all portion of
their labour, is sufficient to clothe him and to provide him with his
bed."

We passed several groups of villagers reposing themselves under the
shade: I should not indeed say reposing, for they were romping,
running, and conversing with all the characteristic merriment of the
country. They saluted us respectfully as we passed them. In one of these
groups was a flageolet-player; he was piping merrily, his comrades
accompanying the tune with motions of their hands and neck. "Confess,"
said Mademoiselle St. Sillery, "that we are a happy people: these poor
creatures have been at their labour since sunrise, and yet this is the
way they repose themselves." "Are they never wearied?" said I. "Never so
much so, but what they can sing and dance: their good-humour seems to
hold them in the stead of the more robust nerves of the north. Even
labour itself is not felt where the mind takes its share of the weight."

"You are a philosopher," said Mr. Younge to her, smiling.

"I am a Frenchwoman," replied she, "and would not change my cheerful
flow of spirits for all the philosophy and wisdom in the universe.
Nothing can make me unhappy whilst the sun shines."

I know not whether I have before mentioned, that a great quantity of
maize is cultivated in this part of the kingdom. The roofs of the
cottages were covered with it drying in the sun; the ears are of a
bright golden yellow, and in the cottage gardens it had a beautiful
effect. I observed moreover a very striking difference between the
system of cultivating the flax in England and in France. In England the
richest land only is chosen, in France every soil indiscriminately. The
result of this difference is, that the flax in France is infinitely
finer than in England, a circumstance which may account for the
superiority of their lawns and cambrics.

We reached Chousi to an early dinner. The woman of the house apologised
that she had no suitable room for so large a company, "but her husband
and sons were gathering apples in the orchard, and if we would dine
there, we should find it cheerful enough." We readily adopted this
proposal, and had a very pleasant dinner under an apple tree.
Mademoiselle and myself had agreed to divide between us the office of
purveyor to the party. It was my part to see that the meat or poultry
was not over-boiled, over-hashed, or over-roasted, and it was her's to
arrange the table with the linen and plate which we brought with us. It