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"fine place, and univerfally allowed to be very old. "I frequently rows gentlefolks there, and picks up a 66 great deal about it."

On our return the tide was at its height, the fun was fetting in great glory, the ky and water feemed blended in each other, the fame red rich tint reigned throughout, the veffels at anchor appeared fufpended in the air, the fpires of the churches were tipped with the golden ray; a fcene of more beauty, richness, and tranquillity I never beheld.

CHAPTER II.

French Emigrants.-Scene on the Quay of Southampton. -Sail for Havre.-Aged French Priest. Their reSpectable Conduct in England.Their Gratitude.-Make the Port of Havre. Panic of the Emigrants. -Landing defcribed. Hotel de la Paix.-Breakfaft Knife.Municipality

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DURING the whole of the fecond day after our arrival, the town of Southampton was in a buftle, occafioned by the flocking in of a great number of French emigrants, who were returning to their own' country, in confequence of a mild decree, which had been paffed in their favor. The fcene was truly interefting, and the fentiment which it excited, des lightful to the heart.

A refpectable curé, who dined in the fame room.

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with us at our inn, was obferved to eat very little; upon being preffed to enlarge his meal, this amiable

man faid, with tears starting in his eyes, « Alas! I "have no appetite; a very fhort time will bring me "amongst the scenes of my nativity, my youth, and "my happiness, from which a remorfelefs revolution "has parted me for thefe,ten long years;' I shall afk " for those who are dear to me, and find them forev"er gone. Those who are left will fill my mind with "the most afflicting defcription; no, no, I cannot "eat, my good Sir."

About noon, they had depofited their baggage up. on the quay, which formed a pile of aged portmanteaus, and battered trunks. Parties remained to protect them, previous to their embarkation. The fun was intentely hot, they were feated under the fhade of old umbrellas, which looked as if they had been the companions of their banishment..

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Their countenances appeared ftrongly marked with the pious character of refignation, over which were to be feen a fweetnefs, and corrected animation, which feemed to depict at once the foul's delight, of returning to its native home, planted wherever it may be, and the regret of leaving a nation, which, in the hour of flight and mifery, had nobly enrolled them in the lift of her own children, and had cover

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To the eternal honor of these unhappy, but excellent people, be it faid, that they have proved themfelves worthy of being received in fuch a fanctuary. Qur country has enjoyed the benefit of their unblemished morals, and their mild, polite and unaffuming manners, and wherever deftiny has placed them, they have induftriously relieved the national burden of their fupport by diffufing the knowledge of a language, which good fenfe, and common interest, should long fince have confidered as a valua ble branch of education.

To thofe of my friends, who exercife the facred functions of religion, as eftablished in this country, I need not offer an apology, for paying an humble tribute of common juftice to thefe good, and perfecutedmen; who, from habit, pursue a mode of worship, a little differing in form, but terminating in the fame great and glorious centre. The enlightened liberality of the British clergy will unite, in paying that. homage to them, which they, in my prefence, have often with enthufiafm, and rapture, offered up to the purity, and fanctity of their characters. Many of them informed me, that they had received the moft ferviceable favors from our clergy, adminiftered with equal delicacy and munificence.

Amongst these groups were fome females, the wives and daughters of Toulonefe merchants, who left their city when lord Hood abandoned that port.

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The politeness and attention, which were paid to them by the men, were truly pleafing. It was the good breeding of elegant habits, retaining all their foftness in the midst of adverfity, fweetened with the fympathy of mutual and fimilar fufferings.

They had finifhed their dinner, and were drinking their favorite beverage of coffee. Poor wanderers ! the water was scarcely turned brown with the few grains which remained of what they had purchafed for their journey.

I addressed them, by telling them, that I had the happiness of being paffenger with them, in the fame veffel; they said they were fortunate to have in their company one of that nation, which would be dear to them as long as they lived. A genteel middle aged woman offered to open a little parcel of fresh coffee, which they had purchased in the town for the voyage, and begged to make fome for me. By her manner, the feemed to wifh me to confider it, more as ⚫ the humble offering of gratitude, than of politenefs, or perhaps both were blended in the offer. In the afternoon, their baggage was fearched by the revenue officers, who, on this occafion, exercifed a liberal gentleness, which gave but little trouble, and no pain. They who brought nothing into a country but the recollection of their miferies, were not very likely to carry much out of it, but the remembrance of its generofity.

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At feven o'clock in the evening we were all on board, and failed with a gentle breeze down the riv-'er: we carried with us a good flock of vegetables, which we procured fresh, from the admirable market of Southampton. Upon going down into the cabin, I was ftruck, and firft fhocked, with feeing a very aged man, ftretched at his length upon pillows and clothes, placed on the floor, attended by two clergy-: men, and fome women, who, in their attentions to this apparently dying old gentleman, feemed to have forgotten their own comfortless fituation, arif ing from fo many perfons being crowded in fo finaliafpace, for our numbers above and below amounted to fixty. Upon inquiry, they informed me, that the perfon whofe appearance had fo affected me, had been a clergyman of great repute and efteem at Hayre, that he was then paft the age of ninety-five years, fcarcely expected to furvive our fhort voyage, but was anxious to breathe his last in his own country. They fpoke of him, as a man who in other times, and in the fulness of his faculties, had often from his pul pit, ftruck with terror and contrition, the trembling fouls of his auditors, by the force of his exalted eloquence; who had embellifhed the fociety in which he moved, with his elegant attainments; and who had relieved, the unhappy, with an enlarged heart and munificent hand-A mere mafs of mifery, and helpless infirmities, remained of all these noble qualities !

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