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THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1791.

Travelling Memorandums, continued from page 247.

My rate of pofting has been generally flow,--feldom above, and, for the most part, below fix English miles per hour-I do not blame the drivers-I observe no infance of their being obftinately or wilfully tardy, as they fometimes are in BritainThey push their horfes even unmercifully, and their apology is commonly juft; "Monfieur j'ai fait mon poffible"-From the firft ftage this morning, the horses were fresh, and I was treated with the expedition of English posting this merit I rewarded only by a fixpence extraordinary to the driver; and by continuing this little bounty, always reported to the next poftillion, I was fo well ferved, that though the longest day's journey I have made, I reached my evening quarters fome hours earlier than ordinary-I find the grapes here remarkably delicious.

October 4th. I breakfasted at the post-house La Bāraque, and was all night at Challona fine, populous, VOL. III.

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and trading town, beautifully fituated on the SaoneMy entertainment was good, and a moderate bill at the Cheval Blanc-I have this day travelled forty-five miles, through a delightful and extenfive plain, abounding with the richeft grapes of France, and in which fome of the highest growths of Burgundy are produced.

October 4th. Break fafted at Sennecey, at the ufual rate of one fhilling English, or twenty-four fous-Dined and put up all night at La Maison Blanche-fortyfeven miles-On my journey this day, the face of the country has varied confiderably--For the first two posts, it is bleak, without production of vines, or any other crop except Turkish corn, refembling tobacco-of this we faw various and extenfive fields About half way between Sennecey and Tournus, we paffed a steep hill, from which a delightful profpect opens down upon the river Saone, and fine extended fields on each fide of it, fill without large vineyards till we come near to this ftage On the latter part of this day's journey, I obferved some small fields of turnip, and more than ordinary good pastures-The turnip is not of the fame form and fize as ours, but has a root like our parsnip and carrot Their cows are numerous, all white, which is reckoned a bad colour in our breeding countries--They are much employed in labour, both for carriages and plowing, which is very flightly performed, by one man. fometimes by a woman, and two cows--In the course of this journey, I have not observed any field of potatoes. though I am perfuaded they might have great and useful crops of them in their light grounds.

I am habitually, if not naturally fhy in the compa nv of ftrangers-I do not remember, that in any part of Britain, I ever was the firft to break filence to ftrangers whom I accidentally met, from an apprehenfion, I fuppofe in general miftaken, of an unkind or furly reception From an opinion of French good hu mour and cheerful politeness, I have begun to take the firft word with a ftranger, of which I have experi

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enced this day no less than three very agreeable inftances -About half way on the first stage, we met a postchaife, both poftillions ftopt to exchange horsespractice usual, and very convenient, for obvious reafons-I faw, in the other poft-chaife, a gentleman of a very pre-engaging appearance-He had much the air of a well-bred perfon, and the dress of a military man of diftinction-He dropt some questions to my fervant in English, which he fpoke eafily, though he had never been in England-I took the hint; a converfation enfued, which could not be lafting ;-but to ne it was very aggreeable-I gave him the firft intelligence of our commercial treaty, at which he expreffed great latiffaction in the politeft terms-He recommended Arms de la Pays at Lyons, as an excellent and reasonable hotelMy fecond interview was with a prieit, as we both walked on the defcent of the hill above mentioned-He appeared to be a decent, fenfible man; and also expreffed, in liberal terms, his joy to hear of the commercial treaty with Britain-My third interview was with a genteel-looking man, who walked about while I waited for poft horfes at St. Albion-I understood that he had the management of an eftate, the property of a monaftery, in that neighbourhood-He invited me to take fome refreshment at his houfe adjoining--I excufed my felf, by telling him I was impatient to get on to a warm climate for health-It was then surprisingly cold-He told me, in that part of the country, the climate, from local circumstances, is unfavourable, and that I should find no material alteration til after I paffed Lyons For fome time, I have paid four livres for bed and fireHe informed me, that this is the settled rate for travellers by poft, though less than the one hai was commonly exacted from others-At my evening inn, the bill was very moderate; and here I find the white grapes are exquifite-I have no where yet found a mellow and highly flavoured red grape. Ñ. B. At Lyons, I found them excellent.

October 6th. Breakfafted at St. George's-a paltry village, where, the landlady attempted to impofe on me unfuccesfully In the afternoon, I arrived at LyonsAt Paris, I had been recommended to the hotel d'Ar tois; but I have no reason to repent, that, as advised on the road, Lwent to the hotel de la pays-The country through which I have this day paffed, is finely di verfified by hills moftly covered with vines to the tops -vallies of corn fields interfperfed with vineyardsand a more extenfive track of meadow and pasture grounds along the banks of the beautiful river Saone, than I have yet feen-Some attempts to inclofe with thorn hedges appear they have mifcarried for want of kill and care There is a fhew of trees over the face of the country, and on fome hills; but not being fenced, they are not thriving.

3

The city of Lyons. and its environs, as we approach, make a glorious appearance-wild and romantic, yet highly cultivated and populous-Near the city, I saw, for the first time on this road, a field of fine clover, which would certainly be one valuable product for the country-The French have this evident advantage over us in Britain, that they may profit by our example in the culture of grafs and grain, and in improvements by inclosures and planting-whereas we can derive no advantage by their skill and experience in the management of vines..

October 7th. This day I prefented my letter of recommendation and credit from Monfieur Mary to Meffrs. Andrew Taye and Company here-Mr Faye is a man of sense, of very obliging manners, and agreeable converfation-He and other gentlemen of this place confirm my purpose of refiding, for mott part of the winter, at Hyeres, as a climate almoft invariably mild and ferene They reckon two hundred thousand people in this city-It is a common obfervation, that at Marfailles, where the occupations of the people are more in trade, than in manufactures, great numbers appear every day on the streets-but here they are all manu

facturers or fhop-keepers-fo on ordinary weekdays, the streets appear almoft empty-but on fundays. and holidays, we fee a prodigious population.

I am very defirous to proceed on my journey, partly on horfeback-I am told, that in this country they have a good breed of faddle-horfes, and they deal with Switzerland for ferviceable horfes-Monfieur Faye aflifts me in treating with a great and reputable dealer-He informs me of an agreeable, eafy, and cheap mode of travelling from here to Avignon by water in two days and a half—I fhall confider of it-if I cannot find a proper horse for my ufe, which indeed is difficult:

"A horfe! a horse! my kingdom for a horse !" I hire a good carriage here at the rate of twelve livres per day My landlady is an excellent perfon; I have not been in an hotel where the accommodation is more commodious and elegant, the entertainment better, and the attention to a traveller more agreeable.

To be continued.

To the Editor of the Bee.

Notice of the early knowledge of the nautical ufes of polarity of the Magnet.

SIR,

As I defire to fee your excellent journal holding a high. place among the periodical publications of Europe, and doing honour to that country, to illuftrate which has ever been my highest ambition, I freely impart to you the copy of a very curious manufcript, in the King of France's library, written by Guyot de Provins, an old French poet, about the year 1180, which proves the nautical ufe of the polarity of the Magnet to have been known and used long before the days of Marco Polo the Venetian, or Flavio de Gioia; fince a poet is feldom like a Bee, to gather honey very early in the morning, and to be the firft like your's to give literary intelligence. I am, Sir, with regard, your fincere well-wisher,

ALBANICUS.

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