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The revenues of the ancient monarchy of France amounted, according to the statement of M. Necker, to 475,254.027 *livres. The expences of the state, on the same authority, exceeded that sum by 56,149,973 livres † and consequently amounted to 531,444,000 livres. The interest of the national debt he stated at 162,4 6,000 livres. The state however was also burthened with the interest of sums borrowed by anticipation of the ensuing taxes, and these sums amounted to 76,892,000 $; and there were 2,560,000 livres ¶ of pensions, not included in the account of the national debt.

According to a statement lately published by the government, it pays the sum of 87,03 766 francs ** annually for the interest of the national debt, for pensions, for the interest of the different securities, and for the sum allotted for the reduction of the debt; which amount, deducted from the seven hundred millions said to. be the present revenue, leaves them a surplus of 612,596,234 francs tt.'

Under the head of Internal Commerce, (the External is nearly destroyed by the tyrants of the ocean.) we find a particular enumeration of the canals already finished in France, and of those which are projected and executing; together with a list of the articles furnished by agriculture and the mines for internal commerce :

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Agriculture furnishes articles for the internal commerce of France, to the amount of 1,820,000,000 francs; consisting of wine and brandy worth 30 millions of francs, oil 60 millions, about co millions of corn of different sorts, 400 millions in cattle of various descriptions, 60 millions in forage, 140 millions in wood and charcoal, 35 millions in wool, 25 millions in silk, and 50 millions in hemp and flax ‡‡. But this is not the whole of its internal consumption; as France draws a great quantity of wool, flax, and leather from other countries.'

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The produce of the mineral substances found in France is as follows:

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If to the foregoing statement you add ten millions of francs at which the produce of the inland fisheries are valued, you will be enabled to form some idea of the amount of the several objects which form the different branches of the interior navigation and traffic of France.'

The nature and amount of the soil of France are given from Sonnini:

In order to acquaint us with the nature of its productions, he divides the soil into six parts:

Acres.

1. Ploughed lands, which he estimates at. 6643887480

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2. Vineyarde

486873128

3. Woodlands

1626943252

4. Rich pasture lands. .

660406784

5. Artificial pasture lands

749060768

6. Heath, uncultivated lands, rivers, lakes,

marshes, &c.

2084585000

Total 12,251,756,412 Acres.

This series of letters commences in June 1802 and ends in August 1806, during which period Mr. Williams had visited various parts of France. Landing at Havre, he pro

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ceeded through Rouen to Paris; whence, after having visited the places in its vicinity which usually attract a stranger's notice, he made an excursion to Tours, and describes the fineness of the climate, the vintage, and the mode of living in the South Western Departments. When the English subjects in France were declared prisoners of war, he came back to Paris, went to Nancy on his parole, was indulged with a tour in the Vosges, obtained permission to return to his own country, in consequence of a letter written by Dr. Jenner to Bonaparte, revisited Paris, and thence travelled to Morlaix, in order to embark for Old England. It does not appear that the captivity of Mr. W. was in any respect severe; and we highly applaud his sentiments on the subject of breaking parole:

There was a report that a number of English prisoners were to be transferred from Verdun to Nancy; but several (I am sorry to say it) having broken their parole, the order was recalled Here I cannot refrain from censuring those gentlemen for the measure which they have thought proper to adopt in order to regain their native country. Whatever their opinions might be respecting the arbitrary conduct of the French government in making us prisoners, they had given their parole, and consequently could not violate it without entailing misery on their fellow-countrymen whom they left behind. This reflection will doubtless embitter the liberty which they have procured at the expence of those whose situation was suf ficiently lamentable before.'

As the excursion to the Vosges has more novelty than any other part of the work, we shall indulge our readers with an extract from it:

In consequence of the tacit permission of the General under whose orders we are, I was induced to take a little tour in the mountains of the Vosges; and returned very much delighted with my journey. Our party consisted of the family with whom I was residing in the country, and some of their Parisian friends; five in the whole. The first town which we visited was Epinal, most beautifully situated on the banks of the Moselle, and in the midst of mountains covered with immense fir-trees and oaks. It is one of the cleanest towns which I have seen in France, and in almost every street there are two streams of the clearest water that can be imagined. The Moselle is famous for the transparency of its water, and in summer offers some truly picturesque scenery, but in the winter it is subject to great inundations, and much mischief is often the consequence.

Our next stage was to Plombières; a placé celebrated for its hot springs, the virtue of which corresponds with that of our Bath waters. One of them boils an egg in a few minutes; but when the water is put over the fire, it is observed that it does not boil sooner. than common water. Another singular property which it possesses is, that on touching a glass filled with it, one can hardly endure.

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the heat; but we drink the water without inconvenience. This town is the general resort of the fashionable females of Paris who are either ill, or who fancy themselves so in order to induce their credulous husbands to indulge them in a journey hither which latrer case is very common when Madame wishes to make an assignation with the object of her illicit amours, as it is never considered at all requisite that the husband should accompany her.

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Nothing can surpass the romantic scenery in the neighbourhood of Plombières; particularly the valley of Ajol, about two leagues distant, which is a favourite excursion with visitors Every thing here is remarkably cheap board and lodging can be procured for four, five, or six francs a day, according to the manner in which we wish to be accommodated. The town is famous for a spirit distilled from a small black cherry that grows wild hereabout, and called by the natives kirsh wasser or kirken wasser cherry-water). People become very fond of it by habit, though it appears to me necessary to have one's throat paved in order to drink any quantity.

After examining all the beauties of Plombières, we proceeded across a part of the Vosges to Remiremont. Every step in these enchanting mountains recalled to mind the happy days which I spent in South Wales. The comparison between my present situation and those short-lived moments of felicity, was not calculated to make me an agreeable companion: I therefore took my horse and left the cariages, that I might wander in the mountains; and indulge in a melancholy which, when the heart is of pressed, proves its greatest consolation The result of my reflection was the following lines. As you are a good Frenchman, I shall not apologise for sending them without a translation; indeed if I were disposed to put them to English verse, I might possibly fail, from the length of time during which I have ceased to speak that language: you must therefore take them as they were written;

LE CAPTIF.

Par-tout on trouve en son chemin,
La peine attaclée à la vie ;
Mais on ne sent le vrai chagrin
Qu'en souffrant loin de sa patrie,

Si quelquefois un doux sommeil
Dépeint la rive tant chérie,
Son ame est naviée au reveil,
De ne plus trouver sa patrie.
Lorsqu'en invoquant l'avenir

i e Captif un moment s'oublie,
Sa chaine excite un souvenir-
Le souvenir de sa patrie.
Si, par des êtres généreux,
Il sent sa douleur adoucie,

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From 38. 6d. to 5.'

Son

Son cœur un instant est heureux;

Mais il est loin de sa patrie.'

• Remiremont is a neat little town, containing between two and three thousand inhabitants. The soil of this district produces rye, oats, millet, buck wheat, a great quantity of wood, ard pasture: which fast is to be found sometimes in the midst of the most barren lands, in consequence of the inhabitants having either brought the soil to the spot with immense labour; or conducted thither the rivulets in which the mountains abound, in order to fertilize their little property. By this means they are enabled to cut their grass three and sometimes four times in a season; and mow sa close, that the whole country appears, after having undergone this shaving, like a garden.

Next day we proceeded to the house of a friend, where we staid some days, after passing through a wild mountainous country which is called Switzerland in miniature. We dined in our way on the borders of the lake of Gerard-mer, the surrounding scenery of which is very beautiful. After staying some time with this gentleman, who entertained us with all that hospitality which renders a country. house so delightful, we returned through Bruyeres and Remberviller to the place whence we started, having made a most delightful tour of about ten days.

Before I quit this subject, 1 must inform you that these mountains contain immense riches; and were they explored properly, would prove a vast source of wealth to the country. They include mines of iron, lead, silver, and copper: some of which are worked; but not upon a grand scale, for want of capital. There are quar ries of granite and marble of various descriptions; and a great quantity of hot springs. the principal of which are at Plombieres. and Bains. The manufactures consist of iron, tin, glass, pottery, paper, deal boxes, wooden shoes, pails, &c, lace, cotton, linen, woollen cloths, and tanning.

The Vosges contain a number of active but very poor inhabit, ants. Government would find a great advantage in giving them more encouragement from the increase of the variety of articles which might be produced from the contents of these truly interesting mountains.'

We perceive throughout this work the patriotic views of Mr. W., and his ardent wish to guard us against dupery, as well as to animate us to suitable exertion in the present momentous contest. His remarks on the conduct of the Clergy who have returned to France ought not to pass unobserved ·

Among the clergy that have returned to France after passing their emigration in England, I have found many in the inferior class who speak with gratitude of the generosity of our nation toward them I have also met some in the higher stages of ecclesiastical preferment, who have in conversation used equally grateful terms; But in their charges to their flocks have vilely depreciated that go vernment which had for years preserved them from starving I have heard the same charges delivered by them from the pulpit, where

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