_A female french fib.--Military and Civil Procession.--Madame
G.--The Review.--Mons. l'Abbé.--Bridge of Boats.--The
Quay.--Exchange.--Theatre.--Rouen.--Cathedral.--St. Ouens.--Prince
of Waldec.--Maid of Orleans._
Having collected together all our luggage, and seen it safely lodged in
a porter's wheelbarrow, Captain C. and I bade adieu to our fellow
travellers, and to these solemn and unsuitable habitations of ostlers
and horses, and proceeded through several narrow streets, lined with
lofty houses, the shops of which were all open, and the shopkeepers,
chiefly women, looked respectable and sprightly, with gay bouquets in
their bosoms, to the Hôtel de l'Europe; it is a fine inn, to which we
had been recommended at Havre, kept by Madame F----, who, with much
politeness, and many captivating movements, dressed à-la-Grec, with
immense golden earrings, approached us, and gave us a little piece of
information, not very pleasant to travellers somewhat discoloured by the
dust of a long and sultry day's journey, who wanted comfortable rooms,
fresh linen, a little coffee, and a good night's repose: her information
was, that her house was completely full, but that she would send to an
upholsterer to fit up two beds for us, in a very neat room, which she
had just papered and furnished, opposite to the porter's lodge (all the
great inns and respectable townhouses in France have great gates, and a
porter's lodge, at the entrance.) As we wished to have three rooms, we
told her, we were friends of Messrs. G----, (the principal merchants of
Rouen). She said, they were very amiable men, and were pleased to _send
all their friends to her house_ (a little french fib of Madame F----'s,
by the by, as will appear hereafter); and she was truly sorry that she
could not accommodate us better. We looked into the room, which also
looked into the street, was exposed to all its noise, and very small. So
we made our bows to Madame F----, and proceeded with our wheelbarrow to
the Hôtel de Poitiers--a rival house. It is situated in the beautiful
boulevards, which I have mentioned, and is part of a row of fine
stonebuilt houses. Upon our ringing the bell, Madame P---- presented
herself. We told her, we were just arrived at Rouen, that we had the
honour of being known to Messrs. G----, and should be happy to be placed
under her roof, and wished to have two lodging rooms and a sitting room
to ourselves. Madame P----, who possessed that sort of good and generous
heart, which nature, for its better preservation, had lodged in a
comfortable envelope of comely plumpness, observed, that Messrs. G----
were gentlemen of great respectability, were her patrons, and always
_sent their_ friends to _her_ house (a point upon which these rival
dames were at issue, but the truth was with Madame P----); that she
would do all in her power to make us happy; but at present, on account
of her house being very crowded, she could only offer us two bedrooms.
We were too tired to think of any further peregrinations of discovery;
so we entered our bed-rooms, which, like most of the chambers in France,
had brick floors without any carpetting; they were, however, clean;
and, after ordering a good fire in one of them (for the sudden and
unusual frost, which, in the beginning of summer, committed so much
ravage throughout Europe, commenced the day we had first the honour of
seeing Madame P----); and, after enjoying those comforts which weary
wanderers require, we mounted our lofty beds, and went to rest.
The next day we presented our letter, and ourselves, to Madame G----,
the amiable mother of the gentlemen I have mentioned. She received us
with great politeness, and immediately arranged a dinner party for us,
for that day. It being rather early in the morning, we were admitted
into her chamber, a common custom of receiving early visits in France.
About eleven o'clock we saw a splendid procession of all the military
and civil authorities to the hôtel[4] of the prefect, which was opposite
to our inn.
[4] Hôtel, in France, means either an inn, or private house of
consequence.
The object of this cavalcade was to congratulate the archbishop of Rouen
(who was then upon a visit to the prefect, until his own palace was
ready to receive him) on his elevation to the see.
This spectacle displayed the interference of God, in thus making the
former enemies of his worship pay homage to his ministers, after a long
reign of atheism and persecution.
About twelve o'clock, which is the hour of parade throughout the
republic, we went to the Champ de Mars, and saw a review of the 20th
regiment of chasseurs, under the command of generals St. Hiliare and
Ruffin, who, as well as the regiment, had particularly distinguished
themselves at Marengo.
The men were richly appointed, and in general well mounted. They all
wore mustachios. They were just arrived from Amiens, where, as a mark of
honour, they had been quartered during the negotiation.
The officers were superbly attired. St. Hiliare is a young man, and in
person much resembles his patron and friend, the first consul; and, they
say, in abilities also.
Some of the horses were of a dissimilar size and colour, which had a bad
effect; but I was informed, upon making the remark, that they had lost
many in battle, and had not had time properly to replace them. They were
all strong and fiery, and went through their evolutions with surprising
swiftness.
At dinner our party was very agreeable. Next to me sat a little abbè,
who appeared to be in years, but full of vivacity, and seemed to be much
esteemed by every person present. During the _time of terrour_ (as the
French emphatically call the gloomy reign of Robespierre) the blood of
this good man, who, from his wealth, piety, and munificence, possessed
considerable influence in Rouen, was sought after with keen pursuit.
Madame G---- was the saviour of his life, by concealing him, previous to
her own imprisonment, for two years, in different cellars, under her
house, which she rendered as warm and as comfortable as circumstances,
and the nature of the concealment, would allow. In one of these cells of
humane secresy, this worthy man has often eaten his solitary and
agitated meal, whilst the soldiers of the tyrant, who were quartered
upon his protectress, were carousing in the kitchen immediately above
him.
Soon after our coffee, which, in this country, immediately succeeds the
dinner, we went to view the bridge of boats, so celebrated in history.
This curious structure was contrived by an augustine friar named Michael
Bougeois, it is composed of timber, regularly paved, in squares which
contain the stories, and is 1000[5] feet in length; it commences from
the middle of the quay of Rouen, and reaches over to the Fauxbourg of
St. Sever, and carries on the communication with the country which lies
south of the city. It was begun in the year 1626, below it are the ruins
of the fine bridge of 13 arches, built by the empress Maud, daughter of
Henry I of England. This ingenious fabric rests upon 19 immense barges,
which rise and fall with the flowing and subsiding of the tide. When
vessels have occasion to pass it, a portion of the platform sufficient
to admit their passage is raised, and rolled over the other part. In the
winter, when any danger is apprehended from the large flakes of ice,
which float down the river, the whole is taken to pieces in an hour. The
expense of keeping it in repair is estimated at 10000 livres, or 400
pounds sterling per annum, and is defrayed by government, it being the
highroad to Picardy. Upon the whole, although this bridge is so much
admired, I must confess it appeared to me a heavy performance,
unsuitable to the wealth, and splendour of the city of Rouen, and below
the taste and ingenuity of modern times. A handsome light stone
structure, with a centre arch covered with a drawbridge, for the passage
of vessels of considerable burden, or a lofty flying iron bridge, would
be less expensive, more safe, and much more ornamental.
[5] The french feet are to the english as 1068 to 1000.
The view from this bridge up the Seine, upon the islands below mount St.
Catharine, is quite enchanting. Upon the quay, although it was Sunday, a
vast number of people were dancing, drinking, and attending shows and
lotteries. Here were people of various nations, parading up and down in
the habits and dresses of their respective countries, which produced
quite the effect of a masquerade. The river Seine is so deep at this
place, that ships of three hundred tons burden are moored close to the
quay, and make a very fine appearance. The exchange for the merchants is
parallel with the centre of the quay, and is a long paved building of
about 400 feet in length, open at top, having a handsome iron
balustrade, and seats towards the Seine, and a high stone wall towards
the town. Over all the great gates of the city, is written, in large
characters, "Liberty, Equality, Humanity, Fraternity or Death:" the last
two words have been painted over, but are still faintly legible.
In the evening we went to the french opera, which was very crowded. The
boxes were adorned with genteel people, and many beautiful young women.
The theatre is very large, elegant, and handsome, and the players were
good. I was struck with the ridiculous antics, and gestures of the chef
in the orchestra, a man whose office it is to beat time to the
musicians. In the municipality box which was in the centre, lined with
green silk, and gold, were two fine young women who appeared to be
ladies of fashion, and consequence; they were dressed after the antique,
in an attire which, for lightness, and scantiness I never saw equalled,
till I saw it surpassed at Paris. They appeared to be clothed only in
jewels, and a little muslin, very gracefully disposed, the latter, to
borrow a beautiful expression, had the appearance of "woven air."--From
emotions of gratitude, for the captivating display which they made, I
could not help offering a few fervent wishes, that the light of the next
day might find them preserved from the dreaded consequences of a very
bitter cold night.
Rouen, upon the whole, is a fine city, very large, and populous. It was
formerly the capital of the kingdom of Normandy. It stands upon a plain,
screened on three sides, by high, and picturesque mountains. It is near
two leagues in compass, exclusive of the fauxbourgs of St. Severs,
Cauchoise, Bouveul, St. Hiliare, Martainville and Beauvisme. Its
commerce was very celebrated, and is returning with great rapidity. Most
of the fine buildings in this city, and its environs are Anglo-Norman
antiquities, and were founded by the English before they left Normandy.
The cathedral is a grand, and awful pile of gothic architecture, built
by our William the Conqueror. It has two towers, one of which, is
surmounted by a wooden spire covered with lead, and is of the prodigious
height of 395 french feet, the other is 236 feet high.
The additional wooden spire, and the inequality of the towers produce
rather an unfavourable effect. During the revolution, this august
edifice was converted into a sulphur and gunpowder manufactory, by which
impious prostitution, the pillars are defaced, and broken, and the whole
is blackened, and dingy.
The costly cenotaphs of white marble, enriched with valuable ornaments
containing the hearts of our Henry III, and Richard I, kings of England,
and dukes of Normandy, which were formerly placed on each side of the
grand altarpiece, were removed during the revolution.
The altarpiece is very fine. Grand preparations were making for the
inauguration of the archbishop, which was to take place the following
Sunday. There were not many people at mass; those who were present,
appeared to be chiefly composed of old women, and young children. Over
the charity box fastened to one of the pillars was a board upon which
was written in large letters "Hospices reconnoissance et prospérité à
l'homme généreux et sensible." I saw few people affected by this
benedictory appeal. I next visited the church of St. Ouens, which is not
so large as the cathedral, but surpasses that, and every other sacred
edifice I ever beheld, in point of elegance. This graceful pile, has
also had its share of sufferings, during the reign of revolutionary
barbarism. Its chaste, and elegant pillars, have been violated by the
smoke of sulphur and wood; and in many places, present to the distressed
eye, chasms, produced by massy forges, which were erected against them,
for casting ball. The costly railing of brass, gilt, which half
surrounded the altar, has been torn up, and melted into cannon. The
large circular stained window over the entrance called La Rose du
Portail is very beautiful, and wholly unimpaired. The organs in all the
churches are broken and useless. They experienced this fate, in
consequence of their having been considered as fanatical instruments
during the time of terrour. The fine organ of St. Ouens is in this
predicament, and will require much cost to repair it[6].
[6] The ornaments of the churches of England experienced a similar fate
from the commissioners of the Long Parliament, in 1643.
I cannot help admiring the good sense which in all the churches of
France is displayed, by placing the organ upon a gallery over the grand
entrance, by which the spectator has an uninterrupted view, and commands
the whole length of the interior building. In the English cathedrals, it
is always placed midway between the choir and church, by which, this
desired effect is lost.--St. Ouens is now open for worship.
In spite of all the devastations of atheistic Vandalism, this exquisite
building, like the holy cause to which it is consecrated, having
withstood the assailing storm, and elevating its meek, but magnificent
head above its enemies, is mildly ready to receive them into her bosom,
still disfigured with the traces of blind and barbarous ferocity.
Behind the altar, I met the celebrated prince of Waldec. He, who
possessed of royal honours, and ample domains, revolted in the day of
battle, from his imperial master, and joined the victorious and pursuing
foe. I beheld him in a shaded corner of one of the cloisters of St.
Ouens, in poor attire, with an old umbrella under his arm, scantily
provided for, and scarcely noticed by his _new_ friends. A melancholy,
but just example of the rewards due to treachery and desertion.
I have described these churches only generally, it cannot be expected of
me to enter into an elaborate history of them, or of any other public
edifices. The detail, if attempted, might prove dull, and is altogether
incompatible with the limited time, and nature of my excursion.
After we left St. Ouens, we visited the Square aux Vaux, where the
celebrated heroine of Lorrain, Joan d'Arc, commonly called the Maid of
Orleans was cruelly burnt at the stake, for a pretended sorceress, but
in fact to gratify the barbarous revenge of the duke of Bedford, the
then regent of France; because after signal successes, she conducted her
sovereign, Charles, in safety, to Rheims, where he was crowned, and
obtained decisive victories over the English arms. We here saw the
statue erected by the French, to the memory of this remarkable woman,
which as an object of sculpture seems to possess very little worthy of
notice.