Among the Places in
this city the finest is that of Bellecour.
The scenery is extremely diversified in the environs of Lyons, and in the
city there is great appearance of wealth and splendour. Lyons flourished
greatly during the time of the continental blockade, as it was the central
depot of the commerce between France and Italy. Napoleon is much respected
and regretted here, and with reason, as he was a great benefactor to this
city. The Lyonnese are too frank, too open in their sentiments and too
grateful not to render justice to his great talents and good qualities,
while they blame and deplore his ambition. In fact an experience of a few
days and some acquaintance I made here has given me a very favourable
impression of the inhabitants of this city. The men are frank in their
manners, polite, well informed, and free from all frivolity. The women are
in general handsome, well shaped, and have much grace and are exceedingly
well educated; they seem totally free from the Petite-maitressism of the
Parisian women, and both sexes seem to possess a good deal of what the
French term caractere. Had the Parisians resembled the Lyonnese, Paris
would never have fallen twice into the hands of the enemy, nor would the
Lyonnese women have welcomed the entry of the invaders into their city with
waving handkerchiefs, etc. These qualities of the inhabitants, the beauty
of the country, and the cheapness of all the comforts and luxuries of life,
would make Lyons one of the most agreeable places of residence to a
foreigner of liberal sentiments and principles.
Cloth and silk are the staple manufactures of Lyons, particularly the
latter; I accompanied my friend Mr M - - to see his fabrique of silk which
is of considerable extent and importance, and everything appeared to me, as
far as one totally ignorant of the business and its process could judge,
admirably regulated and rapid in its execution. The tournure of the
grisettes of Lyons is very striking and they possess completely the
grata protervitas, the vultus nimium lubricus aspici which Horace so
much admires in Glycera.
I visited both the theatres here, viz.: the Grand Theatre, situated near
the Hotel de Ville, and the smaller one called the Theatre des
Celestins. At the former was some good dancing, and at the latter I was
engaged in a conversation which I cannot forbear citing as it will serve to
show the dislike the people have to the feudal system and the dread they
have of its re-establishment, tho' they can know nothing about it except by
tradition. The piece performed was called Le petit Poucet (Tom Thumb and
the Ogre); but I missed my old acquaintance the Ogre and his seven-league
boots of Mother Goose, and found that in this melodrama he was transformed
into a tyrannical and capricious Seigneur Feodal. There was a very pretty
young lady about 16 years of age accompanied by her father in the same box
with me, and I observed to her, "Ou est donc l'Ogre? il parait que l'on en
a fait un Seigneur feodal." "Oui, monsieur (she replied), et avec raison,
car ils etaient bien les Ogres de ce temps la." I entered into a long
conversation with my fair neighbour and found her well informed and well
educated, with great good sense and knowledge of the world far beyond her
years. She told me that she had begun to study English and that her father
was a miniature painter. I took leave of her not without feeling much
affected and my heart not a little "percosso dall' amoroso strale."
I must not forget to mention that there is a most spacious and magnificent
building on the Quai du Rhone to the North of the bridge, which serves as
a cafe and ridotto or assembly room for balls, etc. I am afraid to say how
many feet it has in length; but it is the most superb establishment of the
kind I have ever met with.
Fortunately for the city of Lyons, the famous decree of Robespierre for
its destruction, and the column with the inscription, "Lyon a porte les
armes contre la liberte; Lyon n'est plus," which was to occupy its place,
was never put in execution and tho' this city suffered much from
revolutionary vandalism yet it soon recovered and has flourished ever since
in a manner unheard of at any former period. No people are more sensible
than the Lyonnese of the great benefits produced by the Revolution, and no
people more deprecate a return to the ancien regime.
Oct. 2nd, GENEVA.
I started in the diligence for Geneva on the 28th Sept. and found it
exceedingly cold on ascending the mountain called the Cerdon; the scenery
is savage and wild, and the road in many parts is on the brink of
precipices. We stopped at Nantua for supper and partook of some excellent
trout. There is a large lake near the town, and 'tis here that the Swiss
landscape begins. Commanding a narrow pass stands the fort of L'Ecluse. The
Austrians lost a great many men in attempting to force it. From this place
you have a noble view of the Alps and Mont-Blanc towering above them. As
this was the first time I beheld these celebrated mountains I was
transported with delight and my mind was filled with a thousand classical
and historical recollections! The scenery, the whole way from Fort l'Ecluse
to Geneva, is most magnificent and uncommonly varied.
