the theatres, but very rarely have company at home or pay visits,
except on the New Year, and in the Carnival they give one ball, and go
to several others given by their relations; this description alludes to
what may be termed the respectable class of shopkeepers. They have one
means of communication with each other, of which they avail themselves
for the advantages of business or for the purpose of recreation, if they
choose, which consists of what they term _Cercles_, much the same as we
should call clubs; they are establishments composed of perhaps 150
members, more or less, who meet in a suite of apartments fitted up for
the purpose, and certainly most elegantly, both as regards the
decoration of the rooms and the furniture they contain. A clerk is
employed, whose business it is to collect information as to the
different merchants who arrive at Paris from the various parts of France
and other countries; they find out the particular branch in which he
deals, and that member whose business it is to vend the commodity likely
to be demanded, sends him a programme of his goods and his terms. If any
one receive a commission from any country which is not in his
department, he proclaims it to the Cercle, and gives a fellow-member the
benefit of the order; thus they play into each other's hands and greatly
promote their mutual interests. Billiard-tables are fitted up for the
amusement of the members, who also occupy themselves with other games,
whilst refreshments are to be had the same as in a coffee-house. There
are many of these establishments in Paris, which afford great facilities
for the promotion of business. Although the extraordinary increase of
trade in Paris is almost incredible, yet the bankrupts are more numerous
than they were formerly; one reason is, on account of the number of
persons in each business having so much increased, and the immense
expenses which they incur in the embellishment of their shops to try and
outvie each other. A person taking a place in the Palais Royal about
three years since, first gave the occupier 40,000 francs (1,600_l._) to
quit, and then expended 110,000 francs (4,400_l._) in fitting it up as
a restaurateur's; the rent being high in proportion, the success was not
commensurate with the expenditure and the speculation failed. This is
one of the many instances which have recently occurred at Paris, causing
bankruptcy; yet some persons have laid out more than double the amount
in the