100. ] State of Manners, Se. of the Metropolis of England. 221 
now to pervade the: various claffes of the 
community. From the ftall of the po- 
farde to the boudoir of the duchels, the 
tea-table is the magic circle of bufy con- 
verfation. - The nourifhing diet which 
tended to promote the hardihood of our 
anceftors, is nearly exploded in the haunts 
of honeft induftry ; while the enervating 
plant compofes the beverage of men, wo- 
men and children. ‘Time is alfo taught 
to difplay a change of his ancient cccupa- 
tion: and domeftics are now fleeping, at 
the weft end of the metropolis, atan hour 
when the courtiers of THE EIGHTH Har- 
RY were preparing for the noon-day din. 
ner. Novels are alfo univerfaliy read; 
the female apprentice longs for the hour 
of fhutting fhop, that fhe may indulge her 
fond imagination in the melting pages of 
a love-fraught tale; or teach her fenfitive 
heart to palpitate with terror at the 
myfterious horrors of romantic improba- 
bility. 
REFINEMENT is alfo vifible in the ex- 
terior ornaments of all ranks of people. 
Veils and parafols are univerfally adopted, 
even where the wearers, in other refpects, 
are inelegantly dreffed: for the fame rea- 
fon opera-glafles, and even {pectacles, are 
ufed by the cleareft-fighted. Carriages 
are hung on fprings which prevent the ad- 
vantages of wholefome exercife; {edan 
chairs convey the buxom-woman of fafhion 
; ge bgt ; i 
through the fatiguing routine of morning 
vifits; and, in fome great families, an- 
nual fums are allowed to the male domef- 
tics, for the exclufive provifion of powder, 
perfumes, hair-bags, bouquets, and filk 
ftockings ! 3 
The tame fpecies of eccentricity governs 
the houfehold decorations. Sofas of 
down, pillows of perfume, artificial fef- 
toons of flowers, iced wines, and fruits 
out of feafon, mark the encroachments of 
elegant luxury. Yet it is te be admired 
that the bed-turniture of cur molt {plendid 
manfions is chiefly compofed of cotton: 
which, ina metropolis like that of Eng- 
Jand, cannot but be conducive both to 
cleanlinefs and to comfort. The velvet 
canopies of our anceftors were the repofi- 
tories. of duft, as well as the nurferies of 
obnoxious vermin: and the ufe of worfted 
hangings, among the lower claffes, un- 
queltionably, by harbouring fuch nui- 
fances, promotes the contagion of difeafes ; 
while it forms an apology both for filth 
and idlenefs. 
The French and even the Italian lan- 
guzges are now fpoken almoft univerfally 
by our men and women of polifed educa- 
tion, The great number of emigrants, 
- 
and many other celebrated German works. 
who have become our inmates fince the 
French revolution, have contributed to 
this wide circulation cf knowledge.— 
Some of the beft tranflations from the Ger- 
man have been the productions of female 
pens. The Mifles Plumptre, Mrs. Inch- 
bald, and feveral others have imported 
new exotics from the prolific parterre of 
German extraction: while the Jaurels of 
Gallic literature have been fairly and ho- 
nourably divided round the brows of Ma- 
dame de Genlis and Mifs Gunning. 
Tranflations of acknowledged (uperio- 
rity have alfo embellifhed our libraries, 
from the pens of Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Hol- 
croft, and Mr. Marfhall*; to the lait. 
mentioned gentleman may alfo be affigned 
a liberal portion of that eulogy, which 
truth fhould never fail to beftow on en- 
lightened and genuine philanthropy. 
While we applaud the liberal patronage 
which England has beftowed on foreign 
compofitions, we can fcarcely forgive the 
negleét which has been evinced towards 
the memory of deceafed Enelith authors. 
Gippon, Mason, and Cooper have 
paffed from a life of celebrity, to a_ne- 
gleéted grave! No public marks of venera- 
tion, no zational tribute of elleem has 
graced their memory! The monumental 
tablet (placed by the hand, and bedewed 
by the tears, of friendfhip) points out the 
tomb of Mrs. Wollftonecraft Godwin; 
yet illiberal malice and unmanly abufe has 
difgraced the pages of literature ; while it 
failed to fully the treafures of mental {plen- 
dour, which this illuftrious woman has be- 
queathed to pofterity } 
The various occupations afligned to the 
different fexes, in the metropolis, are now 
fo prepofteroufly abfurd, that a reforma- 
tion is become abfolutely neceflary. It 
is no uncommon thing to fee men em- 
ployed in the moft effeminate branches of 
art and commerce; the artificial florit 
and the man-milliner are the moft confpi- 
cuous in this clafs of innovators. Who 
that has feeling can endure the fight of 
young and artlefs females employed at 
all feafons, and in all weathers, to cairy 
the band-box from morning till night ; 
expofed to the infolence of fireet libertines, 
and the perils of vicious example difplayed 
by their abandoned aifociates, while, with 
unwet feet, the perfumed coxcomb mea- 
fures the ribband at home; or folds the 
gauze, as he lifps fine phrafes to females 
of diftinction! Even in our-domeftic efta- 
blifhments, the powdered lacquey wattes 
————$— 

# 'The tranflator of Herman oF UnNNa, 
his 
