DESOBLIGEANT. Іт T must have been observed by many a peripatetic philosopher, That nature has set up by her own unquestionable authority certain boundaries and fences to circumscribe the discontent of man: she has effected her purpose in the quietest and eafiest manner by laying him under almost infuperable obligations to work out his ease, and to fustain his fufferings at home. It is there only that she has provided him with the most suitable objects to partake of his happiness, and bear a part of that burden which in all countries and ages, has ever been too heavy for one pair of shoulders. 'Tis true we are endued with an imperfect power of spreading our happiness sometimes beyond ber ber limits, but 'tis so ordered, that from the want of languages, connections, and dependencies, and from the difference in a wind education, customs and habits, we lie under fo many impediments in communicating our sensations out of our own sphere, as often ainount to a total impoffibility. It will always follow from hence, that the balance of fentimental cominerce is always against the expatriated adventurer: he must buy what he has little occafione for at their own price-his conversation will seldom be taken in exchange for theirs without a large discount and this, by the by, eternally driving him into the hands of more equitable brokers for fuch conversation as he can find, it requires no great spirit of divination to guess at who note his party This brings me to my point; and naturally leads me (if the fee-faw of this Defobligeant will but let me get on) into the efficient as well as the final causes of travelling Your idle people that leave their native country and go abroad for fome reason or reasons which may be derived from one of these general caufesInfirmity of body, Imbecility of mind, or Inevitable neceffity. The first two include all those who travel by land or by water, labouring with pride, curiofity, vanity or spleen, subdivided and combined in infinitum. The third class includes the whole army of peregrine martyrs; more efpecially those travellers who set out upon their travels with the benefit of the clergy, either as delinquents travelling under the direction of governors recommended by the magiftrate- or young gentlemen transported by the cruelty of parents and guardians, and travelling under the direction of governors recommended by Oxford, Aberdeen and Glasgow. gy, There is a fourth class, but their number is so small that they would not deserve a distinction, was it not necessary in a work of this nature to observe the greatest precifion and nicety, to avoid a : 1 L plex of any other species of emigrants, I shall diftinguish these gentlemen by the name of Simple Travellers. Thus the whole circle of travellers may be reduced to the following Heads. Lying Travellers, Proud Travellers, Vain Travellers, Splenetic Travellers. Then follow the Travellers of Necef The delinquent and felonious Tra veller, The unfortunate and innocent Tra veller, The fimple Traveller, And last of all (if you please) The fentimental Traveller, meaning thereby myself who have tra vell'd, : 1 1 |