Bakewell’s Travels in the Tarentaise, &c. 
government of Sardinia before the Revo- 
lution, for the monks, were probibited 
from receiving any new.brethren into 
their establishments, in order that the 
estates might devolve to the crown, on 
the extinction of the different fraterni- 
ties. This measure, though wise in the 
abstract, was not unattended with incon- 
venience, and perhaps we may add, in- 
justice... The poor, who had been accus- 
tomed to fly to the monasteries for relief 
in cases of distress, were left without any 
support, except the casual charity of 
their neighbours, who had litile to spare 
from their own absolute necessities. The 
situation of the. poor is therefore much 
worse in Savoy, than before the abolition 
of the monasteries. 
On the establishment of tithes in Eng- 
land, they were expressly stated to be 
for the maintenance of the clergy and 
the poor, Such I suppose to have been 
the case in other countries; but the rich 
regular clergy, have Jong since forgotten 
the claims of the poor to a portion of the 
tithes, and abandoned them to the care 
of the monks. On the lay appropriation 
of the revenues of the monasteries, the 
poor found no defenders to enquire into 
the original intentions of, the founders, 
or toassert their claim to a portion of the 
property. 
Though the peasantry in Savoy are 
very poor, they cannot be called miser- 
able... In the neighbourhood of towns, 
their situation is worse than ata distance, 
and not far from Chamberry, I have seen 
a few families, that might almost vie in 
squalid misery, rags, and filth, with the 
poor of Ireland: but the general appear- 
ance of the peasantry is respectable. 
The annual wages of a farming man 
varies from three to six louis. A day- 
Jabourer receives from twenty-five to 
thirty sous, or from oneshilling to fifteen- 
pence Euglish, per day, if he keeps him- 
self; or from ten to fifteen sous, (or five- 
pence to seyen-pence halfpenny,) if he is 
fed ; but these wages vary according to 
the season, A carpenter or wheelwright 
receives forty sous per day, or twenty 
sous if he is fed. The price of a pair of 
oxen, for agriculture, varies with the 
nature of the soil. Near Rumilly it is 
from eighteen to twenty-five louis; but 
three leagues nearer Geneva the land is 
stiffer, and requires stronger oxen for the 
plough, and a consequent augmentation 
in the size and price. The price of a 
horse, for agriculture, is from twelve to 
twenty louis, and of a mule from ten to 
fifteen louis, 
Monrtury Mac, No, 391. 
593 
The wages of female servants in those 
families that are sufficiently opulent to 
keep them, are from fifty to sixty francs, 
or from forty-two to about fifty-two shil- 
lings a year, but in some cases they are 
as high as_ seventy-two francs, or three 
pounds, ‘The wages of a cook are from 
100 to 120 francs. In the year 1821, 
when the above answers were given me, 
the price of provisions in Savoy were as 
under. 
Wheat, 120Ibs., of 180z., fifteen to 
sixteen francs, viz. twelve shillings and 
six-pence to thirteen shillings and four- 
pence English. Beef, three-pence to 
four-pence ; mutton and veal, two-pence 
halfpenny to three-pence halfpenny ; 
pork, four-pence to five-pence. ; 
The inhabitants of the mountains are 
richer and more industrious than those of 
the plains, the land being chiefly occn- 
pied by the proprietors ; and those who 
are tenants occupy on more liberalterms 
than in the neighbourhoed of towns. 
The riches of a mountain peasant, are 
estimated by the number of cows he 
can keep during the winter. An old 
peasant from the mountains at the head 
of the lake of Annecy, was pointed 
out to me as remarkably rich; he kept 
twenty-five cows. This implied that he 
had a quantity of land in cultivation, 
sufficient to supply them with fodder dur- 
ing the winter months, when they are 
kept entirely in stables, 
The vineyards in Savoy are cultivated 
for haif the produce of the wine. The 
cultivator pays the whole expence, ex- 
cept the taxes, which are paid by the 
proprietor. 
Walnut-trees, of immense size and 
great beauty, enrich the scenery of Sa- 
voy, and supply sufficient oil for the con- 
sumption of the inhabitants, and for the 
adjoining canton of Geneva. Walnuts 
have been called the olive of the country./ 
The trees belong principally to the larger 
proprietors. They are planted by nature, 
being scattered over the fields, and in 
the woods and hedge-rows, intermixed 
with chesnut and forest trees of various 
kinds. The walnut harvest has been 
already described, Sixty pounds of ker- 
nel, of 240z., equal to 90h. avoirdupois, 
I was informed by M. Berthel, yield from 
20 to 24 quart bottles of oil. 
THE GLACIERS. 
Descending on the valley of Cha- 
mouny, we passed a rivulet,which we 
scarcely noticed; but on our return, 
alter a few hours rain, it Was become a 
powerful stream, In this riyulet the 
4G. father 
