Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone: Made During the Year 1819Hughes, John
History
Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone: Made During the Year 1819
Hughes, John
Provence (France) -- Description and travel; Rhône River (Switzerland and France)
At noon we stopped to breakfast, or rather dine, at Trevoux. Here the
Beaujolois hills (or, at least, a range which runs in an uniform line
with them) recede, and conduct the eye to a distant vista of higher
mountains, toward the south; while, to the left, the river takes a
sudden turn among the steep but cultivated sides of the Limonais. This
curve brought us all at once upon such a green sunny nook, as might have
served for the hermitage of Alexander Selkirk, in the island of Juan
Fernandez; in the centre of which stands Trevoux, crowned by the ruins
of an old castle, and overlooking the beautifully fertile valley which
skirts the foot of the Limonais hills. From its situation, and the form
and disposition of its houses, piled tier above tier to the top of a
woody bank, Trevoux affords a perfect idea of a little Tuscan town. The
Hotel du Sauvage, and the Hotel de l'Europe, are equally well
frequented; and, like Oxford pastry-cooks, take care to employ the fair
sex as sign-posts to their good cheer. Each inn has its couple of
waiting-maids stationed at the waterside, in the costume of
shepherdesses at Sadler's Wells, full of petits soins and agremens, and
loud in the praises of their respective hotels. By these pertinacious
damsels every passenger is sure to be dragged to and fro in a state of
laughing perplexity, like Garrick, contended for by the tragic and comic
muse, in Sir Joshua's well-known picture; nor do their persecutions
cease, till all are safely housed. We went to the Hotel de l'Europe,
whose table may be supposed not deficient in goodness and variety, from
the specimen of one man's dinner eaten there. I shall enumerate its
particulars, without attempting to decide on the question so often
canvassed, whether our neighbours do not exceed us in versatility and
capacity of stomach. Our young Falstaff then (for it was he of whom I
speak), ate of soup, bouilli, fricandeau, pigeon, boeuf piquee, salad,
mutton cutlets, spinach stewed richly, cold asparagus, with oil and
vinegar, a roti, cold pike and cresses, sweetmeat tart, larded
sweetbreads, haricots blancs au jus, a pasty of eggs and rich gravy,
cheese, baked pears, two custards, two apples, biscuits and sweet cakes.
Such was the order and quality of his repast, which I registered during
the first leisure moment, and which is faithfully reported; and, be it
recollected, that he did not confine himself to a mere taste of any one
dish. Perhaps I may be borne out by the experience of those who have had
the patience to sit out an old Parisian gourmand, by the help of coffee
and newspapers, and observed him employed corporeally and mentally for
nearly two hours, digesting and discriminating, with the carte in one
hand, and his fork in the other. The solemn concentration of mind
displayed by many of these personages is worthy of the pencil of
Bunbury; and though French caricaturists have done no more than justice
to our guttling Bob Fudges, I question whether they would not find
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account