FRANCE. 223 



The manufactures of Lyons were, before 

 the war, fuppofed to be at as great a height 

 as at the end of the laft century. At 

 my expreffing my furprife at this, he faid, 

 there could be no doubt of it , but that the 

 war reduced them three parts out of five. 

 Upon the conclufion of the peace, they took a 

 fudden flight, which lafted about two years; 

 but that they have continued rather dead 

 ever fince, and have not yet near recovered 

 their former importance. If the peace lads, 

 which, faid he, all good Frenchmen pray 

 for, they will recover, though flowly, and 

 would, with proper management, arife be- 

 yond any thing they ever yet faw j for, 

 where-ever the Lyons fabrics can come, 

 they deftroy the fale of all other filks. 

 Neither you in England, the Dutch, Ger- 

 mans, Spaniards, or Italians, can make any 

 thing comparable to them in cheapnefs and 

 beauty. But manufactures can thrive only 

 in peace ; and, if the King and his Mini- 

 fters will have war, they mud be contented 

 without money, for they cannot have both. 

 The Marquis, after this very fenfible and 

 interefting account of his province, con- 

 verfed with me about the hufbandry he car- 

 ried 



