lid TRAVELS THROUGH 

 ment, and the accounts given me, I believe 

 they are by no means in a good ftate. With 

 all the reft of the manufactures of France, 

 thefe fuffered very feverely by the war ; 

 very many of the principal manufacturers 

 of Rheims broke, others retired from a 

 trade which would not fupport them, and 

 thefe were then fucceeded by young perfqns 

 of very fmall property, in whofe hands the 

 fabrics declined very much, to the irrepa- 

 rable injury of the market. Upon the 

 peace, things took a better turn j but their 

 goods have not now the demand they had 

 before the war, nor do they make near the 

 quantity. This is, I think, very confident 

 with what we know to be the cafe with the 

 French commerce, upon which their ma- 

 nufactures depend in two ways; firft, for 

 the export of their goods ; and fecondly, 

 from the people at home being able, from 

 the wealth of commerce, to confume the 

 more of thefe goods. Now, we very well 

 know, that the French trade was, in the 

 utmoft fenfe of the word, abfolutely de- 

 ftroyed, and the few failors left in her ports 

 all in the privateers. This muft, in fpite of 

 all the endeavours of the Dutch, have been 



a mortal 



