1822,] 
bited. Some artieles might be ex- 
ported at a price so extremely low, as 
to make it hardly a question whether 
they could not be made to yield an 
additional source of revenue, 
Instead of reducing all the taxes 
and duties exactly one-half, the ap- 
portioning those regulations would 
‘afford an opportunity for some import- 
ant financial advantages. 
One of the first consequences, when 
the provisional law had ceased, would 
be a gradual advance in the value of 
all things. As that effect took place, 
and as the debt would be something 
Jess than half its present amount, its 
weight would become progressively 
and proportionally lighter, and its final 
reduction be brought within the scale 
of probability, 
Among the various schemes of finan- 
cial amelioration, it is presumed there 
is no other mode which would so ade- 
quately avert the impending evils, or 
accomplish such eminent results, with 
fewer sacrifices and less difliculty. 
Although we may procced even more 
smoothly in our- present course than 
we have lately done, yet without a 
thorough and absolute system of re- 
trenchment, or the aid of some ex- 
tremely judicious and extraordinary 
efforts, either soon or late, and with 
its fatal and unknown consequences, 
the evil day must come. 
: TALAVERA. 
eS 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
TRAITS of the MANNERS of WOMEN at 
PARIS, 
HERE never was a finer day: in 
the gardens of the Tuillcries I met 
Madame P. and her daughter, a young 
lady of seven years old. She was in 
a morning dress, in which nothing was 
spared to heighten the effect of her 
charms. I addressed her. ‘Is it you? 
mon Dieu! (says she,) Mr. V. from 
what part of the country do you come? 
it’s quite an age since we saw you.” 
— Madame, business, and a thousand 
circumstances, have prevented me the 
pleasure of paying you my respects.” 
—‘ However, you shall not escape me 
now.”—* Madame, you flatter me too 
much,”—“T shall return, and you will 
have the complaisance to accompany 
me.”—“ Nothing can make me, ma- 
dame, more happy.” 
I presented her my arm, and we 
.$00n arrived. A small beautiful apart- 
ment, well furnished, glasses all round, 
an elegant sofa, was mounted with 
Traits of the Manners of Women at Paris. 
227 
a tasteful canopy, ‘the whole” hung 
with embroidered cambric : in short, 
it was the sanctuary of all that could 
dazzle the imagination. 
“ Jeanneton,” (who was within call,) 
‘“¢what have you for dinner?” ‘‘ Ma- 
dame, some lentils.”—‘“Is that all? 
monsieur dines here: add a little sal- 
lad.”—“‘ Madame, infinitely grateful, 
but ” No, Iwill take no excuse ; 
I have determined it, and you shall 
dine. When my husband returns 
from his bureau, he will be very happy 
to see you.”—‘ Madame, I Know not 
how to resist.” 
Monsieur makes his appearance. 
“O! the kind-hearted man.” ‘Set- 
ting compliments aside, let us ap- 
proach the table (said he); for I 
breakfasted at nine, and it is now half 
past four, and I can eat with appetite.” 
—We passed into the dining-room, 
sumptuously arranged; the table co- 
vered with a display of ornamental 
plated ware; no knife, but a silver 
spoon and fork for each guest, with 
napkins, and every one a small loaf to 
themselves. As the French term it, 
it was superb. Presently was usher- 
ed in, with great pomp, a small tureen, 
likewise apparently of silver, fur- 
nished with its splendid cover, and 
standing on a dish of the same metal. 
It was soup, which had been served up 
the day before, for Madame :but we were 
not to be entirely forgotten; for Jean- 
neton soon returned, and, with a gra- 
vity almost pontifical, placed on the 
centre of the table a dish of the finest 
English porcelain, large cnough, if 
any thing were to follow it. I raised 
my eyes, and saw fuming about two 
quarts of lentils, four large onions, 
and three crusts of bread. This way 
of serving a dinner appeared to me at 
first very singular; but in this respect 
every one judges for himself. 
As to the rest, the lentils were well 
dressed, and I was hungry, and ate 
my part; and, in so doing, did well, 
for I had only to wait for the small 
sallad, which Madame had ordered on 
my arrival, to show me respect. In 
came all of a sudden the dessert; 
which consisted of a morsel of Gruére 
cheese, five large apples, with their 
cheeks upward, and two dozen raw 
chesnuts. She offered me some cheese, 
which I readily accepted; as to the 
rest of this magnificent finish, it was 
probably only designed by way of 
ceremony, as [ was not asked to taste 
them. Though I could just discover 
that 
