LETTER XXXVIII.
SIR,Paris, March 20, 1732.
For the sake of good Wine I preferr’d the Djon Road to Paris, before the great Road from Lyons thro’ Tarare; but I have been rightly serv’d for being so over-nice in my Palate, for I have been sadly impos’d on, and did not meet with one Glass of good Wine at any House of Entertainment in all the Road, which in other respects I found pleasant enough. I sent my Chaise to Chalons upon the Saone, and went thither by Water in the Boat that carries Passengers, who go in the Diligence (Stage Coach) to Paris. In this Vehicle, which otherwise was not a very pleasant one, I happen’d to meet with a Couple of Officers of my Acquaintance, very amiable Gentlemen. We pass’d by Trevoux, the Capital of the Principality of Dombes, of which the Duke de Maine is Sovereign: It came to him by Inheritance from the late Mademoiselle de Montpensier, Daughter of Gaston of France, Duke of Orleans, a Princess who render’d herself famous in the Civil Wars by the taking of Orleans, and by ordering the Cannon to be fir’d from the Bastille upon the Army of Lewis XIV. who never intirely forgave her for that Piece of Disrespect, and to punish her wou’d never give her leave to marry[38]. ’Twas to reconcile the King
to her, that her Ladyship made the Duke de Maine her Heir. Dombes has a Parliament, and Trevoux is famous for the Literary Journal printed there, which causes such frequent Disputes among the Learned.
After having pass’d Trevoux, we saw several other Towns, Villages and Mansion-houses in a Country, one of the finest Landskips that ’tis possible to imagine. We din’d very much in Haste at a Village, and went and lay at Macon, an Episcopal City, where the Canons of the Cathedral have the Title of Counts, as well as those of the Church of St. John at Lyons. This City did not seem to me to have any thing remarkable, and whether there is any good Company in it, I did not stay long enough to see.
Chalons upon the Saone is also the See of a Bishop, but did not appear to me to be one jot more considerable than Macon: I went to see the Castle, which has a full Command of the Town: There I was shew’d the Apartment where the Duchess of Maine was kept Prisoner during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans. A Person had need of all that Spirit which she is known to have, to bear up under a Disgrace equal to hers: ’Twas but a little before, that all the People of France were fond of making their Court to her; her Grandeur was not equall’d by any Princess of the Blood, and her Lodgings were perfectly superb; but on a sudden she fell from all her Splendor, and was oblig’d to live in a miserable Castle, with no Companions but the Women that are absolutely necessary to attend her[39]. I will hereafter give you a more particular
Account of this Princess; but I now proceed on my Journey.
From Chalons I went to Dijon, after having pass’d thro’ Beaune, and along by the best Vineyards in all Burgundy. To tell you frankly my Mind, I had quite another Idea of Dijon, than what I really found it to be: ’Tis an ancient City, and most of the Houses are old, and make no great Appearance, tho’ they are very convenient, and well fitted up. In the Street of Conde, which is newly built, the Houses are of equal Proportion. The lower Part consists of Shops, and over them are the Merchants Lodging-Rooms, and there are Iron Balconies at the Windows, which, if the Houses were higher, wou’d make a fine Sight. This Street leads to the Place Royale, in which there’s an Equestrian Statue of the late King Lewis XIV. which is plac’d on so high a Pedestal, that it even raises the Statue higher than the Houses that surround the Place, which moreover is by much too small to contain so great a Monument. The Houses are actually very low, and if they were to be carry’d higher, the Statue would look as if it were imprison’d in a Cage. This Mass of Copper was cast in Paris, and first carry’d by Water to Auxerre, where it remain’d a long while, it being so very heavy and large, that it was in a manner immoveable; but at last it was remov’d by Land Carriage to Dijon, but not without very great Difficulty, and as great Expence; yet it appeared to me to be one of the least Statues in the Kingdom.
This Statue faces the King’s House, where lives the Duke of Bourbon, Governor of the Province. ’Tis a very spacious Building, with two advanc’d Wings, but can only be reckon’d a very irregular Structure. I did not go to see the Apartments, because I was told, that they were not furnish’d, and not worth the Trouble of a View.
The Palace, where the Parliament meets, is very ancient, and one of the vilest in the Kingdom. Whether the Dukes of Burgundy resided there heretofore, I know not; but if they did, they were not very sumptuously accommodated.
Dijon was erected, but a few Years ago, into a Bishoprick, by the late Pope Benedict XIII. at the Request of the Duke of Bourbon; who was very glad to procure that Honour for the Capital of his Government.
The Ring at Dijon is the finest Thing about this City; which is really neither fine nor agreeable. The common People are not over and above civil, and those of Quality value themselves very much upon their Nobility. Pray read only the Letters of Bussi Rabutin, and you will know what Sort of Gentry the Burgundians are; for they are all, like him, puffed up with their Birth. The Parliament of this Province consists generally of Persons of Quality.
The Duke of Bourbon is the fourth Governor of Burgundy, of the Conde Family; to which this Government is a Sort of Appenage. This Prince never comes to Dijon, but to hold an Assembly of the States. The Count de Tavannes, who is Lieutenant-general of the Province, commands there in his Absence. There is an Intendant, and all the Sovereign Courts. Notwithstanding so much Company, I thought Dijon a melancholy Place; and I have seen a great many Towns in France of less Note, which to me had a more gay and agreeable
Appearance. There is a public Concert here, to which I was forc’d to go, whether I would or not; I thought, before I went, that it would be but indifferent, and so indeed I found it. The Hall was magnificent, the Company numerous and splendid, and the Concert would have been very good, if there had been Musicians; but as it was, it resembled the Butchers Concert of Marrow-bones and Cleavers.
From Dijon I went to Auxerre and Sens, of which the last is the See of an Archbishop; and that’s all I can say of it, because I only staid there to change Horses. When I came to Auxerre, I found the whole Street where the Post-house stands in an Uproar, it being full of Mob, and especially of Women, who all seem’d very much enrag’d. This was owing to a Transaction the Night before, when the Wife of a Baker qualify’d her Husband for one of the chief Posts in the Seraglio: The Motive which induc’d her to this barbarous Action was Jealousy: Her Husband, who was about twenty Years old, and a very likely Man, was (at least, as the scandalous Chronicle of Auxerre said) a little too intimate with a Pastry Cook Woman, who was young and handsome. The Baker’s Wife, who was old and ugly, not being able to bear the Thoughts of her Husband’s Inconstancy, had taken Care to lay a Razor under her Bolster; and at the very Time when her Husband was giving her the Marks of his Tenderness for her, she made him a second Abelard. This Tragedy having happen’d just as I arriv’d at Auxerre, the Inhabitants were all very much incensed against the Baker’s Wife, and hurry’d the poor Wretch to Prison. The Women curs’d her heartily, yet in their serious Imprecations there was something perfectly comical. I verily believe, that if they had
had her at their Mercy, they would have tore her to Pieces.
Fontainebleau, a Royal Palace which I pass’d thro’, is fourteen Leagues from Paris. There’s a great Village belonging to it, which stands in the Middle of a large Forest, wherein a great Number of long Roads is cut, for the Conveniency of Hunting. The Palace is irregular, because all the Kings from Francis I. to Lewis XIV. have made very considerable Additions to it; nevertheless the Apartments are grand and magnificent. There’s a great Number of Cielings painted by celebrated Masters, whom Francis I. sent for on purpose from Italy. The Gallery of the Stags is noted for the cruel Action committed there by Christina, Queen of Sweden; who caus’d her Master of the Horse, and her Favourite Monaldeschi, to be assassinated there before her Face, after having shewn him some Letters, which he had the Indiscretion to write, and reproach’d him for his Treachery, in the Presence of the Minister[40] of the Order of the Holy Trinity, whom she had sent for to give the poor Man Confession, and who in vain solicited his Pardon. Lewis XIV. was very much disgusted at an Execution thus committed in his Palace, and, as it were, under his Nose: Indeed, rather than be oblig’d to manifest his Resentment, he chose to keep a profound Silence; but tho’ he dissembled it as much as possible, Christina perceiv’d, that she had staid too long at his Court, and resolv’d to retire to Rome, where in 1689 she died.
But Fontainebleau has lately been the Scene of an Action more pleasant, grand and glorious, viz. the Ceremony of the Marriage of King Lewis XV. The Duke of Orleans having marry’d the Queen by
Proxy, at Strasbourg, the Princess came by short Days Journies to a Place about a League from Moret; where she was met by the King, and the Princesses of the Blood. I had the Pleasure of being an Eye-witness of this Interview. When the Two Coaches of the King and Queen came in Sight of each other, they advanc’d a few Paces upon the Trot, and then stopp’d; when their Majesties alighted, and walk’d to each other upon Carpets. When the Queen came near to the King, she kneel’d down upon a Cushion of blue Velvet, seeded with Fleurs-de-Lys of Gold. The Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon rais’d her up again, when the King saluted her, but said nothing to her: The Princes and Princesses saluted her also, and she receiv’d them with such a good-natur’d, modest Air, as prepossess’d the whole Court in her Favour. Then the King went into his Coach, where the Queen seated herself on his Left-hand; and the Princes and Princesses having plac’d themselves according to their Rank, they thus proceeded to Moret. I heard the late Duchess of Orleans say, that there was a very great Silence observ’d in the Coach for some time, because all that were in it, out of Respect to the King, waited for him to speak first: But as he said nothing, the Duchess of Orleans, who had seen the Queen in Germany, and at Metz, was the first that broke Silence; and, by degrees, the Conversation became general. When they arriv’d at Moret, the King and the Queen, attended by the Princes and Princesses, went into the Queen’s Closet: There the King talk’d; and after having stay’d about an Hour, he return’d to Fontainebleau, with the same Train that attended him when he set out from thence.
The next Morning, at Eight o’Clock, the Queen arriv’d at Fontainebleau, without any other Retinue than what she had during her whole Journey. Being
in an Undress, she went strait to her Apartment, and sat down to the Toilet; when she was dress’d, Word was brought to her, that the King was arriv’d; who, in a few Moments after, made his Appearance, in a Mantle of Gold Brocade, trimm’d with Spanish Point of Gold, the whole enrich’d with Diamonds. His Majesty, having saluted the Queen, walk’d the same Instant towards the Chapel, and the Queen follow’d immediately after him, supported by the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon: She was dress’d in a Blue Velvet Gown, seeded with Fleurs-de-Lys of Gold; her Petticoat, and the Tail of her Gown, were fac’d with Ermin, and adorned with Diamonds; and her Royal Mantle, which was like her Gown, was held up by the Princesses of the Blood. She had the Royal Crown on her Head; and ’tis certain, that every thing about her was truly magnificent, and made a very grand Appearance. The Chapel was adorn’d with a rich Suit of Hangings, of blue Velvet, imbroider’d with Gold. The Elector of Cologne, the Electoral Prince of Bavaria, now Elector, the Duke Ferdinand, and the Bishop of Freisingen and Ratisbon, were present incognito at the Ceremony. The Cardinal de Rohan gave their Majesties the Nuptial Benediction. The Queen happening to be out of Order during the Mass, the Duke of Bourbon, who perceiv’d it, gave her some Balm-water, by which her Majesty found immediate Relief.
After Mass was ended, they return’d in great Ceremony to the Queen’s Apartment; and soon after was the Royal Feast, when the Princes and Princesses din’d with their Majesties. All this was very fine, but the Room was so much too small, that they who were in it were ready to be smother’d, and three-fourths of the People could not get in.
When the Feast was over, their Majesties chang’d their Apparel, and took an Airing with the Royal Family in a Calash, round the great Canal, preceded by all the Court Nobility, and the Officers of the King’s Houshold, and follow’d by the Ladies, in Coaches drawn each by Six Horses. But ’tis certain, that in the whole, there was nothing more magnificent than the Number of the Persons, and their Cloaths; for as to their Equipages, they were very ordinary; there was not so much as one new Coach, the Liveries were old, and the Nobility very sorrily mounted.
When the King and Queen were return’d to the Palace, there was a Drawing-room; after which, their Majesties supp’d with the Princesses of the Blood; and during the Supper, there was a Concert. When their Majesties arose from Table, they went to the Windows, and saw the Firework, and the Illumination in the Park; which was very much admir’d, but really appear’d trifling to us Germans, who are accustom’d to see Fireworks that cost immense Sums, and which are executed in a Manner that surpasses every thing done elsewhere of the Kind. Thus ended all the Rejoicings upon account of the King’s Marriage. They say there were great Illuminations and Bonfires also at Paris; but as I was at Fontainebleau, I did not see them. ’Tis certain tho’, that how much soever the French were pleas’d with the Marriage of their King, they were in no very great Humour to rejoice at a Time when a Pound of Bread cost eleven Sols, and few were they that had a Belly-full. ’Tis no laughing Matter, when the Guts grumble. But I leave this long Digression, and resume the Thread of my Narrative, by proceeding with the Description of Fontainebleau.
This Royal Palace is accompanied with a fine Park, which, tho’ not near so much adorned as the Park of Versailles, has remarkable Beauties, not to be met with in that. The great Canal is superb, and, generally speaking, the Palace of Fontainebleau, with all that environs it, has much more of the Air of a Royal Palace, than Versailles and Marly. The Village or Town of Fontainebleau, for I know not which to call it, is very well built. Most of the Lords have great Houses here, where they put their Equipages and Domesticks; it being the Custom at the Court of France, for every Lord that belongs to the Court to be lodg’d in the King’s Palace; and the French are so infatuated with this Practice, that a Nobleman had rather be lodg’d in a Manger at Court, than in an Apartment ever so commodious and magnificent, in his House at Versailles and Fontainebleau.
The Road from Fontainebleau to Paris is pav’d all the Way. There are a great many fine Houses on it, particularly Petitbourg, belonging to the Duke d’Antin, to whom it came by Succession, from his Mother, the Marchioness Montespan. Very great Buildings have been erected there within these few Years, which have the Appearance of Magnificence and Grandeur; not to mention the rich Furniture, the Pleasures of the Park, and several other Things, so ingeniously chose, and so beautifully dispos’d, as are infinitely delightful.
Choisy, which belongs to the first Princess Dowager of Conti, Daughter of Lewis XIV. by Mademoiselle de la Valiere, is, to my thinking, one of the finest Houses in the Kingdom. ’Tis built intirely in the modern Taste, and stands by the River Side. The Apartments are richly adorn’d. The Garden which belongs to it is spacious, and
several Alleys are cut out in it, which yield very fine Walks, and render Choisy an inchanting Place. Were I to mention all the other fine Houses to you that are upon the Road, I should never have done. If you consult the Delices de la France, you will find a large Account of all those Houses, as well as of their Names and Situation. For my part, my Head akes so much at this Instant, that ’tis impossible for me to add any more: But in a few Days, you shall hear farther from me; and then I will give you some Account of Paris: In the meantime, believe me to be always Yours intirely, &c.
