On the contrary, they are the richest, from
one fortuitous circumstance. Spurs or ramifications of high mountains,
making down from the Alps, and, as it were, reticulating these
provinces, give to the vallies the protection of a particular inclosure
to each, and the benefit of a general stagnation of the northern winds
produced by the whole of them, and thus countervail the advantage of
several degrees of latitude. From the first olive fields of Pierrelatte,
to the orangeries of Hieres, has been continued rapture to me. I have
often wished for you. I think you have not made this journey. It is a
pleasure you have to come, and an improvement to be added to the many
you have already made. It will be a great comfort to you, to know, from
your own inspection, the condition of all the provinces of your own
country, and it will be interesting to them at some future day, to be
known to you. This is, perhaps, the only moment of your life in which
you can acquire that knowledge. And to do it most effectually, you must
be absolutely incognito, you must ferret the people out of their hovels
as I have done, look into their kettles, eat their bread, loll on their
beds under pretence of resting yourself, but in fact to find if they
are soft.
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