"It ought to be fully as rich, but the plains lie almost uncultivated.

The people seem wholly without energy, and the ruling class are always intriguing, and seem to pay little attention to their estates.

You see but few castles and chateaux, such as are dotted over France.
I do not say that, at the present moment, France can be considered a prosperous country in material matters.

The expenses of the wars have been enormous, to say nothing of the Court.

The people are ground down by taxation, and the misery in some parts of the country is extreme; but left to themselves the people will work, and work hard.