The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [336]
– One small piece of M. Angelo. – One room of Rubens – I thought the pictures of Raphael fine.
‘The Thuilleries. – Statues. – Venus. – æn. and Anchises in his arms. – Nilus.511 – Many more. The walks not open to mean persons. – Chairs at night hired for two sous apiece. – Pont tournant.
‘Austin Nuns.512 – Grate. – Mrs. Fermor, Abbess. – She knew Pope, and thought him disagreeable. – Mrs. — has many books; – has seen life. – Their frontlet disagreeable. – Their hood. – Their life easy. – Rise about five; hour and half in chapel. – Dine at ten. – Another hour and half at chapel; half an hour about three, and half an hour more at seven: – four hours in chapel. – A large garden. – Thirteen pensioners. – Teacher complained.
‘At the Boulevards saw nothing, yet was glad to be there. – Rope-dancing and farce. – Egg dance.
‘N. [Note.] Near Paris, whether on week-days or Sundays, the roads empty.
‘Oct. 17. Tuesday. At the Palais Marchand I bought
A snuff-box 24 L.
__________ 6
Table book 15
Scissars 3 p [pair] 18
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‘We heard the lawyers plead. – N. As many killed at Paris as there are days in the year. Chambre de question. – Tournelle at the Palais Marchand.
– An old venerable building.
‘The Palais Bourbon, belonging to the Prince of Conde. Only one small wing shown; – lofty; – splendid; – gold and glass. – The battles of the great Conde are painted in one of the rooms. The present Prince a grandsire at thirty-nine.
‘The sight of palaces, and other great buildings, leaves no very distinct images, unless to those who talk of them and impress them. As I entered, my wife was in my mind:a she would have been pleased. Having now nobody to please, I am little pleased.
‘N. In France there is no middle rank.
‘So many shops open, that Sunday is little distinguished at Paris. – The palaces of Louvre and Thuilleries granted out in lodgings.
‘In the Palais de Bourbon, gilt globes of metal at the fire-place.
‘The French beds commended. – Much of the marble, only paste.
‘The Colosseum a mere wooden building, at least much of it.
‘Oct. 18. Wednesday. We went to Fontainebleau, which we found a large mean town, crouded with people. – The forest thick with woods, very extensive. – Manucci secured us lodging. – The appearance of the country pleasant. – No hills, few streams, only one hedge. – I remember no chapels nor crosses on the road. – Pavement still, and rows of trees.
‘N. Nobody but mean people walk in Paris.
‘Oct. 19. Thursday. At Court, we saw the apartments; – the King’s bed-chamber and council-chamber extremely splendid – Persons of all ranks in the external rooms through which the family passes: – servants and masters. – Brunet with us the second time.
‘The introductor came to us; – civil to me. – Presenting. – I had scruples. – Not necessary. – We went and saw the King and Queen at dinner. – We saw the other ladies at dinner – Madame Elizabeth, with the Princess of Guimene. – At night we went to a comedy. I neither saw nor heard. – Drunken women. – Mrs. Th. preferred one to the other.
‘Oct. 20. Friday. We saw the Queen mount in the forest. – Brown habit; rode aside: one lady rode aside. – The Queen’s horse light grey; martingale.
– She galloped. – We then went to the apartments, and admired them. – Then wandered through the palace. – In the passages, stalls and shops. – Painting in Fresco by a great master, worn out. – We saw the King’s horses and dogs. – The dogs almost all English. – Degenerate.
‘The horses not much commended. – The stables cool; the kennel filthy.
‘At night the ladies went to the opera. I refused, but should have been welcome.
‘The King fed himself with his left hand as we.
‘Saturday, 21. In the night I got ground. – We came home to Paris. – I think we did not see the chapel. – Tree broken by the wind. – The French chairs made all of boards painted.
‘N. Soldiers at the court of justice. – Soldiers not amenable to the magistrates. – Dijon woman.a
‘Faggots in the palace. – Every thing slovenly, except in chief rooms. – Trees in the roads, some tall, none