They never felt thy noble flame.”
During the week I remained in Mr. Fetherstone’s boarding-house, the weather was wet and cold, so that we were much confined within doors; but as our party consisted of twenty individuals, there was no want of amusement, and the continued intercourse necessarily kept up amongst us, tended materially to promote my object of acquiring the language. The following anecdote will serve to shew, how much I was in need of improvement in this respect.
On the morning after my entrance into this family, I rang the bell of my bed-chamber, and requested a French servant to bring me hot water; in answer to this he replied, “toute a l’heure,” with the meaning of which I was at the time totally ignorant: after waiting a quarter of an hour, I rang again, and received the same reply, “toute a l’heure,” but with no better result: I again repeated my application, it was still “toute a l’heure:” at length, after, the lapse of an hour, he brought the water. At breakfast, I took the opportunity of inquiring the signification of this convenient expression, requesting to be informed, whether it implied any specific time, when they told me it meant “immediately.” I thought, however, in the present instance, that the action did not suit the word.
It may be expected, that I should make some remarks concerning the Parisian theatres, and other places of amusement; however my ignorance of the language, and want of vision, as well as the state of the weather, diminished the ardour of the desires which I possessed, on entering Paris, to visit these scenes; however, the many recent accounts that have been published, leave me no cause to regret the omission. For similar reasons I am prevented from attempting any description of this grand city; and, therefore, in lieu of it, beg leave to offer the following laconic and popular petite chanson.
LE PORTRAIT DE PARIS.
Amour; marriage; divorce;
Naissance; mort; enterrement;
Fausse vertu; brillante écorce;
Petit esprit; grand sentiment;