practice, I hope, is near an end on both sides; and the time at no great distance, when your countrymen, of both persuasions, will be equally sensible that it is their common interest to unite against a foreign enemy, who, with a contempt for both religions, has no other view than to seize their property and enslave their country. As soon as your catholic countrymen have shown that this is their way of thinking, I dare say they will be put, in all respects, on a footing with those of the established religion.'

for I have Heaven grant it!" replied the priest; seen enough of the world to be convinced that there are good men and bad men in all religions; that men ought not to be punished on account of their opinions, because opinion does not depend on will, and because conscientious and intrepid people only are the sufferers by such persecution, those of a different character being sure to pretend a change of opinion from interest, or through fear. Of this I have seen so many examples in this country, and have heard of so many in the country I originally came from, that I am fully convinced that persecu→ tion can neither make converts in religion nor in loyalty, though it daily makes hypocrites in both. I have heard, though I can hardly give credit to it, that it has been proposed in Ireland, that no Roman catholic should be allowed to speak to a protestant with his hat on. device for making converts is certainly preferable to persecution, and may be considered by some as being every whit as ingenious as it is new; yet, after all, it will ap pear a little preposterous to allure men to a religion which recommends humility by addressing their vanity.

This

These sentiments, sir, plain and obvious as you may think them, I am cautious of declaring in this place; but, in spite of the original injustice which obliges me to reside here, my heart warms and opens as often as I meet

with a countryman; and I never have had reason to repent of the confidence I placed in any of them.'

!

While I was expressing the 'sense I had of the kind and frank behaviour of this worthy Irishman, he inter

rupted me, saying,

be of service to you. continued he,

Now, my dear sir, I believe I can I am acquainted with that officer,' whom you see coming up the street: he is a Frenchman by birth, has a command at Elvas, and has it in his power to do you speedy justice; and I am sure he will have it in his inclination, for he is a man of honour.'

The vicar introduced me to the officer, and told him my story. He returned with me to the inn, and sent an order for the judge to attend him there, which he instantly obeyed, with an air very different from that with which he had a little before received me in his own house; all his insolence was converted into obsequiousness. The officer told him, in pretty sharp terms, that he must be conscious that the muleteer's demands were more than double what was reasonable, and exceeded the usual price in a still greater proportion. The judge acknowledged this, made a very humble apology for having paid too much attention to the representations of the muleteer, and directly ordered him to prison for having deceived him. The officer then invited Travers and me to a seat in his carriage to Elvas, which lay on our way to the frontier of Spain. Of this we accepted, after having interceded for the muleteer, who thought himself very fortunate to be quit for two hours imprisonment, and the full price for which I had bargained.

Leaving our baggage to the servants, who were to travel with the mules, we proceeded in the officer's carriage to Elvas. Though you are conscious,' said he, that there has been no oppression or injustice exercised in the present instance, but, on the contrary, that fraud has been prevented, the summary and arbitary manner in which this matter has been decided naturally surprise Englishmen, who are accustomed to regular and tedious legal processes. Such formal proceedings would not do here. The Portuguese, instead of employing an advocate to plead his cause, endeavours to bribe the judge, or whets his stiletto, and waylays the witnesses. I remember that, thirty years ago, when I first came into this service, a

process was begun against a man for theft: the judge appointed a future day for examining several witnesses, who, it was asserted, would prove the man's guilt: before that day arrived all the witnesses were assassinated.

• The generality of the people have no distinct idea of justice; they do not consider the equity of a sentence, but how to preclude it, or how to be revenged on those who, by their testimony or judgment, have subjected them to it.

When the upper ranks of the nation have any litigation, their chief endeavour is to gain the judge, which is usually accomplished by out-bribing their opponent; or, if they cannot do that, their next care is to apply to some person of influence at court, who, they imagine, can controul the judge. This they call empengho, or protection; and he who is so fortunately connected, that he can bring an irresistible power of this empengho into action as often as he has a cause depending, would be thought a fool if he omitted to do so."

I observed to the officer, that, with all the inconveniences of delay and expense attending lawsuits in England, our method of administrating justice was preferable to that of the Portuguese.'

To this the officer readily assented; but Travers, who is the most reluctant assenter I was ever acquainted with, said, that there was not so essential a difference as appeared at first sight; because those who are obliged to put up with injustice, on account of not being rich enough to fee lawyers, and bear the expense of a lawsuit, are as much injured as those who suffer in the same manner on account of the judge being bribed, or because their antagonist has more interest at court.'

We were treated in the most hospitable style by our conductor, on our arrival at Elvas, which is a pretty little town, containing about two thousand inhabitants. The citadel was completed by the count de la Lippe, when he commanded in Portugal.

The present commander showed us every thing worthy of observation in the place.

Nothing could be more engaging than the manners of this gentleman, who to the frankness of the military character joined the vivacity of the French, tempered by age and reflection. The officious politeness of young Frenchmen is often teasing to Englishmen, who are apt to think that it is merely displayed to show themselves off, without any desire of obliging; but the attentions of this officer seemed to proceed from a good disposition and a love of hospitality.

We proceeded next day to Badajòs, which is the frontier town of Spain. Yours very cordially,

J. MORDAUNTI

LETTER XI.

The Same in Continuation.

Vevay.

THOUGH I conveyed you in my last from Lisbon to the frontiers of Spain, yet you see, my friend, that I am still at Vevay. I regret this the more, because the happy new-married couple at the inn have left us. They crossed the lake to the native country of the bridegroom a few days ago: my landlord and all his family have been in low spirits ever since. Nothing is more infectious. While the young couple remained I was kept in good-humour with the sight of their happiness: now every body else I see has an air of dejection. I became so impatient to be gone, that, in spite of the remonstrances of the surgeon, I determined to try how my ancle, which had become a little easier, would bear the motion of my carriage.

I was carried down stairs, placed in it, and driven a couple of miles on the smoothest part of the road. The consequence of this wise experiment was, that I could hardly sleep a wink last night with pain; and though that is now abated, I find the swelling of my ancle and my illhumour mightily increased. The hope of being able speedily to pursue my journey had hitherto acted as a palliative to the sharpness of my impatience. When people

are in ill-humour they are apt to quarrel with their best friends. They talk of Hope,' cried I, as the greatest blessing bestowed on man; I have found Hope the greatest of all deceivers.'.

In soliloquies like this, and in fretting like a child, I have passed part of this morning: I at last reflected on the inutility of fretting, as, whether I keep my temper or lose it, still I must remain here till I am able to go away.

The strongest of all arguments for a man's bearing the evils of life with good-humour is, they must be endured, whether his humour is good or bad

Equam momento rebus in arduis

Servare mentem.

This to be sure is an excellent advice; and well would it be for men if they were wise enough to follow it.

Connais-tu quelque Dieu qui fasse un tel prodige? Mahomet's answer to Zopire is,—

Ton intérêt.

La nécessité,

Recollecting this answer, and convinced of its truth, I wish to apply it to my present circumstances, and have been endeavouring to summon back my philosophy, which this new disappointment banished so abruptly from my couch.

My couch! Yes, here I lie, to be sure, on a very good couch. Many a man in this world would be glad of such another, and would require nothing better than to be allowed leisure to repose upon it. The love of repose keeps many people in a bustle all their lives,-Olium Divos regat, &c. &c. &c. Such people are active because they love repose: I wish to be active because I hate it; or I hate to lie, because, being obliged to it, I cannot repose.— Would to heaven our plump friend at Oxford were in my place! He never loved to put any part of his body in ac tion, except his organs of digestion. Milton's Satan says, Evil be thou my good;' and I find, by experience, that action of body or mind is my repose. I cannot form an idea of that torpid state of tranquillity in which some people pass their lives, with so very little movement of either