82 Travels in France , 



for rural economy, one for anatomy, and another for chemistry. 

 — I was informed that Monsieur d'Aubenton, who is at the head 

 of this farm with a salary of 6000 livres a year, reads lectures of 

 rural economy, particularly on sheep, and that a flock was for 

 that purpose kept in exhibition. There is a spacious and 

 convenient apartment for dissecting horses and other animals; 

 a large cabinet where the most interesting parts of all domestic 

 animals are preserved in spirits ; and also of such parts of their 

 bodies that mark the visible effect of distempers. This is very 

 rich. This, with a similar one near Lyons, is kept up (exclusive 

 of the addition of 1783) at the moderate expense, as appears 

 by the writings of M. Necker, of about 60,000 livres (£2600). 

 Whence, as in many other instances, it appears that thie most 

 useful things cost the least. There are at present about one 

 hundred eleves from different parts of the kingdom as well as 

 from every country in Europe, except England ; a strange 

 exception considering how grossly ignorant our farriers are; 

 and that the whole expense of supporting a young man here 

 does not exceed forty louis a year; nor more than four years 

 necessary for his complete instruction. As to the farm it is 

 under the conduct of a great naturalist, high in royal academies 

 of science, and whose name is celebrated through Europe for 

 merit in superior branches of knowledge. l\ would argue in 

 me a want of judgment in human nature to expect good practice 

 from such men. They would probably think it beneath their 

 pursuits and situation in life to be good ploughmen, turnip- 

 hoers, and shepherds; I should therefore betray my own 

 ignorance of life if I was to express any surprise at finding this 

 farm in a situation that — I had rather forget than describe. 

 In the evening, to a field much more successfully cultivated. 

 Mademoiselle St. Huberti, in the Penelope of Picini. 



20th. To the Ecole Militaire, established by Louis XV. for 

 the education of 140 youths, the sons of the nobility; such 

 establishments are equally ridiculous and unjust. To educate 

 the son of a man who cannot afford the education himself is a 

 gross injustice if you do not secure a situation in life answerable 

 to that education. If you do secure such a situation you destroy 

 the result of the education, because nothing but merit ought 

 to give that security. If you educate the children of men who 

 are well able to give the education themselves, you tax the people 

 who cannot afford to educate their children in order to ease 

 those who can well afford the burthen ; and in such institutions 

 this is sure to be the case. At night to FAmbigu Comiqtte, a 



