the monarchy--perhaps, indeed, more so; as
religion, though manifestly reviving, has not yet recovered its former
vigour.

Having remounted our horses, and the ladies re-ascended into their
coach, we continued our journey through a country continually changing.
My observations on the road, undeceived me in a point of some
importance. I had hitherto believed France to have been an open country,
almost totally without enclosures, except the pales and ditches
necessary to distinguish properties. This opinion had been confirmed by
the appearances of the road from Calais to Paris. It was now, however,
totally done away, as the country on each side of me was as thickly
enclosed, as any of the most cultivated counties in England. Hereafter,
let no traveller assert that France is a country of open fields;
three-fourths of the kingdom is enclosed, even to the most minute
divisions. The enclosures, indeed, have not the neatness of those of
England; the hedges are rough and open, and there are few gates, and no
stiles. The French farmers, however, have already began to adopt much of
the English system in the management of their farms. According to the
information of Mr. Younge, many of the emigres having returned to
France, have given some valuable instructions to the people in these
important points; France is accordingly much better cultivated than
hitherto.

Mr. Younge had the politeness to answer my questions respecting the
country through which we were passing, in the utmost possible detail;
and as he himself had traversed France in all directions, and was not
without some purpose of future settlement, his information was accurate
and valuable. He gave me to understand that, with the single exception
of the good enclosures, nothing could be so miserable as the system of
agriculture along the whole road from Paris to Mans. The general quality
of the soil is light and sandy, and exactly suited to the English system
of alternate crops of corn and roots; yet on such a soil, the common
course is no other than, fallow, wheat, barley, for nine years
successively; after which the land is pared and burnt, and then suffered
to be a fallow in weeds for another year, when the same course is
recommenced. "Under such management," continued Mr. Younge, "you will
not be surprised that the average produce of the province of Bretagne
does not exceed twelve bushels of wheat, and eighteen of barley. Turnips
they have no idea of; and as the pro