. I shall not descant on the virtues and superior excellence of my parents. They were well known to the world; and let their characters speak for them. I shall only state with great brevity what I knew of, and experienced from, them. My father served in three parliaments, and was one of those respectable, independant, old English characters in the House of Commons, called Country Gentlemen; who formerly had a considerable influence with the Ministers, and to whose judgments and opinions every Minister paid the greatest respect. They were disinterested, honest men, who had no selfish views, and performed their duty to their constituents unbiassed by any party. I wish from my heart the case was the same in the present day. But I lament that, with nine in ten, the an opulent country gentleman, who never has known London but for a short time together, and solely on his own private business, is chosen member for a county or a great town, he takes a house for the winter, comes to London, and being elected a parliament man, becomes parliament mad! Now there are two blessings, which, in the nature of things, will be sure to attend him. First, his wife, for certain, makes him a cuckold. But more of that hereafter and, one faction or other; and, if the faction which he joins, should chuse to be of opinion that beans and pease are bacon, he gives his assenting voice, and endeavours, wherever he goes, to prove, that beans and peas may be bacon, although they are not positively hog's flesh. As he must join one party or the other, the most prudent step for him to take in these times, is, to join Administration: for, although they want no addition to their forces, yet, I dare say, on his leaving London, after having given a whole winter's specimen of his sincerity, the Minister would not refuse making a seventh cousin of his 1 affectionate and loving wife an Ensign of Croodton telt de moi Fencibles. He now returns to his country-seat, where he amuses his brother-foxhunters When via to jeobiegobir alaqualanes ar with descanting on the political frugality of the Minister, the justness and holiness of the war, or the affluence and extent of our trade and commerce. If on the other side, he exclaims against the enormous expenditure of public money, the barbarous massacre of human lives, and the horrid effusion of human blood; the pressure of the taxes, the accumulation of the national debt, and the corruption of the times. His affectionate wife, to play her part with some eclat, astonishes the natives at the county race-ball, on appearing with black eyebrows, a flaxen wig, and half naked, in the London fashion. She invites her gallant to visit her in the country, who generally brings some friend with him to entertain her sister or female confidante. If an officer, he brings a recruiting party into the neigh |