224 TRAVELS THROUGH 

 ried on upon thofe lands round his chateau, 

 which he kept entirely in his own hands. 

 The NoblefTe in France are exempted from 

 the taille, as far as the culture of two 

 ploughs extends, and with fervants that 

 live in their families. The Marquis, for 

 this reafon, keeps no more, expreffing him- 

 felf with great warmth again ft that odious 

 tax. But he takes advantage of the King's 

 ediclj whereby an exemption from all taxes 

 is granted to 'the improvers of lands not in 

 culture before, during twenty years. He 

 pofTefies, within three miles of his refidence, 

 a very large heath, with feme tracts of rock, 

 and low marfh, of which he has the entire 

 property. Here he has wrought fome great 

 improvements : lie built a houfe for his 

 fervants and overfeers, flables for his oxen 

 and cows, inclofures for his iheep and 

 fwine, and, in a word, all the buildings 

 complete for a large farm. His heath-land 

 he has converted, after a courfe of tillage, 

 into fainfoine, of which he has a vafl quan- 

 tity always before hand. Indeed, I had no 

 where, iince I entered France, feen fuch 

 large ftacks of hay -as at this farm of the 

 Marquis's. His method of managing this 



grafs 



