July 7, 1790.

Having had an inclination to go to Paris for some months past, I went to Piccadilly this day, where I engaged a passage on board the stage coaches, called the diligences, for which I paid five guineas, and was told "That I would be found for that sum, with every thing that might be needful on the way, only I must give about five shillings to the porters."

At Piccadilly I received a card, a copy of which I publish for the information of strangers, and benefit of the owners of the stages.

"The Paris diligences to and from London, set out from the office next the White Bear Inn, Piccadilly, every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, at five o'clock in the morning. Five guineas each person, for carriage, sea passage, diet and lodging: Port fees excepted. Fourteen pounds luggage allowed; all above to pay three-pence farthing per pound.

"N. B. In case passengers should be detained by contrary winds, they are to pay their own expences from the next day of their arrival at the seaport, to the time of their shipping.

"Also a wagon, every Monday at ten o'clock in the morning, to carry goods and merchandize, which are registered at the said office, and at the Blossoms Inn, Lawrence-lane, Cheapside, where declarations must be delivered in writing, and signed by the owner, of the quality, quantity, and value of the said merchandize, which will be conveyed to Paris in the course of a fortnight, at the rate of seventeen shillings per hundred weight, Custom-house duties excepted. The proprietors, for the conveniency of the public, will discharge the said duties either in England or France, and charge them with the carriage to the person they are directed to, without requiring any interest or commission whatever.

"Attendance at the above offices every day from nine in the morning till seven in the evening, where parcels are registered to Paris, and to every part of France.

"? Passengers luggage must be sent to the office between six and seven o'clock in the evening, or it will be left 'till the following carriage."

As I was on my way to Piccadilly, I was informed that the king of France was to be crowned on the fourteenth of this month, and sworn to adhere to the new Constitution which has been framed by the National Assembly. This made me anxious to get to Paris as soon as possible: but being told the places were all taken in the coaches, and that it was impossible for me to set off till the 12th, I was obliged to wait till that time, but was informed that I must be at Piccadilly with my trunk, &c. by seven in the evening of the 11th; and I was there at the time; lodged at the White Bear inn, and at five the next morning set off for Paris in company with five gentlemen. A lady in a post-chaise overtook us near Greenwich, and came into the diligence.

We breakfasted at a good inn on the road, and dined at Canterbury, where the lady left us, and at evening reached Dover, where we supped, lodged, and went to breakfast. About eleven in the morning of the 13th, we embarked for Calais, and arrived there in about three hours; but had a very rough passage, in consequence of which almost every lady and gentleman on board was afflicted with sea-sickness, which I believe was advantageous to the greatest part of us.

On our arrival at Calais a great number of French gentlemen came to our vessel, to welcome us to France, and invite us to put up at their houses; but on finding that some of us belonged to the diligences, and that there was a place prepared for our entertainment, they went off disappointed.

Although we had been told that we should have nothing to pay, only about five shillings to the porters, we found ourselves mistaken; for we were obliged to pay for the wine which we drank when we dined and supped on the preceding day, and to give money to a swarm of servants, &c. At Calais we were obliged to give in a list of our names to the Custom-house officers, and to give them some money to buy liquor with, that they might drink our healths—that being the custom, as we were told.

We put up at a hotel, called De la Messagrie; where we left another list of our names; for such were the orders of the mayor of the city.

An English lady that had come from Dover with us, and was a decent well-behaved person, and one of excellent sense and understanding, put up at this hotel: she told me she had travelled above 4,000 miles on the European Continent, had been through France, Germany, &c. and was then on her way to Flanders.

At this place we were soon beset with a number of beggars, as

1. By a priest of the order of St. Francis.

2. By the captain of the vessel, that brought us over the English Channel.

3. By the steward of the vessel.

4. By the sailors that came with us.

5. By the poor of the city.

6. By the porters, &c.

We gave the priest some money, and he pronounced a blessing and departed very well pleased. I was told that he and his convents got their living altogether by begging. We gave the captain half a crown a-piece, and some silver, sous, &c. to the other beggars.

In a few minutes another swarm of beggars came that belong to Calais, and as we did not supply all their wants, some of them broke one of the windows belonging to the room where we were sitting, by a rapid stroke with a stick, stone, or some such thing.

We soon sat down to dinner. The table was spread in an elegant manner, with napkins laid in our plates, which we used to keep our clothes clean.

I was asked, A'imez vous la soupe À la FranÇoise, Monsieur?

My answer was—Oui, Madame.

Besides soup, we had beef, mutton, veal, rabbits, hares, geese, fowls, pigeons, &c. several sorts of pies, excellent wine, and sweet cakes, figs, appricots, cherries and strawberries; the latter we mixed with white sugar and wine, and eat the composition with spoons, which is the French fashion. Their loaves of bread were about two feet in length, and six inches in breadth, and their knives had picked points, and their forks four tines a piece. Every one of us was allowed a tumbler to drink out of: but the French do not drink healths, though they pretended at the Custom-house, that we must give them money to buy liquor with for that purpose. We did not pay for our wines in France as we were on our way to Paris, as we had done at Dover, &c.

The drinking of healths has been, and still is, too much practised both in Great Britain and America; and especially among the lower class of people. For when Timothy Toss Pot is in company, he says, "Your healths ladies and gentlemen," every time he drinks, which will be perhaps fifty times in an evening; whereas it might be as well, nay much better, to drink their healths but once, or not at all, which would save much trouble, and prevent the company from being interrupted with such clamours.

I have asked why the health drinkers do not follow that practice when they drink tea, or coffee; as the Irish woman did when she partook of the sacrament; and have been told, that it is because it is not the fashion, and that from hence it has been omitted. The fashion, however, must be followed, right or wrong; for, Out of the fashion out of the world, according to the old woman's scripture: And, When we are among the Romans we must do as the Romans do. For,

Says the poet. Because it is customary I have sometimes been induced to drink healths myself, when I have been in company, through fear that I should be called an uncivil and an unpolite person. But this needless custom is now growing out of use; for our nobility and gentry have discovered that it is superfluous, and many of them have forsaken the needless practice; which example will undoubtedly be followed by the commonality in process of time.

We are told in Bailey's Dictionary, that the custom of drinking healths sprang from Rowena, a beautiful daughter of Hengistus, general of the Saxons. The general invited king Vortigern to supper, and after it was over called for Rowena, who, richly attired, and with a graceful mein, enters with a golden bowl full of wine in her hand, and drinks to the king, saying, "Be of health, lord king:" to which he replied, "Drink health." The king enamoured with her beauty, married her, and gave her and her father all Kent. This was upwards of 1300 years ago.

We are also told in the Historian's Vade-mecum, that the custom of drinking healths was in fashion so early as 1134 years before Christ. The accounts do not agree, and which is the truest I cannot tell.