I am arrived here at rather a dull season:  the Carnaval is just over and all the young ladies are taking to their Livres d’Heures to atone for any levity or indiscretion they may have been guilty of during the hey day of the Carnaval.  The Wardle family have a very pleasant acquaintance here, chiefly among the liberaux, or moderate royalists, but there are some most inveterate Ultras in this city, who keep aloof from any person of liberal principles, as they would of a person infected with the plague.  The noblesse of Auvergne have the reputation of being in general ignorant and despotic.  There is but little agrement or instruction to be derived from their society, for they have not the ideas of the age.  In general the nobles of Auvergne, tho’ great sticklers for feudality and for their privileges, and tho’ they disliked the Revolution, had the good sense not to emigrate.

There is a Swiss regiment of two battalions quartered here.  It bears the name of its Colonel, De Salis.  As there are a number of officers of the old army here, on half pay, about three hundred in number, it is said, frequent disputes occur between them and the Swiss officers.  The Swiss are looked upon by the people at large as the satellites of despotism and not without reason.  It is, I think, degrading for any country to have foreign troops in pay in time of peace.  Several attempts have been made in the Chamber of Deputies to obtain their removal or licenciement, but without success.  As it is supposed that the song of the Ranz des Vaches affects the sensibility of the Swiss very much, and makes them long to return to their native mountains, a wag has recommended to all the young ladies in France who are musicians to play and sing the Ranz des Vaches with all their might, in order to induce the Swiss to betake themselves to their native country.

There has been a great deal of denunciation going forward here; but the General de V——­[104] who commands the troops in Clermont, determined to put a stop to it.  He had the good sense to see that such a system, if encouraged, would be destructive of all society, prejudicial to the Government, and vexatious to himself; as he would be thereby kept continually in hot water.  Accordingly, on a delator presenting himself and accusing another of not being well affected to the present order of things, and of having spoken disrespectfully of the King, M. de V——­ said to him:  “I have no doubt, Sir, that your denunciation proceeds from pure motives, and I give you full credit for your zeal and attachment to the royal cause; but I cannot take any steps against the person whom you accuse, unless you are willing to give me leave to publish your name and consent to be confronted with him, so that I may examine fairly the state of the case, and render justice to both parties.”  The accuser declined acceding to this proposition.  The General desired him to withdraw, and shortly after intimated