er, and a more improved system can only be introduced in the
proportion in which these national habits can be fundamentally changed.
But such changes must necessarily be gradual and slow, and must not be
reckoned upon by an individual.

I found myself so indisposed at Clermont, that I retired very early to
my bed. My complaint was a giddiness in the head, brought on by riding
in the sun. Every country has its peculiar medicine as well as its
religion, and in every country there are certain family receipts,
certain homely prescriptions, which, from their experienced efficacy,
merit more attention than a member of the faculty would be inclined to
give them. My host at Clermont accordingly became my physician, and by
his advice I bathed my feet in warm water, and getting into bed between
the blankets, after drinking about a quart of cold spring-water, I can
only say that the remedy had its full effect. After a violent
perspiration in the night I fell into a sound sleep, and awoke in the
morning in such complete health and spirits, as to ride to Chantilly to
breakfast.

Throughout the morning's journey, the scenery was very nearly similar to
what I had previously passed, except that it was richer and more varied
with habitations. The peasantry, moreover, were occupied in the same
manner in getting in their hay-harvest, which, from reasons that I
cannot comprehend, seemed more backward as I approached to the
metropolis. This may partly, indeed, be owing to what will appear a very
extraordinary cause--the excellence of the climate. The French farmer
can trust the skies; he sees a cloudless sky in the night, and has no
fear that its serenity will be shortly disturbed. He is a total stranger
to that vicissitude of sunshine, rain, and tempest, which in a moment
confounds all the labours of the English husbandmen. The same sun that
shines to-day will shine to-morrow. In this happy confidence he stacks
his hay in small cocks in the field where it grows, and only carries it
away at his leisure. His manner of carrying is as slovenly as all his
other management. Annette carries an apron-full, Jeannette an
handkerchief-full, and Lubin a barrow-full. Some of it is packed in
sheets and blankets. Some of this hay was very bad in quality, and as
crops, still worse in quantity. Being too much exposed to the sun, it
was little better than so much coarse straw. Being merely thrown
together, without being trodden, when carried into the hay-l