We saw the palace and gardens of Luxembourg, but the gallery was shut.--We climbed to the top stairs.--I dined with Colbrooke, who had much company:--Foote, Sir George Rodney, Motteux, Udson, Taaf.--Called on the Prior, and found him in bed.
'Hotel--a guinea a day.--Coach, three guineas a week.--Valet de place[1194], three l.[1195] a day.--Avantcoureur, a guinea a week.-- Ordinary dinner, six l. a head.--Our ordinary seems to be about five guineas a day.--Our extraordinary expences, as diversions, gratuities, clothes, I cannot reckon.--Our travelling is ten guineas a day.
'White stockings, 18l.--Wig.--Hat.
'Sunday, Oct. 29. We saw the boarding-school.--The Enfans trouves [1196].--A room with about eighty-six children in cradles, as sweet as a parlour.--They lose a third[1197]; take in to perhaps more than seven [years old]; put them to trades; pin to them the papers sent with them. --Want nurses.--Saw their chapel.
'Went to St. Eustatia; saw an innumerable company of girls catechised, in many bodies, perhaps 100 to a catechist.--Boys taught at one time, girls at another.--The sermon; the preacher wears a cap, which he takes off at the name:--his action uniform, not very violent.
'Oct. 30. Monday. We saw the library of St. Germain[1198].--A very noble collection.--Codex Divinorum Officiorum, 1459:--a letter, square like that of the Offices, perhaps the same.--The Codex, by Fust and Gernsheym.--Meursius, 12 v. fol.--Amadis, in French, 3 v. fol.-- CATHOLICON sine colophone, but of 1460.--Two other editions[1199], one by ... Augustin. de Civitate Dei, without name, date, or place, but of Fust's square letter as it seems.
'I dined with Col. Drumgold;--had a pleasing afternoon.
'Some of the books of St. Germain's stand in presses from the wall, like those at Oxford.
'Oct. 31. Tuesday. I lived at the Benedictines; meagre day; soup meagre, herrings, eels, both with sauce; fryed fish; lentils, tasteless in themselves. In the library; where I found Maffeus's de Historia Indica: Promontorium flectere, to double the Cape. I parted very tenderly from the Prior and Friar Wilkes[1200].
Maitre des Arts, 2 y.--Bacc. Theol. 3 y.--Licentiate, 2 y.--Doctor Th. 2 y. in all 9 years.--For the Doctorate three disputations, Major, Minor, Sorbonica.--Several colleges suppressed, and transferred to that which was the Jesuits' College.
'Nov. 1. Wednesday. We left Paris.--St. Denis, a large town; the church not very large, but the middle isle is very lofty and aweful.--On the left are chapels built beyond the line of the wall, which destroy the symmetry of the sides. The organ is higher above the pavement than any I have ever seen.--The gates are of brass.--On the middle gate is the history of our Lord.--The painted windows are historical, and said to be eminently beautiful.--We were at another church belonging to a convent, of which the portal is a dome; we could not enter further, and it was almost dark.
'Nov. 2. Thursday. We came this day to Chantilly, a seat belonging to the Prince of Conde.--This place is eminently beautified by all varieties of waters starting up in fountains, falling in cascades, running in streams, and spread in lakes.--The water seems to be too near the house.--All this water is brought from a source or river three leagues off, by an artificial canal, which for one league is carried under ground.--The house is magnificent.--The cabinet seems well stocked: what I remember was, the jaws of a hippopotamus, and a young hippopotamus preserved, which, however, is so small, that I doubt its reality.--It seems too hairy for an abortion, and too small for a mature birth.--Nothing was in spirits; all was dry.--The dog, the deer; the ant-bear with long snout.--The toucan, long broad beak.--The stables were of very great length.--The kennel had no scents.--There was a mockery of a village.--The Menagerie had few animals[1201]. For Dr. Blagden see post, 1780 in Mr. Langton's Collection.--Two faussans[1202], or Brasilian weasels, spotted, very wild.--There is a forest, and, I think, a park.--I walked till I was very weary, and next morning felt my feet battered, and with pains in the toes.
'Nov. 3. Friday. We came to Compiegne, a very large town, with a royal palace built round a pentagonal court.--The court is raised upon vaults, and has, I suppose, an entry on one side by a gentle rise.--Talk of painting[1203],--The church is not very large, but very elegant and splendid.--I had at first great difficulty to walk, but motion grew continually easier.--At night we came to Noyon, an episcopal city.--The cathedral is very beautiful, the pillars alternately gothick and Corinthian.--We entered a very noble parochial church.--Noyon is walled, and is said to be three miles round.
'Nov. 4. Saturday. We rose very early, and came through St. Quintin to Cambray, not long after three.--We went to an English nunnery, to give a letter to Father Welch, the confessor, who came to visit us in the evening.
'Nov. 5. Sunday. We saw the cathedral.--It is very beautiful, with chapels on each side.