Account of the Climate, $c. of' the North of France. 235 



has once or twice been observed nearly at 0°. In the winter 

 of 1819, I observed it so low as 10° a considerable time after 

 sunrise. There had previously been a great fall of snow 

 without wind, and there was now a gentle but steady norther- 

 ly breeze. The whole sky was free of clouds, had a deep 

 blue colour, and a peculiar glistening appearance, produced 

 by minute icy spiculas with which it was heavily charged, 

 and which, impinging on the face, in walking against the 

 wind, were sufficient to blister it. These spicula? had no ef- 

 fect on the appearance of the sun, if it was not to render the 

 light more intensely white and glistening. 



A humid atmosphere, habitual heavy fogs, a moderate 

 temperature, a low and moist soil, the free use of watery 

 drinks, such as beer, the daily use of a great quantity of milk 

 and butter, an abundant nourishment of wheat-bread, but- 

 cher's meat, tea, and fresh water fish, and garden vegetables 

 of all kinds, the ease of all ranks of society, and labour to oc- 

 cupy all hands, all these things united must greatly influence 

 the physical and intellectual constitution of the inhabitants. 

 In general, men, animals, and vegetables, are large. A moist 

 climate, and a fertile soil, are favourable to the developement 

 of all the parts of animate beings. Hence we remark large 

 bones, large muscles, with a profusion of cellular substance. 

 When King Henry the Eight described a certain princess as 

 " a great Flanders mare," the comparison was rude, but suf- 

 ficiently intelligible. In general, the complexion of the in- 

 habitants is fair, the eyes blue, and the hair chesnut. They 

 support labour well, and often arrive to an advanced age. In 

 character they are a mixture of the Frenchman and Holland- 

 er, and which, when closely analyzed, is found to be rather an 

 odd compound. 



Beer of various qualities is much used, and spirituous li- 

 quors (particularly gin, which sells at the rate of about six- 

 pence the bottle) are consumed in great quantity. Drunk- 

 enness, however, even in the towns, is rare, very rare, com- 

 pared with what may be observed in Britain, and habitual 

 drinkers still more so. But it is an almost universal practice 

 to take a glass of raw spirits on first rising in the morning, 

 a practice common, and said to have been found beneficial, in 



