I Have Known A Peasant Feed His Family With The Skins Of Boiled
Beans.
Their hogs are much better fed than their children.
'Tis
pity they have no cows, which would yield milk, butter, and
cheese, for the sustenance of their families. With all this
wretchedness, one of these peasants will not work in your garden
for less than eighteen sols, about eleven pence sterling, per
diem; and then he does not half the work of an English labourer.
If there is fruit in it, or any thing he can convey, he will
infallibly steal it, if you do not keep a very watchful eye over
him. All the common people are thieves and beggars; and I believe
this is always the case with people who are extremely indigent
and miserable. In other respects, they are seldom guilty of
excesses. They are remarkably respectful and submissive to their
superiors. The populace of Nice are very quiet and orderly. They
are little addicted to drunkenness. I have never heard of one
riot since I lived among them; and murder and robbery are
altogether unknown. A man may walk alone over the county of Nice,
at midnight, without danger of insult. The police is very well
regulated. No man is permitted to wear a pistol or dagger' on
pain of being sent to the gallies. I am informed, that both
murder and robbery are very frequent in some parts of Piedmont.
Even here, when the peasants quarrel in their cups, (which very
seldom happens) they draw their knives, and the one infallibly
stabs the other.
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