ure　though　slower　decay。
  The　castle　was　heavy　and　gloomy；　yet　the　grounds　about　it　were　laid　out　with　some　taste；　a　walk；　winding　under　the　shade　of　lofty　trees；　led　to　a　regularly　built　and　animated　town。
  I　crossed　the　drawbridge；　and　entered　to　see　this　shell　of　a　court　in　miniature；　mounting　ponderous　stairsit　would　be　a　solecism　to　say　a　flightup　which　a　regiment　of　men　might　have　marched；　shouldering　their　firelocks　to　exercise　in　vast　galleries；　where　all　the　generations　of　the　Princes　of　Hesse…Cassel　might　have　been　mustered　rank　and　file；　though　not　the　phantoms　of　all　the　wretched　they　had　bartered　to　support　their　state；　unless　these　airy　substances　could　shrink　and　expand；　like　Milton's　devils；　to　suit　the　occasion。
  The　sight　of　the　presence…chamber；　and　of　the　canopy　to　shade　the　fauteuil　which　aped　a　throne；　made　me　smile。　　All　the　world　is　a　stage；　thought　I；　and　few　are　there　in　it　who　do　not　play　the　part　they　have　learnt　by　rote；　and　those　who　do　not；　seem　marks　set　up　to　be　pelted　at　by　fortune；　or　rather　as　sign…posts　which　point　out　the　road　to　others；　whilst　forced　to　stand　still　themselves　amidst　the　mud　and　dust。
  Waiting　for　our　horses；　we　were　amused　by　observing　the　dress　of　the　women；　which　was　very　grotesque　and　unwieldy。　　The　false　notion　of　beauty　which　prevails　here　as　well　as　in　Denmark；　I　should　think　very　inconvenient　in　summer；　as　it　consists　in　giving　a　rotundity　to　a　certain　part　of　the　body；　not　the　most　slim；　when　Nature　has　done　her　part。　　This　Dutch　prejudice　often　leads　them　to　toil　under　the　weight　of　some　ten　or　a　dozen　petticoats；　which；　with　an　enormous　basket；　literally　speaking；　as　a　bonnet；　or　a　straw　hat　of　dimensions　equally　gigantic；　almost　completely　conceal　the　human　form　as　well　as　face　divine；　often　worth　showing；　still　they　looked　clean；　and　tripped　along；　as　it　were；　before　the　wind；　with　a　weight　of　tackle　that　I　could　scarcely　have　lifted。　　Many　of　the　country　girls　I　met　appeared　to　me　prettythat　is；　to　have　fine　complexions；　sparkling　eyes；　and　a　kind　of　arch；　hoyden　playfulness　which　distinguishes　the　village　coquette。　　The　swains；　in　their　Sunday　trim；　attended　some　of　these　fair　ones　in　a　more　slouching　pace；　though　their　dress　was　not　so　cumbersome。　　The　women　seem　to　take　the　lead　in　polishing　the　manners　everywhere；　this　being　the　only　way　to　better　their　condition。
  From　what　I　have　seen　throughout　my　journey；　I　do　not　think　the　situation　of　the　poor　in　England　is　much；　if　at　all；　superior　to　that　of　the　same　class　in　different　parts　of　the　world；　and　in　Ireland　I　am　sure　it　is　much　inferior。　　I　allude　to　the　former　state　of　England；　for　at　present　the　accumulation　of　national　wealth　only　increases　the　cares　of　the　poor；　and　hardens　the　hearts　of　the　rich；　in　spite　of　the　highly　extolled　rage　for　almsgiving。
  You　know　that　I　have　always　been　an　enemy　to　what　is　termed　charity；　because　timid　bigots；　endeavouring　thus　to　cover　their　sins；　do　violence　to　justice；　till；　acting　the　demigod；　they　forget　that　they　are　men。　　And　there　are　others　who　do　not　even　think　of　laying　up　a　treasure　in　heaven；　whose　benevolence　is　merely　tyranny　in　disguise；　they　assist　the　most　worthless；　because　the　most　servile；　and　term　them　helpless　only　in　proportion　to　their　fawning。
  After　leaving　Sleswick；　we　passed　through　several　pretty　towns；　Itzchol　particularly　pleased　me；　and　the　country；　still　wearing　the　same　aspect；　was　improved　by　the　appearance　of　more　trees　and　enclosures。　　But　what　gratified　me　most　was　the　population。　　I　was　weary　of　travelling　four　or　five　hours；　never　meeting　a　carriage；　and　scarcely　a　peasant；　and　then　to　stop　at　such　wretched　huts　as　I　had　seen　in　Sweden　was　surely　sufficient　to　chill　any　heart　awake　to　sympathy；　and　throw　a　gloom　over　my　favourite　subject　of　contemplation；　the　future　improvement　of　the　world。
  The　farmhouses；　likewise；　with　the　huge　stables；　into　which　we　drove　whilst　the　horses　were　putting　to　or　baiting；　were　very　clean　and　commodious。　　The　rooms；　with　a　door　into　this　hall…like　stable　and　storehouse　in　one；　were　decent；　and　there　was　a　compactness　in　the　appearance　of　the　whole　family　lying　thus　snugly　together　under　the　same　roof　that　carried　my　fancy　back　to　the　primitive　times；　which　probably　never　existed　with　such　a　golden　lustre　as　the　animated　imagination　lends　when　only　able　to　seize　the　prominent　features。
  At　one　of　them；　a　pretty　young　woman；　with　languishing　eyes　of　celestial　blue；　conducted　us　into　a　very　neat　parlour；　and　observing　how　loosely　and　lightly　my　little　girl　was　clad；　began　to　pity　her　in　the　sweetest　accents；　regardless　of　the　rosy　down　of　health　on　her　cheeks。　　This　same　damsel　was　dressedit　was　Sundaywith　taste　and　even　coquetry；　in　a　cotton　jacket；　ornamented　with　knots　of　blue　ribbon；　fancifully　disposed　to　give　life　to　her　fine　complexion。　　I　loitered　a　little　to　admire　her；　for　every　gesture　was　graceful；　and；　amidst　the　other　villagers；　she　looked　like　a　garden　lily　suddenly　rearing　its　head　amongst　grain　and　corn…flowers。　　As　the　house　was　small；　I　gave　her　a　piece　of　money　rather　larger　than　it　was　my　custom　to　give　to　the　female　waitersfor　I　could　not　prevail　on　her　to　sit　downwhich　she　received　with　a　smile；　yet　took　care　to　give　it；　in　my　presence；　to　a　girl　who　had　brought　the　child　a　slice　of　bread；　by　which　I　perceived　that　she　was　the　mistress　or　daughter　of　the　house；　and　without　doubt　the　belle　of　the　village。　There　was；　in　short；　an　appearance　of　cheerful　industry；　and　of　that　degree　of　comfort　which　shut　out　misery；　in　all　the　little　hamlets　as　I　approached　Hamburg；　which　agreeably　surprised　me。
  The　short　jackets　which　the　women　wear　here；　as　well　as　in　France；　are　not　only　more　becoming　to　the　person；　but　much　better　calculated　for　women　who　have　rustic　or　household　employments　than　the　long　gowns　worn　in　England；　dangling　in　the　dirt。
  All　the　inns　on　the　road　were　better　than　I　expected；　though　the　softness　of　the　beds　still　harassed　me；　and　prevented　my　finding　the　rest　I　was　frequently　in　want　of；　to　enable　me　to　bear　the　fatigue　of　the　next　day。　　The　charges　were　moderate；　and　the　people　very　civil；　with　a　certain　honest　hilarity　and　independent　spirit　in　their　manner；　which　almost　made　me　forget　that　they　were　innkeepers；　a　set　of　menwaiters；　hostesses；　chambermaids；　&c。；　down　to　the　ostler；　whose　cunning　servility　in　England　I　think　particularly　disgusting。
  The　prospect　of　Hamburg　at　a　distance；　as　well　as　the　fine　road　shaded　with　trees；　led　me　to　expect　to　see　a　much　pleasanter　city　than　I　found。
  I　was　aware　of　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　lodgings；　even　at　the　inns；　on　account　of　the　concourse　of　strangers　at　present　resorting　to　such　a　centrical　situation；　and　determined　to　go　to　Altona　the　next　day　to　seek　for　an　abode；　wanting　now　only　rest。　　But　even　for　a　single　night　we　were　sent　from　house　to　house；　and　found　at　last　a　vacant　room　to　sleep　in；　which　I　should　have　turned　from　with　disgust　had　there　been　a　choice。
  I　scarcely　know　anything　that　produces　more　disagreeable　sensations；　I　mean　to　speak　of　the　passing　cares；　the　recollection　of　which　afterwards　enlivens　our　enjoyments；　than　those　excited　by　little　disasters　of　this　kind。　　After　a　long　journey；　with　our　eyes　directed　to　some　particular　spot；　to　arrive　and　find　nothing　as　it　should　be　is　vexatious；　and　sinks　the　agitated　spirits。　　But　I；　who　received　the　cruellest　of　disappointments　last　spring　in　returning　to　my　home；　term　such　as　these　emphatically　passing　cares。　　Know　you　of　what　materials　some　hearts　are　made？　　I　play　the　child；　and　weep　at　the　recollectionfor　the　grief　is　still　fresh　that　stunned　as　well　as　wounded　meyet　never　did　drops　of　anguish　like　these　bedew　the　cheeks　of　infantine　innocenceand　why　should　they　mine；　that　never　was　stained　by　a　blush　of　guilt？　　Innocent　and　credulous　as　a　child；　why　have　I　not　the　same　happy　thoughtlessness？　　Adieu！
  LETTER　XXIII。
  I　might　have　spared　myself　the　disagreeable　feelings　I　experienced　the　first　night　of　my　arrival　at　Hamburg；　leaving　the　open　air　to　be　shut　up　in　noise　and　dirt；　had　I　gone　immediately　to　Altona；　where　a　lodging　had　been　prepared　for　me　by　a　gentleman　from　whom　I　received　many　civilities　during　my　journey。　　I　wished　to　have　travelled　in　company　with　him　from　Copenhagen；　because　I　found　him　intelligent　and　friendly；　but　business　obliged　him　to　hurry　forward；　and　I　wrote　to　him　on　the　subject　of　accommodations　as　soon　as　I　was　informed　of　the　difficulties　I　might　have　to　encounter　to　house　myself　and　brat。
  It　is　but　a　short　and　pleasant　walk　from　Hamburg　to　Altona；　under　the　shade　of　several　rows　of　trees；　and　this　walk　is　the　more　agreeable　after　quitting　the　rough　pavement　of　either　place。
  Hamburg　is　an　ill；　close…built　town；　swarming　with　inhabitants；　and；　from　what　I　could　learn；　like　all　the　other　free　towns；　governed　in　a　manner　which　bears　hard　on　the　poor；　whilst　narrowing　the　minds　of　the　rich；　the　character　of　the　man　is　lost　in　the　Hamburger。　　Always　afraid　of　the　encroachments　of　their　Danish　neighbours；　that　is；　anxiously　apprehensive　of　their　sharing　the　golden　harvest　of　commerce　with　them；　or　taking　a　little　of　the　trade　off　their　hands…　…though　they　have　more　than　they　know　what　to