OBSERVATIONS AND REFLECTIONS MADE IN THE COURSE OF A JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE, ITALY, AND GERMANY
FRANCE
IN TWO VOLUMES
Vol. I.
LONDON:
Printed for A. STRAHAN; and T. CADELL in the Strand,
I was made to observe at Rome some vestiges of an ancient custom veryproper in those days—it was the parading of the streets by a set ofpeople called Preciæ, who went some minutes before the Flamen Dialisto bid the inhabitants leave work or play, and attend wholly to theprocession; but if ill omens prevented the pageants from passing, or ifthe occasion of the show was deemed scarcely worthy its celebration,these Preciæ stood a chance of being ill-treated by the spectators. APrefatory introduction to a work like this, can hope little better usagefrom the Public than they had; it proclaims the approach of what hasoften passed by before, adorned most certainly with greater splendour,perhaps conducted too with greater regularity and skill: Yet will I notdespair of giving at least a momentary amusement to my countrymen ingeneral, while their entertainment shall serve as a vehicle forconveying expressions of particular kindness to those foreignindividuals, whose tenderness softened the sorrows of absence, and whoeagerly endeavoured by unmerited attentions to supply the loss of theircompany on whom nature and habit had given me stronger claims.
That I should make some reflections, or write down some observations, inthe course of a long journey, is not strange; that I should present thembefore the Public is I hope not too daring: the presumption grew up outof their acknowledged favour, and if too kind culture has encouraged acoarse plant till it runs to seed, a little coldness from the samequarter will soon prove sufficient to kill it. The flattering partialityof private partisans sometimes induces authors to venture forth, andstand a public decision; but it is often found to betray them too; notto be tossed by waves of perpetual contention, but rather to sink