144 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



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the best ? And, as Hodgson's pale ale is 

 to small beer, so is the champagne at 

 Mery to the champagne , in England — 

 Q— E— D—. 



Now, having established my position, 

 I will proceed to inform my readers why 

 this is. My authority is derived from the 

 fountain-head. Monsieur Hubert himself. 

 He is one of the largest landed proprietors 

 in the country, and decidedly one of the 

 most respectable of its merchants. 



I learnt from him, and I was unac- 

 quainted with the fact, that the wine of 

 Champagne is but a sorry traveller, de- 

 teriorates in quality by land- carriage, and 

 is invariably sea- sick on a voyage. Of 

 the truth of his assertion I am thoroughly 

 convinced, for I never, in any country, or 

 at any table, tasted such wine as I did 

 during this excursion. I speak not of 

 any choice specimens, such as were pro- 

 duced at Monsieur Hubert's own table. 



