 consideration of their youth and national ferocity, for which the
French make large allowances, set them all at liberty, after having gently
rebuked them for the irregularity and insolence of their conduct: so that all
our hero acquired by his gallantry and courage, was a number of scandalous marks
upon his visage, that confined him a whole week to his chamber. It was
impossible to conceal this disaster from Mr. Jolter, who having got intelligence
of the particulars, did not fail to remonstrate against the rashness of the
adventure, which, he observed, must have been fatal to them, had their enemies
been other than Frenchmen, who of all nations under the sun, most rigorously
observe the laws of hospitality.
    As the governor's acquaintance lay chiefly among Irish and English priests,
and a set of low people, who live by making themselves necessary to strangers,
either in teaching the French language, or executing small commissions with
which they are intrusted, he was not the most proper person in the world for
regulating the taste of a young gentleman who travelled for improvement, in
expectation of making a figure one day in his own country; and being conscious
of his own incapacity, he contented himself with the office of a steward, and
kept a faithful account of all the money that was disbursed in the course of
their family expence: not but that he was acquainted with all the places which
are visited by strangers on their first arrival at Paris; and knew to a liard
what was commonly given to the Swiss of each remarkable hotel; though, with
respect to the curious painting and statuary that every where abound in that
metropolis, he was more ignorant than the domestic that attends for a livre a
day.
    In short, Mr. Jolter could give a very good account of the stages on the
road, and save the expence of Antonini's detail of the curiosities in Paris; he
was a connoisseur in ordinaries, from twelve to five and thirty livres, knew all
the rates of a Fiacre and Remise, could dispute with a Tailleur or Traiteur upon
the articles of his bill, and scold the servants in tolerable French. But the
laws, customs and genius of the people, the characters of individuals, and
scenes of polished life, were subjects which he had neither opportunities to
observe, inclination to consider, or discernment to distinguish. All his maxims
were the suggestions of pedantry and prejudice; so that his perception was
obscured, his judgment biassed, his address aukward, and his conversation absurd
and unentertaining: yet such as I have represented this tutor, is the greatest
part of those animals
