umber of pieces of
melted glass, lead, &c. But though I examined the cellars of eight
hundred Roman citizens, the selfish rogues had not left a single bottle
of wine.--I longed to taste the _old Falernian_ wine, of seventeen
hundred years.

I write from time to time to you; but not without often thinking it is a
great presumption in me to suppose I can either entertain or instruct
you; but I proceed, upon your commands, and the authority of Lord Bacon,
who says, he is surprised to find men make diaries in sea voyages, where
nothing is to be seen but sky and sea, and for the most part omit it in
land travels, where so much is to be observed; as if chance were better
to be registered than observation. When you are tired of my register,
remember, I can _take_ as well as _give a hint_.

LETTER VIII.

PORT ST. ESPRIT.

After a voyage of one whole, and one half day, without sail or oar, we
arrived here from Lyons. The weather was just such as we could wish and
such as did not drive us out of the seat of my _cabriolet_ into the
cabbin, which was full of priests, monks, friars, milleners, &c. a
motley crew! who were very noisy, and what they thought, I dare say,
very good company; the deck, indeed, afforded better and purer air;
three officers, and a priest; but it was not till late the first day
before they took any civil notice of us; and if a Frenchman shews any
backwardness of that sort, an Englishman, I think, had better _hold up_;
this rule I always religiously observe. When the night came on, we
landed in as much disorder as the troops were embarked at _St. Cas_,
and lodged in a miserable _auberge_. It was therefore no mortification
to be called forth for embarkation before day-light. The bad night's
lodging was, however, amply made up to us, by the beautiful and
picturesque objects and variety which every minute produced. For the
banks of this mighty river are not only charged on both sides with a
great number of towns, villages, castles, _chateaux_, and farm-houses;
but the ragged and broken mountains above, and fertile vales between and
beneath, altogether exhibit a mixture of delight and astonishment, which
cannot be described, unless I had Gainsborough's elegant pencil, instead
of my own clumsy pen. Upon comparing notes, we found that the officers,
(and no men understand the _etiquette_ of travelling better than they
do,) had not fared much better than we had; one of them therefore
proposed, that we sho