JOHN LEDYARD. 307 



had an easy, gentlemanly appearance ; and, had it 

 not been for his few attendants, I should have taken 

 him for the captain of a merchant-ship amusing 

 himself in the field. The palace at Versailles, and 

 its gardens, are an ornament to the face of the glohe. 

 It was dirty weather. I wore boots, and, conse- 

 quently, was prohibited from visiting the galleries. 

 I was in company with our Mr. Barclay, Colonel 

 Franks of the American army, a young Virginian, 

 and an English sea-officer. Franks was booted too ; 

 but, though honest Tom Barclay was not, he had no 

 bag on, and they were dismissed also : so that boots 

 on and bags off are sad recommendations at the 

 court of Versailles. 



"If the two Fitzhughs remain in town a week 

 longer, you shall have a week's detail. They dine 

 with me to-day in my chamber, together with our 

 worthy Consul Barclay, and that lump of univer- 

 sality, Colonel Franks. But such a set of money- 

 Jess rascals have never appeared since the epoch oi 

 the happy villain Falstaff. I have but five French 

 crowns in the world ; Franks has not a sol ; and the 

 Fitzhughs cannot get their tobacco-money. 



" Mr. Jefferson is an able minister, and our coun- 

 try may repose a confidence in him equal to their 

 best wishes. Whether in public or private, he is, in 

 every word and every action, the representative jof 



