134 Travels in France 



till they have settled the rules and orders of their proceedings, 

 which can only be done by taking those of other experienced 

 assemblies, confirming them as they find useful, and altering 

 such as require to be adapted to different circumstances. The 

 rules and orders of debate in the house of commons of England, as 

 I afterwards took the liberty of mentioning to Monsieur Rabaud 

 St. Etienne, might have been taken at once in Mr. Hatsel's book, 

 and would have saved them at least a fourth of their time. They 

 adjourned for dinner. Dined ourselves with the Due de Lian- 

 court at his apartments in the palace, meeting twenty deputies. 

 — I sat by M. Raboud St. Etienne and had much conversation 

 with him; they all speak with equal confidence on the fall of 

 despotism. They foresee that attempts, very adverse to the 

 spirit of liberty, will be made, but the spirit of the people is too 

 much excited at present to be crushed any more. Finding that 

 the question of to-day's debate cannot be decided to-day, and 

 that in all' probability it will be unfinished even to-morrow, as 

 the number that will speak on it is very great. Return in the 

 evening to Paris. 



i6th. To Dugny, ten miles from Paris, again with Monsieur 

 de Broussonet, to wait on Monsieur Crete de Palieul, the 

 only practical farmer in the society of agriculture. Monsieur 

 Broussonet, than whom no man can be more eager for the 

 honour and improvement of agriculture, was desirous that I 

 should witness the practice and improvements of a gentleman 

 who stands so high in the list of good French farmers. Called 

 first on the brother of Monsieur Crete who at present has the 

 poste, and consequently 140 horses; walked over this farm, 

 and the crops he showed me of wheat and oats were on the whole 

 very fine and some of them superior; but I must confess I should 

 have been better pleased with them if he had not had his stables 

 so well filled with a view different from that of the farm. And 

 to look for a course of crops in France is vain; he sows white 

 corn twice, thrice, and even four times in succession. At dinner, 

 etc., had much conversation with the two brothers, and with 

 some other neighbouring cultivators present on this point, in 

 which I recommended either turnips or cabbages, according to 

 the soil, for breaking their rotations of white corn. But every 

 one of them, except Monsieur de Broussonet, was against me; 

 they demanded, Can we sow wheat after turnips and cabbages? 

 On a small portion you may and with great success ; but the time 

 of consuming the greater part of the crop renders it impossible. 

 That is sufficient, if we cannot sow wheat after them they cannot be 



