&c., running of erra., attending at table, and other such offices. A certain number, who are taught sewing, sit down on the floor, under the superintendance of the ladies, to their needle, at which they are astonishingly expert. The equipage of such a family consists of a coach, and one or two covered gigs or one-horse chaises, and fifteen or twenty horses and mules, with their proper attendants, &c. The equipage and horses, &c. may be worth about two thousand pounds sterling. When an entertainment is to be given, no expense or pains are spared to render it as sumptuous as possible. The table is spread with a profusion and variety of all the viands and delicacies which industry or money can procure.

Different courses do not come in

in succession, but the table is at once loaded with superabundance; flesh, fish, fowl, game, and different vegetables appear at once to the view, in a style which rather shews the hospitality and abundance of the master or mistress of the feast, than their taste and selection. Yet here at least, whatever other sauces may give a whet to the appetite, is the zest of a free, hearty, and undisguised welcome. After the removal of the dinner, the desert is ushered in, consisting of tarts, cakes, puddings, and a profusion of sweetmeats, which make a still more magnificent display than the dinner; while various wines (kept cool by wet towels), liqueurs, &c. are handed

round to the guests by the black attendants; who, on this occasion, appear in their newest liveries. After the desert, comes a countless variety of the choicest fruit; and, after the ladies withdraw, which is after a few toasts are given, the gentlemen sometimes smoke segars, and sip their wine, till a late hour, amid cheerful conversation and unbidden hilarity. If singing is desired, the ladies remain longer, and do not hesitate to exercise their vocal powers at the request of the company. It has been mentioned, that they have in general a fine ear, and musical toned voices. It is not to be presumed that any but the most opulent can afford this expensive display of magnificent entertainment; but all are ambitious to make a figure in this respect, and usually treat their guests much above rather than under their cir

cumstances.

The paucity of public amusements has been observed. There is little else besides assemblies and social parties, at least to the ladies, to enliven life, and throw its unvaried surface into gentle undulation; except perhaps a little harmless circulation of scandal, which, in all parts of the world, is to the fair sex a useful sort of thing, by giving an advantageous scope to the display of much untried eloquence and dormant wit; and perhaps communicating an additional zest to the tea, which their pretty lips occasionally sip, while they are dealing forth their oracular

men.

remarks, and deep-drawn inferences. The Creole ladies are in general of a lively and social disposition, but they are not so uniformly so as the This may, at times, be ascribed to certain circumstances. The author has known four or five families (some of which were even distantly related) who, though residing within a mile or two of each other, never exchanged visits, nor seemed to evince the least inclination to cultivate such intimacy, though they seldom saw other company, and were not often from home! Strange infatuation of caprice, or whatever else it may be called, which can sedulously shun the sweets of society, and court the gloom of unsocial seclusion. And yet, such is the force of habit, that this unnatural devotion to retirement will grow upon us, and be at length engrafted, as it were, upon our natures. Doctor Moore, in his journal while in France, says, that he met with two nuns, an old one and a young one, who were in the deepest affliction at the thought of being obliged, by an order of the convention, to quit the solitude of their convent, and be restored again to society, to their friends, and the light of heaven! It must indeed be confessed, that solitude is to be preferred to certain descriptions of company; yet even from these some benefit may be derived; they may often contribute at least to give us some insight into human nature. It is pleasing to retire for a while

from the promiscuous crowd, to enjoy the sweets of leisure and retirement; but one would not like to be tied down to a life of seclusion: one would wish to emerge from it occasionally, to revisit and enjoy society, which we would naturally do with renovated desires, and a double relish for its pleasures.

The ladies here, like the modish fair of Great Britain, think it vulgar and ungenteel to rise too early in the morning; and therefore generally indulge in bed till Phoebus has performed a ninth part or more of his diurnal journey along the ecliptic, and not a pearly dew-drop is to be seen sparkling on a leaf, or refreshing a flower. Thus they lose the most delightful time of the day in dull and cheerless languor. It is true there are exceptions, but they are few. Indeed one must contemplate with pity the number of lovely women, who, slaves to fashion, and to habits of indulgence, are strangers to the sweetest portion of daily existence. How much happier the girl, who having a taste for nature's early charms, rises betimes, sweet as the rose, and cheerful as the lark, to inhale the freshness and perfumes of the morning! They sit down to breakfast about nine, or past it, have what they call second breakfast at twelve, dine at three or four, and drink tea at eight; but seldom eat much, if any, supper. The intervals between these necessary avocations are usually employed in sewing, reading, or

lounging, according to circumstances, taste, inclination, or caprice. The meal called secondbreakfast is the most favourite of all their meals, though it generally has the effect of taking away; their appetite for dinner; so that a stranger, not being previously informed of this meal, and seeing them picking at the pinion of a chicken, without eating any thing else, during dinner, would conceive that, like the camelion, they lived upon air! But this is by no means the case; for the dainties of the second breakfast compensate for this deficiency. This meal has something peculiar in it. It must consist of certain favourite viands, such as the black or land crab, shrimps, toasted green Indian corn, pepper-pot (a distinguished dish, made so hot with green pepper, that one can hardly endure it in the mouth), tum-tum, that is, plantains beat into a kind of dough, and boiled in the pepper-pot, and several other are ticles. This must be eaten with the assistance of the fingers alone; for knives and forks are on this occasion proscribed! In short, so fond are the ladies in general of this second breakfast, that they would (the author verily believes) relinquish all the other three, rather than part with › this one. In the poorer families, though they › find it necessary to retrench many luxuries and superfluities, yet second breakfast remains sacred f and indispensable. If a young lady is to be sent : to Great Britain for her education, her female