PRICES IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE.
WE lately copied, from the Morning Herald, some remarks upon the comparative prices of France and England in articles of daily consumption ; and subsequent information, procured in a more satisfying way, enables us to throw some light upon a question which concerns a large class of worthy persons of small incomes, who are desirous of making their modicum purchase as much com- fort as possible. A great many individuals, deluded by the old prejudice that France is cheap, annually migrate to the opposite coast, and only discover the truth when they have become severely injured by the discovery : for it is not easy in the first instance to make a comparison—such is the confusion made in the minds of new corners by the difference of coins, of measures, and of language. We do not deny, that immediately after the peace, the value of money was very high in France—or, in other words, that France was a cheap country to live in ; the proofs are in every body's hands who has resided for any time abroad. In a book which we have already noticed in the Literary department, the English in France, occurs the following passage respecting Boulogne.
"Provisions are cheap : we could buy a huge turbot for thirty or forty • sous (15d. or 20d.); but though bread is at a lower price than in Eng- land, butcher's provender is not much less : all sorts of game may be de- scribed as literally accessible to the lower orders ; for game in France is not the exclusive food or enjoyment of the nobility and gentry. Liquors are hardly worth mentioning. Malt is unknown, certainly, as the product of France ; but they make a very pleasant beverage from liquorice, horse. legs, and isinglass, which they sell at twopence or threepence a bottle in the taverns. Bordeaux wine costs those who bottle it themselves (even after sea-carriage to Boulogne) not morethan tenpence per bottle. In ad- dition to this, there is no appearance or state to be kept up : house-rent is perhaps not much at variance in England : taxes, however, are far below it; and the man would be ridiculous who thought of wearing fine clothes, and consequently raising a tailor's bill."
This is not a very luminous passage, nevertheless it speaks in- telligibly enough to those who know the present state of things in France. It may be asserted that ahnost every article of consump- tion is dearer in the North of that country than in England, with the exception of a few articles that may be mentioned,—as, for instance, boots, gloves, spirituous liquors : silk is not among the number, as might have been imagined—it is neither so good nor to be had for so small a price of the same quality. Wine is to be had for a smaller sum, but it is so light that an Englishman accus- tomed to take wine drinks four times the quantity/. All colonial goods are particularly dear. The wages of female servants somewhat less than in England ; of male ones, the same. House- rent is much lower than in London, but not so moderate as in the country of England, or in the cities and market-towns of the pro- vinces. Fish is dearer; • so is butcher's meat. The provender of horses is wretchedly bad, and not much lower in price. At this present moment, oats are 27fr. the three hectolitres, which are about equal to our quarter,—that is to say, 22s. the quarter, but which in quality is not equal to half a quarter of English oats at 30e. the quarter, such as this very market-day may be had in the market of Canterbury or Reading. Wellington boots in France, of an excellent quality, are 13s. the pair : excellent brandy may be had at 15d. the quart : ladies' gloves are of all prices—good kid ones at 15d. the pair. So that if a man were all extremities, and could live upon eau de vie, we would advise him to go and settle in France.
One great object may be answered in that country, and it is a principal inducement to residents with large families : lessons in what are called accomplishments are very moderate in price- 10d. is the common price of an hour with all provincial professors of music, singing, drawing, &c.
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