FRANCE. 77 



I pafs directly to Rheims, moft part of 

 which country is fcattered with very 6ne 

 vineyards; that I fhould take Vcrzenay, 

 Mailly, Puyfieux, and Sillery, in my way, 

 which were all particularly famous for their 

 wines -, but that the mofb famous of all was 

 St. Thiery, on the other fiile Rheims : 

 that, having feen thefe, I fhould return t3 

 Chalons, and from thence take the high 

 road for Meaux, along the river "Marnc, 

 and through the fined tract of land in all 

 France. In which journey, the moft fa- 

 mous wines were made at Ay, Efpernay, 

 Vanteul, and Montigny. He launched out 

 greatly in favour of his country, the excel- 

 lency of its wines, holding all others as con- 

 temptible, in comparifon with them. To 

 the fouth-weft of Chalons there are many 

 vineyards that yield good wine ; and almoil 

 every body in this country, towns and all, 

 have vineyards, or {hares in them. My 

 landlord is joint-owner of feveral. The 

 information he gave me concerning them 

 was not very fatisfadlory ; yet I could find, 

 from it, that an acre of vines, tolerably 

 well managed, without having any thing 

 particularly excellent in the produce, yielded 



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