WHEN MONTRÍ UL. HEN all is ready, and every article is difputed and paid for in the inn, unless you are a little four'd by the adventure, there is always a matter to compound at the door, before you can get into your chaife, and that is with the fons and daughters of poverty, who furround you. Let no man fay, << let them go to the devil"-'tis a cruel journey to fend a few miferables, and they have had fufferings enow without it: I always think it better to take a few fous out in my hand; and I would counfel every gentle travel ler ler to do fo likewife; he need not be fo exact in fetting down his motives for giving them-They will be regifter'd elsewhere. For my own part, there is no man gives fo little as I do; for few that Í know have fo 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-a-way! faid I, I have but eight fous in the world, fhewing them in my hand, and there are eight poor men and eight poor women for 'em. A poor tatter'd foul, without a fhirt on, inftantly withdrew his claim, by retiring retiring two fteps out of the circle, and making a difqualifying bow on Had the whole parterre part. his cried out, Place aux dames, with one voice, it would not have conveyed the fentiment of a deference for the fex with half the effect. Juft heaven! for what wife reafons haft thou ordered it, that beggary and urbanity, which are at fuch variance in other countries, fhould find a way to be at unity in this? -I infifted upon prefenting him with a fingle fous, merely for his politeffe. A poor A poor little dwarfish brisk fellow, who ftood over-against me in the circle, putting fomething firft under his arm, which had once been a hat, took his snuff-box out of his pocket, and generously offer'd a pinch on both fides of him: it was a gift of confequence, and modeftly declined -The poor little fellow prefs'd it upon them with a nod of welcomeness -Prenez en-prenez, faid he, looking another way; fo they each took a pinch-Pity thy box fhould ever want one, faid I to myself; so I put a couple of fous into it-taking a small pinch out of his box, to enhance their value, as I did it.-He felt the weight of the fecond obliga VOL. I. I tion tion more than of the firft-'twas 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! faid I to an old foldier with one hand, who had been campaign'd and worn out to death in the fervice-here's a couple of fous for thee. Vive le Roi! faid the old foldier. I had then but three fous left: fo I gave one, fimply pour l'amour de Dieu, which was the footing on which it was begg'd-The poor woman had a diflocated hip; fo it could not be well upon any other motive. Mon |