There Was An English Gentleman Laid Up At Auxerre With A Broken
Arm, To Whom I Sent My Compliments, With Offers Of Service; But
His Servant Told My Man That He Did Not Choose To See Any
Company, And Had No Occasion For My Service.
This sort of reserve
seems peculiar to the English disposition.
When two natives of
any other country chance to meet abroad, they run into each
other's embrace like old friends, even though they have never
heard of one another till that moment; whereas two Englishmen in
the same situation maintain a mutual reserve and diffidence, and
keep without the sphere of each other's attraction, like two
bodies endowed with a repulsive power. We only stopped to change
horses at Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, which is a venerable
old city; but we passed part of a day at Sens, and visited a
manufacture of that stuff we call Manchester velvet, which is
here made and dyed to great perfection, under the direction of
English workmen, who have been seduced from their own country. At
Fontainebleau. we went to see the palace, or as it is called, the
castle, which though an irregular pile of building, affords a
great deal of lodging, and contains some very noble apartments,
particularly the hall of audience, with the king's and queen's
chambers, upon which the ornaments of carving and gilding are
lavished with profusion rather than propriety. Here are some rich
parterres of flower-garden, and a noble orangerie, which,
however, we did not greatly admire, after having lived among the
natural orange groves of Italy. Hitherto we had enjoyed fine
summer weather, and I found myself so well, that I imagined my
health was intirely restored: but betwixt Fontainebleau and
Paris, we were overtaken by a black storm of rain, sleet, and
hail, which seemed to reinstate winter in all its rigour; for the
cold weather continues to this day. There was no resisting this
attack. I caught cold immediately; and this was reinforced at
Paris, where I stayed but three days. The same man, (Pascal
Sellier, rue Guenegaud, fauxbourg St. Germain) who owned the
coach that brought us from Lyons, supplied me with a returned
berline to Boulogne, for six loui'dores, and we came hither by
easy journeys. The first night we lodged at Breteuil, where we
found an elegant inn, and very good accommodation. But the next
we were forced to take up our quarters, at the house where we had
formerly passed a very disagreeable night at Abbeville. I am now
in tolerable lodging, where I shall remain a few weeks, merely
for the sake of a little repose; then I shall gladly tempt that
invidious straight which still divides you from - Yours, &c.
APPENDIX A
A Short List of Works, mainly on Travel in France and Italy
during the Eighteenth Century, referred to in connection with the
Introduction.
ADDISON, JOSEPH. Remarks on Several Parts of Italy. London, 1705.
ANCONE, ALESSANDRO D'. Saggio di una bibliografia ragionata dei
Viaggi in Italia.
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