and loquacious, they delight more naturally
in those objects which remind them of the "busy hum of men:" and,
whatever the force of circumstances may have effected in particular
cases, it may be safely asserted, that the diplomatist and man of the
world is the indigenous growth of France and Italy, while the powers of
abstraction and meditation exist more naturally in English and German
minds, inducing the love of solitary nature.

The styles of Claude, who was a German by birth, and of our own Wilson,
are strongly contrasted with that of Vernet, as illustrative of the
present subject. In the admirable paintings of the latter, bustle and
motion are generally the characteristics of the scene represented, and
the features of nature seem intended to be subordinate to some human
action which is going on. In the pictures of Claude, the combinations of
scenery are every thing, and the figures nothing, or rather, merely
introduced to illustrate and harmonize with the effect which the
landscape itself is to produce: and nothing is allowed to disturb the
repose and serenity of the whole. Of Wilson, who delighted more in
storms and convulsions of nature, it may be said, that his figures, also
are merely subordinate to the effect of a dashing sea, a thunder-cloud,
or a forest waving and crashing with the wind; and that they are not
strongly enough marked to interrupt the eye in the contemplation of
these objects. Gaspar Poussin, I must own, is an instance that a French
painter can understand and represent the deep repose of nature; but the
style of Poussin is certainly not that of the French school in general,
nor that of Salvator to be considered as establishing a rule by which to
judge of Italian taste.

Mais revenons a nos moutons. We were surprised to observe how much our
fellow-passengers interested themselves about the characters of the
royal family of England. Several of its members underwent a free review,
though not an ill-natured one; but all who spoke of our late queen
Charlotte, did her more justice than has, perhaps, been done in England,
and particularly praised the purity of her court, and the excellent
domestic example which her private life afforded to Englishwomen in
general. On this point we cordially agreed with them; but our sly
acquaintance, Mons. C., was not disinclined to lead us to ground more
debateable, and lay a trap for our national vanity. The master of the
vessel had a wooden leg, which led to the