Read Ebook: The narrative of a journey undertaken in the years 1819 1820 and 1821 through France Italy Savoy Switzerland parts of Germany bordering on the Rhine Holland and the Netherlands by Holman James

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Ebook has 751 lines and 84365 words, and 16 pages

Release date: September 3, 2023

Original publication: London: G. B Whittaker, 1825

BY JAMES HOLMAN, R. N. & K. W.

"Caecus iter monstrare velit: tamen aspice si quid Et nos, quod cures proprium fecisse, loquamur." HOR.

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY G. B. WHITTAKER, AVE MARIA LANE. 1825.

THE

Dedication.

TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS AUGUSTA.

MADAM,

MADAM,

JAMES HOLMAN.

PREFACE

The very peculiar circumstances under which the Author professes to obtrude the present volume upon public notice, appear to require some explanation, were it only to obviate suspicions which might arise, that the general detail of circumstances which it comprises, has been the production of an active imagination, rather than a relation of the occurrences of real life; for he is fully aware, that such a construction might be put upon the apparent anomaly of the travels of one, whose loss of sight, a source of information naturally considered indispensable in such an undertaking, must greatly limit his power of acquiring the legitimate materials, necessary to give his work body and consistency.

On this account, it may not be superfluous, to enter upon a brief history of his misfortune, as introductory to an explanation of the motives which have influenced him in bringing forward the present publication.

Destined to the naval service of his country, his exclusive attention, for some years, was devoted to the attainment of that professional knowledge, which he hoped might lead to honourable distinction; how far these views were likely to have been crowned with success, it will now be useless to state; it is sufficient to say, that at the age of twenty-five, while in the very bloom of expectation, his prospects were irrecoverably blighted by the effects of an illness, resulting from his professional duties, and which left him deprived of all the advantages of "heavens prime decree,"--wholly--and, he fears, permanently blind.

"Total eclipse! nor sun; nor moon; All dark amidst the blaze of noon."

After the distressing feelings which accompanied the first shock of this bodily privation, had in some measure subsided, the active mind began to seek occupation and amusement, amongst the many resources which a beneficent Providence had still left uncurtailed. These he has happily found, not only abundant, but apparently inexhaustible; and the lapse of ten years, has not merely softened down the sense of misfortune, but even reconciled him to an affliction, which some view as the severest that can befal humanity.

"?though sight be lost, Life yet hath many solaces, enjoyed Where other senses want not their delights."

Amongst the various pursuits which have served to cheer, and sooth him throughout this protracted day of darkness, the book of nature has been largely opened to his mental view; nor has he failed to cultivate the pleasing fields of literature; and he may exclaim with our admired poet, when he so pathetically bewails the loss of this most precious organ:

"So thick a drop serene hath quenched their orbs, Or dim suffusion veiled; yet not the more Cease I to wander where the Muses haunt Clear spring, or shady grove, or sunny hill."

In time he began to acquire greater facility of locomotion than he could have anticipated, and which was succeeded by an almost irresistible inclination to visit different parts of his native country, in quest of knowledge or amusement; notwithstanding the limited information, which it may be imagined he would thus derive, he found the impressions produced, afford him not only present, but permanent gratification. To some, this may appear incredible; it must, however, not be forgotten, that the loss of one sense, is uniformly compensated by superior powers of those that remain unimpaired, in consequence of their being more called into action; and it is well known, that the sense of touch, in particular, acquires so great a delicacy, as to afford degrees of information, which under ordinary states it is incapable of: besides this advantage, he acquired an undefinable power, almost resembling instinct, which he believes in a lively manner gives him ideas of whatever may be going forward externally.

In the year 1819, his health having for some time suffered from causes which it is unnecessary to mention, the Author became assured that nothing would tend more to re-establish it, than a visit to the highly favoured clime of the southern parts of Europe: while at the same time, and which was, perhaps, paramount to all other considerations, he would be gratifying his desire of obtaining information; he therefore, with this double view, determined to undertake the journey which forms the subject of the present pages;--and is happy to say, that in neither of these objects has he met with disappointment.

It may be more difficult to assign satisfactory reasons, for laying before his readers the various incidents which befel him, in this pursuit of health and occupation; for he is not vain enough to imagine, that they could feel interested in his acquisition of the one, or participate with him in the enjoyment of the other.

The compilation was, in the first instance, entered upon as a matter of employment and selfish pleasure. None but those who have travelled through countries, and amidst circumstances novel to them, can appreciate the delight experienced from recalling in this way the interesting points of an interesting journey, and fighting as it were, their battles over again. On shewing a portion of the notes thus collected to his friends, their too kind partiality induced them to think that if published, they might not prove wholly unacceptable to the public, and their solicitations and assurances at length determined him to adopt their suggestions.

The Author will not profess to be ignorant of the presumptuous nature of his attempt; or unconscious of the numerous deficiencies and inaccuracies with which his work abounds; many of these are necessarily attributable to the disadvantages under which he has laboured; his very outset was amidst unfavourable circumstances, as he was then almost wholly unacquainted with that language, which could alone enable him to acquire the information he was seeking for: this must be his apology for the want of observation and incident, which are more particularly manifest throughout the first months of his residence in France.

The want of vision must frequently make his observations and descriptions imperfect; to compensate for this, he has availed himself of such intelligence as he could derive from others; and, for the same reasons, has introduced a variety of extracts from interesting authors, which appeared desirable to elucidate or enliven his narrative.

He rests his chief hope of the approbation of the public, upon having given a plain and faithful statement of a journey, which must be regarded as possessing a degree of originality, arising from the peculiar circumstances under which it was accomplished.

He now concludes his prefatory matter, by soliciting the indulgence of his readers, and entreating them not to criticise with too much severity, a work which, he trusts, has some claims upon their forbearance; and which, if it happens to repay their perusal by any pleasurable emotion, or to excite a kind sympathy for his own situation, will have answered the fullest expectation of its author.

Windsor, May 1st, 1822.

DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND, AND JOURNEY TO PARIS.

My friends expressed considerable surprise, when I announced my actual determination to undertake a continental tour, and I believe many of them, to the last moment, were inclined to doubt whether I seriously intended it; they did not fail to question how I proposed, with my personal defects, to make progress through a strange country, unaccompanied by even a servant to assist and protect me, and with an almost total ignorance of the languages of the various people I was about to visit. I urged in reply, that the experience of more than twenty years, during which I had been, as it were, a citizen of the world, and a great part of which had been spent in foreign climes, would be sufficient to direct me through the common occurrences and incidents, to which the traveller is exposed; that for the rest, I was content to leave it to God, upon whose protection, in the midst of dangers, I had the most implicit reliance, and under whose providential guidance, I doubted not to attain the completion of the various objects of my journey, remembering, as Cowper happily expresses it, that

"To reach the distant coast, The breath of Heaven must swell the sail, Or all our toil is lost."

It may be difficult to say, under what description of traveller I proposed to class myself. Sterne enumerates the following species of the wandering tribe. "Idle travellers; inquisitive travellers; lying travellers; proud travellers; vain travellers; splenetic travellers; travellers of necessity; the delinquent and felonious traveller; the unfortunate and innocent traveller; the simple traveller; and last of all , the sentimental traveller." Now I do not think any of these titles strictly applicable to myself; I shall not, however, attempt to determine the point, but leave it to the courteous reader to apply that which he may consider most appropriate.

I reached Dover on the evening of the 14th of October, 1819, and on the following morning embarked with a fair wind for Calais. This day is the more remarkable to me, as being, in addition to the present incident, the anniversary of my birth, as well as the same day of the year in which, after my loss of sight, I first set out for Edinburgh, to commence a course of studies at that celebrated university. In little more than three hours we arrived off the harbour of Calais, when the tide not answering for our making the pier, a boat came out for the mail, and I availed myself of the opportunity of going on shore; for this earlier accommodation I was charged five francs, a sum nearly equal to half the fare across the channel.

Breakfast was scarcely concluded, when it became necessary to take my place in the diligence for Paris; I occupied a seat in the cabriolet, which, in this coach, was unusually large, being sufficiently commodious to accommodate six persons, and where I had the pleasure of finding two of my countrymen, each with a son, proceeding to some school near Paris.

It may be worth while to mention, that upon the information of my commissionaire, I had paid forty-five francs for my fare. This was indeed the regular charge, but I have found, by taking advantage of certain opposition carriages, the expense might have been materially lessened. One of my companions, in fact, had bargained for forty francs for himself and his son; and the other had secured his two places for thirty-five only.

The usual hour for the departure of the diligence was ten o'clock; but we anticipated this time, and set out at half-past nine, in consequence of its being a f?te day, when the gates of the town are closed from ten till noon, during the performance of high mass.

About two o'clock we reached Boulogne, where we dined, and took into our vacant place a journeyman bootmaker, who was going to Paris. We now proceeded without stopping, except to change horses, until midnight, when we reached Abbeville. On arriving at this place, the passengers in the body of the coach, which, cumbrous as it was, had but two wheels, hastily and unexpectedly jumping out, without apprising the cabriolet, the whole weight of ourselves and the carriage was thrown forward, to such excess, upon the backs of the horses, that, unable to sustain the pressure, they sunk under it, and were with difficulty raised again.

We were at this place thankful for a refreshment of cold meat and wine, as we had tasted nothing since leaving Boulogne, except some sour apples, which our young gentlemen had knocked down on the sides of the road; it was necessary, however, to disturb three or four houses before we succeeded in procuring it.

At noon we pursued our journey, and at seven in the evening arrived at Paris. When the business of the coach was arranged, the conducteur walked with me to the Hotel de Suede, near the Palais-Royal, to which I had been recommended.

PARIS.

While supper was in preparation, I walked to the Rue de la Paix, to call upon a lady whom I had known in England, and was at first surprised to learn, it being Sunday evening, that she was gone to a ball; but it is the custom in France to participate in amusements on Sunday more than on any other day in the week. It rejoiced me, however, to know, that my friend was in Paris.

In consequence of the fatigue which I had experienced on my journey, I was glad to retire early to bed. On entering my chamber, I could not but be impressed by its cold comfortless feel; the floor was of stone, the tables marble, the wash-hand basin long, oval, and shallow, like an old fashioned salad dish, and all the furniture of correspondent antiquity. But I had determined not to give way to gloomy reflections; therefore, I wished my host a good night, and being left to myself, soon regained that contented frame of mind, which is indispensable to those who mean to pass smoothly, and happily, through this scene of mortality. On the present occasion I convinced myself that I had every reason to be grateful to that Power, which had so far conducted me in safety through my journey, and whose blessings and mercies have been so largely, I may say incessantly, extended over me.

A part of the succeeding morning was appropriated to calling upon friends for whom I had letters. The one I first inquired for was gone to the south of France; but I had the pleasure of meeting with my old shipmate L? and a friend of his, both of whom had been fellow students with me in Edinburgh. I then repeated my visit to Miss L?, at whose house I had called on the preceding evening, and found she had returned that call during my absence; she expressed much surprise and pleasure at seeing me, and engaged me to dine with her on the following day.

On Tuesday morning, my friend L? called, for the express purpose of accompanying me to inquire after the conveyances to Bordeaux. We were informed, that two coaches leave Paris daily for that place; one at three o'clock, from the Messagerie-Royal, running by way of Tours, where it rests on the second night for a few hours, and occupying four days, and as many nights, in the journey, the fare sixty francs; the other taking the route of Orleans, five days on the road, and the fare fifty francs. The former is considered the best appointed, and the roads and hotels, with which it is connected, much preferable.

But, as it cannot fail to be irksome to travel three or four hundred miles at one sitting, with the exception of the short rest at Tours, I would recommend the English traveller to accomplish some part of his journey in a voiture de voyage, and then rest for a day or two; or perhaps he might, in the first instance, take a place in a regular coach, termed a jumeaux, which travels to Tours in two days; after which the journey may be prosecuted to Poitiers in a voiture or diligence, where the chance must be taken of being carried forward to Bordeaux in the same manner.

This lady was anxious that, instead of leaving Paris immediately for Bordeaux, as I had intended, I should place myself for a week in a boarding-house, with a view of gaining, before I commenced so long a journey, some slight acquaintance with the French language. This advice appeared so excellent, that I determined to follow it; and after breakfast, Miss L? was kind enough to accompany me to a house which she recommended, and where I immediately took up my residence.

I should feel myself inexcusable, if I neglected, in this place, to express the lively sense I entertain, of the many kind attentions, which I received from this amiable lady, and which rather indicated the affectionate regards of a sister, than the notices of an accidental acquaintance. I regretted that this was the last opportunity I had of seeing her in Paris, as she was obliged immediately to leave town for Fontainbleau, and did not return before my departure.

"Sweet friendship, solace of mankind, Come! with thy presence warm my heart, And when a kindred soul I find, Oh never, never let us part. They call thee changing, sordid, vain, On earth scarce known, and rare to see; And when they feel base treach'ry's pain, They lay the heavy blame on thee. 'Tis true there are whom interest blind, That prostitute thy sacred name; Their souls to narrow views confined, They never felt thy noble flame."

During the week I remained in Mr. Fetherstone's boarding-house, the weather was wet and cold, so that we were much confined within doors; but as our party consisted of twenty individuals, there was no want of amusement, and the continued intercourse necessarily kept up amongst us, tended materially to promote my object of acquiring the language. The following anecdote will serve to shew, how much I was in need of improvement in this respect.

LE PORTRAIT DE PARIS.

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