I suppose you think as I did, that Madame _Pompadour_ governed by her own powerful charms; but that was not the case; she governed as many other women do, by borrowed charms; she had a correspondence all over the kingdom, and offices of intelligence, where _youth_, _beauty_, and _innocence_, were registered, which were sent to her according to order; upon the arrival of the _goods_, they were dressed, and trained for _use_, under her inspection, till they were fit to be _shewn up_. She had no regard to birth, for a shoe-maker's daughter of great beauty, belonging to one of the Irish brigades, being introduced to the King, he asked her whether she knew him? No: she did not: But did you ever see me before, or any body like me? She had not, but thought him very like the face on the _gros Eccuis_ of France. Madame _Pompadour_ soon found out which of these girls proved most agreeable to the King, and such were retained, the others dismissed.--The expence of this traffick was immense. I am assured where difficulties of birth or fashion fell in the way, ten thousand pounds sterling have been given. Had _Lewis_ the XVth lived a few years longer, he would have ruined his kingdom. _Lewis_ the XVIth bids fair to aggrandize it. LETTER XLVI. POST-HOUSE, ST GEORGE, six leagues from LYONS. I am particular in dating this letter, in hopes that every English traveller may avoid the place I write from, by either stopping short, or going beyond it, as it is the only house of reception for travellers in the village, and the worst I have met with in my whole journey. We had been scurvily treated here as we went; but having arrived at it after dark, and leaving it early, I did not recollect it again, till the mistress by her sour face and sorry fare betrayed it; for she well remembered _us_. As a specimen of French auberge cookery, I cannot help serving up a dish of spinnage to you as it was served to me at this house. We came in early in the afternoon, and while I was in the court-yard, I saw a flat basket stand upon the ground, the bottom of which was covered with boiled spinnage; and as my dog, and several others in the yard, had often put their noses into it, I concluded it was put down for _their_ food, not _mine_, till I saw a dirty girl patting it up into round balls, and two children, the eldest of them not above three years old, slavering in and playing with it, one of whom, _to lose no time_, was performing _an office_ that none could _do for her_. I asked the maid what she was about, and what it was she was so preparing? for I began to think I had been mistaken, till she told me it was spinnage;--not for me, I hope, said I,--'_oui, pour vous et le monde_.' I then forbad her bringing any to my table, and putting the little girl _off her center_, by an angry push, made her almost as dirty as the spinnage; and I could perceive her mother, the hostess, and some French travellers who were near, looked upon me as a brute, for