I Was Much Pleased With Marseilles, Which Is Indeed A Noble City,
Large, Populous, And Flourishing.
The streets of what is called
the new Town are open, airy and spacious; the houses well built,
and even magnificent.
The harbour is an oval basin, surrounded on
every side either by the buildings or the land, so that the
shipping lies perfectly secure; and here is generally an
incredible number of vessels. On the city side, there is a semi-circular
quay of free-stone, which extends thirteen hundred
paces; and the space between this and the houses that front it,
is continually filled with a surprising crowd of people. The
gallies, to the number of eight or nine, are moored with their
sterns to one part of the wharf, and the slaves are permitted to
work for their own benefit at their respective occupations, in
little shops or booths, which they rent for a trifle. There you
see tradesmen of all kinds sitting at work, chained by one foot,
shoe-makers, taylors, silversmiths, watch and clock-makers,
barbers, stocking-weavers, jewellers, pattern-drawers,
scriveners, booksellers, cutlers, and all manner of shop-keepers.
They pay about two sols a day to the king for this indulgence;
live well and look jolly; and can afford to sell their goods and
labour much cheaper than other dealers and tradesmen. At night,
however, they are obliged to lie aboard. Notwithstanding the
great face of business at Marseilles, their trade is greatly on
the decline; and their merchants are failing every day. This
decay of commerce is in a great measure owing to the English,
who, at the peace, poured in such a quantity of European
merchandize into Martinique and Guadalupe, that when the
merchants of Marseilles sent over their cargoes, they found the
markets overstocked, and were obliged to sell for a considerable
loss. Besides, the French colonists had such a stock of sugars,
coffee, and other commodities lying by them during the war, that
upon the first notice of peace, they shipped them off in great
quantities for Marseilles. I am told that the produce of the
islands is at present cheaper here than where it grows; and on
the other hand the merchandize of this country sells for less
money at Martinique than in Provence.
A single person, who travels in this country, may live at a
reasonable rate in these towns, by eating at the public
ordinaries: but I would advise all families that come hither to
make any stay, to take furnished lodgings as soon as they can:
for the expence of living at an hotel is enormous. I was obliged
to pay at Marseilles four livres a head for every meal, and half
that price for my servant, and was charged six livres a day
besides for the apartment, so that our daily expence, including
breakfast and a valet de place, amounted to two loui'dores. The
same imposition prevails all over the south of France, though it
is generally supposed to be the cheapest and most plentiful part
of the kingdom.
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