The Virginia Gazette

Extract of another letter from Paris.

The most magnificent and costly furniture is making for the apartments of the Dauphine, both at Choisy and Fontainebleau. That Princess has rendered herself lately as agreeable at Compiègne as she had before at Versailles, by her sprightly and affable behaviour; she continually finds objects to exercise her liberality and generosity. As she was walking out one day she saw some harvest people a reaping; and going up to a woman who was at work among them, asked her to lend her her sickle, with which her Highness diverted herself with cutting some handfuls of wheat. Then returning the sickle, methinks, says she, you work very hard, indeed much harder than I thought. However, take this, it will, I hope, procure you some refreshment after your labour, and gave the poor woman ten louis d'ors. One of the Ladies who attended her represented to the Princess that the sum was too large; to which her Highness made answer, if you was in the same situation as these poor people you would think otherwise. Mind your own affairs, and never attempt to controul me in what I think proper to do. When my finances run short I shall leave off giving; then I must stay at home, for the sight of distressing objects which one cannot relieve is the most shocking that can present itself to a mind capable of feeling the miseries of others.