CHA BAC TERS. 
‘cicifbeifm; I had a mind to know 
how matters really ftood; and took 
the neareft way to information by 
afking a mighty beautiful and ap- 
parently artlefs young creature, zot 
noble, how that affair was managed, 
for there is no harm done J am jure, 
faid I: « Why no,” replied fhe, 
“no great harm to be fure: ex- 
«< cept wearifome attentions from a 
«man one cares little about: for 
« my own part,” continued fhe, « I 
« deteft the cuftom, as I happen to 
« love my hufband excefiively, and 
* defire nobody’s company in the 
«world but his. We are not peo- 
“< ple of fafbion though you know, 
« por at all rich; fo how fhould we 
« fet fafhions for our betters? They 
«would only fay, fee how jealous 
“heis! if Mr. Such-a-one fat much 
*« with me at home, or went with 
“ me to the Corfo; and I mu? go 
“ with fome gentleman you know: 
«< and the men are fuch ungenerous 
“creatures, and have fuch ways 
«with them: I want money often, 
“and this cavajiere fervente pays 
«the bills, and fo the conne¢tion 
“draws clofer—that’s all.’ And 
your hufband! faid I—*« Oh, why 
«he likes to fee me well-drefled; 
“he is very good-natured, and 
** very charming; I love him to my 
“heart.” And your confeffor! 
cried I.—« Oh, why he is w/ed to 
“7t.—in the Milanefe dialet—2 
afucfaa. 
a ee Ne BE ChB. 
General knowledge, it muft be 
‘confefled (meaning that general 
ftock that every one recurs to for 
the common intercourfe of conver- 
fation), will be found more fre- 
~ quently in France, than even in 
Pigiand ; where, though all cul- 
tivate the arts of table eloquence 
and aflembly-room rhetoric, few, 
45 
from mere fhynefs, venture to gather 
in the profits of their plentiful har- 
veft; but rather cloud their coun- 
tenances with mock’ importance, 
while their hearts feel no hope beat 
higher in them, than the humble 
one of efcaping without being ri- 
diculed; or than in Italy, where 
nobody dreams of cultivating con- 
verfation at all—-as az art; or 
ftudies for any other than the na- 
tural reafon, of informing or di- 
verting themfelves, without the 
moft diftant idea of gaining admi- 
ration, or fhining in company, by. 
the quantity of {cience they have 
accumulated in folitude. Hzre no 
man lies awake in the night for 
vexation that he miffed recolleGting 
the laft line of a Latin epigram till 
the moment of application was loft; 
nor any lady changes colour with 
trepidation at the feverity vifible ia 
her hufband’s countenance when the 
chickens are over-roafted, or the 
ice-creams melt with the room’s ex- 
ceffive heat. 2 
Among the noble Senators of 
Venice, meantime, many good fcho- 
lars," many Belles Lettres conver- 
fers, and what is more valuable, 
many thinking men, may be found, 
and found hourly, who employ 
their powers wholly in care for the 
ftate; and make their pleafure, like 
true patriots, out of her felicity. 
The ladies indeed appear to ftudy 
but ove fClence; 
And where the leffon taught 
Is but to pleafe, can pleafure feem a fault ? 
Like all fenfualifts, however, they 
fail of the end propofed, from hurry 
to obtain it; and confume thofe 
charms which alone can procure 
them continuance or change of ad- 
mirers; they injure their health too 
jrreparably, and rhgt in their ear- 
hiett 
