{ 12Z ) 
Merchant of London ^ asked me, if I would accompany his Son (who was Captain of 
a Ship) to Norway ; the Novelty of the Thing induced me to accept the Offer with- 
■out Helitation. 
We fet out on our Voyage in May jyi S, and arrived foon in Norway ^ and for 
the Space of about two Months I ffrolled up their Creeks and Rivers, and over their 
Rocks and Mountains, it being perpetual Day all the Time I , was there, fo that I 
loft very little Time in Sleeping.. I take this Country to be one of the lead polite 
in Europe y Lapland, I was the longed Time zt Frederickftadty and within 
the Hearing of the Thunder of the Cannon of Charles the Xllth of Sweden^ who then 
lay before ErederickJhalU the Place of his Death : This hindered me from long Excur- 
hons in that Qaarter, for Fear of falling into the Hands of fome SwedtJIo Parties : I 
was once flopped and confined for fome Time by the Danijh Guard at Frederickftadty 
and charged with being a. Spy from the Swedip Camp,, but was foon releafed. I 
returned to England m yidy fame Year; we were bound from Norway to Brijio I 
through the Britip Channel,. We arrived at the lilknds of Scilly about the Begin- 
ning of Augujl, where we lay Wind-bound for fome Time : I was much diverted, 
here with Fifhing,. and obferving the great Variety of Sea Fowl that frequented the 
Clefts of the Iflands, The fame Month we arrived at Briftoh where I left the Ship, being 
tir'd of the Sea, fhe being only bound back to London, whither B went by Land. After 
having fpent fome Time at Bath, I left the dired Road,, in order to vifit Oxford and- 
Bleinheim in my Return to London. I arrived in London fome Time in September 
3718,, where I continued in unprofitable Amufements all the Winter;- but refleding,, 
that it would be as cheap living in France, and more Novelty to a curious Mind, I 
fet out in May 1719 from London, by the Way of Dieppe, to Paris,, where I arrived, 
before the Expiration of the Month ; I continued at Paris fome fhort Time to fee 
all that was curious there,, but finding it more expenfive Living in Paris than in, 
the Country, I fixed myfelf a Boarder with Mr. Des Mafons, a Schooimafler in a 
Village called Guyencourt, in the great Park of Ferfailles,,^wKiQh was but a little 
Walk from the Town and Royal Palaces, I could not have placed my i^lf better for 
all the Conveniences of a curious Perfon,, who wanted to inform himfelf of all that 
pafifed in the Country and at Court, 
I lay within three Hours Walk of Paris, about the fame Difiknce from- St. Gt’r- 
mains, within fomething more than an Hour of the Palace of Marley,^ and not half an 
Hour from Vefailles : This Situation gave me ample Opportunity toffatisfy my Curio^. 
fity, by immediately vifiting thefe principal Places on any extraordinary Occafion. li 
omitted no Opportunity of being prefent, at leaff a difiant Spectator of all fplendid^ 
Procefiions, or pompous Cavalcades, or Shows, that- attend^ either the Church or 
State, or both together, as they were often blended^ I followed all the Expofitlons ofi 
the valuable Treafure,, and worthlefs Relicts, that were fet forth with great Pomp in 
the principal Churches and Religious Houfes, on the Days of their particular Dedi... 
cations; but, ‘above all, 1 attended to the particular Study and Knowledge of the 
Perfedions that were to be found in Painting, and Sculptures, there being an ample* 
Field of Pidures and Statues, with many ornamental Devices, in and about the ChurcheSj,. 
Palaces, Gardens, and Parks, which would have taken up a longer Time than I con- 
tinued there thoroughly to contemplate, on ; but my idle intervening Spaces of 
Time^. 
