has its little garden, and the rose-tree is the queen of that garden.

The first sensation I experienced in walking about a French town, was that fort of pleasure which the fight of universal cheerfulness and gaiety always inspires. This everlasting sunshine of the mind cannot be taken away from the French people, either by the rage of tyrants or the confequences of revolutions; and whether it is the gift of nature to the inhabitants of this favoured climate, or whether (as I rather suppose) it is the effect of early education, it is the folid foundation of the happiness of Frenchmen. This province of France is called Gascony. The people of the country have a dialect, phrases and words peculiar to themselves, which are not understood out of Gascony. The Gascons are however esteemed to be the liveliest, wittieft, and most agreeable people in France; a great proportion of the dashing young fellows and fortune-hunters in Paris were born in Gascony. As you are fond of curiofities, I am happy that I have met with one, in my passage up the Garonne, which I think full as worthy of attention as any that travellers through France have hitherto described; I have seen a village near the town of Blaye, which is very properly called La Roche, where the houses, or rather the habitations of the people (for I think one cannot call them houfes) are excavated from the folid rock, which is here sost, and very easy to be worked. It is therefore found as cheap to excavate as to build; and when the work is once done, it requires no repairs, and lasts for ever. This village presents to the eye of a stranger a most whimsical appearance. One is much furprized to see doors, windows, chimnies, and every accommodation for the comfort of a number of families, among the bare rocks. Smetimes, indeed, the rock which roofs their habitations is covered with vines, which give a fingularly romantic and beautiful appearance to this remarkable village. If I was much aftonished at this fight, the people were not less so at perceiving my furprize. They tell me such villages are very common in France. I fuppofe they do not lie on the direct road of travellers making the grand tour, or they must have been before defcribed. From whatever caufe it may proceed, that this curiofity in architecture is so little known, I feel a peculiar pleasure in having found out fomething that is new, to gratify your defire of information: in my next I shall give you a particular defcrip. tion of the city of Bourdeaux.

LETTER II.

The City of Bourdeaux is situated on the south side of the River Garonne, about 60 miles from the sea. The river is navigable up to the town for vessels of fix or seven hundred tons burden.

The quays are spacious and commodious, and now almost the entire length of the city.

Most of the merchant-vessels lie oppofite the quay called Les Chartrons, which is near a mile in length, and the principal feat of the foreign trade. On this quay many merchants in the American, English, and Irish trade, have houses, which are not only convenient for business, but very agreeable in point of fituation, as the view of the country on the other fide of the river is highly romantic and beautiful. Natural beauties, however, will by no means content the eye of a Bourdeaux merchant; he looks in vain for that commerce and for the number of shipping which once animated and crowded this fine river.

If, while the armies of the Republic are gathering laurels in the fields of Germany or Italy, the vines of France droop for want of culture, he confiders that the acquifition of glory does not compenfate the nation for the loss of its commerce. The war has given the spirit of maritime fpeculation in Bourdeaux another directionBourdeaux has taken the lead of all the towns in France in the number and fize of the privateers fitted out at this port: I am affured there are no less than 150 belonging to this place, feveral of them having 24 guns, and some more. As these veffels are constructed for failing faft, any merchantman they fall in with is almost a certain prize, being as inferior in failing as in force. The profit of privateering is some small compenfation to the merchants of Bourdeaux for the deficiency in the regular profits of commerce.

There is a principal Commiffary of Marine refident in Bourdeaux, and a large building called "Bureau de la Marine," which may be tranflated Admiralty-office. At present there are only a few old frigates in the river.

It is faid, however, to be one of the most convenient places for preparing and fitting out frigates and transports for their maritime expeditions; the nearest ports to Bourdeaux for men of war are Rochefort and la Rochelle. This city contains at present about 100,000 inhabitants, which is less by at least 20,000 than what it had before the revolution, when its commerce was flourishing.

The

The handsomest part of the town is in the neighbourhood of the public gardens and of the theatre. The public gardens being, at least during the fummer months, one of the principal gratifications of the people of this city, deserve a particular defcription. Before the revolution this garden was called Le Jardin du Roy, or King's Garden, as belonging to an ancient royal palace adjoining. In the beginning of the revolution, when France had its two millions of national guards, this was the reviewing ground for the national guard of Bourdeaux, and its name was changed to Champ de Mars.

Twenty thouland men have been reviewed at one time in these gardens. Its name has been changed again latterly, and it is now fimply called Les Jardins Publiques, or the Public Gardens. Before I shall give you a particular account of those gardens, I think it may be well to give fome description of the manners and habits of the people, as arifing from the circumftances and influence of the climate.

The summers are nearly as hot as in America, consequently every one stays at home as much as poffible, and wears the coolest dress, during the morning. The heat of the morning is, however, amply compenfated by the delightful coolness of the evenings. The luxury of the evening breeze is only well understood by the inhabitants of hot countries, and the art of enjoying a fine evening is carried here to great perfection. At the beginning of the evening the sober shopkeepers and the greater part of their families draw their chairs into the street, and fit in groupes before their doors. Here they enjoy the fresh air, chat, see their neighbours, observe the company that pafles, take refreshments, and are ready to receive the vifit either of a customer or a friend. This custom gives a very focial and animated appearance to the town; in walking the ftreets one paffes in review a thousand families, enjoying themselves in their usual manner: but the public gardens are the principal refort of the young, the gay, and the fashionable. Here it appears as if all the people of the town had assembled, like one great family, to enjoy the evening and amuse themselves according to their different inclinations. The gravelwalks ferve for the parade of people of fashion, while the lawns, in some places, swarm with little children and their bonnes (their maids are so called) and in others are occupied by the sports of young men. They play here at leap-frog, prifon-bars, &c. and fometimes at le ballon, which is

gravel

the favourite game of the young men in
France. It is played with a large round
ball, in the centre of which is a bladder,
this is struck principally with the hand,
sometimes with the foot. This ball,
though large, is so light, that it cannot hurt
any perfon, and the ladies, fo far from be-
ing afraid of coming in its way, appear
much amused at seeing the game. The
ball is to large, and rebounds so high, that
it is very easy to hit it; as the whole
strength of the arm and body can be ap-
plied to the stroke, this game must con-
tribute, as much as any other, to encrease
the strength and agility of those who play
it.

The walks are crowded with all the
people of fashion in this city. At the
fides of them are a prodigious number of
chairs. It is the custom here, as in the streets,
for people to fit together in groups; every
group may be confidered as a feparate con-
verzatione, into which circle every man
may draw his chair with the ftrictest pro-
priety, if he is acquainted with any of
those who compose it.

This custom alters entirely the nature of a public walk, and gives it every advantage of a large drawing-room, where one is fure of meeting, every evening almost, the whole circle of one's acquaintance, and of having fufficient opportunities of converfing with those whose company is the most agreeable. The number of acquaintances that every native of Bourdeaux must meet in those walks, the variety of company that paffes him, together with the exercise of walking, makes the evening país very agreeably. It were much to be wished that a little more attention was paid to the public walks of London. If the Green Park (instead of a pasture for cows) were laid out entirely for the accommodation of the public, with walks well gravelled, flowering fhrubs, parterres, &c. it would add much to the enjoyment of the inhabitants of your me. tropolis, and give foreigners something to praise. Nothing can prove more clearly the attraction that a garden has, than the crowds which may be leen of a fine fummer evening on that narrow walk in the Green Park, which adjoins the little gardens at the rear of the houses. If then the whole of the Green Park were laid out with taste, for a public promenade, with plenty of feats; in my opinion it would not only add confiderably to the enjoyments of the people, but would improve their manners, and even their morality, by substituting, in many cafes, a healthful and elegant amusement for the destructive

Rz

!

destructive pleasures of drunkenness or ference in the appearance of a French gaming. But to return to Bourdeaux- coffee-house is, that it is by no means un

between 8 and 9 o'clock the company quit the Public Gardens, and repair to a fine mall, called La Tournée, in the centre of one of the finest streets; here also are à great number of chairs. At the extremity of this street stands the theatre, which is very large, in the first style of architecture, and justly ranks as one of the finest theatres of Europe. Notwith standing the charm of the public gardens, this theatre is well attended.

The actors of Bourdeaux are highly respectable; and as to dancers, the Opera House is the only theatre in London that can compare with this. Befides the great theatre, there are, in the fame ftreet, feveral fmaller ones, for different exhibitions, fuch as ombres Chinoises, optical dereptions, hydraulic experiments, &c. This laft is a very curious and beautiful exhibition. In a theatre not bigger than a large room in a private house, and from the water contained in a lar large cistern in the centre of it, all the variety and beauty of water-works is duplayed in miniature. Some of the most fashionable coffee-houtes in Burdeaux are in this ftreet. There are many differences between the French coffee-houses and the English. The

usual to see ladies here. It has been long known, that by the customs of France the company of the ladies is so far from being confidered a restraint upon the conversation of the men, that it is supposed to improve confiderably the pleasures of general conversation, by giving it a more animated and agreeable tuin; therefore the ladies in France are not in haste to retire from the focial table, where they perceive that their company is always agreeable.

Why is the cafe so different in England? Will the gentlemen say, that English ladies are too stupid to understand the fublime subjects of their conversations? Or, will they say, that their conversations are too ftupid and dull to interest or to please women of taste and spirit? I believe neither of those answers will be given, and that it will be acknowledged, that, speaking generally, the free intercourse of the fexes is the strongest proof of the civilization of a country; and that the pleasures which are derived from fuch intercourse are the richest fruits which are produced by the cultivation and improvement of the focial order. I have already mentioned the commercial advantages that Bourdeaux derives from its fituation,

French neither dine nor drink wine there, being furrounded by the countries that

produce the finest wines and brandy, connected with the entire South of France and the Mediterranean by inland naviga. tion, and confequently having for its exports not only the wines, brandy, oil, and vinegar, of the South of France, but also its manufactures, particularly of filk, which can be purchased here on the most reasonable terms.

but take every other kind of refreshment, and amose themselves at billiards, draughts, chefs, and dominos, which are to be bad at almost every coffee house. The elegant and scientific game of billiards is by no means confined here, as in England, to idle men of f fhion and professed gamesters; it is a univerfal recreation, and almoft every Frenchman can play it well. The charge for playing is very moderate; and, as it is If, therefore, you have any friend denot the cuftom to wager any thing of con- firous to fettle on the Continent of Europe, sequence at this game, the billiard-table in whatever city best suits the profits of is by no means a gaming-table as in Eng- commerce, with the pleasures of fociety; Jand, but affords an innocent paftime to the means making a fortune, with the all descriptions. It is very much the opportunities and facilities of enjoying it; I custom here for young gentlemen to retire think you may fately tell him, that as iminediately from dinner to the coffee- foon as the general peace shall be figned, room, and pafs an hour at this game. Bourdeaux will be the first, the most eleThey usually play for nothing; fometimes, gant, and the most agreeable commercial

for variety, they agree that the lofers shall pay for the coffee: from the coffee-room they go to the public walks or to the theatre, which is not an expenfive amufement here. It appears to me that this mode of paffing an evening is not only more rational, more elegant, more inproving, but alío much more agreeable, than the methods of killing time which are practited by the young men of fashion in your country. Another material dif

of

city on the Continent of Europe.

Soon after its appearance, the peasants in many places in Germany clubbed as much monev together as was necessary to procure it from fome neighbouring bookfeller, and the book became the common pro perty of the whole village; for at present a taite for reading is to generally diffused in Germany, that circulating libraries and book clubs may be found even in small villages. Nor is the great popularity of thele Memoirs at all furprifing: no one can perufe them without being grearly af. fected; and whoever has the happiness of being pertonally acquainted with the au thor, cannot entertain any doubt of the credibility of every thing he relates. The original MS. of the narrative, written whilst he was yet in Siberia, is still in M. Ko'zebue's own poffeffion, and from an examination of it, it clearly appears that in the book itself he has given to the public a faithful unaltered copy of his journal. M. Kotzebue has carefully preferved all the articles of dress, furniture, utenfils, &c. which he used on his journey to Tobolik, and during his fix weeks abode at Kurgan, and intends to decorate therewith a imall cabinet, in which likewife all his papers written during that period of his exile, are to be depofited, as in a kind of lanctuary. The truth of many of the anecdotes related by M. Kotzebue, has fince been confirmed by letters from Petersburg and Livonia; and, in fome inftances, small errors arifing from mifapprehenfion, or the fudden ebullition of paffion, have been pointed out and rectified. Thus, for initance, many persons of refpect bility take the part of M. Prof tenius, againft whom M. Kotzebue vents forth his indignation for having diffuaded M. von Beyer, of Stockmanshot, from affilting him in his flight; because he could not have given any other advice confiftent with his defire to prevent his friend from precipitating himself with headlong rashnefs into difgrace, and all the evils to be expected from the resentment of fo iuria monarch as the capricious us Paul of Ruffia. The expedition with which the book was printed in Berlin, hindered M. Sander, the publisher, from having more prints engraved for it than one for every tirle-page. It deferves to be noticed that Jury, of Berlin, who drew and engraved these two plates, conceived so correct an idea of the aulic-counsellor Schtschekali. chin, merely from Kotzebue's defcription of him, that, in the plate to the firit volame, where he is reprefented standing behind the old man on his knees, he has drawn a striking likeness of his countehance, with his characteristic laugh of

table

malignancy. This resemblance was observed by Kotzebue himself, whose teftimony will undoubtedly be admitted to he here unobjectionable, as the features of his former conductor must have remained indelibly impressed on his memory. But, in order to gratify those who wished to have more plates to this favourite work, M. Richter, print-feller in Leipzig, has published four interesting scenes from the Memoirs, drawn and engraved by M. Geifler, of Leipzig, who refided many years in Ruffia, and executed the coloured plates to Pallas's " Journey through the Southern Provinces of the Ruffian Empire." - Kotzebue's Memoirs have been translated into most of the languages of Europe. An English tranflation, by the Rev. Mr. Beresford, was published in London fome months ago, as our readers already know and nearly at the fame time there appeared tranflations into the Danish, Dutch, Italian, and French lan. guages. M. Chevalier, whole wife, lately to highly honoured, now lives at Berhn on terms of great intimacy with Baron Krüdener, the Ruffian ambafador, is faid to be greatly incented against Kotzebue, who, towards the end of the second volume, has lashed with deferven severity his upstart pride and rapacious cupidity. M. Chevalier is now in Paris, where he has been often heard to threaten, that, whenever he should meet with Kotzebue he would shoot him. Many of the readers of M. Koʻzebue's work are particularly pleased with his defcriptio of the palace of Michaelowitz. M. Köhler, keeper of the imperial cabinet of antiques at Peterf burg, has fent the following more correct information relative to the beautiful table mentioned in that defcription. "It is ornamented with glass paltes in imitation of Sardonyx Cameos, portraits of the individuals of the imperial family, which were engraved on gems by the Empreis Dowager, and the originals of which are in the imperial collection of gems. No. 1, is a portrait of the late Emperor Paul; No. 2, the present Emperor; No. 3, the Emperor and Prince Constantine on one gem, capita jugata; No. 4, the prefent Empress of Ruffia; No. 5, is a paste en camée, a portrait of the Empress Dowager, after a model in wax by M. Leberecht. Thefe cameos are repeated several times on the chandeliers and ornaments of the table, which, as likewife the table itself, were turned and finished with great skill by the

hand of the Empress hertelf. Magnifi cence and tafte are feldom found fo intimately blended together as in this elegant piece of furniture.

ORIGINAL

ORIGINAL POETRY.

Come, then, my foul-purfue the bard's
bold flight,

Mark Calvary's scene, and wonder at the
fight-
Lift to that groan of death!-mine eyes be-
hold

Since lafting praise not Fame's loud trump The tragedy by feers inspir'd, foretold

On Satan's brow fee ftern defiance low'r
As all around him hell's grim legions pour,
On ruin bent-See Death's black flag un-
furl'd

Whilft Chaos shakes the pillars of the world;
Earth trembling leans on rending rocks in
vain,

And ancient Night refumes his darksome
reign-
But JESUS dies!-fair dawns the promis'd
day;
Hell's dark battalions scowling flink away-
High Heav'n is won-within whose portals
Difarmed Justice fits by Mercy's fide;