This establishment has been formed by the Doctor on such a system, as to render it in every respect a cheerful and agreeable residence for boarders; hence every rational and intellectual amusement is provided within its walls, a piano, and instruments for forming a quartetto, a billiard room, newspapers, periodical works, baths, etc., alternately present the inmates with a fund of amusement: possessing also the greatest advantage in having Madame Hoffman at the head of the establishment, who from the good society she has been accustomed to frequent, and her mental qualifications, is enabled, by her conversation, ever to cause the hours to pass most pleasantly with the residents of the Villa, to whose comforts, and wants, she pays the most unremitting attention, and unites the advantage of speaking English. Doctor Hoffman is willing to receive any patients except such as may be afflicted with either contagious complaints, or with mental alienation, and to attend them upon the homœpathic principles, in which he has attained considerable celebrity, having for many years practised upon that system with the greatest success. The apartments are fitted up in a style of elegance which at once convinces the spectator of the good taste of the director, and although they are numerous, each has its peculiar attraction, either in the view from the windows, or from the internal arrangement: but the quality which is most recommendable in this establishment, is the peculiar care which has been devoted to every minutia which can in any degree tend to comfort, and particularly for that season when it is most required, having by the means of two immense calorifères, so contrived that the whole house is warmed by a pure air, which is introduced from the garden, and conveyed not only into every apartment, but also to the staircases, corridors, and even into the closets, the degree of heat being regulated exactly to the grade desired; thus a person may pass a whole winter in this little Elysium, without ever feeling any of its baneful effects, which is a great desideratum for persons of delicate health, or having the slightest tendency to consumption, to whom the most powerful enemies are cold and damp, two intruders who are never permitted to enter under any pretext the Villa Beaujon.
For the pedestrian the greatest treat is afforded, as the neighbourhood consists of a most numerous variety of delightful walks, and for those who desire to enjoy the beauties of nature, without fatigue, the most favourable opportunity is offered, a terrace having been formed at the summit of the premises which commands a panoramic view for fifteen leagues round, comprehending within its circle an immense variety of villages, châteaux, hills, wood, water, and every description of picturesque scenery. There is also a garden prettily arranged, and kept in the nicest order, with kiosques and a jet d'eau, in fact there is no attraction omitted which could possibly contribute towards rendering the Villa a most desirable residence for every season; the charge is moderate, and the treatment in every respect the most liberal, the Doctor being in such a position that emolument is not an important object. Amongst other advantages which the establishment possesses, is that of always having one English servant. The situation which has been selected by the Doctor for his residence, is not only the most agreeable but considered decidedly one of the most healthy round Paris, as the few houses which are immediately around it are of the better order and environed by gardens, therefore the purity of the air is untainted by smoke or any effluvia arising from closely inhabited cities; indeed in that instance Paris has a great advantage over London, on account of wood being the principal fuel burnt in the former, and coal in the latter, hence Paris seen from a height, every object is visible from the clearness of the atmosphere, whilst London under the same circumstances is capped by a murky sort of cloud by which the greater part of the city is generally obscured.
Although the French capital is above three degrees south of the English, yet the former is colder in the winter, only that it is dryer, consequently more wholesome and the cold weather is of much shorter duration, as the springs are always finer and forwarder than in England, which is proved by the vegetables being much earlier in Paris, peas being sold cheap about the streets on the 20th or 25th of May, and other leguminous crops in proportion. The autumns are often very fine, generally, indeed, I have known the month of November to be quite clear and sunny, but of latter years the summers have been wet. The English in most instances have their health better in France than in England, which is considered to arise from several different causes; the lower and even some of the middle classes in London and other large towns are much addicted to drinking quantities of porter and ale, which are not so accessible in Paris or in any town in France; hence after a time they accustom themselves to the light wines of the country, and with the higher classes of English the case is nearly similar, as they renounce port, sherry, and Madeira, for Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc., and as a draught wine even good ordinaire, but a grand point is to obtain it of the best quality, proportioned to the price; perhaps there is not a town in the world where there are so many persons who sell wine as in Paris, but as there is a great deal of quackery and compounding practised, I must caution my countrymen not to purchase at any house to which they are not particularly recommended. I shall therefore advise them to give the preference to the old established house of Meunier, which has existed ever since 1800, now conducted by Messrs. Debonnelle et Guiard; I have myself long dealt there, as also my friends, and have ever found their prices the most reasonable, and the qualities unexceptionable; their tarif comprehends all descriptions of wine, and the charges in proportion, commencing on so moderate a scale that they are attainable to the most modest purse, and as there is no description of known wine which they do not possess, of course some there are at very high prices; the same case may be stated of their liqueurs, of which they have every variety. In this establishment persons may either be accommodated with a single bottle, or may purchase by the pipe, as they carry on an extensive wholesale business; their great warehouses are at Bercy which is the grand dépôt for the wine merchants of Paris. This is one of those houses to which I have before alluded as having, although nearly in the centre of the city, a delightful garden, and in the present instance quite a little aviary of canary and other birds, which is open to the street, situated No. 22, Rue des Saints-Pères, Faubourg St. Germain. The present proprietors were clerks in the house as long back as 1810, and have never since been absent from the business, which has been considerably augmented by their extreme attention and civility to their customers, and the reputation which they have acquired for keeping good articles, and vending them at fair prices.
As a great object of my work is to render it as serviceable as possible to my readers, I must not omit some cautionary remarks upon the tradespeople of Paris; an opinion has generally existed of their predisposition to overcharge the English, and in a great many instances it has been the case, when they first came over to France; an idea existed that they were extremely rich, and a bad feeling prevailed of making the wealthy pay: even amongst their own country people, they do the same, it is a common phrase with them, "Il est riche, alors faites-lui payer," "He is rich, so make him pay," and that system of calculating the weight of a person's means and making the charge, accordingly, is still followed in a degree; even the government have in some measure encouraged the practice, no doubt from a good motive, which has prompted them at certain periods to enforce regulations, that some articles should be sold for less to the poor, such as bread, and other necessaries of life. Another circumstance caused the French to continue their impositions upon the English, their having been duped by the latter, and in many instances to a considerable amount, as amongst the crowds who came over, were many persons who were not very scrupulous with respect to paying their debts, to whom the French willingly gave credit, the English name at that period having stood extremely high in the estimation of the French, but having sustained several losses on account of their too great facility in giving credit, they determined to make such of the English as they could attract, pay a portion towards what they had been mulcted by their runaway country-people. The French are not alone in that respect, as some of the fashionable tailors in London charge an immense price for their coats, because they say they only get paid for two out of three, therefore they make those pay dearly for such as do not pay at all.
The system now is rather better in Paris, so many shopkeepers having adopted the plan of selling at "Prix fixe" as they call it, which means fixed prices, from which they seldom or ever depart; but then there is a great difference with regard to the value of the articles in which they deal, some shops being infinitely cheaper than others, I therefore have been at considerable pains to discover those who conduct their business in an honourable manner and shall give my readers the benefit of my researches. With respect to provisions there certainly is a difference with regard to the quarters, which are the more or the less fashionable, the former being somewhat dearer than the latter, but there is a proportionate difference with regard to the quality, and therefore in some instances the higher priced articles are the cheapest in the end; for instance, M. Rolland, of No. 363, Rue St. Honoré, sells none but the very best meat; certainly in some of the obscurer parts of the town, and in the markets it is to be had cheaper; but the quality far inferior. I have heard the English complain of the meat not being so good in Paris as it is in London, but if they dealt with M. Rolland they could not in justice make the remark, he is always the possessor of the ox which is exhibited on Shrove Tuesday, and which weighed the last time nearly 4,000lbs; he retains a well executed portrait of it, which he shows to his customers, but he has often beasts approaching that weight, as about a dozen every year are fatted by the Norman graziers for the prize, and he is the principal purchaser; his other meat is proportionately fine, therefore I fancy that a good manager will find that economy is promoted by dealing with M. Holland in preference to any one who may sell at a nominally lower price.
Now that economy is on the tapis, I must endeavour to enlighten my reader as much on that head as I can, by giving him all the advantage of my own experience in the art, and as I am an old practitioner, I have the vanity to flatter myself that my advice on that score may count for something. On quitting England I advise my readers to disburthen themselves of all their clothes, except such as are absolutely requisite for travelling, and then on arriving at Paris to order those of which they may stand in need; indeed for myself, when I return to England I always provide a good stock of habiliments, convinced that the cloth procured in France is so much more durable than that obtained in England, and the workmen being paid much less, you have a superior article in France for a lower charge. As to the difference of fashion or cut, I leave that to be decided by a committee of dandies of the two countries, and to prevent my readers from getting into bad hands, I recommend them at once to M. Courtois, aux Montagnes Russes, No. 11, Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, facing the Rue Vivienne, there the stranger is sure of being fairly treated with regard to the worth of the commodity, the solidity and neatness of the execution, and punctuality in the fulfillment of his engagements. The difference of prices between a fashionable London and Parisian tailor is immense, the former will make you pay 7l. 7s. for a coat of the best cloth, whilst M. Courtois only charges 100 francs (4l.) for the same article, equal in every respect, and furnishes every other description of clothing on equally moderate terms.
I shall now bid my reader to doff his hat, and obtain one that will sit so lightly on his brow, that he will scarcely be conscious that his head is covered, of which I had experience under circumstances rather ludicrous than otherwise. I entered a glover's shop with my mind I suppose occupied with divers meditations, and like a true uncourteous Englishman forgot to take off my hat to the Dame de Comptoir, as she is styled, but having obtained what I sought, in the act of departing I took up a hat which was on the counter, not dreaming that I had already one upon my head, but as I was making my obeissance to the mistress of the shop, she observed, very archly, that she should have thought Monsieur might be satisfied with having a hat on his head, without requiring to have one in his hand; surprised at finding myself absolutely committing a robbery, I made the best excuses the subject would admit, and retired after having furnished a subject of amusement for Madame, for Monsieur whose hat I had so illegally appropriated to myself, and to some pretty laughing-looking demoiselles who were ensconced behind a counter. These aerial hats are to be procured of M. Servas, No. 69, Rue Richelieu, who is the inventor, and for which he has received a medal from a scientific society, they are of so light and elastic a nature, that they do not cause the slightest pressure upon the brow, nor leave that unsightly mark upon the forehead, that is often a great annoyance to those gentlemen who object to having a stain upon the blanche purity of that feature, and as those who are tenacious in that respect must naturally be so with regard to the form and the material of which their hat is composed, they may rest assured on that point they will be suited in those of M. Servas, which have long had an acknowledged superiority and celebrity on that account, his establishment having for upwards of 30 years been famed under the firm of Coquel and Quesnoy, which by the ingenuity of his recent invention he has considerably augmented.
As I am now on a chapter devoted to usefulness, I must recommend my readers to get well and comfortably shod, particularly if they have any intention of visiting the monuments and antiquities I have described, for which purpose they must procure their shoes in Paris, the leather being prepared in such a manner as to render it infinitely more soft and flexible than it is in England, consequently one can walk twice the distance, without tiring, in French shoes, than one can in English; hence with the former all the tortures of new shoes are never felt, being fully as easy as an old pair of the latter, and for this purpose no one can better supply the article desired, than M. Deschamps, No. 14, Galerie d'Orléans, Palais-Royal, who stands so high in the estimation of my countrymen, that he is obliged to go to London twice a year to supply their demands. An attention to comfort in this respect is to me so essential, that in returning to England I always provide myself with a plentiful stock of boots and shoes, although not to the same degree that one of our celebrated tragedians practised this precaution, having furnished himself with thirty-six pair to the no small amusement of the Dover custom-house officers when they overhauled his luggage. One of the great advantages of the French shoes is that the upper leather never cracks nor bursts, and indeed I have not only found the material better, but also the workmanship. M. Deschamps has acquired much celebrity for the very elegant manner in which his shoes for balls and soirées are executed, after a system of his own, which have now become the fashion in all the saloons in Paris. Perhaps my readers may think I have devoted too much space to this subject, but being a great pedestrian, it is one of peculiar importance, to me (and it is so natural to judge every one by one's self), and in order to see all the interesting little bits of architectural antiquity, which are so numerous in Paris, the visit must be performed on foot, as it is sometimes requisite to go into little courts and alleys where no carriage can possibly enter; besides an antiquarian must peep and grope about in places where a vehicle would only be an incumbrance.
Whilst my memory is on, or, as some people would say, whilst my hand is in, I must not forget to recommend the stationer's shop, No. 159, Rue St. Honoré, next door to the Oratoire, as it is presumable that my readers, who intend to sojourn a while at Paris, must want to pay some visits, consequently will need visiting cards, with which they will provide themselves at the above establishment on terms so reasonable as quite to surprise a Londoner; also the visiter must write, and will here find an assortment of sixty different descriptions of English metal pens of Cuthbert's manufacture, and every variety of stationary that can be desired, and the manner in which they get up cards and addresses, with regard to the neatness of the engraving, printing, and quality of the card, is really surprising, for the price; whilst the mistress receives her customers with so much politeness, that having been once, is sure to prove the cause for other visits, when any of the articles in which she deals are required; and punctuality in the execution of the orders received is a quality to be met with in her, and in good truth, I cannot say much for the Parisians in general on that score, and one great cause is that they have too much business, and far more than they can attend to in a proper manner.
In the same street, at No. 416, is an establishment of which the English ought to be informed, being that of M. Renault, wherein good cutlery is to be obtained at very moderate prices; there is every variety that can be desired, either for the table or other purposes, all of the finest description; his shop is situated in the quarter most convenient for the English, being that in which they so frequently reside.