COBLENTZ AND WHITE COCKADES.
Our famous Adventures begin here. We arrived at Coblentz[180] at five o'clock last Wednesday, & found every Inn in the Town full of Panaches blancs. After staying three hours in the Boat, with difficulty Papa found one Room, with one Bed, without Curtains & no other furniture of any kind in it. We preferred this to sleeping in the Boat, the only alternative, & accordingly we females slept on Mattresses upon the ground. As there were no curtains it was impossible to admit Papa of the Party, & he remained all Night in the Boat. The Account that was brought us of the Room we were to sleep in, was that between forty and fifty Officers were in two Rooms at each end of ours, which opened with Folding Doors. Upon a nearer enquiry, the number was reduced between 10 & 20—but they are tolerably quiet, considering they are Frenchmen. Yesterday was passed enquiring for Lodgings, & by the help of the Duc de Guiche,[181] the Woman of the house was prevailed upon to give us three Garrets, perfectly unfurnished—but this we considered as charming accommodation compared to the higgledy piggledy Style we had been accustomed to—but the Ground is still our Bed.
Papa has found out a great deal of amusement for himself. He was presented yesterday to the Elector,[182] Monsieur,[183] Madame, the Comte d'Artois, the P. of Condé and his Son; to-day he dined at a very large dinner at the Prince of Nassau's[184]—& is now at the Play in Made. de Nassau's Box, who was very desirous of our Company, but Mama is not fond of violent measures. The Comte de Romanzov[185] is here, Ambassador to the Princes from the Empress Cat. The Bishop of Arras[186] is not here; but the Duc de Guiche is every thing that is delightful, & Papa has not been at a loss for the Bishop. Our amusements may be mentioned in very few words. We have seen the citadel. We go from here early to-morrow morning—in our Boat. The Weather is very unfavorable to us. Only that you might justly make the Observation, "If you are sensible of your fault, why do you continue to offend?" I would apologize for the length of my Letter. But while you allow me to write to you, I do not think I have quite left Lausanne—& I never know how to leave off. Distribute our Love and compts properly.
Believe me
Ever affec. yours,
Maria T. Holroyd.
I forgot to say we found our Letters here. Mama desires her Love to Severy & many thanks for his Letter. I have taken a great deal of pains to persuade her to write to him; but she has not resolution enough to take up her pen. I must whisper to you we were disappointed at not hearing a few lines from you.
577.
The Hon. Maria Holroyd to Edward Gibbon.
Brussels, October 29th, 1791.
It is probable that this my fourth Letter may remain unopened in your Pocket, but I shall leave that to Fate, & only think of convincing you, that I still remember Lausanne & my promise. I like to let People know how unreasonable I am, & therefore I will tell you I had faint hopes of finding a few Lines here, either written or dictated by you. I frequently ask Mama, do you think they are talking of us at Lausanne? & she generally answers—I daresay not; so I should have had a great deal of satisfaction in shewing her, that you thought so much of us as to make a violent effort to tell us so. We have proceeded on our journey with great success from Coblentz to Brussells, & to-morrow go to Antwerp. We arrived here on Thursday from Louvain—the Road was so bad & the Post-horses moved in such a Swiss manner, that we were four days coming from Cologne.