Application for an audience at the Court of Tuscany.--A grand
Drawing-room at the Pitti Palace.--Transfer of the sovereignty
of Tuscany.--The author presented to the Grand Duke and to the
Princesses.--His conversation with the Grand Duke.--Political
Reflections.
A little circumstance that is scarce worth mentioning has drawn me from
my privacy, and induced me to appear at the court of Tuscany. When the
resolution to be presented, was taken, a letter was addressed to the
great chamberlain, with a request to have an audience of the grand
duke, and of the princesses of the family, of whom there are three of
an age to have establishments; and I received an answer that I should
be presented on the occasion of a festival that was at hand, when there
was to be a grand drawing-room. Accordingly, the sword, and steel
buttons, and lace were early provided; for I was given to understand
that these were indispensable paraphernalia. Were the thing to be done
over again, I should ask permission to appear in the full dress of my
own country: for if a Turk can be received in this manner, why not an
American? My attire, however, was not much out of the ordinary way,
being merely a black coat, breeches, and vest, with lace at the cuffs
and frills, steel buttons and a sword, with a dress hat. Still, I make
no doubt, had a proper representation been made, I might have been
received precisely as one goes to the White House; for the rule is,
that each person shall appear in the full dress of his own country.
As we have no minister in Italy, I escaped the necessity of offering
an apparent slight; for in no ordinary circumstances would I be
presented by an American minister: it is not his duty, and one can get
along quite as well without him as with him. I did think of asking
the minister of Russia to do me this favour, for he would have been
the most natural substitute for one of our own; but, on reflection, I
determined to put myself altogether in the hands of the regular officer
of the court.
The great chamberlain, the Marchese Corsi, had directed me to be at the
Pitti at an early hour in the evening, where I was to inquire for him.
The King of England is lodged much less like a monarch than the Grand
Duke of Tuscany, who inhabits a palace fit for an emperor, although
it was originally constructed, or rather commenced, by a merchant. As
every one is admitted to see its pictures, I had often been in the
building; but this was the first occasion on which I had entered the
regular reception-rooms.
Of course I was punctual, and on descending the great stairs, I found
them, the galleries, and the ante-chambers crowded with lackeys in the
royal liveries. Beyond these, again, was a party of the noble guards, a
sort of _gardes du corps_; and still farther in advance, was a room in
which the young pages of honour, sons of the first houses of Tuscany,
were amusing themselves after the fashion of their time of life, with
certain practical jokes on each other. One of these was the young Baron
----, the owner of our own palazzo, and, although just at the moment
he was very busy in exercising his wit on one of his companions, he no
sooner recognised me, than he good-naturedly abandoned his fun to come
and offer his services. I told him I wished to find the Marchese Corsi,
and he pointed to one of the chamberlains of the court as the person to
whom I ought to apply.
I saw through the long vista of rooms, that a crowd was present, and
that every body was in high dress. The chamberlain to whom I applied
was in scarlet, and seemed to be in waiting for stray courtiers
like myself. As soon as I preferred my request to be conducted to
Signor Corsi, he asked me, with a little point of manner, if I were
an American. The answer was in the affirmative, of course, and, for
a rarity, my national character appeared to be in my favour. This
gentleman very obligingly led the way through two or three large rooms
full of courtiers, and presented me to the grand chamberlain, who was
in a small apartment that contained merely a dozen people. After a
short conversation, I was desired to wait a little, for the appearance
of the royal family. On looking round, I perceived that my companions
were the secretaries of the different legations, and as I knew several
of them, we fell into discourse. I observed that my presence caused a
little surprise, and apprehensive that it was my duty to retire to the
crowd in the outer room, I took an opportunity to question an English
acquaintance on the subject. From this gentleman I learned that my
presence in this particular room was a little out of rule. He said
this delicately, but with sufficient distinctness. The family was in
an apartment still farther removed from the crowd, where it was in
the practice of receiving the heads of the different legations; and
the subordinates, with the ministers of state, had their place in the
little room in which we then were. My informant added, that several of
his countrymen were among the courtiers, waiting to be presented. This
information was no sooner obtained, than, supposing I had misunderstood
M. Corsi, I withdrew.
In a minute, however, I was summoned back to the side of the great
chamberlain, who told me that the grand duke was about to enter the
room. I explained my error, by intimating that I had been led to
suppose myself where I ought not to be. On this hint, the great
chamberlain indirectly, but very politely, gave me to understand that
_he_ was master of the ceremonies at the court of Tuscany, and no one
else. Of course I had no objection to make, and was resigned to my
honour. But at this moment the Count Fossombrone, the first minister of
state, a respectable old man of an excellent character, entered, and
took his station near the door. The rest of us were ranged in a circle,
the Marchese Corsi nearest to the premier, and I at his elbow.
You probably know that the Grand Duke of Tuscany is also an Austrian
Archduke. The scale is so graduated, that I believe he ranks higher, as
a cadet of the Imperial House, than as sovereign of this beautiful and
respectable little state. At any rate, his usual style is that of His
Imperial and Royal Highness, Leopold, &c. &c. His sister and daughters
are also styled Archduchesses; although the latter are as yet mere
children.
Tuscany came into the possession of the House of Austria by an
arrangement with France. At the death of John Gaston, the last of
the Medici, in 1737, Louis XV. succeeded, as the descendant of Maria
di Medici, the wife of Henry IV. About the same time, Francis, the
reigning Duke of Lorraine, had married the heiress of the Hapsbourgs,
and was elected Emperor of Germany. Lorraine lying within the Rhine, at
a short distance from Paris, and since the conquest of Alsace actually
_enclavé_ by the French territory, it was very desirable to possess it.
The death of John Gaston offered a favourable occasion, and the family
of Lorraine, durably transferred to the thrones of Austria, consented
to exchange its ancient states for those of Tuscany. As regards extent
and richness of territory and population, France made a hard bargain;
but high political considerations balanced the account. Tuscany was
remote, while the possession of Lorraine threw back the eastern and
most vulnerable frontier of the kingdom at once to the Rhine.
The marriage of Francis, moreover, would have left the future head
of the house of Austria in occupation of a territory almost in the
heart of France, without this arrangement, or a violent seizure.
France stipulated that Tuscany should never be merged in Austria, as
a state, however, but that it should be governed by a cadet of the
family. Thus, when Joseph II. died without issue and was succeeded by
his brother Leopold, then Grand Duke of Tuscany, the second son of the
latter, Ferdinand, became sovereign of Tuscany. His son Leopold II.
is the reigning duke; and, of course, he is a nephew of the emperor,
and stands next in succession to the Imperial throne, after the two
sons of the emperor, and before the Archdukes Charles, John, Regnier,
Anthony, &c., &c., &c. Thus, though we are about to see the sovereign
of Tuscany, it is an event by no means improbable that he may one
day become Emperor of Austria, as happened to his grandfather, and
predecessor in the grand duchy.
I had hardly come to an understanding with the Signor Corsi, when the
members of the family entered the little room in which we were ranged.
The grand duke, a man of good stature and of an amiable countenance,
came first. He was dressed in the uniform of an Austrian officer, or in
a white coat and scarlet pantaloons, embroidered in gold, with military
boots; and he wore the star and badge of the Golden Fleece, &c. He
appeared to be about thirty.
On entering the room he addressed himself to Count Fossombrone, his
minister, with whom he conversed a few minutes. He then turned with a
look of inquiry to the Marchese Corsi, who made a sign to me, mentioned
my name, and retired a few steps. The conversation lasted about five
minutes, commencing with the usual questions as to my route, the length
of time I had been in Florence, and civil expressions of satisfaction
at seeing me at his court: it was held in French. The grand duke left
on my mind a strong impression of integrity of character; a quality
far more to be prized than any other. One proof of the simplicity and
justness of his mind was so striking, and so very different from what
I had just escaped from in Paris, that it deserves to be recorded.
“They tell me you are the author of many books,” he said; “but as it
has never been my good fortune to meet with them, I can say no more
to you on the subject, than that I have heard them well spoken of by
those who have.” Here was a civil thing, united with an honesty that
did equal credit to his tact and his truth. He left me with renewed
expressions of his satisfaction at seeing me at his court, and then
made the circuit of the secretaries and _attachés_.
While the grand duke was talking to me, the two grand duchesses,
and the Archduchess Louisa, appeared in the room. I say, the grand
duchesses; for there is a dowager as well as a reigning grand duchess.
These ladies are sisters, and nieces of the King of Saxony, the eldest
having married the late grand duke, not long before his death, and
being childless. The three followed each other, speaking in succession
to those who had been previously addressed by the grand duke, and
waiting until he had done. As our conversation had lasted a little
longer than common, the three princesses were standing in a line behind
the grand duke, when the latter left me. They were all in high court
dresses, and had their trains borne by chamberlains.
Each of the princesses spoke to Count Fossombrone, in passing; and
when the grand duke moved on, the reigning grand duchess approached
me. There was no introduction in words, M. Corsi merely bowing towards
me, to prevent any mistake. I dare say you think I now got some
compliments on a work of fiction or two: no such thing--the subject was
not alluded to by either of the princesses. They had treated letters
with high distinction, by the especial notice they conferred; for, as
I afterwards understood, the outer rooms were filled with men of rank
waiting to be presented; but they avoided all allusion to the subject.
With the two grand duchesses I had, for the circumstances, a good deal
of conversation, and one of them quite won my heart by the manner in
which she alluded to my children, of whom she had accidentally heard
something. The archduchess said least; but the two grand duchesses were
not only disposed to talk, but were every thing that was amiable.
I had a droll specimen of the influence of favour on this occasion: for
the family had no sooner passed on, than I had to receive nearly the
whole diplomatic corps; the rays of royalty illuminating the secondary
planets as the moon receives brilliancy from the sun.
The rest of the reception was conducted in the same mode, the grand
duke going through all the rooms; but the ladies were less particular.
The latter sat down to cards; where I observed that the refreshments
they received were taken from the pages, and handed to them by the
chamberlains.
Among the company was M. Eynard, the celebrated Swiss Hellenist. He
wore the military jacket of the Swiss militia, with a Greek cross on
the sleeve. There were several Englishmen of rank present, in yeomanry
uniforms; and one Lord----, told me his was that of a lieutenancy
in the militia--an office he had _formerly_ held. I mention these
things, as so much misconception exists in America on the subject.
The wisest way to go to court, here, would be to go in the full dress
of Washington; but nothing is in better taste than to go in a militia
uniform, if one happened to be entitled to wear it. The mistake is in
flourishing these _quasi_ military titles on the card, and in ordinary
life, and in believing they are out of place on occasions like this.
We get most of these things _dessus-dessous_, and fancy ourselves
critically right, when we are singularly wrong. The well known story of
Napoleon and General ----, _may_ be true, but I greatly question it,
as it is opposed to the spirit of European feeling; and it sounds very
much like one of those inventions that float about American society,
and are taken for gospel. I have known a dozen similar tales, in great
vogue, which are certainly false. Ignorance of European life is so very
general in America, and the susceptibility to European opinion so very
keen, that we are to make great allowances for what is rumoured in such
matters.
After remaining some time in the drawing-room, I was stealing off;
when I perceived the grand duke moving slowly towards me, followed
by a large circle of courtiers. I got into an angle of the room that
happened to be empty at the moment, and close to a door, thinking
I should be passed unseen, as I did not like the appearance of
pushing myself on his notice, after the extreme civility of the first
reception. With such an intention, however, a worse position could not
have been taken; for on entering the room, happening to glance his
eye aside, the grand duke saw me, and turning short, I was literally
cornered. Those who kept near the person of their sovereign, some fifty
in all, formed a semicircle, extending from the outer side of the door
across the room, and we were left alone, literally in the corner. At
first, the grand duke had his back turned towards the rest of the
company; but recollecting the awkwardness of the position, he changed
it so as to face his subjects.
The conversation lasted, I should think, twenty minutes. His imperial
highness was very curious as to America, and though there were great
modesty and politeness, mingled with a singular and commendable
sincerity, in his manner, he asked a hundred questions, while, of
course, I did nothing but answer them. He inquired into the number and
size of our towns, the habits of the people, and the general state of
the country. Some of his notions were, as usual with most Europeans,
vague and false; but, on the whole, he appeared to me to know more
about us than most of even the learned in this hemisphere. His
geographical attainments struck me as being very respectable; and what
gave me more satisfaction than anything else, was the simple integrity
apparent in all his sentiments.
The Osages had passed through Florence not long before, and had been
fêted and fed, as at Paris. The grand duke inquired if I had seen them,
and, on being answered in the affirmative, he wished to know whether I
believed them to be chiefs of importance in their tribe, and inquired
their motive in coming to Europe. Now, it would not be agreeable for
one who fancied he had seen a hero, to hear he had only seen a common
man,--or who thought he was entertaining a saint, to discover that
his attentions were lavished on a sinner. But catching some of the
sincerity of the grand duke, I told him what I really thought: viz.
that these savages could not well be principal chiefs, as the agent of
our government would scarcely permit such to visit Europe; and that I
believed the whole thing to have no connexion whatever with religious
conversion, but to be merely a speculation of the Frenchman who managed
the affair. This explanation was taken in good part, and I thought the
grand duke had even anticipated some such reply. Princes so seldom get
truth, that its novelty sometimes pleases them.
With one of his questions, which was personal to myself, I was both
startled and amused. “_De quel pays étes vous, vraiment?_” he asked,
laying particular emphasis on the last word. Had he not discovered too
much knowledge of America previously, I might have suspected the old
difficulty of colour was a stumbling-block; but as this was out of
the question, suspicion was drawn another way. I believe the simple
solution of this unusual question to be as follows:--Not long before,
I had taken an opportunity to expose the motives and policy, that had
given rise to the systematic and enduring abuse of the English press
on America. Any one might have accomplished this duty, for such it had
actually become; but favoured by circumstances, my own publication
had made its way in Europe, where most American books would never
have penetrated. As a matter of course, I had been blackguarded,--for
the Anglo-Saxon race seems to take natural refuge in blackguarding
when it can neither refute or disprove. By way of weakening my
testimony, a report had been industriously circulated that I was a
renegado Englishman, and an honest indignation for unmerited national
calumny was ingeniously imputed to personal disaffection and personal
discontent. As half-a-dozen of those rumours had fallen under my eyes
in the public journals, I was at no loss to understand the drift of
the grand duke’s inquiry; and this the more especially, as he awaited
the answer with evident curiosity. Determined to set him right on this
subject, which if of no importance to the state of Tuscany, was of some
importance to myself, I told him, with commendable particularity, I was
a native of the small state of New Jersey, a territory lying between
the two great states of Pennsylvania and New York; though a citizen
of the latter from infancy. He wished to know if New Jersey was an
original state, and whether my father had not been an Englishman. On
this hint, I added that my family had migrated to America, in 1679,
from England certainly, but I had every reason to believe that I was
the first member of it, in the direct line, who had been out of the
country since; and, moreover, that Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New
York were original states in the heart of America, and that more than
a hundred men of my name and blood were at this moment among their
citizens. I believe this satisfied the grand duke: for so general is
the disgust created by the English system of calumniating, that I have
often had occasion to observe that the inhabitants of other countries
are usually pleased to find the islanders put in the wrong.
It was not an easy matter to answer all the questions of this prince
without misleading him, for etiquette prevented more than direct and
brief replies. He was curious on the subject of luxury, and had many
exaggerated notions concerning the magnificence of our nation. He
seemed surprised when I told him we had no scenery to compare with that
of the Mediterranean, and that nearly all of the American coast, in
particular, was tame and uninteresting. “But your lakes?” “Are large,
sir, without question; but so large as to resemble views of the ocean,
and with coasts that are far from striking. We have many beautiful
little lakes, it is true, but nothing to compare with those of Italy
and Switzerland.” “Your rivers?”--“Are large and beautiful.” “And your
mountains?”--“Are much inferior to those of Tuscany, even.”
But I cannot recall all that passed in this long conversation, of
whose outline, rather than of its details, I have endeavoured to give
you some idea. It terminated with the usual expressions of civility
on the part of the grand duke, and the hope that Tuscany would prove
an agreeable residence to us. Throughout the entire evening, I was
under the impression that I had been treated with more than usual
distinction, on account of my country; a source of distinction so very
novel in Europe, that I deem it worthy of being recorded.
Like most of the Austrian family, Leopold II. is a man of kind heart
and affections, and, I believe, a strictly honest prince. In many
public acts it becomes necessary to separate the absolute sovereign
from the individual; though the world is constantly guilty of the
injustice of confounding them, while it is apt to overlook the divided
responsibilities of aristocracies;--a polity that probably works more
positive wrong than any other, since a large part of the crimes of
despotism are merely excesses of those in places of trust. But Tuscany
is a mildly governed country, and though it cannot be free from the
vices of a _want_ of publicity, it is free from their opposite--the
vice of a too great publicity, or that of confounding the necessities
of the community with the rights of individuals. The most insidious
enemy of monarchy is aristocracy, which destroys while it pretends
to support. Still, it is the natural goal of every nobility, and it
has struck me there is a secret instinct which teaches this important
truth to the sovereigns of our time. A country may be so far advanced
as to wish for democracy; but this is the fact under few despotic
governments; while all the nobles of Europe pine to become political,
or true, as well as social aristocrats. In such a state of things,
there is nothing violent in supposing that an absolute prince would
regard an aristocrat with more distrust than he regards a democrat; for
the polity of the former is an impossibility to him, while there is a
constant and natural gravitation towards the latter. At all events,
in my own intercourse with princes and aristocrats, I think I have
discovered in the former greater liberality, a more confirmed deference
for the facts of a country and less theoretical ardour in favour of
systems, a higher tone of philosophy with less apparent selfishness,
than in the latter, considering the aristocrats as a body, and not
regarding the occasional brilliant exceptions. As respects affability
and absence of hauteur, the advantage is altogether with the prince,
for it depends on a law of nature. I believe, that as we are farther
removed from competition and jealousy, the greater the spirit of
humanity and charity becomes.