ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 



751 



amusements, manufactories, &c. 

 of London and the chief provin- 

 ciol towns are marked with sin- 

 gular accuracy. We regret that 

 our limits prohibit the extraction 

 of some passages that are not 

 more amusing than they are cor- 

 rect as delineations of the then 

 passing scenes. It would, how- 

 ever, be unfair to our country- 

 women, not to mention that their 

 beauty and accomplishments left 

 an impression on our traveller, 

 which no European or Asiatic 

 beauties could efface. 



The 19th and 20th chapters are 

 appropriated to a specification of 

 what the author deems the vir- 

 tues and vices of the English. 

 The whole passage is too long 

 for quotation; yet we cannot 

 withhold the following extract 

 from our readers : 



•' The first and greatest defect 

 I observed in the English, is their 

 want of faith in religion, and 

 great inclination to philosphy 

 (atheism). The effects of these 

 principles or rather want of prin- 

 ciple, is very conspicuous in the 

 lower orders of people, who are 

 totally devoid of honesty. They 

 are indeed cautious how they 

 transgress against the laws, from 

 fear of punishment ; but whenever 

 an opportunity offers of purloin- 

 ing any thing, without the risk of 

 detection, they never pass it by. 

 They are also ever on the watch 

 to appropriate to themselves the 

 property of the rich, who, on 

 this account, are obliged con- 

 stantly to keep their doors shut, 

 and never to permit an unknown 

 person to enter them. At pre- 

 sent, owing to the vigilance of 

 the magistrates, the severity of 

 the laws, and the honour of the 



superior classes of people, no very 

 bad consequences are to be ap- 

 prehended ; but if ever such nefa- 

 rious practices should become 

 prevalent, and should creep in 

 among the higher classes, inevi- 

 table ruin must ensue. 



•' The second defect, most con- 

 spicuous in the English character, 

 is pride or insolence. Puffed up 

 with their power and good fortune 

 for the last fifty years, they are 

 not apprehensive of adversity, and 

 take no pains to avert it. Thus 

 when the people of London, some 

 time ago, assembled in mobs, on 

 account of the great increase of 

 taxes and high price of provisions, 

 and were nearly in a state of in- 

 surrection, — although the magis- 

 trates by their vigilance in watch- 

 ing them, and by causing parties 

 of soldiers to patrole the streets 

 day and night, to disperse all per- 

 sons whom they saw assembling 

 together, succeeded in quieting 

 the disturbance, — yet no pains 

 were afterwards taken to eradicate 

 the evil. Some of the men in pow- 

 er, said, it had been merely a plaa 

 of the artificers to obtain higher 

 wages (an attempt frequently made 

 by the English tradesmen) ; others 

 were of opinion that no remedy 

 could be applied; therefore no 

 further notice was taken of thft 

 affair. All this I say, betrays a 

 blind confidence, which, instead of 

 meeting the danger and endea- 

 vouring to prevent it, waits till 

 the misfortune arrives, and then 

 attempts to remedy it. Such was 

 the case with the late king of 

 France, who took no step to op- 

 pose the Revolution, till it was 

 too late. This self-confidence is 

 to be found more or less in every 

 Englishman; it however differs 



