its rife from immenfe rocks, which, on fome earthquake or other unknown event, have funk confiderably, and turned the courfe of the waters from their accustomed channel. The Americans have long obtained credit for building fwift-failing veffels, and very justly, in my opinion; for in the space of about eighteen hours, we were fafely landed at Newport, which is 200 miles diftant from the place of our departure; having failed at the rate of above eleven miles an hour. This town (Newport) is called the capital of Rhode Ifland; and during the late war, on account of its commodious and beautiful harbour, it was in a very flourishing ftate: it has fince, however, gradually declined; whilft the town of Providence in the fame ftate, thirty miles diftant on the road to Bofton, has increafed in a proportion equally rapid. This place, though not fo eligibly fituated as the former, in a commercial point of view, far furpaffes it in extent and opulence; which may be attributed to the fpirit of enterprife apparently pervading the whole body of its inhabitants, and for which it is not a little indebted to that truly indefatigable and worthy citizen, Mr. John Brown. At the entrance of the town of Providence a new bridge has been erected, of a light and very elegant ftructure. The church is a very handsome modern edifice, and the inns have accommodation for travellers, fuperior to any I have ever feen in the fouthern districts of America. This ftate, although the smallest in the union, apparently poffeffes the moft confiderable advantages; the farms here are better cultivated, and the lands are more productive, than any I have feen in other parts. It is likewife admirably fituated for commerce, lying contiguous to the Atlantic Ocean, and at a convenient diftance between the great, capitals New York, and Bofton: the climate alfo is generally allowed to be the mildeft, and the peafantry here are accounted the handfomeft. From Providence to Bofton the diftance is 45 miles. As the river is not navigable farther, I proceeded to the latter place in the ftage, and was agreeably furprifed to find this conveyance a comfortable clofe coach, instead of the open, jumbling caravans, to which I had been accustomed in the Pensylvania and New York States. I obferved alfo with pleafure the increafed expedition in travelling, and the attention and excellent accommodations on the road, a fatisfaction which was enhanced by hav. ing loft fight of the people of colour. On my entering Bofton, the activity and alacrity visible in the domeftics, with the general bustle, and concern for businefs which characterises the inhabitants, had well-nigh led me to miftake the metropolis of New England, for fome great town of its mother country. It is a prevailing cuftom throughout the United States, on account of the scarcity of convenient hotels, and coffee-houses, for ftrangers to be accommodated with board and lodging in private families, by which means, a number of widows, with fmall incomes, who generally fuperintend thefe concerns, are enabled to maintain their families with a degree of credit and decent refpectability. This method is not without its advantages, as it tends to familiarize, by affociating together, travellers of different countries, from whofe converfation much entertainment and mental inftruction is derived and interchanged; it may also be a means of preventing many exceffes, to which men are often addicted, in the ufual taverns, fuch for inftance as thofe in Great Britain. The tables, at the above houses, are well and plentifully ferved, (rather indeed profufely) as are thofe of moft private families; I cannot account for this from any particular cheapnefs of provifions, as whatever might have been the cafe formerly, at prefent they are fully adequate to the prices in England. is aftonishing to think of the rapid advance to which every neceffary of life has arifen, in confequence of the war now raging in Europe. At the cominencemen of 1793, five dollars was the general price per week, for board and lodging, but in the fhort space of three years, it has increased to more than eight dollars per week; house rent rifes in yet greater proportion, and if this difaftrous war fhould continue for any length of time, what with the influx of emigrants, and the neceffary fupply of provifions exported to the Weft India Iflands, the above articles will, in all probability, become ftill dearer. I have remarked, not without a degree of furprize, the comeliness and apparent health of the American men, particularly in this part, the New England ftates, which is difficult to be accounted for, confidering the great quantity of animal food they eat, and the new made fpirit or rum they usually drink. An American break faft is even proverbial for its variety: I feldom fat down to this meal, but in addition to the ufual fare of tea and coffee, fifh, beef-fteaks, ham, cheefe, &c. were ferved up; yet, notwith 1799.] Prefent State of Religion in France. notwithstanding the frequency of meat diet, partaken of four or five times a day, the fcurvy is not fo prevalent here as in Old England: a prefumptive proof, that the clearness of atmosphere, experienced throughout the United States, acts powerfully in the prevention of this disease. (To be concluded in our next.) To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. I SIR, MOST cordially agree in opinion with a correfpondent, who fubfcribes V. W. that the report of the Monthly Magazine, on the national inftitute of France, and the retrofpect of French lite rature, are articles peculiarly interefting and valuable; and this intereft is doubly enhanced by the confideration, that the real state of that country, and its improvements, from fome fage motives of bottle-conjuring policy, are attempted to be feduloufly withheld from the obfervation of the people of this country. In the first place, I fhall state the nature of my authority, that every one may judge of the degree of credibility to which it is entitled, and enjoy a fair opportu. nity to investigate, or even controvert it, which is the only method of opening the real path to truth, fuppofing that I have not yet difcovered it. I do not however hefitate to acknowledge my own conviction. My inquiries commenced, foon after the fortunate diffolution of the reign of terror, by the overthrow of the treacherous and felfifh Robespierre, when the republic beginning to affume a legal and fettled form, encouraged a return of confidence, and promoted, in a confiderable degree, the facilities of intercourfe; thefe enquiries have been attentively pursued to the prefent time, through the medium of travellers of neutral nations; some of them commercial, fome agricultural and literary, whom a laudable and useful curiofity attracted to the examination of a country, which had undergone fo wonder ful a metamorphofis. I have alfo ob tained confiderable information from feveral intelligent men of the later emigrès, who have relations or friends fettled under the republic; and from prifoners both English and Irish, who being confined in the inland parts of France, were in confequence under the neceffity of making journeys of fome length through the country. The particular queries are, ift. Has the recollection of the fuperftition and tyranny of their old church, produced the MONTHLY MAG. No. XLII. 129 fame effect on the bulk of the people, as the contemplation of it did upon their philofophers? Anfwer, Yes, that re collection is indelible with full nine parts in ten of the people of France. The philofophers have fucceeded most wonderfully and univerfally, in imbuing the public mind with their favourite principles. Congratulations on their efcape from ecclefiaftical fraud and tyranny, are very general, and are ufually accompanied with ftories of the religious and aristocratical cruelties of former days. As an example, take the following fact, which was related to me by an American gentle man. "Before the revolution, a perfon travelling in Franche Comptè, faw in a village near St. Cloude, at the door of a miferable hut, three guards armed with mufkets, and bearing a bandalier across their shoulders, with the arms of a dignitary of the church. These guards were striving to prevent a woman in tears, and four ragged children, from entering the door. The obferver fuppofed them officers of juftice, but was informed, that in the hut was a mainmortable,in the agonies of death, and that his wife and children were ftruggling with the guards to get to him, and catch his laft breath; but as his fur niture belonged to the Lord, it was the cuftom to drive away every one, leaft any part should be stolen." The ftories which one hears in France, of the violence formerly put upon the inclinations of young women, from interested motives, are incredible, for their number and atrocity. Nothing furely could be better contrived to ftifle the feelings of humanity than monaftic inftitutions. Query 2d. Is the number of French Proteftants increased, fince the revolution, or are they generally gone over to Deifm? Anfwer. Proteftantifm has decreased much, if it be not entirely obliterated; the little religion which remains in France, is the pure Roman Catholic, with an affected difplay of all the ancient mummery; which they imagine to be politic, in these times of total laxity in religious difcipline. Query 3d. Have any confiderable attempts been made to promote free enquiry with respect to religion, and to propagate the knowledge of pure Chrifliani'y? Anfwer. None at all, at leaft if any fuch have been or are made, they do not excite the finalleft intereft or curiofity. The French public, of every degree, are totally indifferent to the fubject, in all its branches; even books of infidelity have now no attraction, the public mind being R abfolutely abfolutely fatiated or rather furfeited therewith. The French affect to look upon all fyftems of religion as not only factitious, and burdenfome, but even fubverfive of good morals. I once liftened, with much attention, to the difcourfe of a clergyman of our church, who ufed all his rhetoric to convince a French Atheist of the truth and utility of the Chriftian religion. The anfwer of the republican was, as nearly as poffible, in the following remarkable words. "You cannot pretend, citizen, that juftice and morality depend folely on the Chriftian faith, fince they have, may, and do exift, where that exifts not, and even where that was never heard of; you can attach no merit to belief, which is involuntary, therefore indifferent; if you plead utility folely, you confefs fraud: as to the delicate line between Deifm and Atheism, you, who pretend to decide, commit the error, not the Atheist, who cannot be refponfible for the filence of Nature," I much fear the fun of Christianity has fet, never more to arife in France. The late revolution in France found the minds of a great majority of the upper ranks, nobleffe, minifters, lawyers, even clergy, with a no fmall minority of the inferior, in cities and towns, fully prepared to caft off the inconvenient retraints of religion. The diffolution of the authority of the old government, afforded the philofophic party that precious opportunity, they had fo long enthufiaftically defired, of diffeminating the principles of infidelity amongst the lower ranks. This was effected with a zeal and rapidity, of which our cool and deliberate brains in this country can have no conception, in deluges of pamphlets, books, and papers, from one farthing up to fixpence in price; and the poor, as it was at that time obferved, got rid of their religion at a very easy expence. No wonder that the extenfive circulation of thefe vehicles of moral inftruction, fo critically adapted to the temper of the times, had an aftonishing effect upon the minds of men, galled and irritated to madness, by the yoke of ecclefiaftical tyranny. It must be remarked too, that the French people have a great quickness and facility in the perception of abstract principles. Thus the lower people of France became philofophized, as well as their betters, and Christianity, became confined to La Vendée, and amongst the peafantry of the diftant provinces; even in thofe quarters it is lofing ground every day. There cannot be a more convincing proof of the general fury against religion, even in the early stages of the revolution, and the general intent of its final extirpation, than the horrid delapidation and deftruction, by the mobs, of nearly all facred edifices throughout France, when so many caftles, the objects alfo of their vengeance, were left untouched. The prevailing opinion amongst the fuperior people, and the literati, is, as heretofore, Atheism; or, as it is fometimes ftyled, Naturalism, or Fatalifin. The works of Volney have contributed much to the diffemination of fuch principles amongst the people; and probably it would not be too much to affert, that they are prevalent with the very loweft clafs. In proof of this, a variety of inftances, at different periods of the revolution, might be adduced. The chief attempts, either in favour of religion, or in counteraction of the popular Atheifin of the country, were made by the remaining members of the old clergy, who were enabled to ftep forward on the unlimited toleration which was decreed; and by Thomas Payne, as the apoftle, or head of the fect of the Theophilanthropifts. Great expectations were entertained at the first opening of the churches, which had been fhut fo long, and the fanguine Camille Jourdan flattered himfelf, and his friends on both fides the water, with the hopes of foon having the pleasure to liften to the merrieft peals of church bells throughout France. He and his bells, however, and the whole catholic fcheme, foon became the standing jest of the country, and that not in confequence of any adverfe force, but from the mere fpontaneous inclinations of the people. The churches, both in Paris and in`various parts of the country, were remarkably well filled at first; and fuch accounts were fent over to England, as to afford great hopes of a confiderable incipient change in the minds of the French; and, if authorities may be relied on, to attract confiderable fums to that country in fupport of the catholic miflion. The bubble, however, very foon burit; it appeared that the greater part of the congregations were actuated by no better motives than curiofity, or even ridicule; the places of worship fhortly became deferted; many priests, who had been promifed cures of fouls in the country, finding no fouls to cure, fortunately changed their plan, and undertook to cure the foil of the original curfe of barrennefs: they turned farmers and republicans, and fucceeded. From that period, Religion, or as they ftyle it, Fana. time, has been conftantly on the decline. Payne Payne has had very little better fuccefs than Camille Jourdan and his friends. The fect of Theophilanthropists has never extended beyond Paris, at leaft not in any degree to deferve mention; and there it has ever been confined to a few unimportant (and as I have heard them called) Quakerly individuals. I believe PAYNE has rather loft ground in the popular eftimation from this act of apoftleship. His fermon obtained little notice at Paris, but procured him the character of a limited reafoner. It has fucceeded better in England, and is much valued by that party among us called Democrats. In fine, one of the most striking features in the French character, from the commencement of the revolution to the present time, has been a total indifference to, or rather rooted contempt of, religion of every feet or party and this prejudice has been purely fpontaneous, for, from the first, the zeal of the Sanfculottes against every thing generally held facred, has even outstripped that of the philofo phers, their leaders. No force can be alledged, for provided a man does not dip himfelf in political and counter-revolutionary intrigues, he may profefs, and openly practice, any religion which he fhall chufe, with as much fafety in Paris as elsewhere, and may publish and recommend it to the people unmolested. Some religious books in confequence have been published, but they have met with even lefs attention, than infidel publications are wont to do in that country. It has been obferved, that the elderly people of France have rather relaxed in their devotions, and that the difficulty is fo great of educating their children in the belief and profeffion of revealed religion in a country almoft univerfally infidel, that the attempt begins to be given up, almoft in every part, as abfolutely impracticable. A Chriftian of the Church of England. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, I BEG leave to return you my thanks for the infertion of my letter in the Magazine for December, and to your correfpondent of laft month, for his anfwer. I muft again trouble you and him, or fome other friend, for a further account of the articles in queftion. I cannot but think that the rape mentioned in the Mid-Lothian Report, is not the fame 66 with that known in the Fen by the name of colefeed; there it comes into ufe about the fame time and lafts as long as turnips, but, I believe, it is never referved for fpring feed, and indeed it cannot be depended on as a certain fpring food, as this winter it is almoft destroyed and rotted by the froft; fo much fo, that the grounds are hardly paffable, from the very ftrong fmell as it putrifies. Your correfpondent recommends drawing it off for the ftock, but I would ask him if this be neceffary: will it not be much more profitable to cultivate turnips on foils that are trong, clayey, and deep," and draw them off? On fuch land, with proper cultivation, they will grow to a great fize, efpecially the tankard fort, and I fhould fuppofe, would yield more food per acre, than colefeed, or colewort: and another advantage attending turnips drawn off is, that if taken up at a fit time, and carefully ftacked and defended from the froft, they will keep two or three months; whereas a quantity of rape, or colewort, laid together,, muft heat and putrify, fo that if the crop must be drawn off, I am decidedly of opinion, that turnips are beft. But I want to know, what good fubftitute we can have for turnips on ftrong, deep, clayey land, where, in wet weather, sheep will fand up to the bocks? This year I have had cole feed, the common Norfolk white, and the Swedish turnip (ruta baga). The colefeed was used by Chriftmas, and though very bad eating off, the fheep did not go on amifs; the white turnips were remarkably large and fine; the Swedish are now perfectly found. They were all fowed in the fame piece of ftrong, deep, clayey loam, containing about 45 clay, 30 calcareous earth, and 25 fand. I am inclined to believe, from 120 100 100 the little experience I have had, that the Swedish turnip alone, can be depended on for fpring food for fheep; and I alfo think that the best mode of cultivation, is to fow them early (fome time in May), let the ground be well hoed when the plants are large enough to bear it, and fet out about ten inches, and give them a flight hoeing after the common turnips are finifhed (for by being fown early, they require this); they may be stacked when the common ones are done; and, I think, that in general, it is better not to attempt a crop of barley after them, but instead, fow white turnips to come in early; they will do without dreffing, be very free from weeds, and, if fed off, will enfure a good crop of barley. With respect to carrots, I have no doubt BY HIMSELF. I am not unwilling to flatter women : it is doing them a kindness at a cheap rate. I have naturally a great anxiety for the [Tranflated from his posthumous works just pub- profperity and honour of my country, lifhed at Paris.] I AM of fo happy a temperament, that I have fenfibility enough to receive all the pleasure which the objects that furround me can afford; but not enough to be fufceptible of all the mortification and forrow they give to others. Vexation is very little known to me; and I am a ftill greater ftranger to littlefsnefs of fpirit. I have ambition enough to take an active part in life; but not fo much as to be diffatisfied with the ftation in which fortune has placed me. When I difcover any new fource of pleafure, I am extremely moved; and am inftantly furprized, that I could overlook the object, or regard it with indif ference. When I was a youth, I was always fo fortunate as to perfuade myself that the woman I loved was partial to me; and when I happened to be undeceived, to be inftantaneously cured of my paffion. Literature is with me a never failing remedy for all the ills of life; nor did I ever know what that forrow was which an hour's reading could not diffipate. I awaken in the morning with a fecret joy at feeing the dawn; I regard the light with a feeling approaching to extacy; and, during the reft of the day, I am happy. I pals the night without awaking, and am afleep the moment I lay down my head. I am almoft as well fatisfied with the company of fools as of the wife; for I have not often met with men fo dull as not to amuse me, and there are few things as diverting as fome filly people are. I make no fcruple to entertain myself with fecretly obferving the characters of men, permitting them meanwhile to do the fame with mine. When I was a novice, I looked up to the great with veneration; experience foon changed my fentiments, with little exception, to the extreme of contempt. and very little for my own fame. I always feel a fecret pleafure when any re gulation happens to be made for the pub benefit. Whenever I have refided in a foreign country, I have attached my (elf to it as to my native land; my heart has shared in its fortunes, and I have longed to fee it flourish. I have thought I perceived talents where the world has formed a contrary opinion. I am not forry to pafs for an abfent man; I can thus with impunity indulge in a neglect of many little forms, to which otherwife I must have been a flave. I love to vifit where I can escape cenfure with my ordinary conversation and manners. On vifits, I am always charmed when I find one of the company take upon himfelf the trouble of being gay and entertaining. Such a one protects thofe that chufe to be filent. Nothing diverts me more than to hear a man relating petty stories with all their petty circumftances. It is not the tale I attend to, but the ridiculous paffion of the fpeaker. As to moft talkers, indeed, I would rather gratify them with my praife than my attention. I love my family fufficiently to provide every thing in my power for its welfare, but am not fo foolish as to make myself a flave to the minute affairs of a house. When I confide in any one, I have no referves; but there are few in whom I am inclined to confide. It has given me no high opinion of myfelf, to perceive that there are very few offices in the ftate for which I am in reality qualified. As to my station as prefident of the parliament, I have a very upright mind, and I can readily enough difcover what reafon demands of me; but I am loft, when I come to afk myselfWhat is the decifion of the law? Yet, I have been anxious to make myself mafter of |
