that to whatever ftudies they applied their minds, enjoying fo rich a vein of natural endowments, they excelled in wit and ingenuity any other of the western nations;" or Warrington, when he laments the natural levity of the Welsh? and traces the ruin of their national independence and exiftence to precipitate measures repugnant to every principle of found policy, to a weak credulity, and a temper hafty and impetuous, the leading qualities of the Britons? The genius, the abilities of a nation are formed, as well as their moral characters or difpofitions, by the circumftances in which they are placed. The rural and paftoral life of the Welfh, the fcenery of their country, their continual wars with ftrangers, all these circumstances contributed to aroufe every feeling of the heart, and to exercise and animate the paffions: Hence the fenfibility of the Welsh to mufic, to poetry, to devotion, to the ties of confanguinity and friendship. But to extended enterprize, invention, and improvement of every kind, to projects of commerce, to invention in arts and sciences, that noble freedom and expanfion of foul is neceffary, which refult only from independence of government. It is not often that we meet with a sublime and daring genius in a nation depreffed and overawed by a more powerful and hoftile neighbour. A nation may be circumferibed in territory and few in numbers, yet it may rife to all that is noble in human nature, if it be, in these refpects, on an equal footing with its neighbours. Thus we meet with excellence of every kind in the small republics of Greece. But we meet with nothing great in Portugal fince it fell into a dependence on Spain; or, which is the fame thing, into dependence on Great-Britain for protection against Spain. Ireland has given birth to men that have become warriors, and philofophers, and politicians, under the aufpices, as it were, of Eng land, France, and Spain: but it is only in the prefent period, when the is poffeffed of independence, that fhe begins to rear great men as well as to breed them.-WALES has never produced many men distinguished, either by arts or arms. A Lord Herbert of Cherburry might be an exception in former times, as a Price is in the prefent, to this general obfervation. But certain it is, that the neceflity the Welsh were under of struggling pro aris et focis, while they exifted as an independent nation, prevented them from attaining to any eminence either in literature or philofophy, or the inferior pursuits of arms, commerce, and mechanical arts. Nor have they, as yet, fince their in See this hiftory paffim, particularly page 41. corporation corporation with England, brought forth any fruits worthy of the tree into which they have been ingrafted. This is certainly a fact; but our author, either in complaifance to the Welsh nation, or from inattention, has neglected to mention this fact, or to enquire into its cause. It was anciently the cuftom of European kings and conquerors to make a partition of their dominions among their children, or other defcendants and favourites. The great Charlemagne made a partition of his extenfive empire. The great Roderic therefore might, without forfeiting all title to that appellation, make a divifion of his dominions. This divifion he in fact made; and it was, as our author obferves, "the fource of civil diffenfions and natural weakness, and was foon the cause of a decline in patriotism, and of a striking barbarity in manners; a series of evils, which at length occafioned the ruin of the state, and fcarcely ended with the conqueft of the Welfh, and the lofs of their political existence." [To be continued. ] ART. II. The Night Cap. By Mr. Mercier, 2 vols. 12mo. 6s. Hookham, 1785. London. IT T is perhaps contrary to rule to give a diffufive account of a tranflation, after having reviewed the original. The following article is however from a different member of our corps; and it may perhaps be entertaining to the reader, to compare fentiments formed independently of each other, respecting the work of fo celebrated an author. The merits of Mr. Mercier are generally known. The bold delineator of manners and police, who has ventured to unfold the miseries of defpotifm in the very centre of their reign, and to point out with equal spirit and energy the unequivocal bleffings of freedom, is entitled to the patronage and regard of mankind. The volumes before us bear evident marks of the fame hand. Under a title fingular and ludicrous, they prefent us with the fpeculations of their author upon a thousand fubjects. His mifcellany is formed upon the most comprehenfive plan. Paftorals, fables, vifions, tales, fpeculations and criticifm, conftitute fome part of the variety of this anomalous publication. Willing to enable the reader to judge for himself of the entertainment he will derive from its perufal, we will present him with a few examples. The panegyric made by Our our author, upon the country life, affords us as unequivocal marks of the fenfibility of his mind, as the defcriptive powers of his imagination. It is only the powerful and fecret charm of the country, which has a conftant and univerfal influence over the heart of man; the increase of luxury vainly attempts to ufurp this power; toilfome preparatives, brilliant, yet dull,, imperfect in their confequences, they leave a void behind them, a fomething to be wished for, after the combined endeavours of artifts. The country, plain, but magnificent, has more inexhauftible attractions; its fmiling features are reproduced as we view them; its advantages multiplying according to the knowledge we acquire of them; and the mind, whofe expectations were not fatisfied with the pomp of courts, the bustle of entertainments and artificial decorations, deliciously reposes in the beautiful and solitary retreats of nature. It is there man can filently contemplate on himself, enjoy himself, fet a true value on his time and existence, fill up days that would be fpent elsewhere with foolish prodigality. Difburdened of the troublefome weight of business, removed from the constraint and folicitude of focieties, he is no longer troubled with the inward difquietude which preys on ambition, pursuing that phantom fortune in the putrid air of cities; he experiences the ferenity, the tranquil, folid repofe, the offsfpring of free nature. It is by this he finds affluence in ease, wisdom in moderation, the bleffings of time in his occupation, and, in a word, enjoyment without fubfequent repentance. Unhappy is the man who, corrupted by the hurry of cities, thinks the country dull and filent! certainly the feeds of good are fmothered in his breaft. The country fpeaks eloquently to the found mind; it. appears animated to the feeling heart; it preferves peace of mind, and even restores it when disturbed; it diffipates mean and haughty paffions, the torments of men in the buftle of life, and calms the violent convulfions concupifcence infpires. The country is the parent of virtuous fentiments; and, independent of the natural advantages it procures, fuch as wholesome food, tranquillity, pure air, which reftore or improve health, it has many remarkable moral advantages; the more hameful vices avoid of themselves that afylum where the woods, the graffy verdure, the fields, the blooming hedges, feem formed for fimple tafte and peaceful virtue. The country! the poets have fung it, the painters have transmitted it on canvas, philofophers have extolled it! more happy the man who, enamoured with its attractions, contemplates it, knows how to enjoy its various treasures, and preserve his morals pure, refpiring the balfamic fragrant air, and every morning treading the odoriferous plants. Who has not felt the neceflity of vifiting the country, at least on the return of fine weather, when the tender green turf, the early melody of birds, the active rays of the fun haften vegetation, and call upon the most indifferent being to admire the hidden hand that spreads the tufted grafs, unfolds the shoots, furnishes the trees with buds impatient to to be opened, and which will foon adorn the leaves with fruit and flowers? ⚫ Enchanting picture! O fpectacle, more interefting than all which art can offer! How pleafing it is to gather the first banquet of violets by the fide of a ferpentine rivulet, gently watering the moffy ground; and to have the foot moiftened with the fresh and sparkling dew at the dawn of a fine day in fpring, and the feries of fine days that are to come to perpetuate the innocent pleasures of man! It is in the country that writers acquire more elevated and sublime ideas, become more energetic and moving; it is there that generous works are compofed, that is to fay, those relative to the plan of public happiness. In the country our thoughts are neceffarily led to the largeft portion of the human race; they are vifible, they are prefent before our eyes, bending under the yoke, and labouring at the first works of neceffity, thofe primitive works, which ever awaken and recal fimple ideas, productive of great ones; whilft in cities the arts, perhaps too refined in our time, purfue the niceties of form, to attract and please, for a moment, the forrowful eye of the wealthy. • In populous cities they write voluptuous romances, light elegant verfes, and comedies in an affected ftile; but the Natural Hiftory, the Hiftory of the Commerce of both the Indies, and all thofe grand compofitions, which do honour to the prefent age, feem to be produced under the happy influence of hamlets, and the waving fhade of forefts. Could cities furnish, in their narrow bounds, thofe ravishing scenes which are fo bountiful to the poet's pen, and more fo to the philofopher's meditations, when the ruddy clouds melt and embrace the lofty circular heads of the talleft trees, when the sparkling rays difplay, by their prodigious refrangibility, all the dazzling pomp of the fun; when the light, increafing its ardent fire, fwiftly transforms one landscape into another, by the ardent vigour of its tints; when meadows, in thofe rapid moments, are metamorphofed even to the proprietor's eye, who ftands aftonished, and fcarcely recognifes the place the foft mild ray of dawn enlightened; fo forcibly is the magic of thofe ftriking lively colours, fuch a magnificent and no lefs admirable diverfity does it imprint on the fame objects! And at night, when the tranquil lake reflects the filver face of the moon and brilliant ftars; when the light clouds that furround it pass like moving images, on the clear furface of the waters beneath the contemplator's feet; when he hears the lengthened cry of the night bird; then he fees the fmooth but trembling lake reproduce the fresh landfcape around him; where could he meet fuch complete repose, íuch foft tranquillity? where can he fo well feel the voluptuous fentiment of an indefinite reverie ? In the morning, when the atmosphere is clear, when the filver clouds are scattered over the horizon, like woolly fleeces, he fees the labourer already in the field preffing the plough fhare, breaking the clod, and marking out the deep and ftraight furrow from whence the golden harvest is to rife; he fmiles with joy at the feeds of fertility, confided" to the maternal bofom of the earth. • Tell Tell the blind infenfate, that this husbandman, by daily renewing his labour, gains the nobleft conquefts over nature, aud contributes more than any other to the splendour, profperity, vigour, and life of the state, by producing the principal objects of neceffity and yet he is depreffed by idle and infolent arrogance; his laborious hands, that fteer the plough and wield the nourishing fpade, are debased and banished to the very loweft clafs of fociety. Were it not for those callous hands, dearth, poverty, famine, and forrow, would devour the great in their fumptuous palaces. But fuch is the incredible injuftice, fuch the abfurdity of man, that to be useful to him is to be unworthy in his fight, • Manual labour, the firft exercife of man, the facred employment of the ancient patriarchs, ordained by the Almighty himself; labour, the only power on earth that can vivify and put idle matter in motion, is looked upon as a difgraceful employment in our degenerate days; while the unjust financier, the cruel foldier, the indolent citizen, dares to take precedency over the man who, by giving the first motion to the fap, has more just observations in his head, and more hospitable virtues. in his heart, than those who view him with disdain: a disdain which can only here be repaid with contempt; for that kind of disdain ought to be confidered with the greatest justice, as the laft ftage of human frenzy. The hufbandman, who affects only an equality, does not go to the door of a courtier to beg an employment, nor expofe himfelf to the infulting ridicule of a clerk in office, the infidious difpenfer of favours he has purchased by the meanest acts; he knows the earth will supply his wants, and he is attached to her all-nourishing bosom. -Alas! what will the vain and haughty beings, who, decorated with the livery of luxury, and are its perpetual flaves, fet up in oppofition do they dare think themselves fuperior to him: what, alas! will they fet up? Too well we learn from experience, idlenefs, vice, and crimes. 6 Philofophical writers have never been guilty of arrogant disdain,. the crime of opulence; they have all unanimously exclaimed, immortal bonour to facred agriculture! They have always revered it in their writings; the plough has been a hallowed object with them. They. have celebrated princes that handled it with pomp and folemnity on certain annual feftivals. Virgil, even in the court of Auguftus, has described the harrow, the mattock, the fpade, the rake, the plough which lays the earth equally on both fides; and all the writers, whom I ftile munificent, have preferred the implements of ruftic fimplicity to all the ornaments of luxury and favour, that the corruption of morals and the arts could offer. Those judicious interpreters of the public voice will be held in greater efteem as the world becomes more enlightened; they had the courage to celebrate, with all their powers, the labours of agriculture; they who have restored dignity to the grey-headed man, who during fixty years procured raiment and fubfiftence to his equals, and, as an additional benefit, has given his country his own children for hardy, and tractable foldiers Muft not this countryman appear to be, in the view of a philofopher, after fo many facrifices, labours and fatigues, |
