Recollections of Europe

Recollections of Europe, by J.
Fenimore Cooper

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Title: Recollections of Europe
Author: J. Fenimore Cooper
Release Date: November 30, 2006 [EBook #19983]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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COLLECTION OF ANCIENT AND MODERN BRITISH
AUTHORS.

VOL. CLXXII.
RECOLLECTIONS OF EUROPE.
PRINTED BY J. SMITH, 16, RUE MONTMORENCY.

RECOLLECTIONS OF EUROPE.
BY J. FENIMORE COOPER, ESQ.
AUTHOR OF "THE PILOT," "THE SPY", etc.
PARIS, BAUDRY'S EUROPEAN LIBRARY, RUE DU COQ, NEAR
THE LOUVRE.
1837.

CONTENTS.
LETTER I.
Our Embarkation.--Leave-taking.--Our Abigail.--Bay of New
York.--The Hudson.--Ominous Prediction.--The Prophet
falsified.--Enter the Atlantic.--"Land-birds."--Our Master.--Officers of
Packet-ships.--Loss of "The Crisis."--The "Three
Chimneys."--Calamities at Sea. --Sailing-match.--View of the
Eddystone.--The Don Quixote.--Comparative
Sailing.--Pilot-boats.--Coast of Dorsetshire.--The Needles.
--Lymington.--Southampton Water.--The Custom-house.
LETTER II.
Controversy at Cowes.--Custom-house Civility.--English
Costume.--Fashion in America.--Quadrilles in New
York.--Cowes.--Nautical Gallantry. English Beauty.--Isle of Wight
Butter.--English Scenery.--M'Adamized Roads.--Old Village

Church.--Rural Interment.--Pauper's Grave.--Carisbrooke
Cattle.--Southampton.--Waiter at the Vine.--English
Costume.--Affinity with England.--Netley Abbey.--Southampton
Cockneys.
LETTER III.
Road to London.--Royal Pastime.--Cockney Coachman.--Winchester
Assizes. --Approach to London.--The Parks.--Piccadilly.--Street
Excursion. --Strangers in London.--Americans in
England.--Westminster Abbey. --Gothic Decorations.--Westminster
Hall.--Inquisitive Barber.--Pasta and Malibran.--Drury-lane Theatre.--A
Pickpocket.--A Fellow-traveller. --English Gentlemen.--A
Radical.--Encampment of Gipsies.--National
Distinctions.--Antiquities.--National Peculiarities.
LETTER IV.
Quit England.--Approach to France.--Havre.--Our Reception
there.--Female Commissionnaire.--Clamour of Drums.--Port of
Havre.--Projected Enterprize.--American Enterprize.--Steam-boat
Excursion.--Honfleur.--Rouen.--French Exaction.--American
Porters.--Rouen Cathedral.--Our Cicerone.--A Diligence.--Picturesque
Road.--European Peasantry.--Aspect of the Country.--Church at
Louviers.--Village near Vernon.--Rosny.--Mantes.--Bourbon
Magnificence. --Approach to Paris--Enter Paris.
LETTER V.
Paris in August 1826.--Montmartre.--The Octroi.--View of Paris.
--Montmorency.--Royal Residences.--Duke of
Bordeaux.--Horse-racing. --The Dauphine.--Popular feeling in
Paris.--Royal Equipage.--Gardes du Corps.--Policy of
Napoleon.--Centralization.
LETTER VI.
Letters of Introduction.--European Etiquette.--Diplomatic

Entertainments.--Ladies in Coffee-houses.--French Hospitality.--Mr.
Canning at Paris.--Parisian Hotels.--French Lady at
Washington.--Receptions in Paris and in New York.--Mode of
Announcement.--Republican Affectation.--Hotel Monaco.--Dinner
given to Mr. Canning.--Diplomatic Etiquette.--European
Ambassadors.--Prime Minister of France.--Mr. Canning.--Count Pozzo
di Borgo.--Precedency at Dinner.--American Etiquette.--A French
Dinner.--Servants.--Catholic Fasting.--Conversation with
Canning.--English Prejudice against Americans.
LETTER VII.
English Jurisprudence.--English Justice.--Justice in
France.--Continental Jurisprudence.--Juries.--Legal Injustice.--The Bar
in France.--Precedence of the Law.
LETTER VIII.
Army of France.--Military Display.--Fete of the Trocadero.--Royal
Review.--Royal Ordinance.--Dissatisfaction.--Hostile
Demonstration.--Dispersion of Rioters.--French Cavalry.--Learned
Coachman.--Use of Cavalry.--Cavalry Operations.--The
Conscription.--National Defence.--Napoleon's Marshals.--Marshal
Soult--Disaffection of the Army.
LETTER IX
Royal Dinner.--Magnificence and Comfort.--Salle de Diane.--Prince de
Conde.--Duke of Orleans.--The Dinner-table.--The Dauphin.--Sires de
Coucy.--The Dauphine.--Ancient Usages--M. de Talleyrand.--Charles
X. --Panoramic Procession.--Droll Effect.--The Dinner.--M. de
Talleyrand's Office.--The Duchesse de Berri.--The Catastrophe.--An
Aristocratic Quarrel.
LETTER X.
Road to Versailles.--Origin of Versailles.--The present Chateau.--The
two Trianons.--La Petite Suisse.--Royal Pastime.--Gardens of

Versailles. --The State Apartments.--Marie Antoinette's
Chamber.--Death of Louis XV. --Oeil de Boeuf.--The Theatre and
Chapel.--A Quarry.--Caverns.--Compiegne.--Chateau de
Pierre-font.--Influence of Monarchy.--Orangery at Versailles.
LETTER XI.
Laws of Intercourse.--Americans in Europe.--Americans and English.
--Visiting in America.--Etiquette of Visits.--Presentations at Foreign
Courts.--Royal Receptions.--American Pride.--Pay of the President.
--American Diplomatist.
LETTER XII.
Sir Walter Scott in Paris.--Conversation with him.--Copyright in
America.--Miss Scott.--French Compliments.--Sir Walter Scott's
Person and Manners.--Ignorance as to America.--French
Commerce.--French Translations.--American Luxury.
LETTER XIII.
French Manufactures.--Sevres China.--Tapestry of the Gobelins.--Paper
for Hangings.--The Savonnerie.--French Carpets.--American Carpets.
--Transfer of old Pictures from Wood to Canvass.--Coronation Coach.
--The Arts in France--in America.--American Prejudice.
LETTER XIV.
False Notions.--Continental Manners.--People of Paris.--Parisian
Women. --French Beauty.--Men of France.--French Soldiers.
LETTER XV.
Perversion of Institutions.--The French
Academy.--Laplace.--Astronomy. --Theatres of Paris.--Immoral
Plot.--Artificial Feelings.--French Tragedy.--Literary Mania.--The
American Press.--American Newspapers.--French Journals--Publishing
Manoeuvres.--Madame Malibran.

LETTER XVI.
Environs of Paris.--Village of St. Ouen.--Our House there.--Life on the
River.--Parisian Cockneys.--A pretty Grisette.--Voyage across the
Seine.--A rash Adventurer.--Village Fete.--Montmorency.--View near
Paris.
LETTER XVII.
Rural Drives.--French Peasantry.--View of Montmartre.--The
Boulevards. --The Abattoirs.--Search for Lodgings.--A queer
Breakfast.--Royal Progresses and Magnificence.--French Carriages and
Horses.--Modes of Conveyance.--Drunkenness.--French Criminal
Justice.--Marvellous Stories of the Police.
LETTER XVIII.
Personal Intercourse.--Parisian Society and Hospitality.--Influence of
Money.--Fiacres.--M. de Lameth.--Strife of Courtesy.--Standard of
Delicacy.--French Dinners.--Mode of Visiting.--The Chancellor of
France. --The Marquis de Marbois.--Political Coteries.--Paris
Lodgings.--A French Party.--An English Party.--A splendid
Ball.--Effects of good Breeding.--Characteristic Traits.--Influence of a
Court.
LETTER XIX.
Garden of the Tuileries.--The French Parliament.--Parliamentary
Speakers.--The Tribune.--Royal Initiative.--The Charter.--Mongrel
Government.--Ministerial Responsibility.--Elections in
France.--Doctrinaires.--Differences of Opinion.--Controversy.
LETTER XX.
Excursion with Lafayette.--Vincennes.--The Donjon.--Lagrange.--The
Towers.--Interior of the House--the General's Apartments.--the Cabinet.
--Lafayette's Title.--Church of the Chateau.--Ruins of Vivier.--Roman
Remains.--American Curiosity.--The Table at Lagrange.--Swindling.

LETTER XXI.
Insecurity of the Bourbons.--Distrust of Americans.--Literary Visitor.
--The Templars.--Presents and Invitations.--A Spy.--American Virtue.
--Inconsistency.--Social Freedom in America.--French Mannerists.
--National Distinctions.--A lively Reaction.
LETTER XXII.
Animal Magnetism.--Somnambules.--Magnetised Patients.--My own
Examination.--A Prediction.--Ventriloquism.--Force of the
Imagination.
LETTER XXIII.
Preparations for Departure.--My Consulate.--Leave
Paris.--Picardy.--Cressy.--Montreuil.--Gate of Calais.--Port of
Calais.--Magical Words.

PREFACE.
It may seem to be late in the day to give