Passy, 27 February, 1779.
The weather continuing fine, I went to Saint Denis, a little village
about eight miles from this place, where are the tombs of all the kings
and queens. The statues of all lie in state in marble. The church is
called the royal Church of Saint Denis, is magnificent, and there is an
apartment in a chamber, where the crowns and many other curiosities are
preserved. It is curious to see such a collection of gold, ivory, and
precious stones, as there is every species, I suppose, that is mentioned
in the Revelation. The diamonds and rubies glitter. But I confess I have
so much of the savage sachem in me that these things make no great
impression upon me. There are several little crucifixes here, which the
ecclesiastic who showed them told us were made of bits of the true
cross. This may be, for anything that I know.
In my return, I took a circuit round by Montmartre, and dined at home
with the Dr.,[204] who has a fit of the gout, but is getting better.
The situation in which my masters have left me puzzles me very much.
They have said nothing to me. But one set of gentlemen write that I am
to go to Spain, another to Holland, a third to Vienna; upon the whole, I
believe they don't intend to send me to either, but leave me to stay
here in a ridiculous situation, or return home if I can get there. I
shall return unless I should receive, before the time arrives for the
vessel to sail, orders which I can execute with honor and with a
prospect of rendering some service to the public. But of these two last
points I will judge for myself.