24 



not thought of beyond the period of being 

 convenient to his purpofe. He Is often dif- 

 appointed, but never difmayed. All regret, 

 for the paft, he buries In fome new fcheme or 

 adventure. If one projed falls, he, Inftantly, 

 flies to another, exclaiming, " Ah, DIable ! 

 cela ne me conviens pas. II y faut un autre 

 projet. Allons ! tachons encore." — If he 

 fucceeds not to-day, he has always a new plan 

 for to-morrow. If difcomfited in the fcheme 

 of the morning, he feels certain of fuccefs in 

 the nouveau projet of the evening. Some- 

 thing new, fomething not of plain or ready 

 attainment — fomething poffefling a real or 

 a fancied intricacy is always imagined, or 

 attempted. No matter how vaft, or how fri- 

 volous the obje£l' — whether a revolution of 

 the ftate, or a game of loto. It diverts his 

 attention, diffipates the moment, fhlelds him 

 from the fadnefs of difappointment, and fhuts 

 the door againft ennui. From the condua:, 

 tifually, purfued it would feem to be a lead- 

 ing feature, in the charader of a Frenchman, 

 not to attach himfelf ferioufly, or permanently 

 to any thing ; but to avail himfelf of all 

 paffing Gircumftances, yielding to each, or 



