nervous debility, by the aid of spirits; many of these have begun the use of these poisons from persuasion of their utility, rather than from the love of them; the relief, however, being temporary, to keep up their effects, frequent accefs is had to the same delusion, till at length what was taken by compulsion, gains attachment, and a little drop of brandy, or gin and water, becomes as necessary as food; the female sex, from natural delicacy, acquire this custom by slow degrees, and the poison being admitted in small doses, is slow in its operations, but not lefs painful in its effects.

"The soberer clafs of tradesmen, also, who occasionally indulge in their sixpenny-worth of brandy and water, gradually slide into the same unhappy habits, and entail upon their constitutions the same misery, which I shall now introduce.

"The first appearance of indisposition very much resembles what has been last described; and under the decep-tion of the gout, the fuel is heaped upon the fire, till the delusion has been too long maintained to admit of retreat in general, at least the attachment to the use of spirituous drinks, becomes so predominant, that neither threats nor persuasions are powerful enough to overcome it. The miserable sufferer is so infatuated, as, in spite of locks and keys, to bribe by high rewards the dependent nurse privately to procure it.

"But the concluding symptoms are very different from either of the foregoing histories; frequently, indeed, the appetite for food vanishes, but sometimes continues voraci, ous; and, at the same time, whilst the body is costive, and no vomiting ensues, the lower extremities grow more and more emaciated; the legs become as smooth as polished ivory, and the soles of the feet even glafsy and. shining, and at the same time so tender, that the weight of the finger excites fhrieks and moaning; and yet I have known,

July 18 that, in a moment's time, heavy prefsure has given no uneasiness. The legs, and the whole lower extremities, lose all power of action; wherever they are placed, there they remain till moved again by the attendant; the arms and hands acquire the same palsified state, and the patients are rendered incapable of feeding themselves. Thus for years they exist, with no material alteration in the seize of the body, or aspect of the countenance.

"Whether they really undergo the agonies they appear to suffer, I much doubt, as at this period their minds appear idiotish; they often fhriek out with a vehemence that may be heard at a considerable distance, but upon inquiring about the seat of pain, they have been vague and indecisive in their answers. When a cramp comes on the lower extremities, involuntary motions draw up the legs, and produce the most piercing fhrieks; and the features of the face, altered by convulsive twitchings, excite pain in a spectator. For some months before they die, these fhrieks are more incefsant, and as violent as the strength will admit."

After some other observations, which we are sorry our limits prevent us from inserting, the author remarks, that "there is something i spirituous liquors so injurious to the human frame, that too much attention cannot be paid to the discouraging the use of them. Many of the unhappy victims I have attended, ascribe their suffering to the unguarded advice of some medical practitioner, who has, under the idea of wine turning sour on the stomach, permitted a little drop of brandy and water to be substituted. Seldom, indeed, a day passes without introducing me to the sick bed of some deluded object of misery; and it is from the most decided conviction of the injury, that I would guard every person from beginning with even a little drop of this fascinating poison, which once admitted, is seldom, if ever, afterwards overcome. Whenever I hear the patient plead for some substitute for beer or wine, un

1

der the supposition of their turning sour, my fears are alarmed, and my endeavours excited, to pluck the unsuspicious patient from the brink of destruction; this plea is never made till the exhilarating influence of spirit has been experienced; and not a moment fhould be lost in warning such objects of their danger."

Our benevolent author goes on to point out the most practicable means of gradually weaning such as have not gone too far, from the use of this pernicious beverage, and of accustoming the stomach to bear the use of wholesome food;-but seldom can this be practised.-Obstinate habits cannot be counteracted:-The safest plan in this case is to guard against the evil, and to fly from the temp tation before its fascinating power has been experienced.

SIR,

EXTRACTS FROM COXE's TRAVELS.

will

To the Editor of the Bee. THE extracts sent you formerly, and those that follow, be well known to many of your readers; to others of them they will not. The former I hope will excuse the insertion of these for the sake of the latter.

"The peasants in Rufsia. Mr Coxe says, are first those that belong to the crown. Many of these the empress has enfranchised, and allowed them, with others of the second class who may obtain their freedom, which is not easily done, to settle in any part of her dominions, and to enrøll themselves among the burghers or merchants, according to their respective capitals; by which fhe has given a stability to their freedom, and afforded the strongest incitements to industry.

"The second clafs are those who belong to individuals., These are as much the property of the landholders as implements of agriculture or herds of cattle. The lord is restrained by no law, either in the exaction of money or

in the mode of employing his vafsals. He is absolute master of their time and labour; some he employs in agriculture, a few he makes his menial servants, and from others he exacts an annual payment. Some contribute four or five fhillings a year, others who are engaged in traffic or trade are assessed in proportion to their supposed profits. I saw a mason who was rated at L. 6 per annum, a smith at L. 12, and others as high L. 25. Any capital which they may have acquired by their industry, may be seized, and there can be no redress; as, according to the old feudal law, which still exists, a slave cannot institute a process against his master. Hence it occasionally happens that several peasants who have gained a large capital, cannot purchase their liberty for any sum, because they are subject as long as they continue slaves to be pillaged by their masters.

"The vafsals who work for their masters generally receiving their maintenance, always enjoy in a sufficient: abundance the common necefsaries of life, and usually spend any little money they are able to acquire in clothes or spirituous liquors. Those who, in contradiction to this general rule, save the profits which they may have earned by their labour or by trade, conceal as much as possible any acquisition of fortune, and frequently bury their money under ground, this is one of the causes of the scarcity of silver currency.

66

By the new code of laws the enormous power of the lord over the persons of his vafsals, is reduced by restric tions, more consonant to the humane principles which distinguish all the regulations of the present emprefs; and the right of inflicting punishment is lodged, where it ever ought to be, in the hands of the public magistrate; abuses, however, still subsist, but must in time yield to the influence of such salutary institutions.

"I am far from afserting, proceeds our author, that inhumanity is the general characteristic of the Rufsian nobility, or that there are not many persons who treat their

vafsals with the utmost benevolence and justice. I am also aware that several peasants are in such a flourishing condition as to have formed very considerable capitals without dread of exaction; and that some even pofsels landed estates under their master's name; but if we consider the unhappy pleasure which too many feel in tyrannising over their inferiors, we have every reason to conclude that the generality of boors must still be cruelly oppressed.

"A peasant may obtain his liberty, first, by manumifsion, which, upon the death of the master, is frequently granted to those who have served in the capacity of his immediate domestic; second by purchase *; third by serving in the army or navy,—after entering either of these they are for ever free from their masters; and in all these cases the emprefs has facilitated the means of obtaining freedom by waving certain rights of the crown, which in some measure obstructed the acquisition of liberty, and she has issued several laws in their favour, which have given them some alleviation of their bondage.

"I was surprised to find upon inquiry that no noble in Rufsia had franchised his vafsals, in the same manner as I before mentioned to have been practised in Poland; but I may venture to predict that the time is not far distant, although an almost general prejudice seems at present to prevail with respect to the incapacity of the peasants for receiving their liberty. And this perhaps may be true in the literal sense, as many of them, unless properly instructed, would scarcely be enabled to derive a solid advantage from their freedom.

"In

consequence of a a present of a thousand ducats sent in 1766 by an anonymous person, to the economicals ociety at St Peterburgh, and at the desire of the said person, the soci

This must depend on the will of the master who may pillage them if he has a mind, as is said above.