sore upon me, and there is no retreat from them in this world, then I take a new course-I leave it —and as I have a clearer idea of the elysian fields than I have of heaven, I force myself, like Æneas, into them—I see him meet the pensive shade of his forsaken Dido, and wish to recognize it—I see the injured spirit wave her head, and turn off silent from the author of her miseries and dishonours-I lose the feelings for myself in her's, and in those affections which were wont to make me mourn for her when I was at school.

Surely this is not walking in a vain shadownor does man disquiet himself in vain by it—he oftener does so in trusting the issue of his commotions to reason only—I can safely say for myself, I was never able to conquer any one single bad sensation in my heart so decisively, as by beating up as fast as I could for some kindly and gentle sensation to fight it upon its own ground.

Mons.

When I had got to the end of the third act, the Count de B**** entered with my passport in his hand. Mons. le Duc de C****, said the Count, is as good a prophet, I dare say, as he is a statesman. -Un homme qui rit, said the Duke, ne sera jamais. dangereux. Had it been for any one but the king's jester, added the Count, I could not have got it these two hours. Pardonnez moi, Mons. le

Count, said I-I am not the king's jester.—But you are Yorick ?—Yes.-Et vous plaisantex ?—I answered, Indeed I did jest—but was not paid for it-'twas entirely at my own expence.

We have no jester at court, Mons. le Count, said I; the last we had was in the licentious reign of Charles II.-since which time our manners 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 country-and 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 persiflage! cried the Count.

Α

THE PASSPORT

VERSAILLES

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.

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 in even thy study.

twice

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

So I

AND

CHARACTER

VERSAILLES

ND 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 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 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

other way.

system of harmony.-The Count de B**** did not understand music, so desired me to explain it some 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 impower'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.

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, Mons. le Count, said I, rising up, and laying them before him upon the table—by jingling

L