their talents to the valuable study of relieving the cravings of an empty stomach.

I had not moved three yards down the Rue de Tournon, before, on my left, I faw the welcome board which, in large golden characters announced the very beft entertainment within. At this moment, the celebrated picture of the banquet of the Louvre, could fcarcely have afforded me more delight. I had an excellent dinner, wine and fruit for four livres. In the courfe of my repaft, I begged that a knife, might be permitted to aid the fervices of a three pronged filver fork, which graced my plate on the left. After rather a laborious fearch, my wishes were gratified by an inftrument, which certainly was entitled to the name of one, but was affuredly not the handsomest of its fpecies. Whether there had been any dispute be tween the handle, and the blade I know not, but there were very evident appearances of an approaching separation. Not wishing to augment the rapture, between two perfonages fo neceffary to each others fervice, and to those who were to be benefitted by it, I begged of my fair hoftefs, who, with two pretty girls (her daughters,) were picking the ftalks from fome ftraw-berries, which were intended for my defert, at the other end of the room, that fhe would' favor me with another knife. The Maitreffe d'hotel, who had a pair of fine dark expreflive eyes, very archly faid, "Why "would you wish to change it, Sir? it is an English "one," It certainly looked like one; no compli,

T

ἐσ

„ment could be neater.

Whether I gave

it too great

a latitude of interpretation, I will not pretend to fay, but it led me into such a train of happy comparative. thinking, that I ate my dinner with it very comfortably. without faying another word. I have fince thought that the Maitreffe d'hotel had not another knife in her houfe, but what was in use.

In France, I have before had occafion to remark, that fanciful notions of exceffive delicacy, are not permitted to interfere with comfort, and convenience. Amongst these people, every thing turns upon the principle of accommodation. To this motive I attribute the frequent exhibition, over the doors of refpectable looking houses, in the fashionable walks, and in different parts of Paris, of the following characters, "Commodites pour Hommes, et Femmes." An English prude would start to read these words. I mention this circumstance, for the purpose of communicating fome idea of the people, convinced, as well I am, that it is only by detail, that we can become acquainted with the peculiar characteristics of any community.

I very often paffed by the ci-devant Hall of the National Convention; in which the haplefs king and queen were doomed to the scaffold, where murder was legitimated, religion denounced, and the grave declared to be the bed of eternal repofe.

In vindication of the ways of eternal justice, even upon earth, this polluted pile is participating the fate of its devoted members.

Thofe walls which once refounded with the florid, high toned declamation of republican vifionaries the moft worthlefs, impfiong, and defparate of mankind, are prevented for a fhort time, by a few crazy props, from covering the earth below with their duft and ruins. The famed temple of the Goddefs of Liberty, is not tenantable enough to cover the Babel Deity from the peltings of the midnight storm.

Where is now the enthufiaftic Gironede, where the volcanic mountain, the fiery and eloquent Mirabeau, the wily Briffot, the atheistic Lequinois, the remorseless Marat, the bloody St. Juft and the chief of the deplumed and fallen legions of equality? All is defolate and filent. The gaping planks of the guillotine are imbued with their laft traces. The haunt of the banditti is uncovered. The revolution has preyed upon her own children, and metaphyfical murder-i ers have perished by the daggers of speculative republicans.

About two years fince this place was converted into a menagerie. The cave, and the wilderness, the defert, and the jungle, prefented to the eye of the beholder, reprefentative fucceffors of those favages who, with more powers and more-ferocity, were once enclofed within the fame den. From the remembrance of fuch mifcreants, I turn, with increafed fatisfaction, to the traces of approaching civilization, which mark the career of the prefent government, in which the want of fuitable fplendor no longer repels the ap

proach and friendship of those nations which once

ご

fhuddered at the idea of coming into contact with, the infected rags of vifionary fraternity. Some indications of this change I faw pourtrayed at the levee of Monfieur Talleyrand, the minifter of foreign relations, when I had the honor of being prefented to that able and celebrated politician by Mr. B. The hotel of Talleyrand is very fuperb. We entered the court yard through two lines of about twenty carriages in waiting. Under the portico, were feveral Turks feated, who formed a part of the fuite of the Turkish ambañador, who had just arrived, and was then clofet ted with Monfieur T.

We paffed through feveral noble apartments, preceded by fervants, to a magnificent levee room, in which we met most of the foreign amballadors who were then at the confular court.

After waiting fome time, the folding doors of the cabinet opened, the Turkish embaffy came out, making their grand falams, followed by Talleyrand, in his rich coftume of embroidered fearlet, his hair full dreffed, and a shining fabre by his fide.

In his perfon, he is fmall and thin, his face is "pale "and penetrating." He always looks obliquely, his fmall quick eyes and features, very legibly exprefs mildnefs, wit, and fubtilty. His right leg appears contracted. His address is infinuating. As the fpirit of aggrandizement, which is faid to have actuated the public and private conduct of Monfieur T-- has

CHAP. XVIII.]

IN FRANCE..

2

221

been fo much talked of, it may, perhaps, excite fome furprise, when it is mentioned that feveral perfons who know him well, fome of whom efteem him, and 13 with fome of whom he is not a favorite, declare, notwithstanding the anecdotes related of X Y, and Monfieur Beaucoup d'Argent, in the American prints, that they confider him to be a man, whofe mind is raised above the influence of corruption. Monfieur T may be claffed amongst the rareft curiofities in the revolutionary cabinet. Allied by an illuftrious ancestry to the Bourbons, and a royalist from hisbirth, he was, with unusual celerity, invefted with the epifcopal robe and crofier. During the temporary triumph of the abftract rights of man, over the prac-ticable rights of reafon, he moved with the boifterous. cavalcade, with more caution than enthufiafm. Upon the celebrated national recognition of the fovereignty of man's will, in the Champs de Mars, the politic minifter, adorned in fnowy robes, and tricolor ribands, prefided at the altar of the republic as its high. prieft, and bestowed his patriarchal benedictions upon the ftandard of France, and the banners of her departments.

Some time afterwards, in the fhape of a fecret unaccredited negociator, he was difcovered in the me-tropolis of England, and immediately transferred,, upon the fpread wings of the alien bill, to his own

Monfieur Talleyrand is ex-biflop of Autung