FRANCE. 41 



life. If they emigrate, it muft be from is. 

 to 8d. a day, which is fuch an obvious 

 change, that no other confideration will 

 make it up to them. But there is another 

 circumftance attending cheapnefs, which 

 dclVrves to be confidered; where it arifes, as 

 it generally does, from the lownefs of na- 

 tional wealth, the employment of the poor 

 mud be more uncertain and hazardous, 

 and they mull experience a total want of it 

 oftener than where money is plentiful. 

 This is certainly the cafe in France, where, 

 in no manufactures, nor in agriculture) are 

 they employed with regularity ; whereas, in 

 England, they do not experience this varia- 

 tion near fo much. And it is to this I at- 

 tribute the amazing number of beggars to 

 be met with in every part of France. 1 have 

 heard gentlemen in Englandcomplain of their 

 beggars: were they only to land at Calais or 

 Bologne for one half hour, they would change 

 their ideas. Nor can you go into the moil 

 unfrequented parts of the kingdom, with- 

 out finding it the fame. It is melancholy 

 to fee fo many beggars in the midft of the 

 fertile plains of Lunneville and Nancy ; and 

 yet more melancholy, to refled on the great 



trafts 



