the body. The carriage part is very simple, being composed of two long
shafts of wood, about twenty feet in length, connected together by cross
bars, so as to form the bed, and on which boards are laid, as the
occasion may require. In the same manner the sides, a front, and back,
may be added at pleasure. The axle and wheels are in the usual place and
form. Upon this carriage is fixed the moveable body, consisting of a
similar frame-work of two shafts connected by cross bars. This body
moves upon an axletree, and extending some feet beyond the carriage
behind, it is let down with ease to receive its load, which the body
moving, as before described, on a pivot, or axle, is easily purchased up
from before.
Nearly half way between Chantilly and Paris, I passed a handsome chateau
to the right, which is now occupied as a school. This establishment was
commenced by an Englishman, in the short interval of the peace of
Amiens, and he was upon the point of making a rapid fortune, when in
common with the other Englishmen at that time in France, he was ordered
to Verdun. His school now passed to his French usher, who continuing to
conduct it upon the same plan, that is, with the order and intelligence
common in every English school, has increased its reputation, and reaps
his merited reward by general encouragement. The rate of the boarders at
this academy may serve to illustrate the comparative cheapness of every
thing in France. The boarders are provided with classic instruction of
every kind, as likewise the most eminent masters in all the fine arts,
and personal accomplishments, to which is to be added clothes, at forty
guineas per annum. An English or American school on the same plan, and
conducted in the same style, could not be less than double, if not
triple the above-mentioned sum.
I reached Paris at an early hour in the afternoon, and having letters
for Mr. Younge, the confidential secretary to Mr. Armstrong, immediately
waited upon him, that his information might assist me as to finding
suitable apartments. Lodgings in Paris are infinitely more expensive
than in London, and with not one-half the comfort. I did not find Mr.
Younge at his house; but upon hearing my name, his Lady received me as
an expected friend, and relieved me from the necessity of further
search, by informing me that Mr. Younge had expected me, and provided
apartments for me in his own house. I shall have future occasion to
mention, that the beautiful Lady of this Gentleman was a Frenchwoman,
and that he had been about six months married to her when I arrived in
Paris. She was the niece of the celebrated Lally Tolendal, and had all
the elegance, beauty, and dignity which seems characteristic of that
family. I never saw a woman, whose perfect beauty excited in me at first
sight such a mixed emotion of wonder, awe, and pleasure.
CHAP. IX.
_A Week in Paris--Objects and Occurrences--National Library--A
French Route--Fashionable French Supper--Conceits--Presentation
at Court--Audience._
AS my purpose in visiting France was not to see Paris, I resolved to
make my stay in this gay capital as short as possible. I entered it on
the Tuesday afternoon, and determined to leave it and pursue my journey
into the provinces on the following Monday. I had therefore little time
to see the singularities of this celebrated metropolis; but I made the
best of this time, and had the advantage of Mr. Younge's knowledge and
guidance.
There is no place in the world, perhaps, more distinguished for literary
eminence, in every part of art and science, than Paris. The literary
institutions of Paris, therefore, were the objects of my first visit.
Every capital has its theatres, public gardens, and palaces; but Paris
alone has its public libraries on a scale of equal utility and
magnificence. In Paris alone, science seems to be considered as an
object of importance to mankind, and therefore as a suitable object for
the protection of Government. In Paris alone, to say all in a word, the
poorest student, the most ragged philosopher, has all the treasures of
princes at his command; the National Library opens at his call, and the
most expensive books are delivered for his use.
On the morning following my arrival, Mr. Younge accompanied me to the
National Library. On entering it, we ascended a most superb staircase
painted by Pellegrine, by which we were led to the library on the first
floor. It consists of a suite of spacious and magnificent apartments,
extending round three sides of a quadrangle. The books are ranged around
the sides, according to the order of the respective subjects, and are
said to amount to nearly half a million. Each division has an attending
librarian, of whom every one may require the book he wishes, and which
is immediately delivered to him. Being themselves gentlemen, there is no
apprehension that they will accept any pecuniary remuneration; but there
is likewise a strict order that no money shall be given to any of the
inferior attendants. There are tables and chairs in numbers, and nothing
seemed neglected, which could conduce even to the comfort of the
readers.
The most complete department of the library is that of the manuscripts.
This collection amounts to nearly fifty thousand volumes, and amongst
them innumerable letters, and even treatises, by the early kings of
France. A manuscript is shewn as written by Louis the Fourteenth: it is
entitled, "Memoirs of his own Time, written by the King himself." I much
doubt, however, the authenticity of this production. Louis the
Fourteenth had other more immediate concerns than writing the history of
France. France is full of these literary forgeries. Every king of
France, if the titles of books may be received as a proof of their
authenticity, has not only written his life, but written it like a
philosopher and historian, candidly confessing his errors and abusing
his ministers.
The second floor of the building contains the genealogies of the French
families. They are deposited in boxes, which are labelled with the
several family names. They are considered as public records, and are
only producible in the courts of justice, in order to determine the
titles to real property. No one is allowed to copy them except by the
most special permission, which is never granted but to histriographers
of established name and reputation. The cabinet of antiques is stated to
be very rich, and, to judge by appearances, is not inferior to its
reputation. The collection was made by Caylus. It chiefly consists of
vases, busts, and articles of domestic use amongst the Romans. The
greater part of them have been already copied as models, in the
ornamenting of furniture, by the Parisian artists. This fashion indeed
is carried almost to a mania. Every thing must be Greek and Roman
without any reference to Nature or propriety. For example, what could
be so absurd as the natural realization of some of these capricious
ornaments? What lady would chose to sleep in a bed, up the pillars of
which serpents were crawling? Yet is such realization the only criterion
of taste and propriety.
The cabinet of engravings detained us nearly two hours. The portfeuilles
containing the prints are distributed into twelve classes. Some of these
divisions invited us to a minute inspection. Such was the class
containing the French fashions from the age of Clovis to Louis the
Sixteenth. In another class was the costume of every nation in the
world; in a third, portraits of eminent persons of all ages and nations;
and in a fourth, a collection of prints relating to public festivals,
cavalcades, tournaments, coronations, royal funerals, &c. France is the
only kingdom in the world which possesses a treasure like this, and
which knows how to estimate it at its proper value.
From the National Library we drove to the Athenee, a library and lecture
institution, supported by voluntary subscription. It is much of the same
nature as an institution of a similar kind in London, termed the British
Institute; but the French Athenaeum has infinitely the advantage. The
subscription is cheaper, being about four Louis annually, and the
lectures are more elegant, if not more scientific. There are usually
three lectures daily; the first on sciences, and the other two on
belles lettres. The lecture on science is considered as very able, but
those on the belles lettres were merely suited, as I understood, to
French frivolity. The rooms were so full as to render our stay
unpleasant, and we thereby lost an anatomy lecture, which was about to
commence. I should not forget to mention, that all the Parisian journals
and magazines, and many of the German periodical works, were lying on
the tables, and the library seemed altogether as complete as it was
comfortable. The subscribers are numerous, and the institution itself in
fashion. How long it will so last, no one will venture to predict.
The library of the Pantheon and that of the Institute finished our
morning's occupation. They are both on the same scale and nearly on the
same general plan as the National Library. The library of the Institute,
however, is only open to foreigners and the members of the Institute.
The Institute holds its sitting every month, and, according to all
report, is then frivolous enough. I had not an opportunity of being
present at one of these sittings, but from what I heard, I did not much
regret my disappointment.
We returned home to dress for dinner. Mr. Younge informed, me, that he
expected a very large party in the evening, chiefly French, and as his
lady herself was a French woman, and had arranged her domestic
establishment accordingly, I felt some curiosity.
About eight, or nearer nine, Mr. Younge and myself, with two or three
other of the dinner company, were summoned up to the drawing-room. The
summons itself had something peculiar. The doors of the parlour, which
were folding, were thrown open, and two female attendants, dressed like
vestals, and holding torches of white wax, summoned us by a low curtsey,
and preceded us up the great staircase to the doors of the anti-chamber,
where they made another salutation, and took their station on each side.
The anti-chamber was filled with servants, who were seated on benches
fixed to the wall, but who did not rise on our entry. Some of them were
even playing at cards, others at dominos, and all of them seemed
perfectly at their ease. The anti-chamber opened by an arched door-way
into an handsome room, lighted by a chandelier of the most brilliant cut
glass; the pannels of the room were very tastily painted, and the
glasses on each side very large, and in magnificent frames. The further
extremity of this room opened by folding doors into the principal
drawing-room, where the company were collected. It was brilliantly
lighted, as well by patent lamps, as by a chandelier in the middle. The
furniture had a resemblance to what I had seen in fashionable houses in
England. The carpet was of red baize with a Turkish border, and figured
in the middle like an harlequin's jacket. The principal novelty was a
blue ribbon which divided the room lengthways, the one side of it being
for the dancers, the other for the card-players. The ribbon was
supported at proper distances by white staves, similar to those of the
court ushers.
The ball had little to distinguish it from the balls of England and
America, except that the ladies danced with infinitely more skill, and
therefore with more grace. The fashionable French dancing is exactly
that of our operas. They are all figurantes, and care not what they
exhibit, so as they exhibit their skill. I could not but figure to
myself the confusion of an English girl, were she even present at a
French assembly. Yet so powerful is habit, that not only did the ladies
seem insensible, but even the gentlemen, such as did not dance, regarded
them with indifference.
Cotillons and waltzes were the only dances of the evening. The waltzes
were danced in couples, twenty or thirty at a time. The measure was
quick, and all the parties seemed animated. I cannot say that I saw any
thing indecorous in the embraces of the ladies and their partners,
except in the mere act itself; but the waltz will never become a current
fashion in England or America.
There is no precedency in a French assembly except amongst the Military.
This is managed with much delicacy. Every group is thrown as much as
possible into a circle. The tables are all circular, and cotillons are
chiefly preferred from having this quality.
I did not join the card-players; there were about half a dozen tables,
and the several parties appeared to play very high. When the game, or a
certain number of games were over, the parties rose from their seats,
and bowing to any whom they saw near them, invited them to succeed them
in their seats. These invitations were sometimes accepted, but more
frequently declined. The division of the drawing-room set apart for the
card-players served rather as a promenade for the company who did not
dance; they here ranged themselves in a line along the ribbon, and
criticised the several dancers. Some of these spectators seemed most
egregious fops. One of them, with the exception of his linen, was
dressed completely in purple silk or satin, and another in a
rose-coloured silk coat, with white satin waistcoat and small clothes,
and white silk stockings. The greater part of the ladies were dressed in
fancy habits from the antique. Some were sphinxes, some vestals, some
Dians, half a dozen Minervas, and a score of Junos and Cleopatras. One
girl was pointed out to me as being perfectly _a l'Anglaise_. Her hair,
perfectly undressed, was combed off her forehead, and hung down her back
in its full length behind. She reminded me only of a school-boy playing
without his hat.
We were summoned to the supper table about three in the morning. This
repast was a perfect English dinner. Soup, fish, poultry and ragouts,
succeeded each other in almost endless variety. A fruit-basket was
served round by the servants together with the bread-basket, and a small
case of liqueurs was placed at every third plate. Some of these were
contained in glass figures of Cupids, in which case, in order to get at
the liqueur, it was necessary to break off a small globule affixed to
the breast of the figure. The French confectioners are more ingenious
than delicate in these contrivances; but the French ladies seem better
pleased with such conceit in proportion to their intelligible
references. Some of these naked Cupids, which were perfect in all their
parts, were handed from the gentlemen to the ladies, and from the ladies
to each other, and as freely examined and criticised, as if they had
been paintings of birds. The gentlemen, upon their parts, were equally
as facetious upon the naked Venuses; and a Swan affixed to a Leda, was
the lucky source of innumerable pleasant questions and answers. Every
thing, in a word, is tolerated which can in any way be passed into an
equivoque. Their conversation in this respect resembles their dress--no
matter how thin that covering may be, so that there be one.
So much for a French assembly or fashionable rout, which certainly
excells an English one in elegance and fancy, as much as it falls short
of it in substantial mirth. The French, it must be confessed, infinitely
excell every other nation in all things connected with spectacle, and
more or less this spectacle pervades all their parties. They dance, they
converse, they sing, for exhibition, and as if they were on the stage.
Their conversation, therefore, has frequently more wit than interest,
and their dancing more vanity than mirth. They seem in both respects to
want that happy carelessness which pleases by being pleased. A
Frenchwoman is a figurante even in her chit-chat.
It may be expected that I did not omit to visit the theatres. Mr. Younge
accompanied me successively to nearly all of them--two or three in an
evening. Upon this subject, however, I shall say nothing, as every book
of travels has so fully described some or other of them, that nothing in
fact is further required.
I had resolved not to leave Paris without seeing the Emperor, and being
informed that he was to hold an audience on the following day, I applied
to Mr. Younge to procure my formal introduction. With this purpose we
waited upon General Armstrong, who sent my name to the Grand Chamberlain
with the necessary formalities. This formality is a certificate under
the hand of the Ambassador; that the person soliciting the introduction
has been introduced at his own Court, or that, according to the best
knowledge of the Ambassador, he is not a Merchant--a _Negociant actuel_.
It may be briefly observed, however, that the French Negotiant answers
better to the English Mechanic, than to the honorable appellation,
Merchant.--General Armstrong promised me a very interesting spectacle in
the Imperial audience. "It's the most splendid Court in Europe," said
he: "the Court of London, and even of Vienna, will not bear a comparison
with it." Every one agreed in the justice of this remark, and my
curiosity was strongly excited.
On the appointed day, about three o'clock, Mr. Younge accompanied me to
the Palace, where we were immediately conducted to a splendid saloon,
which is termed the Ambassadors' hall. Refreshments were here handed
round to the company, which was very numerous, and amongst them many
German Princes in their grand court dress. The conversation became very
general; those who had seen Bonaparte describing him to those who were
about to be introduced. Every one agreed that he was the most
extraordinary man that Europe had produced in many centuries, and that
even his appearance was in no slight degree indicative of his character.
"He possesses an eye," said one gentleman, "in which Lavater might have
understood an hero." Mr. Younge confirmed this observation, and prepared
me to regard him with more than common attention.
The doors of the saloon were at length thrown open, and some of the
officers of the Grand Chamberlain, with white wands and embroidered
robes and scarfs, bowing low to the company, invited us, by waving their
staves, to follow them up the grand staircase. Every one now arranged
themselves, in pairs, behind their respective Ambassadors, and followed
the ushers in procession, according to the precedence of their
respective countries, the Imperial, Spanish, and Neapolitan Ambassadors
forming the van. The staircase was lined on both sides with grenadiers
of the Legion of Honour, most of whom, privates as well as officers,
were arrayed in the order. The officers, as we passed, exchanged salutes
with the Ambassadors; and as the Imperial Ambassador, who led the
procession, reached the door of the anti-chamber, two trumpeters on each
side played a congratulatory flourish. The ushers who had led us so far,
now took their stations on each side the door, and others, in more
splendid habits, succeeded them in the office of conducting us.
We now entered the anti-chamber, in which was stationed the regular
guard of the palace. We were here saluted both by privates and officers,
the Imperial Guard being considered as part of the household. From the
anti-chamber we passed onwards through nearly a dozen most splendid
apartments, and at length reached the presence-chamber.
My eyes were instantly in search of the Emperor, who was at the farther
extremity, surrounded by a numerous circle of officers and counsellors.
The circle opened on our arrival, and withdrew behind the Emperor. The
whole of our company now ranged themselves, the Ambassadors in front,
and their several countrymen behind their respective Ministers.
Bonaparte now advanced to the Imperial Ambassador, with whom, when
present, he always begins the audience. I had now an opportunity to
regard him attentively. His person is below the middle size, but well
composed; his features regular, but in their _tout ensemble_ stern and
commanding; his complexion sallow, and his general mien military. He was
dressed very splendidly in purple velvet, the coat and waistcoat
embroidered with gold bees, and with the grand star of the Legion of
Honour worked into the coat.
He passed no one without notice, and to all the Ambassadors he spoke
once or twice. When he reached General Armstrong, he asked him, whether
America could not live, without foreign commerce as well as France? and
then added, without waiting for his answer, "There is one nation in the
world which must be taught by experience, that her Merchants are not
necessary to the existence of all other nations, and that she cannot
hold us all in commercial slavery: England is only sensible in her
compters."
The audience took up little less than two hours, after which the Emperor
withdrew into an adjoining apartment; and the company departed in the
same order, and with the same appendages, as upon their entrance.
CHAP. X.
_Departure from Paris for the Loire--Breakfast at Palaiseau--A
Peasant's Wife--Rambouillet--Magnificent Chateau--French
Cure--Chartres--Difference of Old French and English
Towns--Subterraneous Church--Curious Preservation of
the Dead--Angers--Arrival at Nantes._
ON my first arrival at Paris, I had intended to remain there only till
the following week; but the kind importunities of Mr. Younge and his
family, induced me to consent to prolong my stay for some days, and an
arrangement was at length made, which caused me most cheerfully to
protract it still further. This arrangement was, that if I would remain
in Paris till after the National Fetes, Mr. Younge, his lady, and her
niece, Mademoiselle St. Sillery, would form a travelling party, and
accompany me in my tour along the banks of the Loire, and thence along
the Southern Coast. As I had no other purpose but to see France, its
scenery and its manners, nothing could possibly have fallen out more
correspondent with my wishes. I shall here cursorily mention, that
Mademoiselle St. Sillery, with the single exception of her aunt, was the
handsomest woman I had yet seen in France.
If I pass over the National Fetes, it is because they differed nothing
from those which preceded them, and which have been minutely detailed by
every Traveller who has written his Tour. These national spectacles have
nothing in them which rewards the trouble of pressing through the mob to
see them. It consisted of nothing but a succession of buffooneries and
fire-works. The fire-works were magnificent--all the other sports
contemptible. In a word, I was so anxious to leave Paris, and to get
into the woods and fields, that the bustle around me scarcely attracted
my attention.
At length, the morning of the 28th of July arrived, and after all due
preparations, I had the long wished-for pleasure of seeing Mr. Younge's
coach at the door, with its travelling appendages. Mr. Younge preferring
to accompany me on horseback, the coach was left to the ladies. In this
manner we left Paris at six o'clock on a lovely summer's morning, and in
less than half an hour were three miles on the road to Chartres, which
we hoped to reach to sleep.
I had again occasion to observe, how much the environs of Paris differed
from those of London. Scarcely had we reached our first stage (about
seven miles), before every appendage of a metropolitan city had
disappeared. With the single exception of the road, which still
continued worthy of a great nation, the scenery and objects were as
retired as in the most remote corner of England. This absence of
commercial traffic has, however, one advantage--it adds much to the
beauty and romance of the country. In England, the manners, habits, and
dress of the capital, pervade to the remotest angle of the kingdom:
there is little variety in passing from London to Penzance. On the other
hand, in France, every Province has still its characteristic dress and
manners; and you get but a few miles from Paris, before you find
yourself amongst a new order of beings.