We returned home to dress for dinner. Mr. Younge informed me, that he expected a very large party in the evening, chiefly French, and as his lady herself was a French woman, and had arranged her domestic establishment accordingly, I felt some curiosity.

on

About eight, or nearer nine, Mr. Younge, and myself, with two or three others of the dinner company, were summoned up to the drawing-room. The summons itself had something peculiar. The doors of the parlour, which were folding, were thrown open, and two female attendants, dressed like vestals, and holding torches of white wax, summoned us by a low curtsey, and preceded us up the great staircase to the doors of the anti-chamber, where they made another salutation, and took their station on each side. The anti-chamber was filled with servants, who were scated benches fixed to the wall, but who did not rise on our entry. Some of them were even playing at cards, others at dominos, and all of them seemed perfectly at their ease. The anti-chamber opened by an arched door-way into a handsome room, lighted by a chandelier of the most brilliant cut glass; the pannels of the room were very tastily painted, and the glasses on each side very large, and in magnificent frames. The further extremity of this room opened by folding doors into the principal drawing-room, where the company were collected. It was brilliantly lighted, as well by patent lamps, as

by a chandelier in the middle. The furniture had a resemblance to what I had seen in fashionable houses in England. The carpet was of red baize, with a Turkish border, and figured in the middle like a harlequin's jacket. The principal novelty was a blue ribhon which divided the room lengthways, the one side of it being for the dancers, the other for the cardplayers. The ribbon was supported at proper distances by white staves, similar to those of the court ushers.

The ball had little to distinguish it from the balls of England and America, except that the ladies danced with infinitely more skill, and therefore with more grace. The fashionable French dancing is exactly that of our operas. They are all figurantes, and care not what they exhibit, so as they exhi bit their skill. I could not but figure to myself the confusion of an English girl, were she even present at a French assembly. Yet so powerful is habit, that not only did the ladies seem insensible, but even the gentlemen, such as did not dance, regarded them with indiffe rence.

Cotillons and waltzes were the only dances of the evening. The waltzes were danced in couples, twenty or thirty at a time. The measure was quick, and all the parties seemed animated. I cannot say that I saw any thing indecorous in the embraces of the ladies and their partners, except in the mere act itself; but the waltz will never become a current fashion in England or America.

There is no precedency in a French assembly except amongst the military. This is managed with much delicacy. Every group is thrown as much as possible into a

circle.

circle. The tables are all circular, and cotillons are chiefly preferred from having this quality.

I did not join the card-players; there were about half a dozen tables, and the several parties appeared to play very high. When the game or a certain number of games were over, the parties rose from their seats, and bowing to any whom they saw near them, invited them to succeed them in their seats. These invitations were sometimes accepted, but more frequently declined. The division of the drawing-room, set apart for the cardplayers, served rather as a promenade for the company who did not dance; they here ranged themselves in a line along the ribbon, and criticised the several dancers. Some of these spectators seemed most egregious fops. One of them, with the exception of his linen, was dressed completely in purple silk or satin, and another in a rose-coloured silk coat, with white satin waistcoat and small-clothes, and white silk stockings. The greater part of the ladies were dressed in fancy habits from the antique. Some were sphinxes, some vestals, some Dians, half a dozen Minervas, and a score of Junos and Cleopatras. One girl was pointed out to me as being perfectly a l'Anglaise. Her hair, perfectly undressed, was combed off her forehead, and hung down her back in its full length behind. She reminded me of a school-boy, playing without his hat.

We were summoned to the supper table about three in the mornings. This repast was a perfect English dinner. Soup, fish, poul try and ragouts, succeeded each other in almost endless variety. A fruit-basket was served round by

con

the servants, together with the bread-basket, and a small case of liqueurs was placed at every third plate. Some of these were tained in glass figures of cupids, in which case, in order to get at the liqueur, it was necessary to break off a small globule affixed to the breast of the figure. The French confectioners are more ingenious than delicate in these contrivances; but the French ladies seem better pleased with such conceit in proportion to their intelligible references. Some of these naked Cupids, which were perfect in all their parts, were handed from the gentlemen to the ladies, and from the ladies to each other, and as freely examined and criticised, as if they had been paintings of birds. The gentlemen, upon their parts, were equally as facetious upon the naked Venuses; and a swan affixed to a Leda, was the lucky source of innumerable questions and answers. Every thing, in a word, is tolerated which can in any way be passed into an equivoque. Their conversation in this respect resembles their dress no matter how thin that covering may be, so that there be

one.

So much for a French assembly, or fashionable rout, which certainly excels an English one in elegance and fancy, as much as it falls short of it in substantial mirth. The French, it must be confessed, infinitely excel every other nation in all things connected with spectacle, and more or less this spectacle pervades all their parties. They dance they converse, they sing, for exbibition, and as if they were on the stage. Their conversation, therefore, has frequently more wit than interest, and their dancing more vanity than mirth. They seem in

both

both respects to want that happy carelessness which pleases by being pleased. A Frenchwoman is a figurante even in her chit-chat.

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It may be expected that I did not omit to visit the theatres. Mr. Younge accompanied me sively to nearly all of them or three in an evening. Upon this subject, however, I shall say nothing, as every book of travels has so fully described some or other of them, that nothing in fact is further required.

I had resolved not to leave Paris, without seeing the Emperor, and being informed that he was to hold an audience on the following day, I applied to Mr. Younge to procure my formal introduction. With this purpose we waited upon General Armstrong, who sent my name to the Grand Chamberlain, with the necessary formalities. This formality is a certificate under the hand of the Ambassador, that the person soliciting the introduction has been introduced at his own Court, or that, according to the best knowledge of the Ambassador, he is not a merchant. a negociant actuel.' It may be briefly observed, however, that the French negociant answers better to the English mechanic, than to the honourable appellation, merchant. General Armstrong promised ne a very interesting spectacle in the Imperial audience. "It's the most splendid court in Europe," said he: "the Court of London, and even of Vienna, will not bear a comparison with it." Every one agreed with the justice of this remark, and my curiosity was strongly excited.

On the appointed day, about three o'clock, Mr. Younge accompanied me to the palace, where we were immediately conducted to a splendid saloon, which is termed

the Ambassadors' hall. Refreshments were here handed round to the company, which was very numerous, and amongst them many German Princes in their grand court dress. The conversation became very general; those who had seen Buonaparte describing him to those who were about to be introduced. Every one agreed that he was the most extraordinary man that Europe had produced in many centuries, and that even his appearance was in no slight degree indicative of his character." He pos

sesses an eye," said one gentleman, "in which Lavater might have "understood a hero." Mr. Younge confirmed this observation; and prepared me to regard him with more than common attention.

The doors of the saloon were at length thrown open, and some of the officers of the Grand Chamberlain, with white wands and embroidered robes and scarfs, bowing low to the company, invited us by waving their staves, to follow them up the grand staircase. Every one now arranged themselves, in pairs, behind their respective Ambassadors, and followed the ushers in procession, according to the precedence of their respective countries, the Imperial, Spanish, and Neapolitan Ambassadors forming the van. The staircase was lined on both sides with grenadiers of the Legion of Honour, most of whom, privates as well as officers, were arrayed in the order. The officers, as we passed, exchanged salutes with the ambassadors; and as the Imperial ambassador, who led the procession, reached the door of the anti-chamber, two trumpeters on each side played a congratulatory flourish. The ushers who had led us so far, now took their stations on each side the door, and others,

us.

We now entered the anti-chamber, in which was stationed the regular guard of the palace. We were here saluted by the privates and officers, the Imperial guard being considered as part of the household. From the anti-chamber we passed onwards, through nearly a dozen most splendid apartments, and at length reached the presencechamber.

My eyes were instantly in search of the Emperor, who was at the farther extremity, surrounded by a numerous circle of officers and counsellors. The circle opened on our arrival, and withdrew behind the Emperor. The whole of our company now ranged themselves, the Ambassadors in front, and their several countrymen behind their respective ministers.

Buonaparte now advanced to the Imperial Ambassador, with whom, when present, he always begins the audience. I had now an opportunity to regard him attentively. His person is below the middle size, but well composed; his fea

He passed no one without notice, and to all the Ambassadors he spoke once or twice. When he reached General Armstrong, he asked him whether America could not live without foreign commerce as well as France? and then added, without waiting for his answer,

There is one nation in the world "which must be taught by expe"rience, that her merchants are "not necessary to the existence of "all other nations, and that she "cannot hold us all in commercial slavery: England is only sensible " in her compters."

The audience took up little less than two hours, after which the Emperor withdrew into an adjoining apartment; and the company departed in the same order, and with the same appendages as upon their entrance,"

"ON

the following morning we resumed our journey for Blois, a distance of thirty miles, which we proposed to reach the same day.

The country for some leagues very nearly resembled that through which we had passed on the preceding day, except that it was more thickly spread hith houses, and better cultivated. Windmills

are very frequent along the whole line of the Loire, the wheat of the country being ground in the vicinity of the river, So as to be more convenient for transportation. These mills are beautifully situated on the hills and rising grounds, and add much to the cheerfulness of the scenery. The road, morever, was as various as it was beautiful. Sometimes it passed

through

through open fields, in which the peasantry were at work, to get in their harvest. Upon sight of our horses, the labourers, male and female, ceased from their work, and ran up to the carriage: some of the younger women would then present us with some wheat, barley, or whatever was the subject of their labour, accompanying it with rustic salutations, and more frcquently declining than accepting any pecuniary return. This conduct of the French peasantry is a perfect contrast to what a traveller must frequently meet in America, and still more frequently in England. Amongst the inferior classes in England and America, to be a stranger is to be a subject for insult. So much I may say in justice for the French of the very lowest condition, that I never rereived any thing like an insult, and that they no sooner understood me to be a stranger, than they were " fficious in their attentions and information.

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I inquired of Mr. Younge what were the wages of the labourers in this part of France. "Their "wages," said he," are very dif "ferent according to the season. "In harvest-time, they have as “much as 36 sols, about Is. 6d. "English money. The average daily wages of the year may "amount to 24 sols, or a shilling English: they are allowed moreover, three pints of the wine of "the country. Their condition is upon the whole very comfort"able: the greater part of them "have a cow and a small slip of "land. There is a great deal of common land along the whole "course of the Loire, and the "farmers have a practice of exchanging with the poor. The poor, for example, in many dis“tricts, have a right of common

"

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age, during a certain number of "days, over all the common fields: "the farmers having possession of "these lands, and finding it incon"venient to be subject to this par"ticipation, frequently buy it off, " and in exchange assign an acre of "more to every cottage in the pa"rish. These cottages are let to "the labourers for life at a mere "nominal rent, and are continued "to their families, as long as they " remain honest and industrious. "There is, indeed, no such thing

as parochial taxes for the relief "of the poor, as in England, but "distress seldom happens without "being immediately relieved."

"In what manner," said I “de "the French poor live?"

"Very cheaply, and yet, all "things considered, very suth"ciently. You who have lived "almost the whole of your life "in northern climates, can scarcely "form any idea, what a very diffe"rent kind of sustenance is required "in a southern one. In Ireland, "however, how many robust be"dies are solely nourished on milk and potatoes: now chesnuts and

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grapes, and turnips and onions "in France, are what potatoes are "in Ireland. The breakfast of our labourers usually consists of bread "and fruit, his dinner of bread and "an onion, his supper of bread, "milk, and chesnuts. Sometimes "a pound of meat may be boiled

with the onion, and a bouillé is "thus made, which with manage"ment will go through the week. "The climate is such as to require "no expence in fuel, and very little in clothes."

In this conversation we reached Ecures, a village situated on a plain, which in its verdure, and in the fanciful disposition of some trees and groves, reminded me very strongly of an English park. This

similitude