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Cenis, where I stayed six days, lodged at the hos- 
pital most comfortably ;—the rest of the party in 
a tent with the Chevalier St. Real, intendant of 
Morienne, who with an officer had been six weeks 
in that place making philosophical observations 
of various kinds. The hospital stands 996 toises 
above the sea. One day we ascended little Mont 
Cenis, 558 toises higher, but I did not go to the 
top. Nothing could be more charming than the 
plain of Mont Cenis; it was all flowery with the 
choicest alpine plants; and I rambled about every 
day among the neighbouring hills and thickets, 
loading myself with treasures for myself and my 
friends, among whom you need not fear being prin- 
cipally remembered. The weather was delightfully 
cool after the suffocating heats of Turin. The fine 
air, good milk, and trout, pleased me extremely. 
The abbé, who governs the hospital like a patriarch 
of old, was as hospitable as possible, and my com- 
panions extremely agreeable. After our long walks 
we reposed on a turf of Dryas octopetala, and Mr. 
de Sousa never failed to keep us in perpetual cheer- 
fulness with his good-humoured sallies. I stayed 
two days longer than the Turin party; my Milan- 
ese lad overtook me here, and I left Mont Cenis 
in company with the Chevalier de St. Real and his 
companion. We passed slowly through Savoy, visit- 
ing many of his acquaintances by the way, and were 
very hospitably received. At one place we met with 
amagnetizer, at whose whimsies, when not too con- 
temptible, we laughed among ourselves. At length 
we arrived at St. Jean de Morienne, the little capi- 
