1801.] 
ravages are not lefs frequent or confider- 
able. Our old church-yards almoft yearn 
from reflection, andour gardens have been 
curtailed of their fair proportion to make 
more rvom for the dead. Difeafe and the 
dogtors are ftill in co-partnerfhip. The 
trade of phyfic flourithes /upremely ; and 
phyficians, furgeons, apothecaries, and 
quacks, are in abundance. Befides this, 
our poor houfes are crammed and grown 
Jarger. Our brothel-houfes are become 
numerous ; and our alehoufes, and gin- 
fhops, and pawn-fhops, now almoft defy 
calculation. Lawyers have multiplied 
upon us exceedingly. © Malefactors are 
‘more numerous. We have greater need 
of conftables and bumbailiffs. Our county 
feflions and affizes are chiefly occupied by 
our fuits and litigations, and the mif- 
deeds done amongft us. Our town-{effions 
are imtolerably lonw.—Our county-gaol 
has been rebuilt on an enlarged plan, 
partly, I fuppofe, on account of our fup- 
plies to it; and our borough-gaol has for 
fome time paft been voted inlufficient to 
accommodate the number of its tenants; 
and, upon the whole, Mr. Editor,  { 
verily believe, there is more irreligion, 
more feuds, and political animofities, and 
coniequently lefs urbanity, to. be found 
amongtt us. . 
_ From what I have heard of the ftate of 
the place about a century ago, and of the 
character of many of its then inhabitants, 
and of the manners of thofe times, it 
+eally appears to me that we are a much- 
altered people. From the relations that 
have been given to me of thofe days of 
yore, and from what I have feen of their 
manners in the laft ftage of their declenfion, 
Tam become as much enamoured of them 
as the Abbé de Marolles was of the golden 
days of his youth, under Heary IV. of 
France; and in recollecting the beautiful 
manner in which the Abbé defcribes them, 
I cannot avoid the influence of his fenti- 
ments on my own as to the days of our 
good anceftors. I will not pretend that 
his delightful piéture is fuited to their 
more recent times; yet the tone of its co- 
louring accords with my prefent temper 
on the fubjcét, and there may be fome 
parts that may bear an analogy to thé 
period I have mentioned, Be that as it 
may, I cannot help thinking. that we are 
neither fo. happy nor contented as we were 
formerly... If our manners are not of fo 
rude a cat as they were, they are more 
fagtitious, Our morals, from being once 
found ani fturdy, are become lax and 
flimfy. There isnot the fame frength of 
character about us as heretofore, nor fo 
» 
Account of Port{mouth. 115 
much of originality in our compofition, 
nor, with all the advances we have made 
in this age of reafon and refinement, am £ 
able to difcover that we poflefs a larger 
fteck of fterling fenfe than exiffed in the 
days of our predeceffois and progenitors, 
when there was no boaft or parade of learn- 
ing or acquirements. But this, perhaps, 
is not the greateft evil. -The fathionable 
vices of the day have laid hold of us. Our 
young men are rakes or petzt-maitres, and 
our females do little elfe than drefs, flirt 
apout, club round the card-table, and 
read novels. Our high ftreet, our walls, 
and our’ parades, are infeited by courte- 
zans. Six days cut of feven are infulfi- 
cient to prepare the engines of human de- 
ftruction. Sunday is no day of reft in our 
naval arfenal. Its fanctity is broken up 
by martial founds and military arrange- 
ments. Thus a day, peculiarly dedicated 
to a God of Peace; is grofsly violated ; 
its ferenity is difturbed by tumultuous 
amufements, and the fobriety and decorum 
that ought, at leafit, to characterife it, are 
defiroyed by vulgar and unfeafonable re- 
elries. I with I could fappofe that thefe 
obfervations, and feveral others here made, 
were peculiar to the place I have been’ 
defcribing; but I fear they are equally ap- 
plicable to other towns, where there may 
be lefs to approve, and more to condemn, 
than at Portfmouth. Notwithftanding all 
the imperfections that belong to it, I 
have yet to fpeak of it in feveral points 
that will by no means difcredit it; but as. 
I have already reached my limits, I muft 
fatisfy myfelf with requefting the indul- 
gence of continuing my account to a con- 
clufién, in your next Number, 
Port{mouth, W.N., 
Fuly 4, 180% 
(To be continued.) 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
(ASRS 
SHALL be greatly obliged to you 
for inferting in your valuable Maga- 
zine, and to any of your Correfpondeats 
for an{wering the following queries. 
I am Sir, 
A Constant READER, 
Cornwall, Fuly 1% 1801. 
Is the ferteit of ten pounds, which 
the law of the Sth and oth We or- 
ders ta be levied tor refuling to take’ 
a parifh apprentice, to be confidered as 
a fine for refafing to take enly atthae 
time, or as a legal pecuniary compeniation 
for not providing for it? 
In the former cafe, itis apprehended the’ 
parith hat a right to put another apprene © 
Q4q tice 
- 
