256 LETTERS FROM A CONTINENTAL TOURIST. 



character I can give no very just opinion. The shortness of my stay in 

 the island, and the peculiar circumstances of my visit, may perchance 

 have impressed me with too favourable ideas of them: but they appear 

 to be hospitable and obliging-, certainly very loyal and independent. 

 Indeed they are highly favoured both by nature and political circum- 

 stances. The climate is exceedingly healthy. Poverty is almost un- 

 known among them, and taxation exists only in name. Custom and 

 excise laws there are none ; and, in short, they may be considered as 

 independent republics living under and enjoying the protection of a 

 powerful empire. They seemed to me prejudiced and self-import- 

 ant, but this must not be wondered at, considering their situation ; and 

 even if their trifling magnitude and importance were so low in the scale 

 as to justify the contemptuous observation* of the great Lord Thur- 

 low, when threatened by them with a rebellion in case of the^English 

 council persisting in some measures which they thought harsh and un- 

 just ; yet right sorry should I be if any ill-judged severity or arbitrary 

 interference with their internal administration, should crush or tend to 

 crush the loyal and Antigallican spirit of the Channel islanders. 



One of the peculiarities of this people seems to be an indifference 

 to the accumulation of wealth. No man here is ambitious of being 

 thought a man of fortune : provided they have a competence they 

 are satisfied ; and competence here is very different from the same 

 thing in England. A limited income, which in England would scarcely 

 suffice for the necessities of life, will here amply supply all the 

 luxuries that can be desired. A man must, however, be satisfied 

 with a domestic life, for there is almost an absolute lack of places of 

 entertainment, and you must seek for enjoyment within your own cir- 

 cle of connections, or find if not. There is also a lassitude, a want of 

 energy apparent in the character of the inhabitants which would ill 

 assort with the active spirit of one accustomed to the busy habits, the 

 tumult and struggle for advancement in place or means which per- 

 vades a metropolis of itself covering a space of ground equal in mag- 

 nitude to the whole island. 



The courts of law here still use the French language, a corrupt di- 

 alect of which is much spoken by the common people ; but a passing 

 visitor may not hope to explain the mysteries of a judicature which 

 is neither written in statutes nor founded on precedents, as far at least 

 as I could learn. Indeed, they scarcely seem to have any criminal 

 code at all ; and there is a culpable lenity prevalent among them 

 which forbids the destruction of life even in cases of the most unmiti- 

 gated description. One singular custom still remains, which is a part 

 of the old Norman law of Hollo, called the " clameur de Haro." The 

 great freebooter, after the cession of Neustria to him and his pirates, 

 governed them and the other inhabitants of the district, from the new 

 comers called Normandy, with justice and paternal care. One of his 

 laws was to the effect that any one who considered his property un- 

 justly trespassed on should cry aloud three times, " Haro !" that is, 

 " Aid me, Rollo !" and such was his known equity that none dared 

 continue his aggression till it was decided by some tribunal which of 



* Tempestas in malula. 



