u% FRANCE. 



who visit that city ; and, in truth, the greatest part of the trade of 

 Paris arises from the constant succession of strangers that arrive 

 daily from every nation and quarter of the globe. This ascendency 

 is undoubtedly owing to the reputation of their language, their public 

 buildings, their libraries, and collections of paintings, that are open 

 to the public ; the cheapness of provisions, excellency of the French 

 wines, and, above all, the purity of the air and climate in France. 

 With all these advantages, Paris, in general, will not bear a com- 

 parison with London, in the more essential circumstances of a thriv- 

 ing foreign and domestic trade, the cleanliness of their streets, neat- 

 ness of their houses, especially within ; the plenty of water, and that 

 of a better quality than the Seine, which, it is said, disagrees with 

 strangers, as do likewise their small wines. In the houses of Paris 

 most of the floors are of brick, and have no other kind of cleaning 

 than that of being sprinkled with water, and swept once a day. These 

 brick floors, the stone stairs, the want of wainscoting in the rooms, 

 and the thick party-walls of stone, are, however, good preservatives 

 against fire, which seldom does any damage in this city. Instead of 

 wainscoting the walls are covered with tapestry or damask. The 

 beds in general are very good, and well ornamented with tester and 

 curtains. Their shops are but poorly stored with goods -, and the 

 shop-keepers and tradesmen are an indolent, loitering people. There 

 is a remarkable contrast between this class of persons and those of 

 the same rank in London. In Paris, the women pack up parcels, 

 enter the orders, and do most of the drudgery business of the shop» 

 while the husband loiters about, talks of the great, of fashions and 

 diversions, and the invincible force of their armies. The Parisians, 

 however, as well as the natives of France in general, are remarkably 

 temperate in their living ; and to be intoxicated with liquor is con- 

 sidered as infamous. Bread, and all manner of butcher's meat and 

 poultry, are extremely good in Paris ; the beef is excellent ; the wine 

 they generally drink is a very thin kind of Burgundy. The common 

 people, in the summer season, live chiefly on bread, butter, grapes, 

 and small wine. The Parisians, till lately, scarcely knew the use 

 of tea ; but they have coffee in plenty. The population of this city 

 has been greatly exaggerated both by the Parisians and by travellers : 

 the number of inhabitants, according to the official statements of the 

 government, is 547,576. 



The environs of Paris are very pleasant, and contain a number of 

 fine seats, small towns, and villages ; some of them, being scattered 

 on the edges of hills rising from the Seine, are remarkably delight- 

 ful. 



The palace of Versailles, which stands twelve miles from Paris, 

 though magnificent and expensive beyond conception, and adorned 

 with all that art can furnish, is a collection of buildings, each of ex- 

 quisite architecture, but not forming a whole, agreeable to the grand 

 and sublime of that art. The gardens, and water-works (which are 

 supplied by means of prodigious engines, across the Seine at Marli, 

 about three miles distance) are astonishing proofs of the fertile ge- 

 nius of man, and highly worthy of a stranger's attention. Trianon, 

 Marli, St. Germain en Laye, Meudon, and other royal palaces, are 

 laid out with taste and judgment ; each has its peculiar beauties for 

 the entertainment and amusement of that luxurious court which 

 lately occupied them. 



Bourdeaux and Marseilles were formerly cities of extensive com" 



