A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain, Volume 2 (1777)Thicknesse, Philip
History
A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain, Volume 2 (1777)
Thicknesse, Philip
France -- Description and travel; Spain -- Description and travel
From _Aix_ we passed through _Lambresque_, _Orgon_, and _Sencage_, a
fine country, full of almond trees, and which were in full blossom on
the 7th of March. At _Orgon_ the post-house was so bad, that after my
horse was in the stable, I was obliged to put him to, and remove to the
_Soleil d'Or_, without the town, and made a good move too. The situation
of _Notre Dame de St. Piere_, a convent on a high hill, is worthy of
notice, and the antiquity of the town also.--Five leagues from _Orgon_
we crossed a very aukward passage in a ferry-boat, and were landed in
the Pope's territories, about five miles from _Avignon_. The castle, and
higher part of the town, were visible, rising up in the middle of a vast
plain, fertile and beautiful as possible. If we were charmed with the
distant view, we were much more so upon a nearer approach; nothing can
be more pleasing than the well-planted, and consequently well-shaded
coach and foot roads all round this pretty little city; all shut in with
the most beautiful ancient fortification walls I ever beheld, and all in
perfect repair; nor were we asked any questions by the Pope's soldiers,
or Custom-house Officers. I had a letter to Dr. POWER, an English
Physician in this town, who received me with great civity, and made me
known to LORD MOUNTGARRET, and Mr. BUTLER, his son, with whom I had the
honour to spend some very agreeable hours: his Lordship has an
excellent house here, and keeps a table, truly characteristic of the
hospitality of his own country.--And now I cannot help telling you of a
singular disorder which attacked me the very day I arrived; and the
still more singular manner I got well: the day before I arrived, we had
been almost blown along the road to _Orgon_ by a most violent wind; but
I did not perceive that I had received any cold or injury from it, till
we arrived here, and then, I had such an external soreness from head to
foot, that I almost dreaded to walk or stir, and when I did, it was as
slow as my feet could move; after continuing so for some days, I was
much urged to dine with Lord MOUNTGARRET, on St. Patrick's day; I did
so, and by drinking a little more than ordinary, set nature to work,
who, without any other Doctor, did the business, by two or three nights'
copious sweats. I would not have mentioned this circumstance, but it may
be the _mal du pais_, and ought to be mentioned for the _method of
cure_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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