56 TRAVELS THROUGH 

 to one of the farm-houfes, in order to make 

 it hold a larger family. As his views were 

 to convert part of the land diredly into til- 

 lage, and having long experienced the be- 

 nefit of inclofures on his father's farm, he 

 was much rejoiced to find, that his new 

 purchafe was entirely unconnected with the 

 walks of any other farmers j fo that nobody 

 could complain of him, if he inclofed the 

 whole. But, to be fure in this important 

 point, he obtained the permiflion of the 

 Prior of the Convent, which is fituated five 

 or fix miles from him, and alfo of M. le 

 Marquis d'Ecquevilly, chief and governor 

 of the Ele&ion, under the Duke de Bour- 

 bon, governor of Champagne. Thus fe- 

 cured, he fet about his works. He inclofed 

 one piece, of fifty acres. The foil of the 

 largeft part of the eflate is a poor, hungry, 

 white, chalky ftratutJm; in fome places on 

 gravel, in others on loam, and in a few on 

 clay j but the white earth is generally very 

 deep, and very often ends in a white rock. 

 At a diftance from the village, a large trad: 

 of near two hundred acres, is a low fwampy 

 partj the foil a thin flratuum of peat-earth 

 on. the white foil, and in fome places wet, 



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