my first inquiry about their price for board, lodging, washing, cloaths,
and in short, every thing the children did, or might want, they required
a sum much beyond the limits of my scanty income to give; but before we
left them, they became acquainted with _some circumstances_, which
induced them to express their concern that the price I had offered (not
half what they had demanded) could not be taken. We therefore retired,
and had almost fixed the children in a cheaper convent, but much
inferior in all respects, within the town, when we received a polite
letter from the Lady Abbess, to say, that after consulting with her
sister-hood, they had come to a resolution to take the children at our
_own_ price, rather than not shew how much they wished to oblige us.
Upon this occasion, we were _all_ admitted within the walls of the
convent; and I had the pleasure of seeing my two daughters joined to an
elegant troop of about forty genteel children, and of leaving them under
the care of the same number of _religieux_. And yet these good people
knew nothing of us, but what we ourselves communicated to them, not
being known, nor knowing any person in the town.--The Lady-Abbess of
this convent is a woman of high rank, about twenty-four years of age,
and possesses as large a share of beauty as any reasonable woman, even
on the _outside_ of a convent, could wish for.

_Auxerre_ is a good town, pleasantly situated, and in a plentiful and
cheap country.

From _Auxerre_ to _Ioigni_ is five leagues. The _Petit bel Vue_ on the
banks of the river is very pleasantly situated, but a dreadful one
within side, in every respect, being a mixture of dirt, ignorance, and
imposition; but it is the only inn for travellers, and therefore
travellers should avoid it. In order to put my old hostess in good
humour, I called early for a bottle of Champaigne; and in order to put