A H| DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Treasure %oom U. N. C. Library s~> THE STRANGER IN FRANCE OR, A TOUR FROM DEVONSHIRE TO IPARIS. Mr John Carr, Esq* FIRS? PUBLISHED IN LONDON, 1803* BRATTLEBORO : 'PRINTED FOR ISAIAH *f HOMAS, JUN. WORCESTER* William Fessenden...spxmtQXt 180& PREFACE. THE little tour which gave birth to the following remarks, was taken immediately after the exchange of die ratifications of a peace, neeefTary, but not inglo- rious to my country, after a conteft unexampled in its caufe, calamity, extenfion, vicifiltudes and glory ; a- midft a people who, under the influence of a political change, hitherto unparalleled, were to be approached as an order of beings, exhibiting a moral and political form before but little known to themfelves and to the world, in the -abrupt removal of habits and fentiments which had filently and uninterruptedly taken deep root in the foil of ages. During a feparation of ten years, we have received very little account of this extraordinary people, which could be relied upon. Diffimiiar fenfations, excited by their principles and proceedings, ever partially and irregularly known, have depicted unaccording repre- fentations of them, and, in the fequel, have exhibi* A ted rather a high colored, fanciful delineation, than a plain and faithful refemblance of the original. Many are the perfons who have been thus milled. Thefe fugitives fketches, in which an attempt is made to delineate, juft as they occurred, thofe fcenes which to my mind at leafty were new and interefting, ,were originally penned for the private perufal of thofe - jwhomJ efteem j and by their perfuafion they are now IV PREFACE. offered to the public eye. Amongft them I muft be permitted to indulge in the pride and pleafure of enu- merating William Hayley, Efq. a name familiar and dear to every elegant and polifhed mind. Enlight- ened by his emendations, and fupported by the cher- ishing fpirit of his approval, I approach, with a more fubdued apprehenfion, the tribunal of public opinion ; and to my friends I dedicate this humble refult of a fhort relaxation from the duties of an anxious and la- borious profeihon. If, by fubmitting to their wifhes, I have erred, I have only to offer, that it is my firft, and fhall be my laft offence. JOHN CARR. Ttfnes, Aagujt) 1802. CONTENTS. CHAP. L Torr Abbey. — Cap of Liberty. — Anecdote of EngltJhFre-- judice. Fire Ships. — Southampton River. — Nettty Abbey. page 9 * CHAP. II. French Emigrants. — Scene on the Quay of Southampton. -*-Sailfor Havre.-^-Agtd French Priefl. — Their re- fpeclable Conducl in England. — Their Gratitude. — Make the Port of Havre. — Panic of.jl: Immigrants. Landing defcribed.- — Hotel de la Paix. — Breakfajl Knife. — Municipality. p 14 CHAP. III. Pajfports procured. — Coins. — Town of Havre. — Carts. — Citoyen. — Honfeur. — Deferters. — Prefeclde Mar- ine, — Ville de Sandwich. — French Farmers. — Sir Sidney Smith. — Catherine de Medicis .—Light Houfes. Rafts. ,., p 30 CHAP. IV. Cheap travelling to Paris. — Diligences. — French JPof tillions. Spanifh Poflillions. — Norman Hotffs. — Bolbec. — Natives of Caux. — Ivetot. — Return of Re- ligion. — Santerre.- — Jacobin .—The Miiflard Pot.-— National Property. p 41 CHAP. V. ^A Female French fib. — Military and Civil Proceffion.— Madame G. — The Review. Mons. V Abbe. — Bridge of Boats. — The Quay. — Exchange. — Theatre. . — Rouen. — Cathedral. — St. Ouens. — Prince of JVal- fgdec. — Maid of Orleans, p 5 1 CHAP VL Fir/l ConfuVs Advertifement, — Something ridiculous.-^ &ggs.-~~Qriminal Military Tribunal, — French- Ft* fr.2 ' yi contents; male Confidence. — Town Houfe. — Convent ofjefuits. — Guillotine.— Governor W . i p 62 CHAP. VII. Filial Piety' — 5/. Catharine's Mount. — Madame Phil- lope. — General Ruffin's Trumpet. — Generofity. — Love Infeclious. — Mafcns and Gardeners* p 75 CHAP. VIII. Early Dinner. — Mante.- — Frofil.- — Duke de Sully. — Approach the Capital. — Norman Barrier. — Paris. — Hotel de Rouen. — Palais Royal. p 86 CHAP. IX. French Reception. — Voltaire. — Reflaiiraieur. — Confular Guard. — Muftc. — Venetian Horfes. — Gates of the Palace. — Gardens of the Thuilleries. — Statues — The faithful Vase. — The Sabine Piclure. — Monfieur Per- regaux,— Marquis de Chatelet.— -Madame Perregaux. Beaux and Belles of Paris. p 93 CHAP. X. Large Dogs. — A Plan for becoming quickly acquainted with Paris. — Pantheon.— Tombs of Voltaire andRouf- feau. — Politenefs of an Emigrant. — The Beauty of France. — Beauty evanefcent. — Place de Caroufel.— Infernal Machine. — Fauche.— Seine .— Wafilierwomen. Fifbiuemen. — Baths. p 105 CHAP. XI. David. — Place de la Concorde. — L'Eglife de Madeleine. — Print-fhops. — Notre Dame. — Mufeum or Palace ef Arts. — Hall of Statues. — Laocoon. — Belvidere Apollo. — Socrates. p 116 CHAP. XII. Bonaparte. — Artillery. Mr. Pitt. — Newfpapers. — Archbijhop of Paris. — Confular Colours. — Religion. —Confular Converfton.—- Madame Bonaparte.— ~ Confular Modefty. — SeparateBeds. — A Country fcene. Connubial Affection. — Female Braver.y. p 130. CHAP. XIII. Breakfaf.—TVarmth of French Expreffion. — Rujlic Eloquence. — Curious Caufe ajftgnedfor the late extra^ CONTENTS. VU ordinary Froft.-~~ Madame R- — Paul I. — Tivoli. Frefcati. p 146, CHAP. XIV. fonvent of Blue nuns.-—Duchejfe de Biron.-*>The Bloody ) no doubt, performed their matutinse laudes and noc- turne vigilise with devout -exactnefs *, that it is at length in the poiTeiHon of Mr. Dance, who has a ve- ry fine and piclurefque eftate on that iide of the riv- er, of which thefe elegant ruins conftitute the chief ornament. The church ftill exhibits a beautiful fpec- imen of gothic architecture, but its tottering remain*, will rapidly mare the fate of the neighbouring pile-, which time has proftrated on the earth, and covered with his thickeft fhade of ivy. Our watermen gave us a curious defcription of this place, and amufed us not a little with their ridiculous anacronifrns. " I tell you what/' faid one of them, contradicting (i the other, « you are in the wrong, Bob, indeed " you are wrong, don't mifleadthem gentlemen; that "there Abbey is in the true Roman %le,' and was < c built by a man they call — , but that's neither w i. ere nor there, I forget the name, however, it's a 14. THE STRANGER [CHAP. II. " fine place, and univerfally allowed to be very old. « I frequently rows gentlefolks there, and picks up a * great deal about it." On our return the tide was at its height, the flm was fetting in great glory, the iky and water fecm- ed blended in each other, the fame red rich tint reigned throughout, the veffels at anchor appeared fufpended in the air, the fpires of the churches were . tipped with the golden ray ; a fcene of more beauty, ridmefs, and tranquillity I never beheld. CHAPTER H. French Emigrants.— Scene on the Quay cf Southampton. —Zailfor Havre.— Aged Frmch Prief.— Their re- fpeBable CorJuel In England.— Thar Gratitude— Make the Port of Havre.— Panic of the Emigrants. —Landing defcribed.— Hotel de la Paix.—Breakfjl Knife. — M u n icipcliij . DURING the whole of the fecond day after our arrival, the town of Southampton was in a buflle, oc- cafioned by the flocking in of a great number oft French emigrants, who were returning to then- own country, in conference of a mild decree, which had been paffed in their favor. The. (bene was truly UW terefting,andthe fenthnent which it exceed, ae- lightful tc the heart. CHAP. II.] IN FRANCE. 15 A resectable cure, who dined in the fenie room with us at our inn, was obferved to eat very little \ up- on being preffed to enlarge his meal, this amiable " man faid, with tears Parting in his eyes, « Alas ! I " have no appetite, y a very fhort time will bring me " amongft the fcenes of my nativity, my youth, and " my happinefs, from which a rcmorfelefs revolution " has parted me for thefe ten long years ; I fiiall aflc " for thofe who are dear to me, and find them forev- " er gone. Thofe who are left will fill my mind with "the mod afflicting defcription \ no, no, I cannot •* eat, my good SI:." About noon, they had deposited their baggage up- on the quay, which formed a pile of aged portman- teaus, and battered trunks. Parties remained to pro- tect them, previous to their embarkation. The fun was intensely hot, they were feared under the fhade of old umbrellas which looked as if they had been the companions of their baniihment. Their countenances appeared fbrongly marked with the pious character cf resignation, over which were to be feen a fweetnefs, and corrected .animation, which feemed to depict at once the foui's delight, of returning to its native home, planted wherever it may be, and the regret of leaving a nation, which, in the hour of flight and mifery, had nobly enrolled ' them in the lift of her own children, and had cover- ed them with protection. I'j THJJ ST*J*NGER [CH^. It tie eternal honor oftlxefe unhappy, bat excel- lent people, be it fad, thai they have; proved the.. - fshes worthy cf being received, in inch, a fan£hiary. Our country has enjoyed the beneSt o£ their i blemiihed mcrak, I unaf- "ngmanr:. • dsftiny has a, they have induftrkn burden of their fupport by d the knowl- edge of a language, which good fenfe, and common uatcreft, fhould long Snc e have : & as a valua- ble branch of educatioij. To thofe of my friends, who exercife the facred functions of religion, as eftabliihed in this country, I need not offer an apology, for paying an humble tribute of common juftice to thefe good, and persecut- ed men ; who, from habit, purfue a mode 1 of worship, a little differing in form, but terminating in the fa ma great and glorious centre. The enlightened liberal- ity of the Britifli clergy will unite, in paying that homage to them, which they, in my prefer.ee, have often with enthuHafirf, and rapture, offered up to the purity, and fancYity of their characters. Many of them informed me, that they had received the moft ferviceable favors from our clergy, administered with equal delicacy and munificence. Amongfh thefe groups were fome females, the wives and' daughters of Toulonefe merchants, who left their city when lord Hood abandoned that port. CKAP. IL] ™ FRANCE. ^ The politenefs and attention, which were paid to them by the men, were truly pleafmg. It was the good breeding of elegant habits, retaining all their foftnefs in the midft of adverilty, fweetened wiih the fympathy of mutual and fimiiar fufrermgs. They had finiihed their dinner, and were drinking their favorite beverage of coffee. Pcor wanderers I the water was fcarceiy turned brown with the few grains which remained of what they had pvrchai^d for their journey* I addreiled them, by telling them, that I had tue happinefe of being paflenger with them, in the fame veffel ;- they faid they were fortunate to have in their company one of that nation, which would be dear to them.as long as they lived. . A genteel middle aged woman offered to open a little parcel of frefh coffee, Which they had purcha fed in the town for the voy- age, and begged tc make fome for me. By her man- ner, fhe feerned to wifh me to conflder it, more as the humble offering of gratitude, than of politenefs. Or perhaps both were blendeddn the- offer. In the afternoon, their baggage was,fearched by the revenue oflieers, who, on this occafion, exercifed a liberal gentlenefs, which gave but little trouble, and no pain. They who brought nothing into a country but the recollection of their miferies, were not very likely to carry much out of it A but the remembran-ee- ttf its generality* JS THE STRANGER [CKAP. II. At feven o'clock in the evening we were all on board, and failed with a gentle breeze down the riv- er : we carried with us a good ftock of vegetables, which we procured frefh, from the admirable mark- et of Southampton. Upon going down into the cab- :p, I was ftruck, and firft {hocked, with feeing a very aged man, flretched at his length upon pillows and clothes, placed on the floor, attended by two clergy- men, and fome women, who, in their attentions to this apparently dying old gentleman, feemed to have forgotten their own comfortlefs {ituation, arii- ing from fo many perfons being crowded in fo fmall a fpace, for our numbers above and below amounted to futy. Upon inquiry, they informed me, that the perfen v/hofe appearance had fd affected me, had been a clergyman of great repute and efteem at Ha- vre, that he was then pafc the age of ninety- five years, fcarcely fxpeifbed to furvive our fhcvt voyage, but was anxious to breathe his lift in his own cevxtry, They fpoke of him, as a man who in other ffih^s, and jn the fulnefs of his faculties, had often from his pul- pit, flruck with terrcr rnd contrition, the iremttfng fouls of his auditors, by the fcrceof his exalted elo- quence * who had embellifhed the focrety in which he r:\oved, with his elegant attainments *, and who had relieved the unhappy, with an enla rged heart and munificent hand — A meremafsof mifery, and help- lefs infirmities, remained of all thefe iioble i3le r znd that the order which we recerred from the government boat, was' given for the porpofa of compelling the captain to incur* and ccnieqnently to pay, the an- chorage cfiies* In a moment we were tefet by a par- cel of men and boys,, half naked, and in wooden fhoes, who hallooing and " facre d'eu'mg" each other moil unmercifully, began, without further ceremony* to feize upon every trunk within their reach, which they threw into their boats lying along fide. By a well-timed rap upon the knuckles of one of thefe marine functionaries, we prevenced our luggage from Iharing the fame fate. It turned out, that there was a competition for carrying cur trunks on ihore, for the fake of an immoderate premium, which they expected to receive, and which occasioned our being availed in this violent maimer. Our fellow pafitn- £2 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IL gers were obliged to go on fhore with thefe vocife- rous w; ) had the impudence and inhu- manity to charge them two livres each, for convey- ing them t3 the landing steps, a fhort diftance of out fifty yards. Upon their landing, we were b ch pleafed to cbferve that the people offered them, nckher violence nor irdult. They were received with, a Allien liieiice, and a lar.e was made for them topafsinto the town. The poor old clergyman who bad furvived the pi»flage> was left on board, in the care of two benevolent perfons, until Lo could be safely and comfortably conveyed on there. We foon af- terwards folio wed our fellow paiTengers in the cap- tain's boat, by which plan we afforded thefe extor- tioners a piece of falutarj iaformatioti, very necefla- ry to be made known to them, that although we were .Mfh, we were not to be impofed upon. I could not help thinking it rather unworthy of our neigh- bors to exact, from us fuch heavy port dues, when cur own demands of a fimilar nature, are fb very triiiir - For fuch an import, a vefTel of the republic, upon its arrival in any. of the Englifh ports, would only pay a few fh:l:hv;s. Perhaps this difference will be equali- zed in feme fhape, by the impending commercial ty, otherwise, a ccnfiderable partial advantage will to the French from their paifage packets. Upon our landing, and entering the Greets, I was a little ftruck with the appearance of the women, who were- habited in a coarfe red camlet jacket, with' a CHAP. II.] IN FRANCE. ££ high apron before, long flying lappets to their cnpi, and were mounted upon large heavy wooden fhoes, upon each of which a worfied tuft was fixed, in rude imitation of a rofe. The appearance and clatter of $hefe fabots, as they are called, leave upon the mind an impreffion of extreme poverty and wretchednefs. They are, however, more favof ed than the lower order of females in Scotland. Upon a brftk spright- ly chamber-maid entering my room one day at an inn in Glafgow, I heard a found which refembled the pattering of fome web-footed bird, when in the act of climbing up the miry fide cf a pond. I looked down upon the feet of this bonny laSie, and found that their only covering was procured from the rnud of the high ftreet— -adieu ! to the tender eulogies of the paftoral xeeQ, 1 I have never thought of a fhepherdefs iince with pleafore. I could not help obferving the eafe, dexterity, and fwiftnefs, with which a fingle man conveyed all our luo-page, w hich was very heavy, to the cuftom-houfe, ' and afterwards to the inn, in a wheelbarrow, which differed from curs, only in being larger, and having two elafuc handles of about nine feet long. At the cuflom-houfe, notwithflanding what the Engliih pa- ucrs have f aid c! the conduct obferved here, we were very civilly treated, our boxes were only juft opened, and fome of our packages were not examined at all. Away we had them whirled, to the Hotel de la Paix, thefro-atof which looks upon the wet dock, and i$ 24' TKIL.ST.RAN&E* [CHAP. II. embellished with a large board, upon which is re- corded, in yellow cliaraclers, as ufual, the fuperior ad- vantages of this houfe ever every other hotel in H<> vre. Upon our arrival, we were ufhered up a. large dirty fhircafe into a lofty room, upon the firft floor, all the windows of which were open, divided, as they always are in France, in the middle, like folding doors •, the floor was tiled, a deal table, fome common rufli chairs, two very fine pier ghffes, and chandeliers to correfpond, compofed our motley furniture. I found it to be a good fpecimen of French inns, in general* We were followed by our hofte'fs, the por- ter, two cooks, with caps on their heads, which had once been white, and large knives in their hands, who were fucceeded by two chamber-maids, ail looking in the greateft hurry and confufion, and all talking. to- gether, with a velocity, and vehemence, which ren- dered the faculty of hearing almoft a misfortune. They appeared highly delighted to see us, talked of our drefs, Sir Sidney Smith, the blockade, the noble Engiifn, the peace, and a train of etceteras. At length we obtained a little ceSaticn, of which we im- mediately feized the advantage, by directing them to fhow us to our bed-rooms, to procure abundance of water hot and cold, to get us a good breakfaft as foon iS poihble, and to prepare a good dinner for us at four o'clocl-i. Amidst a peal of tongues, this clamor • Ous proceiUon rtiiredc CHAP. II.] JN ffcAKCfe, '25 After we had performed our necelTary ablutions^ and had enjoyed the luxury of frefh linen, we fat down to fome excellent coffee, accompanied witfc boiled milk, long delicious rolls, and tolerably good butter, but found no knives upon the table % which., by the by, every traveller in France is prefumed to carry with him : having mislaid my own, I requefted the maid to bring me one. The perfon of this dam- fel, would certainly have fufFered by a comparifon with thofe fragrant flowers, to which young poets re- ferable their beloved miftreiTes > as foon as I had preferred my prayer, {he very deliberately drew from her pocket a large clafp knife, which after ihe had wiped on her apron, fhe prefented to me 3 with a w voila monfieur." I received this dainty prefent, with every mark of due obligation, accompanied, at the fame time, with a refolution not to ufe it, particu- larly as my companions (for we had two other Eng- lish gentlemen with us) had directed her to bring fome others to them. This delicate inftrument was as favory as. its miftrefs, amongft the various fragran- ties which it emitted, garlic Teemed to have the mailery. .About twelve o'clock we went, to the hall of the municipality, to procure our pafiports for the inter ior 3 and found it crowded with people upon the fame er- rand. We made our way through them into a very kandfomie anti-room, and thence, by a little fwtlrt* C 2$ THE STRANGER V [CHAP. II. perfeverance, into an inner room, where the mayor and his officers were feated at a large table covered with green cloth. To fhow what reliance is to be' placed upon the communications of Englifti newfpa- pers, I mail mention the following circumftance : my companion had left England, without a pafTport, ow- ing to the repeated aflurances of both the minifterial and oppofition prints, and alfo of a perfon high in ad- ministration, that none were neceffary. The firft qneftion propounded io us by the fecre- tary was, "citizens, where are your paflportS ? M I had furnifhed myfelf with' one ; but upon hearing this queftion, I was determined not to produce ity from an apprehension that I fhould cover my friend, who had none, with fufpicioo, fo we anfwered, that N in England they were not required ' of Frenchmen, and that we had left bur country with official afluran- ces that they would not be demanded of us here. They replied to us, by reading a' decree, which rigoroufly required them of foreigners, entering up- on the territories of the republic, and they allured us, that this regulation was- at that moment reciprocal with every other power, and with England in particu- lar. The decree of courfe clofed the argument. We next addrefifed ourfelves to their politenels (for- getting that the revolution had-made fad inroads up- on it) and requefled them, as we had been mifled, and had no ether views of vifiting the country, but thofe pi pleafure, and improvement, that they would b.e CHAP.IL] IN FRANCE. 27 pleafed to grant us our pafTports for the interior. To this addrefs, thefe high authorities, who feemed not much given to " the melting mood," after making up a phyiiognomy, as fevere, and as iron bound as their coaft, laconically obferved, that the laws of the re- public muft be enforced, that they mould write to our ambaffador to know who we were, and that in the mean time they would make out our pafTports for the town, the barriers of which we were not to pafs. Accordingly, a little fat gentleman, in a black coaly filled up thefe official inftruments, which were copied into their books, and both figned by us ; he then commenced our « fignalement," which is a regular defcriptive portrait of the head of the perfon who has thus the honor of fitting to the municipal portrait painters of the departement de la P^ine inferieure. This portrait is intended, as will be immediately anticipated, to afford encreafed facilities of all na- tional guards, marechauiseesj thief takers, &rc. for placing in " durance vile" the unfortunate original, mould he violate the laws. The flgnalement is added in the margin, to the paflport, and alfo regiftered in the municipal records, which, from their iize, appeared to contain a greater number of heads and faces, thus depicted, than any mufeum or gallery I ever beheld. How correct the likeneffes in general are, I leave to the judgment of others, after I have informed 28 THE STRANGER [CHAP. II. them, that the hazle eves of my friend were defcrilied « yeux bleus" in this mafleriy delineation. If the dead march in Saul had been playing Before us all the way, we could not have marched more gravely, or rather fulkily, to our inn. Before us, we had the heavy profpecl of {pending about ten days in this town, not very celebrated for either beauty, or eleanlmefs, until the municipality could receive an account of us, from our ambaftador, who knew no more of us than they did. The other Englifh gentle* men were in the fame predicament. However we determined to purfue the old adage, that what is without remedy, fhould be without re- gret, and, Englifh like, grew very merry over a good dinner, confining of foups, and meat, and fowls, and fiih, and vegetables (for fuch is the order of a French dinner) confectionary and a defert, accompanied with good Burgundy, and excellent Champaign. Our misfortunes mufl plead our excufe, if the dinner is confiderei extravagant. Unc'e Toby went to fleep when he was unhappy ; we folicited confolation in another way. Our fignalements afforded us much diveriion, which at length was a little augmented by a plan which I mentioned, as likely to furnifh us with the means of our liberation. After dinner I waited upon a young gentleman who was under the care of a very refpe&able merchant, to whom I had the good fortune to have letters of introduction. Through his means I was introduced to Mons. de la M % CHAP. II.] IN FRANCE. 29 who received me with great politenefs. In the hur- ry and occupations of very extenfive commercial pur- fuits, this amiable old gentleman had found leifure to indulge himfelf in works- of tafte. His noble fortune enabled him to gratify his liberal inclinations. I found him feated in his compting-houfe, which, from its handfome furniture and valuable paintings, refem- bled an elegant cabinet. I ftated the conduct of the municipality towards us, and requefted his affiftance. After he had mown me his apartments^ a fine collec- tion of drawings, by "fome of the firft mailers, and fome more excellent paintings, we partedwith. an a£- furance that he would immediately wait upon the mayor, who was his friend, and ha'd no doubt" but that he fhould in the courfe of the next day enable us to leave Havre when and in what manner we pleafed, "With this agreeable piece of intelligence, I immedi- ately returned to the inn* where it induced us to drink .jbealth and fuccefs to the friendly merchant in another bottle of champaign* €:z 30 THE STfcANGBfl £cHAP. IU, CHAPTER III. fafipcrts procured. — Coins* — Town of Havre. — Carts, — Citoyen. — Hcnfeur. — Deferters. — Frefecl de Marine. — Ville de Sandivich.- — French Farm- ers. — Sir Sidney Smith. — Catharine de Medicis. — Light Houfes. — Rafts. IF Havre had been a Paradife, the feelings of re- jftraint would have difcolored the magic fcenery, and turned the enlivening green to a -cheerlefs barren brcwn. As we could reii(h nothing, until we had procured our releafe, the firft place we vifited the next morn- ing was, once more, the refidence of the municipali- ty, where we found that our worthy friend hzd pre- \ioivfly arranged every thing to our wifhes, and upon his ngning a certificate, that we were peaceable citi- zens, and had no intention to overturn the republic, our paflports were made out, and upon an exchange of a little fnufT, and a few bows, we retired. The other two Engliihmen had their wiGies gratified, by the fame lucky incident, which had affiftcd us. Having changed our guineas for French money, and as in future, when money is mentioned, it will be in the currency of the country/, it perhaps may not be unacceptable to fubjoin a table of the old, and new, and republican coins. For every guinea of full weight, which we carried over, we received twenty- four livres, or a louis d'or ; which is ecrual to twenty CHAP. III.] ? IN FRANCE. tl {hillings fierling, of courfe we loft one {hilling upon every good guinea, and more, according to the defi- ciency of weight. The cottrfe of exchange and corn- million, with our country, I afterwards found at Paris, to be one {hilling and eight pence, in the pound Iter- ling, againft us, but the difference will be ^rogreflive- ly nearer par, as the accuftomed relations of com- merce refume their former habits. I was furprifed to find the ancient monarchical coin in chief circula- tion, and that of the republic, very confined. Scarce a pecuniary tranfaclion can occur, but the filent, and eloquent medallion of the unhappy monarch, feems to remind thefe bewildered people of his fate, and their paft misfortunes. Although the country is poor, all their payments are made in caflj, this is owing to the {hock given by the revolution, to individual, and confequently to paper credit. To comprehend their money, it muft be known, although the French always calculate by livres, as we do by pounds fterling, that the livre is no coin, but computation. MONARCHICAL COINS. A lonis d'or is twenty-four livres Fr. or 20 Eng. SILVER. A grand ecu, or fix livre piece, - 5 An ecu, or three livre piece, - 2 6 The vingt quatre fols piece, - * 10 S2 THE STRANGER (XHAP III. A douze fols piece is twelve pence Fr. or 6 A fix fols piece is 6d Fr. or - - - 3 COPPER MIXED WITH SILVER. A deux fols,. or two pence French, and one penny Englifh, is nearly rhefize of our fix pence, but is cop- per, with a white or filverifh mixture, twelve of thefe make a vingt quatre sols piece, or onajgiilling Englifh. They have alfo another fmall pipe of nearly the fame fize and color, but not fo Iprhite, and rather thinner, which is one fol and a. half, three halfpence French, or three farthings Engiifho copper. A fol is like our halfpenny, value one pennyr French, or a halfpenny Englifh, twenty-four of thefe make an Englifh milling. A deux Hard piece is half a fol French, or a far- thing Englifh. A liard is a farthing French, and of the value aL half a farthing Englifh.. NEW COIN. A thirty fols piece, is avery beautiful and convene lent coin, worth one milling and three pence Eng- lifh, having a good impreflion of the late king's head '©n one fide, and the goddefe of liberty -on the* other ^ k was ftruck in the early part of the revolufejpn. CHAP. IIL] THE STRANGER 33 REPUBLICAN COIN* SILVER. A fifteen fols piece is half of the above and very convenient. COPPER* A {ixliard is a bit of copper compofition, fuch as the fine cannon are made of, and is worth three fols French, or a halfpenny, and a farthing Englifh. A cinq centimes is worth a halfpenny and half a farthing Englifh. ■'The centimes are of the value of half farthings, Ave of which are equ d to the laft coin, they are very final! and neat. An early knowledge of thefe co : ns, is very necef- fary to a ftranger, on account of the difhoneft advan- tages which French tradefmen take of their Englifh cuftomers. To return to my narrative : finding ourfelves at liberty to purfue our route, we went from the munici- pality to the bureau des diligences, and fecured oar places in the voiture to Rouen, for the next day. After this neceffary arrangement, we proceeded to view the town, which is compofed of long and narrow ftreets. 'The fronts of the houfes, which are lofty, are deformed by the fpaces between the naked inter- ferons of the frame work being fiUed up with mor- 34 IN FRANCS. [CHAP. III. tar, which £ives them an appearance of being very heavy, and very mean. The commerce formerly carried on at Havre, was very extenfive. There is here alfo large manufacto- ries for lace. The theatre is very fpacious, well ar- ranged, and -as far as we could judge by day-light, handfcmely decorated. The players did not perform during our flay. In the vegetable market place, which was much crowded, and large, we faw at this feafon of the year abundance of fine apples,,as frefh in appearance as when they were firft plucked from the tree. In our way there we were acccfted by a little rag- ged beggar boy, who addrefled himfelf to our com- panionate difpofitions, by the appellation of " tres charitable citoyen," but finding we gave nothing, he immediately changed it to " mon chere tres charita- ble monfieur." The ftrange uncouth expreffion of citoyen is gene- rally laid afide, except amongfl the immediate ofEcers under government, in their official communications, who, however, renounce it in private, for the more civilized title of " monfieur.'* The principal church is a fine handfome building, -and had been opened for wormip, the Sunday before we arrived ; On that day the bell of the Sabbath firft founded, during ten years of revolution, infidelity, and bloodfhed I 1 1 CHAP. IIL] THE STRANGER 35 The royal arms are every where removed. They formerly conftituted a very beautiful ornament' over the door of the hotel of the preferit prefect, at the head of the market place, but they have been rudely' beaten out by battle axes, and replaced by rude repub- lican emblems, which every where (I fpeak of them- as a decoration) feem to disfigure the buildings which bear them. When I made this remark, I muft, how- ever, candidly confefs, that my mind very cordially accompanied my eye, and that a natural fentiment mingled with the obfervation. The quays, piers, and arfenal are very fine, they, together with die docks, for final! fhips of war and merchandize, were con- tracted tinder the aufpices of Lewis XIV. with whom this port was a great favorite. We faw feveral groups of men at work in heavy chains. They were foldiers, who had offended. They are dreffed in red jackets and tiowfers, which are fuppofed to increafe their difgrace, on account of its being the regimental color of their old enemy, the Englifh. When my companion, who wore his regi- mentals, paired them, they all moved their caps to him with great refpect. The town, and confequenily the commerce of Rouen, was moft fuccefsfully blockaded, for near four 9 years, by Bjitifh commanders,- during the late war, and particularly by Sir Sidney Smith. It was here, J when endeavoring to cut out a veflel, which in point of value, and confideration was unworthy of fu#. aiy 36 IN FfcANC* [CHAP. III. cxpofure, fiiat this great hero, and difunguijQied being, was- made a prifoner of war. The inhabitants, who never fpeak of him, but with emotions of terror, confider this event as the rafh refult of a wager con- ceived ever wine. Thofe who know the character of Sir Sidney, will not impute to him fuch an act oiidk temerity. No doubt he confidered the object, as in- cluded in his duty, and. it is only to be lamented, th*t during two lingering years of rigorous, and cruel con- finement, in the dungeons of the unhappy fovereign, hk country was bereaved cf the afliftance of her im- mortal champion, who, in aiinture feafon, upon the fhores of Acre, fo nobly filled up the gloomy chafm of fufpended fervicea, by exploits which to be believ- ed, muit. not be adequatil) defcribed, and who re- venged, by an act of unrivalled glory, the long en- durance of fufferings, and indignities hateful to the magnanimous fpirit of modem warfare, and unknown to it, difplayed within the walls of a Prufiian dun- geon.* I flxall hereafter have occafion to mention this ex- traordinary character, when I fpeak of his efcape from the Temple, the real circumfta^ces attending which are but little known, and which I received from an- authority upon which the reader may rely. This town is. not unknown to hiftory. At the • Tie cruel iffiprifastaeat of la Fayette is Eluded to* CHAP. III.] IN FRANCE celebrated flege of it, in the tim# of Catherine de Medicis, that execrable princefs, diftinguifhed her- felf by her perfonal intrepidity. It is faid, that fhe landed here, in a galley, bearing the device of the fun, with thefe words in greek, " I bring light, and fine weather"— a motto which ill correfponded with her conduct. With great courage fuch as feldom afTcciates with «ruel, and ferocious tyrants, flie here on horfeback, at the head of her army, expofed herfelf to the fire of the cannon, like the moft veteran foldiers^ and be- trayed no fymptoms of fear, although the bullets fiew about her in all directions. When delired by the duke of Guife, and the Conftable de Mcntmcrenci, not to expofe her perfon (b much, the brave, but fanguinary Catharine replied, « Have I not more to ** lofe than you, and do you think I have not as iS much courage ?" The walk, through la ville de Sandwiche, to the Eght houfes, which are about two miles from Havre, is very pleading. The path lay through flax and dover fields. In this part of the country, the farm- ers pTa£tife an excellent plan of rural economy 3 which is alfo ufed in Dorfetfhire, and fome few cth»- tr counties, of confining their cattle by a ftring to a fpot of pafture, until they have completely clear- ed it. Upon the hill, amending to the cliffs, are fevsral 3D 39 THE STRANGER [CHAP. III. very elegant chateaus and gardens, belonging to the principal inhabitants of the town. Monfieur B , the prefect de marine, has a beau- tiful refidence here. We were accidentally flopping at his gate, which was open, to view the enchanting proipedls, which it prefented to us, when the polite owner obferved us, and with that amiablenefs, and civility, which frill diflinguifh the defendants of the ancient families of rank in France, of which he is one, requefled us to enter, and walked with us round his grounds, which were difpofed with great tafle* He afterwards conducted us to his elegant houfe, and gave us dried fruit, and excellent burgundy, af- ter which we walked round the village to the lighjt houfes. From him we learnt, that the farmers here, as in England, were very refpeclable, and had amaff- ed confiderable wealth during the war. The ap* proach to the right houfes through a row of elms, is very pleafant ; they fland upon an immenfe high perpendicular cliff, and are lofty fquare buildings, compofed of fine light brown free flone, the entrance is handfome, over which there is a good room, con- taining four high windows, and a lodging room for the people, who have the care of the light, the glafs chamber of which we reached, after afcending to a confiderable height, by a curious fpiral flone flair cafe. The lantern is compofed of ninety immenfe reflecting lamps, which are capable of being raifed or deprefled with great eafe by means of an iron wind- CHAP. III.] IN FRANCE. 3£> lafs. This large lu (Ire, is furrounded with plates of the thickeft French glafs, fixed in fquares of iron, and difcharges a prodigious light, in dark nights. A furnace of coal was formerly ufed, but this has been judicioufly fuperfeded by the prefent invention. Round the lantern, is a gallery with an iron balus- trade, the view from this elevation upon the beach, the entrance of the Seine, Honfleur(where our Hen- ry III. is faid to have fought the French armies, and to have diitinguimed himfelf by his valor) the diftant hills of Lower Normandy, and the ocean, is truly grand. It brought to my mind that beautiful def- er iption o£ Shakefpeare — >e murmuring furge That on the unnumbered idle pcbfeles chafes, Cannot be heard To high : I'll look no more, Left my brain turn, and the deficient fight Topple down headiorg. We did not vifit the other tower, as it was uniform with this. The woman who has the charge of the light, was very good humoured, and very talkative, flie feemed delighted to fhow us every thing, and faid fhe preferred feeing Englishmen in her tower as friends, to the view fhe frequently had of them from it as enemies, alluding to the long, and mafierly blockade of this port by a fquadron of Englifh frig- ates. She carried us to &er little mufeuin, as flie *0- THE STRANGER [CHAP. III. called itjAvhere fhe had arranged, very neatly, a con- siderable collection of fofiils, fhells and petrefattions. Here fhe {hawed us with great animation, two Erit- Hh cannon balls, which during the blockade, had very nearly rendered her hufband and herfelf, as cold and as iilent as any of the pe {refactions in her collection. In this little cabinet was her bed, where, amidftthe war cf winds and wave s, fhe told us fhe ilept as found as a confid. In the bafrrs of Havre, we faw fever al rafts, once fo much talked of, cGnflmcted for the real, or often- iible purpofe of conveying the invading legions of France, to the fhores of Great- Britain. I expected to have feen an immenfe floating platform, but the vefFels which we faw, were m»ade like brigs of 2n un- ufual breadth, with tv/o low mad:. The fincerity of this project has been much difputed, but that the French government expended conjiderable fums up- on the fcheme, I have no doubt. I hmft not omit to mention, the admirable mode, which they have here, and in moft parts of France, -of conftructmg their carts. They are placed upon very high wheels, the load is generally arranged fo as to create an equipoife, and is raifed by an axle, fattened near the fhafts. I was informed by a mer- chant, that a fmgle horfe can draw with eafe thirfy- £x hundred weight, in one of thefe carts. Thefe animals hare a very. formidable appearance, owing to CHAP. IV.] IN FRANCE. 41 a ftrange cuftom which the French have, of covering the collar, with an entire fhcep's flrin, which gives them the appearance of having an enormous fhag- gy mane. At night,, we fettled our bills which amounted to forty livres each* A considerable charge in this country, but we had lived well, and had not thought it worth our while, on account of the probable fhort- nefs of our ftay, to bargain for our lodging, and bcard D a plan generally proper to be ufed by thofe, who mean to remain for fome length of time, in any place in France. CHAPTER IV. Cheap travelling to Paris. — Diligences. — French Pof- tillions. — Spani/h Poftillions. — Norman Horfes.— Bolbec. — Natives of Gxiux. — 'Ivetot. — Return of Religion. — Sa?iterre. — Jacobin. — The Muflard Pot* -—National Property.. BEFORE I proceed on my journey, I muft beg leave to prefent a very cheap mode of travelling to Paris, from Havre, to thofe who have more time at their command than I had. It was given to me by a refpeclable gentleman, and an old traveller,. D % i2 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IV. ate from Havre to Honfleur, by the pafVage-boat 10 From Honfleur to Pontaudemar, by land - 3 Fi : Pontaudemar to Labouille 5 From Labcuiile to Pvouen, by water - - 12 Fr^m Rouen to Rolleboife, by land 6 From Rolleboife to Pontoife, by water - SO From Pcntcife to Paris, by land 30 >grefs, however is tedious and uncertain. At day-break we feated ourfelves in the diligence. . the carriages of this defcription have the appear- ance of being the refult of the earlieft efforts in the building. A more uncouth clumfy ma- ine canfearcely be imagined. In the front is a cabriolet fixed to the body of the coach, for the ac- v commodation of three paiTengers, who are protected from the rain above, by the projecting roof of the zhy ani in front by two Heavy curtains of leather, well b3ed, and fmelling foihewnat offen lively, fatten- ed to the roof. The inilde, which is capacious, ar.d ill hold fix people with great comfort, is >.h leather padded, and furrounded with lit- tle pock which the travellers depofit their \ night caps and pocket handkerchief?, which genera f each others company in the fame delicate depofitary. From the roof depends a large net work, which is generally crowded with |uis, iVcrJs ; and band boxes, the whole is conveni- CllAt. IV.] IN FRANCE. 43 ent, and when all parties are feated and arranged, the accommodations are by no means unpleafant. Upon the roof, on the outfide, is the imperial which is generally filled with fix or feven perfons more, and a heap of luggage, which latter alfo occu- pies the bafket, and generally prefents a pile, half as high again as the coach, which is fecured by ropes and chains, tightened by a large iron windlafs, which alfo conftitutes another appendage of this moving mafs. The body of the carriage refcs upon large thongs of leather, faftened to heavy blocks of wood, inftead of fprings, and the whole is drawn by {even horfes. Thethree firftare faftened to the crofs bar,the reft are in pairs, all in rope harnefs and tackling, The near horfe of the three firft, is mounted by the poftil- lion, in his great jack boots, which are always placed., with much ceremony, like two tubs, on the right fide of his Rofinante, juft before he af bends. Thefe curious protectors of his legs, are compofed of wood., and ircn hoops, foftened within by fluffing, and eive him all the dignity of riding in a pair of upright port- manteaus. With a long lafh whip in his hand, a dir- ty night cap and an old cocked hat upon his head., hallooing alternately « a gauche, a droit," and a few occasional facre dieus, which feem always properly applied, and perfectly under/toed, the merry poftil-. lion drives along his cattle. I rnuft net fail to do juilice to the Scientific ftiil with which he manage^, 44 The stranger [chap. IV. on horfeback, his long and heavy coach whip 5 with this commanding inftrument, he can re- animate by a touch, each halting mufcle of his lagging animals, can cut off an annoying fly, and with the loud crack- ing of its thong, he announces, upon his entrance in- to a town, the approach of his heavy, and clatter- ing cavalcade. Each of thefe diligences is provided with a conduftuer, who rides upon the imperial, and is refponfible throughout the journey, for the com- fort of the pafTengers and fofety of the luggage. For his trouble the pafTenger pays him only thirty fols for himfelf, and fifteen more for the different poftil- lions, to be divided amongft them, for thefe the don- or is thanked with a low bow, and many " bien obliges," in the name of himfelf and his contented comrades. Our companions proved to be fome of our old friends the emigrants, who had thrown afide their marine diinabilie, and difplayed the appearance of gentlemen. "We were much pleafed with, again meeting each other. Their conversation upon the road was very interefting, it was filled with fincere regret for the afihclions of their country, and with exprefilons of love and gratitude towards theEngiifh. They tola us many little tales of poikenefs, and hu- manity which they had received from my country- men in the various towns, where their deftiny had placed them. One difplayed, with amiable pride, a Ihuffbox, which he had received as a parting token CHA?.IV.] IN TUANCE. 45 of efleem', another a pocket book, and eadi was the bearer of fome little affectionate proof of merit, goo4 conduct, or friendfhip. One of thefe gentlemen, the abbe de l'H 3 whofe face was full of expreflion, tinctured with much grief, and attendant indifpofkion, with a man- ner, and in a tone, which were truly affecting, con- cluded a little narrative of fome kindnefs which he had received, by faying, "if the Englifh and my « country are not friends, it ihall not be for want of " my prayers. I fled from France without tears, fcr " the prefervation of my life, but when I left Eng- « land, I confess, I could not help fhedding feme." They did not difgrace the generous abbe — fuch a nation was worthy of fuch feelings. Our horfes were of the Norman breed, fmaU, flout, fhort, and full of fpirit, and to the honor of thofe who have the care of them, in excellent condi- tion. I was furprifed to fee thefe little animals run- ning away with our cumbrous machine, at the rate of fix or feven miles an hour. "We traced the defolating hand of the revolution as foon as we afcended the firft hill. Our road lay through a charming country. Upon the fides of its acclivities, furrounded by the 'moil ro- mantic fcenery of woods and corn-fields, we faw ruin- ed convents, and rootles village churches, through the fhattered cafements of which the wind had free admifiion. 46 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IV. We breakfafted at a neat town called Bolbec, fev- en leagues from Havre, where we had excellent cof- fee, butter, and rolls. All the houfehold of our inn looked clean, happy, and fprightly. This is the principle town of the province of Caux, the women of which drefs their heads in a very pecu- liar, and in my humble opinion, unbecoming man- ner. I made a hafty iketch of one of them who en- tered the yard of the inn with apples for fale. Such a promontory of cap and lace I never before beheld. She had been at a village marriage that morning, and was bedecked in all her finery. The people of this province are induftrious and rich, and consequently refpec~hble. At the theatre at Rouen I afterwards faw, in one of the front boxes, a lady from this country, dreffed after its fafhion : the ef- fect was fo lingular that it immediately induced me to diftinguifh her, from the reft of the audience, but her appearance feemed to excite no curiofity with any other perfon. Our breakfaft coft us each fifteen fous, to which may be added two fols more, for the maids, who waited on us with cheerful imiles, and habited in the full cufhvois cuftume, and which alfo entitled us to kiiTes and curtfies. I beg leave to oppofe our breakfaft charge to the rumors which prevailed in England that this part cf France was then in a ftate of famine. From this town, the road was beautiful- fully lined with beech, chefnut, and apple trees. The rich yellow of the rape feed which overfpread the CHAP. IV.] IN FRANCE. 47 furface of many of the fields on each fide, was very animating to the eye. From this vegetable the country people exprefs oil, and of the pulp of it %iake cakes, which the Norman horfes will fatten upon. We had an early dinner at Ivetot, five leagues diftant from Bolbec. In ancient periods this miferable town was once the capital of a feparate kingdom. In our dining room were three beds, or rather we dined in the bed room. I ufe the former exprefiion out of compliment to the pride of our lit- tle hoft, who replied with fome loftinefs to one of our companions, who, upon entering the room, and feeing fo many accommodations for repofe, exclaim- ed, with the fharpnefs of appetite, « my good hod, « we want to eat, and not to deep ;" " gentlemen, w faid our mortified little matire d'hotel, this cham- K ber is the dining room, and it is thought a very " good one." From its appearance I fhould have believed him, had he fworn that it was the ftate room of the palace of this ancient principality, of which this wretched town was once the capital. It reminded me of an anecdote related by an ancient Englifh lady of fafhion, when fhe firft paid her ret pe£ts to James I. foon after his acceflion to the crown of England. She mentions in her memoir, that his royal drawing room was fo very dirty > that after the levee fhe was obliged to recur to her comb for relief. In plain truth, James I. and his court were loufy. 4>8 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IV. Our mafter of the houfe was both cook and waiter. At dinner, amongft feveral other difties, we hadfome {tewed beef. I requefted to be favored with a little muftard, cur hoft very folemnly replied, " I am very « forry, citizen, but I have none, if you had been for- * « tunate enough to have been here about three weeks <« fince, you might have had fome." It was more than I wifhsd, fo I ate my beef very contentedly with- out it. With our defert we had a fpecies of cake called brioche, compofed of egg, flour, and water ; k is in high eftimation in France. It was in this town only that I faw a fpecimen of that forlorn wretchednefs and importunity, which liave been faid to conftitute the gentral nuifance of this country. In the fhop of a brazier here, was expofed, a new leaden crucifix, about two feet and a half high for fale ; it had been cafl preparatory to the reinaugur- ation of the archbifhop of Rouen, which was to take place upon the next Sunday week, in the great ca~ thedral of that city. In confequence of the refloration of religion, the beggars who have in general confiderable devernefs, and know how to turn new circumflances to advan- tage, had juft learnt a frefh mode of foliating mon- ey, by repeating the Lord's Prayer in French and Latin. We were treated with this fort of importu- Date piety for near a mile, after we left Ivetot. I have before mentioned, that the barbarous jargon CHAP. TV.] *N FfUtfCfe. 4$ of the revolution is rapidly paffing away. It is only here and there, that its fliiny track remains. The time is not very diftant when Frenchmen wifhed to be known by the- name of Jacobins -, it is now be- come an appellation of reproach, even amongft the furviving aborigines of the revolution. As an in* fiance of it, a naval officer of rank and intelligence, who joined us at Ivetot, informed us, that he had cc« caflon, upon fome matters of bufmefs, to meet San* terre a few days before *, that inhuman and vulgar revolutionift, who commanded the national guards when they {unrounded the fcaiFold during the ex ecu* •tion of their monarch. In the courfe of their ecu- verfation, Santerre, fpeaking of a third per'fon, ex- claimed, " I cannot bear that man '; he is a Jacobin." Let all true revolutionary republicans Cry out> Bravo ! at this. This mifcfea'ht lives unnoticed, in a little village near Paris, upon a {lender income, which he has Hiade in trade, notin the trade of blood ; for it appears that Robefpierre was not a very liberal patron of his fervants. He kept his blood hounds lean and keen 3 and poorly fed them with the ranked offal. After a dufty journey through a very rich and pic- turefqu^country, of near eighty miles, v/e emerecl the beautiful boulevards* Or Rouen, about feven O'clock in the evening, which embowered us from *• Environs of 3 town, planted with ftately tVees, s SO THE STRANGER [CHAP. IV. the fun. Their fhade was delicious. I think them finer than thofe of Paris. The noble elms, which compofe them in four ftately rows, are all nearly of the fame height. Judge of my furprife — Updn our rapidly turning the corner of a ftreet, as we entered the city, I fuddenly found coach, horfes and all, in the aifle of an ancient catholic church. The gates were clofed upon us, and in a moment from the bufy buzzing of the ftreets, we were tranflated into the fi- lence of fhattered tombs, and the gloom of cloifters : the only light which fhone upon us, iiTued through fragments of ftained glafs, and the apertures which were formerly filled with it. My furprife, however, was foon quieted, by being informed, that this church, having devolved to the nation as its property, by force of a revolutionary de* cree, had been afterwards fold for {tables, to one of the owners of the Rouen diligences. An old unf tleable cabriolet occupied the place of the altar : and the horfes were very quietly eating their oats in the facrifty ! ! At the Bureau, we paid twelve livres and a half for ©ur places and luggage from Havre to this town» CHAP. V.] IN FRANCE. &1 CHAPTER V, A female French fib. — Military and Civil Procejfion.—* Madame G. — The Review. — Mons. CAbbL — Bridge of B ats. — The Quay. — -Exchange. — Theatre — Rou~ efU — Cathedral. — St, Ouens. — Prince of Waldec— Maid of Orleans. HAVING collected together all our luggage, and feen it fafely lodged in a porter's wheelbarrow, Cap- tain C. and I bade adieu to our fellow travellers, and to thefe folemn and unfuitable habitations of hoftiers and horfes, and proceeded through feveral narrow ftreets, lined with lofty houfes, the fhops of which were ail open, and the fhopkeepers, chiefly women,, looked refpeclable and fprigbtiy, with gavbouquets in their bofoms, to the Hotel de 1'Europe j it is. a fine inn, to which w T e had been recommended at Havre, kept by Madame F , who, with much politenefsj and many captivating movements, dreifed a-la-Gr^e, with immenfe golden ear-rings, approached us, and gave us a little piece of information, not very pleafent to travellers fome^vhat diicoloured by the duft of a long and fultry clay's journey, who wanted comforta- ble rooms, freih linen, a little coffee, and a good night's repofe : her information w r as, that her houfe was completely full, but that fhe would fend to an upholfterer to fit up two beds for us, in a very neat room, which ihe had juft papered and furnifhed> op- THE STRINGER [CHAP. V, oofac to the porter's lodge (all the great inns and re. ipcctable town-houfes in France have great gates, and a porter's lodge at the entrance,) As we wifhed to hive three rooms, we told her, we were friends of Mefirs. G , (the principal merchants of Rouen.) She faid, they were very amiable men, and were ple&ea to fend' all their friends to her %oufi y (z little French fib of Madame F -'s, by the by, as will ifter y) and fhe was truly f me commodate us better. We looked in- to the room, which alio looked into th expofed to all its noife 5 and very finall. So we made bows to madame F , and proceeded with. our wheelbarrow to the Hotel de Poitiers — a rival houfcv It is fituated in the beautiful boulevards, ch I have mentioned, and is part of a row of fine . s-boik hcufes. Upon cur ringing the bell, Mad- P prefented herfelf. We told her; we 'ejufc arrived at Rouen, that we had the honor of being known to tOvMeilrs, G , and fhould be happy to be placed under her roof, and wii 8 fitting room to our- fetvesj LL;dameP~ , who pofifeiTed that fort of ct and generous heart, v its bet- ervation, had lodged in a coixifortable envel- ope cr" comely pbimpnefs, obferved, that Mefirs. G '"emeu of great respectability, were lier patrons, and always feni their friends to her houfe (a point upon which thefe rival dames were at uTue, CHAP. V.] IN FRANCE. 53 but the truth was with Madame P— . ;) that fhe , would do all in her power to make us happy ; but at prefent, on account of her houfe being very crowd- ed, me could only offer us two bed-rooms. We were too tired to think of any furtheV peregrinations ofdifcovery; fo we entered our bedrooms, which, like moll of the chambers in France, had brick floors without any carpetting ; they were, however clean y and, after ordering a good fire in one of them (for the fudden and unufual froft, Which in the beginning of fummer, committed fo much ravage throughout Europe, commenced the day we had firft the honor of feeing Madame f- — - ;) and 3 after enjoying thofe comforts which weary wanderers require, wb mounted our lofty beds, and went to reft. The next day we prefented our letter, and our* felves, to Madame G , the amiable mother of the gentleman I have mentioned. She received us with great politenefs, 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 cuftom of receiving early vii7ts in France. About eleven o'clock we faw a fplendid proceflion of all the military and civil authorities to the hotel* of the prefect, which was opposite to our inn. * Hotel, in France,, means either an inn, or prv >:***■ , was very florid, and vehement, and attended by vn, ;: g eLre,occaiionalIygraceful. Theple.de, « NorLdy are conildered as the moil client men, in Trance, I have heard feveralof them, but tney a ? ~ ' pC ar to me to be too impaffioned. Their motions m fpeakingh-ecmently look like maduefs. Bf ^ fhcked his language to furnifh hirnlek w*h re- proachful epithets again* the miserable wreccn by the fide of. him, who with his hands m his b ? * fbm appeared' to liften to him with the greaUii fang -froid. The witnefies who were kept fepar* ate/ previous to their giving their evidence, werj numerous, and proved many robberies .againfl .him, attended with aggravated breaches^ of hofpnauty. The court entered into proofs of cfeces. commuted by the prifoner at difeent times, and upon .differ- ent perfons. The women who gave their teftimonv , exhibited a ftriking contraft between the timidly of Englilh females, confronting the many eyes of a. crowded court of jufiice, and the calm felf poflliii: n ^ith which the French ladies here delivered their unperturbed teftimegg. The charges were clearly proved, and the prifoner was called upon for his de- fence. Undifmayed, and with all the practifed har- dihood of an Old Bailey felon, he calmly declared; that he purchased the pile of booty produced in Ui| court, for fums of money, the -mount of which, he c id -~,t tK-: krmw, of Dcrfons be could not name, ana *.i 66 THE STRANGER [CHA.P. VI. places which he did not remember. He had no ad- vocate. The fubject was next refumed, and clofed by the official orator who opened it. The court re- tired, and the criminal was re-conducted to the prif- ett behind the hall. After an abfence of about twenty minutes, a bell rang to announce the return cf the judges, the prifoner re-entered, efcorted by a file of national guards, to hear his fate. The cou t refumed its fitting. The prefident addreffed the unhappy man, -very briefly, recapitulated his offences, and read the decree of the republic upon them, by which he doomed him to lofe his head at- four o'clock that afternoon. It was then ten minutes pad one ! ! The face pf this wretched being prefented a line fubject for the pencil. His countenance was dark, marked, and melancholy ; over it was fprcad the fallow tint of long imprifonment. His beard was unfhorn, and he difplayed an indifference to his fate, which net a lit- tle furprifed me. He immediately retired, and upon his return to his cell, a pried was fent forta prepare him for his doom. At prefent, in the provinces, ail criminal offences are tried before military tribunals> qualified, as I have defcribed this to. be, by a mixture of civil judges and bourgeois. It is one of the peculiar character iftics of fuch tri- bunals, to order immediate punifhment after convic- tion, In the prefent mftance, the fate cf the offers chap. VL] m t*W* ^* 4er was well known, for Uis crimes were many, and manifefl, and as the interval allowed by military courts between the fentence, and its fulfilment, is fa very Ihort, the administrators of the law had postpon- ed his trial for five months from the period of his commitment, for the purpcfe of affording him an in- dulgent Drocraftination. This mode, although ari£* ing from merciful motives, is, I am aware, open to objection ; but it would be unfair to comment upon laws, which prevailed in times of revolution, and are permitted only to operate, until the fabric of French criminal juriiprudence, which is now conftruc"Hng> fh .11 be prefented to the people. To the honor of our country, and one of the greateft ornaments of theBrit- ifh bar, the honorable T. Erfkine, in the year 1789> fumifhed the French with fome of thefe great princi- ples of criminal law, which it was ircpoflible to perfedt during the long «ra of convulfion, and instability, which followed, and which wil constitute a consider- able part of that great, and humane code, which is, about tp be bellowed upon the nation, and which will, no doubt, prove to be one of the great eft bleST- ings, which human wifdom can confer upcn human weaknefs. Its foundation is ncarfy fimilar to that of our own. Tire great and enlightened genius whofe name I have mentioned,, has. provided that the contumacy of one juryman ShaUnotbeabletofbrce the opinion of the reft 6& THE STRANGER [CHAP. VI.' After the court had broken up, I vifited the town houfe, which, before the revolution, wr.s the monas- tery of the Benedictines, who, from what appeared of the remains of their eflablifhment, muft have been magnificently lodged, and well deferred during their exiftence, to bear the name of the bleffed. The two grand ftaircafes are very fine, and there is a noble garden behind. Upon entering the veftibule of the council chamber, formerly the refectory, I thought I was going behind the fcenes of a theatre. It was nearly tilled with allegorical banners, pafreboard and canvais arches of triumph, altars, emblems of liberty, and defpotifm, and all the fcenic deccratidns fuitable to the frenzied orgies of a republican fete. Thank Cod ! they appeared to be tolerably we'll covered' . with duft and cob webs. At the end of this noble room, feated upon a high pedcftal, was the goddefs of liberty; beautifully executed in marble. "Look at " that ianguinary proftitute," cried Mons. G , to me, pointing to the {latue, " for years have we had -of- ed of the mod worthlefs people of Rouen, was term- ed, who, in the name of, and for the ufe of the na- tion, feized upon the valuable dock of Menrs. G , who were natives df France. In one night, by torch- light, their extenfive ware houfes were u.ckec 1 , and all their ftdres were forcibly fold in the public mark- et place to the beft bidder : the plundered merchants were paid the amount of the fale in amgnats, in a pa- per currency which then bore an enormous difebunt^ and fhortly afterwards retained only the value cf the paper upon which the national note was written. In fhort, in a few hours an honorable family, nobly alli- ed, were defpoiled of a property to. the amount, of 25,000/. fterling. Other merchants ihared the fame fate. This, act of robbery was followed by an act of cruelty. Madame G — — , the mother, who was born in England, and who married a French gentle-. 76 THE STRANGER [CHAP. VIL man o£ large fortune, whom fhe furvived, of a deli- cate frame and advanced in years, was committed to prifon, where, with many other female fufferers, fhe was clofely confined for eleven months, during which time fhe was compelled to endure all forts of priva- tions. After the committee of rapine had fettled theh black account, and had remitted the guilty bal- ance' to their employer?, the latter, in a letter of ic triend!y collufion, and fraudulent familiarity/' af- pafling a few revolutionary jokes upon what had Occurred, obferved that the G 3 feemed to bleed rc-ry freely, arid that as it was likely they muit have creilif: with many perfons to a large amount, directed at and active banditti to order thefe de- voted ^gentlemen to draw, and to deliver to them, ts upon all fucii per fens who flood in- debted to their eztennve concern. In the words a celebrated orator,* " Though they had'fhaken « tree till nothing remained upon the ieafiefs bra: ff es yet a new iiight was on the wing, to watch the uddings of its profperity, and to nip F <: Jjope of future foliage and fruit." The G s expected this vifit, and, by an inge- nious, and jufHhed expedient, prevented then* perdi- tion from becoming decifive. * Vide Sheridan's oration again ft Raftings upon the Begum charge. CHAP. VIL] IN FRANCE. I i Soon after the gates of the prifon were clcfed iip- on Madame G , her eldeft fen, a man ex com- manding perfon, and eloquent addreis, in defiance of every friendly, and of every affectionate entreaty, flew to Paris, It was in the evening of lafi winter which beheld its mows crimfoncd with revolutionary carnage, when he preferred himfelf, undifmayed, before that ccrn- mittee, whofe horrible nature will be better defcrib- ed by merely relating the names of its members, then fitting, than by themort animated and elaborate delineations of all its deadly deeds of rapine and of blood. At a table covered with green cloth, fhabbily lighted, in one of the committee rooms of the nation- al ailembly, were feated Robefpierre, Collot, d : bois, Carnot, and David. They were occupied lit filling up the lifts for the per in event guillotine, :::;> ed very near them, in la Place de la Revokuicn, which the executioners were then cleanup- of its gore, and preparing for the next day's butchery. In this devoted capital more blood had, during that day {breamed upon the fcafrold, than on anyone chv dm- ing the revolution. The terrified inhabitants, in darknefs, in remote receffes of their defolate houfes, were fiTently offer. bg up a payer to the great God of Mercy to' rev?:.;,, them, in a way moft fuitable to his wifJ C :n, fro m fuchfeenes of deep diimny, and remcifeiekj fku'alr ter, G 2 TKIi STRANGER ^ [CKAP. VII. Robefpteritfj as ufual, was dreffed with great neat- nefs and gaiety •, the fivaee was generally fitted, whilft his affociates were habited, en Jacobin, in the fqualld, filthy fafhion of that era of the revolution, in the drefs of blackguards. Mr. G bowed; and addreffed them very ref. pcclfuliy, <• I am come, citizens, before you," faid this amiable fon, " to implore the releafe of my mo- " ther j fhe is pining in the prifons of Rouen, with- r< cut having committed any offence ; fhe is in years ^ 'f and if her confinement continues, her children w v. hole fortunes have been placed at the difpofal of « the national exigencies, will ha\e to lament her th •, grant the prayer of her fon, reitore, I con-^ "jure you, by all the rights of nature, reitore her to « her afBi'fted family/' Robefpierre looked ob- liquely at him, and with his accu domed iharpnefs, interrupted him from proceeding further, by exclaim- ing u what right have^otf to appear before us, mif- si creant ? you are an agent of Pitt and Cobourg (the « then common phrafe of reproach) you fhall be fait be guillotine — -Why are you not at the frou- u tiers \" Ivlonficur G , unapplied, replied, : me my mother, and I will be there tc-mor- "row, I arc ready inftantly to fpill my blood, if it .'. be the price of her difcharge." Robefpierre, rrhofe favage foul was occaiionally moved by fights. of heroic virtue, feemed imprelfed by this brave and ... He paufed, and after whlfrcring a: CttAh VII.J IH FRANCS, 79 few words to his afibciates, wrote the difcharge, and handing it over to a foidier, for the fuccefsful peti- tioner, he fiercely told him to retire. Mr. G inftantly fet out for Roiien, where, af- ter a long, and fevere journey, he arrived, exhattfte4 with fatigue, and agitation of mind ; without re- frefhment, tliis amiable man flew to the gates of the prifon, which contained his mother, and preferred the difcharge to the goaler, who drily, with a brutal grin, informed him, that a trick had been played off upen him, that he had juft received a counter order, which he held in his hand, and refufed to releafe her ! ! ! It turned out that immediately after Mr, G-™ had left the committee room, the relenting diipofl- ticn, which he had momentarily awakened in the bar- parous bread of Robefpierrc, had fubfided. The generous fentiment was of a fhort, and fickly growth, and withered unde* the gloomy, fatal fhade of his fanguinary nature. A chafleur had been dif- patched with the counter order, who palled the ex* ultingj but deluded G- on the road. A fhort time after this, and a few days before Madame G ,and her unhappy companions were to have periihed on the fcafFokl, the gates of their prifon Hew open, the world was releafed from a mon- ger — Robefpierre was no more. This interefting recital I received from one cf the imlaMe fbffcrers; in our way to St, Catharine's - 80 THE STRANGER [CHAP. VJI> Mount. The ftcry afforded a melancholy contrail; to the rich and cheerful fcenes about us. - From the attic ftoryof a lofty houfe, built under this celebrated cliff, we afcended that part of it, which, upon the road to Paris, is only acceffible in this manner. When we reached the top, the prof- pect was indeed fuperb ; on one fide we traced for miles, the romantic meanders of the Seine, every where forming little iflands of poplars •, before us, melting away in the horizon, were the blue moun- tains of Lower Normandy ; at their feet, a variegat- ed difplay of meadows, f orefts, corn fields, and vine- yards ; immediately below us, the city of Rouen, and its beautiful fuburbs. This delicious, and expanded profpeel:, we enjoyed upon a feat erected near a little oratory, which is built upon the top of the moun- tain, retting, at one end, upon the pedeftal of a crofs, which, in the time of the revolution, had been Shat- tered and overturned. From this place, before dinner, we proceeded to la, Montagne ; a wild and hilly country, lying oppcfite to St. Catharine's. Here we were overtaken by a ftorm, upon which, a cure, who had obferved us from his little cottage, not far diftant, and who had been very lately reinflated in the cure of the church., in the neighboring village, came out to us with an umbrella, and invited us to dinner. Upon our re*, turn to our inn, to drefs, we were annoyed by a nui- fance whjch had before frequently affailed us, I CHAP. VIL] IN FRANCE.. 31 knew a man> who in a moment of ill humour vented rather a revengeful wi£h that the next neighbor of his enemy might have a child, who was fond of a ivhif- tie and a drum ! A more infufferable nuifance was deftined for us ; the perfon who lodged in the next room to mine, was a. beginner (and a dull one too) upon- the trumpet. It was general Ruffin, whom I have mentioned before, forcing from this brazen tube, founds which certainly would have fet a kennel of hounds in a cry of agony , and were almoft calcu- lated to difturb the repofe of the dead. General Rufrln, in all other refpects, was a very polite, and indeed a very quiet young man, and a brave warrior ;. but in the difplay of his paflion for muiic, I fear he mii#ook either his talent or- his inftrument. At one time we thought of inviting him to dine with us, that we might have a little refpite, but after debating the matter well over, we conceived that to entertain an Italian hero, as he ought to be received by thefe who admire valor even in an enemy, was purchafing filencc at a very advanced price, fo we Submitted to the evil with that resignation which generally follows the in- curable abfence of a remedy. We now addrefTed ourfelves to Madame P , to know how long the general had learned the trumpet, and whether his leifure hours were generally occupied in this way, Madame P 3 was, ftrange to tell, not veryable to afford us much information upon the fubjedh She was under the influence of love. The natural tran< 82 THE STRANGER [CHAP. VII. quillity of her difpofitioii, was improved by the prof- pect of connubial happinefs, which although a wid- ow, and touching the frontier of her eight and thir- tieth year, fhe fhortly expecled to receive from the fon of a neighbouring architect, who was then a mi- nor. In this blifsful frame of mind, our fair hofttfs fcarcely knew when the trumpet of general Ruffin founded. Her foul was in harmony with all the world, and it was not in the power of the demon of difcord, nor even of this annoying brazen tube, to diilurb her. Madame P well deferved to be* blefTed with fuch equanimity, and ifj&e liked it, with fuch a lover, for (he was a generous and good crea- ture. A gentleman to whom I was afterwards introduc- ed, when the revolution began to grow hot, fled with I his lady and his children into a foreign country, where, upon the relics of a fhattered fortune he re- mained, until things wore a better afpect, and enabled him, with a profpecl: of fafety, to return to his na- tive country. In better times, upon his annual vifits. to a noble chateau, and large eftates which he once * poiTeifed in this part of Normandy, he was accuftom- ed to (top at the Hotel de Potiers. His equipage was then fplendid, and fuitable to his affluent circum- flances. Upon his return to France, this gentleman, harrafled by lofles, and fatigued by ncknefs, arrived with his accomplimed lady, and their elegant chil- dren, in a hired cabriole, at the gate of Madame. CHAP. VII.] IN FRANCE. 83 p . As foon as their name was announced, the grateful hoftefs prefented herfelf before them, and killing the children, burft into tears of joy ; when fhe had recovered herfelf, fhe ad- dreffed her old patron, by expreffing her hopes, that he had amended his fortune abroad, and was now returning to enjoy himfelf in tranquillity at home. — « Alas ! my good Madame P ," faid this worthy gentleman, " we left our country, as you « know to fave our lives, we have fubfifted upon the « remains of our fortune ever iince, and have fuftain- « ed heavy and cruel loffes -, we have been taken « prifoners upon our pafTage, and are now returning « to our home, if any is left to us, to folicit fome re- " paration for our fu fferings. — Times are altered, -" Madame P^ , you rauft not now confider me as " formerly, when I expended the gifts of Providence " in a manner which I hope was not altogether un- " worthy of the bounty which fhowered them upon " me, we muft bow down to fuch difpenfations, you " fee I am candid with you; we are fatigued, and " want refrefhment, give us, my good landlady, a " little plain dinner, fuch as is fuitable to our prefent " condition." Madame P was fo much affected, that fhe could make no reply, and left the room. Immediately all the kitchen was in a buftle, every pot and pan were placed in inftant requifition, the chamber-maids were fent to the neighboring conjee- 84? THE STR/NGER [CHAP. VII. fioners for cakes, and the porter was difpatched all over the city for the choiceft fruits. In a fhort time a noble dinner was ferved up to this unfortunate fam- ily, followed by confectionary, fruits, and burgundy. When the repaft was over, Mons. O - oidered his bill, and his cabriole to be got ready. Madame P ■ i entered, and in the mo ft amiable manner re- -queried him, as fhe httd exceeded his orders, to con- sider the dinner as a little acknowledgment of her fenfe of his paft favors j money, though earneftly preffed upon her, fhe would not receive. The whole of this inter efting party were moved to tears, by this little act of nature and generofity. When they entered their carriage, they found in it bouquets of flowers, and boxes of cakes for the little children. No doubt Madame P— moved lighter that day, than fhe ever did in her life, and perhaps found the remembrance of her conduct upon the oc- cafion almoft as exquirite as the hours cf love, which {he appeared moft happily to enjoy, when we had the honor of being under her roof. Monficur O could not help exhibiting much feeling, when he related this little event to me. I muft not fail to mention that all the houfe feemed, for the moment, infected with the happy difeafe of the miftrefs. General RufHn's valet de chambre was in love with Dorothee, our chambermaid j the porter was pining for a little black eyed grifette, who fold prints and naftry. in a flail oppofUe ; and the : CHAP. VII.] IN FRANCE. hoftler was eternally quarrelling with the chef de " fine, who repelled him from the kitchen, which, in the perfon of the afliftant cook, a plump, rofy Nor- man girl, contained all the treafure of his foul — love and negligence reigned throughout the houfehold. We rang the bells, and facre dieu'd, but all in vain, we fuffered great inconvenience, but who could be an- gry ? In the courfe of our walks, and converfations, with the workmen, whom we met, we found that moll of the mafons, and gardeners of Rouen, had fought in the memorable, bloody, and decifive battle of Marengo, at which it appears that a great part of the military of France, within four or five hundred miles of the capital, were prefent. The change they prefented was worthy of obfervation ; we faw men fun-browned in campaigns, and enured to all th*e fe- rocity of war, at the found of peace afiuming all the tranquil habits of ingenious induilry, \ or ruftic fim- plicity. Some of them were occupied in forming the fhapelefs (tone into graceful embeliifliments for ele- gant houfes, and others in difpofing, with botanic tafte, the fragrant parterre. After fpending four very delightful days in this agreeable city, I bade adieu to my very worthy companion, captain W. C -, whofe intention it was to fpend fome time here, and thofe friends, from whom I had received great atttntion and hofpitalities, and wifhing the amiable Madame P — ■ — , many happy years, and re- 86 THE STRANGER CHAP. VIII. ceiving from her the afiurances of civility, about fev- en o'clock in the evening I feated myfelf in the dili- gence for Paris, and in a comfortable corner of it, af- ter we had paiTed the pave, refigned myfelf to fteep. CHAPTER VIII. Early dinner. — Manie. — Frojl. — Duke de jSW/y.— - Approach the Capital. — 'Norman Barrier. — Paris, — -Hotel de Rouen. — Palais RcyaL AT day break, the appearance of the country in all directions was delightful. The faint eaftern blufh of early morn, threw a mild, refrefhing light over the moift and dew-dripping fcenery. The fpirit of our immortal bard, awaking from the bofom of nature, feemed to exclaim — ■Look love, what envious ftreaks Do tacethe fevering clouds, in yor.dereaft ; Night's candles are burnt out ; and jocund D3y Stands tiptoe on the mifty mountain tops. About eight o'clock in the morning, we arrived at Mante, a pi&urefcue town, built upon a fertile moun- tain, at the bafe of which the Seine flowed along rip- pling againfl its many iilands of beautiful poplars. . At this hour, upon our alighting at the inn, we found a . regular dinner ready, confifting of foups, meats, fowls CttAP. Vltt.] IK FRANCE. 87 and confectionary. To the no fmall furprife of the holt, I exprefTed a wifh to have fome breakfaft, and at length, after much difficulty, procured fome cof- fee and rolls. The reft of the party, with great compofure, tuck- ed their napkins in the buttonholes of their waift- coats, and applied themfelvcs to the good things be- fore them, with very active addrefs. — "What a hap- py race of people ! ready for every thing, and at all times 5 they fcarcely know the meaning of inconve- nience. In the midft of difficulty, they find accommoda- tion j with them, every thing feems in harmony. After paying thirty fols for my repaft, a charge which announced our approach to the capital, I walked on, and made my way to the bridge over another wind- ing of the Seine, at the bottom of the town j which is a light, and elegant ftruclure. The houfes along the fides of the river are handfome, and delightfully fituated. The principal church is a fine gothic build- ing, but is rapidly haftening to decay j fome of its pinnacles are deftroyed, and all its windows brok- en in. A fmall chapel, in the ftreet cppofite, which had an appearance of confiderable elegance, was convert- ed into a flaughter-houfe. Embofomed in woods, on the other fide of the bridge, is a fine chateau, former- ly belonging to the count d'Adhemar ; here, while edjoying the enchanting profpecl: about me, I heard THE STRANGER [CHAP. VIII. the jingling approach of our heavy diligence, in which, having refeated myfelf, we proceeded upon a fine high road, through thick rows of walnut, cherry, mulberry, and apple trees, for feveral miles, on each fide of which, were vineyards, upon whofe promis- ing vintage, the froft had committed fad devaftation. For a vaft extent, they appeared blackened and burnt up. It was faid. that France fuftained a lcfs of two millions fterling, by thisunufual vifitation. In the courfe of our journey, I experienced in the conduct of one of our two female companions, an oc- currence, allied to that, which is related by Sterne, of Madame de Rambcuillet, by which he very juftly illuftrates the happy eafe, with which the French la- dies prevent themfelves from ever fuffering by in- convenient notions of delicr.cy. A few miles from Mante, on the borders of the Seine, we pafTed one of the venerable chateaus of the celebrated duke de Sully, the faithful, able, and up- right minifter, of Henry IV. of France, one of thole great geniufes, who only at diftant eras of time, are permitted to fhine out amongft the race of men. Hiftorians unite in obferving that the duke perform- ed all the duties of an active and' upright minifter, under a mailer, who exercifed all the offices of a * great and good king ; after whofe unhappy fate, this excellent man retired from the bufy fcenes of the world, and covered with time and honors expired in the eighty-fecond year of his age in the year 1641, at CHAP. VIII.] IN FRANCE. 89 his caftle of Villebon. The houfe is plain, and large. The grounds are difpofed after the fafhion of ancient times. As we approached the capital, the country looked very rich and luxuriant. We patted through the foreft of St. Germains, where there is a noble palace, built upon a lofty mountain.. The foreft abounds with game, and formerly afforded the delights of the chafe to the royal Nimrods of France. Its numerous green alleys are between two and three miles long, and in the form of radii unite in a centre. The for- eft and park extend to the barrier, through which, : we immediately entered the town of St. - Germains, diftant from Paris about twelve miles which is a large and populous place, and in former periods, during the royal refidence, was rich and flouriming, but having participated in the bleffings of the revolution, prefents an appearance of confiderable poverty, and fqualid decay. Here we changed horfes for the laft poft, andran down a fine, broad paved, royal road through rows of ftately elms, upon an inclined plane, until the diftant, and wide, but clear difplay of majef- tic domes, awful towers, and lofty fpires, informed us that we approached the capital. I could not help comparing them with their cloud-capped brethren of London, over whofe. dim-diicovered heads, a float- ing mafs: of unhealthy fmoke, forever fufpends its heavy length of gloom. Our carriage flopped at the Norman Barrier, which is the grand entrance to Pa- ll £ 90 THE STRANGER [CHAP. VIIL ris, and here prefents a magnificent profpect to the eye. The barrier is formed of two very large, and noble military ftone lodges, having porticoes, on all fides, fupported by mafty doric pillars. Thefe buildings were given to the nation, by the national afTerobly in the year* 1792, and are Separated from each other, by a range of iron gates, adorned with republican emblems. Upon a gentle declivity ; through quadruple rows of elms, at the diftance of a mile and a half, the gigantic ftatues of la Place de la Concorde (ci-devant, de la Revolution) appear; beyond which, the gardens, and the palace of the 'Thuilferies, upon the centre tower of which, the tri- coloured flag was waving, from the back fcene of this fplendid fpectacle. Eefore we entered la Piute de la Concorde, we pafTed on each fide of us, the beautiful, and favorite v^alks of the Parifians 3 called lea Champs Ely-fees, and afterwards, on our left, the ele- gant palace of the Garde-meuble ; where we entered the flreets of Paris, and focn afterwards alighted at the bureau of the diligences ; from which place, I took a fiacre (a hackney coach) and about fix o'clock in the evening prefented-myfelf to the mijtrefs of the hotel de Rouen, for the women of France generally tranfa& all the mafculine duties of the houfe. To Hkis hotel I was recommended by Meflrs G -, up- on mentioning whofe name, I was very politely fhown up to a faite of pleafant apartments, confifling cf an anti-room, bed-room, and dreffing-rcom, the CHAP. VIII.] IN FRANCE. 91 two latter were charmingly fituated, the windows of which, looked out upon an agreeable garden belong- ing to the palace of Lou rre. For thefe rooms I paid the moderate price of three livres a day. Here, af- ter enjoying thofe comforts which travellers after long journies, require, and a good dinner into the bargain, about nine o'clock at night I fallied out to the Palais Royal, a fuperb palace built by the late duke d'Orleans, who, when he was erecting it, pub- licly boafted, that he would make it one of the great- eft brothels in Europe, in which prediction he fuc- ceeded, to the full confummation of his abominable wiflies. This palace isfiow the property of the na- tion. The grand entrance is from the Rue St. Hon- oroe, a long ftreet, fomething refembling thePiccadil- ly of London, but deftitute, like all the other ftreets of Paris, of that ample breadth, and paved footway, for the accommodation, of pedeflrian pafTengers, which give fuch a decided fuperiority to the ftreets of the capital of England. After palling through two noble courts, I entered the piazza, of this amazino- pile ; which is built of flone, upon arches, fupported by Corinthian pilafters. Its form is an oblong fquare, with gardens, and walks in the centre. The whole is confidered to be, about one thoufand four hundred feet long, and three hundred feet broad. The fineft (hops of Paris for jewelry, watches, clocks, mantau ? . 92 THE STRANGER [CHAP. VIIL ttiakers,reftaurateurs,* China magazines, &c. form the back of the piazza, which on all the fides of this im- menfe fabric, affords a very fine promenade. Thefe {hops once made a part of the fpeculation, of their mercenary and abandoned matter, to whom they each paid a rent after the rate of two or three hundred pounds fterling per annum. This place prefents a fcene of profligate voluptuoufnefs, not to be equalled upon any fpot in Europe. Women of any character are almoft afraid to appear here at noon d*y ; and a flranger would conceive* that at night, he faw before him, one third of the beauty of Paris. Under the roof of this palace are two theatres, mu- feums of curiofities, the tribunate, gaming houfes, billiard rooms, buillotte clubs, bail rooms, &c. all opening into the gardens, the windows of which threw, from their numerous lamps, and luftres, a ftream of gay and gaudy light upon the walks below, and afforded the appearance of a vaft illumination. At the bottom was a large pavilion, finely illuminated, in which were groups of people regaling themfelves with lemonade, and ices. Upon this fpot, in the early parts of the revolution, the celebrated Camille Defmoulins ufed to declaim againft the abufes of the old government, to all the idle and difaffecled of* :is. It is faid that the liveries of the due de Or- * * Rtflaurateur is now univei'ally ufed inftead of iraitcur*. CHAP. IX.] IN FRANCE. 93 leans gave birth to the republican colors, which ufed to be difplayed in the hats of his auditors, who in point of refpectability refembled the motley reformers of Chalk Farm. From the caroufing rooms under ground, the ear was filled with the founds of mufic, and the buzzing of crowds $ in fhort fuch a fcene of midnight revelry and difiipation I never before be- held. Upon my return to my hotel, I was a little fur- prifed to find the ftreets of this gay city fo meanly lighted. Lamps placed at gloomy diftances from each other, fufpended by cords, from lofty poles, furnifh the only means of directing the footfteps of the nocturnal wanderer. CHAPTER IX. French reception. — Voltaire. — Refiaurateur. — Confular Guard. — Muftc. — Venetian Horfes. — Gates of the Palace. — Gardens of the ThuUleris. — Statues.-— The faithful Vafe. — The Sabine Pitlure. — Monfteur Per* regaux. — Marquis de Ghqtelet. — Madame Per egaux. — Beaux and Bells of Paris. I FORGOT, in my laft chapter, to mention that I paid for my place, and luggage in the diligeij^t' from Rouen to Paris, a diftance of ninety miles, twen- ty three Hvres and eighteen fols. The next morn- ing after my arrival, and a good night's repofe in a 94t THE STRANGER [CHAP. IX. fopha bed, conflru&ed after the French fafhion, which was very lofty, and handfome, and very com- fortable, I waited upon my accomplifhed friend, Madame H— — , in the Rue Florentine. I had the honor of* knowing her when in England, from very early years ; I found her with her elegant and accomplifhed daughter, in a fuite of large rooms, very handfomely furnifhed after the antique, which gives to the prefent fafhionable furniture of France, its form and character. Thefe rooms compofed a floor of a noble ftone built houfe, which contained feveral other families *, fuch is the cuftomary mode of being lodged in the capital. -She received me in the moil charming manner, and had expected me for fome days, previous to my arrival, and was that evening going to her country houfe at PafTi, a few miles from Paris, whither fhe prefTed me to accom- pany her, but I declined it, on account of the ihort time which I had before me to fpend in Paris. Madame H was not only a beauty, but a wo- man of wit and learning, and had accordingly admit- ted Voltaire amongil the number of her houfehold gods *, the arch old cynic, with his deathlike farcaftic face, admirably reprefented, by a fmall whole length porcelain ftatue, occupied the centre of her chimney piece. Upon finding that I was difpofed to remain in town, Hie recommended me to a reftaurateur, in the gardens of the Thuilleries, one of the £rft eating houfes in Paris, for fociety, aod entertainment, to the CHAP. IX-] IN FRANCE. 9$ mailer of which {he fent her fervant, with my name, to inform him, £he had recommended an Englifti gentleman of her acquaintance to his houfe, and re- queued that an Englifh fervant in his fervice might attend to me, when I dined there. This was a little valuable civility, truly French. This houfe has been lately built under the aufpices of the firft conful, from a defign approved by his own exquifite tafte •, he has permitted the entrance to open into the gardens of the confular palace. The whole is from a model of one of the little palaces of the Herculaneum, it is upon a fmall fcale, built of a fine white Rone, it con- tains a centre, with a portico, fupported by doric pillars^ and two long wings. The front is upon the terrace of the gardens, and commands an enchanting view of all its beautiful walks and ftatues. On the ground floor, the houfe is divided into three long and fpacious apartments, opening into each other through centre arches, and which are redoubled upon the view* by immenfe pier glafles at each end. The .firft room is for dinner parties, the next for ices, and the third for coffee. In the middle is a flying ftair- cafe, lined on each fide with orange trees, which af- cends into a fuite of upper rooms, all of which are admirably painted after the tafte of Herculaneum, and are almoft lined with coftly pier glafses. My fair countrywomen would perhaps be a little fiirprifed to be. told, that elegant women, of the firft reliability, fuperbly .dreifed -for the promenade. 96 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IX, dine here with their friends in the public room, a cuftom which renders the fcene delightful, and re- moves from it the accuftomed impreffions of grofihefs. Upon entering, the gueft is prefented with a dinner chart, handfomely printed, enumerating the different difhes provided for that day, with their refpective prices affixed. All the people who frequent this place are considered highly refpec~table. The viiitor is furnifhed with ice for his water decanters, with the beft attendance at dinner, and with* all the Eng- lifh and foreign newfpapers. I always dined here when I was not engaged. After parting from Mad- ame H , who intended returning to town the next day, I went to fee the confular guard relieved at the Thuilleries. About five companies of this diftinguifhed regiment affemble in the gardens, ex- actly at five minutes before twelve o'clock, and pre- ceded by their fine band of mufic march through the hall of the palace, and form the line in the grand court yard before it, where they are joined by a fquadron of horfe. Their uniform is blue, with broad white facings. The confular guard were in a little difgrace, an<& were not permitted to do the entire duty of the pal- ace at this time, nor during feveral fucceeding days, | as amarkofthefirft confute difplesifure, which had been excited by fome unguarded expreflion of the common men, refpe&ing his conduct, and which, to the jealous ear of a new created ami untried auihori- CHAP. IX ] IN PRANCE. 97 ty, founded like the tone of difaffe&ion. Only the cavalry were allowed to mount guard, the infantry were,^ provisionally, fuperceded by a detachment from a fine regiment of hufTars. On account of the fhortnefs of this parade, which is always difmiflfed precifely at ten minutes paft twelve o'clock, it is not much attended. The band is very fine, they had a Turkifh military inftrument, which I never heard before, and was ufed inftead of triangles. It was in the fhape of four canopies, like the roofs of Chinefe temples, one above another, leflening as they afcend- ed, made of thin plates of brafs, and fringed with very little brafs bells, it was fupported by a Aiding rod which dropped into a handle, out of which, when it was intended to be founded, it was fuddenly jerked by the mufieian, and produced a good effect with the other inftruments. The tambour major is remark- ed for his noble appearance, and for the proportions -of his perfon, which is very handfome : his fall drefs uniform on the grand parade is the moft fpiendid thing, I ever beheld. The corps cf pioneers who precede the regiment, have a fingular appearance. Thefe men are rather above fix feet high, and propor- tionably made, they wear fierce muftachlos, and long black beards, Jofcy bea ps, broad white leathern aprons, which almofl touch their chins, r.iid over their fhoulders carry enormous hatchets. Their ftrange coflume feemed to unite the dlfiimihr char- I S3 TttE STRANGER [CHAP. IX. a&ers of high prieft, and warrior. They looked like military magi. The common men made a very mar- tial appearance. Their officers wore EnglhV riding boots, which had an unmilitary effect. Paris at pref- ent exhibits all the appearances of a city in a ftate of fiege. The confular palace refembles a line of mag- nificent barracks, at the balconies, and upon the ter- races of which, foldiers are every where to be feen lounging. This palace is partitioned between the £rfl and fecond confuls, the third principal magiftrate refides in a palace near the Louvre, oppofite to the Thuilleriet. The four coloffal brazen horfes, called the Venetian horfes, which have been brought from Venice, are mounted upon lofty pedefhls, on each fide of the gates of the grand court yard of the pal- ace. When the Roman emperor Conftantine found- ed Conftantinople, he attached thefe exquifite ftatues to the chariot of the Sun in the hippodromus, or cir- * cus, and when that capital was taken poffeffion of by the Venetian and French crufading armies, in 1206, the Venetians obtained poffeflion of them, amongft many other ineltimable curiofities, and placed thefe horfes in four niches over the great door of the church of St. Marco. Refpedling their previous hif- tory, authors very much differ ; fome affert that they were caft by the great {latuary Lyfippus, in Al- exander's time, others that they were raifed over the triumphal arch of Aiiguftus, others of Nero, an CHAP. IX. J IN PRANCE. 09 thence remove to the triumphal arch of Conftantine^ from which he carried them to his own capital. They are faid to be compofed of bronze and gold, which much refembles the famous composition of the Corinthian brafs. . Although thefe ftatues are of an enormous fize, they are too diminutive for the vail pile of building which thtfy adorn. The fame remark applies to the entrance gates, of mafty iron, which have juft been raifed by the directions of the ilrfb conful. The trlcolored flag, mounted upon the centre dome of the palace, is alfo too fmall. From the court yard I entered the gardens, which are very beautiful, and about feven o'clock in the evening, form one of the favorite and fafhionable walks of the Parhlans. They are difpofed in regular promenades, in which are many fine caj|$ from the ancient flat- ue, which adorn the hall of antiques, and orl eaclr fide, are noble orange trees, which grow in vaft move- able cafes 5 many of thefe exotics are twenty feet high. Until lately many of the antiques were plac- ed here, but Bonaparte, with his accuilcmed judg- ment and veneration for the arts, has had them re- moved into the grand national collection, and has fup- plied their places by thefe beautiful copies, amongft which I particularly diftinguilhed thofe of Hippoma- nes, and Atalanta, for the beauty of their propor- tions, and the exquifite elucidation of their ftory. Here are alfo feme fine bahns of water, in the mid- dle of which are jets d'eau. The gravel walks of the 100 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. gardens are watered every morning in hot weather, and centinels are ftationed at every avenue, to pre- ferve order : no perfon is admitted who is the carrier of a parcel, however fmall. Here are groups of peo- ple to be feen, every morning, reading the prints of the day, in the refrefhing coolnef's of the fhadc. For the ufe of a chair in the gardens, of which there are fome hundreds, the proprietor is thankful for the fmalleft coin of the republic. At the bottom of the jfteps, leading to the terrace, in front of the palace, are fome beautiful vafes, of an immenfe fize, which are raifed about .twelve feet from the ground : in one of them, which was pointed out to me, an un- popular and perfecuted Parilian faved nearly all his property, during the revolution. A fhort time be- fore the maflkre of the 10th of Auguft, 1792, when the domiciliary vifits became frequent and keen, this man during a dark night, ftole, unobferved by the guards, into the garden, with a bag under his arm, containing aimoft all his treafure ; he made his way to the vafe, which, from the palace, is on the right hand, next to the FeuilJans, and after fome difficulty, ; •ornmitted the whole to the capacious bofom of the faitfcfitl depository : this done, he retreated in fafe- and when the time of terror was paffed, fearful f\lat he mould not be able to raife his bag from the deep bottom of the urn without a difcovery, which might have rendered the circumftance fufpicious, and perhaps hazardous to him, he prefented himielf be- n CHAP. IX.] IN FRANCE. 1Q1 fore the minifter of the police, verified the narrative of the facts, and was placed in the quiet porTeflion of his property, which in this manner had remained un- diflurbed during all that frightful period. From the . gardens I went to the exhibition of Davids celebrat- ed painting of the fufpennon of the battle between the Sabines and the Romans, produced by the wives of the latter rufhing, with their children in their arms, between the contending warriors. David is defervedly confideredas the firft living artift in France., and this fplendid picture is worthy of his pencil. It is upon an immenfe fcale. Ail the Figures (of which there are many) are as large as life. The principal female raifing her terrified infant, and the two chief combatants, are inimitable. I was informed, by good authority, that the court of Ruffia had offered 7000/. iterling for it, an unexampled price for any modern painting ! but that David, who is very rich felt a reluctance in parting with it, to the emperor, , on account of the climate cf Ruffia being unfavora- ble to color. - From this beautiful painting, I went to paymy re~ fpefts to Mons. O , who refided at the other end of Paris, upon whom I had a letter of credit. Upon my arriving at his hotel, I was informed by the por- ter that his matter was at his chateau, about ten miles in the country, with his family, where he lay ex- tremely ill. This news rendered it necefFary for me- » to leave Paris for a day and night at leait, w 102 THE STRANGER [CHAP. IX. ¥rom Moris. O I went to Mr. Perregaux, the rich banker and legiilator, to whom I had letters of introduction. He lives in the Rue Mont Blanc, a ftreet, the place of refidence of the principal bank- ers, and is next door neighbor to his rival Mons, R , whofe lady has occasioned fome little conver- fation. Mons. P 's hotel is very fuperb. His chief clerks occupy rooms elegantly fitted up, and decorated with fine paintings. He received me in a very handfome manner, in a beautiful little cabinet, adorned with fome excellent and coftly paintings. After many polite expreffions from him, I laughing- ly informed him of the dilemma in which I was plac- ed by the unexpected abfence of Mons O \ up- on which Mons. P in the mod friendly manner told me that the letters which I had brought were from perfons whom he highly efteemed ; and that Mons. O— was aWb bis friend j that as it might prove inconvenient for me to- wait upon him in the country, he begged to have the pleafure of furnifh- ing me with whatever money I wanted, upon my own draughts. I felt this act of polkenefs and liber- ality very forcibly, which I of courfe declined, as I wifhed only to take up what money I wanted in a regular manner, but I was defirous of feeing Mons. If) , who was reprefented to me as a very amiable man, and his family as elegant and accomplifhed. I was much charmed with the generous conduct of Mons, P-~~, from whom I afterwards received great i CHAP. IX.] IN FRANCE. 104 attentions, and who is much beloved by th e Englifh. I felt it a pleafurable duty not to confine the knowl- edge of fuch an act of liberality to the fpot where it was fa handfomely manifefted. The feffions of the legislative afTembly had clofed the day before my ar- rival, a circumftance I much regretted, as through his means I mould have been enabled to have attend- ed their fittings. The bankers of France are ina- menfely rich, and almoft command the treafury of the nation. Mons. P , with the well-timed) an- ient fubmiffion of the flexible reed, in the fable, has furvived the revolutionary florm, which by a good, but guiltlefs policy, has paned over him, without leaving one ftain upon his honorable character, and has operated, like the flime of the Egyptian inunda- tion, only to fructify, and increafe his fortunes. He once however narrowly efcaped, In the time of Ro- beipierre, the Marquis de Chatelet, a few nights be- fore his execution, attempted to corrupt his guards, and told them, if they would releafe him, Mons. P would give them a draft to any amount which they might choofe then to name, The centinels re- jected the bribe, and informed their fanguinary em- ployer of the offer,, who had the books of Mons. P invefligated : he was in no fhape concerned in the attempted efcape •, but hearing, with extraor- dinary fwiftnefs, that- the marquis, whofe banker he had been, and to whom an inconflderable balance was th.QXi due, had implicated him in this manner^ ha 104 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. inftantly with dexterity, removed the page which contained the laft account of the unhappy noblemen, and alfo his own deftiny, and thus faved his life. Mons. P is a widower ; his daughter, an only child, is married to a wealthy general, a man of great bravery, and beloved by Bonaparte. I dined this day at the Reftaurateur's in the Thu- illeries, and found the eiFedt of Madame H 's charming civility to me. There were fome beautiful women prefent, dreiTed after the antique, a* fafhion fuccefsfuily introduced by David. This extraordi- nary genius was defirous of drefling the beaux of Paris after the fame model ^ but they politely declin- ed it, alledging that if Mons. David would at the fame time create another climate, warmer and more regular for them, they would then fubmit the mas- ter to a committee of fafhion. The women, though faid, in point of corporeal fufferance, to be able to endure lefs than men, were enchanted with the de- fign of the artift, and without approaching a angle degree nearer to the fun, unmindful of colds, con- sumptions, and death, have affumed a drefs, if fuch it can be called, the airlnefs of which to the eye of fancy, looked like the mift of incenfe, undulating over a difplay of beauty and fymmetry, only to be ri- i&Valled by thofe exquifite models of Grecian tafte which fir ft furnished them with tbefe new ideas of perfonal decoration, . CHAP. XI.] Itt FRANCE. J 05 The French ladies every morning anoint their heads with the antique oil, fcented •, their fidelocks are formed into fmall circles, which juft touch the bofom ; and the hair behind is rolled into a rofe, by which they produce a perfect copy of the ancient buft. CHAPTER X. Large Dogs. — A Plan for becoming quickly acquainted ivith Paris. — Pantheon. — -Tombs of Voltaire and Roujfeau. — Politenefs of an Emigrant. — The Beauty cf France. — Beauty evanefcent. — Place de Caroufel. — Infernal Machine. — Fauche. — Seine.— W after- nvomen. — Fifhwomen. — Baths. IN the ftreets of Pane. T every where faw an unuf- ual number of very large, fierce looking dogs, par- taking of the breed of the Newfoundland, and Brit- ifh bulldog. During the time of terror, thefe brave and faithful animals were in much requeft, and are faid to have given the alarm of danger, and faved, in feveralinftances, the lives and property of their ma£« ters, by their accuftomed fidelity. Upon my arrival in this great capital, I was of courfe defirous of be- coming acquainted with its leading features as fcon .as poffible, for the purpofe of being enabled to ex- plore my way to any part of it, without a guide. The fcheme which I thought of, for this purpofe, an* THE STRANGEB. [CHAP. X. my wijthes, and therefore I may prefume to fubmit jit to others* On the fecond day after my arrival, I purchafed.a map of Paris, hired a ftacre,.and drove to the Pan- theon, Upon the top galiery which furmcunts its lofty and magnificent dome, I made a furvey of the city, which lay below me, like the chart with which which I compared it. The clouds paiTed fwiftly ov- er my head, and from the fhape of the dome, im- prefTed me w.:th an idea of moving in the air upon the top, inftead of the bottom of a balloon. I eanly attained ray object by tracing the churches, the tem- ple, the abbey, the palaces, large buildings, and the courfe and inands of the river, after which I feidom had occasion to retrace my fteps, when I was roving about, unaccompanied. On account of no cord be- ing ufed. in Paris, the profbec~r. was perfectly clear, ana tne air is confequently falubiious. The Panthe- on, or church of St. Genevieve, is a magnificent building from the deiigns of Mons. Scuffiet, one of the firft architects of France ; it was intended to be the rival of the St. Paul's of London -, but, though a very noble edifice, it muft fail of exciting any emo- tions of jealoufy amongft the admirers of that na- tional building. It is a magnificent pile, and when completed, is deftined to be the principal place of worfhip, and is at prefent the maufoleum of the de- ceafed great men of France. Upon the entablature over the portico is written, in immenfe characters,. CHAP. X.] IN FRANCE. iO? « AUX GRANDS KOMMES — LA PARTRIE RECONNOI- sante." Parallel with the grand entrance, are co- loffal ftatues, reprefenting the virtues imputed to a republic. Soon after the completion of the inner dome, about two years iince, one of the main fup- porting pillars was crumed in feveral places by the prerTure. The defective column has been removed, and until it can be replaced, its proportions of weight is fuftained by a moil 'ingenious and complicated wooden ftructure. Upon the foot where the altar is to be erected, I few another goddefs of liberty, with her ufual appendages carved in wood, and painted, and railed by the order of Robefpierre, for a grand revolutionary fete, which he intended to have given, in this church upon the very day in which he per- ifhed. The interior dome is covered with two large ■ones, each of which is fupported by feparate pillars, and pilafter s, and the whole is conftructed of ftone only. The interior of the lower dome is covered with the mofl beautiful carvings in Stone. The per- iftyle, or circular colonnade round -the lower part of the exterior dome, is very fine, but I muft confefs, I do not like an ancient fafhion which the French have juft revived in their construction of thefe pillars, of making the thicker!: part of the column a little below the centre, and lefTening in fize to the bafe. Under this immenfe fabric are fpacious vaults, well lighted \ fupported by doric pillars, the depofitaries of the il- iuftrious dead of France. At prefent there are only 108 THE STRANGER [CHAP. X fcvo perfonages whofe labors are honored with this gloomy distinction. RoufTeau and Voltaire very quietly repofe by the fide of each other. Their re- mains are contained in two feparate tombs, which are conftru&ed of wood, and are embellifhed with vari- ious infcriptions. Hamlet's remark over the grave of Ophelia, ftrongly occurred to me. " Where be your gibes now ? your gambols ? " your fongs ? your ftaflies of merriment that were * wont to fet the table on a roar ? not one now to * mock your own grinning ? quite chap-fallen ?" At either end of the tomb of Jean Jacques, are two hands, darting out of the gates of death, fupport- ing lighted torches, and below, (it is a little fingular) are infcriptions illuftrating the peaceful, and benevo- lent virtues of the enclofed defunct. Peace to their manes ! may they enjoy more repofe, than that troubled world which their extraordinary, yet different talents feemed equally deftined to embel- li/h and to embroil, though it would be difficult to name any two modern writers, who have exprefied, with more eloquence, a cordial love of peace, and a zealous defire to promote the interefts of humanity ! ! The church of St. Genevieve is entirely compofed of {tone and iron, of the latter very little is ufed. It has already coft the nation very near two millions fterling. As I was returning from the Pantheon, I was addreffed by one of our emigrant companions, to whom I have before alludedt He had juft arrived in CHAP. X.] IN FRANCE. 109 Paris, intended fraying about a month, and then re- turning to Toulon. He warmly made me an offer of his fervices, and during my ftay here, fent every morning to know if he mould attend me as a friendly guide, to conduct me to any place which I might wifh to fee, or to prevent me from fuffering any im- position from tradefmen. His attentions to me ivere always agreeable, and fometimes ferviceab,le, and ftrongly imprefTed upon my mind, the policy, as well as the pleafurc, of treating every being with civility, even where firit. appearances are not favorable, and where an expectation of meeting the party again is not probable. In the courfe of the day I was intro- duced to Madame B , who refides, by permiffion of the firft conful, in a fuite of elegant apartments in the Louvre, which have been granted to her on ac- count of her merits and genius, and aifo in confi der- ation oftheloffes which me has fuitamed by the' revolution. In her ftudy flie prefented me to Mad- emoifelle T , the then celebrated beauty of Paris ; her portrait by David, had afforded much conversa- tion in the fafhionable circles ; me was then copying, with great tafte, from the antique, which is generally the morning's occupation of the French ladies of fafhion. She is certainly a very handfome young woman : but I think if the painter of France was to vifit a certain weftern county of England, he would difcover as many attractions for the difplay of iiis ad- & HO THE STRANGER [CHAP. X. fiftrabls pencil, as were at this time to be found in the ftudy of Madame B . When we left her, Mad- ame B afked me what I thought of her ; I can- didly made the above remark to her, « Ah !" faid Ihe, " you fhould have feen her about a month fince, fhe te was then the prettiefl creature in all France •" how w lo, has fhe fuffered from indifpofition ? oh no repli- iC ed Madame B -, fmilingly, " but a mc7ith> you * know, makes a confiderable difference upon the face « of beauty." I was much obliged to Madame B , for the remark, which is greatly within an cbfervation which I frequently made, en the evanefcent nature of youth- ful beauty. Madame B 's calculations of the given progrefs of decay, were eighteen times more fwift than mine. The fubjec~t of our converfation, and the bufts by which we were farrcunded, natur- ally led us to talk of the French ladies, and they re- minded us, though /tightly, of their prefent drefs. Madame B , entered into a particular account pf the decorations of a lady of fafhion in France. I have not patience enough to enumerate them here, except that the wife of a fouraifietir will not hefitate paying from three to four hundred pounds for a Ca- chemire fhawi, nor from four to five hundred pounds for a laced gown, nor a much larger fum for diamonds cut like pearls, and threaded. In this coftly man- ner, does the ingenuity of art, and the prodigality of wealth do homage to the. elegance of nature. The CHAP. X.] IN FRANCE, 111 entrance to Madame B — — 's apartments Teemed at firft) a little fingular and unfuitable, but I fcon found that it was no miufual circurnftance, after grouping through dirty paffages, and up filthy ftaircafes to en* ter a noble hall and fplendid rooms. Upon leaving Madame E , I pafled the Place de Caroufel, and faw the ruins of the houfes which faffered by the explofion of the infernal machine, which afforded fo much converfation in the world at the time, by which the firft conful was intended to have been deftroyed in his way to the National Xnfti- tute of Muiic. This affair has been fomewhat involved in myftery. It is now well known that Monsieur Fauche, at the head of the police, was acquainted with this conspiracy from its firft conception, and by his vigilant agents, was informed of the daily progrefs made in the confrruclion of this deftructive inftru- ment, of the plan o^ which he had even a copy. The confpirators proceeded with perfect confidence, and as they thought with perfect fecurity. Three •days before it was quite completed, and ready for its. fell purpofe, from fome furprife or dread of detection, they changed their place of meeting, and in one night removed the machine from the fpot where it had been uiually depofited. The penetrating eye of the police loft fight of them. Fauche and his followers exercifed their unrivalled talents for purfmt and dis- covery to no purpofe. The baffled minifter then waited upon Bonaparte, to whom he had regularly im~ 112 THE STRANGER [CHAP. X. pitted the refult of every day's information refpeet- ing it, and told him that he could no longer trace the traitorous inftrument of his affamnation, and requeu- ed him as he knew it mult be completed by this time, not to go to any public places, until he had regained a knowledge of it. Bonaparte replied, that fear only made cowards, and confpirators brave, and that he Lad unalterably determined to go with his accuftom- ed equipage to the National Concert that very even- ing. At the ufual hour the firft conful let off undis- mayed from the Thuiileries •, a defcription of the ma- chine, which was made to refemble a water cafk, be- ing firft given to the coachman, fervants, and guards. As they proceeded the advance guard pafled it unob- ferved, but the coachman difcovered it juft as the ccn- fular carriage was on a parallel with it •, initantly the dexterous and faithful charioteer lafhed his horfes in- to full fpeed, and turned the corner of the Rue Mar- cem. In one moment after, the terrible machine ex- ploded, and covered the fcreet with ruins. The thun- der of its difcharge fhcok the houfes of Paris, and was heard at a confiderable diftance in the country. The firft conful arrived in fafety at the Hall of Mufic, and with every appearance of perfecl tranquillity, en- tered his box amidft the acclamations of the crowded multitude. The range of buildings which was fhat- tered by the explofion, has long offended the eye of tafte, and prefented a gloomy, and very inconvenient obllrufticn to the grand entrance of the palace. Bo- CHAP. X.] IN FRANCE. 113 naparte with his ufual judgment, which converts ev- ery event into fome good, immediately after this af- fair, purchafed the houfes which were damaged, and the whole of this fcene of ruins and rubbifh is remo- ving with all poflible expedition^ to the great im- provement of this grand approach.. Whilft I was ftrolling along the banks of the Seine, I could not help remarking that it would fuffer much by a comparifon with the Thames, fo finely defcribed by Sir John Denham. Though deep, yet clear, though gentle yet not dull ; Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full. The Serine is narrow, and very dirty ; its waters, which are finely titrated when drawn from the foun- tains of Paris, produce an aperient effect upon Gran- gers, who are^ generally cautioned not to drink much of them at a time. The tide does not reach further than feveral miles • below Paris •, to this caufe I can alone attribute, though perhaps the reafon is infufficient, that the river is never rendered gay by the pairing, and re- paying of beautiful pleafure boats, to the delights of which the Parhians feem total rtrangers. Its fhores are fadly disfigured by a number of black, gloomy, and unwieldly meds, which are erected upon barges, for the accommodation of the walherwomen, .who, by their mode of waihing, which is, by rubbing the linen in the river water, and beating it with large flat pieces 1U THE STRANGER [CHAP. X. of wood, refembling battledores, until the dirt, and generally a portion of the linen retire together, make a noife very iimilar^to that of fhipwrights caulking a veflel. This is an abominable nuifance, and renders the views up the river, from the centre of the Pont de la Concorde, the moil complete melange of filth and finery, meannefs and magnificence I ever beheld, Whilft I am fpeaking of thefe valuable, but noify dames, I muft mention that their fervices are chiefly confined to Grangers, and the humbler clafs of Parif-, izns. The genteel families of France are annoyed by the unpleafant domeftic occurrence of warning, when in town only once, and when in the country only twice in the courfe of the year. Their magazine? of clothes are of courfe immenfe, for the reception and arrangement of which feverai rooms in their houfes are always allotted. It is the intention of the firfl conflil gradually to unkennel this clattering race of females., when it can be done with fafety. To force them to the tub, and to put them into the fuds too fuddenly, might, from their influence amongft the lower claffes of citizens, be followed by confequences not very congenial to the repofe of the government. To mow of what importance the ladies of the low- er clafs in Paris are, I fhall rehte a little anecdote of Bonaparte, in which he is confidered to have exhibit- ed as much bra\ery as he ever djfplayed in the £el4 of battle.. CHAP. X] IN FRANCE. 115 The pohTardes, whofe name alone will awaken fome emotion in the mind of the reader, from its hor- rible union with the barbarous maiTacres which difcol- ored the capital with blood during the revolution, have been from time immemorial accuftomed, upon any great and fortunate event, to fend a deputation of their fiflerhood, to the kings and minifters of France, and fince the revolution to the various rulers of the republic, to offer their congratulations, accom- panied by a large bouquet of flowers. Upon the. elevation of Bonaparte to the fupreme authority of France, according to cuftom, they fent a felecTc num- ber from their body to prefent him with their good wifhes, and ufual fragrant donation. The fir il con-* ful fternly received them, and after rejecting their nofegay, fiercely told them to retire, and in future to attend to their hufbands, their children, and their- fisheries, and never more to attempt, an interference in matters relating to the ftate. Upon which he order- ed the pages in waiting to clofe the door upon them* He thought no doubt that " Omnium manibus res « humanse egent : : paucorum, capita mfficiunt.'W « Human affairs require the hands of all, whilfV the " heads of ftw are fufficient.'* Theft formidable dames, fo celebrated for their fe- rocity, retired chagrined and chapfallen from the pre- fence of the imperious conful, and have not attempt- ed to force either- their congratulations, or their bou- quets upon any of the public functionaries iince th# 116 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. period. Such a repulfe as this, offered to a body of people, more formidable from their influence than the lazzaroni of Naples, would in all human proba- bility have coft any one of the kings of France his crown. I received this anecdote from the brother of one of the miniflers of France to whom this country is much indebted. Before the high daring of Bona- parte, every difficulty feems to droop, and die. Near the Pont de la Concorde is a handfome, and ornamental building, which is erected upon barges, and contains near three hundred cold and tepid baths, for men and women. It is furrounded by a wooden fcerrace, which forms an agreeable walk upon the wa- ter, and is decorated with fhrubs, orange trees, and flowers, on each fide. This place is very grateful in a climate which in fummer, is intenfely warm. There are other public baths, but this is chiefly reforted to by people of re- fpe&abiiity. The price is very moderate, thirty fois„ CHAPTER XI. ID avid. — Place de Concorde .~V Eglife de Madeleine* — Print Jhops. — Notre Dame. — Mufeum, or Palace of Arts. — Hall of Statues. — Laocoon. — Belvidere A- prflo. — Socrates. DURING my flay in Paris I vifited the gallery of David. This celebrated artifthas amaiTed a fortune. CHAP. XL] IN FRANCE. 1 lY of upwards of two hundred thoufand pounds, and is permitted by his great patron and friend, Bonaparte, to occupy the corner wing of the old palace, from which every other man of genius and fcience, who was entitled to refide there, has been removed to oth- er places, in order to make room for the reception of the grand National Library, which the firft conful in- tends to have depoilted there. His apartments are very magnificent, and furnilhed in that tafte, which he lias, by the influence of his fame, and his elegance ofdefign, fo widely and fuccefsfuliy diffufed. Whilft I was feated in his rooms, I could not help fancying myfelf a contemporary of the mod tafleful times of Greece. Tunics and robes were carelefsly but grace- fully thrown over the antique chairs, which were furrounded by elegant flatues, and ancient libraries, fo difpofed, as to perfect the claffical illufion. I found David in his garden, putting in the back ground of a painting. He wore a dirty robe, and an old hat. His eyes are dark and penetrating, and beam with the luftre of genius. His collection of paintings and flatues, and many of his own ftudies, afforded a perfect banquet. He was then occupied in drawing a fine portrait of Bonaparte. The pref- ence of David covered the gratification with gloom. Before me, in the bofom of that art, which is faid, with her divine afTociates, to foften the fouls of men, I beheld the remorfelefs judge of his fovereign, the deftroyerofhis brethren in art, and the enthufiaft US THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. and confidential friend of Robefpierre. David's po- litical life is too well known. During the late fcenes of horror, he was afeed by an acquaintance, how ma- ny heads had fallen upon the fcaffold that day, to which he is faid coolly to have replied, " only one u hundred and twenty ! ! The heads of twenty thouf- " and more muft fall before the great work of phi- " lofbphy can be accomplished." It is related of him, that during the reign of the Mountain, he carried his portfolio to the front of the fcaffold, to catch the laft emotions of expiring na- ture, from the viftims of his revolutionary rage. He directed and prefided at the fplendid funeral folemnities of Lepelletier, who was affaffinated by Paris, in which his tafte and intimate knowledge of the ceremonies of the antients, on fimilar occafions, were eminently difplayed. Farewel, David ! when years have rolled away, and time has mellowed the works of thy fublime pen- cil, mayft thou be remembered only as their creator 5 may thy fame repofe herfelf upon the tableau cf the dying Socrates, and the miraculous pafTage of the Al- pine hero, may the enfanguined records of thy polit- ical frenzy, moulder away, and may fcience, who knew not blood till thou wert known, whofe pure, and hallowed inspirations have made men happier, and better, till thou wert born, implore for thee for- givenefs, and whilft, with rapture ihe points to the immortal images of ihy divine genius, may fhe cove? CHAP. XL] MN FRANCE. 119 with an impenetrable pall, the pale, and fhuddering, and bleeding victims of thy fanguinary foul ! The great abilities of this man, have alone enabled him to furvive the revolution, which, flrange to re- late, has throughout its ravages, preierved a ^venera- tion for fcience, and, in general, protected her diftin- guimed followers. Bonaparte, who poffeffes great tafte « that inftinct fuperior to fludy, furer than reaf- " oning, and more rapid than reflection," entertains the greateft admiration for the genius of David, and always, confults him in the arrangement of his paint- ings and (latues. All the coftumes of government have been designed by this artift. David is not without his adherents. He has many pupils, the fons of refpectable, and fome of them, of noble families refiding in different "parts of Europe. They are faid to be much attached to him, and have formed themfelves into a military corps, for the pur« pofe of occafionally doing honor to him, and were lately on the point of revenging an infult, which had been offered to his perfon, in a manner, which if perpetrated, would have required the intereft of their mailer to have faved them from the fcaffold. But neither the gracious protection of conrular fa-J vor, nor the fplendor of unrivalled abilities, can re- ftore their polluted poffeffor, to the affections and j endearments of focial intercourfe. Humanity has drawn a fable circle, round him. He leads the life of a profcribed exile, in the very centre of the gajLeft city 120 THE STRANGER [CKAP. XL in Europe. In the gloomy {hade of unchofen fecluf- ion, he paffes his ungladdened hours, in the hope of covering his guilt with his glory, and of prefenting to pofterity, by the energies of his unequalled genius, fome atonement for the havoc, and ruin of that politi- cal hurricane, of which he directed the fury, and be- friended the defolations, againft every contemporary object that nature had endeared, and virtue confe- crated. After leaving the gallery of David, I vifited la Place de la Concorde. This ill fated fpot, from its fpacioufnefs, and beauty of fituation, has always been the theatre of the great fetes of the nation, as well as the fcene of its greateft calamities. When the nup- tials of the late king and queen were celebrated, the magnificent fireworks, fhows, and illuminations which followed, were here difplayed. During the exhibition, a numerous banditti, from Nbrmandy, broke in upon the vaft afTemblage of fpettators : ow- ing to the confufion which followed, and the fall of the fcaffolding, the fupporters of which were fawed through by thefe wretches, the diforder became dreadful, and univerfal ; many were crumed to death, and fome hundreds of the people, whilft en- deavoring to make their efcape, were ftabbed and robbed. The king and queen as a mark of their deep regret, ordered the dead to be entombed in the new burial ground of KEglife de Madeleine, then erecting at the entrance of the Boulevard des Italiens, CHAP. XI.] IN FRANCE. 121 in the neighborhood of the palace, under the imme- diate infpe&ion and patronage of, the fovereign. This building was never finished, and ftill prefents to the eye, a naked pile of lofty walls and columns. Alas ! the gloomy auguries which followed this fatal fpe&a- cle, wei;e too truly realized. On that fpot periihed the monarch and his queen, and the flower of the French nobility, and many of the virtuous and en- lightened men of France, and in this cemetery, their unhonored remains were thrown, amidft heaps of headlefs victims, into promifcuous graves of unflacked lime ! How infcrutable are the ways of deftiny ! This fpot, which, from its enchanting fcenery, is calculated only to re cal, or to infpire the moft ten- der, and generous, and elegant fentiments, which has been the favored refort of fo many kings, and the fcene of every gorgeous fpe&acle, was doomed to be- come the human fhambles of the brave and good, and the Golgotha of the guillotine ! In the centre, is an oblong fquare railing, which enclofes the exact fpot where formerly flood that inftrument of death, which was voted permanent by its remorfelefs em- ployers. A temporary model in wood, of a lofty fuperb mon- ument, two hundred feet high, intended to be erect- ed in honor of Honaparte and the battle of Marengo, was raifed in this place, for his approval, but from policy or modefty, he declined this diftinnguiihed L 121 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. mark of public approbation. I was a little furprifed to obferve, in the windows of the principal print fhops, prints expofed to fale, reprefenting the late king, in his full robes of flate, under which was written, Le Reftaurateur de la liberie, (an equivoque, no doubt) and the parting interview between that un- happy fovereign and his queen and family in the tem- ple, upon the morning of his execution. This little circumftance will fhow the confidence which the prefent rulers feel in the ftrength and Se- curity of the preient government *, for fuch reprefen- tations are certainly calculated to excite feelings, and to refiore imprefllons which might prove a little haz- ardous to both, were they lefs powerfully fiipported. I was alfo one morning a little furprifed, by hear- ing from my window, the exhilirating fong of " Rule Britannia" played upon a hand organ ; upon looking down into the ftreet, I beheld a Savoyard very com- pofedly turning the handle of his mufical machine, as he moved along, and a French officer humming the tune after him. Both were, no doubt ignorant of the nationality of the fong, though not of the truth of its fentiment. In the courfe of one of my morning walks, I went to the metropolitan abbey of Notre Dame, which is .fituated at the end of a large ifland in the Seine, which forms a part of Paris, and is filled with long narrow ftreets. It is a fine gothic pile, but in my CHAP. XL IN FRANCE, 123 humble opinion, much inferior to our Weftminfter abbey, and to the great churches of Rouen. From this building I viijtedj with a large party, the celebrated mufeum, or palace of the arts, which I afterwards generally frequented every other day. ^This ineftimable collection contains one thoufand and thirty paintings, which are confidered to be the chefs d'eeuvre of the great ancient mafters, and is a treafury of human art and genius, unknown to the moft renowned of former ages, and far furpaffing every other inftitution of the fame nature, in the pref- ent times. The fir ft apartment is about the fize of the exhibi- tion room of Somerfet houfe, and lighted as that is, from above. It contains feveral exquifite paintings which have been prefented to Bonaparte by the prin~ ces, and rulers of thofe ftates which have been either fub Jaed by his arms, or have cultivated his alliance^ The Parifians call this apartment Bonaparte's nofe- gay. The moft coftly pictures in the room, are from the gallery of the grand duke of Tuicany. Amongft fo many works, all exquifite and beautiful, it is almoft temerity to attempt tofelecl, but if I might be per« mitted to name thofe which pleafed me moft, I fhould particularize the Ecce Homo, by Cigoli Ludovico- Cardi. The breaft of the mild and benevolent Saviour,, ftriped with the bruifes of recent puniihment, and his heavenly countenance, benignly looking forgive- •! 124 THE STRINGER [CHAP. XI. nefs upon his executioners, are -beautifully delineated, L'Annonciation, by Gentileschi, in which the divine look of the angel, the graceful plumage of his wings, and the drapery of the virgin, are incomparable. La SageiTe chafTant les Vices, which is a very ancient and curious painting, by Andrea Montegna, in which the figure of Idlenefs, without arms, is wonder fully conceived. Les Noces de Cana, by Paul Veronefe, which is confidered to be the bed? of his works. It is the large ft painting I ever beheld. The figures which are feated at the banquet, are chiefly the por- traits of contemporary royal perfonages of different nations, From this room we pafled into the gallery of the Louvre. I cannot adequately defcribe the firft impreffions which were awakened, upon my flrft entering it, and contemplating fuch a galaxy of art and genius. This room is one thoufmd two hundred feet long, and is lined with the fineft paintings of the French, Flcmiih, and Italian fchcols, and is divided by a curi- ous double painting upon flate placed upon a pedeftal in the middle of the room, which reprefents the front and back view of the fame figures.' The fir A: divifion of this hall contains the fineft works of le Brun, many of which are upon an im- mcnfe fcale. L'Hyver ou le Deluge, by Pou&n, is truly fublime, but is unfortunately placed in a bad light. There are alfo feme beautiful marine paint- ings, by Verney. Les Religieufes, by Philip de CHAP. XI.] *N FRANCE 125 Champagne, is juftly celebrated for the principal fig- ure of the dying nun. Vue de Chevet, dune eglife, by Emanuel de Witte, is an exmiifite little cabinet picture,, in which the effect of a ray o£ light mining through a painted window, upon a column, is inimit- able, and the perfective is very fine. There are here alfofome of the fine ft works of Wouvermans, and a charming picture by Teniers. La Vierge, l'enfant Jefus, la Madeleine, et St. Jerome, by Antoine Alle- gri Correge, is confidered to be a picture of great beauty and value. There are alfo fome glorious paintings by Reubens, I have thus briefly fele&ed- thefe pictures from the reft, hoping, at the fame time, that it will nor be inferred that thofe which I hate not named, of which it would be impoflible to offer a defcription without filling a bulky volume, are inferi- or to the works which I have prefumed to mention. The recording pen muffc rival that matchlefs pencil,' which has thus adorned the walls of the Mufennx, be- fore it can do juftice to fuch a magnificent collec-- tfcxu. This exhibition is public three days in the week, and at other times is open to fludents and to flrang- ers, upon their producing their paflports. On public days, all defer iptions of perfons are here to be feen, The contemplation of fuch a mixture is not altogeth- er uninterefting* . The fun- browned -rugged plebeian, whofe mind, by^ Use influence of an unexampled political, change, .has 226 THE STRANGER CHAP. XI. been long alienated from all the noble feelings which religion and humanity infpire, is here feen, with his arms rudely folded over his breaft, fbFtehing into pity, before the ftruggling and finking fufferer of a deluged world, or filently imbibing from the divine refigned countenance of the crucified Saviour, a hope of unperifhable blifs, beyond the grave. Who will condemn a policy by which ignorance becomes en- lightened, profligacy penitent, and which, as by Health, imparts to the relenting bofom of ferocity, the fiibiued, and focial difpofition of true fraternity ? To amufe, may be necefTary to the prefent gov- ernment ofFrance, but furely to fupplant the wild, abandoned principles of a barbarous revolution, with new impreffions, created by an unreferved di/play of the fineft. and moil perfuafive images of refigned fuf- fering, heroic virtue, or elegant beauty, cannot be deemed unworthy of the ruler of a great people. At this place, as well as at all the other national exhibitions, no money for admiflion is required or expected. No perfon is admitted with a flick, and guards attend to preferve the pictures from injury, and the exhibition from riot. The gallery of the Louvre is at prefent, unfortunately, badly lighted throughout owing to the light iffuing chiefly on one fide, f r om long windows. This inconvenience, how* ever, is foon to be remedied ; by obferving the fame manner of lighting, as in the adjoining apartment. CHAP. XL] *N tffcANCE. 127 From the mufeum, we defcended into la Salle des Antiques, which contains all the treafury of Grecian and Roman ftatuary. The fir ft object: td which we haftened, was the ftatue of Laocoon, for fo many ag- es, and by fo many writers admired and celebrated. This fuperb fpecimen of Grecian fculpture, is fup- pofed to be the united production of Polydorus, A- thenbdorus, and Agefander, but its great antiquity renders its hiftory fomewhat dubious. In the begin- ning of the fifteenth century it was difcovered at Rome amongft the ruins of the palace of Titus, and depofited in the Farnefe palace, whence it has been removed to Paris, by the orders of Bonaparte, after the conqueft of Italy. It reprefents Laocoon, the prieft of Apollo and Neptune, and his two fons writh- - ing in the folds of two hideous ferpents. The read- er will remember the beautiful lines of Vh-gil upon the fubje£t, * c i ' et piiraum pa'rtf a Quorum C{ Corpora natorum terpens ara'plfc^us uterque i5 Implicat, et miferos moriu depafcitur arttfs. •'Poft, ipfum auxitio fubeufctem ac tela fer^ntem " Corripiunt, fpirifque ligarit ingentibus : ft jam «' Bis mediutn atoplexi, bis tollb fquarces circum '"• Tcrga dati, fuperarit capite et cervicibus altis. 11 Ille fimul manibus tendit divellere nodo! — " Or, m the EnglilhJiabit w Lich Dryden has given them, 12S THE SfRAHGER [CHAP. XI. "Andfjril around the tender boys they wind, "•Then with their fharpen'd fangs, their, limbs and bodies grind* tc The wretched father, running to their ail, " With pious hade, but vain, they next invade : "Twice ro.jnd his waift the winding volumes roli'd, " And twice about his gaping throat they fold. " The priefi, thus doubly chok'd, their crefts divide, " And tow'ring o'er h s head in triumph ride. " With both his hands he labors at the knots — ••* Pliny mentions this ftatue as the admiration of the age in- which he flourished;. I fear that I fhall be guilty of a fort of profanation when I remark, that the figures of the two fons : of Laocoon appear to exhibit rather more marks of ma- turity, and ftrength of mufcle than are natural to their * iize, and to the fuppofed tendernefe of age. It is, however, a glorious work of art~ We next beheld the Belvidere Apollo. This ftat- ue, in my humble opinion, furpafies every other in. the collection. All the divinity of a God beams- through this unrivalled perfection of form. It is im- poffible to impart the impreflions which it inljpires* The rivetted beholder is ready to exclaim, with Ad-* am, when he firft difcerns the approach of Raphael* «« — __ behold what glorious fhape f* Comes. this wav moving : feems another morn, u Rifon on mid naoni fonac great be&ell froafcHeavW CHAfr.XL] IN FRANCE. 129 The imagination cannot form fuch an union of grace and ftrength. During my flay in Paris, I fre- quently vifited this diftinguifhed flatue, and difcover- ed frefh fubjeels of amazement, and admiration as often as I gazed upon it. One of its remarkable beauties, is its exqulfite expreflion of motion. Its aerial appearance perpetually excites the idea of its being unftationary, and unfupported. As it would be a rafh and vain attempt to give a complete defcrip- tion of this matchlefs image, I muft, reluctantly, leave it, to inform my reader, that on the other fide of the Hall are the original Diana (which is wonderfully fine) and feveral very beautiful Venufes. The Ve- nus de MecKcis is not here. There are alfo fome fine whole length ftatues of Roman magistrates, in their curule chairs. In the Temple of the Mufes, are exquifite bufis of Homer and Socrates. Pliny informs us that the ancient world pofiefled no original buft of the for- mer. That of the latter feems to have been chifiel- led to reprefent tho celebrated Athenian before ho had obtained his philofophical triumph over thofe vices, which a diftinguifhed phyfionomifl of his time once imputed to him from the character of his fea- tures. 120 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XI. CHAPTER XII. Bonaparte. Artillery. Mr. Pitf.—-Neivfpapers.-~~ Archbifoop of Paris. — Confular Colors. — Religion. Confular Converfation.— Madame Bonaparte. — Con* fular Modejly. — Separate Beds. — A Country Scene.—* Connubial Affeclion. — Female Bravery. A LITTLE anecdote is related of Bonaparte, which unfolds the bold, and daring character of this extraordinary man in early life : when he wa* about fifteen years of age, and a cadet in the military fchool at Paris — by the by, the fmall diffonce between this feminary and his prefent palace, and the fwiftnefs of his elevation, afford a curious coincidence — :n the vaft plain of the Champ de Mars, the court, and the Parifians were auembled to witnefs the afcent of a balloon. Bonaparte made his way through the crowd, and unperceived, entered the inner fence, which ' contained the apparatus for inflating the filken globe. It was then very nearly filled, and reftrained from its flight by the laft cord only. The young cadet re- quefted the aerounaut to permit him to mount the car with him j which requeft was immediately refu- fed, from an apprehenfion that the feelings of the boy might embarrafs the experiment. Bonaparte is reported to have exclaimed, " I am young, it is M true, but I neither fear the power of earth, nor of « air," and fternly added, « will you let me afcend i* CHAP. XII.] IN FRANCE. 131 The aeronaut, a little offended at his obtrufion, fharp- ly replied, " No, Sir, I will not ; I beg that you will « retire.'* Upon which the little enranged officer, drew a fmall fabre, which he wore with his uniform, inftantly cut the balloon m feveral places, and deflroy- ed the curious apparatus, which the aeronaut had conftrucled, with infinite labor and ingenuity, for the purpofe of trying the poffibility of aerial navigation. Paris was almoft unpeopled this day, to view the fpedtacle. The difappointment of the populace, which was faid to have exceeded feven hundred thoufand perfons, became violent and univerfal. The king- fent to know the reafon of the tumult, when the ftory was related to him, the good humored mon- arch laughed heartily, and faid, "Upon my word that impetuous boy will make a brave officer." — The devoted king little thought that he was fpeaking of his fucceflbr. — The young offender was put under ar* reft, and confined for four days. This man is certainly the phenomenon of the pres- ent times. It is a circumfiance worthy of remark, that the artillery has furnifhed France with mod of Irs prefent diftinguifhed heroes, who have alfo been bred up in the fame military fchool with Bonaparte. A fhort time before my arrival at Paris, this great ge- nius, who difplays a perfect knowledge of mankind, and particularly of the people over whom he rules, discovered that the Pariiians, from a familiarity with his perfon, and from his lady and his family having 132 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII. occaflonally joined in their parties of amnfement, began to lofe that degree of awe and refpeft for him, which he fo well knows how to appreciate, as well as to infpire. In confequence of this, he gradually retired from every circle of faihion, and was at . this, period almoft as inaccefiable as a Chinefe emperor. The fame line of conduct was alfo adopted by the princi- pal officers of government. He reiided almoft wholly at Mai Maifon, except on ftate days, when only thofe ftrangers were permitted to be introduced to himj who had fatisfied the ambaifadors of their refpective nations, that they had been previously prefented at their courts. If Bonaparte is fpared from the ftroke of the aiTaffin, or the prxtorian caprice of the army for any length of time, he will have it in his power to augment the fervices which he has already afford- ed to the the republic, by rebuilding the political edifice of France, with many meliorations, for which fome materials may be collected from her own ruins, and fome from the tried and approved constitutions of other countries. If his ambition will permit him to difcharge this great undertaking faithfully, in a manner uniform with that glory which he has acquir- ed in the field, and influenced only by the noble de- fire of giving rationalliberty,and pratticable happinefs to the people over whom he fways, they will in return, without jcaloufy or regret, behold the being to whofe wifdom and moderation they will be thus indebted, led to the higheft feat amongft them— they will con- CHAP. XII. J IN FRANCE. 133 fer thofe fanc"tions upon his well merited diftinction, without which all authority is but difaftrous usurpation — a comet's blaze, flaming in a night of di/may t and fitting in gloom. The dignity of fuch a legifiator will be felf main- tained, and lafting. Upon him, the grateful French will confer thofe unforced, unpurchafed fiiiFrages, which will prevent that fate, which, in their abfence, the fubtilty of policy, the fafcinations of addrefs, the charm of corruption, and even the terror of the bay- onet can only pofipone. — Yes, Bonaparte ! millions of fuffering beings, raifing themfelves from the duft, in which a barbarous revolution has paroftrated them, look up to thee for liberty, protection, and repofe. They will not look to thee in vain. The retiring ftorm ftill flafhing its leiTening flame, and rolling its distant thunders will teach thee, were it necejfary^ not to force them to remeafure their vengeance, by their wrongs. In Paris, the achievements, of the firfl conful are ■not much talked of, fo true is the old adage, that no man is a hero to his own domeftic. The beauties cf a colofial ftatue, muft be contemplated at a diftance. The French at prefent work, walk, eat, drink, and . fleep in tranquility, and what is of more conference to them, they dance in fecurity, to which may be ad- ded, that their taxes are neither very heavy, nor oppreilve. In every party which I entered, I found the late minifter of Great Britain was the prevailing . M I34> THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII, fubject of curiofity. I was overpowered with queft- ions reflecting this great man, which in their minute detail, extended to afcertain what was the color of his eye, the fhape of his nofe, and whether in a mor- ning he wore huffar boots, or fhoes. This little cir- cumftance could not fail of proving pleafant to an Englifhman. They informed me, that throughout the war, they regularly read in their own diurnal prints, our parliamentary debates, and the general outline of moffc of our political fchemes, which were furnifhed by people in the pay of the French govern- ment, who refided in England notwithstanding the feverity of the legiffotive, and the vigilance of the executive authorities. Whilft I am mentioning the fubject of newfpaper intercourfe, I cannot help lamen- ting, that fince the renewal of national friendship, the public prints of both countries are not more under the influence of cordiality and good humor. The liberty of the prefs is the palladium of reafon, the diftributor of light and learning, the public and imdiimayed afTerter of interdicted truth. It is the body and the honor guard of civil and political liberty. Where the laws halt with dread, the freedom of the prefs advances, and with the fubtle activity of con- ference, penetrates the fortified reccfles and writes fts fearful fent v em 'e on the palace ivall of recoiling ty- rants. As an Englifhman, my expiring figh mould; be breathed for its prefervation ; but as an admirer gf fecial re£ofe and national liberty, I regret to fee CHAP. XII.] IN FRANCE. 135 its noble energies engaged in the degrading fervice of fretful fpleen, and ungenerous animadverflon. When the horizon is no longer blackened with the fmoke of the battle, it is unworthy of two mighty empires to carry on an ignoble war of words. If peace is their wifh, let them manifefl the great ancbenlightened fen- timent in all its purity, and difdain to in itate each other by a<£b of petulent and provoking recrimina- tion. A fhort time preceding my arrival in France, Bon- aparte had rendered himfelf very popular amongft the Conftitutional clergy, by a well timed compliment to the metropolitan archbifhop. The iirfl conful gave a grand dinner to this dignified prelate, and to fev- eral of his brethren. After the entertainment, Bon- aparte addrefled the archbifhop by obferving, that as he had given directions for the repairing of the ar- chiepifcopal palace, he fhould very much like to take a ride in the archbifhop's carriage, to fee the pro- grefs which the workmen had made. The prelate bowed to the firft conful, and informed him that he had no carriage, otherwife he fhould be much flat- tered by conducting him thither. Bonaparte good humoredly faid, " how can that be ? your coach has been waiting at the gate this half hour," and imme- diately led the venerable archbifhop down the fteps of the Thuilleries, where he found a plain handfome carriage, with a valuable pair of horfes, and a coachman, and footmen dreiTed in livery which Bo- 1S6 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII. naparte had juft before informed him would be allotted to him, when his efbblifhment was completed. The whole was a prefent from the private purfe of the firft conful. Upon their arrival at the palace, the archbiihop was agreeably furprifed by finding that the moil minute, and liberal attention had been paid to his comfort and accommodation. - The clergy ieem to be in favor with Bonaparte. When he affilted in the laft fpring at the inaugura- tion of the archbiihop of Paris, in the metropolitan church of Notra Dame, and ga\e to the restoration of religion " all the circumftance of pomp'' and mil- itary parade, he was delirous of having the colors of his regiment confecrated by the holy prelate, and fubmittel his wifhes to his foldiers. A few days afterwards, a deputation waited upon their general in chief, with this reply, " Our banners have already " been confecrated by the blood of our enemies at " Marengo ; the benediction of a prieft cannot ren- " der them more facred in our eyes, nor more anim- « ating in the time of battle." Bonaparte prudently fubmitted himfelf to their praetorian refolution, and the coniular colors remain to this hour in the fame uv.ckrijhanlike condition us when they rlrft waved at the head of their victorious legions. This anecdote will ia fome degree prove a fact which, notwithftand- ing the counter reports of Englifh ne papers, I found every where confirmed, that although religion is hew to the French, yet that the novelty has at ptfef- CHAP, XII] IN FRANCE. 1'dY entbut little charm for them. I had frequent op- portunity of making this remark, as well in the cap- ital as in the departments of the republic through which I paired. In Paris, the Sabbath can only be confidered: as a day of diffipation to the lovers of gaiety, and a day of unufual profit to the man of trade. Here, it is true, upon particular feftival days, confiderable bodies of people are to be feen in the act of worfhip, but curiofrty and the love of fhew affemble them together, if it was otherwife their at- tendance w T ould be more numerous and regular. The firft conful does not feem to pollefs much fafhionable influence over the French in matters of religion, oth- erwife, as he has the credit of attending mafs, with very pious punctuality, in his private chapel at Mai Maiibn, it might be rather expected, that devotion would become a little more familiar to the people. Upon another fubject the will of the chief m agif- trate has been equally unfortunate. To the few la- dies who are admitted into his foeial circles, he has declared himfelf an enemy to that drefs, or undrefs (I am puzzled to know what to call it) which his friend David, has fo fuccefsfully recommended for the purpofe of difplaying, with the leafl: poffible re- ftraint, the fine proportions of the female form. Madame Bonaparte, who is coniidered to be in as good -aV ace of fubordinatioiv to her young hufband, as the con hilar regiment is to their • yotwg general, contrives to exhibit her elegant £erf6n to thegreatcft M. % 1?2 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII. advantage 5 by adopting a judicious and graceful medium of drefs by which me taitefully avoids a load of decoration, which repels the eye by two denfe a covering, and that queftionable airinefs of ornament which by its gracious and unrellrained dhplay, de- prives the imagination of more than half its pleafures. Bonaparte is faidnotto.be indifferent tothofe affec- tions which do honor to the breaff which cherifhes them, nor to the morals of the people whom he gov- erns. It is well known that in France, in the houfe of a new fafhionable couple, feparate chambers are always relerved for the faithful pair, which after the folem- nities of marriage very feldom remain long unoccur pied. The firrt contui confiders fuch feparation as unfriendly to morals. A few months iince, by a well timed difplay of attained ignorance, he endeavored to give falhion to a lentiment which may in time re- duce the number of thefe family accommodations. The noble palace of St. Cloud was at this time pre- paring for him i the principal architect requcfted of him to point out in what part of the palace he woultj. wifh to have his feparate fleeping room. " I do not '"> know what you mean," faid the young imperial philofopher, " crimes only divide the hutband and " his wife. Make as many bed rooms as you pleafe, « but only cue for me and Madame Bonaparte.'* I muft now quit the dazzling fplendor of imperial virtues for the more tranquil, but not lefs fafcinating appearance of retired and mdUeH; m?rit. CHAP. XII.] IN FRANCE. ISO It was in the afternoon of one of the fineft days in June, when Madame O , with her nephew, a very amiable young man, called in their carriage and took me to the chateau of her hufband, to whom I had letters of introduction. After palling through a charming country for nine miles, adorned on each fide with gar Jens and country houfes, we arrived at the pleafant village of la Reine. As foon as we er> tered it, the light of the carriage, and of their bene- factrefs, feemed to enliven the faces of the villagers, who were feated in picturefque groupes at the doors of their cottages. Such animated looks were not lighted up by curiofity, for they had feen Madame O r- a thoufand and a thoufahd times, but be- caufe they had feldom feen her without experienc- ing fome endearing proof of a bountiful heart, We left the village to the right and proceeded through a private road, lined with llately walnut trees, of nearly a mile in length, which led to Mpnlieur O 's* It was evening $ the fun was letting in great glory and covered the face of this romantic country with the richell glow. Near the gate of a flurubbery Ibeheld a very handfome boy, whofe appearance at once be-. /poke him to be the fon of agentleman, the animated fmile of Madame O^ , immediately convinced me- that it, was her Ion ; "fee," faid the delighted mo- ther, « it is my little gardener •," the little graceful ruftic had a fmall fpade in his hand, which he threw down, and ran to us. We alighted at the entrance 140 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XlL of the garden, into which we entered, under a beau- tiful covered treillage, lined with Jeflamine and ho- neyfuckles. At the end were two elegant young women, waiting with delight, to receive their mo- ther, from whom they had been feparated only a few hours. With this charming family I entered the houfe, which was handfome but plain. The hofpitable owner rofe from his fofa, and after embracing Ids elegant lady with great affection, he received me with all the exprefiions and warmth of a long friend- ship. Scon afterwards his fervant (a faithful indian) entered, and fpread upon the table, Madeira, Bur* gundy, and dried fruits. It was intenfely hot : the great window at the end of the room in which we were fittmg opened into the gardens, which appear- ed to be very beautiful and abounded with nightin- gales, which were then moil: fweetly finging. " They " are my little muilcians," faid Monfieur O , «< we have made a pleafant bargain together, I give* w them, crumbs of bread and my bowers to range in, « and they give me this charming mufic every eve*- " ning." Monileur O ■ ■ ■ ■ was an invalide, the revolution, poignant vexations, heavy lofTes and a painful fepera- tion from his native country, for the prefervation of his life,, and that of his family, had undermined his health. Grief had. made fad inroads upoii a delicate confutation. It was his good fortune to be the huf- band of one of the.fineft and. moil amiable women, in* CHAP. XIL] IN FRANCE. 141 France, and the father of an affectionate, beautiful, and accomplished family. His circumftances had been once fplendid ; they were then refpectable, but he had parTed through events which threatened his alL Thofe fufferings which generous fouls fuftain for the fake of others, not for themfelves, had alone deftroyed the refemblance which once exifted be- tween this excellent man and his admirable portrait, which, at the further end of the room, prefented the healthy glow, and fine proportions of manly beauty. He expreiTed to me, in the moil charming manner, his regret, that indifpofition cofined him to the coun- try, and prevented him from receiving me in Paris fuitable to his own wifhes, and to thofe claims which I had upon his attentions, by the letters of introduc- tion which I had brought to him *, but added, that he fliould furnifh me with letters to fome of his friends in town, who would be happy to fupply his abfence, and to make Paris agreeable to me. Moniieur O was as good as his word. This amiable gentleman porTeiTed a countenance of great genius, and a mind full of intelligence. After an elegant fupper, when his lady and daugh- ters had withdrawn, he entered into a very interefting account of his country, of the revolution, and cf his flight for the falvation of himfelf and family. A tolerable good opinion may be formed of the devalu- ation which have been produced by the late republican government, by the following circumftance, which H2 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII. Monfieur O allured me, on the word of a man ■ of honor, was correct. His fection in Paris was compofod of one thoufand three hundred perfons, of rank and fortune, of whom . only five had efcaped the flaughter of the guillot- ine ! ! Madame O and her charming family, feemed wholly to occupy his iieart and affections. He fpoke of his lady with all the tender eulogium of a young lover. Their union was entirely from attachment, and had been refilled on the part of Madame O , when he fir ft addrefied her, only becaufe her fortune was humble, compared with his. He informed me, and I muft not fupprefs the frory, that in the time of blood, this amiable woman, who is remarkable for the delicacy of her mind, and for the beauty and majefty -of her peribn, difplayed a de- gree of coolaefs a&J courage, which, in the field of battle, would hav?e covered the hero with laurels. One evening, a fhort period before the family left France, a party of thoie murderers, who were fent for by Robefpierre, from the frontiers which divide France from Italy, and who were by that arch fiend employed in all the butcheries, and mafiacres cf Paris, entered the peaceful village of la Reine, in fearch of Monfieur O -.. His lady faw them advancing, and anticipating their errand, had juft time to give her huiband intelligence of their approach, who left his chateau by a back door, and fecreted himfelf in CHAP. XII.] IN FRANCE. 14r3 the houfe- of a neighbor. Madame O , with perfect compofure, went out to meet them, and received them in the moft gracious maner. They fternly demanded Monlieur O , flie informed them that he had left the country, and after engaging them in conversation, fhe conducted them into her drawing room> and regaled them with her beft wines, and made her fervants attend upon them with unuf- ual deference and ceremony. Their appearance was altogether horrible, they wore leather aprons, which were fprinkled all over with blood, they had large horfe piftols in their bdts, and a dirk and f abre by their fides. Their looks were full of ferocity, and they fpoke a harfli difTonant patois language. Over their cups, they talked about the bloody bufinefs of that day's occupation, in the courfe of which they drew out their dirks, and wiped from their handles, clots of blood and hair. Madame O- fat with ' them, undifmayed by their frightful deportment. Af- ter drinking feveral bottles of Champaign and Bur- gundy, thefefavages began to grow good humored, and feemed to be completely fafcinateu by the amia- ble and unembarrafTed, and hofpitable behavior of their fair landlady. After caroufing till midnight, they prefTed her to retire, obferving that they had been received Co handfomely that they were convin- ced Monueur O had been mifreprefented, and was no enemy to the good caufe ; they added that . they found the wines excellent, and after drinking 144- THE STRANGER [CHAP. XII. two or three bottles more, they would leave the houfe, without caufingher any reafon to regret their admiffion. Madame O -, with all the appearance of perfect tranquillity and confidence in their promifes, wifhed her unwelcome vifitors a good night, and after vifit- iting her children in their rooms, {he threw herfelf upon her bed, with a loaded piftol in each hand, and, . overwhelmed with fupprefTed agony and agitation, fhe foundly flept till fhe was called by her fervaats, two hours after thefe wretches had left the houfe. He related alfo another inftance of that refolution which is not unfrequently exhibited by women, when thofe generous affections, for which they are fo juftly celebrated, are menaced with danger. A- bout the fame period, two of the children of Mon- fieur O were in Paris at fchool : A rumor had reached him, that the teachers of the feminary in which they were placed, had offended the govern- ment, and were likely to be butchered, and that the carnage which was expected to take place, might, in its undiftinguifhed fury, extend to the pupils. Im- mediately upon receiving this intelligence, Monfieur O ordered his carriage for the purpofe of pro- ceeding to town. Madame O implored him to permit her to accompany him ; in vain did he be- feech her to remain at home •, the picture of danger which he painted, only rendered her more deter- mined. She mounted the carriage and feated herfelf CHAP. XIIL] IN FRANCE. U5 by the fide of her husband. When they reached Pa- ris, they were flopped in the middle of the flreet St. Honoree, by the mafiacre of a large number of pris- oners, who had jufl been taken out of a church which had been converted into a prifon. Their ears were pierced with fcreams. Many of the miserable vic- tims were cut down, clinging to the windows of their carriage. During the dreadful delays which they fuffered in palling through this flreet, Madame O- difcovered no fenfations of alarm, but fled- faftly fixed her eyes upon the back of the coachbox, to avoid, as much as poflible, obferving the butcheries which were perpetrating on each fide of her. Had fhe been obferved to clofe her eyes, or to fet back in the carriage, fhe would have excited a fuf- picion, which, no doubt, would have proved fatal to her. At length fh<£ reached the fchool which con- tained her children, where fhe »found the rumor which they had received was without foundation ; fhe calmly conducted them to the carriage, and dur- ing their gloomy return through Paris, betrayed no emotions *, but as foon as they had pafTed the barrier, and were once more in fafety upon the road to their peaceful chateau, the exulting mother, in an agony of joy, prefTed her children to her bofom, and in a flate of mind wrought up to frenzy, arrived at her own houfe, in convulfions of ghaflly laughter. Mon- ficur O never fpoke of tins charming woman, Without exhibiting theflrongeft emotions of regards N 146 THE STRANGER £CHAP. XIII. He faid, that in ficknefs fhe fufFered no one to attend upon him but herfelf, that in all his afflictions fhe had fupported him, and that fhe mitigated the deep melancholy which the fu3*erings of his country, and his own privations, had fixed upon him, by the well- timed f allies of her elegant fancy, or by the charms cf her various accomplifhments. I found myfelf a gainer in the article of delight, by leaving the gayeft metropolis that Europe can prefent ;o a traveller, for the fake of vifiting fuch a family. A CHAPTER XIII. Break/aft. — Warmth of French ExpreJJion* — Rujiic Eloquence. — Curious Caufe ajfgned for the late extra- erdinary Froft, — Madame R ■ — Paul I. — Ti- voli. — Frefcati . IN the morning we breakfafled in the drawing I room, in which the murderous myrmidons of Robef- pierre had been regaled. It was beautifully fituated. Its windows )ooked into a grove which Monfieur O had formed of valuable American fhrubs. His youngeft daughter, a beautiful little girl, cf about five years of age, rather nattily entered tie room with a pair of tame wood pigeons in her hands, which, in her eagernefs to bring to her father, fhe Jiad too for- cibly prefTed. who very gently told her* it was cruel to hurt her little favorites, more particularly as they CHAP. XIII.] Ili FRANCE, 147 were a fpecies of bird which was remarkable for its unoffending innocence. The little creatifre burft ia- to tears, " my little Harriet, why do you weep ?" faid her father, kifling her white forehead, and^preff- ing her to him. " Why do you rebuke me ?" faid the little fufferer, " when you know I love you fo much that I could kiss your naked heart." I mention this circumflance, to fhow how early in life, the French children imbibe the moft charming expreffions, by which their more mature converfation is rendered fo peculiarly captivating. During our repaft, a circumftance occurred, which produced an unufual vivacity'amongft all the party, and afforded a fpecimen of the talent and pleafantry of the French people. The gardener entered with the paper, and letters of the day. .Amongft them, was a letter figwhich had been.opened, appeared very much difor- ed, and ought to have been received upon the pre- ceding day. Mons. O feemed much difpleafed, and called upon his man to explain the matter. The gardener, who poffefTed a countenance which beamed with animation and good humor, made a low bow, and without appearing to be, in the leaft degree, difcon- certed, proceeded to unfold the affair, with the moft playful ingenuity. He flated that the dairy maid was very pretty, that flie made every body in love with her, and was very much in love herfelf,. that fhe was accuftomed to receive a great number of billet- doux, which, on account of her education having 118 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. been very far below her incomparable merits, fhe was not able to underftand, without the afliftance of Ni- coleue, the groom, who was her confident, and aman- uenfis ; that on the day before, he gave her the let- ter in queftion^with directions to carry it to his maf- ter, that under the influence of that thoughtful ab- fence which is faid to attend the advanced ftages of the tender paffion, {he foon afterwards conceived that it was no other than a cuftomary homage from one of her many admirers, upon which fhe committed the fuppofed depository of tender fighs and brittle vows, to the warm cuftody of her glowing bofom, than which, the gardener, (who at this moment faw his mailer's eyes were engaged by ihefullied appearance of the letter) declared that nothing was fairer ; he again proceeded, by obferving, that in the courfe of the preceding evening, as {he was {looping to adjufl||i her ftool in the meadow, the cow kicked, and the epiftle tumbled into the milk pail ; that fhe after- wards dried it by the kitchen fire, and gave it, for the reafons before affigned, to her confidential friend to explain to her, who foon difcovered it to be a let- ter of bufinefs, addrefTed to his matter, inftead of an impaflioned love ditty for the tender Marie ; that, finally, all the principals concerned in this unhappy affair were overwhelmed with diftrefs, on account of the fad difafter, and that the kitchen had loft all its vivacity ever flnce. No advocate could have pleaded more eloquently. All the family, from its chief* to .ftfc CHAP. XIII] IN FRANCE. 149 little Harriet, wliofe tears were not yet dried, were in a continual fit of laughter. The gardener, whofe face very largely partook of the gaiety which he had fo fuccefsfully excited, was commiffioned, by his amiable matter, to tell the diftrefTed dairy maid, that love always carried hi$ pardon in his hand for all his offences, and that he cheerfully forgave her, but di- rected the gardener, to prevent a recurrence of fimi- lar accidents, not again to truft her with his letters un- til the tender difeafe was radically removed. The ruftic orator gracefully bowed j and left us to finifh our breakfaft with increafcd good humour, and to carry forgivenefs and confolation to poor Marie and all her condoling friends in the kitchen. Before we had completed our repaft, a little deformed elderly lady made her appearance, whofe religion had been fhaken by the revolution, into a crazy and gloomy fuperftition. She had fcarcely feated herfelf, before Ihe began a very rapid and voluble comment upon the change of the times, and the devaluations which the late extraordinary froft had committed upon the vineyards of France, which fhe positively afierted, with the confidence which the arrival of her tutelar faint with the intelligence ought to have infpired, was fent as an appropriate judgment upon the repub- lic, to puniih it, for differing the ladies of Paris to go fo thinly clothed. Moniieur 0- heard her very patiently throughout* and then obferved, that the 150 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIIL ways of Heaven were infcrutable, that human in nuity was bailed, in attempting to draw inferences from its vifitations, and that it did not appear to him at leaft, that an offeree which was affuredly calculat- ed to infpire fenfations of warmth and tendernefs, was appropriately punifhed by chaftifement of an oppo- file tendency, to which he added, that fome moralift who indulged in an endeavor to connect caufes and effects, might think it rather incompatible with their notions of eternal equity, to endeavor to clothe the ladies, by {tripping the land to nakednefs-~here the old lady could not help fmiling. Her amicable ad- verfary purfued the advantage which his pleafantry; had produced, by informing her, that prognoftica- tions had been for a long period diicountenanccd, and that formerly when the ancient augurs, after the ceremonies of their faccefsful illulions were over, m each other by accident in the ffreet, impreffed by the ridiculous remembrance of their impositions, they could not help laughing in each other's faces. Mad- ame V ■ laughed too ; upon which Monfieur O , very good humoredly told her, that as a* foothfayer, Die certainly would not have fmiled, nn~ lefs {he intended to retire forever from the oihee. Previous to my taking leave of Monikur Q ■ ■ ■ ■ and his charming family, we walked in the gardens, where: our converfation turned upon the extraordinary ge- nius, who in the charaaer of firft conful of the Trench unites a force, and extent of fway unknown CHAP. XIIL IN FRANCE, 15V to the kings of France, from their jax£t appearance, to the final extinction of monarchy. He told me that he had the honor of knowing him with intimacy from his youth, and extolled, with high eulogy, his fplendid abilities, and the great fer- vices which he had rendered France. He alfo relat- ed feveral amiable anecdotes of the minifter Talley- rand, who, when in America, had lived with, him a considerable time under the fame roof. At length the cabriolet, which, was to bear mc from this little Paradife, approached the gate, and the moment arrived when I was to part with one of the moft charming families to be found the bofom of the republic. As Monfteur O preiTed me by one hand, and placed that of his little Harriet in my other, a tear of exquiiite tendernefs rolled down his cheek, it feemed to exprefs that we fhouid never meet again on this fide the grave. Excellent being ! if it muft be fo, if wafting and unfparing ficknefs is deftinedto tear thee ere long from thofe who delight thiner eye, and. foothe thine heart in the. midft of its forrows, may the angel of peace fmile upon thee in thy laft. mo- ments, and bear thy mild and generous, and patient fpirit, to the realms of eternal repofe ! Adieu ! dear femily of la Reine* Upon my return, to Parts, I proceeded to the hotel! of Mon&eur XL— «~. Curiofity led ms. to view th% 15S THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. houfe, and the celebrated bed of his lady, who was then in London. The little vanities and eccentricities of this elegant and hofpitable woman, will find immediate forgive- nefs, when it is known that fhe is now very young, and was married, when a fpoiled child of the age of fourteen to her prefent hufband. She is one of Da- vids's moft enthufiaftic admirers, and has carried the rage for Grecian undrefs, to an extremity, which, ev- en in the capital, left her without a follower. In the public walks of the Champ Elyfees, fhe one evening prefented herfelf in a drefs which almoft rivalled the robe*; of Paradife •, the Pariflans, who are remarkable for their politenefs to women, and are not remarkable for fcrupulous fentiments of delicacy, were fo difpleafed with her appearance, that they made a lane to the entrance for her, and expelled the v modern Eve from the Elyfian Fields, not with a "flam- ing fword of wrath," but with hhTes foftly uttered, and by gentle tokens of polite difapprobation. She tells her friends, that her cabinet is crowded with letters of the moft impaffioned love, from perfons of the firft fame, diftinction, and opulence. In her parties, when converfation begins to paufe, fhe intro- duces fome of thefe melting epiftles, which £he is £ud to read with a bewitching pathos, and never fails, to clofe the fond recital by expreffions of the tender- ed pity for the fufferings of their ill-ftarred authors.. Ske. has declared, that fome of her lovers equal the- CHAP. XIII.] IN FRANCE. 153 Belvidere Apollo in beauty, but that fhe never has yet ken that being, who was perfect enough to be entitled to the pofleflion of her affections. Do not fmiie. Madame R is a difciple of Diana, even flander pays inceffant homage to her chaflity. Ru- mor has wkifpered, in every corner of Paris, trrat her hufband is only admitted to the honor of fupplying the finances of her fplendid and coftly eftablifhment. Madame R has not yet produced any of the beautiful, and eloquent arguments of Cornelia, to difprove the ftrange affertion. Her chamber, which conftitutes one of the fights of Paris, and which, after what has been juft mentioned, may be juftly confider- ed, in or out of France, as a great curiofity, is fitted up in a ftyle of confiderable talte, and even magnifi- cence. The bed upon which this charming ftatue repofes, is a fuperb fofa, raifed upon a pedeftal, the afcent to which is by a flight of cedar fteps, on each fide are altars, on which are placed Herculaneum va£« es of flowers, and a large antique lamp of gold ; the back of the bed is formed by an immenfe pier glafs, and the curtains, which are of the moft coftly muflin, feftooned with golden taflels, defcend in beautiful drapery from a floral crown of gold. It is Faid that the late emperor of Ruffia, after the laborious and fuccefsful diplomatic intrigues of MefTrs. Talley- rand and Sieyes, and a certain lady, became enamor- ed, by defcription, with the immaculate goddefs of Mont Blanc, and that he ient confidential commit lo4f THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. doners to Paris, to report her daily drefs, and to or- der copies of her furniture. The ftory may be believed, when the hero cf it was well known to be fully qualified for one of the deepefl dungeons of a madhoufe. I hope, for the fake of fociety, and the repofe of the world, that the reft of Madame R f s admirers have not united to their paffion the bewildered imagination which fatal- ly diftinguifhed, and finally clofed the career of her imperial lover. Mr. R is very polite to the Englifh, and his letters enfure the greateft attentions wherever they are produced. From Mont Blanc I proceeded to theHotel de Car- amand, the relidence of the Britifh AmbafTador, to whom I had a letter of introduction, from a particular friend of his, and who received me with great polite- nefs. His apartments were handfome, and looked into fome beautiful gardens. Amongft the Englifh, who were at this time in Paris, a little prejudice exift- ed againft the reprefentative of the Britifh monarch, from a reafon, which within the jurifdiction of the lord mayor of London and of mod corporate towns in England, will be confidered to carry confiderable weight. The envoy did not celebrate the late birth day of his fovereign by a jolly, and convivial dinner. The fact was, Mr. M , who by the fudden re- turn of Mr. J , became unexpectedly inverted with the dignity of an ambafTador, was in conftant CHAP. XIII.] IN FRANCE. 155 expectation of being recalled, to make room for the intended appointment of lord W to the eonfu- lar court, in confequence of which, he had not pre- pared for the difplay of thofe fplendid hofpitalities, which, oh fuch. occasions, always diftinguifh the table of a Britifh houfe of embafly. On a Sunday evening, I went with a party to Ti- voli, a favorite place of amufement with the Parifians. At the entrance we found, as at all the public places, a guard of horfe, and foot. The admiffion is twenty fob. The evening was very fine. We pafTed im- menfe crowds of people, who were flocking to the fame place. — Amongft them were many elegant, well drefled women, wholly unattended by gentlemen, a Ctrcumftance by no means unufual in Paris. This place feemed to be raifed by the magic touch of en- chantment. We entered upon gravelled walks, which were cut through little winding and interfect- ing hillocks of box ; thofe which formed the fides were furmounted by orange trees, which prefented a beautiful colonnade ; immediately after we had pa£. , fed them, .we entered an elegant treillage of honey- fuckles, rofes, and eglantine, which formed the grand entrance to the garden. Here a mofl animated fcene of feftivity opened upon us. On one fide were rope dancers, people riding at the ring, groups of perfons playing at fhuttlecock, which feemed to be the favor- ite, and I may add, the mod ridiculous diverfion ; on t&e other fide, were dancers, tumblers, mountebanks^ 156 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. and parties all with gay countenances, feated in little bowers enjoying lemonade and ices. In the centre as we advanced, were about three hundred people, who were dancing the favorite waltz. This dance was brought from Germany, where, from its nature, the partners are always engaged lovers ; but the French, who think that nothing can be blamable which is fufceptible of elegance, have introduced the German dance, without adhering to the German regulation. The attitudes of the waltz are very graceful, but they would not altogether accord with Englifh female no- tions of delicacy. At a late fafhionable Parifian ball, a gentleman prefent was requeued by the lady of the houfe, to waltz with a friend of hers, who was with- out a partner. The perfon of this neglected fair, t a little inclined to the meagre. Tke gallant, with- out the lead embarrarTment, declined obferving, " Ah ! " ma chere Madame qu'exigez vous de moi, ne favez " vous pas qu'elle n'a point de fein ?" In the middle of the platform of the dancers, a very fine full band was playing. At the end of this raifed ltage, a very capacious Indian marquee was erected, which was beautifully illuminated with variegated lamps, and under its broad canopy, a large concourfe of people was feated, fome were enjoying converfation, fome were playing at buillotte, drinking coffee, &c behind this building, was a noble Corinthian temple, from the doors of which, were covered trellis walks, lead- ing to fpacious gardens, which were formed to dif- CHAP. XIII-3 IN FRANCE. 157 play the different taftes of the Englifh, French, and Dutch nations, whofe refpefiive names they bore. Thefe gardens are interfered by little canals, upon which feveral perfons were amuung themfelves with the diverflon of canoe racing. The whole was illu- minated by large patent reflecting lamps, which fhed a lultre almoft as brilliant as the day. A few Eng- lifh were prefent, amongft them were the duchefs of Cumberland, and a few other ladies. Thefe gardens previous to the revolution, were the property of a wealthy minifter of France, who, it is faid expended near one hundred thoufand pounds flerling, in bring- ing them to perfection, which he juifc faw accomplifh- ed, when he clofed his eyes upon the fcaffokl. T.ie ation became their next proprietor, who fold them for a large fum of money to their prefent owners. From this place we went to Frefcati, which is the promenade of the firfl beauty, and famion of Paris, who generally afTemble about half pad ten o'clock, af- ter the opera is concluded. No admifiion money is required, but Angular as it may feem, no improper in- truder has yet appeared, a circum fiance which may be accounted for by the awe which well bred fociety eve* maintained over vulgarity. Fre r cati is fituated in the Italian Boulevard ; was formerly the refidence of a nobleman of large fortune, and has alfo under- gone the ufual tranfition of revolutionary confifc?.tion. Tne clreets leading to it were rilled with carriages. O 158 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIII. After afcending a flight of fteps, from a handfome court-yard, we entered a beautiful hall, which was lined with pier glafles, and decorated with feftoons of artificial flowers, at the end of it was a fine ftatue of Venus de Medicis. On one fide of this image was an arch, which led into a fuite of fix magnificent apartments, which were fuperbly gilt , painted, and alfo covered with pier glaffes, and luftres of fine dia- mond cut glafs, which latter, looked like fo many lit- tle glittering cafcades. Each room was in a blaze of light, and filled with parties, who were taking ices, or drinking coSee. Each room communicated with the others, by arches, or folding doors of mirrors. The garden is fmail, but very taftefully difpofed. It is compofed of three walks, which are lined with or^ ange and acacia trees, and vafes of rofes. At the en is a tower mounted on a rock, temples, and ruftic bridges j and on each fide of the walks, are little lab- yrinth bowers, On the fide next to the Boulevard, is a terrace which commands the whole fcene, is lined on each fide with beautiful vafes of flowers, and is ter- minated at each end by alcoves, which are lined with mirrors. Here, in the courfe of an hour, the ailonifhed and admiring flranger, may fee near three thoufand fe- males of the iirft beauty and diftlnclion in Paris, whofe cheeks are no longer disfigued by the corrofion of rouge, and who, by their fymmetry and grace, would induce him to believe that the lovelie ft figures CHAP. XIV.] IN FRANCE. 159 of Greece, in her proucteft sera, were revived, and moving before him. CHAPTER XIV. Convent of blue Nuns.—Ducheffede Biron.— The bloody Key.— Courts of Juftice.— Public Library.— G bel- ims.—Mifs Linwood.— Garden of Plants.— French Accommodation.— Boot Cleaners.— Cat and Dsg Shearers.— Monfieur S y Qnd Family. THE Englifh convent, or as it is called, the con- vent of blue nuns, in the Rue de St. Vi&oire, is the only eftablifhment of the kind, which throughout the republic, has furvived the revolution. To what caufe jSU-SXClllfive prCcC2«0r» fe a^riouTaDle, is not T believe ^correctly known. But though this fpot of Tacred. S feclufion, has efcaped the final ftroke of extermina- tion, it has fuftained an ample fhare of the general defolation. During the reign of terror it was con- verted into the crowded prifon of the female nobility, who were confined, and afterwards dragged from its cloiflers, and butchered by the guillotine, or the daggers of the afTaflins. I had a letter of introduc- tion to Mrs. S , one of the fifterhood, a lady of diftinguifhed family in England. I found her in the refectory. A dignified dejection overfpread her countenance, and her figure feemed much emaciated by the fcenes of horror through which fhe had !C0 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIV. paired. She informed me, that when the nuns were m a ftate of arreftation by the order of Robefpierre, the convent was ib crowded with prifoners, that thcy< were obliged to eat their wretched meals in three different divifions. The places of the unhappy be- ings who were led offto execution, were immediately filled by frefh victims. Amongft thofe who fuffered, was the beautiful young ducheffe de Biron, faid to be one of the love- Kefl women of the French court. Her fate was lin- gular, and horrible. One morning, two of the afiift- unt executioners came into one of the rooms, and called upon the female citizen Biron to come forward, meaning the old ducheffe de Biron, the mother, who was here immured with her daughter ; fome one faia, ~"iich 9*" them do you require ? the hell- hounds replied, « Our order was for one only, but w as there are two, we will have both that there " may be no error." The mother and daughter were taken away locked fenfelefs in each others arms. When the cart which carried them arrived at the foot of the fcaffold, the chief executioner locked at his paper, which contained a lift of his victims, and faw the name of only one Biron •, the afliftants in- formed him that they found two of that name in the convent, and to prevent miftake, they had brought both. The principal, with perfect fang froid, faid it was all well, wrote with his pencil the article " les" before the name Biron, to which he added an s } and immediately beheaded both ! ! ! C&AP.XIV.] IN FRANCE. 161 Mrs. S - led me to the chapel, to mow me the havoc which the unfparing impious hands of the rev- olution had there produced. She put into my hancfi an immenfe- mafly key to open the door of the choir. "That key," faid fhe, " was made for the matter " key of the convent, by the order of Robefpierre. « In the time of terror, our gaoler wore it at his belt. « A thoufand times has my foul funk within me, " when it loudly pufhed the bolt of the lock afide. « When the door opened, it was either a ftgnal tojpre- M pare for inftant death to fome of thofe who were « within, or for the gloomy purpofe of admitting « new victims." When we entered the chapel, my furprife and abhorrence were equally excited. The windows were beaten thro', the hangings were flap- ping in the wind, the altar was mattered in pieces and proftrate, the pavement was every where torn- up, and the caves of the dead were ftill yawnfiRg upon- us. From their folemn and hallowed depths, the mouldering relics of the departed had been railed, . by torch light, and heaped in frightful piles ofun- finifhed decay, againfl the walls^ for the purpofe of converting the lead, which contained thefe wretched fragments of mortality into balls for the mufketry of the revolution.' The gardens behind the chapel mufb have been once very pleafant, but they then had the ' appearance of a wildernefs. The painful uncertainty of many years, had occasioned the neglect and ruin in- which I faw them, Some of-the:nunswere rcadii @; 32 1G2 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIV. upon fhattered feats, under overgrown bowers, and, others walking in the melancholy fhade of neglected avenues. The effect of the whole was gloomy and forrowful, and fully confirmed the melancholy recital which I received from Mrs. S . Bonaparte, it is faid, intends to confirm to thefe nuns their prefent reiidence, by an act of government. Upon leaving the convent I viiited the feats of cafTation, and jufHce, in the architectural arrangement of which, I faw but little worthy of minute notice,. except the perfect accommodation which pervades all the French buildings, which are appropriated to the adminiftration of the laws. The hall of the firft cafTation, or grand court of appeal, is very fine. The judges wear elegant cof-. tumes, and were, as well as the advocates, featedL r upon chairs, which were constructed to imitate the feats of |Roman magistracy, and had a good effect, |.was informed that the whole of the ornamental, arrangement was deSgned by David, From the courts of juftice, I went to the ftcond na- tLonallibrary, which is very noble and large., and has. a valuable collection of books.. Several Itudents . were arranged with^ great filence and decorum, at long tables. In one apartment is a very large inge-. nious model of Ro.me in a glafs cafe, and another of a frigate, Upon leaving the library I proceeded to the Gob- elins, fo called from one Gobel, a noted, dyer at i CHAP. XIV.] IN FRANCE, 163 Rheims, who fettled here in the reign of Francis L. This beautiful manufactory has a crowd of vifitors everyday. Upon the wafts of the galleries the tap* eftry is fufpended, which exhibits very exquhlte copies of various hiftorical paintings, of which there. are fome very coftly and beautiful fpecimens. The, artifts work behind the frame, where the original from which they copy is, placed. The whole is a very expensive national eftablifhment, much of its- •production is prefervedfor prefents to foreign princes ? N and fome of it is difpofed of by public file. . Upon the comparifon between the works of the Gobelins and the beautiful works of Mifs Linwood^. I v could not help feeling a. little degree of pride to ob-?. ferve that my ingenious country woman did not ap- pear to fuffer by it. Too much praife cannot be be- ftpwed upon the tafteful paintings of her exquhlte needle. This elegant minded woman has mwiifeftecl by her charming exhibition that great genius is not always feparated from great labor, and unwearied perfeveranee* From the Gobelins I -viuted the garden of plants,, which is coniidered to be the largeffc and mod valu-. able botannical collection in Europe, and, was found-, ed by the, celebrated Buffon. The garden is laid out in noble walks, and beds containing the. rareft plants from all parts of the world, each of which is neatly labelled for the ufe of ftudents. On the right of the entrance is a park containing all forts of deer, and ofc- W* THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIV. the left are vaft hothoitfes and greenkoufes j and in the centre, inclofed in iron lattice work, is a large pond for the reception of foreign aquatic animals, *ery near which is a large Octagon experimental beehive, about ten feet high, and at the end, near the banks of the Seine, is a fine menagerie, in which amongft other beafts, there are fome noble lions. Many of the animals have feparate houfes and gardens to range in. Adjoining is the park of the elephant. This ftupendous animal, from the ample fpaee in which he moves, is feen to great advantage, and is confidered to be the largeft of his fpeeies in Europe. Near the entrance on the right, is the mufeum of natural curiofities, the collection of which is very valuable, and admirably arranged. There is here a fine giraffe, or camelopard, of an amazing height, ftufFed. This furprifing animal is a native of Ethio- pia, and*fome other parts of Africa, and has fcarcely ever been feen in Europe. From the garden of plants, I made all poflible dif- patch to Madame C 's in the Boulevard Italien, where I was engaged to dinner.. Upon crofting the Pont Neuf, where there are a number of little ftalls erected, the owners of which advertife upon little boards, which are raifed upon i poles, that they poffefs extraordinary talents for (Hearing dogs and cats ; I could not help flopping and laughing moft heartily to obferve the following addrefs L o the public from one of thefe canine ; grimalkin functionaries ; CHAP. XIV.] IN FRANCE. 165 <£ Monin, tondit ct coupe *» les chiens la chatte " ct fa femme ■ " vat en ville." Which runs in this ridiculous manner in Englifh : " Monin fhears and cuts " dogs and cats and his wife— — — u goes on errands." As I had no time to return to my hotel to drefs, I was initiated into a mode of expeditioufly equipping myfelf, by a young friend who was with me, to which I was before a ftranger, and which fhows in the moft trifling matters, that the French are good adepts in expedition and accommodation. In palling through the Palais Royal, we entered the little mop of a boot cleaner. In a moment I was mounted upon a dirty fopha, to which I afcended by fteps, and from which I had a complete commanding view of the concourfe of gay people, who are always paffing and repaying in this idle place ; the paper of the day, ftretched up- on a little w r ooden frame was placed in my hand, each Jfoot was fixed upon an iron anvil, one man brufhed off the dirt, and another put on a mining blacking, a third brufhed my clothes, and a fourth prefented a bafin of water and towel to me. The whole of this comfortable operation lafted about four minutes. My dirty valets made me a low bow for four fols, which, im THTE STftANGEB. [CH4F. XIV. poor as the recompenfe was, exceeded their expecta- tions by three pieces of that petty coin. In the evening, I had the happinefs of being intro- duced to Monfieur S . Under his noble and hof- pitable roof, amidft his affectionate, beautiful, and accomplifhed family, and in the felect circle of his ele- gant and enlightened fociety, I paffed many happy hours. Monfieur S. — was of a noble family, and pre- vious to the revolution was one of the fermiers gene- rauxj and poffeffed a very noble fortune. In difchar- ging the duties of his diftinguifhed and lucrative office, he conciliated the affections of every one, who had the good fortune to be comprehended within the compafs of his honorable authority, and when the revolution ftripped him of it, it found his integrity without a ftain, except what in the bewildered inter- pretation of republican fury, adhered to him from his connection with the old eftablifhed order of things. In the general, and undiftinguifhed cry for ? ' which yelled from the remorfelefs affaf ? nof^VvObef- pierre, this admirable man was configned to a, dun- geon, and doomed to the fcaffold. Two hours before he was to fuffer, the remembrance of the noble victim, and of a feries of favors, of kindnefs, and of generofity, fiafhed with momentary but irrefiftible compunction, upon the mind of one of his fanguinary judges, who, fufpending the bloody proceedings which then oc- cupied the court, implored the compaiEon of his fell affociates. He pleaded until he had obtained his CHAP. XIV.] IN FRANCE. I67 difcharge, and then at once forgetting the emotions of mercy, which had infpired his tongue with the moft perfuafive eloquence, he very compofedly re- fumed the functions of his cruel occupation, and con- signed to the fatal inftrument of revolutionary {laugh- ter, other beings, whofe virtues were lefs renowned, or lefs fortunate in their fphere of operation. Mon- fieur S-» ■ ■ had reached his fixtyweighth year, but feemed to pofTefs all the vivacity and health of youtho His lady was a very amiable, and enlightened woman. Their family confuted of a fon, and three daughters, all of them handforne, and very highly accomplished. The eldeft, Madame E , excelled in muiic ; the fecond, Madame B , in poetry and the dailies ; and the youngeft, Mademoifelle Delphine, in drawing and finging. I mall, perhaps, be pardoned for in- troducing a little impromtu compliment, winch the pure, and unafTuming merits of the youngeft of the family, drew from my pen, in -confequence of the con- fopaa, v-^ nf the hall of the Legislative AfTembly, I was ftop* ped by a centry. I told him I was an Englishman* He politely begged my pardon, and requefted me to TpaTs, and called one of the ho'ufekeepers to mow me 'the apartments, This magnificent pile is in the ¥auxhourg St. Getf* main, and was formerly the palace of the Bourbons After pairing through a fuite of fplendid apartments, I entered, through lofty folding doors, into the hall, where the legiflators afiemble. It is a very fpacious Temicircular room, and much refembles, in its ar- rangements, the appearance of" a fplendid theatre be- fore the flage. The afcent of the feat of the prefi- clent is by a flight of light marble fepsj the facing P 170 THE "STRANGER [CHAF. XV. of his bureau is compcfed of the moil coftly marble c richly carved. On each fide of the prefident's chair are feats for the fecretaries •, and immediately below them is the tribune, into which the orator afcends to addrefs the Houfe. On each fide of the feat of the prefident are antique fratues of eminent patriots and orators, which are placed in niches in the wall. Un- der the tribune, upon the centre of the floor, is the altar of the country, upon whkh, in marble, is rep- yefented the book of the laws, refting upon branches of olive. Behind it, upon femicircular feats, the leg- iflators fit, at the back of whom are the boxes of the ambafTadors and officers of ftate, and immediately above them, within a colonnade of Corinthian pillars the public are admitted. Round the upper part of the cornice a beautiful feftoon of lilac colored cloth, looped up with rich tafTels, is fufpended, for the pur- pofe of correcting the vibration of the voice. The whole is very fuperb, and has coft the nation an im- menfe fum of money. The principal houfekeeper afked me " whether our fpeakers had iuch a place to " declaim in," I told him, " that we had very great U orators in England, but that they were content to « fpeak in very little places." He laughed, and ob- ferved, " that Frenchmen never talked to fo much " advantage as when their eye was pleafed." This man I found had been formerly one of the doorkeepers of the national afTembly, and was prefent when, after having been impeached by Billaud, Pa- nis^and their Colleagues, Tallinn difcharged his pif- CHAP. XV.] IN FRANCS. 1'7# tol at Robefpierre, whom he helped to fupport, un- til the monfter was finally difpatched by the guillo- tine, on the memorable 9th Thermidor. The French are amazingly fond of finery and ftage effect. The folicitude which always firfl: manifefied itfelf after any political change in the courfe o£ the revolution, was the external decoration of each new puppet, who, arrayed in the brief authority of the fleeting moment, was permitted to " play his fanta£» " tic tricks before high Heaven." The poor battered ark of government was leftover- turned, under the protection of an efcort of aflaflins,. in the enfanguined mud, upon the reeking bodies, of its former, headlefs bearers, until its new fupporters had adjuftcd the rival, pretentions of filk and fatin,. and had confulted the pattern book of the laceman in the choice of their embroidery. On one fide of the arch which leads into the antiroom of the legifla- tive anembly, are fufpended patterns and defigns for tickets of admiifion to the fitting, elegantly framed, and near the fame place, in a long gallery which lead$ to the drafting-rooms, of the legislators, are boxes which contain the fenatorial robes of the members. The meetings of our houfe of commons would infpire more awe, and veneration, if more attention was paid to decorum, and external decoration. A dignified and manly magnificence would not be unfuitable to the proceedings of the fanctuary of Britifh laws, and the feat of unrivalled eloquence. "What would a per-- fumed French legiflator fay, aecuitomed to rife in 172 THE STRANGER [GHAP. XV. the ruflling of embroidered filks, and gracefully hold- ing in his hand, a cap of foft and fhowy plumes, to ad- drefs himfelf to alabafter ftatues, glittering' luftres, Grecian chairs, feftoons of drapery, and an audience of beings tricked out as fine as himfelf, were he to be fuddenly tranfported into a poor and paltry room, meanly lighted, badly ventilated, and inconveniently arranged, and to be told that, in that fpot, the repre- fentative of the firft nation in the world, legiflated for her fubjecls ? What would he fay, were he to fee and hear in the mean attire of jockies and mechan- ics, fuch orators as Greece and Rome never faw or heard in the days of their moft exalted glory; un- folding with the penetration of a fubordinate Provi- dence, the machinations of a dark and deep confpira- cy, erecting elaborate laws to fhelter the good, againft the enemies of repofe, or hurling the thunder of their eloquence againft the common foes of their country. The aftonifhed Frenchman would very likely fay, " I " always thought that the Englifh were a ftrange fet « of beings, but theynow exceed the 'powers of my iiipport- - P 2, 174 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XV. ing a dirty and tattered bonnet rouge, of which ioe- cies of republican decoration there are very few now to be feen in Paris. The door was opened to me by the principal goaler, whofe predecefTor had been dif- miffed on account of his imputed connivance in the efcape of Sir Sidney Smith. His appearance feemed fully to qualify him for his favage office, and to in- fure his fuperiors againft all ; future apprehenfion, of a remiflion of duty by any act of humanity, feeling, or commiferation. He told me, that he could not per- mit me to advance beyond the lodge, on account of a peremptory order which he had juit received from government. From this place I had a full command of the walk and prifon, the latter of which is fituated in the centre of the walls. He pointed out to me the window of the room in which the royal fufferers lan- guifhed. As the ftory of Sir Sidaey Smith's ef- cipe from this prifon has been involved in fome am- biguity, a fhort recital of it will, perhaps, not prove iminterefting. After feveral months had rolled away, fince the gates of his prifon had firii clofed upon the Britiih hero, he obferved that a lady who lived in an upper apartment on the oppofite fide of the fcreet feemed frequently to look towards that part of the prifon in which he was confined. As often as he obferved her, he played fome tender air upon his flute, by which, and by imitating every motion which fhe made, he at length fuccee Jed in fixing her attention upon him, and had CHAP. XV.] IN FRANCE. 176 the happinefs of remarking that (he occaflonally ob- ferved him with a glafs.. One morning when he faw that fhe was looking attentively upon him in this manner, he tore a blank leaf from an old mafs book which was lying in his cell, and with the foot of the chimney, contrived, by his finger, to defcribe upon it, in a large character, the letter A, which he held to the window to, be viewed by his fair Sympathizing obferver. After gazing upon it, for fome little time {lie nodded, to {how that {he underftood what he meant, Sir Sidney then touched the top of the firft bar of the grating of his window, which he wifhed her to confider as the reprefentative of the letter A, the fecond B, and fc on, until he had formed, from the top of the bars, a corresponding number of letters -, and by touching the middle, and bottom parts of them, upon a line with each other, he eafily, after having inculcated the firfl impreffion of his wifhes. completed. a telegraphic alphabet. The procefs of communication was from its. nature, very flow, but Sir Sidney had the happinefs of obferving, upon forming the firft word, that this excellent being, who beamed before him like a guardian angel, feemed completely to comprehend it, which {he expreffed by an afTenting movement of the head. Frequently obliged to defift from this, tacit and tedious inter- courfe, from the dread of exciting the curiofity of the goalers, or his fellow prifoners, who were permitted to walk before his window, Sir Sidney occupied fev- eral days in communicating to his unknown friend. 176 THE STRANGER [CHAP.XV,. his name and quality, and imploring her to procure fome unfufpecled royalift of confequence and addrefs fufScient for the undertaking, to effect his efcape ; in the achievment of which he aflured her, upon his word of honor, that whatever coft might be incurred, would be amply reimburfed, and that the bounty and gratitude of his country would nobly remunerate thofe who had the talent, and bravery to accomplifh it. By the fame means he enabled her to draw confidential and accredited bills, for confiderable fums of money, for the promotion of the fcheme, which fhe applied - with the moft perfect integrity. Colonel Phelipeau'x was at this time at Paris ; a military man of rank, and afecret royalift, moft devoutly attached to the for- tunes of the exiled family of France, and to thofe who fupported their caufe. He had been long endeavoring to bring to maturity, apian for facilitating their refto- ration, but which the. loyal adherent, from a feries of untoward and uncontrollable circumftances, began to defpair of accomplifliing. The lovely deliverer of Sir Sidney, applied to this diftinguifhed character, to whom fhe was known, and ftated the iingular corref- pondence which had taken place between herfelf and the heroic captive in the temple. Phelipeaux, who was acquainted with the fame of Sir Sidney, and.cha- - grined at the failure of his former favorite fcheme, , embraced the prefent project with a fort of prophetic, enthufiafm, by which he hoped to reftore, to the Britiih nation, one of her greateft heroes, who, by his ikill and Valor* might once more imprefs the common CHAP. XV.] IN FRANCE. 177 enemy with difmay, augment the glory of his country, and cover himfelf with the laurels of future victory. Intelligent, active, cool, daring, and infinuating, Col. Phelipeaux immediately applied himfelf to bring to maturity, a plan at once fuitable to his genius, and in- terfiling to his wifhes. To thofe whom it was ne- cefTary to employ upon the occasion, he contrived to unite one of the clerks of the minifter of the police, who forged his fignature with exact imitation, to an order for removing the body of Sir Sidney, from the Temple to the prifon of the Conciergerie : after this was accomplished, on the day after that on which the infpector of goals was to vifit the Temple and Concier- gerie, a ceremony, which is performed once a month in Paris, two gentlemen of tried courage and addrefs, who were previously inftructed by colonel Phelipeaux, difguifed as officers of the marechaufTee, prefented themfelves in a fiacre at the Temple, and demanded the delivery of Sir Sidney, at the fame time mowing the forged order for his removal. This the goaler at- tentively perufed and examined, as well as the minis- ter's fignature. Soon after the register of the prifon informed Sir Sidney of the order of the directory, upon hearing which, he at firft appeared to be a little difconcerted, upon which the pfeudo- officers gave him every affurance of the honor and mild intentions of the government towards him, Sir Sidney feemed more reconciled, packed up his clothes, took leave of his fellow prifoners, and difiributed Uttle tokens cf hk 178 THE STRANGER £CKAP. Xtf. gratitude to thofe fervants of the prifon,frcm whom he had experienced indulgences. Upon the eve of their departure, the regifter obferved, that four of the prifon guard fliould accompany them. This arrange- ment menaced the whole plan with immediate diflb- lution. The officers, without betraying the leaft emo- tion, acquiefced in the propriety of the meafure, and gave orders for the men to be called out, when, as if recollec*ting the rank and honor of their illuftrious prifoner, one of them addrefled Sir Sidney, by faying, * citizen, you are a brave officer, give us your parole, "and there is no occafion for an efcort." Sir Sidney replied, that he would pledge his faith, as an offices, to accompany them, without refinance, wherever they chofe to conduct him* Not a look or movement betrayed the intention of the party. Every thing was cool, well-timed, and natural. They entered a fiacre, which, as is ufual,, was brought for the purpofe of removing him, in which he fouud changes of clothes, falfe paflports, and money. The coach moved with an accuftomed pace to the Fauxbourg St. Germain, where they alighted, and parted in different directions. Sir Sidney met Colonel Phelipeaux at the appointed fpot of rendez- vous. The project: was fo ably planned and conducted, that no one but the party concerned was acquainted with the efcape, until near a month had elapfed, when the infpector paid his next periodical vifit. What pen can defcribe the fenfations of two fuch men as. -QUA?. XV.] Itf FB.ANCE. 1?$ Sir Sidney and Phelipeaux, when they firft beheld each other in fafety ? Heaven befriended the gener- ous and gallant exploit. Sir Sidney and his noble friend, reached the French coaft wholly unfufpected, and committing themfelves to their God, and to the protective genius of brave men, put to fea in an open boat, and were foon afterwards difcovered by an En- glifh cruifing frigate, and brought in fafety to -the Britifh fhores. The gallant Phelipeaux foon afterwards accompan- ied Sir Sidney in the Tigre to Acre, where, over- whelmed by the fatigue of that extraordinary canw paign, in which he fupported a diftinguifhed part, and. the noxious influence of a fultry climate, operat- ing upon a delicate frame, he expired in the arms of his illuftrious friend, who attended him to his grave, and fhed the tears of gratitude and friedfhip over his honored and lamented obfequies. But ere the dying Phelipeaux clofed his eyes, he received the rewards of his generous enterprife. He beheld the repulfed legions of the republic, flying before the Britifh ban- ners, and the irrefiflible prowefs of his valliant com- panion •, he beheld the diflinguifhed being, whom he .> had thus refcued from a dungeon, and impendiug de- ftruc"rion, by an act of almoft romantic heroifm, cov- ered with the unparticipated glory, of having over- powered a leader, who, renowned, and long accuftom- ed to coriqueft, faw, for the firft time, his invincible troops give way ; who, inflamed to defperation, deem- ed the perilous expofure «f his .perfboi neceiTary, to 1 SO THE STRANGER [CHAP. XV. rally them to the conteft, oyer bridges of their ilaugli- tsred comrades, but who-at length was obliged to re- tire from the field of battle, and to leave to the hero- ic Sir Sidney, the exclufive exultation of announcing to his grateful and elated country, that he had fought, and vanquifhed the laurelled conqueror of Italy, and the bold invader of Egypt. Sir Sidney has no vices to tonceal behind his fpread- ing and imperiftiable laurels. His public character is before the approving world. That peace which his fword has accelerated, has afforded us an undiflurbed opportunity of admiring his achievements in the field, and of contemplating his condu&in the retired aven- ues of private life, in which his deportment is with- out a ftain. In him there is every thing to applaud, and nothing to forgive. Yet thus glorious in public, and thus unfull'ed in private, the conqueror of Bonaparte, and the faviour 6f the eaft, owes the honors, which he adorns , to foreign and diftant powers. To the grateful government of his own country* he Is indebted for an ungracious paltry annuity, inad* equate to the difplay of ordinary confequence, and wholly unequal to the fuitable fupport of that digni^ ty, which ought for ever to diftinguifh fuch a being from the mafs of mankind. The enemies of Sir Sidney, for envy fcjrnifhes every great man with his quota of fuch indirect eulogifts, if they fhould honor thefe pages with aperufal, mar, perchance, endeavor to trace the approving warmth CHAP. XVI.] IN FRANCE. 181 with which I have fpoken of him, to the enthuirafm of a friendfhip dazzled, and undifcriminating ; but I beg to allure them, that the fame of Sir Sidney is better known to me than his perfon, and that his noble quali- ties have alone excited the humble tribute which is fere offered to one, for whom delighted Nature, in the language of our immortal bard, ■might Hand up, w And fay to all the world, this if a man—." CHAP. XVI. A fajh'ionable Poem, — Frere Richart. — Religion. — Ho- tel des Invalides. — Hall ef Viclory. — Enemies' Col- ors. — Sulky Appearance of an Englijh jfack and En- Jign. — Indecorum. — The aged Captain. — Military School. — Camp de Mars. — The Garden of ' Moujfeaux. THE converfation whilft I was at Paris, was much engaged by a poem, defer ibing the genius and progrefs of Chriftianity written in imitation of the ftyle of Of- fian, which excited very conilderable curiofity. Prom the remarks offome fhrewd acquaintances of mine, who had perufed the work, I learnt that the princi- ples of the poem feemed ftrongly tinctured with the bewildered fancies of a difordered mind, conveyed in very heavy profaic blank verfe. « It was the madnefs « of poetry, without the infpiration." Q 182 THE 'STRANGER [CHA?. XVL This compofition may be confidered as a curiofity, from other reafons than thofe which mere criticifm affords. The poem was bad, the readers were many. The fubjecl was facred, the author a reputed atheift, and the profits which it produced exceeded two thouf- and pounds fterling. The fortunate writer relieved hknfelf from the jaws of famine by this ftrange incom- prehenfible eulogy on the charms and advancement of Chriftianity, which has been received in Paris, with a fort of fafhionable frenzy. Another pfeudo-bard has announced his intention very fhortly of ifluing from the prefs, a work which he conceives will be more faleable and a greater favorite with the public, in which he intends ironically to combat the doctrine of the Trinity, by gravely refembling it to the Deity taking fnuff between twa looking glafTes, fo that when he fneezes, two refemblances of him are feen to fneeze alfo, and yet that there are not three fneez- ers, but one fneezer. Some other outlines of this work were imparted to rne at Paris, but the pen turns with difguft and detef- tation,from fuch low and naufeous profanation. I have only condefcendedto mention the competition, and the laft anecdote, to fhow how much the world is deluded, by the received opinion that the French are become a new race of exemplary devotees. Therecoil from athe- ifm to enthufiafm, is not unufual \ but the French in general have not, as yet, experienced this change. That they are fufceptible of extraordinary tranfitions, CHAP. XVI. j IN FRANCE. 183 their hi (lory and revolution have fufficiently mam~ fefted. In the Journal de Paris, written in the reigns of Charles VL and VII. is preferved rather a curious account of the velocity with which religious zeal has,, in former periods, been excited. " On the 4th day of April, 1429," fays the Journal, « the duke of Bur- " gundy came to Paris, with a very fine body of " knights and efquires ; and eight days afterwards " there came to Paris, a cordelier, by name Frere " Richart, a man of great prudence, very knowing in. " prayer, a giver of good doctrine to edify his neigh- " bor, and was fo fuccefsful, that, he who had not. " feen him, was burfting with envy againft thofe who « had. He was but one day in Paris, without preach— «f ing. He began his fermon about five o'clock in "the morning, and continued preaching till ten or «* eleven o'clock, and there v;era always between Jlv~ " and fix thoufand perfons to hear him preach. This « cordelier preached on St. Mark's day, attended by « the like number of perfons, and on their return " from his fer r on, the people of Paris were fo turn- " ed, and moved to devotion, that in three or four H hours time, there were more than one hundred " fires lighted, in which they burnt their chefs boards, " their back gammon tables, , and their packs of « cards." To this fort of fanaticifm, . the Parifians are un- <|ueflionably not arrived. A more eloquent man than the Frere Richart, muft appear amongft them, be- fore. fuch meliorations as are recorded in the Paris 284? THE STRANGER [CHAF. XVI. journal, can be effected in the dhTolute and uncon- trolled habits of that gay and voluptuous city. I do not mean, from any previous remark which I have made, to infer that there are net many good and very pio'.s people in France, and it has been a favorable circumftance to the ancient religion of the country, that the revolution never attempted any reform in it, or to fubftitute another mode of worfhip. That great political change in the ebullition of its fury, proftrated the altars of the old church, without raifing others of a new, or improved conftruction. It pre- fented a hideous rebellion againft the glorious author ©fall good, and declared an indifcriminate war of ex- termination againft his minifters and followers, and every principle of the Gofpel and morality. Every form of faith, every mode of adoration, fell indifcrim- anately under the profcriptions of its unfparing wrath. The towering abbey and humble oratory, were alike fwept away in the general tornado, and mingled their ruins together. But the race of the good were not all expelled from this fcene of havoc and outrage. The voice of piety dill found a paffage to her God. The filent prayer pierced through the compact cover- ing of the dungeon, and afcended to Heaven. With- in the embowering unfearchable receiTes of the foul, far beyond the reach of revolutionary perfecution, the pure unappalled fpirit of devotion erected her vlewlefs temple, in fecret magnificence, fublime, and unavailable ! The child who had never heard the bell of the Sab- CHAP. XVI.] IN FRANCE. 185 bath found, who had never beheld the fokmn cere- monies of authorifed adoration, was told that thofe awful and fplendid piles, which filled his eyes with wonder, and his mind with inftinctive reverence, were raifed for other purpofes than thofe of becoming aux- iliary to the ferocity of war. . That genius and tafte, and toil and coft, had not thus expended their unri- valled powers, and lavifhed their munificent refourte*, in erecting gothic magazines of gunpowder, and /axon fheds'for the accommodation of atheiftic fabricators of. revolutionary cannon balls. The young obferver in private, and by ftealth im- bibed from parental precept or example, the fentiment of actional religion, fupprefled, not extinguished, or . in the gloomy ahfence of all indications of it, remain- - ed uufoiicited by any rival mode of worihip to bellow' his apoftacy upon an alien creed.. . Thus the minds of . the rifing generation, who were engaged in favor of . the catholic perfuafion, during the frightful period of its long denunciation, by Stolen, fecluded and unfin- ished difplaysof its Spirit and form, contemplated its return with animated. elation, or beheld its approach, unimprefled with thofe doubts or prejudices which . religious, as well as fecular competitions, very fre- quently excite •, in that auSplcious hour, w hen the pol- icy, if not the piety of a powerful government, ref- tored it to the French people. The Subject is highly " iriterefting ; but I mull refign it to abler peas for. m s ample difcuffion. Q-2 186 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVI. I was much gratified by being prefented to the cel- ebrated philofopher Mons. Charles, by Madame S . He has a fuite of noble apartments in the Louvre, which have been beftowed upon him by the govern- ment, as a grateful reward for his having prefented to the nation his magnificent collection of philofoph- kal apparatus. He has alfo, in confederation of his ability and experience, been conftituted the principal lecturer on philofophy.. In thefe rooms his valuable and coftly donation is arranged. In the centre of the dome of the firft apartment, called the Hall of Elec- tricity, is fufpended the car of the firft balloon which was inflated with inflammable air, in which he and his brother afc ended in the afternoon of the 1ft of December, 1783, in which they continued in the air- for an hour and three quarters 5 and after they had defcended, Mons. C- rofe alone to the aftonifhing height of 1 0,500 feet. In the fame room are immenfe electrical machines and batteries, fome of which had i>e en prefented to him by Madame S- — — ... In this room, amongft many other fanciful figures which are ufed for the purpofe of enlivening the fol- *mnity of a philofophical lecture by exciting fenti-. ments of innocent gaiety, was a little Cupid. The tiny god, with his ariow W his hand, was infulated upon a throne of glafs, and was charged with that electric fluid which not a little refembles the fubtle fpirit of his nature. The youngeft daughter of Madame, S— , who accompanied us, was requefted to toucfc k. In a moment it difcharged its penetrating fpark-^ CHAP. XVI.] IN FRANCE* 18T " Oh ! how that little god has alarmed me f" faid the recoiling fair one, whofe youthful countenance mr- prife had imbued with new beauties ; " but yet," faid fhe, recovering herfelf, " he does not hurt. 11 This lit- tle fally may be considered as a fpecimen of that play- ful fprightlinefs which is fo much the characteristic of the French female. In the centre of another room, dedicated to optics, as we entered, we faw a beautiful nofegay in a vafe, which appeared to be compofed of the rareft flowers* I approached it with an intention of inhaling its frag- rance, when, lo ! my hand paffed through it. It was an exquifite optical illufion. « Ah !" faid my elegant and moralifing companion, Madame S , milling, " of fuch flowers has Happinefs compofed her wreath :. " it is thus fhe gladdens with it the eye of Hope y u but the hand of Expectation can never grafp it." The graceful moral deferves a more lafting record than it will find in thefe few and perifhable pages. In the other rooms are all forts of apparatus for trying experiments in the various branches of that de«v partment. of fcience, over which Mons.C- — >fo abry - pr elides.; The merit cf Mons. C— ^ has no rival but in his modeily . Conf idering the rank and eftimation which he bears in the republic, his external appearance is Angularly &nafluming„_ I have been with him in the gardens of the Thuijjeries, when they were thronged with the faihion. and gaiety of Paris^ wiiere he l:a& 1£8 THE STRANGE* [CHAP. XVI. appeared in a fuit of plain brown cloth, an old round hat with a little national cockade in it, under which he prefented a countenance full of character, talent and animation. In this homely puritan garb, he excited more refpeclful curiofity, .wherever he moved, than fome generals who paraded before us in drefTes upon which the tailor and embroiderer had long labored, and who added to their (lature by laced hats entirely filled with gaudy buoyant plumes. From Mons. Charles we went to the church of St. Rocque, in the Rue St. Honore. As we entered, the effect of a fine painting of our Saviour crucified, upon which the fun was fhining with great glory, placed at the extremity of the church, and feen through feveral leffening arches of faint, increafing ihade, was very grand. This church has been, more than once the fcene* of revolutionary- carnage. Its elegant front is much disfigured, and the doors are perforated, in a great number of places, by the hall of cannon and the fhot of mufketry. Mass was performing in the church ; but we faw only few wor- lhippers, and thofe were chiefly -old women and. lit*.- tie girls. From St. Rocqu&*re proceeded to the Hctel des Invalides, t]>e chapel and dome of which are so juft- ly celebrated. The front is inferior to the military hofpital at Ghetfea, to which it bears fome refem- blanc^ The chapel is converted into the Hall of Yittory, in w£jch| with great tafte are fufpended, CHAP. XVI.] IN FRANCE. 1&9 under defcriptive medallions, the banners of the ene- mies of the republic, which have been taken during war, the numbers of which are immenfe. The fame decoration adorns the pilafters and gallery of the vaft, magnificent dome at the end of the hall. My eye was naturally occupied, immediately after we had entered, in fearcHing amongft the mod bat" tered of the banners, for the Britifh colors : at laft I difcovered the jack and enfign of an Englifh man of war, pierced with fhot-holes, and blackened with fmoke, looking very fulky, and indignantly, amongft the finery, and tawdry tatters of Italian and Turkiih ftandards. In the courfe of this purfuit, I caught the intelli- gent eye of Madame S . She immediately af- figned to my fearch the proper motive. < f Ah I" *iaid fhe, laughingly, and patting me on the arm with her fan, « we are, as you fee, my dear Engltthman* " very vain ; and you are very proud." A ftranger to the late calamitous war, unable to marmal in his mind the enemies of the republic* might here, with a glance of his eye, whilft contem- plating this poor refult of devaluation, enumerate the foes of France, and appreciate the facilities or diffi- culties of the victory. In obferving, amidft this gaudy fhow of captive colors, only two hard- won banners of their rival ene- my, he would draw a conclufion too flattering and familiar to an Englifh ear, to render i| neceilary t* be recorded here. life. **0 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVL Upon the fhattered ftandards of Auftria he would confer the meed of merited applaufe for heroic, al- though unprevailing bravery. To the banners of Pruffia he would fay, " I know « not whether principle, or policy, or treachery, or- " corruption, deterred you from the field — Your "looks exhibit no proofs of lincere refiftance — ¥ However, you never belonged to cowards." The Neapolitan enfign might excite fuch fenti- mejits as thefe : « You appear for a fhort time to « have faced the battle— You were unfortunate, and « foon retired." To the gaudy drapeatfs of the Italian an,d Turkifh legions, which every where prefent the- appearance of belonging to the wardrobe of a pantomimic hero, he vould obferve* " The fcent of the battle has not per- *< fumed you ; its fmoke has not fullied your fhininj " filky fides. Ye appear in numbers, but difplay n? tf marks of having waved before a brave, united and " energetic band." In this manner might he trace the various fate of the war. Upon ieveral of the ftaSs only two of three flireds of colors are to be feen adhering. Thefe are chiefly Auftrian. On each fide of the chapel are large, and fome of them valuable paintings, by the French mafters, reprefenting the conquefts of the French armies at different eras. It is a matter not unworthy of obfervation, that al- though the revolution with a keen,, and favage eye* CHAP. XVI ] IN FRANCE. 191 /explored too fuccefsfully, almoft every veftige oFa royal tendency, the beautiful pavement under the dome of the invalides has efcaped definition. The fleur de lis, furmounted by the crown of France, ftill retains its original place, in this elegant and coftly marble flooring. The ftatutes of the faints have been removed *, and their places are fupplied by tiie new order of revolutionary deities ; but the names of the ancient figures have not been erafed from the pedeftals of the new ones ; to which omirlion the fpeclator is indebted for a fmile when contemplating the ftatute of Equality, he reads, immediately below his feetj « 5/. Louis^ There is here a coftly monument erected to the memory of the brave marfhal Turenne, who was kil- led by a cannon ball in 1675. In my humble opin- on, it is too much in the falfe tafte of French ftatu- *y. A group of weeping angels furround the re- imbent hero, in the attitudes of operatic figurantes, in whofe faces, and forms, the artift has attempted, too laborioufly and artificially, to delineate the ex- preffions of graceful grief. On each fide of the vaft arch which divides the dome from the chapel, are raifed the tablets of military honor, on which, in characters of gold, the names of thofe foldiers are re- corded who have diftingufhed themfelvs for their a- enlevements in the late war. As we were contempla- ting a painting upon a very large fcale, in which a- tnongfl other figures, is an uncovered whole length of a warrior, a prudifh-looking lady, who feemed tohave 192 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVI. touched the age of defperation, after having very at- tentively beheld it with her glafs for fome time, ob- ferved to her party, that there was a great deal of in- decorum in the picture. Madam S very fhrewdly whifpered in my ear, that the indecorum was in the remark. When we were juft leaving the chapel, we over- heard a funbrowned foldier, who had loft both his legs, obferve to his companion, to whom he was ex- plaining the colors, pointing to the banners of the Turkifh cavalry, the tops of whofe ftaffs were fur- mounted with horfes' tails, " Look at thofe ribbands ; rt they are not worthy of being worn when won." This military hofpital is capable of accommodating 3,000 foldiers. The bedrooms, kitchens, refectory and out-offices, are very capacious, and, what is rather unufual in France, clean and comfortable. The da] before we were there, the Firft Conful paicl a vifit to its veteran inhabitants. Amongft them, he recogni- fed an old, and very brave foldier, whofe exploits were the frequent theme of his aged comrades. The young general told him that he fhould die a Cap- tain, took him in his carriage to dine with him him at Mai Maifon, prefented him with a medallion of honour, and conferred upon him the rank of a cap- tain, in one of the mod diftinguifhed regiments. From this place we went to the military fchool ad- joining, in which Bonaparte received the rudiments of that education which was cleftined to form the foun- CHAP. XVI.] IN FRANCS* 193 dation of his future glory. The building is large and handfome, and is, from a very natural fentiment, in high favour with theFirft ConfuL There is nothing in it particular to defcribe. The grounds and gar- dens are very fpacious and fine. In the front of the military fchool is the celebrated Champ de Mars, which is an immenfe flat fpace of ground. On each fide are rifing terraces of earth, and double rows of trees, and at the further end, the river Seine flows. On days of great national celebrations, this vaft plain is furrounded with Gobelins' tapeftry, ftatues, and tri- umphal arches. After contemplating thefe objects of public curiofity, we returned to Mons. S to din- ner, where we met a large party of very pleafant peo- ple. Amongft them I was pleafed with meeting a near relative of an able and upright mini fter of the republic, to whofe unwearied labors the world is not a little in- indebted for the enjoyments of its prefent repofe. After dinner we drove to the beautiful garden of MouiTeaux, formerly the property of the due d'Or- leans. It is laid out with great tafte, and delights the eye with the moft romantic fpecimens of improved rural beauty. It was originally defigned by its de- teftible owner for other purpofes than thofe of afford- ing to a vaft and crowded city the innocent delights and recreations of retired and tafteful fcenery. In the gloom of its groves, all forts Of horrible profana- tions Were praclifed by this monfter and his midnight ts-ew, at the head of whom vras Lsaendre the Butch- P, 194k THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVI. er. Every rank recefs of proftitute pollution in Paris was ranfacked to furnilh materials for the celebration of their impure and impious orgies - The ode to Athe- ifm, and the fong of Blafphemy, were fucceeded by the applauding yells of Drunkennefs and Obfcenity. At the time we vifited this garden it belonged to the nation, and was open, on certain days, to well- drefled people. A few days afterwards, it was pre- fented, as a mark of national efteem, to Cambaceres, the fecond confuU Here we rambled till the evening. The fun was fetting. The nightingales were finging in great num- bers. Not a cloud was to be Ceen. A breeze, blow- ing through a plantation of rofes, refrefhed us with its coolnefs and fragrance. I^a fequeftered part of this beautiful ground under the embowering fhades of Acacia trees, upon the ruins of a little temple, we feated ourfelves, and were regakd by fome charming Italian duets, which were fung by Madame S and her lovely daughter, with the moft enchanting pathos. I hope I fhall be pardoned for introducing fome lines which were written upon our return, by aa $nt&uiiaflic admirer of merit andmufic. TO. WA.DEH.0ISEl.LE D, S— a - 3(a Mouflkaux's fweet arcadian dale, I'aii IXelphine pour* the plantive frraia t $he charms the lift'ning nightingale, &^d Teems ^L'enchantrefs of the plain* c**ap. xvn.j is trance. isi Rlefi. be thofe lips to mufic dear ! Sweet fongftrefs ! never may they move But with fuch iounds to foothe the ear, And melt the yie'ding heart to love ! May forrow never bid them pour From the torn heart one fuffering figh But be thy life a fragrant flow'r, Blooming beneath a cloudlefs (ky» CHAP. XVII. Curious Method of raifing Hay. — Lucien Bonaparte's Hotel — Opera. — Confular Box. — Madame Bona- parte's Box. — Feydeau Theatre. — Belle Vue. — Ver* failles. — The Palace of the Petit Triannon. — The Grounds. THE people of Paris, who kept horfes in (tables afe the back of their houfes, have a lingular mode of keeping their hay in lofts of their dwelling houfes* At the top of a fpacious and elegant hotel, is to be {een a projecting crane in the act of raifing loads of winter provifion for the ft able. When I firft faw this flrange procefs, my furprife would fcarcely have been increas- ed., had I beheld the horfe afcending after the hay. I muft not forget to offer fome little defcription oi the opera, where, during my fray, through the polite- nefs of Madame H — ,1 had free access to aprivatebox. 198 THE STRANGER £CHAP. XVII. This fpacious and fplendid theatre is lighted from above by an immenfe circular luftre of patent lamps. The form of this brilliant light is in the antique tafte, and it is faid to have coft two thoufand pounds fter- ling. The effect which it produces in the body of the theatre, and upon the fcenery, is admirable. It prevents the fight from being divided, and diftrafted by girandoles. This eftablifhment is upon fo v aft a fcale, that government, which is the proprietor, is al- ways a lofer upon balancing the receipt s and difburfe- ments of each night. The ft age and its machinery have for many years occupied a great number of the fubordinate claflbs of people, who if not employed ra this manner, would in all probability become burden- fome, and unpleafant to the government. To this circumfbmce is attributable the i'bperiority of the ma- chinery, and over every other theatre which I ever faw. tn the Englifh theatre, my eye has often been offended at the representations of the internal parts of houfes, in which not a chair, or table is introduced, for the purpofe of carrying on the ingenious deception. Upon the flage of the French opera, every fcer.e has its appropriate furniture, and diftmclive appendages, which are always produced as foon as the fcene drops, by numerous attendants. From this attention to the minute circumftances of the drama, the iilufion be- comes enchanting. The orcheftra is very fine, and is compofed of ninety eminent inuficians. The corps de ballet conftfb of between eighty and ninety fine CHAP. XVII.] IN FRANCS. 197 dancers, of whom Monfieur Defhayes is the princi- pal. His movements are more graceful, his agility more furprifing, and his ftep more light, firm, and e- laftic, than thofe of any dancer whom I have ever feen. He is very juftly confidered to be the firft m Europe. The fir ft confulhas a private box here, on one fide of which, a lofty, hollow, decorative column rifes, the flutes of which are open, and through which he views, unfeen, the audience and performers. The beholder might be almoft inclined to think that this furprifing man had borrowed from our immortal bard his notions of exciting the imprefiion of dignity, by a- rare, and well-timed difplay of his perfon. **Thus did I keep aw per Ion fidh, and nev M My prefence ike a robe pontifical, s; Ne'er feeu but wondered at : and To my il^ " Seldom, but fumptuous (hewed, like a feait- { * And won by rarenefr fu-cir folerBnity," Madame Bonaparte's box is on the left fide of th» jftage, over the door, in which the late iiaplefs queea has frequently difplayed her beautiful perfon to th-e enraptured audience. The Fey deau theatre is very elegant j and on ac- count of its excellent arrangements, good performers, and exquifite machinery, is much reforted to, and is in- general preferred to the fourteen Other dramatic i^eckcles which> in this diffijatejj cjty^-ajr^oil- $y$0 198- THE STRANGER [CHAF. XVII. night prefent their tribute of pleafure to the gay, and delighted Parisians. A Frenchman once obferved to me, that a Sunday in I^ondon was horrible, on account of there being no playhoufes open at night ! The de- corum and good manners which are even ftill obferv- ed in all French places of public amufement, are very impreilive, and agreeable. Korfe and foot foldiers are ftationed at the avenues, to keep them clear, to prevent depredation, and quell the firft indicatians of popular commotion. I was much gratified by an excuriion to Verfaille3, whieh had been iome time planned by the charming family of the S '&. We let off early in the morn- ; ing, in one of the government carriages, and after a delightful ride, through a very rich, and luxuriant cowitry, of about twelve miles, the vaft, and magnifi- cent palace of Verfailles, opened upon our view, at the end of a ftreet nearly two miles long, lined on each iide with noble hotels, and gardens. It was on a Sunday, the day on which the palace is opened to the jmbiie. On the road, we paSed feveral hundreds of perfons in carriages, cabrioles, or walking •, all with merrx faces, in fhowy clothes, and adorned with bou- quet; , or: their route to this fpot of favorite delight. About four miles from Paris we law Belle Vue, jennerly the refidence of Mefdames yfoon afterwards we paiTed the nchle palace, and park of St. Cloud, which Was preparing for the reception of the firft vonduL CHAP. XVII] IN FRANCS. I&> At the entrance of the village of St. Cloud, on the left, after we had pafTed the bridge, we faw a very pretty houfe, and grounds, belonging to a tanner, who- had amafTed confiderable wealth by a difcovery of tanning leather in twenty-four hours, fo as to render it lit for the currier. Whether he poflenes this faculty or not, I cannot,, from my own experience lay, but I can venture to affirm, that the leather of France is very bad. In the village is a very noble porcelain manu- factory, which unfortunately we had not time to in- Whilft ourhorfes were refrefhingthemfe Ives with a little water, we were befet by the agents of the dif- ferent hotels, and reflaurateurs of Verfailles, who prefented us with little cards, announcing in a very pompous manner the fuperiority of their employers accommodations. The ftahles of Verfailles, to the right, and left, are from the defigns of Manfart, in the form of a crefcent, and have the appearance of princely refidenc.ts. Here the late King kept in the greater! ftyle fix hundred of the fineft horfes. On the left of the grand gateway, is a military lodge for the accommodation of cavalry. It reprefents in fhape, an immenle Turkiih. marquee. After we had palled the pallifades of the firir, courts we more diitinctly faw this amazing pile of irregular buildings, which confifts of the eld caftle, the ntw palaces, the houfes of the miniftersof flate, and fer- v,ants> two opera Jioufes > the chape), military fchoolsj 209 THE STRANGER CHAP. XVII/J mufeums, and the manufactory of arms, the whole of which are now confolidated, and form one palace. The beautiful pavement of black and white marble in the court yards, is much defaced, and their foun- tains are totally deftroyed. The firft place we vifited was the manufactory of fmall'arms ; the refident workmen in which exceed two thoufand men. Here we faw all the ingenious procefs of conftruc~ting the mnlket, piftoi, and fabre, of which there are an immenfe collection ; and al feveral carbines, and fwords of honor, intended prefents from the firft. conful to officers and foldiersoj diftinguiffced merit. From the manufactory of fmall arms, we returnee to the grand court, and entered a fuite of rooms, whic?i contain the relics of the former valuable cabinet of curiofities* Several of thofe which we faw, were worthy of attention. From thefe rooms, we palled to the late king's private opera houfe, which furpalTcs in magnificence, and coftly decoration, every thing of the kind I ever beheld. The facing of the whole of the inflde is of carved wood, richly gilt. The dome is beautifully painted. Upon the fcenery of the ftage being removed, and temporary columns, and galleries raifed ; all of which can be effected in twenty- four hours, that part of the theatre prefents a counterpart of the other, and the whole forms a moft fplendid ob- long ball room, very defervedly confidered to be tile .^oeft in Burope •, it ufed to be illuminated by tenth - &• CHAP. XVIL] IN FRANCE. 201 fand wax lights. The concert rooms, and retiring a*- partments are alfo very beautiful. From the opera, we viiited the chapel, which is very fine, and coftly, inwhich there, are many large, and \aluable pam> tings. After leaving this deferted place of royal wor- ship, we pafted through the Halls of Plenty, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Apollo, and the Hal] of the Billiard Table, finely painted by Hotiafle, le Brun, ChanV pagne, and other eminent artifb, to the grand gallery, rhich is feventy-two yards long, and fourteen, broad, id has feventeen lofty windows on one fide, which look into the gardens, and feventeen immenfe pier glaiTes on the oppoiite fide to correfpond. In this gallery, the kings of France were aecuftomed to re- ceive ambafFadors, and minifters of ftate. We next entered the bedroom of the late* queen and beheld the door, which, on the night of the 6th October, 1789, the frantic, and fanguinary mob, headed by the infamous Legendre, burft open, for the purpofe of difpatching her with daggers, in her bed, on that frightful night, which preceded the re- turn of the royal family to Paris, under the proteclion of the marquis de la Fayette, through an enraged mul- titude, which extended itfelf from Verfailles to Paris. The miferable queen faved herfelf by efcaping into an adjoining apartment. Her bed was pierced through and through with pcignards. The door is* nailed up, tyit the marks of that horrible outrage ftill remain, In this, and in the adjoining chambers, are fome very 202 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVII, beautiful and valuable paintings. I muft not omit to mention, although the fentiment which it infpires is not very pleafant, the reprefentation of the capture of an Engliih frigate, by la Bayonne, a French corvette, after a defperate engagement, in which victory for once decided in favor of the enemy, who oppofed, on this occafion, an inferior force. This is a picture of infinite merit, and pofiefTes a novelty of arrange- ment, and flrength of coloring, which I never faw equalled in any other naval reprefentation. Th fubject feidom ad.nits of much variety. The French] of courfe, are very much pleafed with it. There are' here alfo, fome curious old clocks. It was in one of thefe apartments, that Prior/ the celebrated- poet, when fecretary to the earl of Port- land, who was appointed ambarTador to the French Court, in the year 1698, made the following memo- rable anfwer. One of the French king's houfehold was mowing the bard the royal apartments and curiofities of this palace, and particularly pointed out to his notice, the paintings of le Brun, now removed to the muf- eum of the arts, in which the victories of Lew- is the XIV. are defcribed, and afked him wheth-* er the actions of king William were to be feen in his palace ? No, fir, replied the loyal wit, the monuments « of my manner's glory are to be feemevery where but " in his own houfe." Through the intereft of Monfieur S , we were CHAP. XVII.3 IN FRANCE. 203 admitted into a private room below ftairs, in which feveral portraits of the late royal family have been preferved from deftruc'tion, during the late revolu- tion. That which reprefents the cjueen and her young family, is very fine, and difplays all the bewitch- ing beauty and vivacity of that lovely and unfortunate perfonage. Into this room no one was admitted with us. Here is a very curious piece of mechanifm : it is a painting, containing two hundred little figures, in the act of enjoying the various pleafures of rural fport, which are feparated from the back ground of JJhe piclure, and are fet in motion by fprings j and ^admirably imitate all the movements natural to their ' different occupations. A fiftierman throws in his line pmd draws up a little fifh, a regular chafe is difplayed and a nuptial proceflion appears, in which little fig- ures, riding in tiny carriages, nod to the Spectators. There are alfo many other curious figures. It is gla- zed and framexl, and at a diftance, when its motion has ceafed, it has the appearance of a tolerably good painting. "We next quitted the palace, and entered upon the grand terrace, from which it makes the fined appearance. This enormous pile of building is here united by a centre, and corresponding wings, of great extent and magnificence. From this elevated fpot, the beholder contemplate* th| different water works, walks and gardens, whick caver feveral miles. 204 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVIL The orangery is a beautiful fpecimen of Tufcan architecture, defigned by le Maitre, and fmifhed by Manfart. It is filled with lofty orange trees in full bearing : many of which , in their tubs, meafure from twenty to thirty feet high. Amongft them is an orange tree which is upwards of four hundred years old. The cafcades, fountains, and jets d'eau, are too numerous to admit of minute defcripdon. They are all very fine* and are fupplied by prodigious engines acrofs the Seine, at Marli, about three miles diftant. The Trianon is a little marble palace, of much beauty and embellifhed with the richeft decoration. It ftands at the end of the great lake, in front of the palace ; and was by its late royal owners, confid- ered as a fummer houfe to the gardens of Verfailles. The whole of this van: building and its grounds, were improved and beautified by Lewis XIV. for the well known purpofe of imprefling his fubjecls, and partic- ularly his courtiers, with the highe ft opinion of his greatnefs, and the loweft of their comparative littie- nefs. Amongft the lords of his court he eafily effect- ed his wiffees, by accommodating them in a manner unfuitable to their dignity. After being aftonifiied at fiich a difplay of gorgeous magnificence, I approached, with increafed delight, the enchanting little palace and grounds, of the late queen, diftant from Verfailles about two miles, called the Petit Trianon, to which flie very jwftly gave the appellation of her "little Palace of Taftc." Here fa- CHAP. XVII. j m FRAKCE. * §05 tigued with the fplendors of royalty, flie threw afide all its appearances, and gave herfelf up to the elegant pteafures of rural life. It is a princely eftablifhment in miniature. It confifts of a fmall palace, a chapel an opera houfe, outofHces and flables, a little park, and pleafure grounds ; the latter of which are flill charming, although the fafcinating eye, and tafteful hand of their lovely but too volatile miflrefs, no lon- ger pervade, cherifh and direct their growth and beauty. By that reverfe of fortune, which the revo- lution has familiarized, the Petit Trianon is let out by the government to a reftaurateur. All the rooms but one in this houfe were preoccupied, on the day of our viiit, in confequence of which we were Obliged to dine iri the former little bed room of the queen, where like the Idalian goddefe, fhe ufed to fleep in a fufpended bafoet of rofes. The appertures in the ceiling and wainfcot, to which the -elegant furniture of this little room of repofe had once adhered, are ftill vifiole. After dinner we haftened through our coffee, and proceeded to the gardens. After winding through gravelled walks, embowered by the moft exquifite and coftly fhrubs, we entered the elegant temple of Cupid, from which the little favorite of mankind had been unwillingly, and rudely expelled, as appeared by the fragments of his pedeftal. Thy wrongs little god ! fhall be revenged by thy fair friend pity. Thofe who treated thee thus, fhall buffer in their turn, and fhe fhall not confole them ! 206 THE STRANGER \ [Cf? A P. XVII. From this temple we pafled through the moft ro- mantic avenues, to a range of rural buildings, called ' the queen's farm, the dairy, the mill, and the wood- men's cottages •, which, during the queen's refidence at the Trianon, were occupied by the moft elegant and accomplifhed young noblemen of the court. In front of them, a lake terminated on one fide by a ruf- tic tower, fpreads itfelf. Thefe buildings are much neglected, and are falling into rapid ruin. In other times, when neatnefs and order reigned throughout this Elyfian fcenery, and gracefully fpread its luxuriant beauties at the feet of its former captivat- ing owner, upon the mirror of that; lake, now filled with reeds and fedges, in elegant little pleafure boats, the iiluftrious party was accuftomed to enjoy the freflmefs of the evening, to fill the furrounding groves with the melody of the fbng, which was faintly an- swered by the tender flute, whofe mufician was con- cealed in that ruftic tower, whofe graceful bafe the lioneyfuckle and eglantine no longer encircle, , and whofe winding accefs, once decorated with flowers of the rlcheft beauty and perfume, is now overgrown with mofs, decayed, and falling piecemeal to the ground. • Near the farm, in ccrrefponding pleafure grounds, the miller's houfe particularly imprefTed us with de- light. All its charac~leriitics were elegantly obferved. A rivulet ftill runs on one fide of it, which formerly •ufed to turn a little wheel to complete the ilhific CHAP. XVII. J IN FRANCE. 207 The apartments, which mull have been once en- chanting, now prefent nothing but gaping beams, broken ceilings, and fhatterfd cafements. The wainf- cots of its little cabinets, exhibit only a tablet, upon which are rudely pencileS, the motly initials, love . verfes, and memorandums of its various vifitcrs. Thefhadeofthe ivy, which, upon all occaflons, feems defined to perform the laft ofHces to the de- parting monuments of human ingenuity, has. here exercifed its gloomy function.. Whilit we were rov- ing about, we were obliged to take refuge from a thunderftorm, in what appeared to us a mere barn *, upon our entering it, we found it to be an elegant lit- tle ball room, much disfigured, and greened over by damp and neglect. In other parts of this petit Par- adis> are caves of artificial rock, which have been formed at an immenfe expenfe, in which were for- merly beds of mofs, and through which clew ftr earns of water glided, Belvidere temples, and fcattered cot- tages, each differing from its neighbor in character, but all according in tafte and beauty. The opera houfe, which ftands alone, is a miniature of the fplen- did one in the palace of Versailles. The fylvan ball room, is an oblong fquare, lined with beautiful treillages, furmounted with vafes of flowers. The top is open. When the queen gave her balls here, the ground was covered by a tempora- ry flooring, and the whole was brilliantly lighted. As we palled by the palace, we faw, in the queen's. little library, feveral perfons walking. 208 THE STRANGER [CH-1F. XVII. Could the enchanting beauty of Auftria, and the once incenfed idol of the gay, and the gallant, arife from her untimely tomb, and behold her mofl facred recefTes of delight, thus rudely expofed, and convert- ed into fcenes of low, and holiday feftivity, the tem- ples which fhe defigned, defaced, their flatues, over- thrown, her walks overgrown and entangled, the clear mirror of the winding lake, upon the placid furface of ' vhich once fhown the reflected form of theEelvidere, and the retreats of elegant tafte covered with the reedy greennefs of the ftanding pool, and all the fairy fabric of her graceful fancy, thus difiblving in decay •, the devoted haplefs Marie would add another ugh to the many which her aching heart has already heaved I It would be i very defirable thing if Bonaparte would make this his country palace inftead of St. Cloud. Upon our return, as we approached Paris,. the illuminated bridges of the Seine looked very beau- tiful, and we were muchpleafed with fome fireworks, which had a fingular effect upon the water. In the evening, we had fome mufic at Monfieur S 's, where we were joined by general Marefcot, a brave and diftinguiflied. ofncer, much efteemed by Bonaparte. He informed us, that he was on the point of fetting out to view and report the condition of all the maritime fortifications in the republic. " You « muft go with me^ as my aide-de-camp," faid the general to Mademoifelle D— — " I am not fierce CHAP. XVIII.] IN FRANCE. 209 " enough for a foldier," replied the fair one, with a bewitching fmile. "Well then," obferved the fun- brown general, « fhould the war ever be renewed, »« you fhall attend me to charm away its calamities." Madame S , like a true French mother, was delighted with the little compliment, and prefenting her fnufi* box to the gallant Marefcot^ fhe laid, « thank you, my dear general, the brave always think. fj generoufly of the fxir." CHAP; XVIIL Bonaparte's Talents in Finance. — Garrick and the MaiU man.-. — Palace of the Confervative Senate. —^Brocefs* of transferring Oil Paintings, from. If r ood ts Canvas \ — The Dinner Knife. — Commodities. — Hall, of the National Convention. — The Minifler Talleyrand's: Levee*., THE firfc conful is faid to add to his other extra- ordinary powers, an acute and comprehenfive knowl- edge of finance. Monfieur S informed me, that whenever he waited upon him in his official ca- pacity, witli the national accounts, he difplayed an ac- quaintance with the moil complicated ftatements, which feemed intuitive.- He exhibits the fame talents in ph'ilcfophyy and' in. matters which- are foreign to thofe va&;objec"te of pub- ik.ei3£loyy which have raifed hint: to^his prefent S S3 210 THE STRANGER [CHAF. XVIII. neight of glory, and which in general preclude the fubordinate enjoyment of elegant fludy. Thofe acquirements, which providence in its wif- dom has thinly fcattered amongft mankind, and which Jg feldom ripen to full maturity, although cherifhed by the moll propitious advantages, and by the unrepoling labours of a long, and blifsful exigence, fpread their ricn abundance, in the May morning of Hie, before this extraordinary being, who in the commencement of that very revolution, upon the ruins of which he has flepped to furpreme authority, was a beardlefs. {tripling. From the great performers upon the public ftage of life, our converfation, one evening, at Madame S 's by a natural tranfition, embraced a review of the won- derful talents, which have at various times adorned the leffer drama of the theatre. Madame S made fome judicious remarks upon the French players of diftinction, to all of whom me imputed a manner, and enunciation which, have been imbibed in a fchool, in which nature has not been permitted to prefide* Their tragedy* £he faid, was inflated with too much, pomp, and their elegant comedy fuffered by too vol- atile an airinefs. She bellowed upon our immortal Garrick, the moft decided preference, and fuperiority to any adlor whom (he had ever feenw The opportu- nity which (he had of judging his powers, was fhort, and fingular, but fully enabled her to form a deciiive- ©pinion. When Garrick vifited Paris for the la& CHAP. XVIII.] £K FRANCE. 211 f time, fhe was juft married. This celebrated actor had: letters of introduction to Monfieur S— — . At a large party which Monfieur S formed for the purpofe of doing honour to his undiftinguifhed vifitor, he ex- hibited feveral fpecimens of his unrivalled talents.. I Amongft others, he reprefented in dumb mow, by the wonderful powers of his expreffive countenance*, the feelings of a father, who,, in looking over a lofty balcony with his only child in his arms, by accident dropped it. The difafter drove the unhappy parent mad. Garrick had vifited him in his cell ; where the miferable maniac was accufl.omed, feveral times m the courfe of the day, to exhibit all thofe looks and atti* tudes which he had difplayed at the balcony.* On a fudden, he would bend himfelf forward, a6 if looking from a window into the ftreet, with his arms folded as if they embraced a child, then he would ftart back,, and appear as if he had lofl fbmething, fearch the room, round and round, run again forward, as to the railing of a window, look down, and beat hisforehead; as if he had beheld his infant bleeding, and breath-, lefs upon the pavement. Garrick's imitation was ex* quint e. The feelings of his beholders were wrought- up ta horror. The tears, and confternation of a gay fafhionable French party, were applaufes more £atter~ * The caufe which induced Garrick to vifit this un- happy perfon, was, it is faid,to render the reprcfcnU* lion of hi* &in£ Lear more perfect 213 THE STRANGER [CHA|* XVIIP,. ing to the Britifh Rofcius, than the thunder of that acclamation, which, in the crowded theatre, followed the flam of his fiery eye, or the clofe of. his appalling ipeech.. , The Englifh drama, however, has not efcaped the animadverfions of a French critic, whofe tafte and liberality aronot very congenial with thofe of my char* ming, and generous friend. " Their tragedies," he fays, (fpeaking of the Englifh) "it is true, though «* interefting, and replete with beauties, are neverthe*- " lefs dramatic monfters, half butchery, and half farce* « Grotefque characters, and extravagant pleafantry " conilitute the chief part of their comedies. In one " of them, (not named) the devil enters fneezing, and , " fomebody fays to the devil, God blefsycu. They " are not, however, all cf this ftamp. They have even "fome'm very good tafte."' Yes. MonSeur Doarx, I agree with you, I think we have fame in very good tafte. I know not in what; dramatic work the facetious frenchman has difcover-. ed the introduaicn cf his fatanic majefty under the influence of a cold, and receiving, as he enters, the, ufual deprecation on fuch occafions. I rather fufpe£t that the adventures of Punch, and his fickle ladyy •who are always attended by . a dancing. demon, have- afforded the materials for this fapient obfervation. In the courfe of one of my morning rambles in Pa- rts v I vifited the ruins of the celebrated Baftille, ofs which prifon, only the arlenal, fome. fragments, of. i:&- CHAF. XVIII.] m FRANCE. 213 mafly walls, and two or three dungeons remain. Thd volcanic vengeance of the people, has fwept away this mighty fabric, which the revolting mind of repub- lican liberty denounced as the frightful den of defpo- tifm, upon the approach of which no marks of return- ing footfteps were imprinted, whilft, in her mad ca- reer, fhe coverted every private dwelling in the me-* tropolis into a revolutionary prifon : So much for popular confiftency ! In the mutations of time, to what different pur^ pofes are the fame places appplied f Where the con-J fuming martyr expired,* the unwieldy prize hog if expofed to fale ; and the modern Parifian deri ves the fources of warmth and comfort, from a place, the very name of which, once chilled the circulation of his blood. The fife of the Baftille is now a magazine of wood which fupplies the city with fuel. Every lover of pure liberty mull leap with delight upon the difincumbered earth, where once flood that gloomy abode of " broken hearts," and reflect upon the fufferings of the wretched Latude, and the various victims of capricious pique, or proflitute refentment. It was here that, in the beautiful lines of Cowper, the hopeiefs prifoner was doomed " To fly for refuge from diffracting thought " To fuch amufemenls as ingenious woe " Contrives, hard fhifting, and without her tools— M To read,, engraven en the mouldy walls, .♦ Sflailbfiqld* 214- THE STRANGER [CHAP, XYIIL '•' In {lagg'iing types, his precVceffoi's tale, * ; A Tad rEsrrr.oria!, and fubjoin his own-— V To turn purveyor to an overgorg'd u And bloated fpider, till the pampei'd ptft " Is made familiar, watches his approach, iS Comes at his call, and ierves him for a fnenc%— " The cells of the Baftile were constantly filled, dur- ing the fyren reign of la Pompadour over the gloomy affections of Lewis XV. The overthrow of this dungeon has not rendered ftate prifons out of fafhion in the republic, although it has mitigated the feverity of their internal govern- ment. The towers of the Temple, look down upoa the profbrate ruins of the Baftille. From this memorable fpot of ground, I went to the Obfervatory. In the rooms, which open upon an ar- tificial terrace, were fome prodigious agronomical ap- paratus. A very ingenious frame was then construct- ing, for elevating, or deprefimg the aftronomer, and the telefcope at the fame time, by > an eafy, and fim- ple procefs of machinery. The Obfervatory is a noble building, and contains libraries* Students' rooms, and apartments for the various artificers, and mechinifts who are occupied in fabricating the apparatus, and inftruments necefTary to the fcience of aftronomy. From the exterior of the dome, there is a fine view o£ * the city furburbs, and country. From the Obfervatory, I vilited the Confervative- Senate, formerly the Palace of Luxembourg. The SHAP. XVIII] IN FRANCE. 215 back of this beautiful building is in the Rue de Vau- girand, in the Fauxbourg of St. Germains. The gardens of this noble pile, are receiving great improve- ment, and alteration, from defigns which have bees approved of by the firft conful, who in his wife policy, intends that they (hall, in time, rival thofe of the Thuilleries, for the purpofe of affording an elegant, and fafhionable promenade to the people who refide in this part of the capital, who are confidernbly re- moved from the beautiful walks which adorn the confular palace. Here I faw the Hall of Deliberation, in which the Confervative Senate alTembles. It is nothing more than a large, handfome drawing room, in which are placed, upon ruing platforms, fixty armed chairs, for as many members, the chair of the prefi- dent and the tribune. This magnificent palace is re- pairing', and fitting up for the refidence, and accom- modation of its members. I was introduced to the artift who has the care of the gallery here, and who, with his afilllants, was very bufily occupied in a pro- cess for removing the oil colors of a painting from wood, and transferring them to canvafs. He receiv- ed me with great politenefs, and explained to me the mode of doing it, in which there appeared to be more toil, nicety, and fteadinefs required, than ingenuity. The painting is laid upon a cloth (Iretched upon a marble flab, and the wood behind is fhaved off until nothing but the picture, like a flat cake, or rather a flieet of goldbeater's fkin, remains/ a piece of canvas 216 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVHI. coated with a cement is then placed upon it, to which it adheres, and prefents ail the appearance of having been originally painted upon it. The pictures from the fubjectof St. Bruno, were then undergoing this operation. The apartments in which thefe people were at work, presented very convincing indications of the mutability of human ambition. This palace was allotted to the celebrated Council of Five Hundred. During their ephemeral reign, thefe very rooms were designed fortheir halls of audi- ence, and levees, the rich mouldings, and cornices of which were half gik, and covered with filver paper to preferve them : the poor council were never indul- ged in a houfe warming. The pictures, which, were collected by Henry IV. and deposited in the gallery there, which bears his name, are &id to be valuable. I did not fee them, on account of their having been removed into ftore rooms during the repairs of the palace. It was late when I left the Luxembourg, and fome- what exhaufted for want of refrefhment, I determined upon dining at the fir ft reftaurateur's which I could meet with, inftead of going to the Gardens of the Thuilleries. To find fuch an accommodation in Paris, is no difficult thing. A ftranger would naturally fup- pofe, from the frequency with which the words caffe, limonade,and reftaurateur prefent themfelves to the eye, that three parts of the inhabitants had turned "©HAP. XViil] IN" TRANCE. their talents to the Valuable ftudy of relieving the cra- vings of an empty ftomach. I had not moved three yards down the Rue de Tournon, before, on my left, I faw the welcome board which, in large golden characters announced the very heft entertainment within. At this moment, the cel- ebrated picture of the banquet of the Louvre, could fcarcely have afforded me more delight. I had an excellent dinner, wine and fruit for four livres. In the courfe of my repaft, I begged that a knife, might be permitted to aid the ferviees of a three pronged iilver fork, which graced my plate on the left. After rather a laborious fearch, my wiihes were gratified by an inftrument, which certainly was entitled to the name of one, but was affuredly not the handfomeft of its fpecies. Whether there had been any difpute be- tween the handle, and the blade I know not, but there were very evident appearances of an approaching fep- ^ration. Not wifhing to augment the rapture, between two perfonages fo neceflary to each others fervice, and to thofe who were to be benefitted by it, T. begged of my fair hoftefs, who, with two pretty girls ( her daughters,) were picking the italks from fome draw- berries, which were intended' for my defert, at the Qther end of the room, that me would favor me with another knife. The MaitrefTe d'hote!, who had a pair of fine dark exprefEve eyes, very archly faid, "Why "would you wifh to change it, Sir ? it is an Engiim "one." It certainly looked like one % no compli- T 218 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XVIII. me it could bo neater. Whether I gave it too great a latitude of interpretation, I will not pretend to fay, but it led me into fuch a train of happy comparative thinking) that I ate my dinner with it very comfortably without faying another word. I have fince thought that the MaitrefTe d'hotel had not another knife in her houfe, but what was in ufe. In France, I have before had occafion to remark, that fanciful notions of exceflive delicacy, are not per- mitted to interfere with comfort, and convenience. Amongft thefe people, every thing turns upon the principle of accommodation. To this motive I attri- bute the frequent exhibition, over the doors of ref- pectable looking houfes, in the fafhionable walks, aniin different parts of Paris, of the following char- acters, "Commodites pour Hommes, et Femmes." An Englith prude would ftart to read thefe words. I mention this circumftance, for the purpofe-of com- municating fome idea of the people, convinced, as well I am, that it is only by detail, that we can become ac- quainted with the peculiar characteriftics of any com- munity. I very often paiTed by the ci-devant Hall of the National Convention ; in which the haplefs king and queen were doomed to the fcaffold, where murder was legitimated, religion denounced, and the grave declared to be the bed of eternal repofe. In vindication of the ways of eternal juftice, even upon earth, this polluted pile is participating the fete f its devoted members. CHAP. XVIIL] IN FRANCE. 219 Thofe walls which once refounded with the florid, high toned declamation of republican vifionaries the mod worthlefs, impfiong, and defparate of mankind, are prevented for a fhort time, by a few crazy props, from covering the earth below with their duft and ruins. The famed temple of the Goddefs of Liberty, is not tenantable enough to cover the Babel Deity from the peltings of the midnight ftorm. Where is now the enthufiaftic Gironede, where the volcanic mountain, the fiery and eloquent Mira- beau, the wily BrifTot, the atheiftic Lequinois, the re- morfelefs Marat, the bloody St, Juft and the chief of the deplumed and fallen legions of equality ? All is defolate andfilent. The gaping planks of the guillo- tine are imbued with their laft traces. The haunt of the banditti is uncovered. The revolution has prey- ed upon her own children, and metaphyseal murder- ers have perifhed by the daggers of fpeculative repub- licans. About two years fince this place wag converted in- to a menagerie. The cave, and the wildernefs., the defert, and the jungle, prefented tc*the eye of the be- holder, reprefentative fucceflbrs of thofe favages who, with more powers and more ferocity, were once en- clofed within the fame den. From the remembrance of fuch mifcreants, I turn, with increafed fatisfaction, to the traces of approaching civilization, which mark the career of the prefent government, in which the want of fuitable fplendor no longer repels ~the ap- £20 THE STRANGE* [CHAP. XVIII. proach and friendfhip of thofe nations whkh once fhuddered at the idea of coming into contact with, the infected rags of vifionary fraternity. Some indi- cations of this change I law pourtrayed at the levee of Monfieur Talleyrand, the minifter of foreign rela- tions, when I had the honor of being prefented to that able and celebrated politician by Mr. B. The hotel of Talleyrand -Is very fuperb. We entered the court yard tlirough two lines of about twenty carriages in waiting. Under the portico, were feveral Turks feat- ed, who formed a part of the fuite of the Turk dor, who had juft arrived, and vras then clofet- ted with Mon&eor T-r— , [ed through feveral noble apartments, pre- ceded by fervants, to a magnificent, levee room, in Lioh we met moil of the foreign ambafFadors who were then at the confelar court. After waiting fome time, the folding doors of the cabinet opened, the Turkifh embaiTy came out, ma- king their grand falams, followed by Talleyrand, in. his rich coltuine of embroidered fcarlet, his hair full dreiTed, and a fhining fabre by his fide. In his perfon, he is ilnail and thin, his face is « pale m and penetrating." Ke always looks obliquely, his fmaii«quick eyes and features, very legibly exprefs mildnefs, wit, and fubtilty. H& right leg appears contracted. His addrefc. is iniinuating. As the fpirlt Of^ffffrandizemait, which ti hid to have actuated the DO ' public and private conduct of Monfieur T— — CM AP. XVIII.] IN FRANCE. 221 been fo much talked of, it may, perhaps, excite fome iiirprife, when it is mentioned that feveral perfons who know him well, fome of whom efteem him, and with fome of whom he is not a favorite, declare, not- withstanding the anecdotes related of X Y, and Mon- fieur Beaucoup d' Argent, in the American prints, that they confider him to be a man, whofe mind is raifed above the influence of corruption. Monfieur T may be claffed amongft the rareft curiofities in the revolutionary cabinet. Allied by an illuftrious anceftry to the Bourbons, and a royalift from his birth,- he was, with unufual celerity, inverted with the epifcopal robe and cr oiler.* During the temporary triumph of the abftract rights of man, over the prac- ticable rights of reafon, he moved with the.boifterous cavalcade, with more caution than enthufiafm. Up- on the celebrated national recognition of the fover- eignty of man's ivil/y in the Champs de Mars, the po- litic minifter, adorned in fnowy robes, and tricolor ri- bands, presided at the altar of the republic as its high, prieft, and beftowed his patriarchal benedictions up- on the ftandard of France, and the banners oi her de- partments- Some time afterwards, in the fhape of a fecret un- accredited negociator, he was difcovered in^the me- tropolis of England, and immediately transferred* upon die fpread wings of the alien, bill,, to his. owr.u * M;nf:;ur Talleyrand is ex. bifhcg of &&&»,, T 2 S'22 THE STRANGER- [CHAP. XVI 11: fhores. Since that period, after having diifociated and neutralized the mod formidable foes of his coun- try, by the fubtle ftratagems of his confummate diplo- macy, we beheld him as the fuccefTor of la Croix, armed with the powers, and clothed in the gaudy coflume of the minifter of foreign relations. In the pdijhed l Babel of the anti-chamber of this extraordi- nary man, I have beheld the ftarred and glittering re- prefer.tatives of the moft diiiinguifhed princes of the: earth, waiting for hours, with exemplary resignation, contemplating themfelves, in all their pofitions, in his reduplicating mirrors, or examining the fplendor and exquiiite ingenuity of his time pieces, until the filver founds of his little bell announced, that the invoked and lagging moment of miniiterial leifure was arrived. It is certain that few people pofTefs the valuable qualities of imperturbable calmnefs and felf pofTeffion, . more than Momieur T . Balanced by thefe amiable and valuable qualities, he has-been enabled to ride the political whirlwind, and in the diplomatic cabinet, to collect fome advantage from the prejudi- ces or paflions of all who approached hiiru The cau- tion and cunning of T- have fucceeded, where the fword and impetuous fpirit of Bonaparte would have been unavailing. The fplendor of his apart- ments, and of many of r the.perfonages prefent, dif- played a very court-like appearance, and inclined a Granger, like myfelf; to thfnjs, that nothing of the eld government was miflingibut the expatriated fam- ily of France, i f. X1X:\ IN FRANCE- 22$5 CHAP. XIX. The College of the Deaf and Dumb. — Abbe Sicard. Bagatelle.— Police. — Grand National Library.— Bonaparte's Review. — Tambour Major of the Confu* lar Regiment. — Ref oration of Artillery Colors. I HAD long anticipated the delight which! ex- pected to derive from the interefting public lecture of the abbe Sicard, and the examination of his pupils,. This amiable and enlightened man prefides over an inftitution which endears his name to humanity, and. confers unfading honor upon the nation which cher- ifhes it by its protection and munificence. My read- er will immediately conclude that I ..allude, to the Col- lege of the Deaf and Dumb. Ey the genius and per- feverance of the late abbe Charles Michael de FEpee, and his prcfent amiable f iiccefibr> a race of fellow be- ings, denied by a privation of hearing, of the powers of utterance, infuiated in the, midft of multitudes bearing their own image, and cut off from the partici- pation, within fight, of all the endearing intercourfes of focial life, are reftored, as it were, to the bleflings- of complete exigence. The glorious labors of thefe philanthropies, in no vei?y diftant ages, would have conferred upon them, the reputation and honor of beings inverted, with fuperhuman influence. By mak- ing thofe faculties which, are beftowed, auxiliary to thofe which are denied, the deaf are taught to heaiy and the dumb to fpeak. A file-nt representative Ian?- 224 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIX. guage, in which the eye officiates for the ear, and communicates the charms of fcience, and the delights of common intercourfe to the mind, with the veloci- ty, facility, and certainty of found, has been 'prefent- ed to thefe imperftct children of nature, The plan of the abbe, I believe is before the world. It cannot be expected, in a fugitive iketch like the prefent, to attempt an elaborate detail of it. Some little idea of its rudiments, may perhaps, be imparted, by a plain defcription of what paffed on the examination day, when I had the happinefs of being prefent. On the morning of the exhibition, the flreets lead- ing to the College were lined with carriages, for hu- manity has here made a convert of fafhion, and di- rected her wavering mind to objects from which fhe cannot retire, without ample and confoling gratifica- tion. Upon the lawn, in front of the College, were groups of the pupils, enjoying thofe fports and exer- cifes which are followed by other children, to whom Providence has been more bountiful. Some of their recreations required calculation, and I obferved that their intercourfe with each ether appeared to be eafy,. fvvift, and intelligible. They made fome convulflve movements with their mouths, in the courfe of their communication, which at firfl, had rather an unpleaf- ant effect. In the cloifter I addreiled myfelf to a genteel looking youth, who did not appear to belong to the College, and requefted him to fhow me the way to the theatre, in which the lecture was to fee GHAP. XIX. j 1U FRANCE, 225, delivered. I found he took no notice of me. One of the affirmants of the abbe, who was {landing near me, informed me, he was deaf and dumb, and made two or three figns, too fwift for me to difcriminate ^ the iilent youth bowed, took me by the hand, led me in- to the theatre, and, with the greater!: politenefs, pro- cured me an excellent feat. The room was very crowded, and in the courfe of a quarter of an hour af- ter I had entered, every avenue leading to it was com- pletely filled with genteel company. The benches of the auditors of the lecture, difplayed great beauty &nd faihion ; a ftage or tribune* appeared in front, behind was a large inclined Hate, in a frame, about eight feet high, by fix long. On each iide of the ftage the fcholars were placed, and behind the fpec- tators was a fine buft of the founder of the inftitution, the admirable de l'Epee. The abbe Sicard mounted the tribune, and deliver- ed his lecture with very pleafing addrefs, in the courfe of which he frequently excited great applaufe. The fubjedtofit was an analylis of the language of the deaf and. dumb, interfperfed with fevcral curious ex- periments upon, and anecdotes of his pupils. The examination of the fcholars next followed. The communication which has been opened to them in this fingular manner, is by the philofophy of grammar. The denotation of the tenfes was effected by ap- propriate figns. The hand thrown over the Ihculckt «xpreffed the paftj when extended, like the attitude 226 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIX. of inviting, it denoted the future, and the finger in- verted upon the breaft, indicated the prefent tenfe. A fingle fign communicated a word, and frequently a fentence. A lingular inftance of the firft occurred. A gentleman amongft the fpectators, who appeared to be acquainted with the art of the abbe, was re- qu-efted to make a fign, to the pupil then under ex- amination ; the moment it was made, the fcholar chalked upon the ilate, in a fine fwift flowing hand, " une homme." The pupil erred ; the gentleman renewed the fign j when he immediately wrote, «' une perfonne," to the afionifhment of every perfo^v. prefent. This circumftance is a ftrong inftance of the powers of difcrimination, of which this curious communication is fufceptible. Some of the fpectators requested the abbe to des- cribe, by figns, feveral fentences which they repeated from memory, or read from authors which were im- mediately underftood by the pupils and penciled upon the flate. The lecture and examination lafted about three hours. Upon the clofe of this interefting exhibition, a filent fympathy reigned throughout the Spectators. Every face beamed with Satisfaction. A tear was {een trembling in the eyes of many prefent. After a momentary paufe, the hall rang with acclamations. Elegant women preffed forward in the crowd, to pre- fent fome little token of their delighted feelings to the children protected by this inftitution. It was a GHAP. XIX.] IN FRANCE. 227 fpe&acle, in which genius was obferved aflifting hu- manity, and nature in a fuffuiion of gratitude, weeping over the hallowed and propitious endeavors of the good, the generous and the eniightened. Well might the elegant and eloquent Kotzebue felecl: from fuch a fpot, a fubjecl: for his pathetic pen, and give to the Britifh Rofcius of the prefent day,* the power of en- riching its drama, by a frefh difplay of his unrivalled abilities. The exhibition of the Deaf and Dumb, will never be eradicated from my mind. The tears which were fhed on that day, feemed al- moft fufficient to wipe away the recollection of thofe times, in which mifery experienced no mitigation ; when every one, trembling for himfelf, had no unab- forbed fenfation of confoling pity to beftow upo'n the unfortunate. Thofe times are gone — May their ab- fence be eternal ! This inftitution is made ferviceable to the ftate. A pupil of the College is one of the chief clerks of the National Lottery office, in which he diftinguifhes himfelf by his talents, his calculation, and upright de- portment. Whilft the lubject is before me, I beg leave to men- tion a curious circumftance which was related by a very ingenious ^and honourable man, in a party where I happened to be prefent, to prove the truth andagree- * Mr. Kemble brought out the pathetic j)lay of Deaf and Dumb, in which he fufbins the character of the abbe de l'Epec with admirable c£Icft. '2®S , THE STRANGER * [CHAP. XlX. aaent of nature, in her afipciation of ideas. A blind man being afked by him, to what found he refembled the fenfation produced by touching a piece of red <:loth, he immediately replied, to the found of a trum- pet. A pupil of the College of the Deaf and Dumb, Vho could faintly hear a loud noife, if applied clofe to his ear, was afked, to what colour he could com- pare the found of a trumpet, he faid, it always excited in his mind, the remembrance of fcarlet cloth.* Two pupils, male and female of the fame College-, who had been placed near a cannon, when difchar- ged, without being fufceptible of the found,owere one day taken by their humane tutor, into -a room where the harmonica was playing ; a mufical inftru- ment, which is faid to have a powerful influence over the nerves. He afked them by figns, if they felt any fenfation. They rallied in the negative. He then placed the hand of the girl upon the inftrument whilfl it was playing, ana repeated the queftion, (he anfwer- ed that ihe felt a new pleafure enter the ends of her fingers, pafs up her arms, and penetrate her heart. The' fame experiment was tried upon her compan- ion, who feemed to be fenfible of iimilar fenfationsof delight, but lefs acutely felt. The emotions of fympathy are, perhaps, more for- cibly excited by muiic than by any other caufe. Ah iiluftrious example of its effect is introduced into * Ths firft experiment is well knowr. It is alTo hoiked in Locke upon the Human UtklerftancUr»g» CHAP. XIX.] IN FRANCE. 229 Beerhaave's academical lectures on the difeafes of the nerves, published by Van Eems. Theodoiius the Great, by levying an exceffive tribute, inflamed the minds of the people of Antioch againfl him, who proftrated his ftatutes, and flew his ambafiadors. Upon coolly reflecting on what they had done, and remembering the ftern and ruthlefs nature of their fovereign, they fent deputies to implore his clemency and forgivenefs. The tyrant received them, without making any reply. His chief minifter lamenting the condition of thefe unhappy people, refolvcd upon an expedient to move the foul of his offended prince to mercy. He accordingly inftructed the youths whofe office it was to entertain the emperor with mufic dur- ing dinner, to perform an affecting and pathetic piece of muficj compofed for the purpofe. The plaintive founds foon began to operate. The Emperor, un- confcious of the caufe, bedewed his cup with tears, and when the lingers artfully proceeded to defcribe the fufferings of the people of Antioch, their impe- rial matter could no longer contain himfelf, but, moved by their pathos, although unaccuftomed to forgive, revoked his vengeance, and reftored the ter- rified offenders to his royal favor. Madame E , who is confidered the firft dilet- tante miffrefs of muflc in Paris, related to me, an experiment which fhe once tried upon a young woman who was totally deaf and dumb. Madame E— fattened a filk thread about her mouth, and reited the U $S0 THE STRANGER [CH'AP. XIX. other end upon her piano forte, upon which fhe play- ed a pathetic air. Her vifitor foon appeared much affected, and at length burft into tears. When fhe recovered, fhe wrote down upon a piece of paper, that fhe had experienced a delight, which fhe could, not exprefs, and that it had forced her to. weep. I muft reluctantly retire from this pleafing fubjec% by wifhing that the abbe may long enjoy a feries of blifsful years, and that his noble endeavors, " mani- « fefting the enlightened times in which we live," may meet with that philanthropic fuccefs, which to Ms generous mind, will be its mod defired reward here ; affured, as he is, of being crowned with thofe unfading remunerations which are promifed to the good hereof- I one day dined at Bagatelle, which is abouftsjBpur miles from Paris, in the Bois du Bologne, the ParSan Hyde Park, in which the fafhionable equefrrian, upon his Norman hunter, with heel infidioufly alide, Provokes the canter which he feems to chide." The duellift alfo, in the covert windings of thij vaft wood, feeks reparation for the trifling wrong, and blee*ds himfelf, or flaughters his antagonift. Bagatel- le was formerly the elegant little palace of the count d'Artois. The gardens and grounds belonging to it, , are beautifully difpofed. What a contraft to the gloomy fhades of Holyroo ,d Houfe,iii which the roy- CHAP. XIX] IN FRANCE. 231 al fugitive, and his wretched followers, have found an afylum ! The building and gardens are the tafte of the Pet- it Trianon, but inferior to it. As ufual, it is the refi- dence of cooks, and fcullions, tenants of the govern- ment, who treat their vifitors with good dinners, and excellent wine, and take good care to make them pay handfomely for their faultlefs fare. Returning to my hotel rather late at night, I patted through the Champs Elifees, which, at this hour, feemed to be in all its glory. Every « alley green," was filled with whifpering lovers. On all fides the founds of feftivity, of mufic, and dancing, regaled the ear. The weather was very fultry, and being a little fatigued with rather a long walk, I entered through a trellis palifade into a capacious pavilion, where I re- freshed myfelf with lemonade. Here I found a large bourgeois party enjoying themfelves, after the labors of the day, with the waltz, and their favorite beverage, lemonade. A ftranger is always furprifed at beholding the grace and activ- ity, which even the loweft orders of people in France, diiplay in dancing. Whilkered corporals, in thick ciirty boots, and young tradefmen, in long great coats, led off their refpecYive femmes de chambre and grif- ettes, with an elegance, which is not to be furpaffed in the jewelled birth night ball room. Nothing could exceed the fprightly careleffnefs, and gay indifference which reigned throughout. The mufic in this place 232 THE STKANGER [CHAP. XIX. as ia every other of a flmilar defcription, was excel- lent. The French police, notwithstanding the invidious rumors which have been circulated to its prejudice, Is the conftant fubject of admiration with every candid foreigner, who is enabled under the Shelter of its pro- tection, to perambulate in fafety every part of Paris, and its fuburbs, although badly lighted, at that hour of the* night, which in England,, feidom fails to expofe the unwary wanderer to the piftol of the prowling ruffian. An enlightened friend of mine, very fhrewd- ly obferved, that the Englifh police feemsto direct its powers, and conuderation more to the apprehenfion of the rcbber, than to the prevention of the robbery. In no country is the art of thief catching carried higher, than in England. In France, the police is in the hlgheft ftate of refpec"kabiKty, and unites force- to vigilance. The depredator who is fortunate enough to efczpe the former, k feldom able to elude the latter. The Grand National Library of Paris, is highly tle- ig of a vifit, and ia coniidered to be the firft of .i in Europe. In one of the rooms is a mufe- n;ii of . The whole is about to be removed to the old palace. In one of the wings of this noble collection, are the two celebrated great globes, which reft upon the ground, and rife through the flooring of the firft (lory, where there is a railing round them. Thefe globes I fhouid uippofe to be about eighteen feet high. o OHAP. XIX.] IN FRANCE. 233 From the Grand National Library, I went with a party to the military review of all the regiments in Paris, and its fuburbs by the firft: conful, in the Place de Caroufel, within the gates, and railing which he has raifed for this purpofe. We were introduced in- to the apartments of general Duroc, the governor of the palace, which were upon the ground floor of the Thuilleries, and which afford ed us an uninterrupted view of the whole of this fuperb milLary fpec"tacle.. A little before twelve o'clock, all the regiments of horfe and foot, amounting to about 7000 men, had formed the line, when the confular regiment entered* preceded by their fine band, and the tambour major , who was dreffed in great magnificence. This man is remarked in Paris for his fymmetry and manly beauty. The cream colored charger of Bonaparte, upon which, «« laboring " for deftiny, he has often made dreadful « way in the field of battle,* next paned us, led by grooms in fplendid liveries of green and gold, to the grand entrance. As the clock ft ruck twelve, the firft: conful, fin-rounded by a chofen body of the confular guard, appeared and mounted. He immediately rode off in full fpeed, to the gate neareft to the gallery of the Louvre, followed by his favorite generals, fuperb- ly attired, mounted upon chargers very richly capa- rifoned, My eye, aided by a good opera glafs, was fixed upon the firft conful. I beheld before me a man whofe renown is founded through the remoteft: regions of the earth* and whofe exploits have been urii- U 2 2S4( THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIX. ted by the worshippers of favored heroifm to thofe of the conqueror of Darius. His features are {mall and meagre. His countenance is melancholy, cold and defperate. His nofe is. aquiline. His eyes are dark, fiery, and full of genius. His hair, which he wears ► cropped and without powder, is black. His figure is imall, but very mufcular. He wore a blue coat, with brcted white facings and golden epaulets (the uniform of his regiment) a final 1 cocked, hat, in which was a little national cockade. In his hand he carried a imall riding, whip. His boots were made in the fafli- ion of En glilh riding boots, which I have before con* demned on account of their being deflitute of military appearance. The reafon why they are preferred by. the French officers is on account of the top leather not ioiling the knees of the pantaloons when in the act of putting one leg over the other. Bonaparte rede through the lines. His beautiful charger feemed con-* fclous of the, glory of his rider, and bore him through. the ranks with a commanding and majeft-ic pace. TJaa colors of one of the regiments was Rationed clofe under the window, where I had the good fortune of being, placed* Here the. hero flopped, and faluted. tlieiEL At this time I was clofe to him, and had, the pleafure of completely gratifying that cur iofity of beholding the perfons of criftinguifhed men, which is. lo natural to all of us. A few minutes after Bonaparte had palled, I faw a. j eluprij the hlftory of which I did not u^derftarS. GHAP. XIX.] IN FRANCE. 2SS at the time, but which, fully explained its general put- port. About two years fince, one of the regiments of artillery revolted in battle. Bonaparte in anger deprived them of their colors, "and fufpended them, covered with crape, amongft the captive banners of the enemy, in the Hall of Victory. The regiment, affected by the difgrace, were determined to recover the loft erteem of their general and their country, cr perifh to the laft man. When any defperate enter- prife was to be performed, they volunteered their fer- vices, and by this magnanimous compunction covered their lhame with laurels, and became the boaft and pride of the republican legions. This day was fixed upon for the restoration of their enfigns. They were marched up under a guard of honor, and prefented to the firft. conful, who took, the black drapery from their ftaves, tore it in pieces, threw it on the ground, and drove his charger indignantly over it. The re- generated banners were then reftored to the regiment* with a fhort and fuitable addrefs. I faintly heard this laconic fpeech, but not diftinctly enough to offer any criticifm upon the eloquence, of the fpeaker. This exhibition had its intended effect* and difplayed the genius of this extraordinary man, who, with unerring acutenefs, knows fo well to give to every public oc- currence that dramatic; hue and intereft whkh are fo gratifying to the minds of the people over whom he prefides. After this ceremony, the feveral regi- ments, proceeded by their bands of, mufic, marched 236 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XIX, before him in open order, and dropped their colors as they pan"ed. The flying artillery and cavalry left the parade in full gallop, and made a terrific noife upon the pavement. Each field piece was drawn by fix horfes, upon a carriage with large wheels. Here the review clofed. " Farewell the neighing fteec, and the (brill trump, " The fpirit (tiiring drum, the ear-piercing fife, t{ The ro};al banner, and all quality, «' Pride, pomp and circumffcanceof glorious war." Bonaparte returned to the palace, where he held a fplendid levee, at which the new Turkifh embafiy was introduced. In the evening I faw Bonaparte and his lady at the opera* where he was received with refped"t, but with- out any clamorous acclamation. Madame Bonaparte appears to be older than the firft conful. She is an elegant woman, and is faid to conduct hcrfelf in her high ftation with becoming dig- nity and prudence. CHAP. XX»] IN FRANCE. 237 CHAP. XX. Abbe Sieyes. — Confular Pr&ceffion to the Council Cham- ber. -10t& of Aug. 1792. — Celerity of Mom. Fauchis Police Information. — The two Lovers. — Cabinet of Mons. le Grand. — Selfprefcribing Phyfician. — Bujl of Robefpierre. — His Lodgings. — Corn Hall. — Mu- fcum of French Monuments. — Revolutionary Agent. — Lovers of Married Women. A NEAT remark was made upon the abbe Sieyes, to whofe prolific mind the revolution and all its chan- ges have been imputed. This extraordinary man has a noble houfe in the Champs Elisees, and is faid to have the bell cook in Paris. As a party in which I was, were palling his hotel, a near relation of the abbe who happened to be with us, commented upon the great Cervices which the cloiftered fabricator of con- stitutions had afforded to France, and adverted to his houfe and eftablifhment as an unfuitable reward for his labors. A gentleman, who was intimate with the abbe, but was no great admirer of his morals, faid, « I " think, my dear madam, the abbe ought to be very "well fatisfied with his deftiny ; and I would advife «' him to live as long as he can in the Champs Elifees -, " for when he fhall happen to experience that myftc- "rious tranfition to which we are all hastening* I " think the chances will be againft his finding goad s l accommodations in any other Elyfium." 233 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XX* As I was pafllng one morning through the hall of the Thuilleries, the great door of the council chamber was opened, and the fecond and third confuls, preced- ed and followed by their fuit in full coftume, marched with great pomp to bufinefs, to the roll of a drum. This fingular procefhon from one part of the houfeto the other, had a ridiculous efrecl:, and naturally re- minded me of the fuftian pageantry which, upon the ftage, attends the entries and exits of the kings and queens of the drama. I have often been furprifed to find that the injuries which the cornice of the entrance, and the capitals of the columns in the hall of the Thuilleries, have fuf- tained from the ball of cannon, during the horrible mafTacre of the 1 Oth of Auguft 1 7S2, have never been repaired. Every veftige of that day of difmay and Slaughter ought for ever to be effaced ; inftead of which, fome labour has been exercifed to perpetuate its remembrance. Under the largeft chafms which have been made by the fhot is painted, in ftrong char- acters, that gloomy date. In the evening of that day of devaluation, from which France may date all her fufferings, a friend of mine went into the court-yard of the Thuilleries, where the review is now held, for the purpofe of endeavoring to recognize, amongft the dead any of his acquaintance. In the courfe of this fhocking fearch, he declared to me, that he counted no lefs tkan eight hundred bodies of Swifs and French, who CHAP. XX.] IN FRANCE ' 253* had perifhed in that frightful conteft b^tw^en infuri- ated people, and an irrefolute fovereign. Iwill not dilate upon this painful fubject, but difmifs it in the- words of the holy and refigned defcendant of Nahor y « Let that day be darknefs > let not God regard it from above, neither let the light fhine upon it •, let darknefs and the fhadow of death, ftain it; let a clouddwell upon it ; let the blacknefs of the day te/rify it." I have before had occalion to notice the prompti- tude and activity of the French police, under the pen- trating,eye of Moniieur Fouche. No one can efcapfc the \iglance of this man and his emiflaries. An em- igrant of refpectability affured me, that when he and 1 a friend of his waited upon him for their paflports to " enable them to quit Paris for the fouth of France, he furprifed them by relating to them the names of the towns, the ftreets, and of the people with whom they had lodged, at various times during their emigration in England. Whilft I was at Paris, an affair happened very near the hotel in which I lodged,which in its fequel difplay- ed that high fpirit and fenfibility which appear to form the prefiding features in the French character, to which may be attributed all the exceffes which have ftained, and all the glory which has embellifhed it. A lady of fortune, and her only daughter, an elegant and lovely young woman, r efiding in the Fauxbourg Sti Germain* A young inanof merit* and accomplHK-* 240 THE STRANGER r C HAP. XX. merits, but unaided by the powerful pretentions of fuitable fortune, cherifhed a paffion for the young lady, to whom he had frequent accefs, on account of his being diftantly related to her. His affection was requited with return ; and before the parent fufpect- ecled the attachment, the lovers were folemnly en- gaged. The indications of pure love are generally too unguarded to efcape the keen, obferving eye of a cold mercenary mother. She charged her daugh- ter with her fondnefs, and forbade her diffracted lo- ver the houfe. To clofe up every avenue of hope, {he withdrew with her wretched child into Italy, • where they remained for two years ;'at the expiration of which, the mother had arranged for her daughter a match more congenial to her own pride and avarice, with an elderly gentleman, who had coniiderable for- tune and property in the vicinity of Bourdeaux. Every neceiTary preparation was made for this cruel union, which it was determined fhould be celebrated in Paris, to which city they returned for that purpofe. Two days before the marriage was intended to take place, the young lover, wrought up to frenzy by the intelligence of the approaching nuptials, contriv- ed, by bribing the porter whilft the mother was at the opera with her intended fon-in-law, to reach the room of the beloved being from whom he was about to be feparated for ever 1 . Emaciated by grief, fhe prefented the mere fpectre of what fhe was when he laft left her. As foon as he entered the room; he fell C.-fL.?, XX.] IN FRANCE. 211 fefelefs at her feet, from which ftate he was roufed by the loud fits of her frightful maniac laughter. She flared upon him, like one bewildered. He clafped her with one hand, and with the other drew from his pocket a vial containing double diftilled laurel water : he preiTed it to her lips, until (he had fwallowed half of its contents ; the remainder he drank himfelf. — The drug of death foon began to operate. — Clafped in each other's arms pale and expiring, they reviewed their hard fate, and, in faint and leffening fentences, implored of the God of mercy, that he would pardon them for what they had done, and that he would re- ceive their fpirits into his regions of eternal repofe ; that he would be pleafed, in his divine goodnefs, to forgive the misjudging feverity which had driven them to defpair, and would fupport the unconfcious author of it, under the heavy afflictions which their difaftrous deaths would occafion. They had fcarcely finifhed their prayer, when they heard footfteps approaching the room. Madame R , who had been indifpofed at the opera, returned home before the conclufion, with the intended bridegroom. The young man a- woke, as it were, from his deadly drowfinefs, and, ex- erting his laft ftrength, pulled from his bread a dag- ger, ftabbed the expiring being, upon whom he doated to the heart ; and, falling upon her body, gave him- felf feveral mortal wounds. The door opened; the frantic mother appeared. All the houfe was in an inftant alarmed ; and the fatal explanation which fur- W 242 THE STRANGER [CHAF. XX. nifhed the materials of this fhort and fad recital, was taken from the lips of the, dying lover, who had fcarce- ly finifhed it before he breathed his laft. Two days afterwards, the (lory was hawked about the ftreets. From this painful narrative, in which the French impetuoiity is ffcrongly depicted, I mufi turn to men- tion my vifit to Mons. le G— , who lives in the Rue Florentine, and is confietered to be one of the firft ar- chitects in France ; in which are many monuments of his tafte and elegance. It is a curious circumftance that all artifts exercife their talents more fuccefsfully for their patrons than for themfelves. Whether it is the hope of a more fubftantial reward than that of mere felf- complacency, which ufually excites the mind to its happieft exertions, I will net pretend to deter- mine •, but the point feems to be in fome degree fettled by the conduct of a celebrated Bath phyfician of whom it is related, that happening once to fuller under a malady from which as his fkillhad frequently relieved others, he determined to prefcribe for himfelf. The recipe at firft had not the defired effect. The doctor was mrprifed. At laft he recollected that he had not feed himfelf. Upon making this difcovery, he drew the firings of his purfe, and with his left hand placed a guinea in his right, and then prefcribed. The ftory concludes by informing its readers, that the pre- fcription fucceeded, and the doctor recovered. — In adorning the front of his own hotel, Mons. le G t in my very humble opinion, has' not exhibited hi* CHAP. XX. j IN FRANCE. 245 accuftomed powers. In a fmall confined court-yard he has attempted to give to a private dwelling the ap- pearance of one of thofe vaft temples of which he. be- came enamored when at Athens. The roof is fup- ported by two mafly fluted pilaftres, which in fize are calculated to bear the burden of fome prodigious dome. The mufcular powers of Hercules feem to be here ex- ercifed in railing a grafshopper from the ground. The genius of Mons. le G -, unlike the worlds charity, does not begin at home, but feems more dif- pofed to difplay its moft fuccefsful energies abroad. His roof, however, contains fuch a monument of his goodnefs and generofity, that I muft not pafs it over. This diftinguiihed architect is one of thofe unfortu- nate beings who have been decreed to tafte the bit- teraefs, very foon after the fweets of matrimony. Upon difcovering the infidelity of his lady who is very pretty and prepoflefling, the diilracted hufband im- mediately fought a divorce from the laws of his coun- try. This affair happened a very fhort time before the revolution afforded unufual acceleration and fa- cilities to the wifhes of parties, who, under fimilar cir- cumftances, wifhed to get rid of each other as foon as poflible. The then, "law's delay" afforded fome caufe of vexation to Mons. le G , who was deep- ly injured. Before his fuit had.paffed through its laft forms, the. father of his wife, who at the time of their marriage lived in. grea,t affluence, became a bankrupt. In the vortex of his failure, all the means of fupport* ^M'4? THE STRANGER [CHAP. XX. ing his family were fwallowed up. The generous le G , difdaining to expofe to want and ignominy the woman who had once been dear to him, would proceed no farther. She is ftill his wife : fhe bears his nams, is maintained by him, and in a feparate fuite of apartments lives inder the fame roof with him. But Mons. and Madame le G have had no inter- courfe whatever with each other for eleven years. If in the gallery or in the Hll they meet by accident, they pafs without the interchange of a word. This painful and difficult arrangement has now lofl a con- fiderable portion of its mifery, by having become fa- miliar to the unfortunate couple. In the valuable and curious cabinet of Mons. le G , I found out, behind feveral other cafts, a buft of Robefpierre, which was taken of him, a fhort pe- riod before he felL A tyrant whofe offences look white, contrafted with the deep delinquency of the oppreffor of France, is faid to be indebted more to his character, than to nature, for the reprefentation of that deformity of perfon which appears in Shakfpeare's portrait of him, when he puts this foliloquy in hk lips : — " I that am curtailed of this fair proportion, " Cheated of feature, by diflembling Nature, " Deform'd, unfiniftVd, fent before my time, " Into the breathing world, fcarcehalf made up $ " And that fo lamely and unfafhionably, " That dogs bark at me, asl halt by them/^ C#AF. XX] W FBAKC?v 245, Fliftory, enraged at the review of the infatiable crime* of Robefpierre, has already beftowed upon him a fanciful phyfio&nomy, which fhe has compofed of fea~ tures which rather correfpond with the ferocity cf his foul, than with his real countenance. From the ap- pearance of fhis butt, which is- ?n authentic refem- blance of him, his face muft have been rather hand- fome. His features were fmall, and his countenance muft have ftrongly expreifed animation, penetration and fubtlety. This buft is a real curiofity. It is very- likely that not another is now to be found. Mods. } e G is permitted to preferve it, without reproach. on account of his art. lean Mely fay he does not retain it from any emotions of veneration for the orig- inal. It is worthy of being placed between the heads of Caligula and Nero. Very near the refidence of Mons. le G is the houfe in which Robefpierre lodged. It is at the end of the Rue Florentine, in the Rue St. Honore^ at a wax chandler's. This man is too much celebrated, not to render every thing which relates to him curious^ The front windows of his former lodgings look towards the Place de la Con- corde. On the right of which his prime minifies the permanent guillotine, was quartered. Robef- pierre, who, like the revolting angel, before the world's formation, appears to have preferred the fcep- tre of hell arid chaos, to the allegiance of order and focial happinefs, will defcend to pofierity with no* common attributes of diilin&iori and preeminence W 2 246 THE STRANGER [ C HAP. XX. His mind was fully fuited to its labors, which, in thek wide fphere of mifchief , required more genius to di- rect them than was bellowed upon the worft of the tyrants of Rome, and a fpirit of evil which, with its "broad circumference" of guilt, was calculated to darken the difk of their lefs expanded enormity. From Robefpierre's lodgings, curiofity led me to vifit the building in which the jacobin dub held their Pandemonium. It is a noble edifice, and once be- longed to the order* of jacobins. Near this church ftands the beautiful fabric of the Corn Hall of Paris, defigned by monfieur Le Grand. The dome of the bank of England is in the fame ftyle, but inferior, in point of lightnefs and elegance. That of the Corn Hall refembles a vaft concavity of glafs. In this noble building the millers depofit their corn for fale. Its deep and lofty arches and area, were n^?rly filled with facks, containing that grain which is precious to all nations, but to none more than the French - 7 to a Frenchman, bread is moft emphatically the ftaffof life. He confumes more of it at one meal than an Englifhman does at four. In France, the little com- parative quantity of bread which the Englifh confume,. is confidered to form a part of their national charac- ter. B afore 1 left Paris, I was requefted to vifit a very curious and interefting exhibition, the mufeum of French monuments : for the reception of which*, the ancient convent of the monks of the order of les. Petis Auguftines, is appropriated* This national in* CHAP. XX.] IN FRANCE. 24T ftitution is intended to exhibit the progrefs of monu- mental tafte in France, for feveral centuries paft, the fpecimens of which have chiefly been collected from St. Denis, which formerly was the burial place of the monarchs of France, and from other churches. It will be remembered by the reader, that in the year 1793, Henriot, a vulgar and furious republican,, propofed fetting off for the former church, at the head of the fans culottes, to deflroy all thefe curious and valuable relics, " to ftrike," as he faid, " the ty- «< rants in their tombs," but was prevented by fome other republicans of influence, who had not parted with their veneration for the works of tafte, from this impious and impotent outrage. In the firft hall, which is very large, and imprefles. a fimilar awe to that which is generally felt upon en- tering a cathedral, are the tombs of the twelfth cen- tury. Amongft them I chiefly diftinguifhed that of Henry II. upon which are three beautiful mourning figures, fupporting a cup, containing his heart. In the fecond hall, are the monuments of the thir- teenth century, moft of them are very fine ? that of Lewis XIL and his queen, is well worthy of notice. I did not find much to gratify me in the hall of the four- teenth century. In that of the fifteenth are feveral noble tombs, and beautiful windows of ftained glafs* In the hall of the Sixteenth century is a fine ftatue of Henry IV. by Franchville, which is considered to be an admirable likenefs of that wonderful man. In the. 24& THE S?*AN££K CHAP. XX.} hall of the feventeenth century, is a. noble figure, rep- referring, religion, by Girardon. in the cloifters are feveral curious ftatues, ftained giafs windows, and teiTeiated pavement* There is here alfo a good bull of Alexis Peron, with this lingu- lar epitaph, Ci git q«ji ne fut rien, Pus nwae acadernicier. In the fquare garden within the cloifiers, are fev- eral ancient urns, and tombs. Amongfl them is the vafe which contains the afhes, if anyremain, of Abel- ard and Heloife, which has been removed from the Paraclete to the Mufeum. It is covered with the graceful fhade of an Acacia tree, which feems to wave proudly over its celebrated depofit. Upon ap- proaching this treafurable antique, all thofe feelings rufhed in upon me, which the beautiful, and affecting narrative of thofe difaflrous lovers, by Pope, has of- ten excited in me. 'The melancholy Heloife feemed to breathe from her tomb here, "If ever chance two wandering lovers bring?, " O'er the pale raarbJe (hill they join their heads,. H And dunk the falling tear each other theds : " Then fsdiy fay, with mutual pity rnov'd, " Oh i may we never love, as thefe have lov'd." National guards are {rationed in every apartment of the Mufeum, and prefent rather an unaccording ap- pearance, amidil the peaceful folemnity of the fur* OHAP. XX.] IN FRAHCE. 249 rounding objects. This exhibition is not yet com-'*'' pleted, but, in itsprefent condition, is very interefting. Some hints not altogether ufelefs, may be collected from it. In England our churches are charnel houfes. The pews of the congregation are raifed upon found- ations of putrefa&ion. For fix days and nights the temple of devotion is filled with the peftilent vapors of the dead, and on the feventh they are abforbed by the living. Surely it is high time to fubdue preju- dices, which endanger health without promoting piety The Scetch never bury in their churches, and their burial places are upon the confines of their towns. The eye of adoration is filled with a penfive pleafure, in obfervirfg itfelf furrounded with the endeavors of tafte and ingenuity, to lift the remembrance of the great and good beyond the grave, in that very fpot where the frailty of our nature is fo often inculcated. Such a lifplay, in fuch a place, is rational, fuitable and admonitory. The filent tomb becomes auxiliary to the eloquence of the pulpit. But the cuftom which converts the place of worfhp into a catacomb, can af- ford but a miftaken confolation to poilhumous pride, and muft, in fome degree, contaminate the atmofphere which is contained within its walls. One evening a* I was paffing through the Boulevard Italien, in com- pany with a gentleman from Toulon, we met a tall, "dark, hollpw eyed, ferocious looking man, of whom he related the following ftory. Immediately after the evacuation of Toulon by th^ 250- THE STRANGER [CHA*. XX. Bhglifh, all the principal Toulonefe citizens were or- dered to repair to the market place ; where thev were furrounded by a great military force.. This man who, for his offences, had been commit- ted to prifon, was liberated by the French agents, in confequence of his undertaking to leledt thofe of the inhabitants who had in any manner favored the ca- pitulation of the town, or who had fhown any hofpi- tality to the Englifh, whiifl they were in pofTeffion of it. The mifcreant pafled before the citizens, who were drawn out in lines, amounting to near three thcufand- Amongft whom he pointed out about one theufand four hundred perfons to the fury of the gov- ernment ; without any other evidence, or further ex- amination they were all immediately adjudged to be £bot. For this purpofe a fuitable number of foldiers were drawn, out. The unhappy victims were march* ed up to their deftruclipn, upon the quay, in fets of three hundred, and butchered ! ! ! The carnage was dreadful. In the laft of thefe unfortunate groups, were two gentlemen of great ref- pectability, who received no wound from the fire, but, to preferve themfelves, dropped with the reft, and exhibited all the appearances of having participated in the general fate. This execution took place in the evening : imme- diately after its clofe, the Jbldiers, fatigued, and lick with cold-blooded Slaughter, marched back to their quarters, without examining whether every perfon CHAP. XX.] IN FRANCE. 2£1 upon whom they had fired, had fallen a victim to tfee murderous bullet. Soon after the foldiers had retired, the women of Toulon, allured by plunder, proceeded to the fatal fpot. Mounted upon the bodies of the fallen, they flripped the dead, and dying. ' The night was ftormy, The moon, emerging from dark clouds, occasionally, fhed its pale luflre upon this horrible fcene. When the plunderers had abandoned their prey, during an interval of deep darknefs, in the dead of the night, when all was filent, unconfcious of each other's intentions, the two citizens who had efcaped the general carnage, difencumbered themfelves from the dead, under whom they were buried ; chilled and naked, in an agony of mind not to be defcribed, they at the fame moment, attempted to efcape. In their agitation, they rufhed againft each other. Expref- fions of terror and furprife, dropped from each of them. " ^xi. ! God ! it is my father !" faid one, "my foil, my fon, my fon," exclaimed the other, clafping him in his arms. They were father and fon, who had thus miraculoufly efcaped,; and met in this extraordinary manner. The perfon from whom I received this account, informed me, that he knew thefe gentlemen very well, and that they had been refettled in Toulon about two years. The Wretch Who had thus directed the rathlefs vengeance of a revolutionary banditti, 'againft the breafts of his fellow citizens, was* at-this' time, in 252 TBE STRANGER [CHAP. XX Paris, fbliciting, from the prefent government, from a total mifconeeption of its nature, thofe remunera- tions which had been .promifed, but never realized his barbarous employers. I need fcarcely add, that although he had been in the capital several months, he had not been able to gain accefs to the miryfter's fecretary. The time of terror was over — the murderer's occu- pation was gone— the guillotine, with unfatiated hun- ger, after having gorged the food which was thrown to it, had devoured its feeder. I mult leave it to the ingenuity of my reader, to connect the obfervation with which I mall clofe this chapter, with the preceding ftory, for I am only ena- bled to do, by obferving, that an impreflive inftance of the fubject of it, occurred immediately after my mind had been harrowed up, by the narrative which I have juft related. The married women of France feel no compunc- tions vifitings of confcience, in cherifhing^ about them a circle of lovers, amongft whom their hufbands are merely more favored than the reft. I hope I mall not be confidered as an apologift, for an indulgence which, in France, excites no jealoufy in one, and no furprife amongft the many, when I declare, that I con- fidently believe, in moft inftances, it commences, and guilflefsly terminates in the love of admiration. I know, and vifited in Paris, a moft lovely and accom- plished young woman, who had been married about CHAP. XX.] IN FRANCE. 253 two years. She admitted the vifits of men, whom fhe knew were paifionately fond of her. Sometimes {he received them in the prefence, and fometimes in the abfence of her hufband, as accident, not arrange- ment, directed. They approached her with all the agitation and tendernefs of the moft ardent lovers. Amongft the number, was a certain celebrated orator. This man was her abject flave. A glance from her expreffive eye raifed him to the fummit of blifs, or rendered his nights fleeplefs. The complacent huf- band of Madame G regarded thefe men as his moft beloved friends, becaufe they enlarged the hap- pihefs of his wife ; and ftrange as it may appear, I be- lieve that he had as little caufe to complain as Othello, and therefore never permitted his repofe to be dis- turbed by thofe fufpicjons which preyed upon the vi- tals of die haplefs Moor. The French Benedict might truly exclaim, " ' " ' ■■ *Tis not to make me jealous, »■ To fay my wife is fair s feeds well, loves company, *« Is free of fpeech, fing.s, play, and dances well ; * Where virtue is, thefe are more virtuous ; " Nor from my own weak mints will I draw " The fmallefl- frar, or doubt of her revolt," *&4 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XXI. CHAP. XXI. Ticltirefque and Mechanical Theatre. — Filtrating and purifying Vafes. — Englifb Jacobins. — A Farewell. Mejfagerie. — Mai Mai/on. — Forejl of Evreux. Lower Normandy Caen. — Hon. T. Erjkine. — A Ball, — The Keeper of the Sachrtfty of Notre Dame. The two blind Beggars. — Ennui St. Lo. — Cher- bourg. — England. I VISITED, one evening, a very beautiful exhibi- tion, which I think worthy of being noticed j it was the picturefque and mechanical theatre. The com- pany prefent were felecl and genteel. The room and ftage were upon a fmali fcale ; the former was very elegantly fitted up. The fpectacle confided of fcene- ry and appropriate little moving figures. The firft fcenewasa view of a wood in early morning, every object looked blue, frefh and dewy. U. ne gradations* of light, until the approach of meridian day, were admirably reprefented. Serpents were feen crawling in the grafs. A little fportsman entered with his fowling-piece, and imitated all the movements natur- al to his purfuit ; a tiny wild duck role from a lake, and flew before him. He pointed his gun, changed his fituation, pointed it again, and fired. The bird dropped •, he threw it over his moulders, fattened to his gun, and re-tired. Waggons, drawn by horfes a- bout four inches high, paused along •, groups of peas- antry followed, exquifitely imitating all the indications CHAP. XXI.] IN FRANCE. 255 of life. Amongft feveral other fcenes was a beautiful view of tHe bay of Naples, and the great bridge : over which little horfes, with their riders, paffed in the va- rious paces of walking, trotting and galloping. All the minutice of nature were attended to. The ear was beguiled with the patting of the horfes* hoofs upon the pavement ; and fome of the little animals reared, and ran before the others. There were alfo fome charm- ing little fea-pieces, in which the veflels failed with their heads towards the fpectators, and manoeuvred in a furprifing manner. The whole concluded with a ftorm and fhipwreck. Sailors were ieen floating hi the water, then finking in the furge. One of them rofe again, and reached a reck. Bc-ats pat off to his relief, and perifhed in the attempt. The little figure was feen difplaying the greateft agonies. The ftorm fufoided ; tiny perfbns appeared upon the top of a projecting cliff, near a watch tower, and lowered a rope to the little lufFerer below, which he caught, and after afcencMng to fome height by it, overwhelmed with fatigue, loft his held. After recovering from the fall, he renewed his efforts, and .at length reached the top in fafety, a-midft the acclamations of the fpec- tators, who moved by this enchanting little iliufion, took much inter eft in the apparent diftrefs of the fcene. Upon quitting the theatre, we found a real ftorm without. The lightning flamed upon us from every quarter and was fucceeded by kmd peals of thunder. 256 THE STRANGER .[CHAP-XXI. Whilil we were contemplating the tempeft from the balcony of Madame S , a ball of fire fell very near us, and filled the room with a fulphureous flench. A fervant foon afterwards entered, almpfl fereathlefs to inform his miftrefs, Madame R , who was of the party, that the fire-ball had pentrated her houfe, which was clofe adjoining, without haying effected any injury. Madame R laughed hear- tily, and obferved, « Well, it is very droll that the < f lightning {hould make foiree with my houfe when " .1 am not at home." This little fprightly remark difperfed the gloom which had overfhadowed raoft of the ladies prefent. $11 the large houfes in Paris are well protected againft the perilous effect of electric fluid, by conductors, which, are very ju^icioufly dif- pofed. An invention has lately made its appearance in Pa- ris, which is as full of utility as it is of genius. A houfe has lately been opened for the fale of filtrating and purifying vafes, to which the ingenious conftructor has given the moft elegant Etrufcan fhapes. They are ca- pable of refining the moil fetid and corrupt water, by a procefs which, in its operation, lafts about four mi- nutes. * The principle is the fame as in nature. The foul water is thrown into the vafe, where it pafies through various ftrata of earth, which are comprefTed into a feries of little apartments, which retain its of- fenfive particles, and from which it MTues as clear and as fweet as rock water. This difcovery will prove of in- C*HAP. XXI.] IN FRANCE. 257 finite confequence to families who reiide in the mara- time parts of Holland, and to many inland towns, in France, where the water is frequently very bad. I moft cordially hope that the inventor will meet with the remuneration which is due to his humane philofophy. After having experienced a moll cordial difplay of kindneiTes and hofpitalities, I prepared to retnrn to my own country,, " that precious flone j^f in the Sil- ver fea." I had to part withthofe who, in the Short fpace of one fleeting month, had by their endearing and flattering attentions, ri vetted themfelves to my affections, with the force of a long, and frequent, and cherifhed intercourfe,. who, in a country where I ex- pected to feel the comfortlefs fenfationsof a foreigner, made, me forget that I was even ajlranger. Amongft thofe who excited a considerable 'Share of my regret upon parting, were the elegant and charming family of the S s. As I was preparing to take my leave, Madame S — — faid, ; " you muft not forget us be* " caufe a few waves divide our countries." " If he will lend me his pocket-book," faid one of her lovely daughters, " Iwill try and fee if my pen*. " cil will not preferve us in his memory, at lead. for. " a little time." I prefented it to her, and in a few minutes- (lie made an elegant little Sketch, which She called, « The af- fectionate Mother." Amiable young artift ! may Time, propitious to the happinefs of fome generous, X 2 253 THE STRANGER [CHAP. XXL being, who is worthy of fiich an affociate, hail thee with the blifsful appellation ! and may the graceful difcharge of thofe refined and affecting duties which flow from connubial love, entitle thee, too much ef- teemed to be envied, to the name of the modern Cor- nelia ! Several Englifhmen, whilft I was at Paris ; met with very vexatious delays in procuring their paffports to enable them to leave it, from a miftaken courfe of application. Inftead of applying to M. Fauche, or any other municipal officer, I would recommend them to procure their paffport from their own ambaf- fador, and fend it to the office of Mons. Talleyrand for his endorfement ; by which means they will be enabled to quit the republic in two or three days after ... their application. Having previoufly determined to return by the way of Lower Normandy, upon the beauty and luxuriance of which I hadheard much eulogy, about half paft five o'clock in the morning of the 21ft of Prairial, I left my hotel, and proceeded to the MeiTagerie, from which the diligences, all. of which are under the con- trol of the nation, fet. out. The morning was very beautiful. I was much entertained before I mounted that cumbrous vehicle, which was to roll me a little nearer to my own ccaft, by viewing the numerous groups of travellers and their friends, who furrounded the different carriage" as the horfes were tackling to * them. In different jrections of my eye^ I faw about. CHAP. XXI.} IN FRANCE. 233 thirty men kiffing each other. The women in France never think their prerogatives infringed by this antU anglo mode of falutation. Some med tears at part- ing; but the cheek down which they trickled never, loft its color or vivacity. All were animated ; every eye looked bright -, there was a gaiety in their very grief. — " Bon voyage, bon voyage —Dieu vous be- nifle, Dieu vous beniiTe," reiterated on all fides from fprightly faces flretched out cf the window frames of the ma% machine, as it rattled through the gates. of the yard, to the incefTant crackings of the poftilion's longlafh. I foon afterwards found myfelf feated in the diligence for Cherbourg, in company with ty*o ladies, and three gentlemen, who were all polite and pleating. In the cabriole, forward, was a French captain in the army, who had been in Tippoo's fervice at the time of the furrender of Seringapatam. He looked abominably dirty in his~travelling habiliments ^ but that, in France, is now no juft indication of infe- riority or vulgarity. We parTed by the Place de la Concorde, upon the ftatues and buildings of which, and the gardens of the Thuilleries, the frefh and early fun fhone mo|b] beautifully. My merry, but feeling fellow travellers* , waving their hands, addrdTed. a. flxort apoftrophe. to thefe fuburbs, and exclaimed, " acliea ma tres jolie ; « vjlle — ah ! tres jolie ville adieu." For. near three miles after leaving the barrier, we- palled through plantationsL. of xofes, which fupply. the 260 THE STRANTGER. [CHAF. XXL markets of Paris, with that beautiful flower, which, transferred thence, adorn the toilets, the vafes, and the bofoms of the fair Priiians, and form the favorite bouquets of the petite maitres ^ on each fide of the j*>ad were cherry trees, in full bearing, which pre- ? fented a very charming appearance. We foon reach- ed the water works of Marli, which fupply the jets d'eau of Verfailles. They are upon a vaft fcale, and ^appear to be very curious. A little further on we panned Mai Maifon, the country and chief residence of the firil conful and his family. It is an ancien houfe, embofom'ed in beautiful woods and gardens. At the entrance are large military lodges, for the ac- commodation of a fquadron of the confular cavalry, who mount guard when their general is here. At St. Germain's we breakfafled, upon pork cut- lets, excellent bread, wine, and cherries, for twenty Ibis, or ten pence Engliih. At Mante we had an ex- cellent dinner, of feveral dimes, for thirty fols, or one milling and three penc* Englifh. Soon after we had paused Mante, we left the higher Norman road, and entered a country extremely picturefque and rich. We were conducted through the forefl of Evreux, by an efcort of chaffeurs. This vad tract of land is in- felled by an. immenfe banditti, who live in large ex- cavations in the earth, fimiiar to the fubterranean a- partments of the celebrated robbers, in whofe fervice. Gil Bias was rather reluctantly enrolled, and generally aiTail the traveller, with a force which would render CHAP. XXL] IN FRANCE. 261 common refinance perilous, and unavailing. This ibreft, in the courfe of the year, furnishes considerable employ, for the guillotine of Caen, when the tribunal ,of juftice is feated. The appearance of our guards . was terrific enough to appal fucti valiant fouls, as once .^animated the frames of Prince Hal } and his merr\ friend NedPoitu. They wore Roman helmets, from which delcended, to the bottom of their backs, an im- menfe tail, of . thick black horfe hair, their uniform was light green, and looked rather fhabby. We paired, tjiefpjeft without any moleftation, and flipped at,the to>vn of Evreux, ^hichis \ery : plea,fant, where we . halted for about fpur .hours. As we . were ^afterwards proceeding, Lprepared .myfelf to enjoy a little fleep, and as I reclined fqr this purpofe with my hat over my face, in a corner of the carriage, I over- heard one of my fellow travellers obferve to the other, " the Englifhrmui is fleeping," to which he replied* "no, he is not fleeping, he is only thinking, it is the " character of his nation." yhe jFrench cannot bear the leaft appearance of thought j they have a faying, " un homme qui rit ne i era jamais dangereux." The next morning w ( e breakfafted jl t Lifieux, an an- cient town, in which are the remains of a fine convent which formerly belonged to the Order of the Capu- chins. For four or five miles before we approached the town, the laughing and animated faces of groups of peafantry, all in their jubilee dreiTe.s, the old mount- 262 THE STRANGER [ C HAP. XXI. ed upon afTes and the young walking by the fides of them, hafteriing to the town, announced to us, that a fair, and merrymaking was to be held there, on that &?.y. Lifieux was quite in a buftle. About fix o'clock in the evening of the fame day, we arrived at Caen, the capital of Lower Normandy. My fare to this city from Paris, amounted to thirty livres, in- cluding my luggage. I had not completed my din- ner at the Hotel de la Place, before an Englifh fervant entered my room, to inform me, that his miftrefs, Mrs. P , who, with her daughters, and another young lady, had the rooms over mine, prefented her compliments to me, and requefted me to take my coffee with them that evening. I rouft confefs I was at firft a little fv.rprifed at the meffage, for the Englifh are not very remarkable for politenefs and attenion to one another in a foreign country. After I had finifhed my defert, I made my bow to Mrs. P — r-> and her family, who proved to be very pleafant, and accomplifhed people, and were making the tour of France with Englifh fervants. They had been in Caen near three weeks, where they had a large acquaintance of the firfl refpectability. This unex- pected introduction became additionally agreeable, up- on my difcovering at the MefTagerie,that the diligence for Cherbourg would not proceed, till three days from the time of my arrival. The next morning I rambled with my new friends about the city, which is large, and handfome, and is watered by the river Orne. It CHAP. XXL] IN FRANCE. 2G3 is much celebrated for its lace trade •, on that day I dined with Mrs. P -, and a French party, and was regaled with an Englifh dinner, cooked, and ferved up by her own fervants. The filth of the French kitchen. is too well known to make it necefiary for me to fay Bow delicious fuch a dinner was. The French themfelves-admit that their cooks are deftitute of clean- linefs. The Convent of the Benedictines, which is con- verted into the palace of the prefect, is a noble buil- ding. The gardens belonging to it are well arranged. The promenade called de la Cour is very charming, from which the city is {een to great advantage. The water of the Orne is rather naufeous, jut is not con- sidered unwholefome. The Palais de Juftice is a fine modern ftructure. In its courts of law, I had again an opportunity of hearing the fcrenfic elocution of Normandy. The geftures, and vehemence of the orators here, as at Rouen, appeared to me to be tinc- tured with the extravagance of frenzy. But perhaps my ears, and eyes have been rendered fomewhat too faftidious by having been frequently banquetted with the grace, animation, and commanding eloquence of the unrivalled advocate of the Britifh bar j who, when he retires from the laborious duties of the crowded, and admiring forum, where his acute fagacity has fo often unfolded the dark compact involutions of human obliquity, where his wit and fancy have covered with the choiceft flowers, the dreary barrennefs of tech- J* THE 7 STRANGER [CHAP. XXI. nfcal pleading ; will leave behind him that lading and honorable refpect and remembrance, which faculties fo extenfively beneficial, mull: ever excite in the minds of men who have been inftructed, delighted, and ben- efited by their fplendid, and profperbus difplay. In this city was pointed out to me, the houfe in wnich the celebrated Charlotte Corday refided, who, by her poniard, delivered France of the monfter, Mar- at, on Sunday, the 14th of July, 1793. There is iome coincidence in the crimes, and fate of Caligula and' Marat, both perifhed by the avengers of their country, whilft in the act of approaching their baths. Pofterity will embalm, with its grateful remembrance, the patriotic heroifm of this great and diftinguifhed female, and in her own firm, and eloquent language, will fay of her, " that crime begets difgrace, and^not « the fcaffold." On the evening after my arrival at Caen, I was in- vited to an elegant ball, which was given by the lady of the pay mafter general of the diftrict, in one of the government houfes. I had before witneflVd the dancing of the higher orders of people in Paris, ^nd from this reafoh was not furprifeJ in contemplat- ing the exquifite grace which was' here difplayech The party confided of near eighty perTons. Amongft them were the judges of the diftrict, and the princi- pal officers quartered in the city, and its neighbor- hood, the latter were attired in fuperb military drefT- es. Amongft the ladies were feveral beautiful/ well eHA*.XXl.j ttf FRANCE- 265 dreffed young women, who exhibited their perfons to great advantage. The grave, and elderly part of the company played at buillotte, which is at prefent the favorite French game. In France to pleafe and to be pleafed, feem to be the pr eliding principles in all their meetings. An elegant young officer, who had diftinguifhed himfelf at the battle of Marengo, obfer- ving that the muiicians appeared to be a little fatigued by the contribution of their exhilirating fervices to- wards the feftivity of the evening, fupplied their room whilft they refrefhed themfelves, and ft ruck up an Englifh country dance on one of the violins. The party attempted to dance it, but to fhow how arbitrary habit is, in the attempt, all thofe powers of grace which they had before fo beautifully difplayed, retired as if influenced by the magic of fome unpropitious fpirit. Amongft the party, was a little girl, about nine -years old, who was dreifed in the higheft ftyle of fafhion and looked like a fafhionable milliner's doll. This little fpoiled child was accuftomed to fpend an hour, at her toilette every morning, and to be tricked out in all the ephemeral decoration of the haut ton. This little coquette already looked out for admiration, and its foolifh mother expreiied the greateft fatisfaction, when any one, out of politenefs to her, paid attentions to the pert premature mirning. Our entertainment concluded with a handfome fupper, and we parted,,, highly delighted, at the dawn of day. Nothing could. be more flattering, than the attentions which, as an Enclifliman, I received from every one prefent. y 265 THE STRA-NGEH [CHAP. After a few hours repofe, I went with a large party to the church of Notre Dame ; in which there is a rery fine altar piece. The keeper of the fachrifty, who was a very arch-looking little fellow, in fpite of the foleinnity of the place ia which we were, made Us fmile (even as a young lady who was going to be con- feiTed for the firft time the next day, loft a confider- able proportion of her gravity) by informing us, that ■during the time of terror he had run off with the Vir- gin Mary, pointing to th« image, and that to prevent the detection of Robefpierrre's agents, he had conceal- ed her in his bed for three years. Nothing could ex- ceed his joy in having faved her from the hatchet, or the flames, from which impending fate-, fhe was re- ftored to her former fituation in this church : and was, when we faw her, by the extravagance of her fprightly, and ardent protector, drelTed in a white rnuflin gowa, fpotted with filver ; a little bouquet of artificial -flowers graced her bofom, and her wig was finely curled, and powdered. The figure in her arms which was intended to reprefent the Infant Jefus, was clrelTed in a ftyle equally unsuitable ; his hair was al- fo curled, and powdered, and a fmall cocked hat pla- ced upon his head. Our delighted guide, whofe eyes fparkled with felf-complacency, afked us if we had ever feen a prettier Virgin Mary, or one drefled more handfomely. We were all much amufed by the quaint- nefs of this man's conduft, although I am confident he had no intention of exciting unbecoming fenfations for, in faying this image, he had expofed&s life. ©HAP. XXL] IN FRANCE. g$t From Notre Dame, we went to the Abbaye aux Hommes, built by "William the Conqueror. It is a large lofty plain pile of building. The fpires are well- proportioned, and very high. The pillars in the choir are, in my humble opinion, too maiTy. Prepar- ations were here making for the celebration of the great feftival called the Feaft of God. "We prefent- ed to one of the priefts, who, in the fachrifty, was adorning the cradle of our Saviours' image with flow- ers, fome very fine mofs rofes, which in France are very rare, which he received with great politenefs. This feftival before the revolution was always fuperbly celebrated. It was then renewed for the firft time fince the profcription of religion, during which, all the coftly habits of the priefts, and rich verTels ufed in the ceremonies of the church, have been ftolen, fold or melted down. Near the alter, which has been fluttered by the axe of the revolution is the vault of the Norman conqueror. Upon our return to our hotel, we faw a confiJer- ble crowd afFembled near the. bridge leading to de la Cour. Upon inquiring into the caufe of this afTem- blage, we found it was owing to a curious rencounter between two blind beggars, who, in total darknefs, had been waging an uncertain battle for near fix min- utes. It appeared that one of them had for feveral months enjoyed quiet poiTerTion of the bridge, which happened to be a great thoroughfare, and had during that time, by an undifputed difplay of his calamity^ ?68 THE STRANGER , [CHAP. XXI. contrived to pick up a comfortable recompenfe for it j that within a few days preceding this novel fracas, another mendicant, who had equal claims to compafc- £on, allured by the repute of his fuccefs, had defert- ed a lefs frequented part of the city, and had prefent- cd himfelf at the other corner of the fame bridge, where by a more mafterly felecTion of moving phrafes, he foon not only divided, but monopolized the elee- mofyiiafy revenues cf tliis poft of vvretchednefs. The original pofieffor, naturally grew jealous. Even beg- i cf can bear no brother near the throne." In- flamed with je^loufy, he filently moved towards his rival, by the found of whofe voice, which was then fending forth fome of its mod affecting, and purfe- drawing (trains, he was enabled to determine wheth- er bis arm was within reach of the head of his com- petitor, which circumftance, having with due nicety afcertained, he clenched his fift, which in weight, fize, and nrmnefs, was not much furpalTed by the hard, and ponderous paw of a full grown tiger, and with all the force of that propulfion, which a formidable fet of mufcles afforded, he. felled his rival to the ground, and not knowing that he wasfal en, difcharged manyi other blows, which only ferved to difturb the tran- quillity of the air. The recumbent hero, whofe head was framed for enterprifes of this nature, foon* recovered from the afiault, and after many unavailing, efforts in the dark, at length fucceeded in opening, one of the veiTels of the broad nofe of his brawny af- (HUP. XXL] IN FRANCE. 2&P failant, whofe blood, enriched by good living, ftream- ed out mod copioufly. In this condition we faw thefe orblefs combatants, who were fpeedily feparated from each other. Some of the crowd were endeavoring to form a treaty of pacification between them, whether they fucceeded I know not, for we were obliged to leave the bridge of battle, before thefe important points were arranged, to join a pleafant party at Mons. J *sj an opulent banker at Caen, to whom I had letters of introduction from Mons. R , the banker of Paris. After fpending the fliort time> during which Iwas detained at Caen, very pleafantly, I refumed my feat in iAie diligence for Cherbourg, in which I found a very agreeable woman, her two daughters; two canary birds a- cat, and her kitten* who were I found, to be my companions all the way, After we left Caen, the roads became very bad. Our ponderous machine, frequently rolled from one fide to the other, and with many alarming crackings, threatened us-with a heavy, and perilous overthrow. At length we arrived at Bayeuxy where we dined, at the.houfe of a friend of my fair fellow traveller, to which fhe invited me with a tone of welcome, and good wifhes which overpower- ed all refrftance.' We fat down to an excellent din- ner,- at which wa3 produced the ufual favorite i Tench difhofeold turbot, and raw artichokea, , After our- Fepafl,.a fine young woman, the daughter of the lady 2 SO THE STRANGER with the filence and fuddenefs of an exhalation, high- er than both, without participating in the original character of either, in which the principles of com- putation, and the vanity of wealth, are at awkward va- riance. .Until lately, the ancient French and the modern French were antipodes, but they are now converging, under a government, which, in point of fecurity, and. even of mildnefs, has no refemblance, fince the firjtt departure from the ancient eftabli foments. The French, like the libertine fon, after having plunged in riot and excefs, fubdued by wretchednefs, are re- turning to order and civilization. Unhappy people, their tears have almoft warned away their offences— they have fufTered to their heart's core, Who will not pity them to fee their chancre, and hear their tales €>f mifery ? Yet, ftrange to relate, in the mid ft of their ughs and fuSferings, they recount, with enthufi- i aim, the exploits of thofe very men, whpfe heroic am- bition has trampled upon their belt hopes, and proud-, eft profperity. Dazzled by the brilliancy of the ipreading flame, they forget that their own abode is involved in its defoiation, and augments the gloomy grandeur of the fcene. To this caine may, perhaps, be traced that lingular union of grief and gaiety, which affords rather an impreffive contrail to the more fol- emn conliftency pf Englilh fadnefs. The terrible ex- periment which they have tried, has, throughout, pre-_ fented a ferocious conteft, for power, which has only IN FRANCE. '2S1 ierved to deteriorate their condition, fap their vigor, and render them too feeble either to continue the con- teft, or to reach the frontier of their former character. In this condition they have been found by a man who, with the precedent of hiftory in one hand, and the fabre in the other, has, unftained with the crimes of Cromwell, poffefFed himfelf of the fovereignity *, and, like Auguftus, without .the propenfities which fhaded his early life, preferved the name of a republic, whilft he well knows that a decifive and irrefiftible author- ity cah alone re-unite a people fb vaft and diftracted ' 7 who, in the purfuit of a fatal phantom, have been inur- ed to change, and long alienated from fubordination* I would not wifh fuch a government to be perpetual, but if it be conducted with wifdom and juftice, I will not hefkateto declare, that I think it will ultimately prove as favorable to the happinefs, as it has been pro- pitious to the glory of the French. A government which breathes a martial fpirit under a thin appear- ance of civil polity, prefents but a barren fubject to the. eonfideration of the inquirer. When the fabre is changed into the fceptre, the fcience of legiflation is fhort, fimple and decifive. Its energies are neither entangled in abftracl: diftin&ions^ nor much impeded by the accuftomed delays of deliberation. From, the magnitude of the prefent ruling eflab- limment in France, and the judicious diftribution of its powers, and confidence, the physical ftrength sznx fcarcely be faid to refide in the governeth- Z %. 232 THE STRANGER A great portion of the population participates in the character of the government. The bayonet is perpet- ually flaming before the eye. The remark may ap- pear a little ludicrous, but in the capital almoft every* man who is net nearfightedis a foldier, and every fol- dier of the republic confid^rs himfelf as a fubordi- nate minifter of ftate. In fhort the whole political fabric is a refined fyftem of knight's fervice. Seven centuries are rolled back, and from the gloom of time behold the crefted fpirit of the Norman hero advance, « with beaver up," and nod his fable plumes, in grim approval of the novel, gay, and gaudy feodality. If fuch an expectation may be entertained, that time will replace the ancient family on the throne, I am far from believing that it can offer much confolation to the iliuftrious wanderer, who as yet, has only tafted of the name of fovereignity. If the old royalty is ever reftored, it is my opinion, and I offer it with becoming deference, that from perfonal hatred to the prefent titular monarch, and the dread of retaliation by a lin- eal revival of monarchy, the crown will be placed upon the brows of one of the collateral branches of the ex- patriated family. The prince de Conde is the only member of that auguft houfe, of whom the French fpeak with efteem and approbation. The treafury of the French is, as may be expected, mot overflowiug, but its refources muft fpeedily be- come ample. The neceffities of the ftate, or rather the peculations of its former factious leaders, addreff- IN FRANCE. $85 ed thernfelves immediately to the purfes of the people, by a fummary procefs completely predatory. Cir- cuitous exaction has been, till lately, long difcarded. 'the prefent rulers have not yet had fufheient time to digeft, and perfect a financial fyftem, by which the eftablifhments of the country may be fup'ported by in- direct, and unoffending taxation. Wifdom and gen- ius muft long, and ardently labor, before the ruins, and rubbifh of the revolution can be removed. Every effort hitherto made to raife the deciduous credit of the republic has been mafterly, and forcibly befpeaks the public hope, and confidence in favor of every fu- ture meafure. The armies cf the republic are immenfe ; they have hitherto been paid, and maintained by the countries which they have fubdued \ their exigencies, imlefs they are employed, will in future form an embarrafxing kibjectof coniideration in the approaching fyffefn of finance. This mighty body of men, who are very moderately paid, are united by the remembrance of their glory, and the proud coniideration that they con- stitute a powerful part of the goverement - y an impref- fion which every French foldier cheri'fhes. They al- fo derive fome pride, even from their difcipline : a military delinquent is not fubject to ignoble punifh- ment •, if he offend, he fulfers as a foldier. Imprifon- *ment, or death, alone difplaces him from the ranks, He is not cut down fainting, and covered with the ignominious wounds of the diffecting fcourge, and fent to languifh in reekingwards of hofpitals, 2&4t THE STRANGER In reviewing the prefent condition of France, the liberal mind will contemplate many events with pleas- ure, and will fufpend its final judgment, until wif- dom, and genius fhall repofe from their labors, and fhall proclaim to the people, " behold the work is done." It has been obferved,. that in reviewing the late war r two of the precepts of the celebrated author of " The Prince," will hereafter be enmrinedin the judgments of politicians, and will be as clofely adhered to, as they have been boldly difregarded by that great man, who, till lately, has long prefided over the Britifh councils. — Machiavel has afTerted, that no country ought to declare war with a nation which, at the time, is in a flate of internal commotion ' y and that, in the profe- cution oi a war, the refugees of a belligerent power ought not to be confidentially trufted by the oppofite nation which receives them- Upon violating the for- mer, thofe heterogeneous parties, which, if left to themfelves, will always embarrafs the operations of their government, become united by a common caufe ; and by offending againft the latter claufe of this cau- tionary code, a perilous confidence is placed in the triumph of gratitude, and private pique, over that great love which nature plants and warmly cherifhes in the bread of every man, for his country. In ex- tenuation of a departure from thefe political maxims it may be urged, that the French excited the war, and that in the purfurt ef it, they difplayed a compound IN FRANCE. 2 85 fpirit, which Machiavel might well think problemat- ical, for whilft that country never averted its eye from the common enemy, it never ceafed to groan under the inflictions of unremitting factions. Rather lefs can be faid in palliation of the" fatal confidence, which was placed by the Englifh government in fome of the French emigrants. I have mentioned thefe unhappy people in the aggregate, witty the reflect which I think they deferve. To be protected, and net to betray, was all that could in fairnefs, and with fafety be expect- ed from them ; it was hazarding too much to put fwords in their hands, and fend them to their own fhores to plunge them in the breaft of their own coun- trymen : in fuch an enterprife ■ ' ■■■" The native hat of refoi&tito*) *' Is ficklicd o'er WWfc trie pale Cift of thr tight." The brave have not frequently wept f>ver fuch a victim as Sombrieul. Whether the experiment of repelling thofe ma- chinations which warred againft all eitabliihed order, and all fandtioned ufage, by a novel, and unnatural op- pofition, is attributable to any other caufe, than that of a misjudging principle, muft be decided by Him, whofe mighty hand fufpended the balance of the battle, and whofe eye can, at a glance, pierce through the laby- rinth of human obliquity, however compact, fhaded, or concealed. If the late minifter is chargeable with ar prolongation of the war,, if he is refponfibie for hav> 286 THE STRANGER ing mifplaced his confidence, and if brave men have perifhed by the fatal deluflon, he will find fome, if not ample confolation, in reflecting, that by his -vigi- lance, and vigor, he has faved his country from the miferies of a revolutionary frenzy, which has rendered even our enemies, the objects of our fympathy, and companion. Such is the narrownefs of our nature, that we know not hew adequately to appreciate our prefervation from an intercept id evil : it is indiftinctly feen, like a diftant object:. The calamity muft touch before its powers and magnitude can be eftimated. The flames of the neighboring pile, muft ftop at our very doors, before our gratitude becomes animated with its higheft ener- gies. If Providence were to unfold to us all the hor- rors which we have efeaped ; if all the blood which would have followed the aflaflin's dagger, were to roll in reeking ftreams before us j if the full difplay of irreligion, flight, mafTacre, confiscation, imprifonment and famine, which would have graced a revolutionary triumph in thefe realms, were to be unbarred to our view, how fhould we recoil from the ghaftly fpectacle \ with fwhat emotions of admiration and efleem fhould we bend before the man, whofe illumined mind and dignified refolution protected us from fuch fell perdi- tion, and confined the ravages of the " bellowing ftorm" within its own barrier. The dazzling and perilous claims of the Rights of Man in the abftraa, have had a long and ample di£ cufiion before the fanguinary tribunals of another 5 IN FRANCE. ' 287 country ; and the loud decree of an indignant and in- fulted world has pronounced their eternal doom. Other contefts may arife ; but the powers of a pro- phet are not neceffary to afiert that fuch rights will form no part of their provocation. In France, I was repeatedly afked my opinion of the probable ftability of the peace. The queftion was always addrefled in this rather curious fhape ? « Thank God, we have peace ! Will your country « let us enjoy it ?" — My anfwer was, « You may " be affured of it ; for it will not ceafe to be pre- " pared for war." ^ Alas ! the reftlefs fpirit of ambition, feldom long delights in repofe. The peaceful virtues, under whofe influence nations flourilh and mankind rejoice, pofTefs no lading captivations for the Hero. The draught of cbnqueft maddens his brain^ and excites an infatiable thirft for frefh achievments —He " Looks into the clouds, fcornin£ the bafc degrees u By which he did afcend" May that extraordinary Being in whofe hands the fate of millions is deposited reverfe the gloomy pic- ture, and reftore to a country long wafted by revolu- tions, and warfare, and languifhing in the roidft of the monuments of her glory, the benign blef- fings of enduring tranquillity. But if this hope prove fruitlefs, if all the countries of continent- al Europe are deftined to be comprefled into one empire, if their devoted princes are doomed to .•* . 288 THE STRANGER IN FRANCE. adorn the triumphs of the chief of that mighty re- public, which now towers above the furrounding na- tions of the earth, like the pyramid of the defert, : i what have we to fear even though the ocean which divides us fhould become the folder's element ? When an enlighted Frenchman is afked what he thinks of his government, his anfwer is, « We want repofe." For this alone, a ftranger to the recent oc- currences of the world would think he had toiled, juft as valetudinarians take exercife for the purpofe of fecuring fleep. Even thofe who have profitted of el- even years of defolation are ready to acknowledge that war is not paftime, and that a familiarity with its hor- rors does not lefTen them. The foldier, drooping under the weight of booty, pants for the refrefhing fhadesof his native village, and for the hour which is to reftore him to his alienated alienated family. I am Satisfied, that both in France and England, one defire pervades all clafTes of people, that two nations fo brave, and fo worthy of reciprocal efteem, may at iaft grow wife and virtuous enough to abftain. from thofe ebullitions of furious hoftility which have flained fo many centuries with blood. / Peace is the gem with which Europe has embellish- ed her fair but palpitating bofom ; and may difap- poictment and difhonor be the lot of that ambitious and impolitic being wlio endeavors or who wifhes to pluck it from her ! FINIS. • ■ '$**' „ >■■ *