2 1 2 Travels in France 



adopted in that of France. Monsieur I'Abbe Raynal remarked, 

 that the American revolution had brought the French one in its 

 train: I observed, that if the result in France should be liberty, 

 that revolution had proved a blessing to the world, but much 

 more so to England than to America. This they both thought 

 such a paradox that I explained it by remarking that I believed 

 the prosperity which England had enjoyed since the peace, not 

 only much exceeded that of any other similar period, but also that 

 of any other country in any period since the estabhshment of 

 the European monarchies : a fact that was supported by the in- 

 crease of population, of consumption, of industry, of navigation, 

 shipping, and sailors: by the augmentation and improvement 

 of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce; and in a peculiar 

 mass and aggregate, flowing from the whole, the rising ease and 

 felicity of the people. I mentioned the authentic documents 

 and public registers which supported such a representation ; and 

 I remarked that Abbe Ra\Tial, who attended closely to what I 

 said, had not seen or heard of these circumstances, in which he is 

 not singular, for I have not met with a single person in France 

 acquainted with them ; yet they unquestionably form one of the 

 most remarkable and singular experiments in the science of 

 politics that the world has seen ; for a people to lose an empire — 

 thirteen provinces, and to gain by that loss an increase of wealth, 

 felicity, and power! When will the obvious conclusions, to be 

 from that prodigious event, be adopted ? that all transmiarine or 

 distant dominions are sources of weakness : and that to renounce 

 them would be wisdom. Apply this in France to St. Domingo, 

 in Spain to Peru, or in England to Bengal, and mark the ideas 

 and replies that are excited. I have no doubt, however, of the 

 fact. I complimented him on his generous gift to the society of 

 agriculture at Paris of 1200 livres for a premium; he said they 

 had thanked him, not in the usual form by the secretary signing 

 alone, but had every one present signed it. He said that he 

 should do the same by the academies of sciences and belles lettres, 

 and he has given the same sum to the academy at Marseilles for 

 a premium relative to their commerce. He said also, that he 

 had formed a plan which he should execute when he had saved 

 money enough, which is to expend, by means of the society of 

 agriculture, 1200 li\Tes a year in purchasing models of all the 

 useful implements of husbandry to be found in other countries, 

 especially in England, and to spread them over France. The 

 idea is an excellent one, and merits great praise; yet it is to be 

 questioned whether the effect would answer the expense. Give 



