e sea
too rough, and the weather too cold for a voyage of one hundred and
thirty-five miles in an open boat.

Having therefore provided myself with a proper pass, signed and sealed
by our consul, as well as with letters of recommendation from him to
the English consuls at Genoa and Leghorn, a precaution which I would
advise all travellers to take, in case of meeting with accidents on the
road, we went on board about ten in the morning, stopped about half an
hour at a friend's country-house in the bay of St. Hospice, and about
noon entered the harbour of Monaco, where the patron was obliged to pay
toll, according to the regulation which I have explained in a former
letter. This small town, containing about eight or nine hundred souls,
besides the garrison, is built on a rock which projects into the sea,
and makes a very romantic appearance. The prince's palace stands in the
most conspicuous part, with a walk of trees before it. The apartments
are elegantly furnished, and adorned with some good pictures. The
fortifications are in good repair, and the place is garrisoned by two
French battalions. The present prince of Monaco is a Frenchman, son of
the duke Matignon who married the heiress of Monaco, whose name was
Grimaldi. The harbour is well sheltered from the wind; but has not
water sufficient to admit vessels of any great burthen. Towards the
north, the king of Sardinia's territories extend to within a mile of
the gate; but the prince of Monaco can go upon his own ground along
shore about five or six miles to the eastward, as far as Menton,
another small town, which also belongs to him, and is situated on the
seaside. His revenues are computed at a million of French livres,
amounting to something more than forty thousand pounds sterling: but,
the principality of Monaco, consisting of three small towns, and an
inconsiderable tract of barren rock, is not worth above seven thousand
a year; the rest arises from his French estate. This consists partly of
the dutchy of Matignon, and partly of the dutchy of Valentinois, which
last was given to the ancestors of this prince of Monaco, in the year
1640, by the French king, to make up the loss of some lands in the
kingdom of Naples, which were confiscated when he expelled the Spanish
garrison from Monaco, and threw himself into the arms of France: so
that he is duke of Valentinois as well as of Matignon, in that kingdom.
He lives almost constantly in France; and has taken the nam