The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-15

reputation of the French for poiitenesS anu
gallantry towards the softer sex.
"These women" he remarks, are rouho
shouldered they walk with step as heaVy
as that of the most awkward OF our plough,
boys; their faces are very much sun Dur,eu
and their features are so hard tnat .hey
scarcely look like zuomen the muscular FORM
of their bare and brown arms, in particular
shews that the oppressive sway to wnich
they are obliged to submit, is such as eitec-
tually to degrade them. ! ought not to pass
over this subject, without doing justice to the
americans among whom lately resided, and
who are very great evidence of the truth OF
the assertion, that, in proportion as men are
really brave, they are tender cf imposing
iaborioas on degradmg dafies nfon no
men"
In another place, Mr.. Cohbctt, referring
both to town and country, Observes
"Thc French are universally spoken OF as
a gay lively people. In this respect can
not help observing a great difference be-
tween the men and women of France.
Frenchmcn are certainly more gay than
Englishmen, but have been surprised to sec
the countcnanccs of the 7aomcn, III this coun-
try so serious, so full Of anxiety and care.
The truth, however, is, as ! have pretty
well c&cmpliicd already, that " lIaddme,
has more work to do than lloHSieHr'$ repu-
tation for gallantrv would induce one to sup
pose. In all sorts Of shop-kecping i'll France,
it is the women who attend to business, and
the men have comparatively not much to do
with it. The keeping accounts even, is the
task of the tradesman wife or of his daugh-
ter. The selling of goods i'll the shops is
\ principally done by women: the labour, III
short, OF the whole concern is performed by
Madame !" and il is natural enough to ask
what Monsieur himself is about? Il question
which may ctoo often determined looking
into the cofiec-housc, where the tiitimg
amuScmcnts of billiards, cards and dominos
are cvcrlastingly kept alive"
| These structures are not i'll the main unjust
! Our traveller has not indeed, made the due
allowance for ancient custom, and the active,
bustling character of the women, which has
contributed to bring them into the occupa-
! tions that they seen to cngross. The mas
ter Of the shop, in Paris at least, generally
makes the outdoor contracts and pur-
| ChaScS.
4 As to dict, Mr.. Cobbctt was struck with
the contraricty between facts, and the rcpu-
tation of the French. They are famed for
eating a great deal Of vegetable, and but lit
tie of animal food. He noted the reverse al
most every where at the two meals of dim
chefte has been more common in France than
i'll Great Britain.
at Chatcauroux," says Mr.. G. AZ had
some coffee for breakfast, bat the landlord Of
the Inn and his family, who had their break
fast about the same time, ate sup and drank
retf-7siac Not only did they cat &oMh, but in
the soup there was c0bbuSc: boRed cabbage
/ for brak ctast | do not sec, however, why
this cabbage soup, which had plenty Of bread
! in it, and the wine, should not be thousand
tincs better for breakfast than the cold no.
tatoee and the tfd, which are now SO fashion
able amongst the common people III Eng
land"
Comparing the price Of living in lodgings
4 IN the French provincial towns, and i'll Eng
land and America, Mr.. Cobbctt calculates
that for fare and entertainment as good as
the French, nearly three times as much is
paid in England, and all the things consider
cd, France is nearly two thirds cheaper than
the United States He took New York
however, for his standard as to American
charges.