Moulins 187 



knowing that the marquis would sell one of his estates, he men- 

 tioned it to him. Monsieur de Goutte gave me such a descrip- 

 tion of it that I thought, though my time was short, that it 

 would be very well worth bestowing one day to view it, as it 

 was no more than eight miles from Moulins, and proposing to 

 take me to it the next day in his coach, I readily consented. At 

 the time appointed, I attended the marquis, with Monsieur 

 I'Abbe Barnt, to his chateau of Riaux, which is in the mid^^t of 

 the estate he would sell on such terms that I never was more 

 tempted to speculate: I have very little doubt but that the 

 person who gave me a commission to look out for a purchase is 

 long since sickened of the scheme, which was that of a residence 

 for pleasure, by the disturbances that have broken out here: 

 so that I should clearly have the refusal of it myself. It would 

 be upon the whole a more beneficial purchase than I had any 

 conception of, and confirms Monsieur de Grimau's assertion, 

 that estates here are rather given away than sold. The chateau 

 is large and very well built, containing two good rooms, either 

 of which would hold a company of thirty people, with three 

 smaller ones on the ground floor; on the second ten bed-chambers 

 and over them good garrets, some of which are well fitted up; 

 all sorts of offices substantially erected, and on a plan pro- 

 portioned to a large family, including barns new built, for hold- 

 ing half the corn of the estate in the straw, and granaries to 

 contain it when threshed. Also a wine press and ample cellar- 

 ing for keeping the produce of the \dneyards in the most 

 plentiful years. The situation is on the side of an agreeable 

 rising, with views not extensive, but pleasing, and all the country 

 round of the same features I have described, being one of the 

 finest provinces in France. Adjoining the chateau is a field of 

 five or six arpents, well walled in, about half of -which is in 

 culture as a garden, and thoroughly planted with all sorts of 

 fruits. There are twelve ponds, through which a small stream 

 runs, sufficient to turn tv/o mills, that let at 1000 livres (£43 15s.) 

 a-year. The ponds supply the proprietor's table amply with 

 fine carp, tench, perch, and eels; and yield besides a regular 

 revenue of 1000 livres. There are 20 arpents of vines that yield 

 excellent white and red wine, with houses for the vignerons; 

 woods more than sufficient to supply the chateau with fuel: 

 and lastly, nine domains or farms let to metayers, tenants at will, 

 at half produce, producing in cash 10,500 livres (£459 7s. 6d.); 

 consequently, the gross produce, farms, mills, and fish, is 12.500 

 livres. The quantity of land, I conjecture from viewing it, as 



