Louviers i 17 



of dancers, singers, and persons on whom the business of the 

 theatre depends, all established on a great scale. I remark, in 

 the sentiments that are applauded, the same generous feelings 

 in the audience in France that have many times in England put 

 me in good humour with my countrymen. We are too apt to 

 hate the French, for myself I see many reasons to be pleased 

 with them; attributing faults very much to their government; 

 perhaps in our own, our roughness and want of good tem.per 

 are to be traced to the same origin. 



Sih. My plan had for some time been to go directly to 

 England on leaving Rouen, for the post offices had been cruelly 

 uncertain. ' I had received no letters for some time from my 

 family, though I had written repeatedly to urge it; they passed 

 to a person at Paris who was to forward them ; but some careless- 

 ness or other cause impeded all, at a time that others directed to 

 the towns I passed came regularly; I had fears that some of my 

 family were ill, and that they would not write bad news to me 

 in a situation where knowing the worst could have no influence in 

 changing it for better. But the desire I had to accept the in- 

 vitation to La Roche Guyon, of the Duchess d'Anville's and the 

 Due de la Rochefoucauld, prolonged my journey, and I set 

 forward on this further excursion. A truly noble view from the 

 road above Rouen; the city at one end of the vale, with the 

 ri\er flowing to it perfectly checkered with isles of wood. The 

 other divides into two great channels, between which the vale 

 is all spread with islands, som.e arable, some meadow, and much 

 wood on all. Pass Pont I'Arch to Louviers. I had letters for 

 the celebrated manufacturer Monsieur Decretot, who received 

 me with a kindness that ought to have some better epithet than 

 polite ; he showed me his fabric, unquestionably the first woollen 

 one in the world, if success, beauty of fabric, and an inex- 

 haustible invention to supply with taste all the cravings of fancy 

 can give the merit of such superiority. Perfection goes no 

 further than the Vigonia cloths of Monsieur Decretot at no livres 

 {£4. i6s.3d.)theaulne. He showed me also his cotton-mills under 

 the direction of two Englishmen. Near Louviers is a manu- 

 facture of copper plates for the bottoms of the king's ships; a 

 colony of Englishmen. I supped with Monsieur Decretot, 

 passing a very pleasant evening in the company of some agree- 

 able ladies. — 17 miles. 



gth. By Guillon to Vernon ; the vale flat rich arable. Among 

 the notes I had long ago taken of objects to see in France 

 was the plantation of mulberries and the silk establishment of 



