and free would certainly be, in France, the greatest of all innovations. Permit me, Madam, to beg that you would present my most affectionate compliments to all your family, to Mr. Guyot and to Mr. Gautier, to whom I hope to have the pleasure of writing by the next post. I have the honour to be, with the sincerest respect and affection, Madam, Yours, &c. SAMUEL ROMILLY. LETTER XLIX. Madam, TO THE SAME. London, Feb. 27. 1789. does me great injustice in supposing that the late situation of our affairs, or indeed any possible situation of them, could make me forget your family. It has not been forgetfulness, but the fear of tiring you, which has prevented my writing sooner. Perhaps I may still have that to fear, but even at so great a risk, I cannot any longer delay telling you the pleasure I always feel in hearing from you. Our situation in England begins to wear a very happy appearance. The King, if not quite recovered, is very nearly so. There will be no regency, and consequently no change of ministry. The joy which has taken place throughout the nation is very sincere and very general: it is not, however, universal. A number of persons had made themselves sure of coming into great and lucrative offices, and of long enjoying them: these have now waked from their dream of grandeur, and find themselves condemned still to toil on in an unsuccessful opposition. I quite concur with Miss D in her judgment of the King of Prussia's letters. It is certain that the King every where gives his philosophical correspondents indirect lessons of toleration and forbearance. The historical parts of his works, though certainly not written in the proper style for history, are very instructive. The description he gives of his own desolated dominions at the end of that war of seven years in which he reaped so much glory, seems better calculated to inspire mankind with a detestation of war than any arguments or any elo quence. Gray's letters I have never read since they were first published; but I remember at that time being very much delighted with them; and particularly with some fragments of poems which are nearly equal to his finished performances. I cannot say that I am acquainted with the Abbé de Mably's Observations on the History of France, although I have bought them, for I have not yet had time to look into them. I entertain much more respect for the Abbé de Mably's memory on account of his private character, than his literary talents. I have never much admired any thing I have read of his, not even his famous Entretiens de Phocion. If this letter were by any accident to fall into Mr. Gautier's hands, I fear it would quite ruin me in his good opinion. May I beg of you, Madam, when you see him, to assure him that however erroneous my judgment may be with respect to others, it is very just with respect to himself, and that I always entertain the warmest friendship for him. But it is time for me to put an end to this letter; permit me to do it with the most earnest assurances of the respect and attachment with which I am, &c. SAMUEL ROMILLY. LETTER L. TO THE SAME. Abergavenny, April 18. 1789. I write to you, Madam, from a place, the name of which is, I fancy, hardly known to you. It is a little town on the borders of Wales, which I have hurried to from the circuit in order to pass a week with my sister. She has lately come hither for the sake of her children's breathing the pure air which blows from the Welch mountains, and enjoying the pleasures which this beautiful country affords. It is the most beautiful that I have seen in England, or any where else, except in Switzerland. Indeed, it very much resembles some parts of Switzerland, but every thing is on a smaller scale; the mountains are less high, the rocks less craggy, and the torrents less rapid. The valleys are perfectly Swiss, and are enchanting: scattered over with villages and farm houses, and portioned out into a multitude of small fields, they bespeak a happy equality of property, and transport one back in idea to the infancy of society. You will easily imagine that, at this time of the year, I cannot have seen this country to its greatest advantage. We have had a very long winter; it has quitted us little more than a week ago, and though the summer has burst upon us all at once, yet the trees are but just beginning to put out their leaves; and, though the outline of the landscape may be seen, all its colouring, except the rich verdure of the fields, is wanting. But the most beautiful objects in this country, and which are in a great degree independent of the season, are the health, the cheerfulness, and the contentment which appear on the countenances of the inhabitants. The poor people here have a custom which I never knew observed any where else, and which is very poetical, and very affecting. Once a year (on Palm Sunday) they get up early in the morning, and gather the violets and primroses, and the few other flowers which at this season are to be found in the fields, and with their little harvest they hasten to the churchyard, and strew the flowers over the graves of their nearest relations. Some arrange their humble tribute of affection in different forms with a great deal of taste. The young girls, who are so fortunate as never to have lost any near relation or any friend, exert themselves that the tombs of the strangers who have died in the village, at a distance from all who knew them, may not be left unhonoured; and hardly a grave appears without some of these affectionate ornaments. I came here soon after this ceremony had been observed, and was surprised on walking through a churchyard, to find in it the appearance of a garden; and to see the flowers withering each in the place in which it had been fixed. I have been the more delighted with my excursion hither, from the contrast it forms to the noise, the hurry, the crowd, and the contentions of the courts I have just quitted. What would I not have given to have been able to transport your family hither; to have enjoyed their company in this charming spot; and to have had the pleasure of introducing my sister to you! But all that is impossible. I am very much indebted to Miss D for the news which she sends me respecting French politics, in which I take the greatest interest. The question respecting the abolition of the slave trade is to be discussed, in about ten days time, in the House of Commons; and I am happy to find that those who are concerned in the trade begin to be very seriously alarmed. The society, which has so strenuously exerted itself to procure the abolition of the trade, wrote a letter, some time ago, to Mr. Necker, to entreat that he would endeavour to procure the concurrence of the French government with that of England in so laudable an enterprise. Mr. Necker's answer was very flattering to them, but gave them so little reason to hope for the concurrence of France, that they thought it advisable not to publish it. The King of Spain is giving additional encouragement to the trade; and the argument which is used with most force here, and indeed the only argument from which any thing can be feared, is that, by our abolishing the trade, we shall give no relief to the negroes, but only transfer to our neighbours the advantages which we derived from that com |