122 Travels in France 



government, as the comparison of the effects of the old and new 

 system will be not a little curious in future. 



June 2. To London. At night, // Generosite d'Alessandro, 

 by Tarchi, in which Signor Marchesi exerted his power and sung 

 a duet that made me for some moments forget all the sheep and 

 pigs of Bradfield. I was, however, much better entertained 

 after it by supping at my friend Dr. Burney's, and meeting Miss 

 Burney; how seldom it is that we can meet two characters at 

 once in whom great celebrity deducts nothing from private 

 amiableness : how many dazzling ones that we have no desire to 

 live with ! give me such as to great talents, add the qualities that 

 make us wish to shut up doors with them. 



^rd. Nothing buzzing in my ears but the fete given last night 

 by the Spanish ambassador. The best fete of the present period 

 is that which ten millions of people are giving to themselves, 



The feast of reason and the flow of soul. 



The animated feelings of bosoms beating with gratitude for the 

 escape of one common calamity, and the thrilling hope of the 

 continuance of common blessings. Meet the Count de Berch- 

 told at Mr. Songa's ; a reach of good sense and important views : 

 — Why does not the emperor call him to his own country and 

 make him his prime minister? The world will never be well 

 governed till princes know their subjects. 



4ih. To Dover in the machine, with two merchants from 

 Stockholm, a German and a Swede; we shall be companions to 

 Paris. I am more likely to learn something useful from the 

 conversation of a Swede and a German than from the chance 

 medley Englishmen of a stage-coach. — 72 miles. 



5^^. Passage to Calais; fourteen hours for reflection in a 

 vehicle that does not allow one power to reflect. — 21 miles. 



6th. A Frenchman and his wife, and a French teacher from 

 Ireland, full of foppery and affectation which her own nation did 

 not give her, were our company, with a young good-natured raw 

 countryman of hers, at whom she played off many airs and 

 graces. The man and his wife contrived to produce a pack of 

 cards, to banish, they said, V ennui of the journey ; but they con- 

 trived also to fleece the young fellow of five louis. This is the 

 first French diligence I have been in, and shall be the last; they 

 are detestable. Sleep at Abbeville. — 78 miles. 



These men and women, girls and boys, think themselves 

 (except the Swede) very cheerful because very noisy ; they have 

 stunned me with singing ; my ears have been so tormented with 



