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THE

EUROPEAN MAGAZINE,

AND

LONDON REVIEW;

FOR APRIL, 1784.

For the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.

SIR

WILLIAM AVING been disappointed of a memoir

miled, and which we ftill hope to receive, we must poftpone until a future opportunity entering into a detail of his life and literary tranfactions. We fhall therefore briefly obferve, that he is a native of North-Britain, and has diftinguished himself as well in the political as in the polite world, and equally as a politician, a philofopher, and a man of letters. His refidence at Naples has given him an opportunity of observing the extraor dinary phænomena of that country; and his munificence and politenefs have done honour to the Sovereign he reprefents. Few

HAMILTON.

perfons of any rank, who have travelled into

William Hamilton; and fcarce any return to England but are profufe in their acknowledgments of favours conferred. With the courage of the elder Pliny, but with better fortune, he has explored the terrific fcenes of devaftation which Ætna and Vefuvius have of late years prefented; fcenes which appal the brave to view, and which the timorous fhudder even to contemplate. We could enlarge on the public and private virtues of this accomplished Gentleman; but as we have hopes of a more enlarged account, we muft refer to a subsequent month.

For the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE.

The POLITICAL STATE of the NATION, and of EUROPE, in MARCH 1784.

THE

No. "HE political events of the prefent month have neither been numerous nor ftriking. A ceffation of public bufinefs, in this country, has taken place an interregnum in the fenate, which reflects more honour on the fpirit and magnanimity of the nation, than the highest fuccefs of fleets or armies, or the eftablishment of the most extenfive plans of policy. The Houfe of Commons, the preponderating power in the British Conftitution, has been annihilated, and its Members forced to mingle with and feek protection from those very men on whose rights they fought to trample; an event which the lofty spirit of independence beholds with equal complacency and delight. Even a Prince of the Houfe of Bourbon*, when he beheld the conduct of the electors of Westminster, must, for a while,

II.

have forgotten his high defcent, to contemplate the majesty of British subjects.

From the returns that have already been made, it appears, that the fenfe of the people runs strongly in favour of the New Ministry. Mr. Pitt will fit down in the enfuing Parlia ment with a powerful majority at his back. It is, however, unfortunate, that the hopes that are univerfally entertained from Mr. Pitt's virtue and abilities are fo extravagant; for circumstances muft inevitably occur, in the courfe of his Miniftry, that will disappoint fuch aerial expectations; new laws of commerce must be paffed, and new taxes must be impofed. It is probable, therefore, that new parties may at length arife. In the mean time, the Rockingham intereft in Yorkshire is broken: the power of coalition is demo

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lished, which will at leaft beftow the relish of variety on the endless and destructive party contentions, of which fome men are fo exceffively fond.

The prefent Miniftry, as we before obferved, are likely to experience a stronger oppofition in Scotland, than any former ca binet ever did. This unufual conduct is not to be explained by any feature in the national character of the Scotch. In the early periods of fociety they were attached to fome popular leader of abilities and family; and in late reigns they have been found to adhere to fome nobleman of distinction, whofe influence in the administration of the country had procured him eminence. But we recollect none whose shining talents or good fortune have raised him to that pre-eminence among his countrymen, fince the great Duke of Argyle, and the celebrated Commander and Statefman the Earl of Stair. The progrefs of fociety and government has now worn off all national distinctions among the inhabitants of North and South-Britain; the ties of friendship and political interest have made them one people. It is not Edinburgh, but London, that is now confidered as the metropolis of his country by every Scotchman. It is at St. James's, and not at Holy Rood-House +, that he looks for preferment, and is ambitious of receiving honours.

From the moderate restraint which the late Parliament has impofed on the prefs, the fons of Freedom may learn to avoid using their liberty as a cloak of licentiousness. That measure has been much cenfured; but when

it is recollected to what a pitch of profligacy the Irish printers had carried their privileges, the injustice of the cenfure will immediately appear. It is painful to us to remark farther, that the idea of affaffination which defiles the Dublin Papers, is a proof that the Irish nation is behind most others in Europe in point of humanity and civilization: fuch an instance of barbarity did not difgrace the civil broils which lately fubfifted in Poland. The late conduct of the Irish, like that of the British Parliament, illuftrates and confirms the progreffive nature of ambition; and fhews how much great bodies of men are governed, when in the fame circumstances, by fimilar paffions. The Irish Parliament not only withstood the parade and clamour of military affociation, but even ventured to check the overgrown and dangerous liberties of the prefs. It was fomething in this manner that the Long Parliament, having defeated the prerogative, proceeded to infringe the liberty of the prefs; and, of confequence, to fubvert the rights of the people. Although the motives which led to these two cafes were different, yet the conduct of the paffions in both was the fame.

There is a remarkable fimilarity between the prefent fituations of Great-Britain and Holland; the Princes in both States being leagued with the people in oppofition to powerful ariftocracies. The House of Brandenburgh, the ancient allies of the Republic, will yet protect her against the machinations of the French, and the attacks of her ancient Lords the Auftrians.

STRICTURES on a YOUNG LADY's DRESS.
Both bodies in a fingle body mix,
A fingle body with a double fex,

NOTHING appears more becoming the gait of a harlot. The look, the gefture, and

foft and captivating qualities of the fair-fex than an inviolable decency in whatever regards the minutest article of drefs. The beauty which shines independent of embellishment or art, is an object of univerfal admiration and love. The charms of a country girl, unaided by the meretricious affociations of folly and fashion, especially when her shape, her features, and her complexion difcover no tincture of deformity and vulgarity, are irresistible.

The real temper of a young woman's mind is in nothing fo fully and literally pour trayed, or fo unequivocally marked, as by her tafte in difpofing, or attention to, perfonal decoration. True modefty may receive as grofs an injury from the garb as from the

the drefs, will always correfpond. She whofe intentions are uniformly innocent, will not, in any station, on any occafion, or from any motives whatever, be readily diftinguished for giddinefs, gaiety, or extravagance, in any part of her behaviour. It is your light, fantaftic fools who have neither heads nor hearts, in both fexes, who, by dreffing their bodies out of all shape, render themselves ridicu lous and contemptible. These are they who affect to take a lead in whatever is most op pofite to decency and nature; who prefer the most prepofterous innovations, and feduloufly inflame and pamper the paffions of others, as well as their own, by a constant adoption of every thing neweft or moft in ton.

Where the Scotch Viceroys used to hold their Levees.

But

But what are thefe modes in which the worthlefs of the fex are fo proud to place their diftinction? Are they not the laborious invention of idlenefs and luxury, and regularly imported from a people whofe profligacy, diffoluteness, and caprice, are proverbial? Are they not calculated to deprive fociety of decency, and the fex of purity; to invite the prying eye of wanton curiofity; to bring certain ridicule and infamy on every veftige of female honour; and to render lewdness of the groffeft kind an avowed object of traffic?

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Ia former times, drefs was deemed one of the moft palpable diftinctions in rank. Ladies then took their precedencies, and understood their respective stations, by what they wore, and their manner of wearing it. This ancient and eafy mode of difcrimination is no longer known in fociety. The very fervant not only apes but rivals her mistress in every fpecies of whim and extravagance. All forts of people are confequently confounded or melted down into one glaring mass of abfurdity or fuperfluity. The lower orders are intirely loft in a general propen fity to mimic the finery of the higher; and every woman we meet would feem by her gefture and apparel to poffefs at least an independent fortune; and no difference at all in this refpect is left to tell the mere fpectator, whether her circumstances be nar

row or affluent.

Proportion, therefore, ye parents, the dress of your daughters to their fituations in life. Every approach to excefs in this article must be followed with the worst effects. It is a deception easily detected, and will never be forgiven. An appearance of wealth cannot be fupported on nothing; and the fhifts to which it is fometimes a temptation, are not always the most reputable.

Nor is an inordinate love of dress a very promifing scheme for obtaining the most respectable matrimonial connections. Young men are now too wary to be thus duped. Though it were certain to fucceed, who could with those dear to them to commence fo ferious an enterprize, by means thus fubtle and crafty?

It is dangerous to tamper with truth or decency in any cafe. Candour, fimplicity, and fair dealing, never fubject to the leaft rifque, are always fafe, and always honourable.

The following defcription of the toilet, from Pope, exposes the labour and refinement of this prominent but pernicious foible : And now unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd, Firft, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores, Each filver vafe in myftic order laid. With head uncover'd, the cofmetic powers. A heavenly image in the glafs appears; To that the bends, to that her eyes she rears: The inferior Priestess, at her altar's fide

Trembling, begins the facred rites of pride. Unnumber'd treafures ope at once, and here The various offerings of the world appear: From each the newly culls with curious toil, And decks the Goddess with the glitt'ring fpoil.

And all Arabia breathes from yonder box: This cafket India's glowing gems unlocks, The tortoife here and elephant unite, Transform'd to combs, the speckled and the

white :

Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.
Now awful beauty puts on all its arms;
Repairs her fmiles, awakens every grace,
The fair each moment rifes in her charms;

And calls forth all the wonders of her face;
Sees by degrees a purer blush arife,
And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.
The bufy Sylphs furround their darling care;
Thefe fet the head, and those divide the hair;
Some fold the fleeve, whilft others plait the
gown;

And Molly's prais'd for labours not her own.

On the great UTILITY of MODERATION in POLITICAL CHARACTERS,

THE

HE fpirit of party is a spirit of enmity; and whether politics or religion, philofophical opinions or family feuds, have called it into being, it has always been hoftile to the peace, and obnoxious to the virtue, of mankind.-At different periods it has unfurled the standard of civil war, and untheathed the two-edged fword of perfecution; but, at all times, when it has prevailed, the private

peace of fociety has been disturbed, and domestic felicity interrupted by it.

If a real and unfeigned zeal for the welfare of their country, operating upon different principles, warmed the bofoms of public men; -if a genuine fpirit of patriotifm animated every one whofe abilities or fituation of life had raised him to the fenatorial dignity;-their contefts would have but one object,-which

would

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