r801.] Objervations on the prefent State of France, by Mr, Banks. 3 
in general honeft, lively, obliging, and 
humane; fo much fo, that I almoft dif- 
truft my fenfes, when I call to recollection 
the fcenes of the 2d of September, nor. 
fhould I kiiow where to look for a fet of 
men, I will not fay who would bear a 
part, but who weuld ftand by and fuffer 
a repetition of fuch enormities. The 
reign of terror gs paft, I truft, never to 
return. I wit T could extend thefe ob- 
fervations to all other claffes of Parifian 
fociety. But it cannot be denied, that 
the viciflitudes of a revolution have, in 
fome initances, raifed as it were from the 
duft men without character and talents ; in 
others, reduced to beggary men pofleffed 
of both. 
"Omen yap or TAs eyyeress Snpapcevor wemovOas, 
“Oray yap h Awsva naracn AapaRavouciy dudey. 
"Edy Y avmre 4 ware tov LopBopov xuxdow, 
“Abpoust 4 oD AapBavers tiv Tiy wor Taparrng, 
| Ariftoph. Equites. 
But whatever evils of this nature have 
been caufed, it is but juft to fay, that 
the prefent government is actively and 
ulefully employed in promoting the moral 
and intellectual improvements of the peo- 
ple. Numerous and refpeStable focieties 
are eftablifhed, under the fanction and with 
the fupport of government, for the pur- 
pole of encouraging, by rewards and ho- 
nours, the growth of every virtuous and 
focial principle. There are; indeed, fo 
many eftablifhments of this nature that. I 
cannot even attempt to detail their names 
and objetts. 
I remember attending one which was 
held in the c-devant Oratoire, Rue St. 
Honoré, at which Moreau St. Mery, a 
member of the government, prefided in his 
coiume. His bufinefs was to announce 
and reward-the merits of fuch as hada 
claim to the approbation’ of the fociety 
from their virtues or talents. The mereft 
trifie difpenfed with this folemnity fatis- 
fies the ambition of each candidate. One 
man, I recolleét, who received a wreath 
of Jaurel from the hands of the Prefident, 
for having educated, at his own expence, 
the children of a poor neighbour, was fo 
elated upon the occafion, that he jumped 
over the benches in an exftacy of joy to 
-embrace the friend-who-had made mention 
of his name to the fociety. . I have been 
told that the corruption of the late.fyftem (I 
‘mean that of the Directors) was fo general, 
that there was one continued fcramble, 
from the higheft to the.loweft agent of 
government. Bonaparte, however, has 
eftablithed a mint of honour, and. has 
realized that cheap defence of nations, which 
— 
has ferved to bring victory to his troops» 
and. virtue to his fellow-citizens: and I 
may venture to aflert, that no new peer’ 
can be more proud of his coronet than a 
Frenchman who has been rewarded by: the’ 
Firft Conful is of his fabre or carbine from 
the Verfailles manufactory. Onthe 14th. 
of July the viétors in the foot, horfe, and 
chariot races, were rewarded with car- 
bines, fabres, and vafes, from the ma= 
nufactory at Sevre. The {cene was truly: 
Roman! 
This principle is carried to ‘an extreme 
which the people of other countries would 
read with a fmile. When Bonaparte 
heard of the gallant conduét by which 
fome particular battalion had diftinguifhed 
itfelf in Italy, he rewarded its valour by 
appointing it to the pott of honour, which 
is always the poft of the greateft danger? 
The age of chivalry is not gone! for milx 
lions of fwords wold have leaped from 
their fcabbards to avenge an angry look of: 
the hero of Marengo! ahs pad 
As I happened to be acquainted with 
fome gentlemen who were attached ‘o the’ 
old Court, I of courfe heard-many invi- 
dious comparifons between the prefent and 
patt ftate of fociety. Amongft other ob- 
jections to the prefent order of things, 
they fay that hofpitality, formerly the: 
natural virtue of Frenchmen, is no longer 
to be found at Paris. I believe that there 
is too much foundation for the remark 3 
although I muft fay I rather {peak from: 
the obfervations of others than my own 
experience, Sat, 
One may naturally fuppofe that they 
who have been moft fuccefsful in the pub- 
lic {cramble, and are raifed to.a degree of, 
confequence fo far beyond their habits and, 
education, fhould prefer the gratification’ 
of a vain and ridiculous oftentation to the 
real and rational pieafures of hofpitality. 
On my firft arrival at Paris, as I had not, 
a fingle acquaintance, and carried with; 
me but few letters of introduCtion, I had. 
to regret the want of .thofe civilities and, 
attentions which are neceflary, to make the 
time of a ftranger pafs agreeably. By. 
cegrees, however, the referve feemed ta, 
abate; and when once.it was known that. 
my object was innocent, and of a naturer 
purely literary, the circle of my friends 
began to extend itfelf fo fat, that every, 
day, every hgur of the day, was pledged 
to fome one or another of them. I hall 
not indulze my vanity in a minute enu- 
meration of their names; but'ia refittin 
that inclination, I am under the ‘neceffity 
of fuppreffing thafe indelible fentiments 
Bz ma wT er of 
