WHEN all is ready, and every article is disputed and paid for in the inn, unless you are a little soured by the adventure, there is always a matter to compound at the door, before you can get into your chaise; and that is with the sons and daughters of poverty, who surround you. Let no man say, "Let them go to the devil; " 't is a cruel journey to send a few miserables, and they have had sufferings enow without it: I always think it better to take a few sous out in my hand; and I would counsel every Gentle Traveller to do so likewise: he need not be so exact in setting down his motives for giving them, they will be registered elsewhere.

For my own part, there is no man gives so little as I do; for few that I know have so little to give: but as this was the first public act of my charity in France, I took the more notice of it.

"A well-away!" said I; "I have but eight sous in the world," shewing them in my hand, "and there are eight poor men and eight poor women for 'em."

A poor tattered soul, without a shirt on, instantly withdrew his claim, by retiring two steps out of the circle, and making a disqualifying bow on his part. Had the whole parterre cried out, "Place aux dames," with one voice, it would not have conveyed the sentiment of a deference for the sex with half the effect.

Just Heaven! for what wise reasons hast thou ordered it, that beggary and urbanity, which are at such variance in other countries, should find a way to be at unity in this?

I insisted upon presenting him with a single sous, merely for his politesse.

A poor little dwarfish brisk fellow, who stood over against me in the circle, putting something first under his arm, which had once been a hat, took his snuff-box out of his pocket, and generously offered a pinch on both sides of him: it was a gift of consequence, and modestly declined. The poor little fellow pressed it upon them with a nod of welcomeness. "Prenezen-prenez," said he, looking another way; so they each took a pinch. "Pity thy box should ever want one!" said I to myself; so I put a couple of sous into it, taking a small pinch out of his box, to enhance their value, as I did it. He felt the weight of the second obligation more than that of the first; 't was doing him an honour,-the other was only doing him a charity, and he made me a bow down to the ground for it.

"Here!" said I to an old soldier with one hand, who had been campaigned and worn out to death in the service,here's a couple of sous for thee. "Vive le roi!" said the old soldier.

I had then but three sous left: so I gave one simply pour l'amour de Dieu, which was the footing on which it was begged. The poor woman had a dislocated hip; so it could not be well upon any other motive.

"Mon cher et très-charitable monsieur!". opposing this," said I.

"There's no

"Milord Anglois !"-the very sound was worth the money -so I gave my last sous for it. But, in the eagerness of giving, I had overlooked a pauvre honteux, who had no one to ask a sous for him, and who, I believe, would have perished ere he could have asked one for himself. He stood by the