ESee Dr.Falconer, ofBath, his Treatise on this subject.
ESee Dr.Falconer, ofBath, his Treatise on this subject.
ESee Dr.Falconer, ofBath, his Treatise on this subject.
Mr.Seguier'sHerbaryconsists of more than ten thousand plants; but above all, Mr.Seguierhimself, is the first, and most valuable part of his cabinet, having spent a long life in rational amusements; and though turned of four-score, he has all the chearfulness of youth, without any of the garrulity of old age. When he honoured me with a visit, at my country lodgings, he came on foot, and as the waters were out, I asked him how hegot at me, so dry footed? He had walked upon the wall, he said; a wall not above nine inches thick, and of a considerable length!
And here let me observe that a Frenchman eats hissoupandbouilleat twelve o'clock, drinks onlywith, notafterhis dinner, and then mixes water with hisgenuinewine; he lives in a fine climate, where there is not as with us, for six weeks together, easterly winds, which stop the pores, and obstruct perspiration. A Frenchman eats a great deal, it is true, but it is not allhard meat, and they never sit and drink after dinner or supper is over.—An Englishman, on the contrary, drinks much stronger, and a variety of fermented liquors, and often much worse, and sitsat itmany hours after dinner, and always after supper. How then can he expect such health, such spirits, and to enjoy a long life, free from pain, as most Frenchmen do; When the negro servants in the West-Indies find their masters callafterdinner for a bowl of punch extraordinary they whisper them, (if company are present) and ask, "whether they drink for drunk, ordrink for dry?" A Frenchman never drinks fordrunk.—While the Englishman is earning disease and misery at his bottle, the Frenchman is embroidering a gown, or knitting a handkerchief for his mistress. I have seen a Lady's sacque finelytambouredby a Captain of horse, and a Lady's white bosom shewn through mashes netted by the man who made the snare, in which he was himself entangled; though he made it he did not perhaps know the powers of it till sheset it.
I write to you just as things come into my head, having taken very few notes, and those, as you must perceive, often without much regard tounisonortime. It has this minute occurred to me, that I omitted to tell you on my journey onwards, that I visited a little town inPicardie, calledHam, where there is so strong a castle, that it may be called apetit Bastile, and which was then and still is, full of state prisoners and debtors. To this castle there is a monstrous tower, the walls of which are thirty six feet thick, and the height and circumference are proportionable thereto; it was built by theConetable de St. Paul, in order to shut up his master,Charlesthe VIth, King of France, and contemporary, I think, with ourHenrythe Vth; but such are the extraordinary turns of all human affairs, thatMons. le Conetablewas shut up in it himself many years, and ended his days there.—The fate of this constable brings to my mind a circumstance that happened under myadministration, atLand-Guard Fort, when the King was pleased to trust me with the command of it. I had not been twenty-four hours in possession of what I thought a small sovereignty, before I received a letter in the following terms:
"Sir, Having observed horses grazing on the covered way, thathathdone apparent damage, and may do more, I think it my duty to inform you, that his Majesty does not permit horses to feed thereon, &c. &c. (Signed)
"Anthony Goode,Overseer of the Works."
I never was more surprized, than to find my wings were to be thus clipt, by a civil officer of the board of ordnance; however wrong I or my horses had acted, I could not let Mr.Goodegrazeso closely upon my authority, without a reprimand; I therefore wrote him an answer in terms as follow: "that having seen a fat impudent-looking strutting fellow about the garrison, it was my order that when his duty led him to communicate any thing to me relative to the works thereof, that he came himself, instead of writing impertinent letters." Mr.Goodesent a copy of his letter and mine to SirCharles Frederick; and the post following, he received from the Office of Ordnance, several printed papers in the King's name, forbidding horses grazing on theworks, andordering Mr. Goodeto nail those orders up in different parts of the garrison! but as I had not then learnt that either he, or hisred ribband master, had any authority to give out, even the King's orders, in a garrison I commanded, but through my hands, I took the liberty, while Mr.Goodeand his assistant-son were nailing one upopposite to my parlour window, to send for a file of men and put them both into the Black-hold, an apartment Mr.Goodehad himself built, being a Master-Mason. By the time he had been ten minutesgrazingunder thiscovered way, he sent me a message, that he wasasthmatic, that the place was too close, and that if he died within ayear and a day, I must be deemed accessary to his death. But as I thought Mr.Goodeshould have considered, that some of the poor invalids too might now and then be as subject to the asthma as he, it was a proper punishment, and I kept him there till he knew the duty of a soldier, as well as that of a mason; and as I wouldhis betters, had they come down and ventured to have given out orders in a garrison under my command; but instead of getting me punished as acertain gentlemanaimed at, that able GeneralLord Ligonierapproved my conduct, and removed the man to another garrison, and would have dismissed him the ordnance service, had I not become a petitioner in his favour; for he was too fat and old to work, too proud and arrogant to beg, and he andhis adviserstoo contemptible to be angry with.—But I must return to the castle ofHam, to tell you what a dreadful black-hold there is in that tower; it is a trap called by the Frenchdes Obliettes, of so horrible a contrivance, that when the prisoners are to suffer in it, the mechanical powers are so constructed, as to render it impossible to be again opened, nor would it signify, but to see the bodymolue, i.e. ground to pieces.
There were formerly two or threeObliettesin this castle; one only now remains; but there are still several in theBastile.—When a criminal suffers this frightful death, (for perhaps it is not very painful) he has no previous notice, but being led into the apartment, is overwhelmed in an instant. It is to be presumed, however, that none but criminals guilty of high crimes, suffer in this manner; for the state prisoners in theBastileare not only well lodged, but liberal tables are kept for them.
An Irish officer was lately enlarged from theBastile, who had been twenty-seven years confined there; and though he found a great sum of money in the place he had concealed it in a little before his confinement, he told Colonel C——, of Fitz-James's regiment, that "having out-lived his acquaintance with the world, as well as with men, he would willingly return there again."
AtHamthe prisoners for debt are quite separated from the state prisoners; the latter are in the castle, the former in the tower.
The death ofLewisthe XVth gave liberty to an infinite number of unhappy people, and to many who would have been enlarged before, but had been forgotten. When one of these unhappy people (a woman of fashion) was told she might go out; then, (said she) I am sureLewisthe XVth is dead; an event she knew nothing of, tho' it was a full year after the King's death.—Things are otherwise conducted now than in his reign; a wicked vain woman then commanded with unlimited power, both in war and domestic concerns. In this reign, there are able, and I believe virtuous ministers.
I suppose you think as I did, that MadamePompadourgoverned by her own powerful charms; but that was not the case; she governed as many other women do, by borrowed charms; she had a correspondence all over the kingdom, and offices of intelligence, whereyouth,beauty, andinnocence, were registered, which were sent to her according to order; upon the arrival of thegoods, they were dressed, and trained foruse, under her inspection, till they were fit to beshewn up. She had no regard to birth, for a shoe-maker's daughter of great beauty, belonging to one of the Irish brigades, being introduced to the King, he asked her whether she knew him? No: she did not: But did you ever see me before, or any body like me? She had not, but thought him very like the face on thegros Eccuisof France. MadamePompadoursoon found out which of these girls proved most agreeable to the King, and such were retained, the others dismissed.—The expence of this traffick was immense. I am assured where difficulties of birth or fashion fell in the way, ten thousand pounds sterling have been given. HadLewisthe XVth lived a few years longer, he would have ruined his kingdom.Lewisthe XVIth bids fair to aggrandize it.
Post-house, St George, six leagues fromLyons.
I am particular in dating this letter, in hopes that every English traveller may avoid the place I write from, by either stopping short, or going beyond it, as it is the only house of reception for travellers in the village, and the worst I have met with in my whole journey. We had been scurvily treated here as we went; but having arrived at it after dark, and leaving it early, I did not recollect it again, till the mistress by her sour face and sorry fare betrayed it; for she well rememberedus. As a specimen of French auberge cookery, I cannot help serving up a dish of spinnage to you as it was served to me at this house. We came in early in the afternoon, and while I was in the court-yard, I saw a flat basket stand upon the ground, the bottom of which was covered with boiled spinnage; and as my dog, and several others in the yard, had often put their noses into it, I concluded it was put down fortheirfood, notmine, till I saw a dirty girl patting it up into round balls, and two children, the eldest of them not above three years old, slavering in and playing with it, one of whom,to lose no time, was performingan officethat none coulddo for her. I asked the maid what she was about, and what it was she was so preparing? for I began to think I had been mistaken, till she told me it was spinnage;—not for me, I hope, said I,—'oui, pour vous et le monde.' I then forbad her bringing any to my table, and putting the little girloff her center, by an angry push, made her almost as dirty as the spinnage; and I could perceive her mother, the hostess, and some French travellers who were near, looked upon me as a brute, fordisturbing la pauvre enfant; nevertheless, with myentreecame up a dish of thisdelicate spinnage, with which I made the girl a very prettyChapeau Anglois, for I turned it, dish and all, upon her head; this set the house in such an uproar, that, if there had not come in an old gentleman likeBourgeoisofParis, at that instant, I verily believe I should have been turned out; but he engaged warmly in my defence, and insisted upon it that I had treated the girl just as he would have done, had she brought such a dirty dish to him after being cautioned not to do so; nor should I have got any supper, had I not prevailed on this good-natured man, who never eat any, to order a supper for himself, and transfer it to me. He was a native ofLyons, and had been, for the first time after thirty years absence, to visit his relations there. My entertainment at this house,outward-bound, was half a second-hand roasted turkey, or, what the sailors call atwice-laiddish, i.e. one which isdone overa second time.
I know the French in general will not like to see this dirty charge, brought even against anaubergiste, and much less to hear it said, that this disregard to cleanliness is almost general in the public inns; but truth justifies it, and I hope the publication may amend it.
A modern French anonymous traveller, who I conclude by the company he kept in England, is a man of fashion, gives in general a just account of the English nation, their customs and manners; and acknowledges, in handsome terms, the manner he was received by some of the first families in England. He owns, however, he does not understand English, yet he has the temerity to say, thatGulliver'stravels are thechef d'œuvreofDean Swift; but observes, that those travels are greatly improved by passing through the hands ofDesfontaines.—This gentleman must excuse me in saying, thatDesfontainesneither understood English, norDean Swift, better than he does. He also concludes his first volume, by observing, that what a French Ambassador to England said of that nation, in the year 1523, constitutes their character at this day! 'Alas! poor England! thoube'stso closely situated, and in such daily conversation with the polite and polished nation of France, thou hast gained nothing of their ease, breeding, and compliments, in the space of two hundred and fifty years!'—What this gentleman alludes to, is the Ambassador's letter to theConetable Montmorency, previous to the meeting ofHenrythe Eighth andFrancisthe First, nearArdres; for, (says the Ambassador)sur-tout je vous prie, que vous ostiez de la Cour, ceux qui unt la reputation d'etre joyeux & gaudisseur, car c'est bien en ce monde, la chose la plus haie de cette nation. And in a few lines after, he foists in an extract from a Scotchman, oneBarclay, who, in hisExamen of Nations, says,Jenenc connoit point de plus aimable creature, qui un François chez qui l'enjoument est tempore par le judgment, & par discretion; to all which I subscribe: but such men are seldom to be met with in any kingdom.
This gentleman says, the most remarkable, or rather the only act of gaiety he met with inLondon, was an harangue made for an hour in the House of Lords, previous to the trial of LordByron; and that, as he afterwards understood, it was made by a drunken member of parliament. He says it made him and every body laugh exceedingly; but he laughed only (I presume) because every body else did, and relates the story, I fear, merely to make it a national laugh; for the harangue was certainly very ill placed, and the mirth it produced, very indecent, at a time a Peer of the realm was to be brought forth, accused of murder; and the untimely death of a valuable and virtuous young man, revived in every body's memory.
This is the unfavourable side of what the gentleman says of the first people in England. Of the peasants and lower order, he observes, that, though they are well fed, well cloathed, and well lodged, yet they are all of a melancholy turn.—The French have no idea of what we calldry humour; and this gentleman, perhaps, thought the English clown melancholy, while he was laughing in his sleeve at the foppery of hislaquais.
These observations put me in mind of another modern traveller, a man of sense and letters too, who observes, that the ballustrades atWestminsterbridge are fixed very close together, to prevent the English getting through to drown themselves: and of a Gentleman atCambridge, who, having cut a large pigeon-hole under his closet door, on being asked the use of it, said, he had it cut for an old cat which had kittens, to go in and out; but added,that he must send for the carpenter, to cut little holes for the young ones. Hisacute visitorinstantly set up ahorselaugh, and asked him whether the little cats could not come out at the same hole the big one did? The other laughing in his turn, said, he did notthink of that.
Though I have spoken with freedom of this French traveller's remarks, yet I must own that, in general, he writes and thinks liberally, and speaks highly of the English nation, and very gratefully of many individuals to whom he was known; and, I dare say, a Frenchman will find many more mistakes of mine, which I shall be happy to see pointed out, or rectified: but were I to pick out the particular objects of laughter, pity, and contempt, which have fallen in my way, in twice crossing this great continent, I could make a secondJoe Millerof one, and aJane Shoreof the other. If this traveller could have understood theBeggars' Opera, thehumourofSam. Foote, or the pleasantry among English sailors, watermen, and the lower order of the people, he would have known, that, though the English nation have not so much vivacity as the French, they are behind-hand with no nation whatever, where true wit and genuine humour are to be displayed. What would he have said, could he have seen and entered into the spirit of the procession of themiserable Scalds, or Mr.GarrickinScrub;Shuter,Woodward, Mrs.Clive, or even our littleEdwinatBath? Had he seen any of these things, he must have laughed with the multitude, as he did in the House of Lords, though he had not understood it, and must have seen how inimitably the talents of these men were formed, to excite so much mirth and delight, even to a heavyunpolishedEnglish audience.
FromSt. GeorgetoMaconis five leagues. Nothing on earth can be more beautiful than the face of this country, far and near. The road lies over a vast and fertile plain, not far distant from the banks of theSoaneon one side, and adorned with mountains equally fertile, and beautiful, on the other. It is very singular, that all the cows of this part of the country are white, or of a light dun colour, and the dress of all theMaconoisepeasants as different from any other province in France, as that of the Turkish habit; I mean the women's dress, for I perceived no difference among the men, but that they are greater clowns, than any other French peasants. The women wear a broad bone lace ruff about their necks, and a narrow edging of the same sort round their caps, which are in the form of the charity girls' caps in England; but as they must not bind them on with any kind of ribband, they look ratherlaid upontheir heads, thandressed upon them; their gowns are of a very coarse light brown woollen cloth, made extremely short-waisted, and full of high and thick plaits over the hips, the sleeves are rather large, and turned up with some gaudy coloured silk; upon the shoulders are sewed several pieces of worsted livery lace, which seem to go quite under their arms, in the same manner as is sometimes put to children to strengthen their leading-strings; upon the whole, however, the dress is becoming, and the very long petticoat and full plaits, have a graceful appearance.
AtLyonsI saw aMacinoisegirl of fashion, or fortune, in this dress; her lace was fine, her gown silk, and her shoulder-straps of silver; and, as her head had much more of thebon goutthan thebon ton, I thought her the most inviting object I had seen in that city, my delicate landlady atNismesalways excepted. I think France cannot produce such another womanfor beautyasMadame Seigny.
I bought a large quantity of theMaconlace, at about eight-pence English a yard, which, at a little distance, cannot easily be distinguished from fine oldpointe.
BetweenSt. GeorgeandMacon, at a time we wanted our breakfast, we came to a spot where two high roads cross each other, and found there a littlecabbin, not unlike the Iron House, as to whim, but this was built, sides, top, and bottom, with sawed boards; and as a little bit of a board hung out at the door informed us they sold wine, I went in, and asked the mistress permission to boil my tea-kettle, and to be permitted to eat our breakfast in her prettycabbin? The woman was knitting; she laid down her work, rose up, and with the ease and address of a woman of the first fashion, said we did her honour, that her house, such as it was, and every thing in it, were at our service; she then sent a girl to a farmer's hard by, for milk, and to a village a quarter of a league distant, for hot bread; and while we breakfasted, her conversation and good breeding made up a principal part of therepas; she had my horse too brought to the back part of hercabbin, where he was well fed from a portable manger. I bought of her two bottles of white wine, not much inferior to, and much wholesomer than, Champaigne, and she charged me for the whole, milk, bread, fire,conversation, and wine, thirty sixsols, about seventeen pence English! Though this gentlewoman, for so I must call her, and so I believe she is, lived in such a small hut, she seemed to be in good circumstances, and hadliqueurs, tea, and a great variety ofbons chosesto sell. This was the only public house, (if it maybe called by that name,) during my whole journeyoutandin, where I found perfect civility; not that the publicans in general have not civilityin their possession, but they will not, either fromprideordesign,produce it, particularly to strangers. Mywooden-house landladyindeed, was a prodigy; and it must be confessed, that no woman of the lower order in England, nor even of the middling class, have any share of that ease and urbanity which is so common among the lower order of thepeopleof this kingdom: but the woman I now speak of, had not, you will perceive, the least design even upon my purse; I made no previous agreement with her for my good fare, and she scorned to take any advantage of my confidence; and I shewed my sense of it, by giving her little maid eight times more than she ever received for such services before—an English shilling.
Let not this single, and singular woman, however, induce you to trust to the confidence of a Frenchaubergisteespecially afemale; you may as well trust to the conscience of an itinerant Jew. Frenchmen are so aware of this, that have heard a traveller, on amaigreday, make his bargain for hisaumletand the number of eggs to be put in it, with an exactness scarce to be imagined; and yet the upshot was only two pence English.
The easy manner in which a French officer, or gentleman, can traverse this mighty kingdom, either for pleasure or business, is extremely agreeable, and worthy of imitation among young British officers.—In England, if an Ensign of foot is going a journey, he must have two horses, and a groom, though he has nothing but a regimental suit of cloaths, and half a dozen shirts to carry; his horses too mustset both ends wellbecause he is aCaptainupon the road! and he travels at about five times the expence of his pay.
The French officer buys a littlebiddet, puts his shirts and best regimental coat into a littleportmanteau, buckles that behind his saddle, and with his sword by his side, and hiscroixat his button-hole, travels at the expence of about three shillings a day, and often less, through a kingdom where every order of people shew him attention, and give him precedence.
I blush, when I recollect that I haverodethe risque of being wet to the skin because I would notdisgrace my saddle, nor load my back with a great coat; for I haveformerly, as well aslatterly, travelled without a servant.
I have a letter now before me, which I received a few days ago from a French Captain of foot, who says,sur le champ j'ay fait seller ma petite Rossinante (car vous scavez que j'ay achete un petit cheval de 90 livres selle et bride) et me voila a Epernay chez Monsieur Lechet, &c. This gentleman's whole pay does not amount to more than sixty pounds a year, yet he has always five guineas in his pocket, and every convenience, and some luxuries about him; he assists now and then an extravagant brother, appears always well dressed; and last year I bought him a ticket in the British lottery: he did not consider that he employed an unfortunate man to buy it, and Iforgotto remind him of it.
After saying thus much of a virtuous young man (though a Frenchman) there will be no harm in telling you his name isLalieu, a Captain in the regimentdu Maine.—Before I took my last leave of him, talking together of the horrors of war, I asked him what he would do if he were to see mevis-a-visin an hostile manner? He embraced me, and said, "turn the but end of my fusee towards you, my friend." I thank God that neither hisbut-end, nor mymuzzlecan ever meet in that manner, and I shall be happy to meet him in any other.
P.S.I omitted to say, that theMaconoisefemale peasants wear black hats, in the form of the English straw or chip hats; and when they are tied on, under the chin, it gives them with the addition of their round-eared laced cap, a decent, modest appearance which puts out of countenance all the borrowed plumage, dead hair, black wool, lead, grease, and yellow powder, which is now in motion betweenEdinburghandParis.
It is a pity that pretty women, at least, do not know, that the simplicity of a Quaker's head-dress, is superior to all that art can contrive: and those who remember the elegantMiss Fide, a woman of that persuasion, will subscribe to the truth of my assertion. And it is still a greater pity, that plain women do not know, that the more they adorn andartifytheir heads, the more conspicuous they make their natural defects.
AtChallons sur la Soane, (for there is another town of the same name inChampaigne) I had thehonorof a visit fromMons. le Baron Shortall, a gentleman of an ancient family,rather in distress at this time, by beingkept outof six and thirty thousand a year, his legal property in Ireland; but as the Baron made his visitala-mode de capuchin Friar, without knocking, and when only the female part of my family were in the apartment, he was dismissedrather abruptlyfor a man ofhis high rankandgreat fortune in expectation. This dismission, however, did not dismay him; he rallied again, with the reinforcement ofMadame la Baroness, daughter, as he positively affirmed, ofMons. le Prince de Monaco; but as I had forbad his beingshewn up, he desired me tocome down, a summons curiosity induced me to obey. Never, surely, were two peopleof fashionin a more pitiable plight! he was in arusset brown blacksuit of cloaths; Madamela Baronessin much the same colour, wrapt up in a tattered black silk capuchin; and I knew not which to admire most, their folly or their impudence; for surely never did anadventurerset out with lesscapabilitiesabout him; his whole story was so flagrant a fib, that in spite of thevery respectable certificates of My Lord Mayor, John Wilkes, and Mr. Alderman Bull, I was obliged to tell him plainly, that I did not believe him to be a gentleman, nor his wife to be a relation of the Prince ofMonaco. All this he took in good part, and then assured me they were both very hungry, and without meat or money; I therefore ordered a dinner at twentysolsa head; and, as I sat by while they eat it, I had reason to believe that he told meone plain truth, for in truth they eat as if they had never eaten before. After dinner the Baron did me the honour to consult with mehowhe should get down toLyons? I recommended to him to proceed bywater; but, said he, my dear Sir, I have no money;—an evil I did not chuse to redress; and, after several unsuccessful attempts at my purse, and some at my person,—he whispered me that even six livres would be acceptable; but I held out, and got off, by proposing that the Baroness should write a letter to the Prince her father, to whom I had the honour to be known, and that I would carry him the letter, and enforce their prayer, by making it my own. This measure she instantly complied with, and addressed her fatheradorable Prince; but concluded it with a name which could not belong to her either as maid, wife, or widow. I remarked this to theBaron, who acknowledged at oncethe mistake, said she had signed a false name, and she should write it over again; but when I observed to him that, as the Prince knew the handwriting of hisowndear child, and as the name of women isoften varying by marriage, ormiscarriage, it was all one: to this he agreed; and I brought off the letter, and my purse too, for fortysols; yet there was so much falshood, folly, and simplicity in thissimple pair of adventurers, that I sorely repented I did not give them their passage in thecoche d'eautoLyons; for he could not speak a word of French, norMadame la Baronessa word of English; and the onlyinsigniaof distinction between them, was, a vast clumsy brass-hilted sword which the Baron, instead of wearing at his side, held up at his nose, like a Physician's gold-headed cane.—When I took my leave of thisSir James Shortall, (for he ownedat lasthe wasonly a Baronet) he promised to meet menext timedressed in his blue and silver.
I verily believe my IrishadventureratPerpignan, is a gentleman, and therefore I relieved him; I am thoroughly persuaded myChallonsadventurer is not, yet perhaps he was a real object of charity, and his true tale would have produced him better success than hisborrowed story.Sir Jameswas about sixty,Lady Shortallabout fifty.—Sir Jamestoo had a pretty large property in America, and would have visited his estates on that continent, had I not informed him of the present unhappy differences now subsisting between that and the mother country, of which he had not heard a single syllable.
After having said thus much, I think I must treat you with a copy ofLady Shortall'sletter, a name very applicable to their unhappy situation, for they did indeed seem short of every thing;—so here it is,verbatim et literatim:
"Monsieur Thickness gentilhomme anglaise
"Adorable preince de monaco que tout mordonne deme, lise au de fus de cette lette le non deun digne homme qui me randu ser visse, je suis malade, le convan; serois preferable a mon bouneur je veux sepandant sauve non marij mais je me meure tre seve mon derinier soupire, je ne le doit qua vous.
"Julie Baronne de Chatterre.le 18 May 1776."
"A sont altess ele preince de Monaco, dans sont hautelle rue de Vareinne a Paris."
FromChallonstoBonne, is five leagues.Bonneis a good town, well walled-in, pleasantly situated, and remarkable for an excellent and well-conducted Hospital, where the poor sick are receivedgratis, without distinction, and where the rich sick are accommodated with nurses, physicians, medicines, food, and lodging, with every assistance that can be wanted, for four livres a day. The apartments in which the poor are received, are so perfectly clean and sweet, that they are fit for people of any condition; but those provided for the better sort, are indeed sumptuously furnished. The women who act as nurses, are of a religious order, and wear a particular, decent, and uniform habit, to which their modest deportment exactly coincides; yet most of them are young, and many of them very beautiful.
Between these two towns we met an English servant, in a rich laced livery, conducting, behind a post-chaise, a large quantity of baggage; and soon after, a second servant, in the same uniform; this excited our curiosity, and we impatiently proceeded, in hopes of meeting the equipage, which it was natural to expect would soon follow; instead of which, it was an old English four-wheel chaise, thecontentsof which were buckled close up behind a pair of dirty leather curtains; and on the coach-box sat, by the side of the driver, a man who had the appearance of an English farmer. This contrast rather increased than lessened our curiosity; and, therefore, atBonne, I made some enquiry about them of the post-master; who told me they came in, and set off, separately, just as I had met them; but that one servant paid for the horses to all the carriages, and that the womanbehind the curtain, according to custom, did not chuse to shew herself. Just as I was returning with this blind account, an English servant, who I had not perceived, but who stood near, told me, he was sureas howit was either theDuchessofKingstonorMrs Rudd, for that heseedher very plain. I was much surprized at finding an Englishman so near me; and the singularity of the man's observation had a very forcible effect upon me. When the mirth which it unavoidably occasioned, was a little subsided, I could not help correcting, in gentle terms, (though I was otherwise glad to see even an English footman so far fromEnglish land) a man in his station for speaking of people of high rank with so much indecent levity, and then told him, that there was no such person living as theDuchessofKingston, but that it was probable the Lady he thought he had seen might beLady Bristol; that there was not however, the least resemblance between the person of her Ladyship and the other Lady he had mentioned, the latter being young, thin, and rather handsome; whereasLady Bristolwas very fat, and advanced in years; I therefore suspected, I told him, that he had confounded the trials of those two Ladies, and fancied he saw a likeness in their persons, by an association of ideas; but in reality, there was as much difference in their crimes as in their persons.Crimes! did I say? that is an improper expression, because I am informedMrs. Ruddhas been acquitted; but that, if the foreign papers might be relied on,Lady Bristolhad been found guilty ofBigamy: But as he seemed not to understand what I meant byBigamy, or theassociation of ideas, I was unavoidably led into a conversation, and explanation, with this young man; which nothing but my pride, and his ignorance, could justify; but as the fellow was overjoyed to see me, I could not help giving him something to drink, and with it a caution never to speak of people of high rank and condition, even behind their backs, but under their proper names or titles, and with decency and respect: he then begged my pardon, and assured me, if he had known that either of the Ladies had been a friend of mine, he would not have coupled them so improperly together; and I am thoroughly convinced, the man left me with a resolution, never to hazard a conjecture without a better foundation than that he started to me, and which I rather believe he hit offextempore, to speak to me, and shew himself my countryman, than from really suspecting that the woman behind the curtain was eitherLady Bristol, orMrs. Rudd; though I was inclined to think it very probable, for I had seenLord Bristolon his way throughLyonsfromItalytoEngland, and had been informed,Lady Bristolwas then on her road toItaly; in which case, I, like the footman, had my conjectures, and accounted for the leather curtains being soclosely buckled to.
These are trifling remarks, you will say; but if a sign-painter can paint only a bear, those who employ him must have a bear for their sign; nevertheless, we have all a certain curiosity to know even the most trifling actions, or movements of people, who by their virtues or vices, especially if they are people of rank or condition, have occasioned much talk in the world; and therefore, ridiculous as this incident is, yet as we have long known one of the Ladies, and oftenadmiredboth, I could not let either one or the other pass me unnoticed, on a road too, where even an English Duchess (if she would own the truth) would feel a secret delight in meeting of a Hyde-park-corner groom.
I have already mentioned what partiality and degree of notice, countrymen take of each other when they meet far from home. That notice is always in proportion to the distance. Had myBonnefootman spoke ofLady Bristol, orMrs. Rudd, in such free terms ashow he seed 'em, &c. &c. at Hyde-park-corner, or in Tyburn-road, I should have knocked him down with the but end of my whip; but atBonne(five hundred miles from either of those places) he and I werequatre cousins; and I could not help treating him with a bottle ofvin de pais.
FromBonnewe intended to have taken the high road toDijon; but being informed that there was another, though not much frequented, by way ofAutun, and thatthattown, which was a Roman colony, still contained many curious monuments worthy of notice, we pursued the latter, which twisted in between a vast variety of small, but fertile valleys, watered with brooks, bounded by romantic hills, and some high mountains, most of which were covered with vines, whichdidproduce the most delicious red wine in the world; I saydid produce, for the highgoutand flavour of the Burgundy grape has for many years failed, and perhaps so as never to return again. We, however, missed the road toAutun, and, after four leagues' journey through a most delightful country, we arrived at a miserable auberge in a dirty village calledYozy, which stands upon the margin of a large forest, in which, some years since, thediligencefromLyonstoPariswas attacked by a banditti, and the whole party of travellers were murdered: ever since that fatal day, a guard of theMarechausseealways escort thediligencethrough this deep and dreadful forest, (so they called it), and we were persuaded it was right to take a couple of theMarechaussee, and did so; but as we found the forest by no means so long, deep, or dreadful, as it had been represented, we suspected that the advice given us, was more for the sake of the men whoguarded us, than from any regardto us, two men could have made no great resistance against a banditti; and a single man would hardly have meddled with us.
The next day we passed thro'Arnay-le-Duc, a pretty country village, three leagues fromYozy, and it being their annual fair-day, we had an opportunity of seeing all the peasantry, dressed in their best, and much chearfulness, not only in the town, but upon the road before we arrived, and after we passed it. Amongst the rest of the company, were a bear and a monkey, or rather whatBuffoncalls themaggot. I desired the shew-man to permit mymaggot, as he was the least, the youngest, and thestranger, to pay a visit toMons. Maggot, the elder, who embraced theyoung gentlemanin a manner which astonished and delighted every body, myself only excepted; but asmy young gentlemanseemed totally indifferent about theold one, I suspected he hadreally met his father, and I could not help moralizing a little.
FromArnay-le-Ducwe passed throughMaupas,Salou,Rouvray,Quisse la forge, andVermantontoAuxerre, the town where the French noblemanwas saidto live, whom Dr.Smolletttreated so very roughly, and who, in return, was sopoliteas tohelp to tiethe Doctor's baggage behind his coach!
About a quarter of a mile without this town, stands a royal convent, richly endowed, and delightfully situated; the walls of which take in near twenty acres of land, well planted on the banks of a river; and here I left my two daughters, to perfect themselves in the French language, as there was not one person within the convent, nor that I could find, within the town, who could speak a word of English. And here I must not omit to tell you, how much I was overcome with the generosity of this virtuous, and I must add amiable, society ofreligieux. Upon my first inquiry about their price for board, lodging, washing, cloaths, and in short, every thing the children did, or might want, they required a sum much beyond the limits of my scanty income to give; but before we left them, they became acquainted withsome circumstances, which induced them to express their concern that the price I had offered (not half what they had demanded) could not be taken. We therefore retired, and had almost fixed the children in a cheaper convent, but much inferior in all respects, within the town, when we received a polite letter from the Lady Abbess, to say, that after consulting with her sister-hood, they had come to a resolution to take the children at ourownprice, rather than not shew how much they wished to oblige us. Upon this occasion, we werealladmitted within the walls of the convent; and I had the pleasure of seeing my two daughters joined to an elegant troop of about forty genteel children, and of leaving them under the care of the same number ofreligieux. And yet these good people knew nothing of us, but what we ourselves communicated to them, not being known, nor knowing any person in the town.—The Lady-Abbess of this convent is a woman of high rank, about twenty-four years of age, and possesses as large a share of beauty as any reasonable woman, even on theoutsideof a convent, could wish for.
Auxerreis a good town, pleasantly situated, and in a plentiful and cheap country.
FromAuxerretoIoigniis five leagues. ThePetit bel Vueon the banks of the river is very pleasantly situated, but a dreadful one within side, in every respect, being a mixture of dirt, ignorance, and imposition; but it is the only inn for travellers, and therefore travellers should avoid it. In order to put my old hostess in good humour, I called early for a bottle of Champaigne; and in order to put me into a bad humour, she charged me the next day for two; but Icharged herwithMons. Le Connetable, who behaved like a gentleman, though I think he was only amarchand de tonneau: but then he was awinenotbeercooper, who hooped the old Lady's barrel.
Where-ever I was ill-used or imposed upon, I always sent a pretty heavy packet by the post, after I had run down a hundred miles or two, by way ofdraw-back, upon my host, and recompence to the King's high road; for in France,
"Like the Quakers' by-way,'Tis plain without turnpikes, sonothing to pay"
"Like the Quakers' by-way,'Tis plain without turnpikes, sonothing to pay"
"Like the Quakers' by-way,
'Tis plain without turnpikes, so
nothing to pay"
An old witch, who had half starved us atMontpellier, for want of provisions, when we went, and for want of fire to dry us, when we came back, left a piece of candle in my budget, which I did not omit to return by the post,well packed up, lest it should grease other packets of more importance, by riding an hundred leagues; besides this it was accompanied by a very civilletter of advice, under another cover.
The next town of any note isSens, a large,ragged, ancient city; but adorned with a most noble Gothic cathedral, more magnificent than even that ofRheims, and well worthy of the notice of strangers; it is said to have been built by the English: With the relicks andcustodiumsof the host, are shewn the sacerdotal habits, in which ArchbishopBecket(who resided there many years) said mass, for it was his head-quarters, when heleftBritain, as well asJulius Cæsar's before he went there. The silver hasps, and some of the ornaments of these garments, are still perfect, though it has undergone so many darnings, as to be little else.
Becketwas a very tall man; for though it has many tucks in it, yet it is generally too long for the tallest priest in the town, who constantly says mass in it onSt. Thomas's day.
How times and men are changed! This town, which resisted the arms ofCæsarfor a considerable time, was put in the utmost consternation byDr. Smollett's causing his travelling blunderbuss to be only fired in the air, a circumstance "which greatly terrified all thepetit monde!" It is very singular, that the Doctor should have frightened a French nobleman ofBurgundy, by shaking his cane at him, and even made him assist in the most servile offices; and in the next town, terrify all the common people, by only firing a blunderbuss in the air!
I would not willingly arraign a dead man with telling two fibbs so close upon the back of each other; but I am sure there was but that single French nobleman, in this mighty kingdom, who would have submitted to such insults as the Doctorsayshe treated him with; nor any other town butSens, where the firing of a gun would have so terrified the inhabitants; for, drums, guns, and noise of every sort, seem to afford the common French people infinite pleasure.
I spent in this town a day or two, and part of that time with a very agreeable Scotch family, of the name ofMacdonald, where Lieutenant ColonelStuartwas then upon a visit.
I have some reason to think thatSensis a very cheap town. Several English, Scotch, and Irish families reside in it.
FromSenstoPort sur Yonneis three leagues, and fromYonnetoFoussartthe same distance.
At the three Kings atFoussart, suspecting there was a cat behind the bed in wait for my bird, I found, instead thereof, a littlenarrow door, which was artfully hid, and which opened into another room; and as I am sure the man is a cheat, I suspect too, that upon agood occasion, he would have made someuseof his little door.
Foussartis a small place, consisting only of three or four public houses. From thence toMorret, is three leagues, on which road is erected a noble pillar of oriental marble, in memory of the marriage ofLewisthe XVth. Soon after we passed this monument, we entered into the delightful forest ofFontainbleau; and passing three leagues to the center of it, we arrived at that ancient royal palace: it stands very low, and is surrounded by a great many fine pieces of water, which, however, render the apartments very damp. The King and royal family had been there six weeks, and were gone but ten days, and with them, all the furniture of the palace was also gone, except glasses, and a few pictures, of no great value. In a long, gallery are placed, on each side of the wall, a great number of stags' heads, carved in wood, and upon them are fixed the horns of stags and bucks, killed by the late, and former Kings; some of which are veryoutre, others singularly large and beautiful.
Fontainbleauis a good town, stands adjacent to the palace; and as the gardens, park, &c. are always open, it is a delightful summer residence. We staid a few days there, to enjoy the shady walks, and to see the humours of a great annual fair, which commenced the day after we arrived. All sorts of things are sold at this fair; but the principal business is done in thewine way, many thousand pieces of the inferior Burgundy wine being brought to this market.
We made two little days' journey fromFontainbleautoParis, a town I entered with concern, and shall leave with pleasure.—As I had formerly been of some service toFaucautwho keeps theHotel d'York, when he lived inRue de Mauvais GarçonI went to thisfamous Hotel, which would have been more in character, if he had given it the name of his former street, and called it,L'Hotel de Mauvais Garçonfor it is an hospital of bugs and vermin: the fellow has got the second-hand beds ofMadame Pompadour, upon his first floor, which hemodestlyasks thirtylouis d'orsa month for! All the rest of the apartments are pigeon-holes, filled with fleas, bugs, and dirt; and should a fire happen, there is no way of escaping. Nothing should be more particularly attended to inParisthan the security from fire, where so many, and such a variety of strangers, and their servants, are shut up at night, within onePorte Cochere.
Paris.
I found no greater alteration inParis, after ten years' absence from it, than the prodigious difference of expence; most articles, I think, are one-third dearer, and many double; a horse is not half so well fed or lodged atParisas atLondon; but the expence is nearly a guinea a week, and a stranger may drive half round the city before he can lodge himself and his horses under the same roof.F