The kingdom of France is about six hundred and twenty-two miles in length from north to south, and six hundred and twenty in breadth from east to west: It is bounded—Easterly on Germany, Switzerland, Savoy, and Piedmont—Southerly on the Mediterranean sea, and the Pyrenean mountains, which separate it from Spain—Westerly on the Bay of Biscay—Northerly on the English channel—and North-easterly on the Spanish Netherlands. It contains near 26,950⁷/₁₂ square leagues—25,000,000 of inhabitants—Eighteen arch-bishoprics—167,000 clergymen—28 universities—25 academies—750 great convents of monks—200 of nuns—10,000 of a smaller kind—and upwards of 200,000 of monks and nuns.

I understand that the National Assembly have divided the kingdom into eighty grand divisions, or counties, of eighteen leagues in length, and as many in breadth; and each grand division into nine commonalities, that are six leagues square; and also each commonality into nine cantons, of two leagues in length, and two in breadth.

Hence there are eighty grand divisions, seven hundred and twenty commonalities, and 6480 cantons in the kingdom.

The mountains in France are, the Alps—the Pyrenees—the Vague—Mount Jura—the Convennes—and Mount Dor.

The chief rivers are, the Rhone—the Garoune—the Loire—the Seine—the Somme—and the Ardour.

The climate is mild and healthy, as has already been observed; and the soil fruitful, though not equal to Great Britain for corn: but their fruits are more numerous, and of a higher flavour than ours, by reason of their growing in a more southern country. They have the largest plumbs I ever saw: but their beans, peas, and strawberries were small. In the northern provinces they have good cider and perry; and in the southern the best of wines. In the province of Languedoc they raise silk and olive oil.

France does not abound in coal, which obliges the people to raise and burn wood, and sometimes turf. There are many excellent forests between Paris and Calais, and some beds of turf. In Paris they have the largest magazines of wood that I ever saw.

The animals in France are of the same kinds of those in England; only they have some wolves, as I was informed.

The French manufacture silks, woollens, velvets, brocades, alamodes, lawns, laces, cambrics, tapestry, glass, hardware, war-like implements, paper, hats, thread, toys, &c. but I do not think their manufacturies are equal to those of England in all respects.

France carries on the greatest foreign trade of any kingdom in the world, except Great Britain; and the inland trade is very large, by the way of their navigable rivers, canals, &c. One of the latter is said to be one hundred miles in length, and opens a communication between the ocean and the Mediterranean; it is carried over mountains and vallies, and through one mountain. It was begun and finished in the reign of Lewis XIV. It is called the Royal Canal, or Canal of Languedoc.

The established religion of France is that of the Roman Catholicks; but of late the Protestants have been allowed a toleration.

I was told at Paris that many of the people look upon the Romish clergy as impostors, and that they had found them out, and intend to pull them down.

It was said that a few of the laws of France were very arbitrary and tyrannical before the late Revolution, as they were totally inconsistent with the laws of humanity; among which was that for confiscating the property of foreigners dying in France, and appropriating it to the use of the state. But since my arrival at Paris the National Assembly have abolished for ever that unreasonable decree. Had I died whilst I was in that kingdom, and before the decree was abolished, my hat, shirts, coats, waistcoats, breeches, stockings, shoes, buckles, books, trunk, money, diploma, recommendations, &c. would have been confiscated and taken from my heirs; and for no other crime than that of my going to see the country, and do business for myself in Paris!

How unreasonable was it, that the heirs of the deceased, viz. the poor widows and the fatherless children, should have their property alienated in such a manner! Surely such a transaction must be disgraceful, not only to Christendom, but even to the most barbarous nations!

I was told that the National Assembly had also abolished, for ever, two other decrees, which they deemed unreasonable. They were those that debarred the clergy from the liberty of entering into the bands of matrimony, and certain females the same privilege; and also, for the keeping them in confinement all the days of their lives in nunneries.

Before the Revolution the laws were executed with the utmost severity.

A servant would be hung for stealing less then a shilling. Murderers and high-way robbers, and those that attempted to poison any body, were broke on the wheel.

Smugglers were condemned to be gally-slaves for life.

Women brought to bed with dead bastard children, without having made known their pregnancy, were burnt alive.

Priests that revealed the confessions of penitents, had their tongues tore out, their gowns stripped off, and were expelled from their employments.

He that robbed a church had his hands cut off at the church door, and was afterwards burnt at the place of execution, which was always in the centre of the town.

People of family, convicted of a capital offence, though not executed, are disennobled, with all their relations, turned out of their public employments, and rendered incapable of holding any afterwards, and all marriage contracts become void.

The nobility and clergy, with the burgesses of Paris, and some other free cities, were exempted from paying land taxes.