I have spoken to Colonel M—— about your friends who think of a removal to the south of France, he having many connexions at Toulouse. He is decidedly of opinion that that should be the place of abode, for a family of ladies especially; I am rather disposed to be of the same opinion. Pau, however, which I have not seen, is much recommended. Supposing they fix on Toulouse, Colonel M—— says, of course, that the house which they will require for comfort must be large, giving them four rooms with lits de maître, and four beds for filles de chambres, and about four other servants, and three good sitting rooms, &c. He thinks such a house may be had for about eighteen hundred francs a-year, that is, about 75l. a-year. I can assure them, that in point of economy, all must depend upon their arrangements being made by some French friends, and not by an English one. In house-rent, in wine, in everything, an inhabitant will get articles at one-third of the price demanded of the English. The French have no ideas of honesty or moderation towards the English, and not much towards any one in matters of trade. The extortion, and even the downright frauds committed, especially on travellers, are quite disgraceful, and every tradesman assists his neighbour in getting a job, and fleecing the milords. I believe they are like the Jews, and have, from continual practice, arrived at the same conclusion as the others from religion, namely, that they are performing a duty when they cheat an Englishman.
There are two Protestant chapels here, and one excellent preacher, in the style of a London chapel preacher, only extempore; I heard one very eloquent French sermon delivered by him, with great propriety. The service, the singing, and other parts of the duty, are but moderately performed.
The courts of justice are much the same as at Toulouse, and about nine or ten judges generally attend. I was unfortunately obliged to leave Toulouse before their criminal sessions with a jury commenced, and on my arrival here they were over. This takes place only once in three months, unless something extraordinary or a great press of business occurs. I attended a case of misdemeanor, a bad assault, in the criminal court, but that was an appeal only, and being of the class of petits delits, there never is a jury—but a president and five judges. The same number presides when there is a jury, in more penal trials; and in certain cases when the jury are divided, as for instance seven against five, then the judges are called in to vote as jurymen, and the proportion of votes required by law calculated on the whole numbers. There was much unnecessary delay and argument in the case I heard. It was like one of our worst-managed cases of motions for a new trial on account of deficiency of evidence, which are always of the most tiresome class.
Post-day, June 27th.—I have been to the Jew’s wedding. The ceremony consists principally of singing and drinking, and blessings in Hebrew. There must be something Jewish, however, as usual, and that is concerning the ring, which, as soon as it is produced, is shown round to all the rabbies near, and some elders, &c., and to the sponsors, to be sure it is really gold, or otherwise the marriage is void, and the true old clothesman-like way in which they all spied at the ring was very amusing. Nearly the last ceremony is the bridegroom’s smashing a wine-glass in a plate on the floor, with an idea that he and his spouse are then as difficult to separate as it would be to reunite the glass. The gentleman showed gallantry by exerting all his force, and looking most fiercely as he broke the glass.
I understand that the Duke of Wellington came back from Madrid with a much better impression of King Ferdinand than when he went, thinking that he showed talent, firmness, and character. The manner in which he received the Duke may have somewhat disposed him to this favourable judgment. I understand the King immediately treated the Duke as a grandee of Spain, by shaking hands with him, and putting his hat on, and that the king declared almost the only two acts of the Cortes, which he approved of in toto, were those which made the Duke commander of all the Spanish armies, and gave him the estate in the South.
We have had news from our cavalry from the vicinity of Paris, from Chartres; all the officers have deserted their regiments to see Paris—that present wonder of wonders! They have occasionally lately been better treated, that is, whenever they met with a Royalist patron at their quarters. H—— says there seems to be two parties everywhere, and it is a sort of lottery which they fall into the hands of; that, when he wrote last from Chartres he had been “stuffed to death,” made to eat three or four meals a-day, and to attend a party given on purpose for him every evening: this, I conclude, was all a douce violence.
Still no news as to our Tarragona plan. My patron, Monsieur Emerigon, says, that at Paris the Emperor of Russia individually was the most popular, except perhaps the English and our Duke; that the Russian troops were not in such favour; the King of Prussia so-so. Blucher and his troops better, but the Emperor of Austria the worst of all; and every one must have observed the marked difference of his reception from that of the other sovereigns.
I am to-day turned out of my room, which is the dining-room, as my patron gives a dinner, to which he has asked me. I must not therefore complain.
We have been paid up a good deal of money at this place, where the quantity of gold and silver we have circulated is quite incredible. Every one talks of it, and the piles and piles of empty money-boxes of all sorts, and from all quarters, fully prove it. At present we have immense quantities of French money, Napoleons and Louis, gold and silver, from Paris, whilst, on the other hand, I am told that the French are here buying up our guineas and Portuguese gold, to turn them into Louis, as they have begun a new coinage both here and at Paris.