F R A N C E. 113 



Louis XlVth's reign, and fell in the fucceed- 

 ing war, that has ever been revived lince, 

 fo as to emulate its former greatnefs. 



Leaving Rheims, I took the road to St.* 

 Thiery, at the diftance of about feven miles. 

 This place is the moft famous of all others 

 for the fine Champagne wines. The whole 

 country here is very fine and pleafant, and 

 exceedingly populous : the vineyards are 

 abundant, and where-ever the land is not 

 Occupied with them, it is cultivated for 

 corn, turneps, fainfoine, and clover. All 

 with whom I converfcd at St. Thiery agreed, 

 that the reafon of their wines being much 

 fuperior to others, was the peculiarity of the 

 foil : 'L afked them over and over again upon 

 the circumftances in it which gave this fu- 

 periority; fome faid it was the fort offlint 

 that abounded in it, others attributed ^Ko 

 the fandy particles, and others again to the 

 loam ; but, upon my walking into the fe- 

 veral vineyards, and examining the foil, I 

 could fee no particulars in it that appeared' 

 fuperior to many others I had been in; and 

 I own I am much inclined to believe, that 

 this idea of foil is an error, and that the 

 whole fuperiority of their wines is no other 



VOL. II. I than 



