ENGLAND. . 161 



game, among so free a people as the English, has been considered in 

 various lights. 



In tne dress of both sexes, before the present reign of George III, 

 they followed the French; but that of the military officers partook- 

 of the German, in compliment to his late majesty. The English, at 

 present, bid fair to be the dictators of dress to the French them- 

 selves, at least with regard to elegance, neatness, and richness of at- 

 tire. People of quality and fortune, of both sexes, appear, on high 

 occasions, in cloth of gold and silver, the richest brocades, satins, 

 silks, and velvets, hoth flowered and plain : and it is to the honour of 

 the court, that the foreign manufactures of all these are discouraged. 

 Some of these rich stuffs are said to be brought to as great perfec- 

 tion in England as they are in France, or any other nation. The 

 quantities of jewels that appear on public occasions are incredible, 

 especially since the vast acquisitions of the English in the East-In- 

 dies. The same nobility, and persons of distinction, on ordinary oc- 

 casions, dress like creditable citizens ; that is, neat, clean, and plain, 

 in the finest cloth and best of linen. The full dress of a clergyman 

 consists of his gown, cassock, scarf, beaver-hat and rose, all of black ; 

 his undress is a dark-gray frock, and plain linen. The physicians, 

 the formality of whose dress, in large tie-perukes, and swords, was 

 formerly remarkable, if not ridiculous, now dress like other gentle- 

 men and men of business. The people of England love rather to be 

 neat than fine in their apparel ; but since the accession of his present 

 majesty, the dresses at court, on particular occasions, are superb be- 

 yond description. Few, even of the lowest tradesmen, on Sundays, 

 carry about them less than 10/. in clothing, comprehending hat, 

 stockings, shoes, and linen ; and even many beggars in the streets 

 appear decent in their dress. In short, none but the most abandon- 

 ed of both sexes are otherwise ; and the appearance of an artisan or 

 manufacturer, in holiday times, is commonly an indication of his in- 

 dustry and morals. 



Cities, chief towns, edifices, public and prtvate... .London, 

 the metropolis of the British empire, and perhaps the most populous 

 and wealthy city in the world, appears to have been founded between 

 the reigns of Julius Csesar and Nero ; but by whom is uncertain ; for 

 we are told by Tacitus, that it was a place of great trade in NeiVs 

 time, and soon after became the capital of the island. It was first 

 walled round, with hewn stones and British bricks, by Constan- 

 tine the Great ; and the walls formed an oblong square, in compass 

 about three miles, with seven principal gates. The same emperor 

 made it a bishop's see ; for it appears that the bishops of London and 

 York, and another English bishop, were at the council of Aries, in 

 the year 314. He also established a mint in it, as is plain from some 

 of his coins. 



London, in the extensive sense of the name, including Westmin- 

 ster, Southwark, and part of Middlesex, is a city of surprising ex- 

 tent, of prodigious wealth, and of the most extensive trade. This 

 city, when considered with all its advantages, is now what ancient 

 R.ome once was, the seat of liberty, the encourager of arts, and the 

 admiration of the whole world. London is the centre of trade ; it 

 has an intimate connexion with all the counties in the kingdom ; it is 

 the grand mart of the nation, to which all parts send their commodi- 

 ties, from whence they are again sent back into every town in the 

 -■■■) and to every part of the world. From hence innumerable 



Vol. I, Y 



