= 
716 
Statistics. rally, but in some instances more particularly, the effects 
—_Y~ which that event has produ 
upon them. We are 
induced to dwell more fully on their state previously 
to the Revolution than since it occurred, from two con- 
siderations: In the first place, even if their state since 
could be accurately and impartially ascertained, it 
would afford no just and permanent picture of them, 
on account of the t fluctuations, or rather the 
depression, to which the Revolution must have sub- 
j them ; but, in the second place, it is impossible 
to gather correct details regarding the manufactures 
and commerce of France as they now exist ; for, al- 
though annual exposés have been published, yet the 
falsehoods and e ions which they notoriously 
contain, mptorily prohibit us from placing any 
faith in them. All that we know, in general, is, that 
by the revolutionary wars the commerce of France 
nes ope —— panies and that many branches 
of her manufactures have been tly depressed. As, 
however, her commerce will mes sce fm, ¥5 it revives, 
revert into the channels in which it flowed iously 
to the events which have nearly destroyed it, and as 
such also will probably be the case with her manufac- 
tures, we have deemed it ay to consider more par- 
ticularly their state previously to the Revolution, sub- 
joining what information we have been able to collect 
ing the effects that event has produced on them. 
And first, with respect to her manufactures : 
I. The earliest notice which we can trace fof any 
branch of the manufactures of France, occurs in the 
fourth century. It is afforded by St Jerome, in his 
second book against Jovinian, where he speaks of a 
* manufactory stuffs which was then at Arras, and 
which was much esteemed. But the first establishment 
of the cloth manufactures of that kingdom, a branch 
for which it has always been greatly celebrated, can~ 
not be accurately traced. That they were extensive 
and important in the beginning of the Mth century, 
is evident from some letters which exist from the King 
of France to the King of England, in which he ex- 
— great anxiety to procure English wool at St 
ers and Lisle. In 1346, the King of France attempt- 
ed to detach the Flemings from the interest of King 
Edward, by sending them the wool of France at a low 
price, and obliging his subjects to use no other wool, 
while their cloth made of French wool was to be u- 
red: Thus offering to sacrifice the woollen man 
of his kingdom. The next notice we have of the ma- 
nufactures of France occurs in 1453, at which period 
some branches of them appear to have flourished con~ 
siderably. This is evident from the account which 
her historians give of Jacques Ceeur, who, by his loan 
of 200,000 crowns, greatly contributed to enable the 
King to expel the English. This merchant, at a time 
when trade was scarcely known in France, is said to 
have employed 300 factors to his vast com~ 
merce, that extended to the Turks and Russians in the 
East, and the Saracens of Africa, at that period the 
most remote nations known to the merchants of Eu- 
rope. His exports consisted chiefly of woollen cloths, 
linens, and paper, then the principal manufactures of 
France ; and his returns were silks, (which proves 
that this manufacture was not then established, or at 
most only in its infancy,) spiceries, &c. Indeed we 
know, from other sources, that the first considerable 
and regular attempts to establish the silk manufacture, 
occurred in the eo ig of Francis I. in the year 1521, 
This monarch took great pains to procure workmen 
from Milan, while he ie that duchy. In this 
FRANCE. 
manufacture the French made a , princi- 
pally af Aipena; 4nd othe futenabahe Nachof rance, 
and soon supplied man »of Europe with silk goods; 
yet it was after time, as we shall afterwards 
shew, before she got into the methodof raising raw silk 
from the worms. In the reign of pop crs some at- 
tention was paid to manufactures. At this peri 
were neither numerous, nor advanced to a state of any 
perfection. Articles of elegance and luxury were im- 
ported from foreign nations,-and even such as were of 
gee consumption had not. attained beyond their ins 
cy. Leather and t, however, were pre- 
pared with some dexterity at Troyes in Cham 3 
and this place was likewise renowned for the 
of its dyes, in which occupation the inhabitants were 
principally employed. A manufacture of white paper 
was extablished at ray Re in Provence, about the 
beginning of Henry the Second’s reign; and there 
seems to have been others in the kingdom. In the 
manufacture of iron and steel the French were then 
very deficient, Their fire arms they procured from 
Lombardy. Charles 1X. indeed, endeavoured to intro- 
duce among his soldiers musquets made at Metz and 
Abbeville, where manufactures of arms were establish- 
ed, but they were so heavy and awkwardly made that 
the attempt was laid aside. The same monarch brought 
to Paris, Italian manufacturers, whe finished there the. 
morions, or head-pieces, which were manufactured and 
purchased at Milan. In the reign. of Henry III. gun« 
powder was made in France, but not in sufficient quan- 
tity to render the importation of it, as well as of saltpetre, 
unnecessary. Genoa, in particular, supplied the French 
with gunpowder, : 
But the first grand era of the manufactures of France 
must be fixed in the reign of Henry IV. The monarchs 
before him had occasionally encouraged particular ma- 
nufactures ; but their en t being partial and 
temporary, and not proceeding from any clear or pro- 
found views on the subject, went a little way in the 
completion of the object they had in view. Henry IV, 
on the con’ , maturely considered the best means for 
promoting and cherishing manufactures; and though 
we can hardly suppose that Sully, who greatly prefer- 
red agriculture to manufactures or commerce, entered 
very cordially into the views of his master, yet there 
can be no doubt that Henry profited by his penetration 
and sense. Before this reign, the silk-worm and 
mulberry trees had been propagated only in the Lyon- 
nois, Dauphiny, Provence, and Languedoc; and so 
certs =. Frenne of articles of ny that in 4000; 
issued an edict prohibiting importation 
foreign silks. The inhabitants of the city of Tours 
had fextorted from him this ition by their im- 
ities, un ing to supply all the national de-« 
mand for silk, as well as for gold and silver stuffs. 
But could not perform their engagement ; and in 
1603, the King was obliged to rescind the edict. Sully 
entertained great and t insurmountable prejudi- 
ces against the silk manufacture, and was impressed 
with the belief that the climate of France was unfavour« 
able to rearing the silkworm. Henry, however, was not 
to be disco As we have already mentioned, in 
1608, temporary buildings were constructed at Fon- 
tainebleau, at the castle of Madrid, and at the Thuille- 
ries, for silk-worms. Mulberry trees were planted in 
various provinces, in which they had not been previous- 
ly cultivated, especially in the vicinity of Paris, Or- 
leans, and Tours. The government caused pamphlets 
on the art of cultivating trees, and preserving the 
Statistics. 
—— 
In the 
reign of 
Henry IV. 
