I79J* TRAVELLING MEMORANDUMS. 445 



which is a cerfain indication of gtnerHl oppreffion and 

 poverty — equally (letiiment:\l to men of power and pro- 

 perty in all countries. — I feel diilurbed with fome ap- 

 prehenlions, that enormous taxes, and the ill-judging 

 avarice of many landlords in Scotlarid, tnav in time 

 force our people to fuch ufc of this flagglfti, but ler- 

 viceable and eafily fupported little animal. 



2d Oftober, I breakfai^ed weil at t're pofl-houfe 

 Lucy le bois — All niglit at the Maifon Neuve, thii- 

 ty feven miles, wry well ufed— For dinner, wine, 

 lodging and fire only twelve livres. — ^On the firft two 

 polls of this dry's journey, the country appears barren 

 and ftonv; it mends as we goon — is nioftly a corn coun- 

 try, few vines to be i'een except on diltant hills — Some 

 attempts appear to form inclofurcs in the Eiglilh man- 

 ner, by thorn hedges and rows of trees — unfuccefsfuUy, 

 for want of ikill and care in the m. des of planting and 

 prefervation — yet at a di'lance, and on a general view, 

 the trees, and even defeclive hedges, give an ornament 

 to the face of the country — 1 have remarked that the men 

 and women, and alfo the horfes, are largtr and ha.nd- 

 fomer in Champaigne and Burgundy than in the other 

 parts of France where I have travelled. — Certainly the 

 French people in .general have naturally a greater 

 portion of what is called fpirit, than the Britiih — yet 

 tlieir horfes are moftly fluggifh, and have not th.e figure, 

 fire, and mettle of ours — ■! fuppofe chiefly from dvifedl 

 of pafture, fodder, and proper grain. 



Oftober 3. I breakiaijed at tiie poft-houfe Viteavix — 

 I obfervc, that my old friend Smollet vas in a violent 

 paflion, wlien overcharged at the inns, and threatened 

 vengeance by force or law, ever without redref^ — On 

 fuch occafions, hitherto rare, I have tried a different 

 method with better fuccefs. — At this ian, the landlady 

 demanded forty fous for my breakfalt — I calmly uc- 

 monftrated, to this purpofe : — " I am no unexperienced 

 " traveller ; — I know your demand is extravagant, near 

 " 'oubll- the higheft nOnl rate : — Yet, if you infifl, I 



