conducted over a long
succession of very steep hills, for about four miles, after which we
descended through a fine varied country to the city of Lyons.----
Distance, 16 miles to Lyons.

Lyons is certainly a fine town, although, like Paris, it has only a few
fine public buildings, among a number of very old and ruinous-looking
houses. It is chiefly owing to the ideas of riches and commerce with
which both of these towns _are connected_, that we would call them
_fine_, for they have neither fine streets nor fine ranges of houses. I
need not mention, that Lyons is the place of manufacture for all kinds
of silks, velvets, ribbons, fringes, &c. But here, as at many
manufactories, things bought by retail are as dear, or even dearer, than
at Paris. The ladies of our party had built castles in the air all the
way to Lyons; but they found every thing dearer than at Paris, and
almost as dear as in England.

Now that I have seen a little of the manners and dress of the people in
the two largest towns in France, I may hazard a few observations on
these subjects. I think it is chiefly among the lower ranks that the
superior politeness of the French is apparent. Although you still find
out the ruffians and banditti who have figured on the stage under
Napoleon, yet the greater, by far the greater number, are mild,
cheerful, and obliging. A common Frenchman, in the street, if asked the
way to a place, will generally either point it out very clearly, or say,
"Allow me to accompany you, Sir." Among the higher ranks of society you
will find many obliging people; but you will also discover many whose
situation alone can sanction your calling them gentlemen. There
appears, moreover, in France, to be a sort of blending together of the
high and low ranks of society, which has a bad effect on the more
polite, without at all bettering the manners of the more uncivilized. To
discover who are gentlemen, and who are not, without previously knowing
something of them, or at least entering into conversation, is very
difficult. In England, all the middling ranks dress so well, that you
are puzzled to find out the gentleman. In France, they dress so ill in
the higher ranks, that you cannot distinguish them from the lower. One
is often induced to think, that those must be gentlemen who wear orders
and ribbons at their buttons, but, alas! almost every one in France at
the present day has one of these ribbons. In the dress of the women
there is still l