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, Modulating The
Wind That Agitated The Neighbouring Poplars.
Now I hear only an
account of the tricks of trade, or listen to the distressful tale of
some victim of ambition.
The hospitality of Hamburg is confined to Sunday invitations to the
country houses I have mentioned, when dish after dish smokes upon
the board, and the conversation ever flowing in the muddy channel of
business, it is not easy to obtain any appropriate information. Had
I intended to remain here some time, or had my mind been more alive
to general inquiries, I should have endeavoured to have been
introduced to some characters not so entirely immersed in commercial
affairs, though in this whirlpool of gain it is not very easy to
find any but the wretched or supercilious emigrants, who are not
engaged in pursuits which, in my eyes, appear as dishonourable as
gambling. The interests of nations are bartered by speculating
merchants. My God! with what sang froid artful trains of corruption
bring lucrative commissions into particular hands, disregarding the
relative situation of different countries, and can much common
honesty be expected in the discharge of trusts obtained by fraud?
But this entre nous.
During my present journey, and whilst residing in France, I have had
an opportunity of peeping behind the scenes of what are vulgarly
termed great affairs, only to discover the mean machinery which has
directed many transactions of moment.
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