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.
