ENGLAND. 159 



pretty far into the lower ranks, and are often discernible among trades- 

 men, i his love of snugness and conveniency may be called the rul- 

 ing passion of ihe English people, and is the ultimate end of all their 

 application, labours, and fatigues. A good economist, with a brisk 

 run of trade, is generally, when turned of fifty, in a condition to retire 

 from business ; that is, either to purchase an estate, or settle his 

 money in the funds. He then commonly resides in a comiortable 

 house in the country, often his native county, and expects to be 

 treated on the footing of a gentleman ; but his style of living is always 

 judiciously suited to his circumstances. 



The humanity of the English is manifested in the large subscrip- 

 tions for public charities, raised by all degrees of both sexes. Poor 

 and miserable objects are relieved in England with the greatest 

 liberality. The very persons who contribute to those collections are 

 at the same time assessed in proportion to their property for their 

 parochial poor, who have a legal demand for their maintenance ; and 

 upwards of three millions sterling is said to be collected yearly in 

 this country for charitable purposes. The institutions, however, of 

 extra-parochial infirmaries, hospitals, and the like, are in some cases 

 reprehensible. The vast sums bestowed in building them, the con- 

 tracts made by their governors, and even the election of physicians, 

 who thereby, qualified or unqualified, acquire credit, which is the 

 same as profit, very often beget heats and cabals, which are very dif- 

 ferent from the purposes of disinterested charity (owing to the violent 

 attachments and prepossessions of friends) and too often even to party 

 considerations. 



An Englishman of education and reading, is perhaps, the most ac- 

 complished gentleman in the world ; he is, however, shy and reserved 

 in his communications. This unamiable coldness is so far from being 

 affected, that it is a part of his natural constitution. Living learn- 

 ing and genius often meet not with their suitable regard, even from 

 the first-rate Englishmen ; and it is not unusual for them to throw 

 aside the best productions of literature, if they are not acquainted 

 with the author. While the state distinction of Whig and Tory 

 subsisted, the heads of each party affected to patronise men of 

 literary abilities ; but the pecuniary encouragements given them 

 were but very moderate ; and the very few who met with prefer- 

 ments in the state might have earned them by a competent know- 

 ledge of business, and that pliability which the dependents in office 

 generally possess. We scarcely have an instance, even in the muni- 

 ficent reign of queen Anne, or of her predecessors, who owed so much 

 to the press, of a man of genius, as such, being made easy in his cir- 

 cumstances. Mr. Addison had about 500/. a year of the public money 

 to assist him in his travels ; and Mr. Pope, though a Roman-catholic, 

 was offered the like pension, by Mr. Craggs, the whig secretary of 

 state, but did not accept of it ; and it was remarked, that his tory 

 friend and companion, the earl of Oxford, when sole minister, did 

 nothing for him but bewail his misfortune in being a papist. Indeed, 

 a few men of distinguished litei'ary abilities, as well as some without, 

 have of late received pensions from the crown ; but, from the conduct 

 of some of them, it should seem that state and party services have 

 been expected in return. 



The unevenness of the English in their conversation is very remark- 

 able : sometimes it is delicate, sprightly, and replete with true wit; 



onetimes it is solid, ingenious, and argumentative ; sometimes it is 



