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lliali either the EngUsh or Scotch. I ob- 

 tained the fullest and best information 

 about France from Mr. Jefferson, who 

 seems to be a great lover of that country, 

 and is a man of great research, and very- 

 well informed. He described to me the 

 natural plants in France, w^hich are, gene- 

 rally speaking, what are cultivated in Eng- 

 lish gardens ; from which he seems to draw 

 a conclusion that France is superior to 

 England : he calls France an absolute 

 garden- He likewise extolled the open- 

 ness of the country by its not being in- 

 closed, speaking of the frcencss of air, the 

 fine flavour the mutton has from the 

 plants and air, &c. But during his con- 

 versation he did not tell me of the natural 

 grasses and fine fertile meadows that Eng- 

 land is blessed with, or the hard oak to 

 build ships, or the fine fat cattle, the large 

 long-wooUed sheep, or the extensive ma- 

 nufactories that England possesses. Nei- 

 ther did I think all he said of France to be 

 in its favour, as the openness of the coun- 



