The stranger in France : $b or, a tour from Devonshire to Paris illustrated by engravings in aqua tint of sketches taken on the spot.Carr, John, Sir
History
The stranger in France : $b or, a tour from Devonshire to Paris illustrated by engravings in aqua tint of sketches taken on the spot.
Carr, John, Sir
France -- Description and travel; Paris (France) -- Description and travel
Mr. R---- is very polite to the english, and his letters ensure the
greatest attention wherever they are produced.
From Mont Blanc I proceeded to the Hotel de Caramand, the residence of
the british ambassador, to whom I had a letter of introduction, from a
particular friend of his, and who received me with great politeness. His
apartments were handsome, and looked into some beautiful gardens.
Amongst the english, who were at this time in Paris, a little prejudice
existed against the representative of the british monarch, from a
reason, which within the jurisdiction of the lord mayor of London and of
most corporate towns in England, will be considered to carry
considerable weight. The envoy did not celebrate the late birthday of
his sovereign by a jolly, and convivial dinner. The fact was, Mr. M----,
who by the sudden return of Mr. J----, became unexpectedly invested with
the dignity of an ambassador, was in constant expectation of being
recalled, to make room for the intended appointment of lord W---- to the
consular court, in consequence of which, he had not prepared for the
display of those splendid hospitalities, which, on such occasions,
always distinguish the table of a british house of embassy.
On a Sunday evening, I went with a party to Tivoli, a favourite place of
amusement with the parisians. At the entrance we found, as at all the
public places, a guard of horse, and foot. The admission is twenty
sols. The evening was very fine. We passed immense crowds of people, who
were flocking to the same place. Amongst them were many elegant, well
dressed women, wholly unattended by gentlemen, a circumstance by no
means unusual in Paris. This place seemed to be raised by the magic
touch of enchantment. We entered upon gravelled walks, which were cut
through little winding, and intersecting hillocks of box; those which
formed the sides were surmounted by orange trees, which presented a
beautiful colonnade; immediately after we had passed them, we entered an
elegant treillage of honeysuckles, roses, and eglantine, which formed
the grand entrance to the garden. Here a most animated scene of
festivity opened upon us. On one side were rope dancers, people riding
at the ring, groups of persons playing at shuttlecock, which seemed to
be the favourite, and I may add, the most ridiculous diversion; on the
other side, were dancers, tumblers, mountebanks, and parties, all with
gay countenances, seated in little bowers enjoying lemonade, and ices.
In the centre as we advanced, were about three hundred people, who were
dancing the favourite waltz. This dance was brought from Germany, where,
_from its nature_, the partners are always engaged lovers; but the
french, who think that nothing can be blamable which is susceptible of
elegance, have introduced the german dance, without adhering to the
german regulation. The attitudes of the waltz are very graceful, but
they would not altogether accord with english female notions of
delicacy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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