The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-15
From the Nationcl Gq-ettr.
\ RIDE, IN FRANCE.

~ hIiJlb ~ N-h-NN''''
Mr.. James Pant Cob5ett, student OF Lin
coins Inn, London, and son Of the tlietamcd
William Goblet. made last autumn, an eX-
cursion into France on horseback, and has
published an account Of it in duoGceimo OF
200 pages, under the tile a Ride OF
Eight Hundred Miles in France, containing
a Sketch OF the Face Of the Country. OF It's
Rural Economy, Prices OF Land, Provisions,
&c" The author diSplaysa shrewdncss IKE
that which characteristics his father and has
represented with much apparent fairness
and fidelity what he saw in his ride, the mode
of which was favourable to minute survey
and enquiry. We shall follow him through
some of his memoranda, as we have read his
little book with interest.
The first circumstance which strikes us,
who reco,lect the extreme difficulty and trout
bic ofpassing and rc-passing between Eng
land and France during the reign OF Nepolcon
isthe facility and rapidity with which Mr.jP.
Cobbett and his horse were transported from
Dover to Calais. The passage is effected
IN the steam packets, in shorter time and
with more comfort, than it the two sides OF
the channel were connected by bridge At
Calais every thing is done for the trtvcllar
by agents, at a small cost.
When Mr. G. entered the public dining
room of the hotel III that town, he found an
extraordinary entertainment.
+" At the head of the table there stood 4
shabby looking fcllcw, tightly buttoncd up
in an old Surtout coat, with black sleek head
and a face as black, who, when first went
into the room, was whistling. soon per-
ceived that this was intended as an amuse-
ment for the company, which it certainly
might be for little while to any body ; for
such was this PERSONS excellence in his way,
that before | had been five minutes III his
company, he reminded me, | thought, of
almost every creature that can make 4 noise.
His talent appeared to consist wholly of
mimickry. He prciaccd each part OF his
performance by aspccch in explanation oi
the subject that was to follow The nightin-
gale, the thrush, the cuckoo, the sucking
pig, every thing, indeed, he imated with
astonishing correctness; ; but when he came
to the fiog, it was 50 palpaGly his chct d
puure, that could not help departing from
that gravity which, out of reverence fol
French politeness, had managed to pre-
serve throughout the rest of his limitations" :"
Every thing was dear at Calais compare
lively, owing to the number Of English an
irving and departing,
I Soon after setting out from Calais, our c
questrian encountcrcda French public coach
or diligence as it is called. Ills description
Of this conveyance is graphic and applicable
10 nearly allof them.
"Thc cavalcadc altogether was the mos
: uncouth thing Of the. kind had ever seen
), | was Obliged to retreat before it fur som,
distance, Oh account Of the fear manifesto,
by my horse. stopped ANA let it pass ON
J OF the outlidcrs gave my nag cut viii
/ his whip in going by, and did not eHpcc
, any salutation more polite from the barbaI
: Gus appearance Of the whole concern, am
e especially from the manner in which tn
: horses were driven along, W hich was, by tn
o bawling OF the riders and the cracking Of thci
:, whips III Such manner asalmost to stun on,
t There were Fpe horses to the vehicle, whic
C looked as cumbersome as those things
c which they carry wild beasts in Englant
: and certainly less handsome, il beauty ma
e be considered i'll such case. The drive
IL rode on one of the whecl-horseS, which wer
c two abreast of each other; the three other
d being all abrest before The driver and til
J. outriders wore boots, which admit Of no con
&c parison with any thing that ever saw bcfoi
70 with the name of boots. Take off tho foo
ID which was twice as big as feet generally ar
he the boot is to,g fire bucket. The III
y worn by the wearers of these boots is of Il
DC old French fashion; that is to say, inclnil
n IN its shape toward a hyramd. The bri
l. OF the hat is remarkably small, and from III
der the hind part of this hangs hig-ta
er winch IN respect to its size, needs no alter
II non to make it correspond with the boot
es a great part of the ho7adcr belonging to Il
pig tail serves, as the ridcr bumps upon Il
as saddle, to varcgatc his $kchon jacket, viii,
he was in this case of a blue color, with red cl
,ol Tar and RED GUYS, and Of so very scanty
to fashion that it appeared much tt0 small
ch the wearer."
,ly Mr.. Cobbctt at once observed, as every tt
d. weller in France does, that the women in tn
country transact every kind of business, a
ng do every kind Of work. He was much sea
be dalized in seeing them, in several par
ho spreading manure on the lands with TIL,
am hands, and carrying that article upon til,
I'D backs in baskets into the fields, besides pt
Sc forming the most laborious field and hous
es- hold drudgery, ploughng, thrcshing gri
he &c. He could not reconcile the labours a
he appearance Of the female Yustics with I