fjgi. TRAVELLING MEMORANDUMS. pi 



Pera, are juflly admired as the fineft in France i — a«d 

 the adjoining great aquedu£l makes, as I think, a mag- 

 nificent appearance, though it is a modern work, and 

 though my friend Smollet peevifhly treats it with con- 

 tempt.— The perfumes and liqueurs which are made 

 Jiere are highly elleemed all over Europe, and are the 

 ftaple branch of their commerce. 



In 3 party with Lord D s and his family, we 



made an excurfion to view the great canal of Langue- 

 doc, and the Mot^tagne percse, the pisrced mountain) ; — 

 beautiful ©bjecls of high and curious art, even to thofe 

 who have fcen fuch noble and ufeful works in England 

 and Scotland. — I am firm in an opinion that all minute 

 defcrlption of fuch monuments of genius or public 

 benefit are tedious and unfatisfaclory.— In fuch cafes I 

 forbear any defcription, and I apply the Roman maxim, 

 Sentio tatitum — monjtraty nequeo. 



In the courfe of this excurfion I made and fet down 

 a material obfervation, that there is one article of Ca- 

 tholic religion, which, though a hearty prOteflant, I 

 would gladly embrace ; — That in feed-time and harveft 

 they work diligently, and I think, devoutly, in the 

 fields, except during the actual performance of divine 

 ferA'ice. — If fenfe and found i-eafon were allowed to de- 

 termine points of religious faith and duty, it would be 

 as practicable and profitable for nations to agree in ar- 

 ticles of faitli as of commerce, which is not regulated 

 by metaphyfical arguments, nor by the art or influence 

 of interefted men, but by the obvious principles of 

 jcommon fenfe and common utifity. 



When at Montpelier, I had the fingu'ar happinefs 

 to become well acquainted with Lord C — If — d, and 



his moft amiable family I can in no due meafure 



irexprefs the cftimation which, in my heart, 1 entertain 

 for him. — In thefc unpremeditated notes I fet down juft 

 what I think and feel. — I think England produces foms 

 of the belt — and feme of the worfi; of mankind, — witli a 

 wonderful diverfity of intermediate characters between 

 Ma 



