through Part of France and Germany. 7 



neglected ; while in some parts of Germany it is carried far- 

 ther, by the united influence of parents and the government, 

 than has been done in Britain, or in any other country in the 

 world. 



The manners of the Continent differ from those of England 

 in being more cultivated and refined, in proportion to the 

 existence of knowledge and wealth ; without doubt, principally 

 owing to the influence of the jnore exhilarating climate on indi- 

 vidual character ; and in Finance, perhaps, in part to something 

 in the original character of the race, in consequence of which, 

 vivacity in conversation and gaiety are in that country neces- 

 saries of life. This vivacity and personal action of the French 

 may be the cause of the limited powers of their language, as 

 the comparative slowness and tranquillity of the Gei'mans are 

 of the profundity and copiousness of theirs ; and the simple 

 structure of the English language may be traced to the taci- 

 turnity and bluntness of Englishmen. The extreme of the 

 refinement and warmth of feeling in the French leads to 

 ofliciousness or insincerity, as the extreme of the more simple 

 manners of Britain leads to neglect or rudeness. 



The honesty and sobriety of a people depend jointly on 

 their degree of civilisation and the police of their government. 

 France is in these respects superior to England, from her 

 superior police and the prevalence of a better taste in regard 

 to eating and drinking; and die parts of Germany we visited 

 are greatly in advance both of France and England, from the 

 joint effects of a superior police and general education. 



Respect to the female character materially influences the 

 happiness and dignity of a people, by the influence which it 

 necessarily exercises on social manners and on the rising gene- 

 ration. In France this respect is less than in England, be- 

 cause women there do not receive the same education as the 

 men ; in Germany it is as great as in England, because there 

 the education of the men and the women is alike. Respect 

 to learned men, or men in ^x\y way intellectually eminent, is 

 greater on the Continent than in England ; while respect to 

 wealth and titles is greater in England than on the Continent. 

 Respect to religion is greater in England than abroad, because 

 in England religion is generally connected with morality; 

 whtfi'eas, on the Continent, morality rests chiefly on the utility 

 and enjoyment which the exercise of it procures for society. 



The spirit of general improvement pervades every part of 

 the Continent, and is even more active in France than in 

 Britain. In Britain the spirit of improvement is chiefly evinced 

 in public works, and in the useful arts and manufactures, and 

 its efforts are characterised much more by superfluity of 



B 4 



