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)
Mais revenons a nos moutons. We were surprised to observe how much our
fellow-passengers interested themselves about the characters of the
royal family of England. Several of its members underwent a free review,
though not an ill-natured one; but all who spoke of our late queen
Charlotte, did her more justice than has, perhaps, been done in England,
and particularly praised the purity of her court, and the excellent
domestic example which her private life afforded to Englishwomen in
general. On this point we cordially agreed with them; but our sly
acquaintance, Mons. C., was not disinclined to lead us to ground more
debateable, and lay a trap for our national vanity. The master of the
vessel had a wooden leg, which led to the subject of artificial limbs,
and the perfection to which the art of making them had arrived in
England. We accidentally mentioned the case of Lord Anglesey. "Et qui
est ce Lord Anglesey?" said M.C., looking archly. "Un de nos plus grands
seigneurs, Monsieur." Still he persisted in inquiring how he lost his
leg. "C'etait in Flandres." "Ah, vous voulez dire a Vaterloo, n'est ce
pas?" said the old gentleman, with a smile, not displeased to observe
the motive of our hesitation. He would not allow us to use the word
_emprunter_, as applied to the conduct of his countrymen, with regard to
the Louvre collection, "Non, _voler_, voila le mot." The little
bourgeoise, who had lionized the Hermitage du Mont d'Or so eloquently,
grew very communicative on the strength of the display which she had
made, and M.C.'s good humour; and volunteered her sentiments on the
folly of reflecting too deeply, observing, that all but the old ought to
banish the idea of death and such dismal bugbears from their minds.
"Mais, songez, Mademoiselle," quoth he, interrupted in some observation
rather better worth hearing, "que tout le monde ne possede pas votre
force de caractere;" a compliment to which the young lady assented with
a grateful curtsy.
By the time F. had finished his sleep and digestion, as he had proposed
to do, and learned "Pescator dell' Onda," by repeated trials and
lessons, we arrived at the Pierre Incise, at the corner of which the
Saone enters Lyons. Tradition says that this spot, which reminded me of
St. Vincent's rocks, near Clifton, derives its Latinized name from the
great work performed by Agrippa in cutting through the solid rock, and
enlarging the channel of the river. The site of the castle of Pierre
Incise, formerly a prison, and destroyed at the Revolution, is still
visible on a strong height overhanging the river to the right; the
bottom of which appears to have been cut away artificially.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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