A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain Volume II Part 5

I verily believe my Irish _adventurer_ at _Perpignan_, is a gentleman, and therefore I relieved him; I am thoroughly persuaded my _Challons_ adventurer is not, yet perhaps he was a real object of charity, and his true tale would have produced him better success than his _borrowed story_. _Sir James_ was about sixty, _Lady Shortall_ about fifty.--_Sir James_ too 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 of _Lady Shortall's_ letter, 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_."

LETTER XLIX.

From _Challons_ to _Bonne_, is five leagues. _Bonne_ is a good town, well walled-in, pleasantly situated, and remarkable for an excellent and well-conducted Hospital, where the poor sick are received _gratis_, without distinction, and where the rich sick are accommodated with nurses, physicians, medicines, food, and lodging, with every a.s.sistance 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 quant.i.ty 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, the _contents_ of 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, at _Bonne_, 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 woman _behind 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 sure _as how_ it was either the _d.u.c.h.ess_ of _Kingston_ or _Mrs Rudd_, for that he _seed_ her 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 from _English 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 the _d.u.c.h.ess_ of _Kingston_, but that it was probable the Lady he thought he had seen might be _Lady Bristol_; that there was not however, the least resemblance between the person of her Ladys.h.i.+p and the other Lady he had mentioned, the latter being young, thin, and rather handsome; whereas _Lady Bristol_ was 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 a.s.sociation 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 informed _Mrs. Rudd_ has been acquitted; but that, if the foreign papers might be relied on, _Lady Bristol_ had been found guilty of BIGAMY: But as he seemed not to understand what I meant by _Bigamy_, or the _a.s.sociation 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 t.i.tles, and with decency and respect: he then begged my pardon, and a.s.sured 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 off _extempore_, to speak to me, and shew himself my countryman, than from really suspecting that the woman behind the curtain was either _Lady Bristol_, or _Mrs. Rudd_; though I was inclined to think it very probable, for I had seen _Lord Bristol_ on his way through _Lyons_ from _Italy_ to _England_, and had been informed, _Lady Bristol_ was then on her road to _Italy_; in which case, I, like the footman, had my conjectures, and accounted for the leather curtains being so _closely 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 often _admired_ both, I could not let either one or the other pa.s.s me unnoticed, on a road too, where even an English d.u.c.h.ess (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 my _Bonne_ footman spoke of _Lady Bristol_, or _Mrs. Rudd_, in such free terms as _how 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 at _Bonne_ (five hundred miles from either of those places) he and I were _quatre cousins_; and I could not help treating him with a bottle of _vin de pais_.

LETTER L.

From _Bonne_ we intended to have taken the high road to _Dijon_; but being informed that there was another, though not much frequented, by way of _Autun_, and that _that_ town, 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, which _did_ produce the most delicious red wine in the world; I say _did produce_, for the high _gout_ and flavour of the Burgundy grape has for many years failed, and perhaps so as never to return again. We, however, missed the road to _Autun_, and, after four leagues' journey through a most delightful country, we arrived at a miserable auberge in a dirty village called _Yozy_, which stands upon the margin of a large forest, in which, some years since, the _diligence_ from _Lyons_ to _Paris_ was attacked by a banditti, and the whole party of travellers were murdered: ever since that fatal day, a guard of the _Marechaussee_ always escort the _diligence_ through this deep and dreadful forest, (so they called it), and we were persuaded it was right to take a couple of the _Marechaussee_, 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 who _guarded us_, than from any regard _to 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 pa.s.sed thro' _Arnay-le-Duc_, a pretty country village, three leagues from _Yozy_, 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 pa.s.sed it. Amongst the rest of the company, were a bear and a monkey, or rather what _Buffon_ calls the _maggot_. I desired the shew-man to permit my _maggot_, as he was the least, the youngest, and the _stranger_, to pay a visit to _Mons. Maggot_, the elder, who embraced the _young gentleman_ in a manner which astonished and delighted every body, myself only excepted; but as _my young gentleman_ seemed totally indifferent about the _old one_, I suspected he had _really met his father_, and I could not help moralizing a little.

From _Arnay-le-Duc_ we pa.s.sed through _Maupas_, _Salou_, _Rouvray_, _Quisse la forge_, and _Vermanton_ to _Auxerre_, the town where the French n.o.bleman _was said_ to live, whom Dr. _Smollett_ treated so very roughly, and who, in return, was so _polite_ as to _help to tie_ the 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 of _religieux_. Upon my first inquiry about their price for board, lodging, was.h.i.+ng, 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 with _some circ.u.mstances_, 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 our _own_ price, rather than not shew how much they wished to oblige us.

Upon this occasion, we were _all_ admitted 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 of _religieux_. 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 the _outside_ of a convent, could wish for.

_Auxerre_ is a good town, pleasantly situated, and in a plentiful and cheap country.

From _Auxerre_ to _Ioigni_ is five leagues. The _Pet.i.t bel Vue_ on 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 I _charged her_ with _Mons. Le Connetable_, who behaved like a gentleman, though I think he was only a _marchand de tonneau_: but then he was a _wine_ not _beer_ cooper, 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 of _draw-back_, upon my host, and recompence to the King's high road; for in France,

_"Like the Quakers' by-way, 'Tis plain without turnpikes, so nothing to pay"_

An old witch, who had half starved us at _Montpellier_, 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 civil _letter of advice_, under another cover.

LETTER LI.

The next town of any note is _Sens_, a large, _ragged_, ancient city; but adorned with a most n.o.ble Gothic cathedral, more magnificent than even that of _Rheims_, and well worthy of the notice of strangers; it is said to have been built by the English: With the relicks and _custodiums_ of the host, are shewn the sacerdotal habits, in which Archbishop _Becket_ (who resided there many years) said ma.s.s, for it was his head-quarters, when he _left_ Britain, as well as _Julius Caesar_'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.

_Becket_ was 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 ma.s.s in it on _St. Thomas_'s day.

How times and men are changed! This town, which resisted the arms of _Caesar_ for a considerable time, was put in the utmost consternation by _Dr. Smollett_'s causing his travelling blunderbuss to be only fired in the air, a circ.u.mstance "which greatly terrified all the _pet.i.t monde!_"

It is very singular, that the Doctor should have frightened a French n.o.bleman of _Burgundy_, by shaking his cane at him, and even made him a.s.sist 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 n.o.bleman, in this mighty kingdom, who would have submitted to such insults as the Doctor _says_ he treated him with; nor any other town but _Sens_, 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 of _Macdonald_, where Lieutenant Colonel _Stuart_ was then upon a visit.

I have some reason to think that _Sens_ is a very cheap town. Several English, Scotch, and Irish families reside in it.

From _Sens_ to _Port sur Yonne_ is three leagues, and from _Yonne_ to _Foussart_ the same distance.

At the three Kings at _Foussart_, suspecting there was a cat behind the bed in wait for my bird, I found, instead thereof, a little _narrow 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 a _good occasion_, he would have made some _use_ of his little door.

_Foussart_ is a small place, consisting only of three or four public houses. From thence to _Morret_, is three leagues, on which road is erected a n.o.ble pillar of oriental marble, in memory of the marriage of _Lewis_ the XVth. Soon after we pa.s.sed this monument, we entered into the delightful forest of _Fontainbleau_; and pa.s.sing 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 gla.s.ses, 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 very _outre_, others singularly large and beautiful.

_Fontainbleau_ is 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 princ.i.p.al business is done in the _wine way_, many thousand pieces of the inferior Burgundy wine being brought to this market.

We made two little days' journey from _Fontainbleau_ to _Paris_, a town I entered with concern, and shall leave with pleasure.--As I had formerly been of some service to _Faucaut_ who keeps the _Hotel d'York_, when he lived in _Rue de Mauvais Garcon_ I went to this _famous 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 Garcon_ for it is an hospital of bugs and vermin: the fellow has got the second-hand beds of _Madame Pompadour_, upon his first floor, which he _modestly_ asks thirty _louis d'ors_ a 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 in _Paris_ than the security from fire, where so many, and such a variety of strangers, and their servants, are shut up at night, within one _Porte Cochere_.

LETTER LII.

PARIS.

I found no greater alteration in _Paris_, 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 at _Paris_ as at _London_; 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]

[F] _Paul Gilladeau_ who lately left the Silver Lion, at _Calais_, has, I am informed, opened a Livery Stable at _Paris_, upon the _London_ plan, in partners.h.i.+p with _Dessein_, of the _Hotel d'Angleterre_ at _Calais_: a convenience much wanted, and undertaken by a man very likely to succeed.

The beauties, the pleasures, and variety of amus.e.m.e.nts, which this city abounds with, are, without doubt, the magnets which attract so many people of rank and fortune of all nations to it; all which are too well known to be pointed out by me.--To a person of great fortune in the _hey-day_ of life, _Paris_ may be preferable even to _London_; but to one of my age and walk in life, it is, and was ten years ago, the least agreeable place I have seen in France.--Walking the streets is extremely dangerous, riding in them very expensive; and when those things which are worthy to be seen, (and much there is very worthy) have been seen, the city of _Paris_ becomes a melancholy residence for a stranger, who neither plays at cards, dice, or deals in the princ.i.p.al manufacture of the city; i.e. _ready-made love_, a business which is carried on with great success, and with more decency, I think, that even in _London_.

The English Ladies are _weak_ enough to attach themselves to, and to love, one man. The gay part of the French women love none, but receive all, _pour pa.s.ser le tems_.--The _English_, unlike the _Parisian_ Ladies, take pains to discover _who_ they love; the French women to dissemble with those they hate.

It is extremely difficult for even strangers of rank or fortune, to get among the first people, so as to be admitted to their suppers; and without that, it is impossible to have any idea of the luxury and stile in which they live: quant.i.ty, variety, and show, are more attended to in France, than neatness. It is in England alone, where tables are served with real and uniform elegance; but the appet.i.te meets with more provocatives in France; and the French _cuisine_ in that respect, certainly has the superiority.