were not able to see much of the interior of the town; but in passing
once or twice through the principal streets, and more particularly in
leaving the town, we had a good view of the public buildings. Many of
them are very fine, and the whole town has an appearance of wealth, the
effect of commerce. But a better idea of the wealth is given, by the
innumerable loads of goods of different kinds, which you meet with on
the roads in the vicinity of this favoured city, on the Paris and
Marseilles sides of the town. The roads are completely ploughed up at
this season of the year, and almost impassable. The waggoners are even a
more independent set of men than with us in England; they keep their
waggons in the very middle of the road, and will not move for the
highest nobleman in the land; this, however, is contrary to the police
regulations. The land carriage here is almost entirety managed by mules.
These are from 13 to 14 hands high, and surpass in figure and limb
anything I could have imagined of the sons and daughters of asses. The
price of these animals varies from L.10 to L.40, according to size and
temper. They are found of all colours; but white, grey, and bay are the
most uncommon. Our journey this day was only as far as Vienne, a pretty
large village, or it might be called a town. We entered it at night, and
the rain pouring down upon us. These are two very great evils in French
travelling; for either of them puts you into the hands of the
innkeepers, who conceive, that at night, and in such weather, you must
have lodging speedily, at any price. At the first inn we came to, we met
with a reception, (which, to those accustomed to the polite and grateful
expression, with which in arriving at an English inn, you are received
by the attentive host or hostess), was altogether singular. The landlady
declared, with the voice and action of a virago, that at this time of
night, the highest guests in the land should not enter her roof upon any
terms. The landlord, on the contrary, behaved with great politeness,
entreated not to take offence at his wife's uncommon appearance. "C'est
seulement un tete chaud, Monsieur, mais faites moi l'honeur d'y entrer."
We accordingly did so; and this was the signal for the commencement of a
scene in the interior of the inn, which was probably never equalled in
the annals of matrimonial dissension. The landlady first gave a kind of
prefatory yell, which was only a prelude of war-whoop, introduc