summit of which stood the remains of a wind-mill. I asked the names of them from the cabin-boy, who happened to be near me. He told me they were Vaugirard and Issy. He had no sooner pronounced the words than my bowels yearned, I changed colour, and was so overcome that I was forced to sit down. The passengers asked me what I ailed, whether I was frightened or sick; some laughed at me, others pitied me; one however drew my smelling-bottle from my pocket, and rubbed my temples with some of its contents. "Ah Sir!" cried I, feebly pushing him away, "let nature take her course, I am agitated by contending emotions; ah beloved Vaugirard! ah cruel Issy! ah dear Julia!" At these last words, which I did not get out without difficulty, I fainted. A mortal chill froze the tears which I had before shed in abundance; and I certainly never should have recovered had it not been for my eau sans pareille. My benefactor begged me to explain the meaning of the words that had escaped me, but I affected not to recollect them, and in order to turn the conversation I raised my glass, and attentively surveyed some fields and cottages, which were covered with slender trees apparently supported by something like broomsticks. I asked what they were, and was informed that they were vines, that vines bore grapes, and that grapes made wine. It is probable that the Champaign and Burgundy which we prize so much at Paris are made here, and that one reason for their being so dear is the distance they have to be sent.

Scarcely had I taken credit to myself for this reflection, and rejoiced in the idea of the benefit my mind, already pretty well formed, would derive from my travels, when, looking from the poop of the vessel towards the prow, I discovered a second island, much larger than the other. I computed that it must be surrounded by water on all sides, because it stood in the middle of the sea. I saw on it neither inhabitants, cattle, houses, nor even a steeple. I thought it might probably be one of the islands of the gean sea, which are so full of serpents and venomous creatures, that Paul Lucas himself had not the courage to go on shore then. I saw very plainly a great many wild partridges, and some little animals about the size of cats, who when we looked at them ran into holes which they had made among the bushes, on the shore of this island; the parrots were black, with yellow

beaks. We then came to a kind of nar row passage, which led to some detached houses on the opposite shore: any other person than myself might have taken it for the Straits of Gibraltar, or at least of Calais; but when one has studied geography a little, one is not liable to be deceived. I saw there several men, in their shirts, drawing up sand from the bottom of the sea, and then bringing it to land in boats; and here our boat quitted us, to force a passage through the straits, by means of oars; it was filled with passengers, some of whom were going to the chateau Gaillardin, some to Molinaux, some to Meudon, and some with children to Clermont, where, as I was informed, there is a school celebrated for the education of youth. We next came in sight of a pretty place, called Billancourt by the people in these parts. I remarked nothing in it which could excite the curi+ osity of a traveller, except that the place itself appeared very thinly inhabited; indeed I only saw a single person; but to make amends for that, I perceived a number of sheep, variously marked with red on the nose, and who were walking tamely about the shore. The man had a dog with him, and a crook in his hand: I therefore judged him to be a shepherd, and immediately recollecting Virgil's apostrophe to one, I exclaimed Tityre, tu patulæ, &c.

This man might in fact be this very Tityrus himself, for he was lying exactly in the attitude Virgil mentions, at the foot of a walnut-tree, which is the same as the beech-tree of that time, and he was playing on his pipe, and enjoying the fresh air precisely in the way the poet describes. We were going along very pleasantly, when a dark cloud of smoke arose from the summit of a mountain to our left, and I thought it probable that it might proceed from the famous Mount Vesuvius, of which I recollected to have heard mention, and which vomits flames and throws out stones as far as the city of Naples, though it is a distance of full two miles. A smell of pitch and brimstone confirmed me in this idea; but on imparting my suspicion to a person near me, and asking him if he did not think we were exposed to considerable danger by being so near, he told me that I was mistaken as to the source of the vapour which gave rise to my fears, for that it proceeded from a glass-house. This remark reminded me, that in proportion as I got farther and farther from Paris,

the sun became more and more power ful, until at last I imagined we must have got nearly under the line. In fact I could bear the heat no longer, and was just thinking of going below, when I perceived a noble bridge with several carriages passing over it. At first I took it for the famous Euxine bridge; but whilst I was looking for my map and my compasses, to ascertain whereabouts we were, I heard a confused noise among the passengers and men, we suddenly came close to land, a plank was put out, and every body hastened to get on shore. I asked if this was the city of St. Cloud, and was informed that it was the port of Sèvres, but that St. Cloud was not far off, and in fact they shewed it to me. I then took leave of the captain and his wife, and was the last person who left the vessel. My heart turned round as soon as I put my foot upon Terra firma, and I still felt exactly as if I was on board the ship. I walked across the bridge, however, as steadily as I could, and found at the end of it a chapel where a venerable capuchin was ready to perform a mass for our safe ar rival. I had heard mass at Paris in the morning, nevertheless I readily joined in this, in gratitude for my preservation from all dangers. I then went into a house in order that I might write to my mother without further delay. I saw nothing in this port worthy of observation, except three or four shops, which were pretty good. I hired two porters for my luggage, and one guide to conduct me. He brought me through a forest of considerable length, at the end of which we came into the town, and after crossing several streets we at last arrived at the house of my friend. The charming Henrietta opened the door to us herself; I threw my arms round her neck, and remained for some minutes speechless with delight, nor did she appear less transported. She then introduced me to her father and brother, who were waiting with a large party of their friends to receive me. After a volley of compliments on all sides, I begged leave to retire, in order that I might equip myself in a style fit for my company. When I had changed every thing from head to foot, I returned to the diningroom, and acquitted myself so well at table, that every body complimented me on my politeness. One great charm of a sea-faring life is, that as soon as danger is passed it is likewise forgotten. I thought no more of all the perils I had gone through, than to make them sub

servient to the amusement of the company, who seemed wonderfully entertained with my narration.

After dinner, a walk in the park was proposed, in order that I might see the water-works, which were to play that day. Accordingly I offered my arm to my dear Henrietta; we all sallied forth, and soon after arrived at the palace, the exterior of which amazed me. My friend had been one of the choristers, he consequently knew the organist at the palace (for all musical people know each other), and through his interest we were admitted to see the interior also of this noble building, which truly transported me beyond myself. They shewed me Paris, in a glass, which greatly delighted me; insomuch that with looking at it, and at the fine furniture and beautiful paintings, I lost sight of Henrietta, and all the rest of the party, and had some difficulty in finding them again; but I did at last discover them in the orangewalks, where they were looking at the water-works, which had already begun to play, and surely never was any thing in the world so pretty. Here two rivergods, negligently reclining on reeds and rushes, leaned over urns, from which flowed crystal streams, which formed cascades, and filled innumerable basins around. There the affrighted naiads tried to hide themselves beneath the waves from the pursuit of the more youthful marine deities, who were enaOn one side moured of their charms. is a sheet of water whereon swans disport, and which represents to the life the spot chosen by Diana when she was surprised by Acteon; and on the other are sea nymphs, who, only half hidden amidst the rushes, seem to love to throw out lures to the curious. Here lakes permit their sparkling waters to be swallowed up one moment by the earth, in order that the next may see them thrown into the air;-here paths are wound through groves that the eye cannot pierce-beds of a thousand flowers, cultivated by Flora herself, charm the sight with their innumerable dies; enchanted bowers, sacred to the zephyrs, afford a retreat for birds, whose varied songs delight the ear; and fauns and dryads scattered through the woods, seem to do the honours of them, and to invite the passers-by to take refuge with them in their leafy shades from the ardour of the sun. Not far from the house we came to a stone bridge, somewhat long and narrow; from its apparent antiquity, I took it for one of the

aqueducts which are still preserved as a remnant of the greatness of former ages. At each side of this bridge there were long poles, and logs of wood, with strings crossing from one side to the other, so as completely to form a kind of net-work before the arches. I thought this might be to prevent the approaches of pirates from Cherbourg, who, if they should obstinately persist in forcing a passage, might find themselves caught, as Mars, that corsair among husbands, was formerly in the net woven by Vulcan; or that it might be hung up for the cod or herring fishery;-but my friend, who was as eager as his sister to give me every kind of information, told me, that neither cod nor herrings were caught in the sea hereabouts; that the miller hung out the nets to catch the smaller fresh-water fish, such as carp, pike, barbel, gudgeons, smelts, and so forth; and that, very often, things which had been lost at Paris had been found by means of these nets. I recollected having often heard of the snares of St. Cloud, and I concluded that it was to such incidents they owed their reputation. I immediately bethought me of the hat and wig which I had lost on my voyage from Paris; and I begged my friend would accompany me to the miller's, in order that we might inquire after them. We found only the miller's daughter at home; but this was quite enough for us, as she was pretty and polite, and savoured little of the clack of the mill, wherein she had been brought up. As soon as we had described to her the articles of which we were in search, she opened a large wardrobe full of all sorts of things; however I could not find my hat among them, though there were abundance of one sort or other. I likewise turned over a whole stack of wigs, both of doctors and lawyers, without finding my own among them. I counted, however, in the course of my search, a hundred and twelve bonnets, a hundred and eighty caps belonging to the actresses, sixteen cloaks belonging to abbés, eighteen great coats, twenty-two hoods, and a hundred and fifty frocks belonging to different orders of monks, besides an infinite number of books, which probably the purchaser, indignant at their contents, had thrown into the water. Our farther search being hopeless, we took leave of the miller's pretty daughter, and crossed a spacious plain, intermixed with gravel walks the road through it was bordered on both sides with peas,

beans, and vines, and brought us to a great gate, through which we went into a wood, cut into different avenues, and planted with wild trees, which bore neither flowers nor fruit. I should have been somewhat uncomfortable had I found myself alone in a place so dreary and of such extent, but I took care to keep close to my companion, and never quitted him for an instant until I saw a little bird pop out from under a tree, and which was so exactly like my goldfinch, that I thought it was himself who had escaped from his prison, and flown to St. Cloud, on purpose to meet me. Under this idea, I called him by all the endearing names I was in the habit of lavishing on him, and ran after him to take him up, but I found that he was a wild bird, who had been brought up in the woods, and not in a cage like mine, for he ran away, and evidently did not like the thought of being handled. Whilst I was in pursuit of him, I perceived a violent agitation amidst some bushes, and I had the curiosity to go nearer to see what it could be caused by; but having heard that wild beasts prowled in forests, I had the precaution to draw a pistol from my pocket, and with that in one hand, and my naked sword in the other, I advanced as softly as possible; but, O ye gods! what was my surprise, when I heard the cries of human beings, to whom I had given, very unintentionally, a mortal alarm by the sight of my weapons! In vain Í strove to re-assure them: the nearer I drew in order to explain myself, the more they called to me to stand off, and bawled out thieves! robbers!' with all their might. At the first glance of them I imagined they must be a faun and dryad, so very slightly were they attired; but on looking towards the middle of the thicket, I saw a black gown and short cloak of the same colour, and a plain round hat upon them, whilst a little farther off lay a pelisse and petticoat of blue silk; a violet-coloured parasol, a muslin cap, a pair of rose-coloured gloves, and a bottle half emptied of Neuilly ratafia, with a cup which had apparently served to drink out of; from all which appearances, I concluded this thicket could not be the resort of the divinities of the woods, as they are satisfied with Nature in her simplest modes. Unfortunately for the fugitives, three of the park-keepers were brought to the spot by their cries: off set the faun and the dryad at the sight of them; away went the park-keepers after them, and

after a warm chase, hunted them down precisely in the place whence they set off, and where we were waiting, ready to expire with laughter at the sin gular spectacle they afforded.

They seemed much humbled at their situation; but my friend, who knew the oldest of the park-keepers, undertook to plead their cause, and to prove that they had come there with no evil design upon the game. Whilst he was thus employed I took a nearer survey of the parties, and found the faun in his velvet breeches, and the dryad, in her flounced muslin petticoat, to be no other than the abbé and the young lady who fell into the water together in landing at Auteuil, and who were so immoderately entertained with my mishap in sitting on the coil of tarry rope. It was now my turn to triumph, but I make it a rule never to insult the unfortunate; I therefore remained silent, and saw, not without concern, the luckless pair marched off under the care of the park-keepers, who, I understood, were going to take them as far as Madrid, there to give the best account they could of themselves.

Nine days I passed at St. Cloud in pleasures that were ever increasing, ever new. Henrietta shewed me the kitchengardens, the vineyards, the orchards, the fields, the meadows; I learnt how vegetables grew, how wine was made, how corn was sown and ground, how grass was cut; in short, nothing escaped me. It must be acknowledged that women have a most delightful manner of imparting. There is no better teacher for a young man than a young woman. I learned more from Henrietta in nine days than I had done from my tutor in nine years. But, alas! those nine days fled as if they had been only nine moments so short is the duration of pleasures here below! Henrietta had promised to be in Paris on a particular day; my mother and aunts were expecting me with as much impatience and curiosity as if I had been the wandering Jew; and, in short, the Fates would have it that we must depart; that we must leave the delightful scene which I might well call the cradle of my instructionthe beautiful meadows, the delicious little bower where Henrietta and I sat in an evening, only just large enough to hold us both, side by side; the exquisite home-made muffins, one dozen of which

One of the buildings in the park, so called probably from its architecture, being in the Spanish style.

I ate every morning for my breakfast; all the pure pleasures of country life! I was called upon to quit them all. Still the thought that I quitted them with Henrietta for my companion, sustained me, and I began to make preparations for my departure. As it was uncertain how long I might be detained on the road, I wrote a letter of eight pages to my mother, in which, after describing every thing that I had seen at St. Cloud, I told her, that "ignorant of the duration of my travels, and consequently unable to fix the precise time of my arrival, I had the honour to take the earliest opportunity to calm her anxiety respecting me; begging leave to remind her, that under the care of Mademoiselle Henrietta no mischance could befall me; that if I had escaped the danger of whales and crocodiles at sea, there was every reason to hope I might elude the attacks of tigers and lions on shore; and that however the desire of seeing the world might seduce her son for a time from her, yet that his heart was still with her, even whilst the earth itself was extending before his eyes, and that whether far or near he should still always have the honour of feeling himself her most dutiful son, and most devoted humble servant, &c." dated from St. Cloud. In this letter I enclosed two others, full of kind expressions, for my two aunts; and after having carefully sealed my packet, I took it with my own hands, the evening before my departure, to the captain of a vessel which was to sail the next day for Paris, and implored him to see himself, that it should be delivered according to the direction upon it; representing to him, that by any negligence on his part, in this respect, he might cause the death of a mother and two aunts. I had the precaution, moreover, to make duplicates of these letters, which I entrusted to a rich banker at St. Cloud, to be sent by the first__ vessel which might sail for Paris; and I then thought that I might, without presumption, make myself pretty certain that one or the other of the packets would arrive safe. Henrietta engaged to have the whole management of our party, which consisted of herself, her brother, a lawyer, a naval officer, and myself. The next morning, before day-break, she summoned us all; and herself, more lovely than Aurora, conducted us to the shore, where two sailors were waiting with a small boat to take us over the expanse of water at our feel, which she

informed me, with a smile fraught with encouragement, was the Pacific Ocean; and indeed it was impossible to feel any alarm whilst looking on its smooth surface, which I was assured was never agitated into waves. The sun rose soon after we had got into the boat, and distinctly shewed us the surrounding country. On the left I saw a place of considerable extent, which had all the appearance of a flourishing city. I was told it was Boulogne; I therefore concluded we were now in the Straits. The naval officer, who had often doubled these coasts whilst he was on service in Catalonia, gave us so unfavourable an account of the landing, that we did not endeavour to effect one; but whilst I am on the subject of Boulogne I ought to remark, that all travellers who have described it speak of Tour Neuve and of Tour de l'Ordre. I know not where they may have found these two towers, but for my own part I must confess I saw nothing of the kind, except a single spire, which was tolerably lofty. The shore to the left is bordered with superb seats; one in particular is distinguished by a long avenue. The sailors told me it was the place where the Elector of Bavaria used to come to enjoy the pleasures of the country. I was delighted to find from this that we were in Germany, and I immediately took out my tablets to note down whatever I might find remarkable in the country. Among other things I observed, that the sea which washes these shores is remarkably calm, that the banks are covered with a soft green turf, and that if mountains were cultivated here they would grow extremely well, as was evident from the great number of little heaps or hills which were scattered all around. I remarked also that the climate is serene; insomuch, that all the time I was there it neither rained, nor thundered, nor snowed. As we proceeded in our route we saw a small building, as it appeared, floating on the water, and from out of which looked three beautiful faces, with their hair flowing over their naked ivory shoulders, which were exhibited to our view by every playful zephyr. I instantly recollected a passage in Homer, where Ulysses is warned of the sirens. My tutor had then explained to me that there were sirens in every stage of life; and sure enough when I heard the mellifluous tones, the vivacious laugh of these lovely creatures, as they asked us if we would stop and bathe, I found that my safety consisted

in resolutely stopping my ears and shutting my eyes, and drawing closer to Henrietta, who, with a thousand fears for my preservation, exhorted me not to cast a single look upon those dangerous, though fascinating, monsters of the deep. When we had got far enough from them, Henrietta, in her turn, was willing to set forth her powers of charming, and began to sing to her brother's accompaniment in such tones as soon put all other sounds out of my head. After that the lawyer took the violin, and played most of the operas of the Pont Neuf, setting off his songs with contortions and gesticulations which might have made the very stones laugh. The navy officer amused us with an account of the engagements he had been in, the storms he had weathered, the dangers he had run-nothing escaped himeven the discharges of cannon were all numbered by him. Nestor had not seen half so much; Xerxes and Miltiades were mere subalterns to him ;-without doubt, if he had lived in the time of the Romans, he would have been made marshal of France.

Amidst the pleasures of the eyes and the ears, we still contrived to attend tothe necessities of the stomach. Indeed we thought it prudent to lighten as much as possible that part of our cargo which was of a perishable nature; accordingly we attacked our provisions with such zeal and industry, that we' only just left enough for our sailors to finish, and then proceeded on our way as much lighter in spirits as we were heavier in the stomach. It was well we had thus fortified ourselves, for when we landed, we had need of all our courage and resolution. We found ourselves, in short, upon a vast plain, bounded on one side by the sea, on the other by a long wall, through which there appeared not the smallest aperture. There was, however, no other road to take, unless we chose to return, and as the day was already far advanced, that would have been still more danger ous. Another difficulty yet more per plexing was, the total want we were in of carriages of any description. There was nothing for us but travelling on foot, and ill could I bear to see Henrietta exposed to such fatigue. A fortunate incident, however, relieved us from this part of our embarrassment. Whilst wel were earnestly debating how to proceed; we saw a troop of small cavalry ap proaching. They were Jerusalem ponies, loaded with linen most probably from