160 ENGLAND. 



cold and phlegmatic, and borders upon disgust ; and all in the same 

 person. In many of their convivial meetings they are very noisy, 

 and their wit is often offensive, while the loudest are the most ap- 

 plauded. This is particularly apt to be the case in large companies ; 

 but, in smaller and more select parties, all the pleasures of rational 

 conversation and agreeable society are enjoyed in England in a very 

 high degree. 



The courage of the English is cool and firm ; if they have not that 

 ardour of attack sometimes displayed by the French, they can sup- 

 port and defeat such an attack. Their soldiers will keep up their 

 fire in the mouth of danger; but when they deliver it, it has a most 

 dreadful effect upon their enemies ; and in naval engagements they 

 are unequalled. The English are not remarkable for invention, 

 though they are for their improvements upon the inventions of others ; 

 and in the mechanical arts they excel all nations in the world. The 

 intense application which an Englishman gives to a favourite study 

 is incredible, and, as it were, absorbs all his other ideas. This is the 

 cause of the numerous instances of mental absence that are to be 

 found in the nation. 



Stag and fox hunting, and horse-races, are sports of which many 

 of the English are fond, even to infatuation. Somewhat, however, 

 may be offered by way of apology for those diversions : the intense 

 application which the English give to business, their sedentary lives, 

 and luxurious diet, require exercise ; and some think that their ex- 

 cellent breed of horses is increased and improved by those amuse- 

 ments. Next to horse-racing and hunting, cock-fighting, to the 

 reproach of the nation, is a favourite diversion among the great as 

 well as the vulgar. Multitudes of both classes assemble round the 

 pit at one of those matches, and enjoy the pangs and death of this 

 generous animal ; every spectator being concerned in a bet, some- 

 times of a high sum. The athletic diversion of cricket is still kept 

 up in the southern and western parts of England, and is sometimes 

 practised by people of the highest 3^ank. Many other pastimes are 

 common in England, some of them of a very robust nature, such as 

 cudgelling, wrestling, bowls, skittles, quoits, and prison-base ; not to 

 mention duck-hunting, foot and ass races, dancing, puppet-shows, 

 May-garlands, and, above all, ringing of bells, a species of music 

 which the English boast they have brought into an art. The bar- 

 barous diversions of boxing and prize-fighting, which were as fre- 

 quent in England as the shows of gladiators in Rome, are now pro- 

 hibited, though often practised ; and all places of public diversions, 

 excepting the royal theatres, are under regulations by act of parlia- 

 ment. Other diversions, which are common in other countries, such 

 as tennis, fives, billiards, cards, swimming, angling, fowling, cours- 

 ing, and the like, are familiar to the English. Two kinds, and those 

 highly laudable, are perhaps peculiar to them ; and these are rowing 

 and sailing. The latter, if not introduced, was patronised and encour- 

 aged by his present majesty's father, the late prince of Wales, and 

 may be considered as a national improvement. The English are 

 amazingly fond of skaiting, in which, however, they are not very 

 expert ; but they are adventurous in it, often to the danger and loss 

 of their lives. The game acts have taken from the common people 

 a great fund of diversion, though without answering the purposes 

 of the rich ; for the farmer and country people destroy the game in 

 the nest, which they dare not kill with the gun. This monopoly of 



