134 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
ACCOUNT of the DEPARTMENT of FI-. 
NISTERRE, 7# FRANCE, extrafed from 
CAMBRAY’S VOYAGE dans le FINIS- 
AFERRE, OW ETAT de ce DEPARTE- 
MENT ¢# 1794 €¢ 1765. 
HE Department of Fizifferre com- 
a. prehends the north-weilt extremity of 
the late Duchy of Bretagne. In the ge- 
neral map of France, the number of inha- 
bitants is flated to be 446,761, but by the 
author of thefe Travels only 439,964. 
‘The names of the arrondiffements, with 
their population, are as tollow: Bref, 
containing 81,836, Carbaix 36,773, Cha- 
teaulin 45,413, Landerneau 43,980, Lef- 
neven 49,006, Merlaix 72,059, Pont 
Croix 29,358, Quimper 48,204, and Quim- 
perlé 42,837 inhabitants. 
Cambray commences his defcription 
wita Morlaix, in which there are nine 
cantons, and thirty-four municipalities. 
In the ftarement of the number of inhabi- 
tants of this divifion, he furnifhes a new 
and evident proof how little dependence is 
to be placed even on fuch tables of popu. 
lation as have been drawn up by the au- 
thority of the government. He confiders the 
above-mentioned number of inhabitants to 
be erroneous, and much too high; and 
that for this reafon, becaufe, according to 
the General Map, there are only 11,957 
hearths in the diftriét of Morlaix. If to 
each hearth we reckon five perfons, we ob-. 
tain a population of 59,785 fouls, ccnfe- 
quently 11,856 lefs than in the General 
Mep. 
The whole department is diverfified 
with plains and hiils. Proper mountains 
there are none: the higheft being only 
eminences of the fourth order. 
’ ... Merlaix has a harbour in which much 
trade is carried on, although the entrance 
be dangerous. ‘The principat article of 
commerce is 2 kind of ftuffs called Crez 
and Bretagze, which are here manufactur- 
ed: but this branch of trade is on the de- 
celine ; fifty vears ago, 6000 bales of thefe 
ftuffs, and fo late as twenty-five years 
ago, betwixt 4 and 5000 bales were an- 
pually expo:ted from Morlaix. During 
the laft {even years, the number of pieces 
exported has dwindled to lefs than zooo. 
The manufacture of fouff and -tobacco, 
which eight years ago employed from 7 to 
Zoo hands, now furnifhes work to only 
about 200. ‘The other articles of export 
confit of drefled leather, and various 
kinds of pottery-ware. This town might 
become a place ef great importance, if the 
manufactures were carried on with fpirit 
and induftry. Our author is of apinion, 
cooking and other purpofes. ‘Though the 
_rope had fled to this corner. No one then 
: -ESeo a 
Account of the Department of Finifterre in France. [March 1, | 
that the value of the Crez and Bretagnes 
made in this diftri&t might annually amount 
to the fum of 1,200,0¢0 livres. This 
once fo opulent town is not, diftinguifhed — 
by any magnificent public building, or — 
good regulations for the conveniences of — 
life. There is even a want of public — 
wells 5 but, moft of all, a want of wood — 
and coals. In this and the neighbouring — 
parts, which were formerly covered with 
forefts, they are now obliged to burn 
broom, furze, and dried cow-dung : for 
{carcity of fuel affeéts every one; yet no- 
body: thinks of forming new plantations of — 
trees.. The {mail remaining quantity of © 
timber fit for building is tranfported to 
L’Orient and Breft. The foreft of Befout, 
which is not far dittant, might indeed fir- — 
nifh a fupply: but the badnefs of the — 
roads between Pontou and Guerlefquin — 
render the carriage extremely difficult. — 
Throvgbout the whole department the — 
crofs-roads are in a moft wretched flate : 
they moftly pafs over morafles and deep — 
clayey ground, where the carriages fink in, © 
or over {tanding water, which no horfe can — 
eafily crofs without fwimming. The 
highways are better, having been confide- 
rably improved under the governorfhip of | 
the Duke d’Aiguillon. aN a 4 
Nor can we {peak favourably of Mor- | 
laix for the public education of youth. In 
this commercial fea-port—in this large 
commune (who could have believed it!) 
there is not even ome teacher of the mathe- 
matical fciences, no drawing-mafter, no 
painter, no profeffor of phyfics and che- 
miftry. The primary-fchools are in the 
hands of the former fchoolmafters. Every 
where are young people entertained with 
ftories of ghofts and miracles. a 
If we may believe our author, the Afri- 
cans are perhaps lefs fuperfiitious than 
the inhabitants of Bretagne. " Indeéd it ig 
aftonithing what grofs ignorance and dark- 
nefs flill prevails here. One would almoft 
imagine that all the fuperftitions of Eu- 
1 
will wonder, if in this and the neighbouring» 
departments commotion’ and civil wars 
are fo eafily excited, kept up, and renewed. 
Maritime countries, and fea-ports which 
are chiefly inhabited by merchants and ma- 
riners, are generally, from their intercourfe 
with foreign countries, the feat ef a greater 
degree of culture and, civilization, “ee 
is thence fpread far into the interior, and _ 
weakens the power of ancient prejudices. 
We find, however, a ftriking exception fq 
this general rule, here in the vicinity of — 
Breit, in fight of the fleets of fhips of war, 
and trading veficls continually arriving 
| an 
