Of the French Women.

What a subject, O Jupiter! What muse to invoke ! what colours to employ! Who is he that can describe this whimsical, incomprehensible, and interesting being?

Well did Sterne say that "nothing here was salique but the government." For the ladies of France, to indemnify themselves for their exclusion from the throne, have seized upon the most despotic power, and rule over their subjects with absolute sway.

A pretty woman in France is a sovereign prince, who knows neither resistance nor control. She is an ambitious potentate, that makes conquests and cedes them, and will exchange a subject as a province. In the midst of her circle she is a law-giver, and her decrees, like the proclamations of king Henry VIII., have the full force of acts of parliament. At her toilette she holds her levee, in her boudoir she gives private audience, and in her bed-room she receives her ministers. She has favourites and officers of state, and confirms their honours by a kiss of her hand. Her train is filled with rival courtiers and jealous expectants, whom she keeps in peace and civility by her sovereign authority. Her forces, like her ways and means, are inexhaustible. She pays her servants with a smile, and subdues her enemies with a frown. She makes war with the artil. lery of her eyes, and peace she seals with the impression of her lips. Rebels and malecontents she punishes with exile or death, as the case may be. She protects learning, science, and the arts. Authors submit their works to her, and artists implore her patronage. She receives the homage of the gay, of the grave, of the old, and of the young. The sage, the hero, the wit, and the philosopher, all range themselves under her banners and obey her laws. In all the concerns of life she rules, directs, presides. She transacts all affairs; projects, decides, and executes. She is in all temporal

resolution of a capacities, she Her titles are

matters liege lady and proprietor; the man, the grace of an angel. As to her is but an elegant little variety of man. undisputed. Ask whose house that is: It belongs to madame une telle. Has she a husband? I can't say; I never saw any.

He

Will you have a more familiar instance?—I was sitting at the fire-side with my wife,-a tradesman brought in a pair of boots,-I asked if they were my boots. "I do not know, sir; I believe they are for the husband of madame." Inquire who is that cavalier. is of the society of madame She is the sun of a sphere, and all her planets and satellites waltz round her; and her voice is the music of the sphere.

Taught from her infancy to please, and conscious of her power by its effects, she wears the air of acknowledged superiority, and receives man's submission as her due. Yet, ever zealous to extend her empire, ever active in maintaining it, she neglects no art, no charm, no seduction. When she moves, it is all grace; when she sings, it is all sentiment; when she looks, it is all expression; when she languishes, it is all softness; when she frolics, it is all riot; when she sighs, it is all tenderness; when she smiles, it is all happiness; and when she laughs, all is mirth. She is good-humoured from philosophy, and kind from calculation. Her beauty is her treasure, and she knows that ill humours impair it. De ne pas se faire mauvais sang is her cardinal maxim. Thus, with all the vivacity of her nature, she shuns strong emotions, and becomes upon principle dispassionate and cold; for her ambition is to be adored, and not to love-Hold! hold! I hear you exclaim, then she is a coquette. Alack-a-day, my friend, and it is even so!

But let justice ever guide my pen. However coquettish these fascinating beings may be; however generally they may be charged with gallantry, and I am no knight-errant, nor bound to prove the contrary; yet

I believe many there are who speak of them unfairly, and "fancy raptures that they never knew." And Í think I can assure you, that there are in France as affectionate and faithful wives, as tender and attentive mothers, as in any other country of the earth. Such, however, are not naturally the first to present themselves to the acquaintance of the stranger or traveller.

LETTER XXX.

Journey to Hamburg-Occupations-Correspondence—Mr. Thornton-Lord Hawkesbury-Mr. Fox.

It is time, now that my accounts are settled and my debts discharged in France, that we should think of leaving it. From the year 1799 until the arrival of Mrs. Sampson, in 1802, I had led a bachelor's life, which had given me an opportunity of making a very numerous acquaintance. If ever we should meet again, I might perhaps amuse you with such observations as I have been able to make upon some of those who now figure amongst the first personages of the universe, and with my opinions of their various merits. But besides that I should fear to weary your patience, I am now obliged to dedicate almost all my hours to the occupations and studies of my profession, and am forced to hurry through this correspondence in a manner more careless and abrupt than you might otherwise have reason to be pleased with. Necessity is in this case my apology; and I count upon your acceptance of it.

After the arrival of Mrs. Sampson my life became once more domestic. We joined our labours in the

education of our children, which became our chief pleasure and our principal care. We were not unrewarded for our pains. Their letters in various languages, which I have forwarded to you, may give you some idea of the progress of their understandings, and are the unstudied effusions of their innocent hearts. We spent three summers in the charming valley of Montmorency, and as many winters in Paris, not so much to enjoy its brilliant pleasures as to give our children the advantage of the best masters in those accomplishments which they could never learn so well elsewhere. But, at length, some symptoms of declining health in my son, certain family concerns, and the desire my wife had to revisit a kind and excellent mother, whom she loves with a deserved enthusiasm, decided us to endeavour at returning. Indeed I was tired of living inactive, and long wished to take my flight for the happy country where fate, it seems, had intended I should at last repose.

The intensity of the war with England made a state of neutrality and independence more difficult to be preserved; and the sincerity of my disposition allowed of no disguise. I applied therefore for a passport, which I obtained-not without difficulty-to go to Hamburg; and this was granted on the recommendation of my countrymen who were in the French service, and from other persons of distinction, who were willing to do me every good office. My passport was that of a prisoner of war, signed by the minister of war, and countersigned by the minister of police.

Nothing in our journey was worth remarking until we arrived at Rotterdam. There we were like to have suffered a heavy misfortune from the loss of our only son, who was attacked with a violent fever, which detained us, I think, six weeks. The only pleasure or consolation we had in this town was in the goodness and hospitality of Mr. George Crawfurd, a Scotch gentleman, of good fortune, who, without place or office, represents his country, by his reception of stran

gers from every quarter of the world, in a distinguished and honourable manner.

We spent some days at the Hague, and, about the latter end of June, left Holland, passing from Amsterdam across the Zuyder Zee, and reached Hamburg in the month of July. On my arrival I thought it prudent to present myself both to the French and English minister. For if I was to go to England, I should require the protection of the latter; or, if circumstances should oblige me to return to France, of the former.

I lost no time in announcing to Mr. Thornton my situation and my wishes, and produced to him such of my papers as might satisfy him at once of my identity and my views; and after some explanation he undertook to write to lord Hawkesbury respecting my permission to conduct my wife and children home.

I must say, that of all the towns where it has been my fortune to be, this was the least agreeable. Hitherto our little means, backed by the various kindnesses and partialities of friends, had made our course of life smooth and agreeable, nor was there any reasonable gratification to which we were strangers. In this place, the very aspect of which is odious, there were few sources of enjoyment and those expensive. From one or two respectable families we received some attentions; but we soon found that retirement was our best prospect of comfort.

There is a custom inhospitable, and deserving of animadversion, which has too much prevalence in other countries, but which is pushed to extreme both in Holland and this city, which is, that the guest must pay a heavy ransom at any genteel house to get out of the hands of the servants. I have been told that some servants get no other wages. I should not wonder if they bought their places. At all events, between

coach-hire, ransom, and cards, at which I never play without losing, we found a dinner or supper too dear for our shattered fortunes, and determined prudently to live by ourselves. I had, besides, a horror of this