Residence in France , livre ebook

The Floating Press - Fenimore Cooper James

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

189 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

In spite of the fact that he is the author of many quintessentially American novels, including The Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper spent a significant portion of his life in France, where he moved his family in the hopes of boosting his writing income. This volume of essays focuses on Cooper's impressions of and experiences in Europe.

Informations

Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 décembre 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776595211
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

A RESIDENCE IN FRANCE
WITH AN EXCURSION UP THE RHINE, AND A SECOND VISIT TO SWITZERLAND
* * *
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER

*
A Residence in France With an Excursion up the Rhine, and a Second Visit to Switzerland First published in 1836 Epub ISBN 978-1-77659-521-1 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77659-522-8 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Preface Residence in France Letter I Letter II Letter III Letter IV Letter V Letter VI Letter VII Excursion up the Rhine, &c. Letter VIII Letter IX Letter X Letter XI Letter XII Letter XIII Letter XIV Second VisittoSwitzerland Letter XV Letter XVI Letter XVII Letter XVIII Letter XIX Letter XX Letter XXI Letter XXII Letter XXIII Letter XXIV Letter XXV Letter XXVI Letter XXVII Letter XXVIII Endnotes
Preface
*
The introduction to Part I. of the "Sketches of Switzerland," leavesvery little for the author to say in addition. The reader will beprepared to meet with a long digression, that touches on the situationand interests of another country, and it is probable he will understandthe author's motive for thus embracing matter that is not strictlyconnected with the principal subject of the work.
The first visit of the writer to Switzerland was paid in 1828; thatwhich is related in these two volumes, in 1832. While four years hadmade no changes in the sublime nature of the region, they had seriouslyaffected the political condition of all Europe. They had also produced avariance of feeling and taste in the author, that is the unavoidableconsequences of time and experience. Four years in Europe are an age tothe American, as are four years in America to the European. Jeffersonhas somewhere said, that no American ought to be more than five years,at a time, out of his own country, lest he get behind it. This may betrue, as to its facts ; but the author is convinced that there is moredanger of his getting before it, as to opinion . It is not improbablethat this book may furnish evidence of both these truths.
Some one, in criticising the First Part of Switzerland, has intimatedthat the writer has a purpose to serve with the "Trades' Unions," by thepurport of some of his remarks. As this is a country in which the avowalof a tolerably sordid and base motive seems to be indispensable, evento safety, the writer desires to express his sense of the critic'sliberality, as it may save him from a much graver imputation.
There is really a painful humiliation in the reflection, that a citizenof mature years, with as good natural and accidental means forpreferment as have fallen to the share of most others, may pass his lifewithout a fact of any sort to impeach his disinterestedness, and yetnot be able to express a generous or just sentiment in behalf of hisfellow-creatures, without laying himself open to suspicions that are asdegrading to those who entertain them, as they are injurious to allindependence of thought, and manliness of character.
Residence in France
*
Letter I
*
Influence of the late Revolution in France.—General Lafayette—Sketchof his Private Life.—My visits to him.—His opinion of Louis XVI.—Mr.Morris and Mr. Crawford.—Duplicity of Louis XVIII.—Charles X.—MarieAntoinette.—Legitimacy of the Duc de Bordeaux.—Discovery of the Plotof 1822.—Lafayette's conduct on that occasion.—A negro Spy.—GeneralKnyphausen.—Louis-Philippe and Lafayette.—My visit to Court.—TheKing, the Queen, Madame Adelaide, and the Princesses.—MarshalJourdan.—The Duke of Orleans.—Interview with the King.—"Adieul'Amérique!"—Conversation with Lafayette.—The JusteMilieu.—Monarchy not inconsistent with Republican Institutions.—Partyin favour of the Duc de Bordeaux.
Paris, February, 1832.
Dear —,
Your speculations concerning the influence of the late revolution, onthe social habits of the French, are more ingenious than true. While themass of this nation has obtained less than they had a right to expect bythe severe political convulsions they have endured, during the lastforty years, they have, notwithstanding, gained something in theirrights; and, what is of far more importance, they have gained in abetter appreciation of those rights, as well as in the knowledge of themeans to turn them to a profitable and practical account. The end willshow essential improvements in their condition, or rather the presenttime shows it already. The change in polite society has been lessfavourable, although even this is slowly gaining in morals, and in ahealthier tone of thought. No error can be greater, than that ofbelieving France has endured so much, without a beneficial return.
In making up my opinions of the old regime, I have had constant recourseto General Lafayette for information. The conversations and anecdotesalready sent you, will have prepared you for the fine tone, and perfectcandour, with which he speaks even of his bitterest enemies; nor can Iremember, in the many confidential and frank communications with which Ihave been favoured, a single instance where, there has been the smallestreason to suspect he has viewed men through the medium of personalantipathies and prejudices. The candour and simplicity of his opinionsform beautiful features in his character; and the bienséance of hismind (if one may use such an expression) throws a polish over hisharshest strictures, that is singularly adapted to obtain credit for hisjudgment.
Your desire to know more of the private life of this extraordinary man,is quite natural; but he has been so long before the public, that it isnot easy to say anything new. I may, however, give you a trait or two,to amuse you.
I have seen more of him this winter than the last, owing to thecircumstance of a committee of Americans, that have been appointed toadminister succour to the exiled Poles, meeting weekly at my house, andit is rare indeed that he is not present on these benevolent occasions.He has discontinued his own soirées, too; and, having fewer demands onhis time, through official avocations, I gain admittance to him duringhis simple and quiet dinners, whenever it is asked.
These dinners, indeed, are our usual hours of meeting, for theoccupations of the General, in the Chamber, usually keep him engaged inthe morning; nor am I commonly at leisure, myself, until about this hourof the day. In Paris, every one dines, nominally, at six; but thedeputies being often detained a little later, whenever I wish to seehim, I hurry from my own table, and generally reach the Rue d'Anjou insufficient season to find him still at his.
On quitting the Hôtel de l'Etat Major, after being dismissed sounceremoniously from the command of the National Guard, Lafayettereturned to his own neat but simple lodgings in the Rue d'Anjou. Thehotel, itself, is one of some pretensions, but his apartments, thoughquite sufficient for a single person, are not among the best itcontains, lying on the street, which is rarely or never the case withthe principal rooms. The passage to them communicates with the greatstaircase, and the door is one of those simple, retired entrances that,in Paris, so frequently open on the abodes of some of the mostillustrious men of the age. Here have I seen princes, marshals, anddignitaries of all degrees, ringing for admission, no one appearing tothink of aught but the great man within. These things are permittedhere, where the mind gets accustomed to weigh in the balance all thedifferent claims to distinction; but it would scarcely do in a country,in which the pursuit of money is the sole and engrossing concern oflife; a show of expenditure becoming necessary to maintain it.
The apartments of Lafayette consist of a large ante-chamber, two salons,and an inner room, where he usually sits and writes, and in which, oflate, he has had his bed. These rooms are en suite , and communicate,laterally, with one or two more, and the offices. His sole attendants intown, are the German valet, named Bastien, who accompanied him in hislast visit to America, the footman who attends him with the carriage,and the coachman (there may be a cook, but I never saw a female in theapartments). Neither wears a livery, although all his appointments,carriages, horses, and furniture, are those of a gentleman. One thinghas struck me as a little singular. Notwithstanding his strongattachment to America and to her usages, Lafayette, while the practiceis getting to be common in Paris, has not adopted the use of carpets. Ido not remember to have seen one, at La Grange, or in town.
When I show myself at the door, Bastien, who usually acts as porter, andwho has become quite a diplomatist in these matters, makes a sign ofassent, and intimates that the General is at dinner. Of late, hecommonly dispenses with the ceremony of letting it be known who hascome, but I am at once ushered into the bed-room. Here I find Lafayetteseated at a table, just large enough to contain one cover and a singledish; or a table, in other words, so small as to be covered with anapkin. His little white lap-dog is his only companion. As it is alwaysunderstood that I have dined, no ceremony is used, but I take a seat atthe chimney corner, while he goes on with his dinner. His meals arequite frugal, though good; a poulet rôti invariably making one dish.There are two or three removes, a dish at a time, and the dinner usuallyconcludes with some preserves or dried fruits, especially dates, ofwhich he is extremely fond. I generally come in for one or two of thelatter.
All this time, t