How to Enjoy Paris in 1842 | Page 7

out abusing every thing that was French and in fact all that she
encountered until the moment that she witnessed the imposing
spectacle. She was then standing within the church with the Captain
amongst the crowd, but some officers perceiving an English lady of
genteel appearance, invited her to join the circle composed of the
Duchesses of Angoulême, of Berri, and the ladies of the court, which
she gladly accepted; and several fine looking young men in their
brilliant uniforms paying her the greatest attentions, and taking the
utmost pains that she should have the best possible view of the sight,
her heart was completely won, and when she was re-conducted to Capt.
W., her first exclamation was, "Well, as long as I live, I never will
speak against Frenchmen again; for I never was treated with so much
politeness and attention in my own country as I have been here." But
when she expressed the same feeling to her father, his rage knew no
bounds, and at the first moment he swore he would take her off to
England instanter, adding "I suppose I shall have my family disgraced
by your running off with some French mustachioed scoundrel or
another." The poor girl dared not say another word, and in a little time
the father recovered his equanimity.

However furious the Squire was in expressions against the French, yet
his actions towards them were of a contrary bearing, having a well
stocked medicine chest, from which he liberally dispensed the contents
amongst the neighbouring poor, according to their different maladies,
until he received the cognomen of the English doctor who would never
take a fee. The people at last became so grateful for his kindness, that
when there was a report that war was likely to take place between the
two countries, as he displayed some uneasiness as to his being able to
return home, they assured him he should always be certain of cattle to
convey him to Calais, as, if he could not procure post horses, they
would find some in the neighbourhood for him, and if none could be
found, they would draw him themselves to the spot he desired. After
residing a few years in France, the Squire returned to his own country,
little enlightened by his trip, cursing the French before he came
amongst them, cursing them whilst he was living with them, and at the
same time whilst he was doing them every possible good, and cursing
them after his return to England; not that he could give any reason why,
but because it had become a habit with him since his childhood, and he
had been accustomed to hear his father and grandfather do so before
him, and I suppose he liked to keep up that which no doubt he thought
a good old custom.
Having now, I trust, given sufficient examples of how the deep roots of
national prejudice defy every effort and circumstance to eradicate them,
I shall hope that my readers will endeavour to banish from their minds
any early impressions they may have received inimical to the French,
and resolve only to judge them as they find them, as reason must
suggest that all prepossessions cherished against any people must
powerfully militate against the traveller's happiness during his sojourn
amongst them. I fear that I may have been considered rather prolix
upon the subject, but besides the motive to which I have already
alluded, I always have cherished a most anxious desire to soften as
much as possible all national animosities.
CHAPTER II.
Different routes from London to Paris.--Aspect of the city as first

presented to the English traveller, according to the road by which he
may enter.--Its extent, population, etc.
The first measure to be adopted after any one has decided upon visiting
Paris, is to provide himself with a passport, which he will procure at the
French Ambassador's office in Poland street, for which there is no
charge, but it is requisite to state by which port you mean to proceed;
but in order to leave some latitude for caprice, you may mention two
places, as Calais or Boulogne, or Dieppe or Havre, etc. There are now
many different means of travelling to Paris; that which was once the
most frequently adopted was by coach to Dover, then embarking for
Calais, as those are the two ports which present the shortest distance
between the two countries, being only about twenty-one miles apart;
many however prefer embarking at Dover at once for Boulogne, thus
avoiding about twenty-five miles by land from Calais to Boulogne,
which certainly does not afford a single object of interest, and the
distance by sea is only increased eight miles. Another route is by
railway to Brighton, then crossing to Dieppe, and which is certainly