But, as it cannot fail to be irksome to travel three or four hundred miles at one sitting, with the exception of the short rest at Tours, I would recommend the English traveller to accomplish some part of his journey in a voiture de voyage, and then rest for a day or two; or perhaps he might, in the first instance, take a place in a regular coach, termed a jumeaux, which travels to Tours in two days; after which the journey may be prosecuted to Poitiers in a voiture or diligence, where the chance must be taken of being carried forward to Bordeaux in the same manner. After this inquiry, I had to keep my appointment for dinner with Miss L⸺, where I met a young lady, her niece, who resided with her, and Colonel M⸺, a gentleman to whom my friend was on the point of marriage. I enjoyed my visit much, but took leave at an early hour, under the promise of breakfasting with her, at twelve in the morning, _a la fourchette_. This lady was anxious that, instead of leaving Paris immediately for Bordeaux, as I had intended, I should place myself for a week in a boarding-house, with a view of gaining, before I commenced so long a journey, some slight acquaintance with the French language. This advice appeared so excellent, that I determined to follow it; and after breakfast, Miss L⸺ was kind enough to accompany me to a house which she recommended, and where I immediately took up my residence. I should feel myself inexcusable, if I neglected, in this place, to express the lively sense I entertain, of the many kind attentions, which I received from this amiable lady, and which rather indicated the affectionate regards of a sister, than the notices of an accidental acquaintance. I regretted that this was the last opportunity I had of seeing her in Paris, as she was obliged immediately to leave town for Fontainbleau, and did not return before my departure. “Sweet friendship, solace of mankind, Come! with thy presence warm my heart, And when a kindred soul I find, Oh never, never let us part. They call thee changing, sordid, vain, On earth scarce known, and rare to see; And when they feel base treach’ry’s pain, They lay the heavy blame on thee. ’Tis true there are whom interest blind, That prostitute thy sacred name; Their souls to narrow views confined, They never felt thy noble flame.” During the week I remained in Mr. Fetherstone’s boarding-house, the weather was wet and cold, so that we were much confined within doors; but as our party consisted of twenty individuals, there was no want of amusement, and the continued intercourse necessarily kept up amongst us, tended materially to promote my object of acquiring the language. The following anecdote will serve to shew, how much I was in need of improvement in this respect.