young’s TRAVELS IN FRANCE.

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firfl fubjedt in Europe. Dine at the Duke of Liancourt ’s : among the company wasMonf. de Bouganville, the celebrated circumnavigator, agreeable as well as fenfible;the Count de Caflellane, and the Count de Montmorenci, two young legiflators, as a:~ra^es as if their names were only Bernave or Rabeau. In fome allufions to the confli-tution of England, I found they hold it very cheap, in regard to political liberty. Theideas of the moment, relative to plots and confpiracies, were difeufled, but they feemedvery generally to agree, that, however the conflitution might, by fuch means, be de-layed, it was now abfolutely impoffible to prevent its taking place. At night to thenational circus, as it is called, at the Palais Royal , a building in the gardens, or area ofthat palace, the molt whimfical and expenfive folly that is eafdy to be imagined : it isa large ball room, funk half its height under ground ; and, as if this circumltance werenot fufficiently adapted to make it damp enough, a garden is planted on the roof, anda river is made to flow around it, which, with the addition of fome fpirting jets d'eau,have undoubtedly made it a delicious place, for a winter’s entertainment. The expenceof this gevv-gavv building, the project of fome of the Duke of Orleans’ friends, I fup-pofe, and executed at his expence, would have eltablilhed an Englilh farm, with all itsprinciples, buildings, live flock, tools, and crops, on a fcale that would have done ho-nour to the firfl fovereign of Europe ; for it would have converted five thoufand arpentsof defert into a garden. As to the refult of the mode that has been purfued, of invert-ing fuch a capital, I know no epithet equal to its merits. It is meant to be a concert,ball, coffee, and billiard room, with Ihops, &c. defigned to be fomething in the ftyle ofthe amufements of our Pantheon. There were mufic and flinging to night, but theroom being almoft empty, it was, on the whole, equally cold and j'ombre.

The 16th. The idea of plots and confpiracies has come to fuch a height as greatly toalarm the leaders of the revolution. The dil'gult that fpreads every day at their tranf*action's, arifes more from the King’s fituation than from any other circumftance. Theycannot, after the fcenes that have pafled, venture to let him at liberty before the confti-tution is finiflied : and they dread, at the fame time, a change working in his favour inthe minds of the people: in this dilemma, a plan is laid for perfuading his Majefty togo fuddenly to the National Afiembly, and, in a fpeech, to declare himfelf perfectlylatisfied with their proceedings, and to confider himfelf as at the head of the revolution,in terms fo couched as to take away all idea or pretence of his being in a ftate of con-finement or coercion. This is at prefent a favourite plan; the only difficulty will be,to perluade the King to take a ftep that will apparently preclude him from whateverturn or advantage the general feeling of the provinces may work in his favour; for,after fuch a meafure, he will have reafon to expedt that his friends will fecond the viewsof the democratical party, from an abfolute defpair of any other principles becomingefficient. It is thought probable, that this fcheme will be brought about; and fliouldit be accompliffied, it will do more to eafe their apprehenfions of any attempts than anyother plan.. I have been among the bookfellers, with a catalogue in hand to colieftpublications, which, unfortunately for my purfe, I find I mull have on various topics,that concern the prefent rtate of France . —Thefe are now every day fo numerous, ef-pecially on the fubjecls of commerce, colonies, finances, taxation, deficits &c. not toipeak of the fubjedt immediately of the revolution itlelf, that it demands many hoursevery day to leflen the number to be bought, by reading pen in hand. The coiledtionthe Duke of Liancourt has made from the very commencement of the revolution, atthe firfl meeting of the notables, is prodigious, and has coft many hundred louis d’or. Itis uncommonly complete, and wifi hereafter be of the greateft value to confult on abun-dance of curious queftions.

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