with his portable shop, in shining oil skin, holding the samples of his art, and all his eloquence exerted to recommend them; - to him, indeed, or even to the traveller, who, from pride or modesty, is averse to ask any questions at all, or even to speak to strangersto all such my plan will appear worse than fanciful-formidable, impracticable, imperti pent. No matter! for one person who has received my converse with rudeness, or repulsed my inquiry with a yet more sullen silence,though even these things, I know, make up the character of the English to foreigners, -it has helped me, frequently, to discover worth, genius, and benevolence, where none of those travellers would ever have found it; and, in the various countries I have passed, has even endeared to my recollection many an humble cot, and lowly path-way, with many an object to share it, all of which, but for the inquisitive disposition to explore them, would, to me, at least, have "wasted their sweetness on the desert air:" and, not seldom, has it given me opportunity to recommend "such of their sequestered in

nabitants, as wanted, and deserved relief, to protection more powerful than my own.

Nor is it necessary to acquire these best delights of the traveller by the means either of curiosity, or of obtrusion, They are procured without exertion, and are, indeed, the natural, the inevitable consequences and rewards of those passing courtesies mentioned in my last letter. The artisan at his work, the labourer at his meal, the youth at his sports, the veteran resting on his crutch, or seated on the bench of his porch to catch the vital spirit of the noon-beam, the maid or matron at her wheel beside the door, or the now busy and now vacant landlord, whose whole stock of intelligence you purchase by a small portion of his own eloquent ale or good spirits, are all sources of information; and, taken as they happen to present themselves to your view, will not only prove the faithful historians of the place, but they will, generally, look upon your entering with them into the urbanities of discourse, - the matter and manner being not repulsive, -as a kindness which entitles you to theirs in return.

"He that questioneth much shall gain much;" said the profound Bacon, "but espe. cially if he apply his questions to the skill of the persons whom he asketh; for he shall give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge."

Thus, too, you gain not only genuine opinions, and an insight into the characters or persons absent, the estimate each man holds in the mind of his fellow-villager or townsman, but of the reporters, who give you a hasty, perhaps, but strong drawn, frequently humourous, almost always sincere, sketch of themselves — of their characters, manners, habits of thinking, and modes of expression.

an

Suffer me to illumine these remarks example drawn from immediate objects. An English landlord, though not so officious a personage as one of the old France- perhaps courtesy, in the new, is unrepublican-is far more expert than the same sort of character in Germany. Mine host of Hillington has been liberal of his knowledge and civility — both

of which he dispensed in the following manner, without charging these articles in his bill — As I was drawing on my gloves at the outward door of his house he thus began:

You are disposed I see, Sir, for a walk in our bit of a village. Except our Hall, there is nothing worth seeing, nor that much, for itself.

And what is the name of the Owner?

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Sir Martin Folkes, a very worthy gentlemanmy house is his observe the sign, Sir-Hillington-Hall, and a good Hall it is, for rich and for poor and there goes Sir Martin-and that's his daughter, as good as himself. —Not such a fortune, Sir, as our Mr. Coke, and our Marquis Townsend, or the new Lord of Houghton; but has as good a heart as any of them, and that is saying a bold word for our Baronet too.

Pleased with report thus far, I thanked my reporter, and passed on to the stable, where a man was rubbing down a friend, whom I never forget.

I am not the hostler, Sir, says the man, but

I lend him a hand, such as it is, when he is out

of the way; he is gone into the field for our Sir Martin-make hay while the sun shines, you know, Sir, such weather as this; but for that matter, were it deep of winter, who would not work up to his chin in water for our Sir Martin.

This Sir Martin bears a good name among you then?

I will tell you how you shall have him at once and as true as this is a whisp of straw;

for, old as I am, there is not a he or she in the parish have ever caught me in a lie. As to Sir Martin then, I will, as I said, tell you how you shall have him at once, and do the needful to this poor beast of yours at the same time. I

can talk and work all under one.

He twisted a fresh whisp, and rubbed away. In the first place, Sir Martin is a man remarkably good at Justizeing.

What, he sends some of you to the Stocks and House of Correction?

You shall hear: if any of our Farmers are hard and heavy on a poor man, he will see him