The Stranger in France | Page 2

Palace of
Arts.--Hall of Statues.--Laocoon.--Belvidere Apollo.--Socrates. p. 101.
CHAPTER XII.
Bonaparte.--Artillery.--Mr. Pitt.--Newspapers.--Archbishop of
Paris.--Consular Colours.--Religion.--Consular Conversion.--Madame

Bonaparte.--Consular Modesty.--Separate Beds.--A Country
Scene.--Connubial Affection.--Female Bravery. p. 113.
CHAPTER XIII.
Breakfast.--Warmth of French Expression.--Rustic
Eloquence.--Curious Cause assigned for the late extraordinary
Frost.--Madame R----.--Paul I.--Tivoli.--Frescati. p. 128.
CHAPTER XIV.
Convent of blue Nuns.--Duchesse de Biron.--The bloody Key.--Courts
of Justice.--Public Library.--Gobelines.--Miss Linwood.--Garden of
Plants.--French Accommodation.--Boot Cleaners.--Cat and Dog
Shearers.--Monsieur S---- and Family. p. 140.
CHAPTER XV.
Civility of a Sentinel.--The Hall of the Legislative Assembly.--British
House of Commons.--Captain Bergeret.--The Temple.--Sir Sydney
Smith's Escape.--Colonel Phillipeaux. p. 150
CHAPTER XVI.
A fashionable Poem.--Frere Rickart.--Religion.--Hôtel des
Invalides.--Hall of Victory.--Enemies' Colours.--Sulky Appearance of
an English Jack and Ensign.--Indecorum.--The aged Captain.--Military
School.--Champ de Mars.--The Garden of Mousseaux. p. 163.
CHAPTER XVII.
Curious Method of raising Hay.--Lucien Bonaparte's
Hôtel.--Opera.--Consular Box.--Madame Bonaparte's Box.--Feydeau
Theatre.--Belle Vue.--Versailles.--The Palace of the Petit Trianon.--The
Grounds. p. 175.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Bonaparte's Talents in Finance.--Garrick and the Madman.--Palace of
the Conservative Senate.--Process of transferring Oil Paintings from
Wood to Canvas.--The Dinner Knife.--Commodities.--Hall of the
National Convention.--The Minister Talleyrand's Levee. p. 188.
CHAPTER XIX.
The College of the Deaf and Dumb.--Abbé
Sicard.--Bagatelle.--Police.--Grand National Library.--Bonaparte's
Review.--Tambour Major of the Consular Regiment.--Restoration of
Artillery Colours. p. 201.
CHAPTER XX.
Abbè Sieyes.--Consular Procession to the Council Chamber.--10th of
August, 1792.--Celerity of Mons. Fouche's Information.--The two
Lovers.--Cabinet of Mons. le Grand.--Self-prescribing Physician.--Bust
of Robespierre.--His Lodgings.--Corn Hall.--Museum of French
Monuments.--Revolutionary Agent.--Lovers of married Women. p. 214.
CHAPTER XXI.
Picturesque and Mechanical Theatre.--Filtrating and purifying
Vases.--English Jacobins.--A
Farewell.--Messagerie.--MalMaison.--Forest of Evreux.--Lower
Normandy.--Caen.--Hon. T. Erskine.--A Ball.--The Keeper of the
Sachristy of Notre Dame.--The two blind Beggars.--Ennui.--St.
Lo.--Cherbourg.--England. p. 230.
GENERAL REMARKS. p. 252.
[Illustration: Torr Abbey]

THE STRANGER IN FRANCE
CHAPTER I.

Torr Abbey.--Cap of Liberty.--Anecdote of English Prejudice.--Fire
Ships.--Southampton River.--Netley Abbey.
It was a circumstance, which will be memorable with me, as long as I
live, and pleasant to my feelings, as often as I recur to it, that part of
my intended excursion to the Continent was performed in the last ship
of war, which, after the formal confirmations of the peace, remained, of
that vast naval armament, which, from the heights of Torbay, for so
many years, presented to the astonished and admiring eye, a spectacle
at once of picturesque beauty, and national glory. It was the last
attendant in the train of retiring war.
Under the charming roof of Torr Abbey, the residence of George Cary,
esq., I passed a few days, until the Megæra was ready to sail for
Portsmouth, to be paid off, the commander of which, captain
Newhouse, very politely offered to convey my companion, captain W.
Cary, and myself, to that port.
In this beautiful spot, the gallant heroes of our navy have often found
the severe and perilous duties of the boisterous element alleviated by
attentions, which, in their splendid and cordial display, united an
elegant taste to a noble spirit of hospitality.
In the Harleian Tracts there is a short, but rather curious account
preserved of the sensation produced at the Abbey on the 5th of
November, 1688, after the prince of Orange had entered the bay with
his fleet, on their passage to Brixham, where he landed:--
"The prince commanded captain M---- to search the lady Cary's house,
at Torr Abbey, for arms and horses. The lady entertaining them civilly,
said her husband was gone to Plymouth: they brought from thence
some horses, and a few arms, but gave no further disturbance to the
lady or her house."
Throughout this embarrassing interview, the lady Cary appears to have
conducted herself with great temper, dignity and resolution, whilst, on
the other hand, the chaplain of that day, whose opinions were not very
favourable to the revolution, unlike his present amiable and enlightened

successor[1], left his lady in the midst of her perplexities, and fled.
[1] Rev. John Halford.
In the Abbey, I was much pleased with an interesting, though not very
ornamental trophy of the glorious victory of Aboukir. The truckle
heads of the masts of the Aquilon, a french ship of the line, which
struck to the brave captain Lewis, in that ever memorable battle, were
covered with the bonnet rouge; one of these caps of liberty, surmounted
with the british flag, has been committed to the care of the family, by
that heroic commander, and now constitutes a temporary ornament of
their dining-room.
Here we laid in provision for our little voyage, without, however,
feeling the same apprehension, which agitated the mind of a fair damsel,
in the service of a lady of rank who formerly resided in my
neighbourhood, who, preparing to attend her mistress to the Continent,
and having heard from the jolly historians of the kitchen, that the food
in France was chiefly supplied by the croaking inhabitants of the green
and standing pool, contrived, very carefully, to carry over a piece of
homebred pork,