S3& FRANCE. 



far from Barrege, are celebrated mineral waters and baths, to which 

 people resort as to the English baths, at spring and autumn. Forges, 

 in the department of. the Lower Seine, is celebrated for its mineral 

 waters ; and those of St. Amand cure the gravel and obstructions. It 

 would be endless to enumerate all the other real or pretended mine- 

 ral wells in France, as well as many remarkable springs ; but there is 

 one near Aigne, in Puy de Dome, which boils violently, and makes a 

 noise like water thrown upon lime ; it has little or no taste, but has a 

 poisonous quality, and the birds that drink of it, it is said, die in- 

 stantly. 



Metals and minerals.. .France has many unworked mines, which 

 would be very productive, if duly attended to ; but at present do not 

 yield minerals sufficient for consumption. The value of the iron, cop- 

 per, tin, and other metals, imported from abroad, in a raw state, 

 amounted, in the year 1787, to 900,000/. and that of manufactured 

 steel to above 250,000/. Exertions have, however, since been made 

 to work the native mines of iron, with which the northern depart- 

 ments especially abound; and, in 1798, it was computed that there 

 were 2000 furnaces and forges for the working of iron and steel. The 

 late province of Languedoc is said to contain veins of gold and silver. 

 Alsace has mines of silver and copper, but they are too expensive to 

 be wrought. Alabaster, black marble, jasper, and coal, are found in 

 many parts of the kingdom. Bretagne abounds in mines of iron, 

 copper, tin, and lead. Saltpetre is made in every part of the king- 

 dom, and sea-salt is now procured free from oppressive duty, but not 

 remarkable for its purity. At Laverdau, in Cominges, there is a 

 mine of chalk. At Berry there is a mine of ochi^e ; which serves for 

 melting of metals, and for dyeing, particularly the best drab cloth % 

 and in the province of Anjou are several quarries of fine white stone. 

 Some excellent turquoises (the only gem that France produces) are 

 found in Languedoc ; and great care is taken to keep the mines of 

 marble and free stone open all over the kingdom. 



Climate, soil, and agriculture... .The air, particularly that of 

 the interior parts of the country, is in general mild and wholesome ; 

 but some authors think it is not nearly so salubrious as is pretended ; 

 and it must be acknowledged, that the French have been but too suc- 

 cessful in giving the inhabitants of Great Britain false preposses- 

 sions in favour of their own country. It must indeed be owned, that 

 their weather is more clear and settled than in England. In the north- 

 ern provinces, however, the winters are more intensely cold, and the 

 inhabitants not so well supplied with firing, which in France is chief- 

 ly of wood. The soil is excellent, and produces corn, wine, oil, and 

 almost every luxury of life. Some of the fruits have a higher fla- 

 vour than those of England ; but neither the pasturage nor tillage 

 are comparable to ours. The heats, in many parts, burn up the 

 ground, so that it has no verdure ; and the soil barely produces as 

 much rye and chesnuts as serve to subsist the poor inhabitants. 



Notwithstanding the great efforts made in agriculture, much of 

 the land remains uncultivated ; and although some provinces, as Al- 

 sace and Languedoc, yield an exuberance of corn, it is frequently im- 

 ported. 



VEGETABLES....Oak, elm, ash, and other timber, common in Eng- 

 land, is found in France ; but it is said, that the internal parts of the 

 kingdom begin to feel the want of fuel. France abounds in escu- 

 lent roots, in all kinds of sallads, and in excellent fruits, particularly 



