It is a pity that the streets of Paris, and many other cities, had not been laid out at right angles, at proper distances, and at convenient breadths, when the places were first built.
Paris is divided almost into equal parts by the river Seine, which did not appear to me to be so large as the river Thames. There is a number of bridges over the Seine, and several of them have buildings on either side, which form a complete street. This river rises in Burgundy, and running through Paris, empties itself into the English Channel, between Havre-de-Grace and Honfleur.
The tides are not strong enough to bring heavy vessels up to Paris. The people are obliged to make use of long barges, and to tow them up with horses. There are some water-mills erected on this river, for the purpose of grinding grain, &c.
The air is much clearer at Paris than it is at London; and the country is healthy: the climate in the south of France is called the wholesomest in Europe. It is something remarkable that I did not see one funeral all the time I was in France; which made me suppose that they buried their dead in the night: but this, on enquiry, I found not to be the practice.
The inhabitants of Paris are polite, gay and luxurious; many of them very handsome. The amusements of the city are pleasing, and the people enjoy their pleasures at a cheap rate, as foreigners contribute much towards the support of their theatres, hotels, &c.
The people in France do not seem to be much given to intemperance; and I was told, that when the farmers and mechanics have received their wages, they spend them at home in their families, instead of being drunk at ale-houses; a thing too common in England. I was also told, that the French do not use so much corrupt and abominable language as the English and Irish do.
The ladies have a much handsomer head dress than the English; they do not wear stays, neither do they make many of their gowns so long as to draw on the ground, which is a waste, and a dirty indecent fashion. The gentlemen dress much as we do in London, only they sometimes wear cloaks, and the collars of their coats are not quite so high as ours. I have sometimes wondered that cloaks are not more in fashion in London.