The Winterthur Library
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur
Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735
302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Roberts, William, Dr.
Title: A short account of a visit
to Paris made
in 1821.
Dates: 1821
Call No.: Doc. 1351
Acc. No.: 01x139
Quantity: 1 volume (about 200 pages)
Location: 31 I
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Nothing is known about Dr. William Roberts. His wife M. Roberts gave the diary to her
sister, C.C. Hossloy(?) on October 9, 1855.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
A diary kept by Dr. Roberts of his trip to Paris made in September
and October 1821. He traveled with his
wife and several friends. The party left
Dover on Sept 13 and returned there on October
8, entering and leaving France
through Calais. Although they did a little sightseeing
between Calais and Paris,
most of their time was spent in Paris
and environs. They visited the principle
landmarks, including the Louvre, the Palace of the Tuileries, the Cemetery of
Pere Lachaise, Notre Dame, Marche des Innocens, Place Vendome, the Pantheon,
the Gobelin tapestry factory, St. Cloud, Montmatre, Denon’s private museum,
Malmaison, the public abattoirs, and Versailles,
among other places. Much comment is made
about the history of the sites, especially the importance during the French
Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.
The party stayed at the Hotel de Meurice,
overlooking the Gardens of the Tuileries. Little comment is made about food or
shopping. At the end of the diary are
general observations about prices, accommodations, and the French people. The diary is illustrated with several
drawings (a boot, a pillar, a cow), and engravings of many of the places
visited. These were probably the prints
purchased on October 3. Three slips of
paper laid inside the front cover contain addenda to some of the entries.
ORGANIZATION
Chronological order.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from M & S Rare Books, Inc., Rhode Island.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Denon, Vivant, 1747-1825.
Topics:
Voyages and travels.
Travel costs.
Travelers - England.
Gobelin tapestry.
Men - Diaries.
Paris (France)
- Description and travel.
Paris (France)
- Pictorial works.
France
- Description and travel.
Diaries.
Travelers.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 31 I
Transcription
of A Visit to Paris
in September 1821
[Note: in order to make reading easier, some
punctuation has been added, and some spelling has been standardized, e.g. the for ye, and Louis for Lewis.]
[A
journal of a trip to Paris
from September 7 – October 9, 1821, by Dr. Roberts, his wife, and friends:
Major and Miss T., and W.D. The
participants are English.]
First
leaf is blank.
Inscribed
on second leaf:
“C.C.
Hosslosy [?] Oct. 9th 1855. The gift of her affectionate Sister M.
Roberts. This book is valuable to her – on account of its author.”
Added in pencil: “Written by
Aunt Robert’s Husband William Roberts M.D.”
Inscribed
on third leaf:
“A
visit to Paris
in September 1821”
[Diary begins on fourth leaf:]
A short account of a visit to Paris made in 1821.
Having
in the month of August determined to reside for a few weeks by the Sea Side for
change of air, and Dover being the place fixed upon, a trip to Paris was
proposed by some Friends, and as situation was of the least consequence as long
as the object of our pursuit was attained, which was Health, my wife and
self [underlined in pencil in original] agreed to the proposal, and a party
was immediately formed which consisted of Major and Miss T., W. D. and
ourselves.
Sept.
7
All
necessary arrangements being finally settled, Mrs. R. and myself left Beechfield
[or Buckfield] this afternoon and slept at Maidstone – the country looked
delightful, corn gathering in very rapidly, crops of every kind fine, Wheat and
Beans particularly. Between Wrotham and Maidstone, hop picking had commenced, and next week it
was supposed would become general thro’out the country. Many of the grounds very mouldy and in some
parishes not worth the picking.
Sept.8
Breakfasted
and left Maidstone at ten o’clock, dined at Charing, arrived at Woodlands at 7 o’clock
in the evening; found our friend W.D. in good health and ready to receive us, The day for the most part rainy. The harvest very fine but partially injured
by the rains; the same complaint of the hops prevails in the neighborhood of Canterbury: many grounds
not worth picking. The markets advanced
in consequence of the rain.
Sept.
9
Sunday
morning went to Adisham
Church, heard a sermon
preached by the Rev. Mr. Dickons. The
Reynolds Family dined at Woodlands.
Sept.
10
A fine
day, walked about the grounds. Lieutenant
Leath dined with us, received much advice and information from him respecting France.
Sept.
11
The
day beautiful, dined early; at half past three o’clock left Woodlands for Dover. Mr. D., Mrs. R. and myself arrived at the Shakespeare
Hotel about half past five o’clock and were joined by Major T., Miss T. in the
evening. After tea, walked on the beach,
enjoyed the sea breeze and moonlight scenery about the Castle, and parted at
ten o’clock with every prospect of fair weather for embarking the next morning,
Wind being west.
Sept.
12
Weather
very stormy. Breakfasted at eight
o’clock. The Rob Roy steam vessel being
engaged by Prince Esterhazy, agreed with Captain Rutten of the Chichester Packitt [sic] for a
passage to Calais. Wind S.W.
Sea tremendously high. Captain not very anxious for us to embark –
however he said we might make Calais in three hours and get into the harbour;
about ten the wind increased, at 1/2 past from the assurance of the seafaring
people, the Ladies went on board, but a very heavy fall of rain came on and as
great a swell of Sea, that the Captain very strongly recommended the Ladies to
disembark but that they must determine instantly as the Mail was on board and
he must sail – of course we did as he recommended – but so short was the time
that we could scarcely land the Ladies before the ship was under weigh and was
out of harbour, with all our clothes and everything belonging to us in her. We afterwards learnt that the Chichester was 7 ½ hours and the Rob Roy 9 hours in
crossing and obliged to land the Passengers in small boats. We returned to the
Shakespeare Hotel with the determination to wait for more favourable
weather. A Dock Yard transport wrecked in the night
getting into the harbour, has filled with water and is now on the docks – part
of her cargo, casks, [illegible] floating in the sea. Dined this day at the Hotel, visited the
Castle and retired early to rest in the evening.
Sept.
13
Breakfasted
at 8 o’clock, wind fair at N.W. Weather more
favorable; agreed with Captain King of the King George Packet for a passage,
were on board on half past nine, sailed soon after ten and landed in Calais
Harbour a quarter before two o’clock, we had a delightful sail, tho owing to
the high spring tide of the preceding day, rough. Our party except Mr. D. and myself suffered
much from sea sickness. The Harbour
of Calais forms a
considerable Basin – the pier is of wood, very long and narrow, the favorite
public walking [illegible], and the inhabitants were here assembled to witness
the landing of the passengers, which afforded a lively and interesting
scene. The grey woven jacket of the
women tied tight round the waist, with the raised cap and long loose flaps
hanging over their shoulders giving a grotesque look to foreigners. Immediately upon landing we went to the
bureau or Custom House to present ourselves and passports, which ceremony over,
we proceeded to Meurice Hotel; here we were visited by an Officer of the
Customs who took the description of our luggage and who told us it were better
to give up our keys to him than to go ourselves to the Customs House. After paying the usual fees for inspecting,
our trunks, &c., were very shortly returned to us. The Hotel de Meurice is a capital house; we
had an excellent dinner at 3 francs, [illegible], champagne at 6 francs, vin de
Bordeaux 3
francs per bottle, good beds, attendance and every necessary
accommodation. Water bad, went to the
[illegible] and agreed for a carriage to take us to Paris at 6 louis and afterwards viewed the
kitchen, which is on a very extensive scale, well arranged and managed, as
indeed is every department in this hotel. In the evening Major T. and Mr. D. visited the
Theatre, returned not much gratified. Dr. Lushington and Mr. Wilde arrived this
evening at Dessine [?] Hotel on their return to England after attending the Queens
Funeral.
Calais is a strongly fortified
town, well built, the streets neat and clean but narrow and of a dull
appearance; the market place is spacious, the troops are mustered here twice a
week, and a market on Saturdays. The
Market Place is called La Place d’Armes and is also adorned with a town hall
denominated Hotel Le [sic] Ville. In
this is the Passport Office, which is a noble room, elegantly papered with
crimson paper covered with fleur de lis and imperial arms. In one of the principal rooms, we saw a fine
painting of Louis XV. The church I did
not see. From the Pier, Dover Castle
may be seen in fine weather, and there is also a small column in commemoration
of the landing of Louis 18th, April 24, 1814. On the houses are the letters A[illegible]
G[illegible], which denotes insured against fire.
Sept.
14
We
left Calais this morning about ten o’clock, and
after passing four or five gates and draw bridges, took the road for Boulogne. Having entered the Faubourg, the road passes
by a strong fortress on the right and a canal on the left, along an uniform
plain. There are no hedges, and trees
only are to be met with in clumps, and an immense expanse of open country
continues till you come near Haut Buisson(?), which was our first poste from Calais. Here the country becomes more hilly; the few
farm houses you meet with are tolerable, but the cattle, particularly hogs and
sheep, are the most miserable in appearance that can be conceived. Haut Buisson is a lone farm house & also
the poste. Soil chalky, timber a sort of
Scotch elm. From here to Marquise is
extremely picturesque, advancing thro an open & more hilly country; the
road passes thru avenues of trees, of which the French are extremely fond, to
the village of Wimille(?), which is situated at the foot of two hills. Here are some pleasant chateaus with gardens,
meadows, & a river, and a very neat little church. The country about very like that of Dover and well
cultivated. A succession of hills now
leads to Boulogne,
presenting various views of the sea and of that port. At about a mile from Boulogne on the right is the famous pillar of
Bonaparte nearly 2/3 finished, begun in commemoration of the Grand Army of
England but never completed; it is 15 ft. in diameter and was to have been 150
ft. in height. At present it is used as
a light house, but when finished to mark the restoration of the Bourbons. We entered Boulogne at one o’clock by two very large
Gateways. It has two towns divided into
high and low, both well built, streets very steep and narrow; houses good;
chiefly shops and from their inequality in height, extremely picturesque. The high town is situated on an eminence and
is surrounded by a rampart planted with trees.
You have a fine sea view from the street called la Grande Rue, which
connects the upper and lower town. The
English residents at this time are very numerous. We drove to the Hotel de
France, dined and at three o’clock ordered our horses and departed for Montreuil at which place
it was our intention to sleep. Our passport was demanded by the Municipal
Officer and also a franc as his fee. After leaving Boulogne the country became rich, has
excellent orchards and is well wooded, the houses prettily decorated with
vines, and the valley thro which the river Liane runs is fertile & fine and
affords great variety of landscape scenery.
Samer was the next post; here it was market day, and we were completely
beset with beggars in the greatest state of wretchedness and poverty. From Samer we passed down a beautiful wooded
Hill through a delightful valley, and ascending the opposite hill, we had a
fine view of the town of Samer
and Country and reached Cosmer(?) which is a Poste. Changed horses and at about half a poste entered
the forest of Longvilliers [?], half a league in length (a French league is
[illegible] English), after which opens an extensive prospect with a view of
Montreuil, the approach to which is marshes of considerable length; and the
road crossing the bridge and fortifications and ascending a very steep hill, you
enter after passing immense draw bridges the town of Montreuil which is
supposed to be impregnable. Upon entering the Gates, our passports were
immediately demanded and after paying the customary fee, which by the by is an
imposition upon foreigners, we proceeded to the Hotel de France (a most
melancholy looking place), where after some difficulty, however, we got tea,
coffee and in due time supper and good beds.
Thro
the country we have traveled the harvest was not so forward as in England;
much wheat remains to be cut, and much that was cut not carried in. In many parts, the shocks were thatched by
spreading a sheaf over the top to secure them from the wet. There was also considerable quantities of
barley & oats not carried in. Near
Montreuil, the land appears well managed, large tracts manured & ploughed
in, very clean & in good order; supposed to be sown with wheat, many
ploughs at work, some with 2 horses and some with 4 horses, all managed by one
man who holds and drives. Upon the
whole, the land may be said to be well ploughed, clean, and in good
cultivation. There are numerous fairs
about this time, well supplied with stock.
There were many large herds of cows feeding in the stubble fields and
sheep folded on the ground as with us.
The cows are also fed with cabbages, they have Lucerne
like wire(?) cut for them, which the farmers grown plentifully as there is but
little pasturage in this part of France.
Montreuil is beautifully situated on
a very commanding imminence and strongly fortified. The town wears the
appearance of everything the most desolated I ever saw; the streets extremely
narrow and dull; the inhabitants wretchedly poor; the suburbs of the town
composed of low, dirty hovels, which seem the abode of poverty &
misery. Here is a good town hall and a
small square planted with trees, but the buildings around look desolate and
deserted. Traveled this day 9 Postes
& ¼.
September 15
Montreuil – rose early, breakfasted. Walked on the rampart, where strolling beyond
the proper boundary, a sentinel presented his bayonet to my breast, which quickly
put me to the right about. I next
visited the church, which is a fine old building dedicated to St. Joseph; it possesses a good organ and has
a very ancient carved Pulpit. Prayers or
matins commence at a very early hour. Besides the Town Hall, here is an institution
for Orphans attended by Hospitaliers or Sisters of Charity; here are also
barracks. The town is amply supplied with water by wells, the houses built with
stone & have irregular slanting
roofs and the windows open from top to bottom with hinges like folding doors,
which gives to all the towns and villages a very desolate and deserted
appearance. At 8 o’clock we left Montreuil
for Abbeville. The part of the town thro
which we passed on quitting it was much better than the entrance. This was market day, and the market appeared
well stocked with articles for sale, which gave some appearance of life &
bustle to the place. The road on is very
interesting, and for some miles rendered very amusing from the number of
peasants, farmers wives(?) on horseback and country people going to the market.
The Females wear no hat or bonnet, and their large, clean, white caps form a
striking contrast to their sun burnt faces.
Some of the young women were pretty, but many of the old ones looked
sadly shriveled. All however wore the
appearance of cheerfulness and content. We passed many droves of cattle, also
some very fine mules. The country about this part is fine and open and well
cultivated, the soil chalky, and in parts well wooded, the marshland badly
drained; indeed in the business of land draining the French appear much behind
us. The roads are excellent, cut nearly in a straight line and made with flint
and stone broken down, which shews [sic] the soil (indeed the Cliffs correspond
so exactly with Dover) to be similar to Kent, and trees
planted on each side. The villages we
passed through have nothing remarkable; the farm houses, buildings, and
cottages are bad. The old Costume of the
French Postillion is almost done away with; at Nampont, which was our next
poste, the Jack Boot [e.g. riding boot] weighing nearly 50 lbs first made its
appearance and the hair was plaited into a thick club en queue.
[drawing: jackboot, labeled:
from an original jackboot, wd. 50 lb., Paris,
Oct. 1, 1821]
After leaving Nampont, the
road crossed the Authie(?), and after entering part of the Forest of Bressy
[?], memorable in English history, some vineyards appear, and you shortly
arrive at Bornay [?], and from thence to Nouvion, from Nouvion to Abbeville,
are some pleasing views.
We
entered Abbeville about half past 12 o’clock, drove to the Hotel de B[illegible]
and breakfasted a la fourchette, viz. meat, eggs, coffee, wine, game. Abbeville
is a fortified town, situated on the river Somme
in a beautiful valley; here are large & various manufactories, and a market
held on Saturday. The grain is pitched
in the open square, and the women sell. The houses are chiefly brick; here is a
hospital of the Enfants Trouve, and the Gothic Church of Saint Winifred, which
is an uncommonly fine specimen of Gothic Architecture. The ramparts form the public walk; there is great
sameness in all the French(?) towns. Our
passports were again demanded. In point
of population, the women are rated as 2(?) to1.
At 2 o’clock we left Abbeville for Beauvais,
which is 60(?) miles or 10 postes from this place. Our road laid through a most delightful
valley, orchards in full bearing on each side and also diversified by the Somme dividing itself into various branches, for about
six miles to Arraines – which is another Poste.
Here hemp and flax is the cultivation.
It is a miserable village and the land poor. From hence to Poix is a fine open road with a
deep valley on each side. There is a
good church in the village, a Chateau, orchards, and hop plantations, the
latter much inferior to those in Kent. From Poix, we departed for Grasse,
[illegible] and Marseille [en Beauvais]
which is described as a picturesque village, watered by the Herbouval(?), and
variegated with cornfields, orchards, & meadows. This part of the road we did not see, as
night was too far advanced. We arrived
at Beauvais at
half past 11 o’clock at the Hotel d’Angleterre; it was with difficulty we were
received, but by perseverance we gained admittance and got excellent tea,
coffee, eggs, fruits and good beds. We traveled this day 16 postes, about 95 mile
English, to enable us to enter Paris
by daylight tomorrow.
Sept.
16
Sunday
- Rose early, breakfasted. Visited the
town, which is the capital of the department of the Oise, and celebrated for
its manufactory of woolens and also of tapestry, which are said to be almost
equal to the Gobelins in Paris.
Beauvais has a Cathedral Church,
the approach, as well as the streets in general, is very dirty. The church is dedicated to St. Etien, and in
the interior forms a cross; in it are some good windows painted or glass in
fine preservation; they are secured from external injury by a kind of wicker
work made of reeds, which does not obstructs the light; here is a fine painting
of the carrying of the cross, the pillars like those in Canterbury Cathedral. This church externally is very inferior to
St. Winifred’s at Abbeville. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Pierre, but is
not finished; it has no steeple; the choir transept and part of the nave remain,
and when completed were to have formed a Latin Cross.
The
cathedral contains the fine Tomb of Cardinal Janson, and three admired pieces
of Tapestry from the paintings of Raphael; the Healing of the Paralytic is
considered a masterpiece. There are also some fine paintings of saints, as well
as specimens of painted glass. The Grand
Place or market place is spacious, and the Town
Hall or Hotel de Ville has a handsome modern Edifice. Here are also good barracks. Very little observance of the day (Sunday);
fruits & vegetables were publicly sold in the Marketplace.
We
quitted Beauvais at ten o’clock; the road from
hence to Beaumont,
passing thru Noaillles and Puiseaux, is pleasant from the variety of the views,
aspect, and fertility of the country.
Farm houses, churches, & villages intermixed with woods &
forest, fruit trees in full bearing, many neat pleasure grounds and plantations;
and the meadows covered with the colchicum or autumnal crocus gives a lovely
tint and makes the whole look beautifully rich.
Here we noticed a great improvement in the cultivation of the soil and less
of beggary. We observed also Crucifixes
as large as life erected in some conspicuous places (with the crown of thorns,
the spear in the side and sponge to the mouth), and crosses frequently placed
by the road thro out the country. At
Noailles we changed horses, went on to Puiseaux, which is also a Poste, and
from thence to Beaumont, the last Poste of any consequences before you reach
St. Denis.
Beaumont is agreeably situated on one of the hills
which border the rich valley of the Oise; you
enter the town by a bridge, and on each side are pleasure grounds with verdant
banks sloping down to the water’s edge. The
Chateaux are more grand and the houses wear the appearance of being inhabited,
from hence on to Moiselle, which is a poste & a half; the road is very
fine; on the right is a noble mansion belonging to Prince Périgord, and in the
village they are fast advancing in improvements; on the left after leaving
Moiselle is a magnificent Chateau and Domain the property of the Prince de
Condé. We next came to Sambrine [?],
which is a small village and at present bears strong marks of desolation, but
is also making improvements; here we saw the mechanics busily employed, and the
villagers playing at cards in front of their doors. From hence the road is delightfully continued
thru a long avenue of majestic trees to St. Denis, where it terminates within
view of one of the grand Dômes of Paris. On the right are noble Barracks for the Gens
d’Armes, formerly the ancient Benedictine convent of St. Denis. St. Denis is the Bureau and also a Poste Royale;
here we changed horses for the last time and started from hence for Paris,
amidst a most tremendous cracking of whips at the rate of full 12 miles an
hour. We did not stay to see the Church as we were anxious to enter Paris by daylight; we
shall therefore pay another visit to St. Denis. After passing through the streets of St. Denis,
the road proceeds through a broad avenue, with a double row of trees on each
side, which had a very imposing effect.
Leaving Monmartre on our left, we entered Paris by the barrier St. Denis and arrived at
the Hotel de Meurin Cité de Londres, Rue St. Honoré, at half past six o’clock,
highly gratified and delighted with the country I had passed thru, surprised at
the magnificent effect of the streets, the grandeur of the hotels; and
impressed with painful feeling arising from the recollection that a few years
have passed away since many of the edifices which are now appropriated to the
use and accommodation of the traveler were the abode of Princes and Nobles. At Meurin we form a very elegant apartment,
ordered a dinner that could immediately be ready as it was near 7 o’clock, for
which we were charged 6(?) fr. a head, including a desert; the champagne was
excellent; at nine o’clock coffee was brought in, and at ten o’clock we retired
to bed.
Paris
September
17
After
breakfast this morning we settled our amounts of traveling expenses from Calais to Paris,
which amounts to 7(?) N., 17 fr., 10 cent or about £5, 17 s., 2 d English each.
Arranged our plan of living, determined
to dine at the table d’hôte as it would save trouble and be less expensive, and
agreed for our apartments, which were to consist of 4 sleeping rooms and a drawing
room. Printed papers with the prices
fixed and other regulations of which the following is a copy are put up in the
rooms.
N
22 = apartment 10
Frs. per Day or 9 Frs. a Day per week
Breakfast,
Coffee or Tea ----- 2 Frs.
with
eggs ----- 2 ½
with steaks ----- 3
firing from 5 to 10 fr.
per bundle
lights
to court(?) & staircase ½ fr. per week
wax lights in apartments
[illegible]
gentlemen’s servants to
dine(?) at 2 o’clock
valet de place
washing, cabrioletes of
all kinds and tradesmen engaged
passports
procured for 3 francs
bills to be paid weekly
Information to be obtained
at the bureau or office and attendance every morning to take orders for dinners;
you are required to be careful of fire, not to injure the furniture or leave
your key in the door in the day time; and if you order trades people to send
anything to you, give the number of your room with it.
The
Hotel de Meurice was at the revolution the residence of the Minister of Finance
and can accommodate a hundred families.
Our apartments were well furnished, spacious, airy, and pleasant,
looking into the Gardens of the Tuileries, but from being situated up three
flights of stairs, the access to them is inconvenient & fatiguing. The attendance is also bad. The Meurices affect the manners of the
English, with the vulgarity of the French of the day, and are horribly
despotic. Hired a fiacre, drove to the
Rue de Nevier, the Bond Street of Paris; afterwards walked in the Gardens of
the Tuileries, which are laid out in walks, beds with flowers, fountains, groves
of orange trees and innumerable fine Statues; returned at five o’clock to
dinner, dined at the table d’hote; paid 4 francs for our dinner including a
desert; a band of musicians was afterwards introduced to which the company
contributed about half a franc. The
Ladies remained at home in the evening; Major T., Mr. D. and myself went to the
Opera; the performance was Les Pretends, the ballet The Carnival de Venice. The House has been opened about three months,
it is very elegant and far superior to everything of the kind we have in England. The orchestra was extremely well filled, and
the leader of the band takes his station in the center, looking at the
stage. The performance was over about
Ten o’clock. Between the Opera and Ballet, Ladies and Gentlemen walked into the
Salon, which is a noble room extending the whole length of the building; here
they take refreshments, coffee, ices, cakes, fruits, all which are delightfully
good and very cheap. This Opera House has been recently built and is situated
in the Rue le Peltier. The old house,
which is in the Rue de Richelieu and has been closed since the murder of the
Duc de Berry, is to be entirely taken down.
Our way to the Opera was along the Boulevard des Italiens, which is a
very favorite part with the Parisians.
Paris is entirely surrounded,
except where the River enters and leaves it, by a fine broad road with double
rows of trees on each side, with a fine broad walk for persons on foot called
the boulevards. The centre is for
carriages. They are bordered in some
parts with very elegant houses, shops, restaurateurs, confectioneries, cafés
and chairs to accommodate the public, booksellers shops, and print stalls. They are also well lighted, and the thousands
of persons going to and fro from the Theatre, etc. keep up the bustle till
midnight. The approach to the Theatre is
uncommonly good; you enter and depart with the greatest facility, no improper
company is admitted to the spectacle to annoy, and the profoundest silence is
observed during the performance.
[print:
No. 3: Arc de Triomphe, Place de
Carrousel]
September
18 – Tuesday Paris
Major
T. accompanied the Ladies to the Palais Royale; W. visited the Louvre; and I
took a survey of the Palace of the Tuileries, the court yard, the Triumphal
Arch and the Place de Carousel. The
latter is separated from the court yard by an elegant iron railing, terminating
with gilt spears, and is the grand entrance to the Palace. In the center of the railing stands the fine
Triumphal Arch erected in 1806; it is 45 ft high, 60 ft. long, and 20 ½ broad and is said to
have cost 1,420,000 francs. Its mass is
of fine free stone; eight columns of red marble adorn it; each column bears a
statue of the Corinthian order. Upon the
platform of this Arch was placed a triumphal car, to which were harnessed the
four bronze horses brought by Bonaparte from Venice.
The various parts are decorated with Laurel & Palm, and the
memorable actions of the campaign in 1805 were also represented, amongst others
the Emperor of Austria surrendering his sword to Bonaparte at the gates of Vienna. They were all removed by the allied army in
the year 1814. Bonaparte had intended to have removed the
Royal Stables, which occupied one side of the Place de Carousel, as well as all
other buildings which stood in the way, and to have extended the Louvre so as
to have formed one most magnificent square of sufficient space to have
maneuvered the whole of the French Army. The Palace of the Tuileries is a large
and splendid building; the front facing the Gardens is magnificent, but the
various heavy roofs and chimneys give a very somber appearance of the whole.
[print:
Palais des Tuileries, du côté de la Place]
In
the Gardens are many delightfully shaded walks and chairs for the accommodation
of the Public at the price of one sous [sic]. Returned at Five o’clock, joined Mr. Eyles’
family at dinner at the table d’hote, and made a party in the evening to the
Café des Milles Columns, which is situated in the Palais Royale and derives its
name from the number of columns and mirrors that reflect them; it is famous for
the very elegant manner in which it is fitted up; and the female who presides
is seated on a chair which was destined for the Saloon of Murat, when King of
Naples, and is said to have cost 10,000 francs.
We returned home by the Boulevards.
Arranged with Meurice for a carriage & valet de place.
Sept.
19th - Paris
Commenced
the day with our Valet de place and carriage and set out on our tour by the
Port St. Martin, a Triumphal Arch originally built in the minority of Louis
xiii [sic] and repaired in the year 1819, and passed by the Fontaine du Château
d’Eau, through the Faubourg St. Antoine, the place where the revolution began
and where the only Tree of Liberty is remaining of the thousands that were
planted allover Paris, to the Fontaine de l’Eléphant in the Boulevard St.
Antoine, on the spot where the Bastille formerly stood. This fountain was designed by Denon by order
of Bonaparte and is intended to be finished by Louis xviii [sic]. We procured tickets from Meurice to see the
model which is a colossal figure of an elephant 40 ft high, on his back is to
be a Castle, the reservoir for water, and above that a Turret, from whence may
be obtained a very fine view of Paris, and in one of the legs will be a winding
staircase running up to the tower.
[print:
Porte St.
Martin ]
This
fountain is to be constructed of stone of Château Landon, and a semi-circular
arch of stone upon the canal in the middle of the place is to carry this
stupendous figure, which will be in bronze and will, when completed, stand 72
ft high. Jet d’Eau will issue from the
trunk, forming a most beautiful cascade, falling into the ditch of the Ancient
Bastille, and will afterwards run into the Seine.
We went next to the Plate Glass Manufactory. The plates are made in Picardy 30
leagues from Paris
and brought here to be polished and employ 500 people; we were shown the
process of polishing, quick-silvering and tinning the plates. The largest plate
ever made was in the manufactory and measured 117 ft by 41 and was valued at 15,393
francs, but by a flaw in the plate is reduced in value to 1236 frs. From this
place our Valet next conducted us to Vincennes.
Vincennes
is a large village, famous for its forest called the Bois de Vincennes and its
ancient Royal Château; it is considered an impregnable fortress and since the
time of Bonaparte it has become a state prison. It was defended against the
allies for a considerable time by 700 men. The Prussians attacked it with
13,000 men and lost 4000; the Governor at last surrendered it by an order sent
him by Bonaparte.
[print: Château de Vincennes.]
The Duke d’Enghien, who was arrested in Germany in March
1804, was brought here, tried, condemned, and shot immediately in one of the
ditches of the Castle, and his body was interred on the spot where he fell. On the eve of his anniversary of his death
[in] 1816, a search was made for his body by order of Louis XVIII; it was
discovered near a tree and placed in a coffin and removed to a chamber in the
Château, the same in which he was condemned to Death by the military Commission,
and where the body is to remain till the chapel is properly repaired to receive
it; near the coffin is shown an immense stone which the wretches hurled at him
after he was shot. In the ditch is a
small Pillar [small drawing of it, in the middle of the sentence] with the
words Hic cecidit [?]. The Chamber is
dark, a small Altar stands in the recess of the window, and mass is daily said
for the repose of his soul. A sentinel mounts guard every day. Upon entering
the Chamber, which is hung with black, you are almost horror struck at the
remembrance of the execrable deed.
The Château is of considerable size; it has nine square
Towers and many deep ditches faced with stone. The Chapel is called La Sante Chapelle, is of
Gothic architecture, and has some windows of beautiful painted glass, but we
were not admitted within the fortress as it is still a State Prison and has
military service performed; it is also a depot for cannon. During our stay, a company of artillery or
Royal Guard marched out over the draw bridge, with trumpets sounding, drumbeats
and colours flying, drawing with them some pieces of cannon which they were
going to exercise on the plain in front of the fortress; it produced a very
fine effect.
Leaving Vincennes we
proceeded to visit the cemetery
of Père-Lachaise. Since the revolutionary epoch, it has been forbidden
to bury the dead within the walls of Paris,
and three cemeteries have been established. On entering the cemetery, every
person is struck with surprise the first time he sees it. “The effect produced
on the mind on viewing this vast extraordinary and interesting scene, I am
totally at a loss to describe, sumptuous and splendid Palaces we expected to
see, but a place like this where nature and affections form the prominent
features I was not prepared to meet.” The
senses are arrested by a kind of romantic enthusiasm, every turbulent passion
is charmed to rest, and you feel inclined to sit down in sympathy with the
mourners over the graves of their departed friends. Here are many interesting monuments, some of
great simplicity, some of large dimensions and magnificence; here are the
monuments of many literary characters who have enlightened the world by their
writings, and many Heroes who have served their country. Genls
[Generals] Masséna & Moreau are
buried here, Ney was interred but his body has been removed; here is also a
stone erected to the memory of the unfortunate Officer Labédoyère, who was shot
for joining Bonaparte on his return from Elba 1815. His widow is represented in
sculpture weeping over her Daughter and under is written – I live but for you. To particularize the monuments would be
endless but one more than those in general is worthy of notice – the most
remarkable and interesting monument is in the Gothic style and contains the
ashes of Abélard and Eloïse.
The Inscription
Les Corps D’Abélard et Heloïse
Ont été transporté dans l’An
1143 Avril 24.
In
this church is a much admired picture of Louis 13th. There are also some well painted window panes
representing the martyrdom of St. Stephen.
Behind the Choir is a Chapel in which are the monuments of Racine and
Pascal. In a low gallery which leads
round a court, the windows of which are famous for their brilliant and finished
paintings, there is one of the Devil with a pair of bellows fanning the flame
of rebellion – a curious piece.
The
Museum of Natural History next attracted our
attention. The cabinet of Natural History may be considered as one of the
finest in Europe Here is a most valuable
collection of Fishes, Reptiles, Metals in various states of combination, and
everything to facilitate the study of Mineralogy, Carbonates, Sulphates, Granite,
Fossils and remains of bones of animals
probably become extinct, productions of Volcanic Countries, and a superb
assemblage of Birds and Beasts in the highest order and preservation in the
Zoological gallery, which all parts of the world have contributed to enrich
with rare insects and shells, corals, sponges, eggs of birds, silk worms and
caterpillars.
Leaving
the Museum we proceeded to the Gobelin manufactory. Saturday being the day of
public admission, the workmen were at the looms, and we were much pleased at
the simplicity of the work and the correctness with which they finished the
design taken from the most noted paintings.
The manufacture of tapestry is in what is termed Hautes Basse-Lisse. In
the work called the basse-lisse the loom is placed horizontally like that of
the weaver – in the haute lisse, the warp is vertical and the workman works in
front of his work. We saw some pieces
quite finished, others in different stages, all expressed with the greatest
correctness of design – and with all the force and vivacity(?) of the coloring
of the master. The smallest pieces we saw would take a year to complete and
finish, the largest five years. This
manufactory is the property of the government and is supported by the king, and
no piece can be purchased without a royal order. We terminated this day by a
short visit to the Louvre and returned to dinner at the Table D’Hôte.
September
23, Sunday – Paris
The
whole of last night it rained in torrents, but this morning was fine, and we
attended divine service at the Chapel of the English Ambassador. The church service was very well performed,
but the Hall or Dining Room where the congregation assembled, and there was a
very large one, was so unlike a place of worship that it certainly did not inspire
one with much devotion. We dined this
day at 1 o’clock and in the afternoon went to the Fête of St. Cloud. We left Paris
by the Barrière de L’Étoile or Neuilly (the barrieres
of Paris are
chiefly of use to prevent smuggling of those articles into the capital which
the Law requires should pay a certain duty previous to entrance. Wines and
eatables generally are subject to this charge; and the market people who supply
Paris are
exposed to an examination, some times a search, at the barriere).
[print:
Barrière de L’Étoile]
At
this Barrière, Bonaparte began to erect a triumphal arch, which was to have
surpassed every similar edifice in magnitude, and on which was to have been
recorded the triumphs of the French Armies.
It remains in an unfinished state, but deserves to be completed as its
design is upon the grandest scale and must be considered as a national
ornament. Here also are two magnificent
buildings, one on each side of the Arch, erected as guard houses for the Corps
du Garde. The road from hence leads through the Bois de Bologne [sic], which is
a Forest, and after passing through the Village, sometimes along the banks of
the Seine, which you cross by a bridge to St. Clouds [sic]; from this bridge
you obtain most delightful and Picturesque views on the Seine, which is studded
with islets, St. Cloud Bagatelle, and Pont du Sevre(?), terminating with forests
rising most majestically, and on the summit of the whole stands the Royal Palace
of Belle Vue.
[print:
Cascade de St. Cloud]
St. Cloud, its Fête. The fête of St. Cloud begins the 7th
of September and lasts three Sundays, and on the two last is most numerously
attended; this happened to be the last.
Before we got to the village, it poured with rain; the Parisians were
really washed out of the Park and Gardens, but as the Cascades and Fountains
only play on these Sundays, except when any person of distinction is visiting
the King, Major –, W, and myself were determined, notwithstanding the rain, to
see this wondrous exhibition of waterworks.
The ladies could not quit the carriage and were obliged to view them
from a distance. These Cascades consume
an immense quantity of water; it has been calculated that the enormous mass of
3700 hogsheads is required to supply them for one hour. The grand Jet d’Eau is
called Jet Giant and is placed in the front of a fine large alley, which
terminates in the grand avenue near Esplanade l’Etoile, surrounded by lofty
trees whose summits are refreshed by its fall. It rises 125 ft, consumes 600
hogsheads of water in an hour, and the Basin into which it falls is an acre in
extent. During the time of the fête, the Park, Gardens and Chateau are open to
the diversion of the Public; the Park is filed with booths of all descriptions,
the waterworks play about an hour.
Upon
our return, which was early, and on reentering Paris we found the streets completely under
water; in has rained in torrents the whole of the afternoon. The evening became fine but exceedingly hot
and oppressive. We remained at home the
rest of the Evening.
September 24th Paris
[print:
Palais Bourbon (Chamber des Députés)
We
this morning began our tour with a visit to the Hospital of the Blind. In our way thither we passed the new part of
the Louvre, which is very superior in point of taste and elegance to any other
part of the building and was constructed by order of Bonaparte; his bust had
been originally affixed to the front of the building but is now taken down;
many condemn the government for destroying every trace of Napoleon, but perhaps
it is politically right. The Hospital for the Blind was unfortunately closed
for the holidays, and would not reopen for admission till December; of course
we could not be admitted.
We
next proceeded to the Chamber of Deputies. In 1814 after the King’s restoration, His
Majesty entered into an arrangement with the Prince de Condé by which the part
of the Palais Boubon now called the Chamber of Deputies, or French House of
Commons, was ceded for the purpose to the government or nation forever. The
position of this edifice is facing the Tuilleries and the Champs-Elysées and also
faces Pont Louis 16. We entered by the
Rue de Bourse. The front facing the bridge is magnificent and is composed of
several columns of fine proportion, supporting a triangular pediment
representing Law, seated between the two tables of the Royal Charter with words
Chart et Loi [sic] in a scroll and leaning on Force and Justice, besides many others
too numerous to mention. The Chamber is
of semicircular form, lighted from the roof and disposed like an Amphitheater
and is the House of Commons of France. The King here opens the sessions, seated
in his chair of State, which is placed in a recess decorated with the busts of
Louis 16, 17, 18 the latter badly executed; the members when they speak ascend
a marble rostrum; a gallery goes all around the upper part of the Chamber,
composed of 30 Columns and as many Pilasters, for the admission of the Public,
and adjoining are two rooms called Salle des Gardes and Salon du Roi. In the
Salle des Gardes is a fine bust of the Duc de Berri and a whole length statue
of Henri 4th and of Francis 1.
In this and the Hall of Conference are several good pictures, The Death
of the Chevalier Bayard, The Surrender of Calais, The Death of Socrates, Hero
and Leander. The Salon du Roi is a grand state department magnificently
decorated with twelve Corinthian Pilasters supporting a vaulted ceiling, on
which are all the names of the battles in which the French armies were
victorious – they are 78 in number. There is also in this salon a full length
picture of the King and of the Duchess of [sic] d’Angoulème; here is also a
very splendid clock, which our guide particularly requested us to remark.
Wisdom is represented showing the hours of Time, the hours turn round; on
coming under the scythe held by Time, the clock strikes. There is a clock of
great splendor and beauty at the Duchess de Berri’s Palais de l’Elysées Bourbon
which I omitted to notice. History requesting(?) Time will stop till she has
finished her record. In this room is the chair of state once used
by Bonaparte, the eagles have given way to the Fleurs-de-Lis; and on the
ceiling Bonaparte has been represented entering Naples and Venice, but it is
now changed. In the other room of the
Chamber of Deputies are whole length paintings of the Marshalls of France. The
Palais Bourbon is a part of the Chamber of Deputies and forms a good
comfortable residence and possesses some fine pictures of the great Condé and
Marshall Turenne as well as some fine specimens in bronze, particularly one of
the Prince throwing away his baton into the lines of Fribourg, having lost the
battle.
[print:
Hôtel des Invalides]
Today
we visited the Hôtel des Invalides. It was Phillip Augustus, a truly great
Prince, who first conceived the project of assuring to invalid soldiers an
honorable retreat, and it was Louis 14th who executed this vast
design, and is one of the finest monuments of that or any other reign, and in
some respects resembles the Chelsea Hospital of this country. The principal front has three stories above
the ground floor and presents a central projection which is the grand entrance
on which Louis 14th is represented on horseback in low relief; the
figure of the King was destroyed in the revolution but is now restored. Two noble statues of Mars and Minerva are on
the sides of the door, and against the angles are placed the figures of 4
slaves in bronze by Desjardins. Nothing
in fact can be more majestic than this edifice, nothing grander than its plan,
nothing finer than its execution; but when we have gone over the courts, the
buildings, the churches, and the galleries, which altogether occupy a surface
of 100,000 ft or more, our astonishment increases when we entered the Cour
Royale, which is one of the finest productions of architecture and is 312 ft
long by 192 broad. This noble asylum can contain 8000 men, at present there are
not more than 4000; neither officers or [sic] men can be admitted under 60
years of age or 30 years service; they are then entitled to admission, whether
wounded or not; from their numbers, they are obliged to dine at different hours
viz. 11, 12, & 1; the allowance for the Men is ½ lb of meat, with
vegetables, Bread and a bottle of wine per day, and meat for supper. Captains and Lieutenants dine at 1 o’clock in
a public room; they were seated at table while we were there, we saw the dinner
going in which was excellent and plentiful and served upon plate, which service
was given them by the Empress Marie Louise. Officers of a higher rank than Captain have
dinner in their private apartments. There is also an extensive and valuable
library for the use of the Hospital in the central Pavilion, which was
considerably enlarged by Bonaparte, and now contains about 18,000 Volumes. In the council room are many fine paintings
of deceased Officers.
The
Church is extremely magnificent and dedicated to St. Louis; the Dome is considered as the
masterpiece of French architecture. This Church, like most others in France, suffered much during the revolution;
above 3000 Colours of all nations were deposited here but were burnt the night
before the allied armies entered Paris,
by order of Joseph Bonaparte. We entered the Church from the Cour Royale, by a
portico highly enriched with a great quantity of sculpture in groups of horses,
trophies, &c.; and after seeing part, we were obliged to return, in
consequence of its being under repair, and reenter it at the other front, which
is called the Chapel and is considered the grand entrance, the door of which
was never opened but for the Sovereign.
On this side, the Portal and the elegant and tapering form of the dome
appear to the greatest advantage. It is
impossible to describe the grandeur of this building; the part which is under
the dome is called the Chapel, and round the dome are 4 Chapels, beautiful in
effect & celebrated for the stained and painted glass of windows. The high Altar, which at present time is only
temporary, is constructing anew, and when completed is to form two fronts, one
to the Church and one to the Chapel, and from the position in the elevated
sanctuary between the dome and the church, will have something magical and
extraordinary, whether it be considered from the side of the church or from the
dome. The Chapels are dedicated to
different Saints. The pavement of the dome and Chapels is remarkable for its
beautiful compartments intermixed with lilies and cyphers and the Arms of
France. Two fine bronze monuments are already placed here, one of Marshall
Turenne [Henri de La Tour] which formerly stood in the Cathedral of St. Denis,
and opposite is that of Vauban the famous French engineer.
[print:
Place Louis XV]
We
quitted this superb place at three o’clock, crossed the Pont Louis 16th
to Place Louis 15th. Here are
four marble groups of figures placed at the entrance to the Tuileries and the
Champs-Elysées; the two last are Grooms holding Horses, the others are Mercury
and Fame on winged Horses. Place Louis Quinze is 760(?) ft. long by 522 ft.
broad between the interior construction. During the time of anarchy is [sic]
was called Place de la Revolution, afterwards de la Condorcet, and in 1814
resumed its former name. This is by far the most magnificent part of Paris and the most interesting; upon this spot the
unfortunate Louis 16th and his Queen Marie Antoinette suffered death
by the guillotine, and our guide informed us they were three hours conducting
the King from the prison to the place of execution; the Temple is now erased. As a relief from the fatigue of viewing public
edifices, we concluded the day with a visit to Montmartre.
Our guide, being a very intelligent clever fellow in general, gave us very correct information; he told us
that Montmartre is supposed to derive its name from being the spot where St.
Denis and his companions were martyred, and that before the revolution, there
was a Convent of Benedictine Nuns on the summit of this hill, also that in 1814,
Joseph Bonaparte established his headquarters at Montmartre, from whence he
fled, and that the French troops were obliged to retreat into Paris, and the
opposing army bivouacked on the night of the 30th of June on the
mountain. From this spot we had a most
delightful Panorama view of Paris, and from this
hill the views are very extensive and Paris
appears to great advantage. Montmartre is remarkable for the number of
windmills on its summit and for supplying a vast quantity of Plaster of Paris
and is also celebrated for the fossil remains of birds and animals; from this
charming spot we returned home, dined at the Table D’Hôte, and passed the
evening at the hotel.
Sept.
25, Paris
Breakfasted
at 10 o’clock; did not go out this morning; dined at the table d’hote. Walked
in the gardens of the Tuileries in the evening.
Mr. E & family took their tea with us. Mr. [illegible] came in, played a rubber of
whist – lost.
Sept.
26, Paris
The
fall of rain on Sunday being so heavy as to prevent us from seeing the Palace
and Gardens of St. Cloud, we determined upon a second visit to that Royal
residence. We therefore breakfasted this
morning early & set out at ½ past ten o’clock. Left Paris by the Champs Elysées thro the Avenue
Neuilly, and a short distance from the barriere on the left, we entered the
Bois de Boulogne, the spot where the English army bivouacked the night before they entered Paris; they remained here
three months. There are many roads or passes
thro the Forest which are called the rendezvous for hunters; the pass we took
was through a beautiful avenue of Acacias which terminates at the village Bois de
Boulogne, from whence to St. Cloud we had many
delightful views of the Seine and the
country. The forests have been much
mutilated and destroyed by the armies, the city of Paris not being able to furnish the rations
of wood necessary for the fuel.
[print:
Château de St. Cloud]
The
Town and Palace of St. Cloud is situated on the banks of the Seine, and has
been a royal residence almost coeval with the French monarchy, and will always
be remarkable in the annals of the French revolution, as it was here that
Bonaparte dismissed the council of 500, upon his return from Egypt, which
placed upon the throne of France [sic]. The town of St. Cloud is situated upon a hill, the houses
in general ill built, but the country houses or châteaux are remarkable for
their construction and fine situation and having the surrounding country almost
entirely cultivated with vines.
The
Château of St. Cloud is situated on the left of the bridge on entering the town
and on the southern slope of the hill. The Palace in the exterior is a plain
irregular building, forming three sides of a square, and is distinguished for
its Gardens, magnificent Cascades and beautiful views, which extend over an
immense space towards the East beyond Paris
and the neighbouring country. The principal front is adorned with many fine
pieces of sculpture, which you enter by a vestibule called the Grande Vestibule
and this leads to the Grand Appartemens [sic]. In the vestibule to the right is the grand
Staircase of polished marble and correspondents [sic] with the apartments to
which it leads; beyond is a bronze staircase of exquisite workmanship, which
leads to the various appartmens [sic] d’honneur of the Royal inmates. Our
conductor was so rapid in his movements through the different rooms that it was
impossible to remark particularly the different pieces of furniture and
splendid ornaments of the magnificent Salons, Halls, Galleries, &c. I shall therefore refer to Galignani’s guide
to Paris for particulars and only notice that
these superb(?) suites(?) of apartments are in general hung with Tapestry of
the Gobelin manufactory, the Chairs and Sofas of the Beauvais manufacture. The State apartments of the Duke and Duchess
of Angouleme are hung with crimson velvet and rich gold bordering; those of the
King are principally finished with the most beautiful and elegant Lyons silk
and contain many fine pieces of Sèvres China Vases of great magnitude worth
30,000 francs, beautiful tables of Mother of Pearl and of Lapis Lazuli, and a
clock which points out the time of day in various parts of the world at the
same time. The library was not in good
order. The Gallery, which contains many
good Pictures and superb Cabinets inlaid with precious stones and enormous
large jars of the Sèvres China valued at 24,000 francs, and one with a blue
ground valued at 60,000 francs, commands a very extensive view over the Park,
and the Seine is seen in winding in various directions, and beyond appears the
whole of Paris with its numerous Domes and Towers, and the whole combined
renders it worthy of royalty. The King resides at this Palace about six weeks
in the Year. From the Palace, we walked
to the flower gardens, which are laid out according to French taste in formal
parterres and straight rows of stately Orange Trees; many of these are 15 ft.
high, but are never suffered to bear fruit as the orange flowers in France are
considered so valuable the trees are stripped as soon as the blossom is
sufficiently expanded.
From
St. Cloud we drove thro the Park to the village of Sèvres to see the celebrated manufactory
of Porcelain. Here we are shown a fine
collection of ornamental vases and tables, besides a large and beautiful assortment
of every description of China and of every degree of value: vases 6 ft. in
height worth 27,000 francs; Tables, the tops of which were divided into eight
compartments, each containing a finely finished painting of one of the royal
Palaces and the legs, bodies and edge of the Tables highly gilt and elegantly
finished, valued at 35,000 fr.; plates from 1 fr. to 60-120 frs., and some for
presents worth from 15 to 25 napoleons each. This manufactory works exclusively for the
King’s household, and when he has fixed his choice, the rest is sold. Many of the colours are not equal in
brilliancy to our Worchester China, though from the fineness of the clay, the
transparency of the white may be superior. Leaving this place we returned by the new bridge of Sevre which is now opened to the Public.
Here the Seine dividing, forms by its serpentine
windings many islets, which with the Palace, the Town and luxuriant hanging
woods of St. Cloud, Forests, Vineyards, and the Château of Belle Vue in the
distance, gives such a varied and diversified scenery as forms the grandest
Coup d’Oeil I ever beheld. We reached
our Hotel about half past 3 o’clock, walked in the gardens of the Tuileries and
dined at the Table D’Hôte. After dinner,
the evening beautifully fine, walked again in the gardens. Returned to tea. Major - and Mr. D. went to the Opera. Miss – not well. Mr. J.B. called to invite us to join a Party in
visiting the private Museum
of Mons. Denon [Dominique
Vivant], the celebrated traveller.
[print:
Jardin du Palais Royal]
Sept.
27, Paris
Breakfasted
early; Miss – too unwell to leave the house. Major -, W. and myself went to the
Palais Royal. The Palais Royal is the name given to the Palace which is the
residence of the Duke of Orleans in Paris,
but this part no longer belongs to the Duke.
It consists of small arcades with space for shops, very similar to the
western and Burlington Arcades, only upon a very large and extensive scale, and
is now one of the most frequented shops in Town and the general place of resort
both for business and pleasure; above the second range of apartments are the
gaming houses where the most horrid scenes are carried on; in the brilliant
shops of the stone(?) gallery round the garden is to be found every thing that
is useful, ornamental and splendid, everything to gratify the taste in
restaurateurs, confectioners, merchandise, and all the most modern productions
of the arts, and contains at the same time all that is infamous and destructive
and is the public m[illegible] of sin and seduction. After walking once round, we returned to take
Mrs. – to the Louvre Gallery of Paintings; in our way thither we passed in the
Place de Carousel the royal carriages with the infant Duke de Bourdeaux, the
future King of France, and we saw the Swiss Corps du Garde mount guard at the
Palace, after which we proceeded to the Paintings, a particular description of
which I shall not attempt but must refer to Galignani’s guide.
[print:
Gallerie Du Louvre]
This
stupendous gallery is 1332 ft. in length by 42 ft. in breadth, but like most
other buildings of the kind in France
is not of proportionate height. It
contains Pictures of great value, and they are arranged in different schools;
the young artists are permitted to study the different masters and copy any of
the pieces they may select. Before we had seen a third part of the Gallery, Mr.
B. called to take us to the Baron Denon’s, No. 5 Quai Voltaire, the scientific
Egyptian traveler. In our way thither we
stopped, by the recommendation of our friend, to look at a superb iron gate in
the new part of the Louvre put up by order of Bonaparte; as a work of exquisite
workmanship and art it is worth notice.
At
the Baron Denon’s by the introduction of Mr. B, we were shown everything rare
and curious; his Museum is one of the most celebrated for its collection of
objects relative to Arts and Antiquities and seems to contain the curiosities
of all the world. The Baron has been a great traveller – is the perfect
Frenchman of the old school – the only one, by the bye, I have seen since I
have been in France, and has been much in the confidence and service of
Bonaparte, and evinced his gratitude to his late master by displaying in every
apartment busts in bronze or marble of the late Emperor, many of them undoubtedly
very fine. He is also a member of the
Legion of Honor, and should the traveller be fortunate enough to obtain an introduction,
he will do well to avail himself of it.
In our way home from this exhibition to set Mrs. – down, we saw the King
set out for his morning drive. Mr. D and
myself afterwards accompanied Mr. and Mrs. -- to the Hospice Des Enfans [sic]
Trouves, founded by the benevolent St. Vincent de Paul, but made a dependence
of the General Hospital at Paris by Louis 14th about the year 1670;
it is also much assisted by voluntary contributions. The Foundling
Hospital in Paris is for children of both sexes; they are
admitted night and day from the time of their birth without any inquiring; the
only form of admission is to pull the bell, and the Portress attends to receive
the child, which is immediately taken to the infirmary and examined and if
diseased, detained there. There were this
day [number illegible] children in the wards, out of which the sister concluded
50 would die, indeed, some expired during our visit, and many were about to
expire. The kindness, cleanliness, and
attention to these poor unfortunate, helpless little creatures was truly
admirable. We next visited those in a healthy state. The ward was in the most perfect state of
cleanliness, and the children sleep in separate cots with white calico
covering; they are for the first day fed with sugar and water, afterwards milk
is added to it, and this treatment is continued till the Matron can procure a
wet nurse, who must reside in the country; this is generally accomplished in
three or four days. A child had this
morning been brought in born without arms.
I requested one of the sisters to undress it for me to examine. The arms were both short at the shoulder;
there was a line of cicatrix strongly marked upon each arm as if amputation had
been performed, and one leg was shorter than the other & deformed. There was also a defect in the mouth whereby
it could not take the breast. The
children are clothed by the Institution till they are six years old, and
maintained in board till they are 12 years of age, after which period they are
supposed to be capable of procuring their own livelihood. The number of
children admitted annually are from 5 to 6000, and costs the Government above 2
millions of francs. It is
[illegible] by the Sisters of the
Hospital of St. Vincent & La Charite and is kept in the highest possible
order. The Church is particularly neat,
and much admired, and contains a magnificent statue of St. Vincent de Paul by Stouf(?). We left a trifling donation. Near this spot, Marshal Ney was shot. From the Hospice des Enfans Trouves, we returned
home, dined at the Table d’Hôte, evening wet. Mr. D – went to the Theatre, the rest of our
party at home. Miss – confined to her
room; Mr. E called upon us about 8 o’clock; played a rubber of whist – lost.
September
28, Paris
Breakfasted
early, Miss - better but not able to leave her room; a French hotel not the
most delightful place in the world to be ill at, as it’s very difficult to
procure female attendance. Major – and
Mr. D. gone to the Jardin des Plantes. Mrs.
R. and myself at home until two o’clock, visited the Hotel Dieu, Notre Dame,
Pont Neuf, Tuileries, and the Palais Royale.
The Hotel Dieu is situated in the [illegible] Notre Dame and is the most
ancient Hospital in Paris.
In this house are received the wounded
and the sick, with the exception of incurable and insane persons. The
apartments are freely ventilated; and the sick have each a bed to themselves,
with the greatest kindness and attention paid to their comforts & wants,
& attended by the dames(?) religieuses of St. Augustine (called the Hospitalliers or
Sisters of Charity). I was truly
gratified and delighted with the order and regularity observed throughout this
noble hospital. From the cases I saw, I
should conclude the patients themselves had been great lovers of eau de vie.
The
Pont Neuf was celebrated for the statue of Henry 4th on horseback,
the first public monument of this species erected in Paris.
This statue was destroyed by the Parisians in 1790, and the present
Equestrian Statue of Henry 4th on the restoration of Louis 18th was
erected by voluntary contribution. This
monument cost 337-860 fr. and is a noble production. It is said that the fusion of the metal was
so complete and successful that the artist, when he beheld the statue, leapt
with joy. The stirrup leather(?) is
defective in correctness.
We
returned home at 4 o’clock and dined at the Table d’Hôte. The Evening at home.
[print:
Palais du Louvre.]
Sept.
29, Paris
A
very stormy night of Wind and Rain, great quantities of water fallen. Breakfasted at nine o’clock. Wind very high, cloudy sky & rain. Major –, Mr. –, and Mrs. R. went to the
Marché des Innocens to purchase flowers, from thence to the Tuileries; returned
at one o’clock. Today the Anniversary of the birth of the Duc de Bourdeaux; the
Parisians very tame and quiet about their future king, the levee and drawing
room but thinly attended. At three
o’clock visited the Louvre. The Louvre
is the most ancient of all Royal Palaces and at different periods has served as
a palace to Kings, a prison to the great Lords, and as a treasury of the State.
The present building was completed in the year 1670 and consists of three projecting
buildings united together and is 535 ft. in length. The principal door or entrance is in the
central projection, opening into a magnificent Vestibule, which leads to the
Royal Museum of Statues and other Halls in the lower splendid apartments of the
Louvre, which are decorated with marble columns, tessellated floors, and gilt
and painted ceilings. The collection of Antique Statues, Altars, &c., are
elegantly arranged. Here are also two
very curious Vases of immense size – they are placed at a considerable distance
apart, and when one person whispers into either, a second person may, by
applying his ear to the edge of the other, distinctively hear whatever is said. From the same Vestibule, you ascend the great
staircase and enter the picture gallery, which I have before noticed. Here are many fine pictures of the Dutch, Flemish,
Italian and French
Schools, a few fine
Claudes, and the celebrated Picture of the Marriage of Canaan by Paul Veronese;
but the finest pieces are removed from the Gallery and restored to the
different Courts from whence they were taken.
This Gallery was supposed to have contained the most numerous and superb
collection in Europe; the light by
connoisseurs is said to be bad. Returned
home at five o’clock and dined with the Ladies. Major - and Mr. D dine at the table d’hote and
arfterwards went to the Opera. Few or no lights or any public demonstrations of
joy appeared in the Theater this evening in the honor of the day.
September
30, Paris
Breakfasted
early and attended divine service at the French Protestant
Church, prayers admirably
read in English. Returned at 11 o’clock
and at three o’clock we set out for Malmaison, the road to which has nothing to
recommend it particularly to the notice of travelers, nor indeed has the place
itself anything very interesting, except that it was a favorite residence of
the Empress Josephine, and the spot from whence Bonaparte took his last flight. The Château or mansion of Malmaison
is a good comfortable residence, much like that of a country English squire. The entrance is in the centre by a small neat
lobby or Vestibule, opening into the Salon and Dining Room, which forms a kind
of Egyptian tent, very plainly furnished and paved with black and white marble
squares. To this succeeds the once
famous Salle du Conseil, or Drawing Room, where many of the most important
plans of Bonaparte are said to have been discussed and agreed to by his
counselors. It is singularly fitted up
in form of a tent, ornamented with military trophies, which has an admirable effect. In this room are the portraits of Josephine
and of Hortense, Queen of Holland, and her two children; they are said to be
good likeness but indifferently executed; also a portrait of Frederic of
Prussia on horseback. Adjoining this
room is the library, the last room Bonaparte inhabited, and which our guide
told us remained exactly in the same state as he left it in, but that is not
the case for the Prussians overturned everything the moment they got
possession. It is small and fitted up in
solid mahogany, and between the columns are busts of Josephine and Hortense,
and also one of the Emperor of Prussia, a model of the Cathedral of St. Denis
in silver, and a beautiful Gondola of curious workmanship in Ivory. The ceiling is colored and on which are
painted the heads of the Poets. The library has nothing remarkable. The State
apartments consists of a Chapel of a very small size, the altar piece and all
the fittings up removed, a music room, and Picture gallery which contains a few
Paintings. The floor of this room is
beautifully inlaid with colored woods of various sorts, and out of this room
you enter the Theatre, which will hold about 400 persons. On the first floor is
the Bathroom, Boudoir, Antiroom [sic], and Bedroom (the latter circular) of
Josephine, but every article of furniture and ornament is removed by Eugène
Beauharnais, from these, as well as from the other apartments. Bonaparte
resided here two years when he was first Consul. The Empress died here after a
few days of illness; she was much esteemed and respected. The Emperor of Russia
made her frequent visits whilst he was in Paris
in 1814. The Empress bequeathed
Malmaison to Eugène Beauharnais, who married a Princess of Bavaria and resided
at Munich(?). Josephine was buried at Rueil, where there is a Monument about to
be erected to her memory by order of Eugène. In the back(?) front leading from
the Salon to the grounds are two Egyptian Pillars of great value brought by the
Baron Denon, and from this place you have a fine view of the Aqueduct at Marly
[le Roi] and of St. Germain in the distance.
We returned to dinner. Dinner
served up in our apartments, charged most enormously, ordered tea at eight
o’clock. Settled our expenses for the
week and made arrangements for seeing Versailles
tomorrow.
October
1, Paris
The
morning wet and unfavorable and the ladies indisposed, we deferred our excursion
to Versailles
till tomorrow. Wishing to see everything
worthy of notice that presented, Mr. -, myself, and Major - went to abattoir or
Public butcheries, which well deserves the traveller’s attention. The contagious maladies arising from the
infectious effluvia from the slaughter houses, and the many accidents caused by
driving the cattle thro the narrow streets of Paris, induced the Government to remove all
the slaughter houses from the central parts of the City to airy open spots
towards the extremities of the Town. There are five of these public buildings now
erected, and butchers are no longer allowed to kill their cattle in any place
but the public Abattoirs. Like all the
public buildings, they bear a character of grandeur and magnificence
proportionate to their destination, and their utility also is indisputable as
they preserve the streets free from the offensive sight of blood & filth
and prevent the cruel scenes that disgrace London, a nuisance and disgrace which it is
hoped will soon be done away. The
Abattoirs were begun in 1811 and opened to the public in 1818. Every convenience is consulted and admirably adapted
to the purposes for which they were erected; above the slaughter houses are
immense garrets for drying the skins and hides, by which the effluvia is
carried off, and for depositing the tallow, and in the court are sheep folds,
calf pens, ox stalls, stables, lofts for forage, cart sheds, melting houses,
and at the bottom of the court is a convenient watering place and every part so
continually washed that nothing offensive remains.
[drawing
of a cow, labeled: a cow harnessed to prevent wreaking pasture or destroying
trees. A sketch taken at the repository of Arts and Trades – Paris, Octr. 1821]
The
expenses of keeping up these establishments are defrayed by a duty paid to the
city on each animal slaughtered. The beasts and calves are large and bony and in
good condition, the sheep thin. We proceeded next to the Repository of Arts in
the Rue St. Martin; this was formerly an ancient Priory, the convent of
Benedictine Nuns, but now the repository of Arts & Trades. The vestibule of this Museum was formerly the
Church of the Priory and contains the most bulky machines, such as models of
fire engines, Hydraulic Machines, fire escapes, agricultural implements, an
English maryle(?), &c. The other
apartments chiefly contain models of ploughs, thrashing machines, windmills,
wine sugar oil [illegible] presses, steam engines and a correct model of the
old and new machine at Marly, also the one at Génève which supplies the whole
city with water, and other hydraulic machines. There are also large rooms
containing looms, carding machines, and machines for spinning silks, and clocks
of rare and curious structure – and a very useful and simple piece of harness
to prevent cattle breaking pasture or injuring trees.
Amongst
the various improvements which are daily appearing is the construction of a
magnificent edifice for the Minister for Foreign Affairs, which is now rising
on the quay d’Orsay, near the hotel of the King’s Guards, and between the
streets of Bourbon, Belle Chasse & Poriters(?). The Hôtel de la Legion d’Honneur on rue
Bourbon is one of the most elegant edifices of which Paris boasts; it was built in 1786, and the
principal entrance is in the form of a triumphal arch. Marshall M’Donnell, the
Duke of Terentium(?), is the chancellor.
The apartments are neat and convenient and decorated with paintings. Made a second visit to the Chamber of
Deputies and copied the inscription under the statue of Henry 4th
Le violent amour que
Je port à mes Sujets
Me fait trouver tout
Aisé et honorable.
Assemblé des Notables 1596
And
on the pedestal of the bust of the Duke de Berri in the same room is the
following:
J’avais éspéré
Verser mon Sang
Pour la France
We returned at four; in our way home we noticed the École de Médicine. The
École de Médicine, from its pure and finished style, is considered as one of
the finest in Paris; it is composed of
four buildings forming a court, with an elegant façade to the street of 196 ft.
in length, and above the entrance is a large low relief, beautifully executed,
representing Government granting favors and privileges to Surgery accompanied
by Wisdom. Dined at the Table D’Hôte,
the Evening at Home.
[print: Grand Trianon à Versailles]
October 2, Paris
Breakfasted early, the morning fine.
Mr. -, Major - and myself set out
for Versailles,
the Ladies were too much indisposed to join our party. Our first visit was directed to Great and Little
Trianon, two small Palaces of great splendor situated in the Park of Versailles.
The Château of Great Trianon is of a
very pleasing and elegant form, consisting of two wings, terminated by two
Pavilions, united by a corridor composed of Pillars and Pilasters of Languedoc
Marble, and is now the vestibule or entrance to the Palace. In the left wing are the apartments of the
Queen and in the right are those of the King, which you enter by the Salle des
Gardes, to which is adjoined a small room used as a chapel. The paintings of
many of the apartments were removed during the reign of Bonaparte. In the Salon of the Nobles is a portrait in
full length of Louis 13th made at the Gobelins Manufactory, the
colours of which are much faded; the chairs are of Bauvais tapestry and some of
the bedrooms are hung with the same; and all the furniture of the State Rooms,
as well as some others, is the same as used by Bonaparte, but it is rather in
decay. Here is a fine Gallery of
Pictures; the pleasure grounds are delightful and adorned with many handsome
buildings, statues, cascades, &c. Great
Trianon was built by Louis 14th for Madame Maintenon, and was used
by Louis 14th, 15th and 16th as a retreat from noise and
parade and also much frequented by Bonaparte.
Little Trianon is a small palace situated at a short distance from the
former, and was formed by Louis 14th
; it consists of a square pavilion composed of a ground floor and two stories
and given by Louis 14th to his Queen.
We
breakfasted this morning at 9 o’clock and left the Hotel Meurice at ½ past 10
on our return to England.
On leaving Paris by the Barriere St. Denis,
which is the great road to England by Calais thro Amiens, we first entered the
village of La Chapelle, situated in the plain St. Denis between the hill of
Montmartre and the village of La Villette [?], and two leagues to the north of Paris
brings the traveller to St. Denis and which recalls to our remembrance those
days of ruin.
“When this groaning country bled at every vein(?),
When murders, rapes and massacres prevailed,
When Churches, Palaces and Cities blazed,
When insolence & barbarism triumphed
And swept away distinction; peasants trod
Upon the necks of nobles; low were laid
The reverend Crozier & the holy Mitre
And desolation covered all the land.”
“When those worse than savage monsters, not content with shedding rivers, nay
oceans, of human blood, invaded the sacred mansion of the dead, tore from their
silent tombs, where they had for ages reposed in peace, the bones of the
departed Kings and Heroes and scattered them to the winds of heaven.”
[print: Église Abbaye de St. Denis]
St. Denis is celebrated for being the burial place of the Kings of France,
and they tell you that Dagobert was considered as the principal founder of the
Church, and the first being that was buried there. The Church was destroyed by the father of
Charlemagne, who erected a much larger, but of this remains only the Crypt or subterraneous
Chapels round the Choir, where the kings of France had been deposited for more
than 200 years. The present Church has
received very considerable additions and alterations at different periods, and
few can boast of such remote antiquity. The Church, which is of gothic architecture,
is now under repair, having sustained great injuries at the time of the
revolution. The bones of all the Kings were, by a decree of the Convention,
taken from their tombs and thrown into pits, but their marble effigies were
transferred to the Musée des Monumens française founded by Mons. Lenoir, and since the restoration of
the Bourbons, many have been restored to the vaults destined for the sepulchre
of the Princes of France, where they are to be placed in chronological order.
Bonaparte gave orders for the complete restoration of this church. Many of the
Monuments and Chapels are at present covered up, as well as the high Altar,
which was made for the marriage of Bonaparte with the Empress Marie Louise, and
afterwards given by him to this Church; behind the Altar is a fine Portico,
near which is a shrine given by Louis 18th containing the relics of
St. Denis. The sacristy is small, but adorned with some good paintings ordered
by Bonaparte. On entering the Church, to the left is the tomb of King Dagobert,
to the right that of his wife Nunthildes; in the nave Louis 12th and
Henry 2nd; near the northern door is a spiral column to the memory of
Henry 3rd, and also a funeral(?) one with flames issuing from the
top in memory of Francis 2nd; near the south door is a beautiful
column to Cardinal Bourbon and over the North and South doors are beautiful
rose formed windows of painted glass. The most remarkable object to which your
notice is directed by the guide is the Royal Vault, which is still the same as
that in which the kings were formerly buried; this vault was made up by
Bonaparte for the sepulchre of his own family, but he changed the entrance by the
erection of two brass doors; this entrance has been since closed by two slabs
of black marble and the brass doors removed.
The doors were lying in the vault and are of exquisite workmanship and
very ponderous. In this vault the remains of Louis 16th, his Queen,
and two aunts are deposited; in a vault closed by an iron railing is the coffin
of the Prince de Condé who died in 1817, placed there by the special favour of
the King; the bare coffin rests up [i.e. upon] trestles, exposed to view by the
command of the Prince. On the slabs of
black marble which enclose the royal vault are to be inscribed the names of all
the Princes buried there, and the names of all the Princes whose tombs were
violated during the revolution are inscribed in gold letters on black marble
tablets. The effigies of those Queens who
survived their husbands are represented in religious habits, it being customary
for them to take the veil. There were no
monuments later than Henry the 4th.
From here we proceeded to Chantilly, which
is three postes & ¾(?); the road [illegible] lies thru Ecouen and
Lazareh(?). The famous chateau built by
Anne de Montmorency at Ecoen is still remaining, and the country all the way
from thence to Luzarches is varied and pleasing. Dined and slept at Chantilly at the Hotel le
Bourbon, which is a comfortable small Inn, and
where you can have everything you wish, but they are very extravagant in their
charges. Here there is nothing
particular to remark, the country is pleasingly wooded, some good chateaus, and
many of the farms in good cultivation. Chantilly itself is a miserable place
and a town of no business, situated on the forest which is 60 English miles in
extent and belongs to the Prince de Condé; it was once famed for the splendor
of its palaces, parks, and grounds, and for the heroic Montmorencys and Condés
who inhabited it, but in the revolution the magnificent Palace was destroyed,
and almost all was ruined; a small part however was saved, and Chantilly is at
this time a favorite hunting seat of the Duke de Bourbon de Condé. The stables
in great measure escaped the revolutionary fury and may be called a Palace for
dogs and horses. In the center is a spacious dome around which is more than 60
apartments – on one side of the dome are stalls for 90 horses and were all
formerly filled with English hunters whose names are written over them – and an
equal space on the other side without stalls. Our guide, who was an Irishman,
told us that the Emperor of Russia dined in this dome with many other distinguished
characters; he pointed out where the colossal statue of the horse stood which
ornamented the outside and which was taken down by the rebels and melted into
bullets, where the equestrian statue of Montmorency stood, and many other
anecdotes. Pat, like his countryman, was
very amusing; he had witnessed all the horrors of the revolution and had seen
22,000 troops come in there after the battle of Waterloo.
These noble stables were [illegible] buildings, the walls are 18 ft.
thick, 600(?) ft. long, the Dome 100 ft. high, the stables 55 ft. A little beyond the stables to the left is the
Menage which is a fine building (circular); behind it is the Tennis Court, which is enclosed within a
very noble stone building. The principal palace is a heap of ruins, but the
foundation is intended to be preserved to mark the site it once occupied; and
between the present Chateau and the village is a plain, once part of the forest
of Chantilly, on which the Polish lancers and the British troops bivouacked in
their pursuit of the French Army after the battle of Waterloo. Altho the Prince
de Condé’s fortune suffered greatly at the time of the revolution, his income
is now stated at 5 Million of Francs yearly; from some private pique between
Louis 18th and the present Prince, he does not take the title Condé
but is called Duke de Bourbon. We met
the Duke’s Horses and Hounds and Servants going to some other Hunting seat for
the Season; the servants were 40 in number, and most of them carried a large
French Horn and wore silver band cocked hats which had a curious appearance. [An illegible addition in pencil follows.]
October 5, Amiens
We left Chantilly immediately after breakfast for Amiens, and traveled this day 11 Postes,
passing thro Laigneville to Clermont, between which lies the territory of the
Duke de la Rochefoucauld Liancour; it is well cultivated with hemp, flax, and
vegetables, and is also well covered with fruit trees. Clermont is a small old
Town situated near the summit of a hill, but the country from hence thro St.
Just to Breteuil uninteresting, except some pretty views you now and then get
in crossing the Oise, along the banks of which we saw groups of women washing
in the river; and in some of the hamlets women and children were formed in
parties at their doors making lace, which added much to the liveliness of the
scene; from Breteuil to Amiens is a vast level planted with Pears and Apples on
each side of the road. Agriculture is
here on a very large scale, the soil extremely fertile, the women are employed
in threshing corn and assist in mowing stubble, which they get together, bind
in trusses and stack. The cows, sheep
and hogs were in better condition than when we entered France. The
beautiful Cathedral of Amiens is discernable at a very considerable distance,
the country surrounding the city being for a great extent entirely bare of
trees. We arrived in the capital of Picardy at the Hotel de la Poste about half
past six o’clock, a most excellent house and good fire, which from the sudden transition
of weather from the intense heat of the preceding day to the severe cold (for
the season) of this evening, was never more keenly felt, we found vastly agreeable
to which they added an excellent repast of coffee, Eggs, &c., and we
retired at an early hour to rest.
October 6th, Montreuil
Immediately after breakfast, we visited the [Amiens] Cathedral, a most
noble gothic structure and tho considerably injured, it escaped the desolating
hand of the times by being converted into a place for the transaction of public
business and was called the Temple of Reason, and is now perhaps the grandest
and the most perfect of any in France. It was begun by Everard, bishop of the
diocese, in 1220 and finished by his successor Godefroy in 1237, except the
roof. Their tombs, which are in bronze,
were ordered by the Duke of Bedford when regent of France, and lie on each side of the
grand entrance. There are one hundred and twenty-six beautiful pillars and
three rose formed windows of painted glass, very fine. The stalls in the Choir
and Pulpit are considered of some of the finest pieces of workmanship in
existence; the latter is supported by the statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity,
with the angel Gabriel on the top. In the aisle on the right of the Choir is
represented the history of Everard the Founder, sculptured in stone, and
consists of some hundred of figures, most of whom the revolutionists
decapitated; in another aisle on the left of the Choir is represented the
history of John the Baptist, and there is also in the Nave a beautiful
representation of our Saviour driving the money changers out of the Temple;
these escaped the mutilating disposition of the times and remain curious
specimens of the art of Sculpture in those days. The Choir is separated from the Nave by a
screen of stone of exquisite workmanship.
The church is 366 feet long, 50 ft. broad, 132 ft. in height, and
contains Twenty-five Chapels, each dedicated to a particular Saint. During the
time we were viewing the interior of the Church, the Priests were saying Mass
and praying the soul of an old Lady out of purgatory. The coffin was placed on trestles in one of
the chapels, the relatives attended, and when the ceremony was concluded (which
would be continued for three hours), the body would be committed to the Earth
without any other form of prayer. There is great sameness in all the churches
thro out France;
at the commencement of the revolution the fine old paintings were taken down
and burnt, their altars destroyed, and the churches plundered of their riches.
A few paintings by modern artists have in most instances been given, some by the present King, and new
Altars have been raised, but these do not harmonize with the grandeur and
ancient style of the original building.
The Organ here, as in all the churches, is placed over the Western door
or grand entrance and deprives the nave of much of the light which it would
otherwise receive from the fine painted window behind it. The exterior is fully
equal to the interior in grandeur and effect – it has three magnificent vaulted
Arches, the centre the principal entrance, and in point of execution superior
in every part to Notre Dame. Amiens is an Episcopal see and is also remarkable
in history for having been taken by a stratagem of the Spaniards in 1597, but
was soon retaken by Henry 4th of France in person, and is also
remarkable for the short lived Peace between France and England signed in 1802.
The town is, in general, well built, and several broad straight streets
intersected by canals and magnificent avenues of lofty tufted trees, and is
considered a cheap and pleasant place of residence; here is also a considerable
market on Saturday for merchandise and provisions of every kind; it was well
attended by the peasantry and we were pleased with the grotesque Picardy
costume.
Having viewed the Cathedral, we took leave of Amiens
by the public walk called l’Autoy and the rampant on the road to Pequiny
[Picquigny] which passes thro the marshy valley of the Somme,
remarkable for its peat which the peasants were cutting and preparing for
winter’s fuel; they were also mowing and harvesting the rushes. In the neighborhood of Pequiny [Picquigny] is
the remains of an ancient camp in good preservation. Nothing remarkable between this place and Abbeville
occurs, only that the road by Amiens
is much less interesting than by Bauvais, less accommodations for travellers,
worse posting and more poverty. We
reached Abbeville at half past 2o’clock; here we were detained a short time for
horses (the first occurrence of the kind we met with); from Abbeville we only trace back the road we passed over in
our way to Paris and which lies thro Nouvion Bernay and Nampont to Montreuil.
The country is highly picturesque and varied; they were getting in their second
cut clovers, Lucerne
[alfalfa] and Flax, of which there appeared an abundant crop. Much of the ground had been ploughed since we
crossed over it in September, grain sown, and the crop out of the ground, it
seemed rye for winter feed; in this part of the country they pursue the Scotch
method of ploughing with two horses abreast and one man. We reached Montreuil about 8 o’clock, having travelled
10 1/4 Postes, drove to the Hotel de l’Europe, ordered Tee, Coffee, Eggs,
&c., and retired early.
October
7th, Calais
Breakfasted
at 8 o’clock, and left the Hotel de l’Europe (which we preferred in every
respect to the Hotel de la Cour de France) at nine o’clock for Boulogne
(passing thru Cormont and Samaur[?]), which place we reached about one o’clock,
from whence it was our intention to have embarked for England had thee been a
packet ready to sail, but as that was not the case, we took a view of the Town
and Port of Boulogne, walked upon the ramparts, and when our postillions and
horses were ready, we set forward again by Wimille, Marquise and Haut Buisson
for Calais, and arrived at Meurice’s Hotel at half past 6 o’clock, having travelled this day 9 1/4 Postes; we
dined, took coffee, and walked in the grand square in the Evening; it is the
fashionable promenade of the Town and was much crowded with company; here is an elegant Light house with a
revolving light which illuminates the Tower of the Town Hall with beautiful
effect.
October
8th, Dover
Breakfasted
early and finally determined to take our passage in the Rob Roy Steamboat, tho
the account we have heard reported of her was not the most favorable, but there
was no government pakett [sic] to sail this day; therefore soon after nine
o’clock we put ourselves and luggage on board, and at Ten o’clock cleared
Calais harbour with as fine a sun, clear skys [sic] and good wind as we could
wish for; in about an hour, however, the whole was changed, a storm of wind and
rain came on and we were obliged to keep inshore a considerable distance to a
point called the Scales, and which we were three hours making before the
Captain could change the course of the vessel; about Twelve o’clock the rain
came down in Torrents. The Ladies, and
indeed almost all the passengers, were suffering dreadfully from sea sickness,
and after a tedious passage of five hours and a half we were landed on the
outside of Dover Pier, in small boats, at half past 4 o’clock pm. Our luggage was taken to the Custom House and
detained. It had been our intention to have taken up our residence at the
Shakespeare Hotel, but the house was so full, we could not be received. Mr. [illegible], however, procured a lodging
in the town, to which we very speedily removed, and with the comfort of a good
fire, an excellent dinner, coffee, tea, &c., for we were miserably wet,
cold and hungry, we congratulated ourselves once more on the delightful
enjoyments of an English fireside.
October
9th, Dover
In
consequence of our luggage having been detained the preceding evening at the
Custom House, we made an early visit there in [the] morning, but could get no
certain information respecting it. We
therefore returned to breakfast and finally settled & balanced the accounts
of our expenditure, made a second visit to the Custom House, and after a few
difficulties started on their part, our luggage was restored without loss.
Now
our little party separated; Major and Miss - and Mr. D. for Canterbury and Bromley by the coach. Mrs. R and myself determined to remain at Dover for the present, having many visits to make amongst
our Friends in the Eastern part of Kent, which would probably detain
us till near the end of the year. We
were all highly delighted and gratified with our tour, but returned fully
sensible of the many comforts and blessings of our own Country; indeed, we set
out with the determination of being pleased, and our expectations have been
fully answered, and our money and time well disposed of, the weather was fine,
we met with no accidents and nothing to regret but the exception of the
indisposition of the Ladies for two or three days.
From
our fist landing at Calais until our return, we experienced great civility at
all the Hotels and met with better accommodations than we were taught to expect;
certainly in point of cleanliness and comfort not equal to the Inns in England,
but from the great influx of our own Countrymen, the French become accustomed
to our habits and manners, and our wants are tolerably well supplied; the
poorest Hotel has its Salon, silver forks and napkins, and it must be a sorry
one indeed that cannot furnish you with plenty of clean water and linen and put
down a bit of a carpet. In general you
have good beds. The Posting being in the hands of the government, the
accommodations are extremely good, the Postes are short, horses excellent, the
drivers active and intelligent, no turnpikes to pay, and the Postmasters very
obliging and disposed to give you much information, but the rope harness and
the enormous heavy carriage form a striking contrast to the light English
equipage; however the French must be greatly improved, as an officer recollects
the first time he was in France with the British army, that their public
carriages were thatched. With the
exception of turnpikes, the difference of experience in travelling and living
on the road between France
and England
is not very great. In Paris
their charges come near to those of London,
some things may be cheaper, such as the hire of Servants, Horses and Carriages,
also some articles of dress as boots, shoes, &c. The common fruits of the country were plenty,
but Peaches & Nectarines scarce and dear and without flavour; we procured
some tolerable good grapes from Fontainebleau
at [?]. The Vintage had generally
failed, and we were much disappointed in the vineyards. We did not find anything
remarkably cheap but as we did not go to economize, we can form but little idea
of the cheapness.
The
French are a handsome, active, lively people, yet there is a sullenness and
rudeness in their manners observed towards foreigners, when in places of public
resort, that is extremely unpleasant; and from the vigilance of the Police,
they are extremely guarded in their speech. I recollect one instance only where any
inquiries were made respecting Bonaparte and that was at Paix – one of the
Postillions asked whether it was certain that Bonaparte was dead? And when we
told him that official dispatches had been received at London in confirmation of the event, he
exclaimed “comment, vous avez appris sa mort en Angleterre? Grand Dieu quel
état d’ignorance on nous tient! Eh bien il y a son fils. [How did you learn
about his death in England?
For heaven’s sake, in what kind of ignorance are we kept! Well, there is his
son]” The food of the peasantry consists
chiefly of dark coarse bread, with curds obtained from the milk of goats, of
which they keep a great number; and their dress varies according to the
provinces, those of Picardy particularly. I heartily wish that our own discontented poor
could see the misery of the lower classes here, their wooden shoes, black bread,
and wretched cottages, and the still ruined farm houses and villages that are
to be met with on every road. In respect
to the situation of Land, our friend Mr. D, who is a gentleman farmer in Kent
of some considerable experience, says “The French farmers are an industrious
race, and there is no fault to be found with their management; their lands are
well cleaned, in good tillage and never idle.” Women are much employed in husbandry. The
French farmers pay particular attention to the cultivation of artificial Grapes,
Clovers, Lucerne, chicory(?), &c., of which they produce an abundant growth
and are also great economists in the use; their cattle for domestic purposes
are all tethered, which is certainly a great advantage as it prevents a vast
waste of food; their sheep are fed in immense flocks and are left chiefly to
the management of their dogs, (the sheep dog is a small cur-like breed with
prick ears from Normandy); they are remarkably sagacious and well trained and
in such an extensive champaigne country as France, where there are no fences,
keep the flocks to close pasture in a most surprising manner. Fruit and
vegetables were selling in every public market place we passed thro on Sunday’s
and the labourer followed his usual daily occupation without respect to the
day.
In a
religious point of view, I cannot think it desirable or proper for English
Protestants to live in a country where the Roman Catholic religion is
tolerated, for scenes which we daily witness soon cease to create the same feelings
of disgust with which we first beheld them. However, in visiting a foreign country for a
short time, we are better able to understand the customs and manners of the
people, and the true born Englishman will generally return more strongly
attached to his religion, his country and his King, such at least were the
sentiments with which our little party approached the shores of our native
country, and may we never leave it but to return with the same feelings of
attachment. “For here flourishes that true and well understood love of liberty
which thro all changes and chances time has kept the old Vessel of the
Constitution Seaworthy, which in spite of storms from without and momentary
dissentions between the Crew within, still enable her to ride(?) the admiration
of the world and will, I trust in God, never suffer her to founder; the most
widely travelled Englishman may proudly say as he sets his foot once more on
the chalky cliffs, this is my own – My Native Land.”
Three
scraps laid in:
1. note about street lamps;
2. note about being able to
hear what is whispered into one vase from another vase;
3. anecdote from Las Case’s
journal about the governor of the fortress of Vincennes in 1814.