le, he is ready to
run distracted.

In Italy the manner of addressing the ladies, so far as it relates to
serenading, nearly resembles that of Spain. The Italian, however, goes a
step farther than the Spaniard. He endeavors to blockade the house where
his fair one lives, so as to prevent the entrance of any rival. If he
marries the lady who cost him all this trouble and attendance, he shuts
her up for life: If not, she becomes the object of his eternal hatred,
and he too frequently endeavors to revenge by poison the success of his
happier rival.

In one circumstance relating to courtship, the Italians are said to be
particular. They protract the time as long as possible, well knowing
that even with all the little ills attending it, a period thus employed
is one of the sweetest of human life.

A French lover, with the word sentiment perpetually in his mouth, seems
by every action to have excluded it from his heart. He places his whole
confidence in his exterior air and appearance. He dresses for his
mistress, dances for her, flutters constantly about her, helps her to
lay on her rouge, and to place her patches. He attends her round the
whole circle of amusements, chatters to her constantly, whistles and
sings, and plays the fool with her. Whatever be his station, every thing
gaudy and glittering within the sphere of it is called in to his
assistance, particularly splendid carriages and tawdry liveries; but if,
by the help of all these, he cannot make an impression on the fair one's
heart, it costs him nothing but a few shrugs of his shoulders, two or
three silly exclamations, and as many stanzas of some satirical song
against her; and, as it is impossible for a Frenchman to live without an
amour, he immediately betakes himself to another.

There is hardly any such thing among people of fashion as courtship.
Matters are generally so ordered by parents and guardians, that to a
bride and bridegroom, the day of marriage is often the second time of
their meeting. In many countries, to be married in this manner would be
reckoned the greatest of misfortunes. In France it is little regarded.
In the fashionable world, few people are greater strangers to, or more
indifferent about each other, than husband and wife; and any appearance
of fondness between them, or their being seen frequently together, would
infallibly make them forfeit the reputation of the _ton_, and be laughed
at by all polite company. On this account, nothing