Mac the justice to say it was all my doings, and in a great measure against his advice; but experience bought is the best; and all mine I have paid pretty dearly for. 4 We dined at Canterbury the day we parted from you, and called at Captain Sandys' house, but he was just gone out to dinner, in the country, therefore we did not see him: we slept at Dover, and next morning at seven a clock, put to Sea with a fine North-west wind, and at half-past ten we were safe at breakfast in Monsieur Grandsire's house at Calais. His mother kept it when Hogarth wrote his Gate of Calais.' Sterne's Sentimental Journey is the best description I can give of our tour. Mac advised me to go first to St. Omer, as he had experienced the difficulty of attempting to fix in any place where there are no English; after dinner we set off, intended for Montreuil, sixty miles from Calais: they told us we travelled en poste, but I am sure we did not get on more than four miles an hour. I was highly diverted with looking what a curious figure the postillions in their jack boots, and their rats of horses made together. Their chaises have no springs, and the roads generally paved like London streets; therefore you will naturally suppose we were pretty well shook together by the time we had travelled two posts and a-half, which is fifteen miles, to Marquise. Here we [were] shown into an inn-they called it-I should have called it a pigstye: we were shown into a room with two straw beds, and, with great difficulty, they mustered up clean sheets; and gave us two pigeons for supper, upon a dirty cloth, and wooden-handled knives-O what a transition from happy England. But we laughed at the repast, and went to bed with the determination that nothing should ruffle our tempers. Having slept very well, we set off at daylight for Boulogne, where we breakfasted this place was full of English, I suppose because wine is so very cheap. We went on after breakfast for Montreuil, and passed through the finest corn country that my eyes ever beheld, diversified with fine woods, sometimes for two miles together, through noble forests. The roads mostly were planted with trees, which made as fine an avenue as to any gentleman's country seat. Montreuil is thirty miles. from Boulogne, situated upon a small hill, in the middle of a fine plain, which reached as far as the eye could carry you, except towards the sea, which is about twelve miles from it. We put up at the same house, and with the same jolly landlord that recommended Le Fleur to Sterne. Here we wished much to have fixed, but neither good lodgings, or masters could be had here; for there are no middling class of people: sixty noblemen's families lived in the town, who owned the vast plain round it, and the rest very poor indeed. This is the finest country for game that ever was; partridges twopence halfpenny a couple, pheasants and woodcocks in proportion, and in short, every species of poultry. We dined, supped, lay, and breakfasted next day, Saturday: then we proceeded on our tour, leaving Montreuil you will suppose with great regret. We reached Abbeville at eight o'clock: but unluckily for us, two Englishmen, one of whom called himself Lord Kingsland, I can hardly suppose it to be him, and a Mr. Bullock, decamped at three o'clock that afternoon in debt to every shopkeeper in the place. These gentlemen kept elegant houses, horses, &c.: we found the Town in an uproar; and as no masters could be had at this place that could speak a word of English, and that all masters that could speak English grammatically, attend at the places that are frequented by the English, which is, St. Omer, Lisle, Dunkirk, and Boulogne, to the Northward of Paris, and as I had no intention of travelling to the South of France till the spring at any rate, I determined, with Mac's advice, to steer for St. Omer, where we arrived last Tuesday: and I own I was surprised to find, that instead of a dirty, nasty Town, which I had always heard it represented, to find a large City, well paved, good streets, and well lighted. We lodge in a pleasant French family, and have our dinners sent from a traiteur's. There are two very agreeable young ladies, daughters, who honour us with their company pretty often one always makes our breakfast, and the other our tea, and play a game at cards in an evening. Therefore I must learn French if 'tis only for the pleasure of talking to them, for they do not speak a word of English. Here are a great number of English in this place, but we visit only two families; for if I did I should never speak French. And affectionate humble Servant, Captain Macnamara desires his compliments to you: his and mine to Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Dyne, &c.-Direct to me, 'A Monsieur Monsieur Nelson, chez Madame La Mourie, St. Omer, en Artois, France.' TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] Dear Brother, St. Omer, November 10th, 1783. As all Sea people are great travellers, I will give you a Journal of my proceedings since we parted. Before I left England I paid my visit of gratitude to Sir Peter and Lady Parker in Essex. I hope most sincerely that long before this you are perfectly recovered. Nothing, be assured, can give me greater pleasure than hearing of the welfare of all my bro 5 The two Captains were Alexander John Ball, afterwards a very distinguished Officer, a Rear-Admiral, and a Baronet, and Nelson's intimate friend, his Letters to whom are among the most interesting of this Collection; and Captain James Keith Shepard, who died a Vice-Admiral of the Red, in 1843. 6 Epaulettes were first ordered to be worn, as part of the Naval Uniform, on the 1st of June 1795. The name shows that they are of French origin, and it appears from Nelson's next Letter that they were worn by French Officers previously to the year 1783. thers and sisters; and be assured, my only wish to be rich is to have an opportunity of serving our family. But enough of that subject: I believe my good intentions are not doubted. On Tuesday morning, the 21st. ult., I set off from Salisburystreet, in company with Captain Macnamara of the Navy, an old messmate of mine. I dined with Captain Locker, my old Captain, at Malling in Kent, and spent the night at his house. The next day we slept at Dover, and on Thursday morning we left England with a fine wind. In three hours and twenty minutes we were at breakfast in Monsieur Grandsire's at Calais. The quick transition struck me much. The manners, houses, and eating, so very different to what we have in England. I had thoughts of fixing at Montreuil, about sixty miles from Calais, in the road to Paris. We set off en poste, they called it: we did not get on more than four miles an hour. Such carriages, such horses, such drivers, and such boots, you would have been ready to burst with laughing at the ridiculous figure they made together. The roads were paved with stones; therefore by the time we had travelled fifteen miles, we were pretty well shook up, and heartily tired. We stopped at an inn, they called it,-a clean pigsty is far preferable. They showed us into a dirty room with two straw beds: they were clean, that was all they could brag on. However, after a good laugh we went to bed and slept very soundly till morning. How different to what we had found the day before at Dover. At daylight we set off, breakfasted at Boulogne, and got to Montreuil in the evening. This day we passed through the finest country my eyes ever beheld: not a spot (as big as my hand) but was in the highest cultivation, finely diversified with stately woods. Sometimes for two miles together, you would suppose you were in a gentleman's park. The roads are mostly planted on each side with trees, so that you drive in almost a continued avenue, but amidst such plenty they are poor indeed. Montreuil is situated upon a small hill, in the middle of a large plain, which extends as far as the eye can reach, except towards the sea, which is about twelve miles from it. Game here was in the greatest abundance partridges, pheasant, woodcocks, snipes, hare, &c. &c., as cheap as you can possibly imagine. Partridges, twopence halfpenny a brace; a noble turkey, fifteen pence; and everything else in proportion. You will suppose that it was with great regret we turned our backs upon such an agreeable place, but not a man that understood English, which was necessary to learn me French could be found in the place. Our landlord at the inn is the same man that recommended Le Fleur to Sterne. From this place, we proceeded on to Abbeville, ninety miles from Calais. This was a large Town, well fortified, but even there I could not be accommodated to my wish: nor indeed, good masters, that is, that understood grammatically. At last, I determined to come here, which, indeed, is what we ought to have done at first: therefore by the time we arrived here, which was Tuesday week, we had travelled a hundred and fifty miles, but upon the whole I was not displeased with our excursion. This is by much the pleasantest and cleanest Town I have seen in France. It is very strongly fortified, and a large garrison. We have good rooms in a pleasant French family, where are two very agreeable young ladies, one of whom is so polite as to make our breakfast for us, and generally, when we are at home, drink tea and spend the evening with us. I exert myself, you will suppose, in the French language, that I may have the pleasure of talking to them; and French ladies make full as much use of their tongues as our English ones. We have a most pleasant society of English at this place. We have seldom a day but we are invited somewhere, which I avoid as much as possible that I may acquire the French, and there are three families that I visit en famille : that visiting pleases me far beyond the other. My paper is done: in my next I shall proceed; I have much to say. To-day I dine with an English clergyman, a Mr. Andrews, who has two very beautiful young ladies, daughters. I must take care of my heart, I assure you. God bless you. Your affectionate Brother, HORATIO NELSON. Make my compliments to all in your neighbourhood. Love to Mrs. Bolton. Direct to me as follows: A Monsieur Nelson, chez Madame la Mourie, St. Omer, en Artois, France.' |