hem；　or　taking　a　little　of　the　trade　off　their　hands…　…though　they　have　more　than　they　know　what　to　do　withthey　are　ever　on　the　watch；　till　their　very　eyes　lose　all　expression；　excepting　the　prying　glance　of　suspicion。
  The　gates　of　Hamburg　are　shut　at　seven　in　the　winter　and　nine　in　the　summer；　lest　some　strangers；　who　come　to　traffic　in　Hamburg；　should　prefer　living；　and　consequentlyso　exactly　do　they　calculatespend　their　money　out　of　the　walls　of　the　Hamburger's　world。　　Immense　fortunes　have　been　acquired　by　the　per…cents。　arising　from　commissions　nominally　only　two　and　a　half；　but　mounted　to　eight　or　ten　at　least　by　the　secret　manoeuvres　of　trade；　not　to　include　the　advantage　of　purchasing　goods　wholesale　in　common　with　contractors；　and　that　of　having　so　much　money　left　in　their　hands；　not　to　play　with；　I　can　assure　you。　　Mushroom　fortunes　have　started　up　during　the　war；　the　men；　indeed；　seem　of　the　species　of　the　fungus；　and　the　insolent　vulgarity　which　a　sudden　influx　of　wealth　usually　produces　in　common　minds　is　here　very　conspicuous；　which　contrasts　with　the　distresses　of　many　of　the　emigrants；　〃fallen；　fallen　from　their　high　estate；〃　such　are　the　ups　and　downs　of　fortune's　wheel。　　Many　emigrants　have　met；　with　fortitude；　such　a　total　change　of　circumstances　as　scarcely　can　be　paralleled；　retiring　from　a　palace　to　an　obscure　lodging　with　dignity；　but　the　greater　number　glide　about；　the　ghosts　of　greatness；　with　the　Croix　de　St。　Louis　ostentatiously　displayed；　determined　to　hope；　〃though　heaven　and　earth　their　wishes　crossed。〃　　Still　good　breeding　points　out　the　gentleman；　and　sentiments　of　honour　and　delicacy　appear　the　offspring　of　greatness　of　soul　when　compared　with　the　grovelling　views　of　the　sordid　accumulators　of　cent。　per　cent。
  Situation　seems　to　be　the　mould　in　which　men's　characters　are　formed：　　so　much　so；　inferring　from　what　I　have　lately　seen；　that　I　mean　not　to　be　severe　when　I　addpreviously　asking　why　priests　are　in　general　cunning　and　statesmen　false？that　men　entirely　devoted　to　commerce　never　acquire　or　lose　all　taste　and　greatness　of　mind。　An　ostentatious　display　of　wealth　without　elegance；　and　a　greedy　enjoyment　of　pleasure　without　sentiment；　embrutes　them　till　they　term　all　virtue　of　an　heroic　cast；　romantic　attempts　at　something　above　our　nature；　and　anxiety　about　the　welfare　of　others；　a　search　after　misery　in　which　we　have　no　concern。　　But　you　will　say　that　I　am　growing　bitter；　perhaps　personal。　　Ah！　shall　I　whisper　to　you；　that　you　yourself　are　strangely　altered　since　you　have　entered　deeply　into　commercemore　than　you　are　aware　of；　never　allowing　yourself　to　reflect；　and　keeping　your　mind；　or　rather　passions；　in　a　continual　state　of　agitation？　　Nature　has　given　you　talents　which　lie　dormant；　or　are　wasted　in　ignoble　pursuits。　　You　will　rouse　yourself　and　shake　off　the　vile　dust　that　obscures　you；　or　my　understanding；　as　well　as　my　heart；　deceives　me　egregiouslyonly　tell　me　when。　　But　to　go　farther　afield。
  Madame　la　Fayette　left　Altona　the　day　I　arrived；　to　endeavour；　at　Vienna；　to　obtain　the　enlargement　of　her　husband；　or　permission　to　share　his　prison。　　She　lived　in　a　lodging　up　two　pairs　of　stairs；　without　a　servant；　her　two　daughters　cheerfully　assisting；　choosing；　as　well　as　herself；　to　descend　to　anything　before　unnecessary　obligations。　　During　her　prosperity；　and　consequent　idleness；　she　did　not；　I　am　told；　enjoy　a　good　state　of　health；　having　a　train　of　nervous　complaints；　which；　though　they　have　not　a　name；　unless　the　significant　word　ennui　be　borrowed；　had　an　existence　in　the　higher　French　circles；　but　adversity　and　virtuous　exertions　put　these　ills　to　flight；　and　dispossessed　her　of　a　devil　who　deserves　the　appellation　of　legion。
  Madame　Genus　also　resided　at　Altona　some　time；　under　an　assumed　name；　with　many　other　sufferers　of　less　note　though　higher　rank。　　It　is；　in　fact；　scarcely　possible　to　stir　out　without　meeting　interesting　countenances；　every　lineament　of　which　tells　you　that　they　have　seen　better　days。
  At　Hamburg；　I　was　informed；　a　duke　had　entered　into　partnership　with　his　cook；　who　becoming　a　traiteur；　they　were　both　comfortably　supported　by　the　profit　arising　from　his　industry。　　Many　noble　instances　of　the　attachment　of　servants　to　their　unfortunate　masters　have　come　to　my　knowledge；　both　here　and　in　France；　and　touched　my　heart；　the　greatest　delight　of　which　is　to　discover　human　virtue。
  At　Altona；　a　president　of　one　of　the　ci…devant　parliaments　keeps　an　ordinary；　in　the　French　style；　and　his　wife　with　cheerful　dignity　submits　to　her　fate；　though　she　is　arrived　at　an　age　when　people　seldom　relinquish　their　prejudices。　　A　girl　who　waits　there　brought　a　dozen　double　louis　d'or　concealed　in　her　clothes；　at　the　risk　of　her　life；　from　France；　which　she　preserves　lest　sickness　or　any　other　distress　should　overtake　her　mistress；　〃who；〃　she　observed；　〃was　not　accustomed　to　hardships。〃　　This　house　was　particularly　recommended　to　me　by　an　acquaintance　of　yours；　the　author　of　the　〃American　Farmer's　Letters。〃　　I　generally　dine　in　company　with　him：　and　the　gentleman　whom　I　have　already　mentioned　is　often　diverted　by　our　declamations　against　commerce；　when　we　compare　notes　respecting　the　characteristics　of　the　Hamburgers。　　〃Why；　madam；〃　said　he　to　me　one　day；　〃you　will　not　meet　with　a　man　who　has　any　calf　to　his　leg；　body　and　soul；　muscles　and　heart；　are　equally　shrivelled　up　by　a　thirst　of　gain。　　There　is　nothing　generous　even　in　their　youthful　passions；　profit　is　their　only　stimulus；　and　calculations　the　sole　employment　of　their　faculties；　unless　we　except　some　gross　animal　gratifications　which；　snatched　at　spare　moments；　tend　still　more　to　debase　the　character；　because；　though　touched　by　his　tricking　wand；　they　have　all　the　arts；　without　the　wit；　of　the　wing…footed　god。〃
  Perhaps　you　may　also　think　us　too　severe；　but　I　must　add　that　the　more　I　saw　of　the　manners　of　Hamburg；　the　more　was　I　confirmed　in　my　opinion　relative　to　the　baleful　effect　of　extensive　speculations　on　the　moral　character。　　Men　are　strange　machines；　and　their　whole　system　of　morality　is　in　general　held　together　by　one　grand　principle　which　loses　its　force　the　moment　they　allow　themselves　to　break　with　impunity　over　the　bounds　which　secured　their　self…　respect。　　A　man　ceases　to　love　humanity；　and　then　individuals；　as　he　advances　in　the　chase　after　wealth；　as　one　clashes　with　his　interest；　the　other　with　his　pleasures：　　to　business；　as　it　is　termed；　everything　must　give　way；　nay；　is　sacrificed；　and　all　the　endearing　charities　of　citizen；　husband；　father；　brother；　become　empty　names。　　Butbut　what？　　Why；　to　snap　the　chain　of　thought；　I　must　say　farewell。　　Cassandra　was　not　the　only　prophetess　whose　warning　voice　has　been　disregarded。　　How　much　easier　it　is　to　meet　with　love　in　the　world　than　affection！
  Yours　sincerely。
  LETTER　XXIV。
  My　lodgings　at　Altona　are　tolerably　comfortable；　though　not　in　any　proportion　to　the　price　I　pay；　but；　owing　to　the　present　circumstances；　all　the　necessaries　of　life　are　here　extravagantly　dear。　　Considering　it　as　a　temporary　residence；　the　chief　inconvenience　of　which　I　am　inclined　to　complain　is　the　rough　streets　that　must　be　passed　before　Marguerite　and　the　child　can　reach　a　level　road。
  The　views　of　the　Elbe　in　the　vicinity　of　the　town　are　pleasant；　particularly　as　the　prospects　here　afford　so　little　variety。　　I　attempted　to　descend；　and　walk　close　to　the　water's　edge；　but　there　was　no　path；　and　the　smell　of　glue；　hanging　to　dry；　an　extensive　manufactory　of　which　is　carried　on　close　to　the　beach；　I　found　extremely　disagreeable。　　But　to　commerce　everything　must　give　way；　profit　and　profit　are　the　only　speculations〃doubledouble；　toil　and　trouble。〃　　I　have　seldom　entered　a　shady　walk　without　being　soon　obliged　to　turn　aside　to　make　room　for　the　rope…makers；　and　the　only　tree　I　have　seen；　that　appeared　to　be　planted　by　the　hand　of　taste；　is　in　the　churchyard；　to　shade　the　tomb　of　the　poet　Klopstock's　wife。
  Most　of　the　merchants　have　country　houses　to　retire　to　during　the　summer；　and　many　of　them　are　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　Elbe；　where　they　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　the　packet…boats　arrivethe　periods　of　most　consequence　to　divide　their　week。
  The　moving　picture；　consisting　of　large　vessels　and　small　craft；　which　are　continually　changing　their　position　with　the　tide；　renders　this　noble　river；　the　vital　stream　of　Hamburg；　very　interesting；　and　the　windings　have　sometimes　a　very　fine　effect；　two　or　three　turns　being　visible　at　once；　intersecting　the　flat　meadows；　a　sudden　bend　often　increasing　the　magnitude　of　the　river；　and　the　silvery　expanse；　scarcely　gliding；　though　bearing　on　its　bosom　so　much　treasure；　looks　for　a　moment　like　a　tranquil　lake。
  Nothing　can　be　stronger　than　the　contrast　which　this　flat　country　and　strand　afford；　compared　with　the　mountains　and　rocky　coast　I　have　lately　dwelt　so　much　among。　　In　fancy　I　return　to　a　favourite　spot；　where　I　seemed　to　have　retired　from　man　and　wretchedness；　but　the　din　of　trade　drags　me　back　to　all　the　care　I　left　behind；　when　lost　in　sublime　emotions。　　Rocks　aspiring　towards　the　heavens；　and；　as　it　were；　shutting　out　sorrow；　surrounded　me；　whilst　peace　appeared　to　steal　along　the　lake　to　calm　my　bosom；　modul