and June, 1817, where will be found some very sensible remarks on the merits of a residence in France. Of some of these particulars we have availed ourselves in the above sketch, and we bear willing testimony to their general accuracy..

MANNER OF TRAVELLING IN FRANCE.

THERE are three modes of travelling in France; in your own carriage or in a chaise de poste (hired chaise) with post horses; by making a bargain with a voiturier; or in the diligence; which last is by far the cheapest, and perhaps the most convenient for men of business or single gentlemen.

1. Travelling Post.-In France you cannot have a chaise or conveyance of any kind, from stage to stage, but must hire a carriage for your whole journey, and take horses from post to post. At every stage there is but one place to change horses, which is seldom connected with an inn; thither you are driven and in a few minutes your cattle are removed and others yoked, without your alighting, unless you think proper.

The cabriolet is a kind of post-chaise, which runs on two wheels, and is very convenient; having, besides plenty of room for two persons with their baggage, pockets for almost every kind of article. It has a fixed cover at top, and a small window at each side. It opens in front, and is so constructed as to shelter the traveller completely in bad weather. It is drawn by two or three horses (abreast), according to the pleasure of the traveller, or the number of the persons in it. This sort of carriage may safely be pronounced the best and most commodious for the tour of any part of the Continent. There are, however, different kinds of them, and the price is always regulated according to the taste of the traveller; but in all such cases the stranger must make the best bargain for himself with the proprietor. As much of the comfort of the journey depends on this vehicle being weather proof, the selection of a good cabriolet is an object worthy of the closest attention. In taking your own carriage to France, you no longer pay the toumage-duty for it at the custom-house on this side of the water; but on the other, at whatever

post you land, or by whatever barrier you enter France, you are required to pay, or rather deposit, at the customhouse there, one-third of the value of such carriage, for which you receive an acknowledgment of such payment; and ce tifying, that upon your leaving that kingdom within the space of two years with the same carriage, you may receive back two-thirds of that deposit, the other third remaining as a duty for ever. The receipt of certificate for the money so paid extends the time of reclamation for the money even to the third year, but then you must have given previous notice at the end of the second, that you intend to take the carriage out of France in the course of the next year. Though you enter in the North of France and go out at the South, you may equally receive the sum to be returned, upon certifying that it is the same carriage. The officers at the customhouse are not unreasonable with respect to the value you nay set upon your carriage.

The post-houses are in the hands, and entirely under the control of government. A stranger, if he be circumspect, can never be deceived either by the postmaster or the postillion; for every year there is published, by order of the government, a post-book, or general list of the posts in France, Etat Général des Postes,* which contains not only the rules respecting the administration of the post, but also an alphabetical list of all the different posts in France.

No stranger should venture on a tour through France, without having this manual in one of the pockets of his cabriolet; and he should be particular at the time he makes the purchase of it, to have the last edition+. Thus provided, he cannot be subject to any imposition and whatever his bounty may give beyond the ordon

*Which may be had at Galignani's Library, 18, Rue. Vivienne, price 5 fr.

This is particularly necessary, because the estimated distance between two post places is sometimes altered, i. e. added to; such as, instead of being a post and a half, it is made two posts. Between Dieppe and Rouen one of the posts has been made a post and a quarter within these few years, in consequence of a memorial from the rost-masters of the two places to the government for that purpose.

n ince, is a mere voluntary act, and not required by public authorityages

The new regulations respecting the post charges, wel extract from the last Etat Général des Postes.

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Cabriolets, carriages with two wheels whether containing one or two persons, must have two horses aud one postillion; paying 1 franc and a half, or 1s. 3d. for each horse per post (5 miles), and fifteen sous or id. per post for the postillion. Here it should be also... observed that the postillion is never satisfied; and always expects, what indeed it is the custom for most persons to give, double, that is, a frane and a half: for two franes he will go as fast as you please, and do every thing you wish. Give him the ordonnance, 15 sous, and he will scarcely stir, and make your journey in every way unpleasant. If three persons, there must be four horses, and if four persons, five horses; it being understood, that for every person a horse should be harnessed and paid for but it is common in the case of a light carriage, or one not too much burthened with luggage, for the post-master to put to three horses only and receive for four such an agreement being a saving to both parties, as the traveller saves a second postillion.

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Limonières, (four wheeled carriages with poles) must have three horses, paying I franc and a half each horse : if it be occupied by three or more persons, it pays the same additional charge as the cabriolets. One postillion. only is necessary.

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Berlines, (coaches) carrying one, two, or three persons, must have four horses; with four persons, six horses, i paying as above (1 franc and a half); and if there are five persons, there must be seven horses, and two postil lions, paying 1 franc and a half for each horse. Small carriages, commonly called German chariots, having four wheels and containing two persons, are subject to the same regulations as cabriolets, but if they hold more than two, and have a shaft, they are classed with the limonières, and when they have a pole, with the berlines. Every carriage may be charged with one portmantean, whether it be entire, or in two parts. A child of six years old is not considered (comme voyageur) as a tra veller. Two children under that age are reckoned equi240 valent to a grown person.htmketel 25

The postmasters are in general civil and obliging, and...] if persons do not choose to change their money, they

will always refer the payment to the next post, or even to three or four posts in advance; and the postillions entertain the same disposition. But in case the party travel during the night, or should feel disposed to sleep, it will be the best mode to pay for several posts in advance, together with the postilions. In this way you may travel half a day without interruption. Upon the whole, the service of posting is extremely well managed; and for good order, regularity and promptness, it excels, perhaps, any other part of Europe.

2. The Voiturier.-A slow, but pleasant mode of travelling, in France, and indeed in use all over the continent, is by making a bargain with a Voiturier, or sort of hackney-man, who keeps carriages and horses, and conveys travellers from one place to another, for a certain sum of money: sometimes lodging and boarding them on the road and defraying every expense. It is usually a good roomy coach for six persons, and starts every morning about six or seven o'clock, and concludes its day's journey of about 40 or 50 miles at dusk; stopping for some time in the middle of the day, to refresh the horses; and for breakfast and dinner. But it is the usual plan, to unite the dinner and supper at seven or eight o'clock in the evening, and have the meal at the inn where you sleep. This is a good conveyance for females, invalids, and others, who do not wish to go to the expense of posting it, or travelling by night.

3. The Diligence.-The French diligences are neatly fitted up, and are adapted to the roads through which they have to pass, and when all parties are seated and arranged, it is by no means an unpleasant vehicle. The inside is capacious and lofty; and from the roof depends a large net-work or sacking for hats and light parcels. The diligences usually carry six persons inside; some take nine, and some twelve persons in the inside or voiture as it is termed. Attached to this vehicle is the cabriolet, a covered dicky in front of the diligence, holding two persons, and the conducteur, who has the charge of the passengers and luggage; but whose chief business according to his practice is to sleep closely shut up in the Cabriolet, and to take his place at the head of the table at meals. This is by far the pleasantest part of the carriage, and is completely weather proof. Fifteen pounds of luggage are allowed.

The diligence is thus well described by a lively writer: « A French diligence merits particular notice as a trait of character, as well as a novelty. As a carriage, its external appearance indicates it to be a mixed species formed by the union of a waggon with a stage coach; but let me confess, that however unprepossessing its look may be, its qualities realize many of those advan tages which are found to result from crossing breeds. It certainly is not so strong as a waggon, nor so lightsome, or swift, as one of our Highflyers; but to much of the seearity and roominess of the former, it adds a very considerable proportion of the celerity of the latter. There is, to be sure, a great want of arrangement, of suitableness, completeness, and nicety, visible about itself and all its appurtenances; but this, after the first disgust it occasions is over, excites admiration of the dexterity of the people, who contrive to get on, in every thing, with the most awkward and insufficient means in the world, very nearly as well as they do who are the most exact and scrupulous in their preparations.

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A French postillion is on and off his horse's back twenty times in the course of one stage, without ever stopping the vehicle. As ropes are likely to break, he is not surprised or dismayed if called upon to niend those by which his horses are tied, rather than harnessed; and this he does with pack-thread, if he happen to have any in his pocket, and with his garters, if he have not. If a passenger call, he dismounts, and pops his head into the window as he runs by its side, leaving the animals that draw the coach to their own guidance, a freedom which they are accustomed to, and therefore seldom abuse. You scarcely ever look at him but you find him repairing an accident,-knotting his whip, or mending his saddle, or joining a bridle, or knocking some part of the machinery with a stone picked up from the road. The progress of the travellers does not stop while these repairs are making; no embarrassment is discoverable; neither disconcertion nor anger takes place. The horses ae arranged in a strange order: a few ropes loosely bind three of them abreast as leaders,one behind runs between beavy shafts, and a fifth, which carries the postillion, is attached to the side of the latter, by the same insufficient and coarse sort of tackle. The whole set, except the one within the shafts, are thus free to curvet, and prance, and zigzag; and they make a great show of avail