ransom of the unfortunate The monk made me a bow - but of all others, refumed 1, the unfortunate of our own country, furely, have the first rights; and I have left thousands in distress upon our own shore The monk gave a cordial wave with his head - as much as to say: No doubt, there is mifery enough in every corner of the world, as well as within our convent - But we distinguish, faid I, laying my hand upon the fleeve of his tunick, in return for his appeal we diftinguish, my good Father! betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labour - and those who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other plant in life, but to get through it in floth and ignorance, for the love of God. ry The poor Franciscan made no reply: a hectic of a moment pass'd across his cheek, but could not tar - Nature seemed to have had done with her resentments in him; he shewed none but letting his staff fall within his arm, he press'd both his hands with resignation upon his breast, and retired. THE My heart smote me the moment he shut the door -Psha! faid I with an air of carelessness, three several times but it would not do: every ungracious fyllable I had utter'd, crouded back into my imagination: I reflected, I had no right over the poor Franciscan, but to deny him; and that the punishment of that was enough to the disappointed without the addition of unkind language - I confider'd his grey hairs his courteous figure seem'd to reenter and gently afk me what injury he had done me? and why I could use him thus I would have given twenty livres for an advocate I have behaved very ill, faid I within myself; but I have only just fet out upon my travels; and shall learn better manners as I get along. 1 THE THE DESOBLIGEANT. T CALAIS. When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making a bargain. Now there being no travelling through France and Italy without a chaise and nature generally prompting us to the thing we are fittest for, I walk'd out into the coach yard to buy or hire something of that kind to my purpose: an old Desobligeant in the furthest corner of the court, hit my fancy at first fight, so I instantly got into it, and finding it in tolerable harmony with my feelings, I ordered the waiter to call Monfieur Dessein the master of the hôtel - but Monsieur Dessein being gone to vespers, and not caring to face the Franciscan whom I faw on the oppofite fide of the court, in conference with a lady just arrived at the inn I drew the taffeta curtain betwixt us, and being determined to write my journey, I took out my pen and ink, and wrote the preface to it in the Defobligeant. * A chaise, so called in France, from its holding but one person, PREPREFACE IN THE DESOBLIGEANT. It must have been observed by many a peripatetic philosopher, That nature has fet up by her own unquestionable authority certain boundaries and fences to circumscribe the discontent of man: she has effected her purpose in te quietest and easiest manner by laying him under alınost infuperable obligations to work out his ease, and to sustain 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 her limits, but 'tis so ordered, that from the want of languages, connections, and dependencies, and from the difference in education, customs and habits, we lie under so many impediments in communicating our sensations out of our own sphere, as often amount to a total impossibility. It will always follow from hence, that the balance of sentimental commerce is always against the expatriate d 1 patriated adventurer: he must buy what he has little This brings me to my point; and naturally leads me (if the fee-saw of this Desobligeant will but let me get on) into the efficient as well as the final caufes 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 causes Infirmity of body, Imbecility of mind, or Inevitable necessity. 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 especially 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 magistrateor young gentlemen transported by the cruelty of pa rents : 1 |