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been guilty of another piece of extravagance in hiring a carosse de remise； for which I pay twelve livres a day。 Besides the article of visiting； I could not leave Paris； without carrying my wife and the girls to see the most remarkable places in and about this capital； such as the Luxemburg； the Palais…Royal； the Thuilleries； the Louvre； the Invalids； the Gobelins； &c。 together with Versailles； Trianon； Marli； Meudon； and Choissi； and therefore； I thought the difference in point of expence would not be great； between a carosse de remise and a hackney coach。 The first are extremely elegant； if not too much ornamented； the last are very shabby and disagreeable。 Nothing gives me such chagrin； as the necessity I am under to hire a valet de place； as my own servant does not speak the language。 You cannot conceive with what eagerness and dexterity those rascally valets exert themselves in pillaging strangers。 There is always one ready in waiting on your arrival； who begins by assisting your own servant to unload your baggage； and interests himself in your affairs with such artful officiousness； that you will find it difficult to shake him off； even though you are determined beforehand against hiring any such domestic。 He produces recommendations from his former masters； and the people of the house vouch for his honesty。
The truth is； those fellows are very handy； useful； and obliging； and so far honest； that they will not steal in the usual way。 You may safely trust one of them to bring you a hundred loui'dores from your banker； but they fleece you without mercy in every other article of expence。 They lay all your tradesmen under contribution； your taylor； barber； mantua…maker； milliner； perfumer； shoe…maker； mercer； jeweller； hatter； traiteur； and wine…merchant： even the bourgeois who owns your coach pays him twenty sols per day。 His wages amount to twice as much； so that I imagine the fellow that serves me； makes above ten shillings a day； besides his victuals； which； by the bye； he has no right to demand。 Living at Paris； to the best of my recollection； is very near twice as dear as it was fifteen years ago； and； indeed； this is the case in London； a circumstance that must be undoubtedly owing to an increase of taxes； for I don't find that in the articles of eating and drinking； the French people are more luxurious than they were heretofore。 I am told the entrees； or duties； payed upon provision imported into Paris； are very heavy。 All manner of butcher's meat and poultry are extremely good in this place。 The beef is excellent。 The wine； which is generally drank； is a very thin kind of Burgundy。 I can by no means relish their cookery； but one breakfasts deliciously upon their petit pains and their pales of butter； which last is exquisite。
The common people； and even the bourgeois of Paris live； at this season； chiefly on bread and grapes； which is undoubtedly very wholsome fare。 If the same simplicity of diet prevailed in England； we should certainly undersell the French at all foreign markets for they are very slothful with all their vivacity and the great number of their holidays not only encourages this lazy disposition； but actually robs them of one half of what their labour would otherwise produce； so that； if our common people were not so expensive in their living； that is； in their eating and drinking； labour might be afforded cheaper in England than in France。 There are three young lusty hussies； nieces or daughters of a blacksmith； that lives just opposite to my windows； who do nothing from morning till night。 They eat grapes and bread from seven till nine； from nine till twelve they dress their hair； and are all the afternoon gaping at the window to view passengers。 I don't perceive that they give themselves the trouble either to make their beds； or clean their apartment。 The same spirit of idleness and dissipation I have observed in every part of France； and among every class of people。
Every object seems to have shrunk in its dimensions since I was last in Paris。 The Louvre； the Palais…Royal； the bridges； and the river Seine； by no means answer the ideas I had formed of them from my former observation。 When the memory is not very correct； the imagination always betrays her into such extravagances。 When I first revisited my own country； after an absence of fifteen years； I found every thing diminished in the same manner； and I could scarce believe my own eyes。
Notwithstanding the gay disposition of the French； their houses are all gloomy。 In spite of all the ornaments that have been lavished on Versailles； it is a dismal habitation。 The apartments are dark； ill…furnished； dirty； and unprincely。 Take the castle； chapel； and garden all together； they make a most fantastic composition of magnificence and littleness； taste； and foppery。 After all； it is in England only； where we must look for cheerful apartments； gay furniture； neatness； and convenience。 There is a strange incongruity in the French genius。 With all their volatility； prattle； and fondness for bons mots； they delight in a species of drawling； melancholy； church music。 Their most favourite dramatic pieces are almost without incident； and the dialogue of their comedies consists of moral； insipid apophthegms； intirely destitute of wit or repartee。 I know what I hazard by this opinion among the implicit admirers of Lully； Racine； and Moliere。
I don't talk of the busts； the statues； and pictures which abound at Versailles； and other places in and about Paris； particularly the great collection of capital pieces in the Palais…royal； belonging to the duke of Orleans。 I have neither capacity； nor inclination； to give a critique on these chef d'oeuvres； which indeed would take up a whole volume。 I have seen this great magazine of painting three times； with astonishment； but I should have been better pleased； if there had not been half the number： one is bewildered in such a profusion； as not to know where to begin； and hurried away before there is time to consider one piece with any sort of deliberation。 Besides； the rooms are all dark； and a great many of the pictures hang in a bad light。 As for Trianon； Marli； and Choissi； they are no more than pigeon…houses； in respect to palaces； and； notwithstanding the extravagant eulogiums which you have heard of the French king's houses； I will venture to affirm that the king of England is better； I mean more comfortably； lodged。 I ought； however； to except Fontainebleau； which I have not seen。
The city of Paris is said to be five leagues； or fifteen miles； in circumference； and if it is really so； it must be much more populous than London； for the streets are very narrow； and the houses very high； with a different family on every floor。 But I have measured the best plans of these two royal cities； and am certain that Paris does not take up near so much ground as London and Westminster occupy； and I suspect the number of its inhabitants is also exaggerated by those who say it amounts to eight hundred thousand； that is two hundred thousand more than are contained in the bills of mortality。 The hotels of th