A Tour Through Some Parts of France, Switzerland, Savoy, Germany and Belgium, During the Summer and Autumn of 1814

Part 1

A TOUR THROUGH SOME PARTS OF FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, SAVOY, GERMANY AND BELGIUM, DURING THE SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1814.

BY THE HON. RICHARD BOYLE BERNARD, M.P.

Majora minorane famæ! HOR. Say are they less or greater than report!

London:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN. PATER NOSTER-ROW;

1815.

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HARVARD AND FARLEY, Skinner Street, London

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TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT.

SIR,

Permit me to offer my most respectful thanks to Your Royal Highness, for the honor you have conferred upon me, by permitting the following pages to be inscribed to Your Royal Highness.

I beg at the same time to express my congratulations to Your Royal Highness on the late glorious events, which have distinguished Your Royal Highness's Government, which have restored to England the blessings of universal Peace, and will render the present æra ever memorable in History.

I have the Honor to be, With the highest Respect, Sir, Your Royal Highness's Obliged and most obedient Servant,

R.B. BERNARD.

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PREFACE.

Had the following Pages required the exertion either of superior judgment, or of abstruse research, the Author is not sufficiently vain to have submitted them to the notice of the Public.

They are therefore not recommended to the perusal of the critical reader; as in fact, they contain merely the hasty observations suggested by the scenes he visited in the course of his Tour, together with a few occasional remarks, which he thought might be acceptable to the generality of readers: since notwithstanding the late increase of travellers, the numbers are still very great, who, being prevented by business, or deterred by the inconveniences of travelling, from visiting the Continent, might be disposed to pardon some inaccuracies, should they meet with a small portion either of amusement or information.

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CONTENTS.

CHAP. I. PAGE

Introduction--On the opening of the Continent--Departure from London--Arrival in France--Different appearance of Things-Large Bonnets--Custom House and Passports--Of Travelling in France--French Dinners--Abbeville--Beauvais--Vines--Chantilly; its ruined Appearance--St. Denis and its Abbey 1

CHAP. II.

Of the Approach to Paris--General Appearance of that City--Its Bridges--Is inferior in Comfort to London--Settled at an Hotel--Population of Paris--Its Markets--Badly supplied with Water--Of its various Divisions and their Inhabitants--Palais Royal--Gamblers--Police--English Papers--Rule to find one's Way through Paris--The Tuilleries--The Louvre--Plans of Improvement 19

CHAP. III.

Visit to the Gallery of The Louvre and Museum--To the Luxemburg--To the Royal Library--To the Palais des Beaux Arts--To the Church of Notre Dame--To the Pantheon--Protestant Church and Congregation--Of the Number of English in Paris--Column in the Place Vendôme--Gobelin Manufactory--Post Office--Botanic Garden--Lady and her Dog--Story of Dr. Moore--Of the Character of the Parisians--Their Loquacity--Of the Legislative Body--Heat of the Weather--Champs Elysées--Quarter of St. Antoine--Of the Revolution--Of the Boulevards--Of the Restaurateurs--Of Ladies frequenting Coffee-houses, &c. 39

CHAP. IV.

Part 2

The Invalides--Elevation of different Buildings--Buonaparte desirous of Eclat--Champ de Mars--Place de Grenelle--Of the Plan of General Mallet and his Execution--Visit to the Museum of French Monuments--Infidelity of its Promoters--Of Colbert--Gardens of Tivoli--Great Numbers of Military Officers in Public Places--Of the Capture of Paris by the Allies--View of Paris from Montmartre--Vanity of the French--Their Love of Novelty--The Emperor Alexander's Entry into Paris--Of the Establishment of M. Delacroix--At the Tuilleries--Of the King--His Regard for England--France still unsettled--Advice of Galba to Piso--Curious Glass Stair Case--Of the French Theatres, and their Italian Opera--Number of Bureau d'Ecrivains. 61

CHAP. V.

Visit to the Royal Palaces--St. Cloud--St. Cyr--Malmaison--Versailles--Its Formality--Accuracy of Pope's Description of the Old Style of Decoration--Comparison of Windsor and Versailles--City of Versailles greatly reduced--Trianon--Sèvres--Porcelain Manufactory--Barrier of Passy--Of the Harvest--Castle of Vincennes--Few private Carriages at Paris--Great Numbers of Fiacres and Cabriolets--Attend at the Foreign Office for Passports to leave Paris--Arrive at Fontainebleau--Memorable for the Abdication of Buonaparte--Reflections on the Captivity and Character of the Pope--Reflections on Buonaparte--At Montereau; Battle near the Town--Sens--Auxerre--Description of the French Diligence--Dinners, &c. 79

CHAP. VI.

At Avalon--Public Promenades--Number of Beggars--Villages and Country Houses more numerous in Vine than in Corn Countries-Farming in this District--Land Tax and Customs of Descent--Dijon--A large and handsome City--Its Public Buildings--Company in the Diligence increased by the Arrival of two French Officers--Their Political Opinions--Advantage of the Diligence--Arrival at Dole--Battle near Auxonne--Genlis--Poligny--Vin d'Arbois--Woods but without Birds--Moray--English Breakfast--Resemblance to North Wales--Magnificent View of the Lake of Geneva--Excellent Roads made by Buonaparte--Visit to Ferney--Description of Geneva--View from its Cathedral--Its Manufactures--Population--Territory--Determination to visit the Alps; and not to go into Italy 100

CHAP. VII.

Departure for Chamouny--Bonneville--Valley of Cluse--Cascade d'Arpennas--St. Martin--Extravagant Bill--Proceed on Mules--Their astonishing Safety--River Arve--Pont de Chèvres--Cascade of Chede--Extravagance of English Travellers very prejudicial--Lake of Chede--Servoy and its Mines--Visited by the Empress Maria Louisa--Glaciers des Bossons--Definition of Glacier--Of the Valley and Village of Chamouny--Guides--Politics of the Savoyards--State of Taxation--Ascent of Montanvert--Magnificent and awful Spectacle of the Mer de Glace--Height of various Mountains, compared with Mont Blanc--Simile from Pope--Return to Chamouny--Larch and Fir mixed on these vast Mountains--Their Productions--The Valley continually threatened with Avalanches 119

CHAP. VIII.

Leave Chamouny--Delightful Situation of Valorsine--Festival there--Of the Savoyard Peasants--Anecdote from M. de Saussure--Country difficult to travel through--Trient--Magnificent View from the Fourcle--The French not so much disliked in the Valais as their Cruelty deserved--Castle of la Rathia--Martigny--Unsuccessful Attempt of two English Gentlemen to ascend Mont Blanc--Less adventurous, we did not ascend Mount St. Bernard--Cascade of the Pisse Vache--Number of Idiots and Goitrous Persons in the Valais--Opinion of Mr. Coxe on the Subject--Opinion of M. de Saussure--St. Maurice--Its strong Position--Roman Bridge and Antiquities--Passports demanded here--Different Colour of the Rhone here and at Geneva. 139

CHAP. IX.

Bex--Industry of the Inhabitants of this Country--Their Cottages and Wandering Lives--Salt Springs--Aigle--Growth of Corn--Villeneuve--Agitated State of the Lake--Labours of the Inhabitants often destroyed by the Fall of Rocks--Chillon--Clarens--Vevay--Magnificent View from its Church--Of General Ludlow--Lausanne--Its singular Situation--Its Antiquity--Its Cathedral--View from the Church-yard--Population and Manufactures--French Manners prevail here--Gibbon--Pope Felix V. a singular Character--Reformation--Morges--Festivity there--Rolle--Its Spa--Country Seats--Delightful Scene from the Garden of its Castle in the Evening--Nyon--Château de Pranqui--Joseph Buonaparte--Vines--Swiss Artillery--Copet--Anecdote of Md^e. de Staël--Versoi--Return to Geneva 156

CHAP. X.

On the Introduction of History into Tours--Early Government of Geneva--Reformation--Alliance with Berne and Zurich--A few Laws peculiar to Geneva--Theatre--Town Hall--Permission obtained to reside at Geneva--Lodging procured in Consequence--Fortifications of Geneva not devoid of Utility--Views from the Ramparts--Maintenance of the Allied Troops very expensive to Geneva--Regret of the Genevese at the Destruction of some ancient Avenues by them--Meet a Person who gives a melancholy Account of the State of Geneva under the French--State of Society--Fête de Navigation--Dress, &c.--Epigram by a Prince of Hesse--Rousseau--Voltaire--Raynal--Remarks of a Savoyard Peasant--The College of Geneva--The Library--Of Calvin--Water Works--Society of Arts--Corn Magazine--Churches, Service, &c. at Geneva. 184

CHAP. XI.

Excursion to the Perte du Rhone--Magnificent Spectacle which it affords--Rise of the Rhone--Hop Gardens--Malt Liquor badly made--Climate of Geneva--Of Switzerland in general--Opinion of Haller--Soil, Grain, and Population of Switzerland--Quantities of Cattle--Various Plants--Visit to a Watchmaker's Warehouse--Its elevated Situation--Great Ingenuity, but want of what in England would be thought good Taste--Circles of Genevese--Introduced to a French Gentleman who bad twice escaped the Guillotine--Walks and Rides--Junction of the Rhone and Arve--Coligny--Carrouge--St. Julian--Battle there--Inferiority of the Austrian Troops to the French--French Politics--Empress Maria Louisa--Lord Castlereagh at Geneva 193

CHAP. XII.

Regret at leaving Geneva--Lake of Joux--Coponex--Robbers--Lassera--Curious Separation of a Rivulet---Orbe--Face of the Country--Price of Land--Yverdun--Sea View--Spa--School--Anecdote of a Conductor--Game--Bridge of Serrier--Neufchâtel, said to resemble Naples--Description of its Territory--Anecdote respecting the Religion of Landeron--David Riri--Sketch of the History of Neufchâtel--Competitors for its Sovereignty--Lake of Bienne--Island of St. Pierre--Singular Government of Bienne--Great Change on passing the Pont de Thiel--Charge of Rapacity against the Swiss--Pleasant Travelling--Extensive View from Julemont--Agriculture--Arberg 205

CHAP. XIII.

Morat--famous for Kirschwasser--Monument commemorating the Defeat of the Burgundians removed by the French--Its Inscription--Seedorf--View of the Island of St. Pierre--Beauty of the distant View of Berne--Its Interior also handsome--Its Fortifications--Stags and Bears kept in the Trenches--Public Library--Botanic Garden--Chemists' and Bakers' Shops--Convicts chained in the Streets--Beautiful Public Walks--Government of Berne--Opinion of Pope--Excursions to Hofwyl and Hindelbanck--Extent of the Canton of Berne--Its Population, Productions, &c. &c--State of the Clergy--Departure from Berne--Village of Worb--Saw Mill--Bleach Greens--Care which the Swiss take of their Horses--Sumiswald--Little Wooden Inn--Zell--Castle of Haptalla--Irrigation--Beautiful Situation of Lucerne--Its Melancholy Interior--General Pfiffer's Model--Beautiful Lake--Mount Pilate and Rigi--Visit two Classic Spots--And the Small Canton--Gersau--Intolerance--Lake and Canton of Zug--Swiss Honey--Magnificent View of Zurich, described by Zimmerman--Considerations on the Difference between the Swiss Cantons, &c 222

CHAP. XIV.

Zurich--Its Interior not answerable to its distant Appearance--Population, Buildings, &c.--Dinner at the Table d'Hote--Excursion on the Lake--Country and Villages near Zurich--Winter there--Cascade of Lauffen--Its magnificent Effect--Cyder--Bad Vintage--Schaffhausen--Its Bridge--Population--Laws--Manufactures, &c.--View of Mount Banken--Chapsigre Cheese--Swiss Tea--Set out in the Diligence with a Doctor of Leipzig--His uncommon Love of Smoking--Civility, Dress, &c. of the Germans--Deutlingen--Pass the Danube--Taste of the Germans for Music, preferable to the political Arguments of the French--Passports--Subdivisions of Germany--Trade--Posts well conducted--Accident at Bahlingen--House of Hohenzollern 242

CHAP. XV.

Tubingen--Its University--Different from ours--Agree to post to Frankfort--Of German Posting, and Dinners--Feather-beds--Stoves--Stutgard--A handsome City--Palace, its Decorations--Industry of the Queen--Council Chamber--Royal Stables--Garrison composed handsome Troops--Palace at Ludwigsburg--Waggons and Traffic on the road--Heilbron--Escape from being overturned--Sinzheim--Cossaok arrives there--Heidelberg--Its Castle--Venerable in Ruins--The Inn--Rich Country--Quantity of Potatoes--Manheim--Regularly built, but much deserted--The Palace in Decay--Walks--Darmstadt--Unfurnished and ill situated--Palace--Handsome Gardens--Frankfort a Magnificent City--Inns--Opulence of its Merchants--Population--Jews--Gates and Fortifications--Cassino--Villas--Orchards--Hochst--Inscription-- Hochheim--Rhiagau Wines--Mayence--Its Strength--Handsome only at a Distance--Its Bridge--Cathedral--Population--Exportation of Corn--Large Cabbage 258

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