me patriotic French ones. As the evening advanced they
became playful, and we kept up a sort of conversation of gestures. As
their minds were totally uncultivated I did not lose much, perhaps
gained, by not being able to understand them; for fancy probably filled
up, more to their advantage, the void in the picture. Be that as it may,
they excited my sympathy, and I was very much flattered when I was told
the next day that they said it was a pleasure to look at me, I appeared
so good-natured.

The men were generally captains of ships. Several spoke English very
tolerably, but they were merely matter-of-fact men, confined to a very
narrow circle of observation. I found it difficult to obtain from them
any information respecting their own country, when the fumes of tobacco
did not keep me at a distance.

I was invited to partake of some other feasts, and always had to complain
of the quantity of provision and the length of time taken to consume it;
for it would not have been proper to have said devour, all went on so
fair and softly. The servants wait as slowly as their mistresses carve.

The young women here, as well as in Sweden, have commonly bad teeth,
which I attribute to the same causes. They are fond of finery, but do
not pay the necessary attention to their persons, to render beauty less
transient than a flower, and that interesting expression which sentiment
and accomplishments give seldom supplies its place.

The servants have, likewise, an inferior sort of food here, but their
masters are not allowed to strike them with impunity. I might have added
mistresses, for it was a complaint of this kind brought before the mayor
which led me to a knowledge of the fact.

The wages are low, which is particularly unjust, because the price of
clothes is much higher than that of provision. A young woman, who is wet
nurse to the mistress of the inn where I lodge, receives only twelve
dollars a year, and pays ten for the nursing of her own child. The
father had run away to get clear of the expense. There was something in
this most painful state of widowhood which excited my compassion and led
me to reflections on the instability of the most flattering plans of
happiness, that were painful in the extreme, till I was ready to ask
whether this world was not created to exhibit every possible combination
of wretchedness. I asked these questions of a heart writhing with
anguish, whilst I listened to a melancholy ditt