a person's means and making the charge,
accordingly, is still followed in a degree; even the government have in
some measure encouraged the practice, no doubt from a good motive, which
has prompted them at certain periods to enforce regulations, that some
articles should be sold for less to the poor, such as bread, and other
necessaries of life. Another circumstance caused the French to continue
their impositions upon the English, their having been duped by the
latter, and in many instances to a considerable amount, as amongst the
crowds who came over, were many persons who were not very scrupulous
with respect to paying their debts, to whom the French willingly gave
credit, the English name at that period having stood extremely high in
the estimation of the French, but having sustained several losses on
account of their too great facility in giving credit, they determined to
make such of the English as they could attract, pay a portion towards
what they had been mulcted by their runaway country-people. The French
are not alone in that respect, as some of the fashionable tailors in
London charge an immense price for their coats, because they say they
only get paid for two out of three, therefore they make those pay dearly
for such as do not pay at all.

The system now is rather better in Paris, so many shopkeepers having
adopted the plan of selling at "Prix fixe" as they call it, which means
fixed prices, from which they seldom or ever depart; but then there is a
great difference with regard to the value of the articles in which they
deal, some shops being infinitely cheaper than others, I therefore have
been at considerable pains to discover those who conduct their business
in an honourable manner and shall give my readers the benefit of my
researches. With respect to provisions there certainly is a difference
with regard to the quarters, which are the more or the less fashionable,
the former being somewhat dearer than the latter, but there is a
proportionate difference with regard to the quality, and therefore in
some instances the higher priced articles are the cheapest in the end;
for instance, M. Rolland, of No. 363, Rue St. Honore, sells none but the
very best meat; certainly in some of the obscurer parts of the town, and
in the markets it is to be had cheaper; but the quality far inferior. I
have heard the English complain of the meat not being so good in Paris
as it is in London, but if they dealt with M. Rollan