5. Madame Genlis.-Spent a very pleasant morning, (2d January 1786), with Madame Genlis, with whom I afterwards dined; was much pleased with her conversation; saw many of her works in painting, enamelling, wax-work, paper, &c. which were most ingeniously executed; was astonished that so distinguished an authoress should have leisure to learn, and to execute so well, such inferior objects. Was much gratified with the veneration she expressed for the memory of Richardson, whose tomb she went to visit when in London. The name of the Duchess de C., mentioned in her Adele et Theodore, was Cerifalco, and her living nine years in a dungeon is a fact. Madame de Genlis saw her at Rome, but she spoke to none except her own family.

6. Buffon. In the course of my residence in Paris, at this time, I had the pleasure of seeing frequently the celebrated Buffon, and was highly gratified with his friendly attentions, and his conversation. He had a little of the garrulity of old age, but not disagreeably so. He said that Milton was the greatest poet that ever existed, and that the Newtonian system must stand for ever. He read to me some part of his correspondence with the Empress of Russia, which was extremely interesting, and he gave me his engraved portrait, which I shall ever hold dear, as a most flattering mark of his esteem. The regard with which I had the pleasure of inspiring him, will appear by the following communication:

Letter from the Count de Buffon, dated au Jardins du Roi, Paris, 24th August 1787.

"Le Comte de Buffon, et le Chevalier son frere, sont infiniment sensibles au souvenir de Monsieur le Chevalier Sinclair, et le remercient de la carte qu'il a bien voulu leur envoyer de son grand voyage, fait en fort peu de tems. Il est tres vrai, que l'on peut voir, en aussi peu de jours, beaucoup de choses et de personnes; mais il n'appartient q'au Che

valier Sinclair, de les voir aussi bien, et d'en rendre un aussi bon compte.

"La santé du Comte de Buffon est toujours dans le même état, auquel Monsieur le Chevalier Sinclair a bien voulu prendre quelque intérêt: il souffre toujours de son mal trop opiniâtre, et n'a d'autres médecins que le courage et la patience. Il supplie Monsieur le Chevalier de ne point oublier le Jardin du Roi, dans le cours de ses nouveaux voyages: il seroit reçu avec toutes les distinctions, dues à son rang, et à son mérite personel."

y

7. The Count de Sarsfield.-Among the respectable characters who favoured me with their attentions at Paris during this short excursion, was the Count de Sarsfield, of Irish extraction. He invited me to meet some of the most respectable characters in France, in particular, the Duc de Rochefoucault, (one of the most distinguished of the French noblesse for wit and vivacity), and the Duc de Charost, a little deformed man, but one of the most amiable characters in France, being devoted to the public good, and, indeed, a perfect philanthropist. The conversation was not very interesting, but lively and facetious. The French, at least the higher orders, think it almost a crime to be serious, more especially in company; and it was one of the greatest advantages that England then enjoyed, that the upper ranks of that great nation were so immersed in frivolous pursuits, that matters of real importance were in the highest degree irksome.

8. On the Commerce and Manufactures of France.-Among the distinguished personages I occasionally met with in Paris at this time, was Monsieur Abeille, secretary to the Council of Commerce, and Inspector-General of the manufactures of France. He said that he had read, for above fifty years, on an average, at least eight hours a-day. He had a number of persons under him, who were employed to translate any book which he thought might be of use to France, and it was

afterwards printed and circulated at the public expense. In France, manufactures and commerce receive every assistance that the Government can give. In England, they are, in a great measure, left to themselves. Which plan ought to be preferred, would require a discussion too extensive for a work like the present. It may be proper, however, to observe, that on visiting Mademoiselle Bertin, the celebrated marchand des modes, who was then at the head of fashion, and who traded to an immense amount in millinery goods all over Europe, she told me, "That nothing then went down but English gauze, English ribands, and English fashions." What a reverse has now taken place! which, I have no doubt, must have originated from the encouragement given by the Government of France to the industry and manufactures of their own country.

9. On the rage for painting and statuary.-I went the usual round of seeing the pictures and statues, which abound in so celebrated a metropolis as Paris; and when I heard the praises that were bestowed upon them, I could not help exclaiming, "Is it not much more wonderful to see a man who is little better than a statue, than a statue who resembles a man? What a superior artist is he, who could design and execute such a wonderful piece of mechanism as the human frame, even in its most defective state, and who could enable it to perpetuate itself throughout endless generations? The finest statue resembles nothing but the skin or outward crust of that wonderful machine."

10. Danger of an intimate connexion between France and England.-In the course of this tour to Paris, I was much struck with the danger to which our manners and morals are liable, should an intimate connexion, take place between the two nations. There is hardly an exception to the rule, that those who affect the manners of France in England are effeminate, dissipated, and idle, whereas those who adopt the man

ners of England in France are bold, manly, and active, either in the closet or in the field. If these different and opposite characters increase in the two countries, in consequence of a more intimate connexion between them, the consequences must be very fatal to the interests of Great Britain, and the character of its inhabitants.

11. Parisian novelties.-The Parisians, as usual, had a number of novelties, with which they amused themselves; as, 1. A new sort of metal to answer the purpose of coppering ships; 2. Curiosities from Peru, resembling much Egyptian antiquities; 3. Animal magnetism, which was then much in vogue; 4. Biscuits made from potatoes; 5. Hoffman's new mode of engraving; 6. The Sieur Bennemin's art of hatching fowls artificially, by a machine, (price L.25 Sterling), which would hatch 200 eggs artificially in 21 days, or at the rate of 3000 fowls per annum. But none of these objects attracted more than a momentary attention.

12. In the original account I had drawn up of this excursion to Paris, many characters were described of little or no importance at present, and a number of particulars were detailed, which it is unnecessary now to enter into. One circumstance, however, struck me much, namely, the great attention then paid to foreign politics. In France, the ministers of state had in general fixed times for seeing the king; but the minister for foreign affairs could demand an audience whenever he judged it necessary, were it even at midnight.

III.

JOURNEY TO paris anno 1816.

My journal of this excursion is unfortunately lost, but I have found an abstract of the political information I had col

lected at the time, which contains some interesting particulars, and I am therefore induced to submit them to the reader's consideration.

Hints regarding the internal and political State of France, drawn up in February 1816.

1. The late changes of ministers in France, in particular the removal of Talleyrand and Fouché, was a most fortunate circumstance, for their favourite object was, to embroil England and Russia, whereas all well-disposed Frenchmen wish, that France, England, and Russia, should be united, to preserve the tranquillity of Europe, which it is in their power, if united, to secure.

2. The house of Austria is the greatest enemy that France has, from its anxiety to recover Lorraine, and to acquire Alsace; and, in particular, it is dangerous to the house of Bourbon, having Napoleon II. to set up, whenever it finds a favourable opportunity.

3. The plan of organising a domestic force, sufficient, with the Army of Occupation as it is called, to prevent any successful attempt to bring about another revolution, is in a great measure accomplished. The following is the royal force in and near Paris. Its fidelity may be relied on, at least great care has been taken to keep out suspicious characters, and to discharge them when they are discovered.

INFANTRY.

Six regiments of French guards, at 2000 men each, 12,000 Two regiments of Swiss, at 2000 men each, not yet

arrived, but soon expected,

4,000

16,000

CAVALRY.

Eight regiments of cavalry, at 700 men each,

5,600

21,600