being more polifhed, and more civil, more qualified for the intercourfe of focial life, than our ancestors. Now, Sir, granting that all this is true, is it not fhocking that all this fhould at the fame time be a fit fubject for lamentation? For my own part, I heartily with that thofe perfons, or perfonages, who have introduced fuch a degree of politenefs, had kept it all to themselves. Alas! woful experience proves that it has defcended to our manufactories, our warehoufes, and our shops; and the confequence is, that bufinefs is retarded and neglected, without our having it in our power to complain.

I can well remember how different the cafe was in. my younger days. The roughnefs and rudeness of the people then was highly favourable to trade and paffion. Then I could rate and fcold a man, and he make me anfwers little fhort of the politenefs of a fifh-woman. I could touch his pride, and by a few well-timed and moft abufive epithets, which are now become obfolete, get my bufinefs done in a trice. The man would grumble and growl out a few oaths, pretend that he did not understand fuch language, that he was a reputable housekeeper, paid fcot and lot, and had ferved parish offices-but ftill the bufinefs was done, and a perfon in my fituation never need carry out a quantity of fury and indignation without finding a vent for it. But now it is, "Dear Sir, I am fo exceeding forry that little affair of yours (little affair, think of that!) is not quite ready, but really the materials are not come home-or my men have had a bowel-complaint

or the weather has been fo unfavourable to our bu-. finefs-and knowing, Sir, your goodness and indulgence; but you may depend on it. Here! John, Thomas, Richard! be fure. Mr. Fidget's job be done out of hand immediately, and put by that other-exceeding forry, indeed, Mr. Fidget-but to-morrow or Thurfday at fartheft-am quite afhamed you had the trouble

to

to call-give me leave, Sir-our paffage is rather dark-take care of the ftep-am very much obliged to you, I am fure, Mr. Fidget, for your orders at all times-you are one of my best friends-your most humble fervant, Sir-to-morrow, or Thurfday, you may depend on having it home-give me leave-'}} open the door-Sir, your very humble fervant !"

Now, Sir, what can a man fay to all this? Can I write to my correspondent in the country, and tell him that I dare not fcold the perfon employed on his bufinefs, because he is fo civil? Yet I cannot avoid giving vent to my paffion through the medium of your paper, and I hope fome of your correfpondents will take the matter in high dudgeon. I am not without fome hope, likewife, that when the peace has had a full effect, our tradefmen may have employment enough to make them faucy; in which cafe, a little impertinence now and then will greatly tend to make emplovers and cuftomers understand one another, and afford much fatisfaction to, Sir,

Your humble fervant,

FERDINANDO FIDGET.

POLITICAL PANORAMA.

[From the Oracle.]

TO fee a panorama with full effect, the person who enters fhould be blindfolded until he or she gets into the proper pofition, which is as near the middle of the room as poffible, that all may be viewed in a fimilar manner, and with as little difference as can be, arifing either from unequal distances or any other cir

cumftance.

The Political Panorama is, however, impoffible to be viewed with an equal advantage; for whatever the real appearance may be, the mind conceives an inequality of distance and preventions, in favour of par

ticular

.

ticular objects, and against others. I however shall endeavour to give as exact an account as I am able.

On firft opening my eyes, 1 fixed them on France, when I faw the mafter of the country reviewing an immenfe army, covered with gold and embroidery, furrounded by an innumerable crowd of people in rags and dirt. Infolence was in the countenances of the pampered foldiers, fear and want were vifible in thofe of the fpectators; and ever and anon, when a fquadron of horfe wheeled round, the frightened multitude fled, like the timid deer before the hounds and hunters.

The fpoils of many nations lay piled irregularly, in a vaft apartment, covered with cobwebs, through which the works of the most famous artifts in painting and sculpture were vifible.

Turning a little to the left, the fame Chief who had been feen reviewing his embroidered army was obferved walking in a garden belonging to a fuperb country-feat. There were fentinels pofied at every avenue. Meffengers arrived at the gate, and were dispatched, with uncommon rapidity: but no ftranger entered within the gate. Files of mufketeers lined the paffages; and the antechambers were filled with military officers and armed men. In the middle of the garden was an artificial river, with a bridge, in imitation of that of Lodi. A pyramid at one end; at the other a mountain, representing Dunfinane Hill, with Macbeth's Cafle on the top. The mafter of all this was reading a scroll of paper, and feemed terrified and uneafy, and all thofe in his fight ftood at a refpectful distance, and uncovered.

A multitude feemed to gaze at this Chief's abode with a mixture of envy and admiration; while others viewed it with fear and contempt :-but in none of the groups did there feem to be fo miferable a man as the inafter of the caftle, on whofe actions their eyes were all turned with an uncommon degree of anxiety.

Every

Every thing in the picture feemed to have been altered and repaired very lately; yet nothing was complete. All the people affected gaiety; but none feemed to poffefs content. Many were rioting in wealth, while others were ftarving; but nothing was feen like the calm and tranquil life of him who lives fecure, and enjoys affluence with moderation.-In this part of the picture there were great marks of hafte and diforder; and the keeping was irregular:-fome parts executed in a masterly ftyle-others in a very flovenly manner; but by no means making a perfect whole, or an agreeable picture.

Next to this was the German Empire, covered with burnt villages, unploughed fields, and ruined caftles." In the eyes of the inhabitants, defpair, vengeance, and affliction were marked; confufion and want of order were vifible every where; and half the picture was torn away.

The dominions of his Imperial Majefty next appeared. At one corner, to the fouth, was a fplendid addition to this picture; and to the north a large and populous country:-the one evidently the wreck of a republic-the other of a kingdom; but both together making a prodigious addition to the piece, which was certainly one of the moft ftriking on the whole circumference of the Panorama.

In the midst of an industrious people were seen great numbers of foldiers, and manufactures of all forts of warlike inftruments; and at the chief city, in the palace, there were great numbers of couriers conftantly arriving and departing, with letters to and from a numerous council, compofed of perfons of both fexes; but in which the weaker feemed to bear the fway.

Petitions and remonftrances of injured princes covered a whole fideboard; but they feemed to be unnoticed xinder fome fire-arms, fwords, and an inventory of the arfenal of Venice.

This part of the picture is exceedingly improved by

the

the addition of a View of the Adriatic Gulf, which gives a relief to the whole. Previous to which addition, there was no water in the picture.

The changes lately effected upon this picture are greatly for the better; infomuch, that the Empire is almost invifible by the fide of it; the confused and faded colouring of which tends greatly to set off the brilliant colouring of the hereditary dominions.

MR. EDITOR,

SIGNS.
[From the fame.]

BEING a man of independent fortune, rather advanced in years, and of a very curious difpofition, I frequently amufe myfelf with perambulating the ftreets of this extenfive" foreft of chimnies," and endeavour to glean fuch food as may tend to gratify my ravenous appetite for inquiry. It has often ftruck me, that the figns in this metropolis are fo oppofite to the feveral profeffions they are intended to defignate, that fome remedy fhould be applied, or we fhall have foreigners, in confequence of the influx occafioned by the peace, entering the Lamb Public-house, for fleecy bofiery; and the Rofe Bagnio, for a bouquet.

Walking the other day near Smithfield, I was furprifed at obferving a fign called the "Cow and Snuffers!" and whilft I was endeavouring to throw fome light upon the fubject, and puzzling myself in attempting to difcover how a cow could fnuff a candle, or even a farthing rufllight, I was faluted on turning round, with a fine varnished board, on 'which fome artift had exercifed his ingenuity in painting a " Goat in Boots!"-I at first thought this a fatire on our old debauchees, moft of whom hide their fpindle legs in the taffelled Heffian; but was told it conveyed a political meaning, and was a poignant philippic against the Welsh ambaffader. Purfuing my walk, I obferved against a ftrong new-built houfe, "A Hole in the Wall;"

D 2