The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-05-14 00:00:00

FROM LIA)YD's Lts.r.

-Qeivrintb, MAT 11.—Tamed by the Thames, Burton,
bete New ondenet ; lutrlmty, Gardner, from Demerara ;
Attrp.un, .74111 pr, from Belot, ; Sonic Duff Calagues, from
Stabean ialsote Übe', Pout, troll Rotterdam ; Junge Jo-
bulanw. ff ',Nke. in= V.4r4.% Darethe 1. Sulam; Vrow
titan-
-64. ;ahi De VTOW.,llitna, Lopes, f.om Pappeor
Sall4, the Wilhe !Irina Ctuirloue, for Meant
ertiehttiheid, Jan•'m, for E. 1.4111211 ; F,rtuna, Frederick, and
Ine Dri Denman, Perkins, for Tonningen

Iferitacr OT A LETTLA 1/11014 THE 171.5 OT TRANCE,
DATZD JUNt 4, 1803.
•_! A, weasel oferir.g from Madras, I shall avail my-
Oaf of that channel to forward these lines, none
going daea to Bengal, so that when we have no
choice, we mutt do the best we can. I arrived here
extremely unwell, after a very tedious passage of
68 days, have experienced more than 90 days of
doleass.at present I ant better, and expel!, from the
salubrity of the air, to become stoat. I find the
Inhabitant very civil and hospitable, having experi-
Mead a very friendly reception in every family. The
imams, as report justly said, are really very hand-
some; and in general, the complexions as fresh and
blooming as those in Europe. At church, and at
a public display of fire-works, in honour of Bons-
parte, the majority of the belles were present : such
form, eyes, grace, beauty, and dignity united, I
sever before saw, an this side the Ca pe of Good
Hope : to say I was pleased, is not half enough, to
*dd, however, that I was lost in agreeable surprise,
"meld be nearest the truth.
" The situation of the island mustrender iewhole-
some, although it is a mass of rocky mountains; it
is at present their winter, and the inhabitants com-
plain a cold ; for my part, it is just pass this to
work in the sun. .No Palankeens are in use with
the men ;, for the ladies, they have small sedans,
the lime is in Europe. The harbours are excel-
lent, the largest capable of accommodating 400 sail;
the smallest however is most convenient for busi-
ness, the ships being moored close to the shore, se-
cured in a baron, from all accidents. The French
are very expert in their signals : on the seven prin-
cipal mountains they are instantly repeated, from
the Mountain of Discovery, and a sail may be
easily discovered at I I leagues, or SS miles. The
bland could corer be taken by regular assault, be-
kg well fortified by nature, and not a little assisted
by art. AU vessels are visited by a medical coin-
' slime, before they are allowed to approach the
meter anchorage, to prevent the introdeftion from
iskaion of pestilential diseases ; the vaccine
nattiest is becoming in vogue, which will be a re-
lief to the misfortunes of tau year in this place, by
the confluent small for. The houses ate built in-
truly of wood, with the exception of the founda-
tion, and about eight feet of stone, above the sur-
face of the earth the height and length of the
rooms are very much confined ; the firmer not ex-
ceeding twelve feet, and the greatest length I have
seen not above twenty-five; the mode of papering,
and having curtains to the doors and windows,
gives them an air of variety, and relieves the eye,
hem the glare of white walls; the windows and
doors are very small ; the former not five fret, and
the latter not six ; but the tout ensemble united shews
taste. The shoo are exaltly the same as in Eu-
rope, displaying true method, cleanliness, and
taste, which is not a little heightened y the
bietenein girls who assist, of course they bring cus-
tom. They have also a regular exchangefor the trans-
stains of bn,iness, assembling both in the morning
and writing ; great aatvlty prevails a ith conciseness
of method, which facilitates the deteil. The hours
of breakfast, from eight to nine : dinners, in
at two, and supper at nine. I have not yet
been in the country. I :an told it is really and
beautifully romantic ; asses are used for the saddle
and carts the same as horses, of the latter not very
plentiful. We have very convenient hot and cold
baths, divided very cleve.ty, so that you are perfectly
private. having accommodations of chairs, a couch,
table, looking-glasses, towels, Ike. afterwards you
tray have breakfast in the coffee-room. There are
hotels in every third street • the cooks are superla-
tive, and living not very clear ; you may board at
four dollars, or eight rupees per day, and per
month, you may have two excellent furnished
rooms at twenty-four rupees. A single person, with
genteel (economy, can live, including. every ex.
pence, at 120 dollars, or 240 rupees, without hav-
ing occasion for more than one servant a great con-
venience, which I like better, than being tormented
as in Bengal, by a horde of lazy fools,-or rather
knaves, Washing is very dear. I paid eight ru-
pees for eeery hundred pieces of linen wasted on
soy arrival, and am Dow obliged to pay monthly
k Oen rupees. European women perform this service,