" Sipi
tftttHer
ln?dn)M<
?hcoptkrt.onhc
JthxrtfxHMM* no
ttofottlMttfiii
xnu rtot ri
cJCll mh*?qu*M i
Journal pf a UMr and i*?l<fcAtee tn((rc*VUr<tatn during
tit* years 1816and 1011 > ty a French traveller. with
remarks on tb* totfnury, It# orU, literature, and poll,
ties, an?lWMWOrM ario custuni* of itt initabi
?anta. in ?*>. ?5,iiviM*m?7
ThiaU the most entertaining-Journal tliat
wo have perused for * Ions time* Not with
Minding the ettbrtsof a-few malignant scrib*
SsTaSSSSytfa:sufMms.
Easi^swjViSKs
of a common form of commonUn
guftge* similar habits, and <119 tamo principles
of public and municipal law JKencn the inter
eat which is excited by a plain and sensible
journal) like .the boob before us. We travel
Or Ws temarKi. It ia not unworthy of note*
that' this friendly oflico of bringing together
John 9oli arid Brothfer Jonathan, is performed
by a Frenchman. Would that all the individu
al* of th*se nations were thus kindly disposed!
He inform* u? that he apeut nearly two year*
in Great-Britain without any other object than
to see the country t that he was born in Franco,
and had resided more than twenty years in the
United gtates before ho made this voyage.
Hence he H),fble,to compare the customs of the
different countries; and hp does it with perfect
mod humor and without any appearance of pre
judice or partiality. In the following extract
the reader will find three nations introduced :
" If I was a*K<d, at this moment, for a sum
mary opinion of'what t have seen in Kngland, I
might probably sav, that its political institutions
present-a detail of corrupt practices?of profu
sion?and.of personal ambition, under the mask
of public ftpint very carelessly put on, more .dis
gusting than 1 should have expecteil t the work*
mgs of theselfish passions are exhibited in all
thjlr nakedness and deformity.' On the other
hand. I should admit very readily, that 1 have
foundthe.great mnssof the people richer, happi
er, and more respectable, than any other with
.M^ww^NvMyvi WI9IVII VllOIUtiVrilU U
State of advancing clvilUatioH, properly direct
ed* The manners, and the whole deportment
of superiors to infenors, arc marked with thaft
just regard and circumspection, which announce
l*n?l rf*. -ft
A
ever
"* ???<??? V?J IV III II? fC
4ults. but I cannot say I particularly like the
means. What I dislike hero, I ioight.be told,
belongs to human nature in generalj to the
world, rather than to Kngland particularly. It
may be sor-and I ahdll not undertake the pane*
eyrie of either the oho or the other.
u The government of Kngland is eminently
practical. Tlie one under which I have livoktl
fnanyyears might be defined, on tho contrary,
a goverhmtont of abstract priuciples. Certain
opinions have token possession or men's minds,
amt they cling to them, as to tlio feligion in
which they were born, without examination.
The measures of the government have the pro
indices of the multitude for their base*?always
the same under any change of circumstance*?
arid to be obeyed, In defiance of tho better
judgment Or that very government. Were tho
people left to therriselves they might come to 4
right judgment of tilings 1 but thoy aro encom
passed by newspapers, conducted by the merce
nary pons of men, often foreigner, who fiudit
mote convenient to flatter jftej\idicca< and In
flame jpiissionii, than to'rectify and enlightfnt
they follow the stream of public opinion?yet
they swell tho tide, giving it It* headlong vio
lence) and tho people beuevi themselves free,
under an oligarchy of newspaper writers.
"'Itie different govcrnmentsofthe continent of
Kuro'/S, old and tnlitih) are half-fact ion r., hnlfi
despotic}?one alone, purely despotic, over
powers the others by its unity and its energy.?
litis state of things, which considers tho people
as a mere instrument* and has the prince for its
stole object, makeover course, secret enemies of
.ill those who do not shot* In his greatness nnd
aro out of the sphere of his splendor. England,
oftsr all* is the only country In the world where
chance, perhaps, as much as human wisdom,
compounding with the vices and the virtues of
our species, has effected a treaty between them,
?'^signing to each their respective and proper!
shares, and fhMnlj "
tho cofvitljutlon
edifice of wlxi
equally distant I
-with little bea,. Y Hinl'VHIITMU^r , |
lid, convenient, and easy to rcpair.
" Of the nation itself, its distinctive and na
tional character, It would be difficult to give
nny bat a comparative opinion. No national
character is, I fear, V4fy excellent in itself, and
tho least bad mast b ? deemed good, Among
the nations ofKOrop* a the two most conspicu*
<jus in eivlll*ation,'marts, and in arms, the
nearest probably in their taste and manners, yet
tHem welt I think 1 and reel *n ttyial interest
for both. |
friends! have on
^rjTpX
fill
S?w
an, and
in in their beltKumop^or otKefv
lit be disfc>ow$ to take Voltaire ?t 1
said they were mo We tin,fit it 1
** Tho lower Efiglahd hpid other nft.|
?ion? In thorough contempt. Tito samo rank in
prance, In the interior of the country at leastd
scarcely know there are other nations?their I
geography is that of the Chinese*
I " (Mr all the various merits claimed by the
prqud fslsndors, I believe none is less disputed
I ed thing tli
[meaning politeness ana mere snow 01 s<
imsnts, the othur for simple and blunt genci
ty. The fact Uf M to giving substantially,
it is much easier for tho English to do so
? that an Englishman has always plenty I
of money, and gives it away very freely, out nol
sacrifice of higher kind is supposed to be above
his magnanimity. I have to remark on thisl
subject, that those who give n little, after oro-l
mising much, appear to havo given nothing,
while those who, without promising auy tiling,
give a little, have credit, on the contrary, lorl
giving a gJeat deal. This accounts, in part, for
the two opposite reputations, the one for un
meaning politeness and. mere show of senti
*m4' * ncrosi
y, that I
? English to do so than
the French, ami accordingly much more is giv-l
'en in money bv the former than by the latter )|
but 1 doubt oxtrcmcly whether the English arc
more disposed, than their neighbors, to bestow I
their time and personal attention upon their i
friends in sickness or misfortune, ana upon tho
distressed in general. There is in England a
sort of fastidious delicacy, coldness, or pride,
which stands ajgpod deal in the wayof active bo*
nevolence. . The ties of blood are also, 1 think,
weaker than in France. People seem to calcu
late witk mrtre strictness hew far the claim of
kindred extendi,! and even the highest degree ef
consanguinity, that of parent* and children,
Kleins to command rather less deferenee and
respect. A cousin may certainly net be more I
to you than another man, yet it Is an amiable er
ror, end a useful one, to think yourself obliged
to show some kindness and feel some particular I
aymnathy for the man vrhom nature has placed
nearly in the same rank of Hfo with yourself,
and whom you are ,Hkely to meet oftenest Mi
your journey through life. ? ?/
44 The English a^ better reasoners titan the
French, and therefytfe more disposed to be juit
?the first of moral anilities f and yet tho pro
pensity to luxury ami Ostentation is ho strong, as
well as so general Here, as to expose this same
sense of justice to hard trials. I never knew pi
prodigal Who was just, nor lndcc4 truly gonejrftUS
-4* never has it in his power.
? I do not conceive It possible for some of the
most horriblo scenes of toe French revolution to
bo acted here, in any evtut. Tho people \u
France are capable of greater atrocities than
those of England, but I should think tho latter
sternefv?less prone to cruelty, but lest suscep
tible of pity.
** There* are perhaps* at thie moment, mor*
distinguished men of Science at Paris than In
I?ondoi?p andl think it is admitted by the Eng
lish themselves. But there are certainly better
scientific materials here* and in tho long run,
accuracy and depth should prevail over quick
ness of parts. However the account may stand
between the t wo nations* as to tho higher scien
ces* 1 am convinced that cultivation of mind l?
more general in England than in Franco: it is
indeed the bright side of English society* That
conceited ignorance* forward loquacity* heed
less and round argumentation* which All the
common intercourse of men in France* is com
paratively unknown here; and with so much
better reasoning faculties* I do not think there
it half ao many logical attempts. A man of
sense once remarked that he never heard tho
concluding formula JOonc introduced fn a Pari
sian conversation* without oxpccting something
excessively absurd to follow immediately.
/ " There is undoubtedly in tho English ubnrt
a coldness and reserve wnich discourse and re
pel at first sight I in the French* on the contra
ry* a warmth anu openness which Invite confl
uence* ami put yon at ease Instantly* The hit*
torian* (Jihhon* said once* in sneaking of French
aociefy* " I know that generally there it no de
pending much on their professions* yet, as far
oh I wrw concerned* I really believe they tiNfi
sincero." The exception the historian made in
Ills own favour may well excite a smile j yet his
error was in the general opinion ho had formed*
not in tne individual one. The kindness shown
to strangers* and the exprettions of interest
lavished upon them, are really felt at the roe
ment. Tnelt feelings might not last long* nor
bear tho test of ant greet sacrifice of private
Interest or convenience. Those who express
them are Inconsiderate and frivolous* but nq
insincere. Ido net know whether 1 might ?*
choose to live with the BngtlMt* but J shoul
undoubtedly find more pleasure In visiting the
French. The reserve and coldtcss of the for
mer wear off 1a time | tho frtvmth <
cools* and the two manners meet at
tUJexr, which it the common an *
i ui ins ?or
rtSfwt
r, nrtonl
Iocs not p
t *>e drawn
frfBchman ,
.'as might show* tfie
*4o ftimilar ones in fb
?ccasionally in this jour
fcfllTOWfjww&JW ?eyw W
attention wastaltod
this work. I can only gay for myself, tliat I
prefer the EoglUh Ktcrature to (he French, up
on most of .those subjects with which I nm ac
?uaintcd. I am aware of the dancer to whidi
expose inysolfby this rash declaration| and
**hall not deprecate the national resentment of
toy Jftench reader#, by common-place ctfnfcgai
ons of my own unfitness to judge. Many tyi
doubtedl v havo a more genera! knowledge than
I hate of the literature, not only Of their own
cooritry,-but of both countries. Few, howev
er, of ray countrymen choose to make arty fo
reign language so far their own, as to be fuir
judges} and on this last qualification moatly, I
venture to rest my right to form an opitdon of
my own, and avow it. My French readers be
injr uow informed that the English have du (Jout,
will hear with less surprise than they would ???
tlicrwise havo felt, tiiat they have de la Gniet?.
They do not certainty possess tKo gaMe of
manners of their neighbors?they have not the
happy faculty of being amused without amuse
mant, 1 tlnnk also that English spirits would
not have survived the trials fwWhicn the French
have been exposed f the latter have this buoyan
cy ii| their blood, the former in thei'. mind on*
lyj but mirth b by no means so foreign to Eng
manners as is supposed in France. Indeed
9 not kitow whether alaugh, a true joyous
laugh, is not as common in the one as in the o
ther country:
less animattoi
ther country i and althoeth there is infinitely
less animation, 1 doubt whether there irlesa;
cheerfulness.
44 Upon the whole, I believe the national dif
Terence to have less reality than appearance.?
'lite same vices, and the same virtues?the same
propensities and views, under very different
forma, are found in both countries, and more
nearly alike than is generally supposed."?Port
Folio.
FORKWN LITERATURE, SCIPA'CR, fee.
By English papers, it Appears that I?or<l Hy
mn has written a poem which contain* Home
thing ho offensive to the polities of thettmea in
England, as to berejecteil by the f*ondon book*
seller#, and we understand that it is now oRttjft
Vdute to America to bo printed. It Is something
strange that wo should have two writers, Cob
bett aud Byron, availing themselves of the press
In this country?one a layman, and the other a
lord.
France. five years since the Class of Scl*
encos of the Royal Institute of France proposed
aStlio suMsct of a double prize, the theory of
the planets whose eccentricity and inclination
arc too considerable to allow of the exact calcu
lation of their distances by methods already
known. The class did not require any nunverf
cal application* but only analytical formulas,
yet disposed iri such s manner, that an intelli
gent. calculator might be able to apply them with
certainty either to the planet Pallas, or to any
other hitherto discovered, or which may here
after be discovered. Two memoirs only hav
ing been received, in which the Authors have not
sufficiently conformed to tiie intensions expres
sed by the clasi. it has protoiupd the time for
another year. The prize will therefore be ad
judged in January, 1817, and consists oft gold
rnedal of the value of 6000 francs (350/.) Es
says must be written In Kreuch or Laiiq, and
none will bo received after the 1st October next.
As nothing worthy of tho annual prfce found
ed to reward researches undertaken for the ad
vancement of galvanism has been received, the
cla?s suggests the following points aa still want
ing to complete the theory or this infportant part
of tcience. Aa it has been determined in a
great number of cases what combinations result
from the action of a calculable electricity, it
would be impwtant to determine, on the con
trary, what measure of electricity results from
the different combinations in which bodies peas
to a sensible and calculable electric state. A
tolerably complete set of experiments under
taken with this view, would probably possess |
considerable interest and utility. Another
phenomenon not less interesting, and which par
ticularly concerns the animal economy, is that
| which manifests itself when alternate portions
of nerves and muscles of the same animal, or
of different animals, are capable of forming a
circuit, the contracts of Which produce the
isam^ excitations that result from a circle com*
posed of metals, Intermediate between the
muscles and the nervos. litis experiment might
I perhaps, by its developments, tend to throw
new light on the still obscure theory of the
ncrtaas influence on the organic actions, and
* result of these actions.
literary society has been recently
at Athens, ft Is composed of the
Istlngulshed native and foreign literati
ling in that city.
{Jit
new W?
fflfi
th<
<0 take
Mri
wijcess Whicbvhe. w#4
pinst tto klnju 4mm
to taki p^toiraiifv^b In hit
qui vol, who isroprosented by H?ttr?
gallant Soldier ?nu humane and liberal
most a solitary instance, soen%fuj'
titcs, say*tlic same anthor.^tod
without any efRision of blood/'1 Tti
upon their first settlement, which
weatern part of the island. built the city of Mel*
lila, but very soon becomingdispleased-j *
situation, they abandoned ittoruin, ant
ed to Se villa Nueva, which was founded
qui+el, and in whieh he was afterwirdsii
Of the remains of this city I will hereof
you some account BsquWel was succe
men whb seem to have been loit to Mi
and feeling. The cruelty exercised bj
upon the defenceless natives if abhori
humanity, and only calculated tO i
ingnof disgust and horror. Out of
man beings, that constituted the ah
pulation of the island, not one was leftln *if
ence 50 years after its discovery. Indtafont at
the cruelty with which they were treated, tal
poor Indians rose against their tyrants, accord*
|ing to Sir Hans Sloane. and uepotaiatauvtaq
v city by entirely extirpating ! to tnh)
e next town the Spaniards built wait
by Diego Columbus, in 152;1, and was called St/I
Jago do la Vega, or Spanish Town; which to
now the metropolis of trie island. ' This city af
I terwards gave the title of Marquis to the son
Don Diego, to whom, at the same time, Chatle?.
V, gave tho whole island in perpetual soy e
, reijrnty. .* v; .. -i'iW
Sir Anthony Shirby, in the year 1506, Ian'
at Jamaica, took 8t. Jago, anA plundered
I island, without mych reSiston'ce j
I wards, in IC35, Col. Jackson landed with
men, and though he was opposed bv 8000
niards from their works* compelled them \
treat, and, with the loss of 40 men, ent
sacked, and pillaged the town, This puSilli
mity of soul must have orlginatadfromthe
trome iudolencc of the Spaniards, which
enervating their bodies, destroyed the vi
| energies of their mind. In this state Of
i indolence, und consequent poverty, they
[nued, without the occurrence of any ,things
i markaWe, till the English, under Venables a
Penn, during tfyt usurpation af Cromwell, ttt
possession of the island* It is not mylntentl
to enter into an. anamination of the right
which Cromwell possessed himself or Jamw
it U sufficient that he wss persuaded by the!
jnlng and politic Cardinal Mazarine to Jfjll
French in the conquest of HWpaniola, thou pi
ttyesed by the Spaniards. The Spaniards w<
however, an overmatch for thei combined for
under Venables, who was shamefully defeat
I and compelled to retreat to his ships, wjth_i!:
loss ot a great number of his men. " To wipe <
tltin stigmn, they determined to matte a descent
onJnmatcrt, and immediately net Mil fortba
island, where they arrived on the Sd of M*fi
1095. The inhabitants of St. Jago, which thenjj
according to Wome, consisted of 2000 houseti
2 churches, 8 chapels, and an ahber, made bat
a feeble resistance ! and after precrastinatlu
the time as long as they could, finder the prctei
of capitulatiug, during which they removed'tlr
slaves and their moveable property to the Mro
and mountains of tHe island, thoy surrender
the empty town to the English. Several uniu
cetaful efforts tirere afterwards made bji,"
Hptftiiards to recover their lost possessions,'
thoy all proved abortive, and the English k
mafned masters of tlie island,,which thoy hai
pcesesscd eversince. Venables and Pcnn Ik
ing recalled, Col. Doylcy. who aecompsnW
them in the expedition to Hispaniola, was loft if
command of the troops in Jamaica. Col. Doyt
ley #as a brave, active, and enterprising officer]
and prosecuted the conquest tiiiey had inadd
with much zeal and perseverance.' The negroes,'
who had been left by the Spaniards among '
mountains to ftarrass the enemy while they
paired to Culm to procure aid, joined the Kr
fish* to whomthqjr were of great service ur
the return nf t?Mr old masters, ami commit
many cruelties. These were the origin of th?
prerent race called Mtttoonu. Cor f>oylc<
gave them all their liberty, and rewarded esc
Mcottliug to the services m Imd rendered,
fact is relateJ of ens of thoee tinrroes which
serves a place in this rapid otitjifie. A Mi
man wb? belonged to one of the princtpal
niardst and who wa*deepfy in love with a *
man or his own complexion, by whom he Mi
veral children, was obliged to see her tora f?|
his arms and forced to comply with the shl
ful desires of his master, lie made severs*
effectual effort4 to obtain Justice from the 1
nals of the island, and received nothing
punishment from his proprietor, tie <
venues nco against the wretch who had thi
orcised upon him such unfeeling tyranny/
the descent of the ftngliih nffWdc'd a f?t