TH THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE, AND LONDON REVIEW, FOR JANUARY 1806. BRIEF MEMOIRS OF MISS BRUNTON, HOUGH vulgar opinion has too generally connected the idea of diffolute or depraved manners with the itation and character of an actor or actress, we are able to atteft, that there are at prefent, among their Majefties' Servants in the London Thea tres Royal, many ftrong and acknowledged exceptions to that mistaken fentiment and diftinguished among these laudable exceptions, ftands the young Lady whofe Portrait embellishes our prefent Number. MISS LOUISA BRUNTON is the fixth daughter of John Brunton, Esq. Proprietor of the Theatre Royal, Brighton, who was many years Proprietor of that of Norwich. She is, of courfe, the filter of Mrs. Merry (now in America), and of Mr. Brunton, of Coventgarden. Our heroine, we understand, was born at Bath in February 1785; and we may conclude, though of a theatrical family, was not herfelf originally defigned for the ftage; as we have been told, that when Mr. Harris, at the commencement of the feafon 1803-4, engaged her at a handfome falary, the had never performed on any tage; nor had the, even a month before the appeared on the boards of Covent-gar den in the character of Lady Townley, (Oct. 5, 1803,) ever ftudied a line in any play with an intention of performing. Being only feven years of age when her fifter, Mrs. Merry, left England to cross the Atlantic, he had, of courfe, never feen her perform; nor had the the advantage of having witneffed the acting of the accomplished Mifs Farrer, now Countess of Derby; to whofe voice and manner her own have been thought to bear an advantageous fimilarity. The first appearance of Mifs Louifa Brunton was noticed by us, in Vol. XLIV, p. 298. Her fecond effort was on the 2d of November 1803; the character, Beatrice, in Much Ado about Nothing; in which arduous part the improved on the Public, and displayed talents of great promise in the higher departments of comedy. She has been fince rapidly ring in eftimation; and it is but justice to fay, that her fucceffive performances have shown manifeft tokens of study and attention to the hif trionic art, without which the brightest natural genius will be infufficient to place any performer at the top of the profeffion. We faw her play Celia, to Mifs Smith's Rofalind, in As You Like It, a few days ago, and were much truck B 2 415979 with with the unufual importance which The gave to that fubordinate character; nor were her efforts overlooked or unrewarded by the audience. Her Irene, in Barbaroffa, is alfo at once a challe and imprefive performance. Mifs Louifa Brunton has performed the two laft fummer feafons with her father at Brighton; where the is very particularly patronized. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has twice commanded her benefit-play: an honour never conferred on any other actress. The elegant and ftriking figure, expreffive countenance, pleafing voice, fafcinating manners, and, above all, the amiable and correct conduct, of this young lady, have procured her the admiration and efteem of many perfons of the first rank and fabion who frequent that delightful fummer retreat; and in the relative characters of daughter and fifter, he may fairly be propofed as a model for her fex. the Greeks; we find the ancient Spartan commonwealth, and the inhabitants of Athens, the feat of arts, and the city of philofophers, with that fpirit of liberty and independence which actu ated them both, widely different from the character of the effeminate and voluptuous Perfians; and the Persians again differing from other then exifting nations. And if we look into modern times we fee the Dutch confpicuous for industry; the Spaniards for a grave and folemn deportment, and a revengeful temper; and the Swils for integrity and fimplicity of manners: fome are distinguished for deceit and treachery; and others for a contrary character, for humanity and hofpitality. We alfo fee, in every nation, a prejudice in the inhabitants in favour of their own country; each thinks that, in his own country, there is to be found more happiness and content, and that the inhabitants are more brave, and poffeffed of more excellent quali On the NATIONAL CHARACTER of the ties, than other nations. FRENCH and ENGLISH. From art, more various are the bleffings fent, Wealth, commerce, honor, liberty, con ream; His first, beft country, ever is at home. But, perhaps, there is no two nations in modern history which offered fo great a contrast of character as the French and English. It appears indeed furpriling, confidering the fmall distance which they are fituate from each other, and the narrow channel by which they are divided, that fo fmall a diftance fhould make fo great a difference in the manners and general behaviour of the inhabitants; but it has been uniformly accounted for in the continual ftate of enmity in which thefe two nations have continually lived, and in thofe numerous wars which have followed each each other in quick fucceffion, and by which millions have been facrificed to the jealousy of each other. This perpetual Rate of enmityand warfare has plant ed in their minds fuch an antipathy to each other, which time, and the hert intervals of peace, have not been able to eradicate, nor, perhaps, will it be terminated till one or the other ceases to exist as an independent nation. This inclination to ridicule the manners and the character of the other, difplays itfelf very often in their converfation. The Englishman laughs at the profufe politenefs, the flippancy of behaviour, and the light volatile difpofitions of the French; while the Frenchman ridicules the gloomy temper, the forbidding manners, and those national opinions and prejudices which adhere fo clofely to the character of an Englishman. The difpofition to remark, fome times with afperity and prejudice, the character of the other, is fometimes to be feen in their writings. A French author has, in fome of his writings, remarked, that the English are more fubject to melancholy, and that there are more fuicides committed in England than in any other nation; while the travels of one of our countrymen * will furnish us with abundant matter of obfervation how much national opinions and prejudices, aided fometimes by other caufest, can bias our judgments, and lead us fometimes to cenfure things which, perhaps, do not wholly merit it. Having made thefe obfervations on the fingular contrait of character in thefe two nations, I fhall now make fome few remarks on fome of the leading features in thofe characters. One of the greatest characteristics of an Englishman is the love of money: this, I think, has been generally accounted for in our abfolute dependence on trade and commerce, which naturally fixes our views on gain, and, confequently, on the accumulation of riches. The poffeffion of riches being alfo a necefiary qualification for a feat in the fenate, and for most of the public pofts of government, naturally leads men to defire the pofletion of that * Mr. Smollett. + Mr. Smollett at the time of his travels poflefled a very bad ftate of health. which, in this country, is reckoned, by too many, to be the only fure passport to honour and distinction ; the want of common politeneis being alfo thought, by fome, to be fully compenfated by the poffeffion of riches; and the refpect with which you are treated is generally found to be in proportion to the wealth which you poffe's. Thus are our chiet views directed to the amaffing of wealth, and it is this which has deltroyed too much that ancient hofpitality which fo much distinguished the English nation. Another rong trait in the English cha acter is curiofity, a love of novelty, and of any thing that comes under the denomination of news. This is more obfervable in the common people than in thofe of the higher ranks, and is daily to be feen in the treets of the metropolis: it has been remarked by many of our writers, and by none more forcibly than by Mr. Fielding, in his novel of Jofeph Andrews, where Jofeph, Mr. Adams, and Fanny, are taken, on fufpicion of being robbers, before a magistrate, where the fervants, and all the people in the neighbourhood, flocked together with as much curiofity as if there was fomething uncommon to be seen, or that rogues did not look like other people." That the love of novelty is one of the features in the English character is, I think, pretty evident: we daily fee new candidates for novelty, who' exist only while the rage for them lasts; they are foon obliged to give place to fome new favourite; they fink into oblivion, and are forgotten; indeed so much does novelty influente our conduct, that in those bills in the streets, which are meant to attract attention, the fubject of the bill is generally prec ded by the words "More Novelty," or fome fuch expreffion. The love of novelty muft, indeed, be a very predominant pathon, which could fo far mislead the public taste, as to place the veteran actors of the prefent day on a level with children, who, though they may have great abilities as children, must be infinitely inferior to those men who are now the fupport of the stage. Paffing over thofe characteristics of an Englishman, his loyalty to his fovereign, his love to his envied and happy constitution, and his invincible courage and bravery, which have been long experienced by our enemies, and, in in particular, in the late glorious engagement. I fhall now make fome few oblervations on the national character of the French and here, perhaps, it will be anticipated when I mention vanity as their predominant paffion. Vanity is, indeed, the fpring of all their actions, and is fo very confpicuous in their manners and general behaviour, that it has ben the remark of most writers on this fubject: it is this which produces in them that vivacity of temper, for which the French are fo much diftinguished, which fupports them in adverfity, and which enables them to bear misfortunes with refignation, and without giving way to defpair. The French revolution has, however, made a great change in the character of the inhabitants; thofe fanguinary maffacres which fo much difgraced it, and those monfters which it produced, have to much changed it, that in former times we do not read of that bravery which have diftinguithed them in their late wars, and in which they have generally fucceeded in those battles where they were not oppofed by British forces, and which was produced by that revolutionary frenzy which then actuated them. Oppreted by tyranny, they had, formerly, but little inclination to gain victories, which, while they feated their monarch more firmly on his throne, only ferved to increase their own dependence. There are few other traits in the character of the French which are worthy of oblervation, the whole of their chara&er being derived from that great fource of all their actions, vanity: I fhall, therefore, make no apology for concluding these remarks with a fincere with, and which must be the pray. er of every chriftian, that war, that dreadful fcourge which produces to much misery in the world, may foon ceafe, and that nations may be no longer hoftile to each other, but may be folicitous only to render happy and contented their respective inhabitants. T. H. FRONTISPIECE. Τ HE frontifpiece to the prefent volume represents the monuments lately erected in St. Paul's cathedral to the memory of Captains Robert Mofe of His Majefty's fhip Monarch, and Edward Riou of the Amazon, who fell, gloriously fighting for their country, on the memorable attack upon Copenhagen under the command of the late Vice-Admiral Lord Vifcount Nelfon on the first of April, 1801. With refpect to the compofition of this work, it is a compilation from different defigns prefented by Charles Roffi, Eq., R. A., for this and other monuments, and arranged under the direction of a committee appointed by government for that purpofe: the idea is fimply that of an infulated bafe, fuftaining a farcophagus; on the front of which Victory and Fame place the medallions of the two deceated heroes :-the effect is lefs pleafing, as a whole, than might have been expected, on a view of the detached parts of which it is compofed. An ancient INDENTURE relating to a BURGESS in PARLIAMENT. Communicated by Brown Willis, from the Original, to Dr. Ducarel, and by him to the Society of Antiquaries, June 12, 1755. THYS bill indentyed mead the viii day of Aprille in the thridde yer of Kyng Edward the fowrte betwyn Thomas Peers and John Strawnge, Equyer, Wetneffyeth that the fayd John-Strawnge grauntyth be thefe prefents to been oon of the Burgeys for Donewch at the Plement to be holyden at Weltmt the xxix day of the fayd Monyth of Aprille for the gwhych gwehdyr it holde longe tyme or fchortt or gwhedye it fortune to been Progott the fayd John Strawnge grauntyth no more to takyn for hys wagys then a Cade of full Heryng tho' to been dylivid be Xitenmalle next comyng In Wetnyfle heroff eythyr partt to others Indentur inter Chawnxubilly her fetys han fett day and yer above fayd. Tyme in the Study of Phifiq; to fo Mr. Vice Chancell. and Gentlemen, Berkeshire Houfe, 3 Nov. 1666. ACCOUNT of MONS. (From the Travels of CAMUS.) THE HE two principal towns of Jemmappe are Mons and Tournay. Mons has fcarcely any manufacturers but a few filverfmiths. Citizen Gauthier has fet up a manufacture of knitted-stockings, the famples of which, at the exhibition of the progrefs of industry in the eleventh year, merited a bronze medal. This prize brought his manufactory into fathion; and Gauthier, from that date, has not been able to answer the demands for it. The library of the central school has been established in a church, in which they have fitted up a fuperb hall. The books are valuable; there are some scarce ones; among others, a magnificent copy of Ptolemy, printed on vellum, at Venice, 1511, with coloured maps; and many small books, in the first age of printing. In all the libraries there is a want of modern books, of books of French literature, and of works that teach the knowledge of books. The celebration of the first vintage has given occafion for games, within a prepared enclosure. Different communes challenge each other to play at fives; a great intereft is felt in thefe contests; judges are cholen from thofe who were, in youth, men of celebrity at the sport, to decide between the players: they fucceffively exclude from the conteft the communes who have been defeated in former challenges, till, in the end, there remain two or three only for the competition. The last challenge was between the town of Mons and the borough of Soignies; the latter gained the victory. The players who obtain this honour for their community, are entertained by their fellow-citizens, who affemble at the conteft, lead them off with pomp, and always conclude the day, after the manner of Homer's heroes, with an entertainment protracted to a late hour. The humane establishments of Mons are, first, a house of industry, which has not exifted above eight days, and, in that time, even in a week, cleared the town of eighty beggars. Every thing is conducted on the most advantageous plan, in a large house that was formerly a convent. The poor of Mons are difficult to be pleased. There are foundations which place a great number of the idle in a condition to live without labour. They claimed a liberty to beg as a right; and to difcover who were beggars, it has been found necessary to permit them to beg. On the day when the houfe of industry was opened, all thefe permiffions were annulled; the law of the 24th of Vendemiaire against beggary was carried into execution, and beggary has difappeared. The deferted children are very numerous; 220 in the house of reception; 450 in the country. This defertion is no more than a name; it has nothing real in it. The parents who are tired of maintaining their children quit the town, and leave their children in it. The neighbours lead them to the house of reception, and declare that they are deferted children, whofe father and mother have left the town. The children are received. Two days after the parents come back again; and as the children have the liberty of going out, the parents fee them as often as they judge proper. To defert, means then, in this town, to place in the national hands, to be gratuitously boarded. This abufe was long ago profcribed. There is an old ordinance of the theriffs of the town of Mons, in the year 1664, to this effect: "That, as it was found that there were fathers and mothers fo unnatural as to defert their children, and hulbands who had fo lit tle |