tj-gi. ' influence of taste-on i-ural life . 3*^9' 



and every supposible place of amusement in the 

 kingdom, except to the truly useful and interestirtg. 

 places of their rural abode. 



For my own part, I have been here but for a few 

 days, to sell some stock in the three per cents, to in- 

 Test in the country, and (hall soon turn my back upon 

 sin and sea coal, and taste again as soon as pofsible, 

 the chaste and delightful emotions that accompany 

 the mihi me reddentis. It is really astoniftiing to ob- 

 serve the fatuity of people of landed estate, who, as 

 if they were universally planet-struck, under the 

 sign of the waterman, seem to have no other idea of. 

 summer amusement, but in water-bibbing at these 

 scenes of nastinefs and difsipation. I can easily di- 

 vine, indeed, the cause of some men flying with 

 their families from London, like hunted stags, that 

 they may escape their followers, by plunging into 

 the deep, like dolphins in the wake of sinking ma- 

 riners : but by what witchcraft families of reputa- 

 tion, and independent fortune, are induced to forsake 

 the delightful and proiitable scenes of their rural re- 

 sidence, I fhould have been altogether unable even, 

 to guefs, had I not myself experienced ia the begin- 

 ning of my life, the cause of this miserable perver- 

 sion of sense and sentiment, in the want of a system 

 of rational pursuit. Having been originaJly educated 

 on the automaton plan of fafhionable life, I was for- 

 ced (though an excellent repeater, and even provided 

 with an extensive barrel of the most excellent 

 chimes,) to go every now and then to a watering 

 place, to get myself wound up, and made to go till 

 my pace} were run down again j a depcndance which 



