he people have the reputation of playing
tricks with it, before and after it is put on board; and this opinion is
a great baulk to the trade it is so happily situated to carry on, and of
great benefit to the free port of _Nice_.

LETTER XIV.

PERPIGNAN.

DEAR SIR,

Before I leave this kingdom, and enter into that of Spain, let me
trouble you with a letter on a subject which, though no ways
interesting to yourself, may be very much so _to a young Gentleman of
your acquaintance_ at Oxford, for whose happiness I, as well as you, am
a little anxious. It is to apprize you, and to warn him, when he
travels, to avoid the _gins and man-traps_ fixed all over this country;
traps, which a thorough knowledge of Latin and Greek, combined even
with father and mother's wit, will not be sufficient to preserve him
from, unless he is first shewn the manner in which they are set. These
traps are not made to catch the legs, but to ruin the fortunes and
break the hearts of those who unfortunately step into them. Their baits
are artful, designing, wicked men, and profligate, abandoned, and
prostitute women. Paris abounds with them, as well as Lyons, and all
the great towns between London and Rome; and are principally set to
catch the young Englishman of fortune from the age of eighteen to five
and twenty; and what is worse, an honest, sensible, generous young man,
is always in most danger of setting his foot into them. You suspect
already, that these traps are made only of paper, and ivory, and that
cards and dice are the destructive engines I mean. Do you know that
there are a set of men and women, in _Paris_ and _Lyons_, who live
elegantly by lying in wait and by catching every _bird of
passage_?--but particularly the English _gold-finch_. I have seen and
heard of such wicked artifices of these people, and the fatal
consequences to the unfortunate young men they have ensnared, that I
really think I could never enjoy a single hour of contentment, if I
had a large fortune, while a son of mine was making what is called the
tour of Europe. The minute one of these young men arrive, either at
_Paris_ or _Lyons_, some _laquais de place_, who is paid for it, gives
the earliest notice to one of the confederacy, and he is instantly
way-laid by a French _Marquis_, or an English _Chevalier d'Industrie_,
who, with a most insinuating address, makes him believe, he is no
sooner arrived at _Paris_ than he has found a sincere friend. The
_Che