1 86 Travels in France 



revolution or become free? Never, in a thousand centuries. 

 The enlightened mob of Paris, amidst hundreds of papers and 

 publications, have done the whole. I demanded why they had 

 no papers. They are too dear; but she made me pay 24 sous 

 for one dish of coffee, with milk, and a piece of butter about 

 the size of a walnut. It is a great pity there is not a camp of 

 brigands in your coffee-room, Madame Bourgeau. Among the 

 many letters for which I am indebted to Monsieur Broussonet, 

 few have proved more valuable than one I had for Monsieur 

 I'Abbe de Barnt, principal of the college of Moulins, who entered 

 with intelligence and animation into the object of my journey, 

 and took every step that was possible to get me well informed. 

 He carried me to Monsieur le Count de Grimau, lieutenant- 

 general of the Balliage, and director of the society of agriculture 

 at Moulins, who kept us to dinner. He appears to be a man of 

 considerable fortune, of information and knowledge, agreeable 

 and polite. He discoursed with me on the state of the Bour- 

 bonnois ; and assured me that estates were rather given away 

 than sold: that the metayers were so miserably poor it was 

 impossible for them to cultivate well. I started some observa- 

 tions on the modes which ought to be pursued ; but all conversa- 

 tion of that sort is time lost in France. After dinner, M. Grimau 

 carried me to his villa, at a small distance from the town, which 

 is very prettily situated, commanding a view of the vale of the 

 Allier. Letters from Paris, which contain nothing but accounts 

 truly alarming, of the violences committed all over the kingdom, 

 and particularly at and in the neighbourhood of the capital. 

 M. Necker's return, which it was expected would have calmed 

 everything, has no effect at all; and it is particularly noted in 

 the National Assembly that there is a violent party evidently 

 bent on driving things to extremity: men who, from the violence 

 and conflicts of the moment, find themselves in a position and of 

 an importance that results merely from public confusion, will 

 take effectual care to prevent the settlement, order, and peace, 

 which, if established, would be a mortal blow to their conse- 

 quence: they mount by the storm and would sink in a calm. 

 Among other persons to whom Monsieur I'Abbe Barnt intro- 

 duced me was the Marquis de Goutte, chef d'escadre of the 

 French fleet, who was taken by Admiral Boscawen at Louisbourg 

 in 1758, and carried to England, where he learned English, of 

 which he yet retains something. I had mentioned to Monsieur 

 I'Abbe Barnt that I had a commission from a person of fortune 

 in England to look out for a good purchase in France; and 



