The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [335]
‘We dined with Boccage, the Marquis Blanchetti, and his lady. – The sweetmeats taken by the Marchioness Blanchetti, after observing that they were dear. – Mr. Le Roy, Count Manucci, the Abbe, the Prior, and Father Wilson, who staid with me, till I took him home in the coach.
‘Bathiani is gone.
‘The French have no laws for the maintenance of their poor. – Monk not necessarily a priest. – Benedictines rise at four; are at church an hour and half; at church again half an hour before, half an hour after, dinner; and again from half an hour after seven to eight. They may sleep eight hours. – Bodily labour wanted in monasteries.
‘The poor taken to hospitals, and miserably kept. – Monks in the convent fifteen: – accounted poor.
‘Oct. 12. Thursday. We went to the Gobelins. – Tapestry makes a good picture; – imitates flesh exactly. – One piece with a gold ground; – the birds not exactly coloured. – Thence we went to the King’s cabinet; – very neat, not, perhaps, perfect. – Gold ore. – Candles of the candle-tree. – Seeds. – Woods. Thence to Gagnier’s house, where I saw rooms nine, furnished with a profusion of wealth and elegance which I never had seen before. – Vases. – Pictures. – The Dragon china. – The lustre said to be of crystal, and to have cost 3,50il. – The whole furniture said to have cost 125,00il. – Damask hangings covered with pictures. – Porphyry. – This house struck me. – Then we waited on the ladies to Monville’s. – Captain Irwin with us.a – Spain. County towns all beggars. – At Dijon he could not find the way to Orleans. – Cross roads of France very bad. – Five soldiers.
– Woman. – Soldiers escaped. – The Colonel would not lose five men for the death of one woman. – The magistrate cannot seize a soldier but by the Colonel’s permission. – Good inn at Nismes. – Moors of Barbary fond of Englishmen. – Gibraltar eminently healthy; – It has beef from Barbary;
– There is a large garden. – Soldiers sometimes fall from the rock.
‘Oct. 13. Friday. I staid at home all day, only went to find the Prior,
who was not at home. – I read something in Canus.a –Nec admiror, nec multum laudo.508
‘Oct. 14. Saturday. We went to the house of Mr. Argenson, which was almost wainscotted with looking-glasses, and covered with gold. – The ladies’ closet wainscotted with large squares of glass over painted paper. They always place mirrours to reflect their rooms.
‘Then we went to Julien’s, the Treasurer of the Clergy: – 30,00ïl. a year.
– The house has no very large room, but is set with mirrours, and covered with gold. – Books of wood here, and in another library.
‘At D∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗’s509 I looked into the books in the lady’s closet, and, in contempt, shewed them to Mr. T. –Prince Titi; Bibl. des Fees,510 and other books. – She was offended, and shut up, as we heard afterwards, her apartment.
‘Then we went to Julien Le Roy, the King’s watchmaker, a man of character in his business, who shewed a small clock made to find the longitude. – A decent man.
‘Afterwards we saw the Palais Marchand, and the Courts of Justice, civil and criminal. – Queries on the Sellette. – This building has the old Gothick passages, and a great appearance of antiquity. – Three hundred prisoners sometimes in the gaol.
Much disturbed; hope no ill will be.b
‘In the afternoon I visited Mr. Freron the journalist. He spoke Latin very scantily, but seemed to understand me. – His house not splendid, but of commodious size. – His family, wife, son, and daughter, not elevated but decent. – I was pleased with my reception. – He is to translate my book, which I am to send him with notes.
‘Oct. 15. Sunday. At Choisi, a royal palace on the banks of the Seine, about 7 m. from Paris. – The terrace noble along the river. – The rooms numerous and grand, but not discriminated from other palaces. – The chapel beautiful, but small. – China globes. – Inlaid table. – Labyrinth. – Sinking table. – Toilet tables.
‘Oct. 16. Monday. The Palais Royal very grand, large, and lofty. – A very great collection of pictures. – Three of Raphael.