k, surrounded by troops of
servants who had been born on his estate, and who evinced their
affection by initiating the young heir into all the mysteries of the
chase, the enjoyment of the society of his friends and neighbours; all
these varied occupations filled up the happy measure of his useful and
enviable existence. The life of the country proprietor in these older
days of France, assimilated, in short, in a great degree to the present
manner of life amongst the same classes which is still observable in
England.

It is impossible to conceive any thing more striking than the difference
between this picture of a French chateau in these older days, and the
condition in which you find them at the present moment. We once visited
the chateau of one of the principal noblemen in Provence; and he
himself had the politeness to accompany us. The situation of the castle
was perfectly beautiful; but on coming nearer, every thing showed that
it was completely neglected. The different rooms, which were once
superb, were now bare and unfurnished. The walks through the park, the
seats and temples in the woods, and the superb gardens, were speedily
going to decay. The surface of his ponds, in the midst of which the
fountains still played, were covered with weeds, and the rank grass was
waving round the bases of the marble statues, which were placed at the
termination of the green alleys; every thing showed the riches, the
care, and the taste of a former generation, and the carelessness, and
neglect of the present. On remonstrating with the proprietor, he
defended himself by telling us how lonely he should feel at such a
distance from Paris: "_C'est toujours ici (said he), un triste sejour_."
A collation was served up, and after this, being in want of amusement,
he opened a closet in the corner of the room, and discovered to us, in
its recess, a vast variety of toys, which he began to exhibit to the
ladies, telling us, "that when forced to live in the country, he
diverted his solitary hours with these entertaining little affairs."

Nothing certainly can be more striking than this contrast between the
modern and ancient life of a French proprietor or nobleman; and it is a
question which must necessarily arise in the mind of every one, who has
observed this remarkable difference, what are the causes to which so
great a change is owing? Perhaps, if we look into it, this extraordinary
change will be found to have arisen chiefly out of th