_To the Editor._
Dear sir,--Perhaps you may esteem the enclosed as a curiosity worthy of
a place in the _Table Book_. It is a genuine specimen of the _assignats_
used in lieu of money during the French revolution. I believe there are
very few now to be had. It was given to me by a French gentleman, whose
father (a native of Normandy) had lost considerable sums by them. He had
unfortunately converted most of his property into _assignats_, as a
precaution during those times, which, although eventually of so much
benefit to the French nation, were so distressing while they lasted. But
when the use of coin was resumed, he found his intention frustrated, and
himself deprived of all his fortune.
This gentleman had been the means of assisting the duke and duchess of
Chartres in their escape to England, after having concealed them for
some time in his own house. They left him with reiterated assurances of
liberal recompense and future patronage, should they ever be so
fortunate as to return to their native country:--they did return--but
their Norman benefactor was forgotten--he never heard any thing more of
them.--“_Telle est la récompense de loyauté!_” was the concluding remark
of his son, who related the story to me. He was a pleasant specimen of
a Frenchman--light, kind-hearted, and extremely enthusiastic; but his
enthusiasm was equally bestowed on the most important or the most
trivial occasion. I have seen him rise from his seat, stretch his
clasped hands out at full length, and utter with rapturous ecstasy
through his clenched teeth, “_Ah, Dieu! que c’étoit beau!_” when perhaps
the subject of his eulogy was the extraordinary leap of some
rope-dancer, or the exaggerated shout of some opera-singer, whose
greatest recommendation was, that she possessed “_une voix à enlever le
toit_.” He had a habit of telling immensely long stories, and always
forgot that you had heard him relate them often and often before. He
used to tack his sentences together by an awful “_alors_,” which was the
sure sign of his being in the humour (although by the by he never was
otherwise) for telling one of his pet anecdotes, or, more properly
interminable narratives, for such he made them by his peculiar tact at
spinning them out. He had three special favourites;--the one above
related of aristocratic ingratitude;--another about Buonaparte’s going
incognito every morning, while he was at _Boulogne sur Mer_, to drink
new milk at the cottage of an old woman, with whom he used to take
snuff, and talk quite familiarly;--and the last and best-beloved, an
account of his own good fortune in having once actually _spoken_ with
the emperor Napoleon Buonaparte himself! He had been an officer on board
one of the ships belonging to the _flotille_ destined for the invasion
of England, and almost adored Buonaparte as a sort of God. He was
perhaps as affectionate-hearted a human being as could possibly exist,
and I never heard him speak bitterly against any one, excepting
_Messieurs les Clergés_.
I have digressed considerably, but the _assignat_ is merely a matter of
curiosity to look at, and does not admit of much comment.