_fair_
name.

Formerly the English ladies were very _sharp_ and _pointed_ in their
reflexions upon French needles, much more so indeed than the objects to
which their sarcasms were directed, which in fact were but blunt and
brittle ware, and the consequence was that they not only tried all their
own little arts to smuggle over as many as they could when they came
from England, but they exacted the same pecadillo from their unfortunate
friends; now of all things I most hate smuggling, principally I admit
from the fear of being caught; which I think excessively disagreeable.
Judge then how rejoiced I was when informed by some of my fair friends
that there were as good needles to be had at the Maison Bierri, a la
Ville de Lille, 32, Faubourg St. Honore, as any that could be procured
in London, and one respectable matron insisted that it was a moral duty
incumbent upon me to mention an establishment so exceedingly useful to
my countrywomen, not only because it contains so many articles which
females are constantly requiring, but that every thing they have is of
so superior a quality; in fact nothing would satisfy the good lady but
my going myself to see how it was crowded with purchasers.

I obeyed, and in good truth found the shop quite like a fair, but the
most perfect order and arrangement prevailing, the proprietor constantly
upon the watch to see that the young people were civil and attentive to
the customers, who were purchasing a variety of articles and
particularly ribbands; of which there appeared a most brilliant
assortment, and I heard it observed that in that department the Maison
Bierri had a celebrity _unique_. There were also as great diversity of
fringe, net, blonde, muslin, mercery, lace, jaconas, linings, worsteds,
all kinds of haberdashery, etc., etc. I also remarked that in every
drawer, containing the different articles which were produced, the
prices were marked, so that in case of the least demur regarding the
charge, a reference to the label decides the affair. By the excellence
of his goods, the regular system upon which the business is conducted,
and the assiduity of all concerned in the Maison Bierri, he has
attracted numbers of the English, and amongst the rest the Ambassadress,
and there is always some person attending who speaks their language. In
the exterior there is no attempt at display; like many of the most
respectable establishments, it depends so entirely on its extensive
connexions,