6 Travels in France 



be deemed no inconsiderable fault, when one employs many 

 words to say what might be better said in a few. Another 

 capital objection is, that subjects of importance, instead of 

 being treated de suite for illustration or comparison, are given 

 by scraps as received, without order and without connection; 

 a mode which lessens the effect of writing and destroys much 

 of its utility. ^ __ 



r In favour of composing essays on the principal objects that f 

 (have been observed, that is, giving the result of travels and not 

 (the travels themselves, there is this obvious and great advantage, 

 that the subjects thus treated are in as complete a state of' 

 combination and illustration as the abilities of the author 

 [can make them; the matter comes with full force and effect.^ 

 Another admirable circumstance is brevity; for by the rejection 

 of all useless details, the reader has nothing before him but 

 what tends to the full explanation of the subject : of the disad- 

 vantages I need not speak; they are sufficiently noted by 

 showing the benefits of the diary form; for proportionably to 

 the benefits of the one, will clearly be the disadvantages of the 

 other. 



After weighing the pour and the contre, I think that it 

 is not impracticable in my peculiar case to retain the benefits 

 of both these plans. 



With one leading and predominant object in view, namely 

 agriculture, I have conceived that I might throw each subject 

 of it into distinct chapters, retaining all the advantages which 

 arise from composing the result only of my travels. 



At the same time, that the reader may have whatever satis- 

 faction flows from the diary form, the observations which I 

 made upon the face of the countries through which I passed, 

 and upon the manners, customs, amusements, towns, roads, 

 seats, etc., may, without injury, be given in a journal, and thus 

 satisfy the reader in all those points with which he ought in 

 candour to be made acquainted, for the reasons above intimated. 



It is upon this idea that I have reviewed my notes, and 

 executed the work I now offer to the public. 



But travelling upon paper, as well as moving amongst rocks 

 and rivers, hath its difficulties. When I traced my plan, and 

 begun to work upon it, I rejected, without mercy, a variety of 

 little circumstances relating to myself onlj^, and of conversations 

 with various persons which I had thrown upon paper for the 

 amusement of my family and intimate friends. For this I was 

 remonstrated with by a person of whose judgment I think 



