1802.] 
The handfomeft part of the town is in 
the neighbourhood of the public gardens 
and of the theatre. The public gardens 
being, at feaft during the fummer months, 
one of the principal gratifications of the 
people of this city, deferve a particular 
defcription. Before the revolution this 
garden was called Le Sardin du Roy, or 
King’s Garden, as belonging to an ancient 
royal palace adjoining. In the beginning 
of the revolution, when France had its 
two millions of national guards, this was 
the reviewing ground for the national 
guard of Bourdeaux, and its name was 
changed to Champ de Mars. 
Twenty thoufand men have been re- 
viewed at one time in thefe gardens. Its 
name has been changed again latterly, and 
it is now fimply called Les Jardins Pub- 
liques, or the Public Gardens. Before I 
fhall give you a particular account of thole 
gardens, I think it may be well to give 
fome defcription of the manners and habits 
of the people, as arifing from the circum- 
ftances and influence of the climate. 
The fummers are nearly as hot as in 
America, confequently every one ftays at 
home as much as poftible, and wears the 
cooleft drefs, during the morning. ‘The 
heat of the morning is, however, amply 
compenfated by the delightful coolnefs 
_ of the evenings. The luxury of the even- 
ing breeze is only well underftood by the 
inhabitants of hot countries, and the art 
of enjoying a fine evening is carried here 
to great perfeftion. At the beginning of 
the evening the fober fhopkeepers and the 
greater part of their families draw their 
chairs into the freet, and fit in groupes 
before their doors. Here they enjoy the 
frefh air, chat, fee their neighbours, ob- 
ferve the company that pafles, take re- 
frefhments, arid are ready to receive the 
vifit either of acuftomer ora friend. This 
euftom gives a very focial and animated 
appearance to the town; in walking the 
ftreets one pafles in review a thoufand 
families, enjoying themlelves in their 
ufual manner: but the public gardens are 
the principal refort of the young, the gay, 
and the fafhionable. Here it appears as 
if all the people of the town had aflembled, 
like one great family, to enjoy the even- 
ing and amule themfelves according to 
their different inclinations, The gravel- 
walks ferve for the parade of people of 
fafhion, while the lawns, in fome places, 
fwarm with little children and their bonnes 
(their maids are fo called) and in others 
are occupied by the fports of young men. 
They play here at leap-frog, prifon-bars, 
&c. and fometimes at / ballon, which is 
Original Letters by an American Traveller. 
131 
the favourite game of the young men in 
France. It is played with a large round 
ball, in the centre of which is a bladder, 
this is ftruck principally with the hand, 
fometimes with the foot. This ball, 
though large, is fo Jight, that it cannot hurt 
any perfon, and the ladies, fo far from be» 
ing afraid of coming in its way, appear 
much amufed at feeing the game. The 
ballis fo large, and rebounds {o high, that 
it is very eafy to hit it; as the whole 
ftrength of the arm and body can be ap- 
plied to the ftroke, this game muft con- 
tribute, as much as any other, to encreafe 
the ftrength and agility of thofe who play 
at. 
The walks are crowded with all the 
people of fafhion in thif city. At the 
fides of them are a prodigious number of 
chairs. Itis the cu(tom here,as inthe freets, 
for people to fit together in groups ; every 
group may be confidered as a feparate coz- 
werzatione, into which circle every man 
may draw. his chair with the ftricteit pro- 
priety, if he is acquainted with any of 
thole who compofe ir. 
This cuftom alters entirely the nature 
of a public walk, and gives it every ad- 
vantage of a large drawing-room, where 
one is fure of meeting, every evening al- 
moft, the whole circle of) one’s acquaint- 
ance, and of having fufficient opportuni- 
ties of converfing with thofe whofe com- 
pany is the moft agreeable. The number 
of acquaintances that every native of 
Bourdeaux muft meet in thoie walks, the 
variety of company that paffes him, to- 
gether with the exercile of walking, makes 
the evening pafs very agreeably. It were 
much to be wifhed that a little more at- 
tention was paid to the public walks of 
London. If the Green Park (inftead. of 
a pafture for cows) were laid out entirely 
for the accommodation of the public, with 
walks well gravelled, flowering thrubs, 
parterres, &c. it would add much to the 
enjoyment of the inhabitants of your me- 
tropolis, and give foreigners fomething to- 
praife. Nothing can prove more clearly the 
attraction that a garden has, than the 
crowds which may be {een of a fine fum- 
mer evening on that narrow walk in the 
Green Park, which adjoins the. little 
gardens at the rear of the houles. If 
then the whole of the Green Park were 
laid out with tafte, for a public prome- 
nade, with plenty of feats; in my opinion 
it would not only add confideraniy to the 
enjoyments of the people, but would ins- 
prove their manners, and even thew mos 
rality, by fubfticuting, in many caies, a 
healthful and ¢legant amutcaneat tor the 
Raz detiractive 
