; more perhaps than fome perfonages of very ele. vated stations would fuffer them to be, if their power extended to the controulment of the understanding.'

In a treatise written profeffedly upon the French nation, it is impoffible that a great part of it must not be taken up about the ladies. Accordingly, our author has not forgotten them, and though from his manner and ftile, nobody will fufpe&t him of being what was called fome time ago un homme du ruelle ; yet he seems to be very well acquainted with that fofter part of the creation in France; for our author denies them the epithet of fair, and with that folidity of thinking, which is his characteristick, attributes their great exertions in address and converfation to their confcioufnefs of being defective in perfonal attractions. He, indeed, allows, that the French women have remarkably fine eyes and good teeth. Now this is rather a

proof,

proof, that their other features, as well as complexion, are indifferent, than that either their eyes or teeth are eminently fine. In a group of fair and beautiful Englishwomen, every one of whom fhall have as good eyes and teeth as any French woman whatever, nobody will take notice of those features but en passant; it is their tout ensemble, which ftrikes, pleases, and charms us. In general, it may be obferved, that when any perfon, commonly thought handfome, is particularly celebrated for one remarkably fine limb or feature, the rest must be rather defective, for most things are chiefly excellent by contrast or comparison. This is notorious in the cafe of negroes, who are all faid to have good teeth. When Mr. Dibdin acts Mungo in the Padlock, the most careless spectator cannot help admiring the whitenefs of his teeth; but when the fame person appears on the ftage in his natural complexion, nobody takes notice of his teeth. So much for eyes, teeth, and beauty.

The behaviour of the French in the conjugal ftate is too well known to be infifted on here; but our author's remarks on it doing him great honour, both as a lover of virtue and liberty, and imagining they may be particularly ferviceable at this period, when there feems, from fome late remarkable adventures, to be a difpofition among ourfelves to run into the fame abandoned libertinifin, the fure fore-runner of slavery, we shall conclude this article with inferting them.

⚫ This perverfion of the mind,' meaning the licentioufnéfs of married people in France, and their notorious indifference with respect to conjugal fidelity, is by nothing fooner brought about than by a thoughtless conformity to what is denominated the way of the world; which by occafioning a relaxation of the principles inftilled by education, urges us by degrees, to a total desertion of all rules, excepting thofe of vogue and fashion; and to deem nothing good or bad but as it coincides with, or deviates from the conduct of those whom our pufillanimity qualifies with the title of our betters.

Thus while connubial affection is unfashionable among the great, it quickly becomes the flight and jeft of the inferior claffes in thofe flavish countries; and thus individuals, from lofing the habit of domeftic attachments, fall imperceptibly into an indifference for every kind of indearing connection. For when once the ties of love are loofened, thofe of friendfhip are foon apt to give way: it being a truth exemplified by too many precedents to fuffer any doubt, that inconftancy in the first is feldom accompanied by fincerity in the last.

Hence a liftleffness and unconcern fo commonly prevail for what is most deferving of predilection and esteem, and

hence