'The sight of palaces, and other great buildings, leaves no very distinct images, unless to those who talk of them. As I entered, my wife was in my mind[1180]: she would have been pleased. Having now nobody to please, I am little pleased.
'N. In France there is no middle rank[1181].
'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, crowded with people.--The forest thick with woods, very extensive.--Manucci[1182] secured us lodgings.--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[1183].
'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[1184] and Queen at dinner.--We saw the other ladies at dinner--Madame Elizabeth[1185], 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[1186].
'Faggots in the palace.--Every thing slovenly, except in the chief rooms.--Trees in the roads, some tall, none old, many very young and small.
'Women's saddles seem ill made.--Queen's bridle woven with silver.--Tags to strike the horse.
'Sunday, Oct. 22. To Versailles[1187], a mean town. Carriages of business passing.--Mean shops against the wall.--Our way lay through Seve, where the China manufacture.--Wooden bridge at Seve, in the way to Versailles.--The palace of great extent.--The front long; I saw it not perfectly.--The Menagerie. Cygnets dark; their black feet; on the ground; tame.--Halcyons, or gulls.--Stag and hind, young.--Aviary, very large; the net, wire.--Black stag of China, small.--Rhinoceros, the horn broken and pared away, which, I suppose, will grow; the basis, I think, four inches 'cross; the skin folds like loose cloth doubled over his body, and cross his hips; a vast animal, though young; as big, perhaps, as four oxen.--The young elephant, with his tusks just appearing.--The brown bear put out his paws;--all very tame.--The lion.--The tigers I did not well view.--The camel, or dromedary with two bunches called the Huguin[1188], taller than any horse.--Two camels with one bunch.--Among the birds was a pelican, who being let out, went to a fountain, and swam about to catch fish. His feet well webbed: he dipped his head, and turned his long bill sidewise. He caught two or three fish, but did not eat them.
'Trianon is a kind of retreat appendant to Versailles. It has an open portico; the pavement, and, I think, the pillars, of marble.--There are many rooms, which I do not distinctly remember--A table of porphyry, about five feet long, and between two and three broad, given to Louis XIV. by the Venetian State.--In the council-room almost all that was not door or window, was, I think, looking-glass.--Little Trianon is a small palace like a gentleman's house.--The upper floor paved with brick.--Little Vienne.--The court is ill paved.--The rooms at the top are small, fit to sooth the imagination with privacy. In the front of Versailles are small basons of water on the terrace, and other basons, I think, below them. There are little courts.--The great gallery is wainscotted with mirrors, not very large, but joined by frames. I suppose the large plates were not yet made.--The play-house was very large.--The chapel I do not remember if we saw--We saw one chapel, but I am not certain whether there or at Trianon.--The foreign office paved with bricks.--The dinner half a Louis each, and, I think, a Louis over.--Money given at Menagerie, three livres; at palace, six livres.