Count de B****, after he had given me the passport.

The reader may suppose, that, after so obliging a proof of courtesy, I could not be at a loss to say something handsome to the inquiry.

Mais passe pour cela.Speak frankly, said he; do you find all the urbanity in the French which the world give us the honour of? -I had found every thing, I said, which confirmed it.- -Vraiment, said the Count, les François sont polis.To an excess, replied I.. The Count took notice of the word excesse: and would have it I meant more than I said. I defended myself a long time, as well as I could against it :- -he insisted I had a reserve, and that I would speak my opinion frankly.

I believe, Mons. le Compte, said I, that man has a certain compass, as well as an instrument; and that the social and other calls have occasion, by turns, for every key in him: so that, if you begin a note too high or too low, there must be a want either in the upper or under part, to fill up the system of harmony.The Count de B**** did not understand music; so desired me to explain it some other way.- -A polished nation, my dear Count, said I, makes every one its debtor ; and besides, urbanity itself, like the fair sex, has so many charms, it goes against the heart to say it can do ill; and yet, I believe, there is but a certain line of perfection that man, take him altogether, is empowered to arrive at; if he gets beyond, he rather exchanges qualities than gets them. I must not presume to say how far this has affected the French in the subject we are speaking of ;-but should it ever be the case of the English, in the progress of their refinements, to arrive at the same polish which distinguishes the French, if we did not lose the politesse du cœur, which inclines men more to humane actions than courteous ones, we should at least lose that distinct variety and originality of character, which distinguishes them not only from each other, but from all the world besides. I had a few of King William's shillings, as smooth as glass, in my pocket, and foreseeing they would be of use in the illustration of my hypothesis, I had got them into my hand, when I had proceeded so far:

cies, they can the better spare this;-they are a loyal, a gallant, a generous, an ingenious, and a good-tempered people, as is under Heaven ;— if they have a fault, they are too serious. Mon Dieu! cried the Count, rising out of his chair.

Mais vous plaisantez, said he, correcting his exclamation.I laid my hand upon my breast, and, with earnest gravity, assured him it was my most settled opinion.

-The Count said he was mortified he could not stay to hear my reasons, being engaged to go that moment to dine with the Duc de C. But, if it is not too far to come to Versailles to eat your soup with me, I beg, before you leave France, I may have the pleasure of knowing you retract your opinion, or in what manner you support it.-But if you do support it, Mons. Anglois, said he, you must do it with all your powers, because you have the whole world against you. I promised the Count I would do myself the honour of dining with him before I set out for Italy ;-so took my leave.

THE TEMPTATION.

PARIS.

WHEN I alighted at the hotel, the porter told me a young woman with a band-box had been that moment inquiring for me.—I do not know, said the porter, whether she is gone away or not.-I took the key of my chamber of him, and went up stairs; and, when I had got within ten steps of the top of the landing before my door, I met her coming easily down.

It was the fair fille de chambre I had walked along the Quai de Conti with: Madame de R**** had sent her upon some commission to a marchante des modes within a step or two of the hotel de Modene; and, as I had failed in waiting upon her, had bid her inquire if I had left Paris; and, if so, whether I had not left a letter addressed to her.

As the fair fille de chambre was so near my door, she returned back, and went into the room with me for a moment or two, whilst I wrote a card.

It was a fine still evening in the latter end of the month of May,-the crimson window-curtains (which were of the same colour as those of the bed) were drawn close,-the sun was setting, and reflected through them so warm a tint into the fair fille de chambre's face,-I thought she blushed ;—the idea of it made me blush myself; we were quite alone, and that superinduced a second blush before the first could get off.

There is a sort of a pleasing half-guilty blush, where the blood is more in fault than the man;

'tis sent impetuous from the heart, and virtue flies after it, not to call it back, but to make

the sensation of it more delicious to the nerves. It is associated

But I'll not describe it ;-I felt something at first within me which was not in strict unison with the lesson of virtue I had given her the night before:-I sought five minutes for a card; I knew I had not one. I took up a pen,-I laid it down again,-my hand trembled:-the Devil was in me.

I know as well as any one he is an adversary, whom, if we resist, he will fly from us; but I seldom resist him at all, from a terror that, though I may conquer, I may still get a hurt in the combat; so I give up the triumph for security; and, instead of thinking to make him fly, I generally fly myself.

The fair fille de chambre came close up to the bureau, where I was looking for a card,—took up first the pen I cast down, then offered to hold me the ink; she offered it so sweetly, I was going to accept it, but I durst not;I have nothing, my dear, said I, to write upon Write it, said she, simply, upon any thing.

I was just going to cry out, Then I will write it, fair girl, upon thy lips!

-If I do, said I, I shall perish; so I took her by the hand, and led her to the door, and begged she would not forget the lesson I had given her. She said, indeed, she would not, and as she uttered it with some earnestness, she turned about, and gave me both her hands, closed together, into mine ;-it was impossible not to compress them in that situation;-I wished to let them go; and all the time I held them, I kept arguing within myself against it, -and still I held them on.-In two minutes I found I had all the battle to fight over again;— and I felt my legs and every limb about me tremble at the idea.

The foot of the bed was within a yard and a half of the place where we were standing.-I had still hold of her hands-(and how it happened, I can give no account); but I neither asked her, nor drew her, nor did I think of the bed; but so it did happen, we both sat down.

I'll just shew you, said the fair fille de chambre, the little purse I have been making to-day to hold your crown. So she put her hand into her right pocket, which was next me, and felt for it some time ;-then into the left.

"She

had lost it."I never bore expectation more quietly; it was in her right pocket at last; she pulled it out; it was of green taffeta, lined with a little bit of white quilted satin, and just big enough to hold the crown:-she put it into my hand: it was pretty; and I held it ten minutes, with the back of my hand resting upon her lap, looking sometimes at the purse, some times on one side of it.

A stitch or two had broke out in the gathers of my stock; the fair fille de chambre, without saying a word, took out her little housewife, threaded a small needle, and sewed it up. Í

THE CONQUEST.

YES, and then-Ye, whose clay-cold heads and lukewarm hearts can argue down or mask your passions, tell me, what trespass is it that man should have them? or how his spirit stands answerable to the Father of spirits, but for his conduct under them?

If Nature has so wove her web of kindness, that some threads of love and desire are entangled with the piece,-must the whole web berent in drawing them out?-Whip me such stoics, great Governor of Nature! said I to myself;wherever thy Providence shall place me for the trials of my virtue; whatever is my danger ;whatever is my situation,-let me feel the movements which rise out of it, and which belong to me as a man,-and, if I govern them as a good one, I will trust the issues to thy justice; for thou hast made us, and not we ourselves.

As I finished my address, I raised the fair fille de chambre up by the hand, and led her out of the room :-she stood by me till I locked the door and put the key in my pocket, and then, -the victory being quite decisive, and not till then, I pressed my lips to her cheek, and, taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hotel.

THE MYSTERY.

PARIS.

Ir a man knows the heart, he will know it was impossible to go back instantly to my chamber;-it was touching a cold key with a flat third to it, upon the close of a piece of music, which had called forth my affections; therefore, when I let go the hand of the fille de chambre, I

remained at the gate of the hotel for some time, looking at every one who passed by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fixed upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him.

It was a tall figure, of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which passed and repassed sedate

ly along the street, making a turn of about sixty paces on each side of the gate of the hotel.The man was about fifty-two, had a small cane under his arm, was dressed in a dark drab-coloured coat, waist-coat, and breeches, which seemed to have seen some years' service; they were still clean, and there was a little air of frugal propreté throughout him. By his pulling off his hat, and his attitude of accosting a good many in his way, I saw he was asking charity; so I got a sous or two out of my pocket ready to give him, as he took me in his turn. He passed by me without asking any thing,-and yet did not go five steps farther before he asked charity of a little woman.-I was much more likely to have given of the two. He had scarce done with the woman, when he pulled his hat off to another who was coming the same way. An ancient gentleman came slowly, and, after him, a young smart one. He let them both and asked nothing: I stood observing him half an hour; in which time he had made a dozen turns backwards and forwards, and found that he invariably pursued the same plan.

pass,

There were two things very singular in this, which set my brain to work, and to no purpose; -the first was, Why the man should only tell his story to the sex;-and secondly, What kind of story it was, and what species of eloquence it could be, which softened the hearts of the women, which he knew 'twas to no purpose to practise upon the men.

There were two other circumstances which entangled this mystery :-the one was, He told every woman what he had to say, in her ear, and in a way which had much more the air of a secret than a petition:-the other was, It was always successful;-he never stopped a woman but she pulled out her purse, and immediately gave him something.

I could form no system to explain the pha

nomenon.

I had got a riddle to amuse me for the rest of the evening; so I walked up stairs to my chamber.

THE CASE OF CONSCIENCE.

PARIS.

I was immediately followed up by the master of the hotel, who came into my room to tell me I must provide lodgings elsewhere. How so, friend said I.- He answered, I had a young woman locked up with me two hours that evening in my bedchamber, and 'twas against the rules of his house.--Very well, said I, we'll all part friends then,-for the girl is no worse, and I am no worse,-and you will be just as I found you. It was enough, he said, to overthrow the credit of his hotel.-Voyez vous,

Monsieur, said he, pointing to the foot of the bed we had been sitting upon.-I own it had something of the appearance of an evidence; but my pride not suffering me to enter into any detail of the case, I exhorted him to let his soul sleep in peace, as I resolved to let mine do that night, and that I would discharge what I owed him at breakfast.

-I should not have minded, Monsieur, said he, if you had had twenty girls,'Tis a score more, replied I, interrupting him, than I ever reckoned upon.- -Provided, added he, it had been but in a morning. And does the difference of the time of the day at París, make a difference in the sin?- -It made a difference, he said, in the scandal.I like a good distinction in my heart; and cannot say I was intolerably out of temper with the man.—I own it necessary, resumed the master of the hotel, that a stranger at Paris should have the opportunities presented to him of buying lace and silk stockings, and ruffles, et tout cela;-and 'tis nothing if a woman comes with a band-box.

-O' my conscience, said I, she had one; but I never looked into it. Then, Monsieur, said he, has bought nothing.- -Not one earthly thing, replied I.- -Because, said he, I could recommend you to one who would use you en conscience. -But I must see her this night, said I.—He made me a low bow, and walked down.

Now shall I triumph over this maitre d'hotel, cried I ;-and what then? Then I shall let him see I know he is a dirty fellow.-And what then?-What then!-I was too near myself to say it was for the sake of others.-I had no good answer left ;-there was more of spleen than of principle in my project, and I was sick of it before the execution.

In a few minutes the grisette came in with her box of lace.I'll buy nothing, however, said I, within myself.

The grisette would shew me every thing.-I was hard to please; she would not seem to see it. She opened her little magazine, and laid all her laces, one after another, before me;-unfolded and folded them up again, one by one, with the most patient sweetness.-I might buy, -or not;-she would let me have every thing at my own price ;-the poor creature seemed anxious to get a penny; and laid herself out to win me, and not so much in a manner which seemed artful, as in one I felt simple and caressing.

If there is not a fund of honest cullibility in man, so much the worse ;-my heart relented, and I gave up my second resolution as quietly as the first. Why should I chastise one for the trespass of another? If thou art tributary to this tyrant of an host, thought I, looking up in her face, so much harder is thy bread.

If I had not had more than four louis d'ors

in my purse, there was no such thing as rising up and shewing her the door till I had first laid three of them out in a pair of ruffles.

-The master of the hotel will share the profit with her ;-no matter,-then I have only paid, as many a poor soul has paid before me, for an act he could not do, or think of.

THE RIDDLE.

PARIS.

WHEN La Fleur came up to wait upon me at supper, he told me how sorry the master of the hotel was, for his affront to me in bidding me change my lodgings.

A man who values a good night's rest will not lie down with enmity in his heart, if he can help it. So I bid La Fleur tell the master of the hotel, that I was sorry, on my side, for the occasion I had given him ;-and you may tell him, if you will, La Fleur, added I, that if the young woman should call again, I shall not see her.

This was a sacrifice not to him, but myself, having resolved, after so narrow an escape, to run no more risks, but to leave Paris, if it was possible, with all the virtue I entered it.

C'est deroger à noblèsse, Monsieur, said La Fleur, making me a bow down to the ground as he said it.-Et encore, Monsieur, said he, may change his sentiments; and if (par hazard) he should like to amuse himself,- -I find no amusement in it, said I, interrupting him.

away.

-Mon Dieu! said La Fleur, and took

In an hour's time he came to put me to bed, and was more than commonly officious :-something hung upon his lips to say to me, or ask me, which he could not get off; I could not conceive what it was; and indeed gave myself little trouble to find it out, as I had another riddle so much more interesting upon my mind, which was that of the man's asking charity before the door of the hotel.-I would have given any thing to have got to the bottom of it; and that not out of curiosity,-'tis so low a principle of inquiry, in general, I would not purchase the gratification of it with a two-sous piece ;-but a secret, I thought, which so soon and so certainly softened the heart of every woman you came near, was a secret at least equal to the philosopher's stone; had I had both the Indies, I would have given up one to have been master of it.

I tossed and turned it almost all night long in my brains, to no manner of purpose; and when I awoke in the morning, I found my spirits as much troubled with my dreams, as ever the King of Babylon had been with his; and I will not hesitate to affirm, it would have puzzled all the wise men of Paris as much as

those of Chaldea, to have given its interpretation.

LE DIMANCHE.

PARIS.

Ir was Sunday; and when La Fleur came in, in the morning, with my coffee and roll and butter, he had got himself so gallantly arrayed, I scarce knew him.

I had covenanted at Montreuil to give him a new hat with a silver button and loop, and four louis d'ors pour s'adoniser, when we got to Paris; and the poor fellow, to do him justice, had done wonders with it.

He had bought a bright, clean, good scarlet coat, and a pair of breeches of the same.They were not a crown worse, he said, for the wearing.-I wished him hanged for telling me. --They looked so fresh, that though I knew the thing could not be done, yet I would rather have imposed upon my fancy with thinking I had bought them new for the fellow, than that they had come out of the Rue de Friperie.

This is a nicety which makes not the heart sore at Paris.

He had purchased, moreover, a handsome blue satin waistcoat, fancifully enough embroidered;-This was, indeed, something the worse for the service it had done, but 'twas clean scoured, the gold had been touched up, and, upon the whole, was rather showy than otherwise ;-and as the blue was not violent, it suited with the coat and breeches very well; he had squeezed out of the money, moreover, a new bag and a solitaire; and had insisted with the fripier upon a gold pair of garters to his breeches knees. He had purchased muslin ruffles bien brodées, with four livres of his own money ;and a pair of white silk stockings for five more; and, to top all, Nature had given him a handsome figure, without costing him a sous.

He entered the room thus set off, with his hair drest in the first style, and with a handsome bouquet in his breast.-In a word, there was that look of festivity in every thing about him, which at once put me in mind it was Sunday-and by combining both together, it instantly struck me, that the favour he wished to ask of me the night before, was to spend the day as every body in Paris spent it besides. I had scarce made the conjecture, when La Fleur, with infinite humility, but with a look of trust, as if I should not refuse him, begged I would grant him the day, pour faire la gallant vis-àvis de sa maîtresse.

Now it was the very thing I intended to do myself vis-à-vis Madame de R****.-I had retained the remise on purpose for it, and it would not have mortified my vanity to have had a servant so well dressed as La Fleur was, to have

got up behind it: I never could have worse spared him.

But we must feel, not argue, in these embarrassments;-the sons and daughters of Service part with liberty, but not with nature, in their contracts; they are flesh and blood, and have their little vanities and wishes in the midst of the house of bondage, as well as their task-masters;-no doubt they have set their self-denials at a price, and their expectations are so unreasonable, that I would often disappoint them, but that their condition puts it so much in my power to do it.

Behold,―Behold, I am thy servant,-disarms me at once of the powers of a master.

-Thou shalt go, La Fleur, said I. -And what mistress, La Fleur, said I, canst thou have picked up in so little a time at Paris? -La Fleur laid his hand upon his breast, and said, 'Twas a petite demoiselle, at Monsieur le Count de B****'s.-La Fleur had a heart made for society; and to speak the truth of him, let as few occasions slip him as his master,-so that, somehow or other, but how,-Heaven knows, he had connected himself with the demoiselle upon the landing of the staircase, during the time I was taken up with my passport; and as there was time enough for me to win the Count to my interest, La Fleur had contrived to make it do to win the maid to his. The fa

mily, it seems, was to be at Paris that day, and he had made a party with her, and two or three more of the Count's household, upon the Boulevards.

Happy people! that once a-week at least are sure to lay down all your cares together, and dance and sing, and sport away the weights of grievance, which bow down the spirit of other

nations to the earth.

THE FRAGMENT.

PARIS.

LA FLEUR had left me something to amuse myself with for the day more than I had bargained for, or could have entered either into his head or mine.

He had brought the little print of butter upon a currant-leaf; and, as the morning was warm, and he had a good step to bring it, he had begged a sheet of waste paper to put betwixt the currant-leaf and his hand.-As that was plate sufficient, I bade him lay it upon the table as it was; and as I resolved to stay within all day, I ordered him to call upon the traiteur, to bespeak my dinner, and leave me to breakfast by myself.

When I had finished the butter, I threw the currant-leaf out of the window, and was going to do the same by the waste paper;-but, stopping to read a line first, and that drawing me

on to a second and third,-I thought it better worth; so I shut the window, and drawing a chair up to it, I sat down to read it.

It was in the old French of Rabelais's time; and, for aught I know, might have been wrote by him: it was, moreover, in a Gothic letter, and that so faded and gone off by damps and length of time, it cost me infinite trouble to make any thing of it.-I threw it down; and then wrote a letter to Eugenius,-then I took it up again, and embroiled my patience with it afresh :-and then, to cure that, I wrote a letter to Eliza. Still it kept hold of me ; and the difficulty of understanding it, increased but the desire.

I got my dinner; and after I had enlightened my mind with a bottle of Burgundy, I at it again;—and after two or three hours poring upon it, with almost as deep attention as ever Gruter or Jacob Spon did upon a nonsensical inscription, I thought I made sense of it; but to make sure of it, the best way, I imagined, was to turn it into English, and see how it would look then ;-so I went on leisurely as a trifling man does, sometimes writing a sentence,

then taking a turn or two,-and then looking how the world went, out of the window; so that it was nine o'clock at night before I had done it.-I then began, and read it as follows:

THE FRAGMENT.

PARIS.

-Now as the Notary's wife disputed the point with the Notary with too much heat,I wish, said the Notary, (throwing down the parchment), that there was another Notary here, only to set down and attest all this.

-

-And what would you do then, Monsieur? said she, rising hastily up.-The Notary's wife was a little fume of a woman, and the Notary thought it well to avoid a hurricane by a mild reply,I would go, answered he, to bed.-You may go to the Devil, answered the Notary's wife.

Now there happening to be but one bed in the house, the other two rooms being unfur nished, as is the custom at Paris, and the Notary not caring to lie in the same bed with a woman who had but that moment sent him pellmell to the Devil, went forth with his hat, and cane, and short cloak, the night being very windy, and walked out ill at ease towards the Pont Neuf.

Of all the bridges which ever were built, the whole world who have passed over the Pont Neuf must own, that it is the noblest,—the finest,― the grandest,-the lightest,-the longest,-the broadest, that ever conjoined land and land together upon the face of the terraqueous globe.—