Flower-Marlcet of Paris. 131 



as we were told, for the use of clogs. Bulbs and flower 

 seeds, boxes of mould for shifting plants, flower-pots, water- 

 ing-pots, frames and rods for tying plants to, and willows and 

 dried rushes from Spain (see p. 15.) for tying them with. The 

 women appeared healthy and in good spirits, and were, as 

 usual in similar cases, eager to procure purchasers : a few of 

 the youngest of them, in the intervals between bargaining or 

 speaking to customers, occupied themselves in reading, we 

 wish we could say works on natural history ; they were, how- 

 ever, novels, which we consider the next best in similar cases. 

 Dec. 20. — Camellias, including the single white, and 

 orange trees, with Bengal roses and jasmines, made the prin- 

 cipal figure. Metrosideros lanceolata, Phylica CTictiides, a 

 species of Pitcauui/a, a great quantity of mignonette, several 

 species of heaths, hyacinths, violets, Tiissilago fragrans, and 

 other plants, in flower. A number of bulbs, in pots of earth, 

 grown an inch or two, and ready to be taken out on the spot 

 and put into water-glasses. Many pots of evergreens, and a 

 great quantity also in bundles, as in the tree market before 

 mentioned, (p. 12.) Among the adjuncts were basket willows 

 of six or eight different sizes, Russian mats, straw mats, moss, 

 pots, &c., as before, and abundance of paper for enveloping 

 the more delicate of the plants purchased. We made several 

 purchases here for the Surresnes garden, alluded to in our 

 last (p. 12.); and were amused at the clumsy attempts made 

 to impose one thing for another upon us by the fair dealers. 

 We were fully prepared for this ; and, indeed, should have 

 been surprised had these lively and agreeable women acted 

 otherwise. The first stage in the progress of civilisation is 

 spoliation, because that indicates a desire for the possession of 

 something that one has not got, and cannot procure without 

 labour. This labour, in the robber state of society, consists 

 chiefly of physical force ; and the food or clothing of one man 

 is taken from him by another by knocking him down, or 

 breaking into his house, as the case may require. The 

 second stage is that of barter, in which one article of use is 

 exchanged for another. The third stao-e is that of a circulating 

 medium, which forms a common article of exchange for all 

 others. In these three stages one common principle is at 

 work — that of deception, by which the one party endeavours 

 to intimidate or outwit the other party, so as to induce him 

 to give up his food or clothes, or to part with his goods or 

 money, for less than they are worth. The rules for playing 

 at this game of skill, however, vary with the state of society, 

 and the principle of deception gradually gives way to that of 

 equivalency. The ladies in the French flower -market employ 



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