Reallillo, or one-twentieth of a p.

These three last coins have currency in the Peninsula only.

1

1 21

2.985

813

005

0 22

1.492 813

0 0 21

XX. FRENCH MEASURES AT PRESENT IN USE,

Compared with each other, and with the English Imperial. THE measures of France have been reduced to a scientific

standard nearly thirty years. The ancient system presented no uniformity; there was no relation between the pied, used as the unit of the measure of length, and the livre as that of weight; and even although those measures bore the same denominations in all provinces, they were very different in their proportions in particular districts. Similar objections lay against the system of weights and measures in England before the introduction of " the Imperial Measure." Local consumers in France, as well as in England, did not feel the whole disadvantage which arose from the variety of measures in the same country. But those who made large purchases-merchants, who either sent out their own produce to another part of the country, or imported the manufactures of their distant fellow-countrymen to their own districts—often experienced great difficulties in converting to their own local standard the quantities expressed according to another rate. The proportion which one standard bore to another was not always easily ascertained; and when it was, the calculations to be made were long and difficult, and could not always give a very accurate result.

One of the first objects which engaged the attention of the General States, assembled in 1788, was to find a remedy for this defect. It was then agreed, that some principle should be established, on which a new system should be founded. It was desirable to find a natural and invariable standard; and it may be observed, that mankind, in all ages, have been endeavouring to obtain some such result, though they have proceeded without adequate scientific knowledge. Thus, in measures of length, we have a barley-corn, a foot, a fathom, adopted as standards. This was an approach to a natural system; although it is quite evident that a grain of corn, or the human foot, or the distance a man can extend his arms, must be as variable as can be imagined. There was an attempt to establish a relation between the standard of measure and of weight; thus the barley-corn of length, and the grain of weight, are the same imperfect units. Without science it