With a humorous Passport.

have been so gradually refining, that our court at present is so full of patriots, who wish for nothing but the honours and wealth of their countryand our ladies are all so chaste, so spotless, so good, so devout-there is nothing for a jester to make a jest of

Voila un persistage! cried the Count.

THE PASSPORT.

VERSAILLES.

As the Passport was directed to all lieutenantgovernors, governors, and commandants of cities, generals of armies, justiciaries, and all officers of justice, to let, Mr. Yorick the king's jester, and his baggage, travel quietly along-I own the triumph of obtaining the Passport was not a little tarnish'd by the figure I cut in it---But there is nothing unmix'd in this world; and some of the gravest of our divines* have carried it so far as to affirm, that enjoyment itself was attended even with a sigh---and that the greatest they knew of terminated in a general way, in little better than a convulsion.

* The reader will excuse a note in this place, which might be made, but not to our author's credit!! the whole is highly reprehensible!

Digression.

I remember the grave and learned Bevoriskius, in his commentary upon the generations from Adam, very naturally breaks off in the middle of a note to give an account to the world of a couple of sparrows upon the out-edge of his window, which had incommoded him all the time he wrote, and at last had entirely taken him off from his genealogy.

---"Tis strange! writes Bevoriskius; but the facts are certain, for I have had the curiosity to mark them down one by one with my pen---but the cock sparrow, during the little time that I could have finished the other half of this note, has actually interrupted me with the reiteration of his caresses three-and-twenty times and a half.

How merciful, adds Bevoriskius, is heaven to his creatures!

Ill-fated Yorick !* that the gravest of thy brethren should be able to write that to the world, which stains thy face with crimson, to copy even in thy study.

But this is nothing to my travels---So I twice -twice beg pardon for it.

* Conscious of the impropriety, Sterne finds it necessary to make the best apology he can, and flatters himself that he shall creep from censure by laying the fault at the door of Bevoriskius,

National Characteristics.

CHARACTER.

VERSAILLES.

AND how do you find the French? said the 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 enquiry.

---Mais passe, pour cela---Speak frankly, said he; do yo find all the urbanity in the French which the world give us the honour of ?---I had found every thing, I said, which confirmed itVraiment, 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, Monsieur le Count, 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****

L

Continued.

did not understand music, so desired me to explain it some other way. A polish'd 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 empower'd 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.

*This is one of the most complex observations it is possible to make; it is circumscribing the powers of the mind, the limits of which are hidden from us; the researches of a Newton have penetrated into the arcana of the heavenly bodies, and, if another man should carry his researches as far (and some man may arise to penetrate still farther) into nature, would it not be wrong to state, that he has only exchanged qualities?

Character composed.

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—

See Monsieur le Count, said I, rising up, and laying them before him upon the table-by jingling and rubbing one against another for seventy years together in one body's pocket or another's, they are become so much alike, you can scarce distinguish one shilling from another.

The English like ancient medals, kept more apart, and passing but few people's hands, preserve the first sharpnesses which the fine hand of Nature has given them-they are not so pleasant to feel-but in return, the legend is so visible, that at the first look you see whose image and superscription they bear.-But the French, Monsieur le Count, added I (wishing to soften what I had said), have so many excellencies, they can the better spare this-they are a loyal, a gallant, a generous, an ingenious, and good-temper'd 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 hand upon my breast, and

my