A TOUR THROUGH FRANCE.

IN A SERIES OF LETTERS FROM A LADY TO HER COUSIN IN LONDON, IN 1814.

THERE are scenes which leave so deep an impression on the mind and heart, and which furnish so many subjects of serious reflection, that it is difficult for the most volatile disposition to shake off their effects: such have been their influence on the spirits of your gay Emily, from her visit to Versailles, that notwithstanding the whirl of novel amusements I have since been engaged in, and which had dissipated my recollections for a short time, yet I feel the penseroso sensibly predominate, as I call to mind this splendid and once highly favoured situation, the scene of prosperous majesty, elegance, and taste,—the contrast of misfortune, and the pomp of usurpation. With propitious weather, and buoyant with all those spirits which health and affluence can bestow, we set off last Mon ́day, to view the favourite palace of the unfortunate Marie Antoinette.

The road from Paris to Versailles is delightful, and the elegant houses along the banks of the Seine, form a picturesque and beautiful appearance: a gloom, however, insensibly stole over our minds, as we approached the royal residence, the grandeur of which seems departed.

My dear uncle, at parting, cautioned me against travelling in vain; and on my assuring him 1 should observe every thing curious and worthy of remark, he explain ed himself by saying, that was not quite sufficient, unless I made myself mistress of some historical events. Know then, dear uncle, that I studied the history of this palace before I went to view it. The land on which it is erected, was purchased by|| Louis XIII. of John de Soissy, in 1627; but Louis XIV. was the founder of this admirable piece of architecture, who commenced the work in 1673, and the buildings were completed during the ministry of the great Colbert, in 1680.

The gardens were laid out by the famous Le Nostre, and the exquisite paintings in No. 65. Vol. X.

the Chateau, are by Le Brun. The outside view of the palace, from the North Terrace, is extremely grand and imposing; four fine bronze figures are represented leaning against the front of the building, Silenus, Antinous, the Pythian Apollo, and Bacchus. In entering the saloon of Hercules, the spectator is struck dumb with admiration: it is sixty-four feet in length, and fifty-four broad; the ceiling is a fine representation of Olympus, with the apotheosis and labours of Hercules: that little statue of Cupid, of which we have been told so much, and which formerly stood in the pavilion of Love in Le Petit Trianon, is now transferred to this saloon, where it is placed in the centre.

The second apartment is the Hall of Plenty, adorned with appropriate emblems, and fine paintings; next is the Hall of Diana, the fourth of Mars, the fifth of Mercury, adorned with a profusion of pictures; and the Hall of Apollo is next, where, on the ceiling, that God is seen, seated in his car, and adorned with all his attributes. The next is the Saloon of War, with an equestrian statue of Mars, twelve feet high; but as the God was made to represent that monarch, Louis XV. who was any thing. but a warrior, the people, during the rage of freedom, thought proper to leave the God without a head.

In our progress through the interior of the palace, every thing appeared to remind us of the instability of earthly grandeur; the painted ceilings are faded, the tapestry in many places torn, and the golden cornices discoloured: we looked, with many a mingled reflection of regret and indigna tion, at the wing which the soldiers occupied, during the turbulent scenes of the revolution; nor was it with less, though with a different kind of sensation, we beheld the upper tower, where Francis I. drew his last breath.

While we had regarded, and conversed on the pompous mementos of ambition's fitful fever, in our way from Paris hither, the four fine bronze horses, taken by Bonaparte from Venice; had contemplated

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with aching sight, the lofty pillar, in imi- || the most rare and exquisite in its kind ever

thing, and her gentleness and forbearance || tastefully fitted up than this little evening deserved a better fate; her servants now sincerely lament her, and speak of her as the best and most indulgent of mistresses. Excuse this digression; and now I return to the Park and Gardens of Versailles.

lounge; the entrance is by a gallery, lined with mirrors, which leads into a square, and large building, where, from divers apartments, you are furnished with refreshments nothing is paid for entrance, but it is expected that the visitors will take some ice, orgeat, or sweetmeats; and by the profits arising therefrom, the proprietors are enabled to keep up the expence of this place of amusement. At the end of the principal walk in the garden, there are small pillars erected on each side, entwined with woodbine and passion flowers; you next arrive at a beautiful grotto; the walks are orna

The elegant pavilion of Maria Louisa, to which she and the little King of Rome took frequent excursions, rises like a fairy palace amidst the sylvan scene: her boudoir and dressing-room seem as if built and decorated by the hands of Genii and fairies. Here, the man, who seemed to delight only in scenes of war, would often retire, and repose from the toils of ambition, amidst the charms of conjugal and parentalmented, as well as lighted, by statues, each happiness; and here, we may imagine, that even his turbulent mind felt some moments of domestic pleasure in the quiet society of his wife and child.

Trianon was called in the twelfth century Triarnum, and Louis XIV. purchased it of the Abbey of St. Genevieve, in 1663. It has been called the "Region of Flowers," from the profusion of those treasures of Flora, which abound in every part.

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It is not in the power of the pen to describe the beauties of Little Trianon: charming temple, dedicated to Love, stands in the midst of artificial rocks: a number of cottages, now falling to pieces, prove the former rural beauty of the scene, and mark the charitable disposition of the unfortunate and elegant female who planned the adorning of this delicious spot. The surrounding gardens are laid out in the true English style; and the little elegant pavilion, paved with marble, the farm and mill, with the picturesque prospect of a country church, form an indescribable and interesting assemblage of objects, which to appreciate justly, it is requisite to behold.

After viewing the beauties of Le Petit Trianon, we quitted Versailles, and where, perhaps, you will think I have detained you too long. One evening last week, we all visited the Frescati, which is situated on the Boulevards, at the extremity of the Rue de la Loi. Nothing can be more

of which holds a lamp in its hand. The most fashionable hour for visiting this place is at ten o'clock at night; the amusement consists in chatting with the friends we meet, drinking lemonade, or eating ices: and this evening lounge seems to be almost idolized by the Parisians.

We had truly a treat last night, at one of the assemblies, held at the house of the learned and witty Baroness de St-1. It was, indeed, "The feast of reason, and the flow of soul." A small delightful concert was introduced,and gave a zest to the literary subjects which were continually started; while they were so various, and introduced with such a peculiar grace and cheerfulness by the accomplished hostess, that the evening flew away with a celerity we never before experienced in any other circle in Paris: the kindness and hospita||lity of this lady are extreme; and this I need not tell you, as you often experienced their effects during her welcome stay in England. We have just received a card of invitation to one of her dinner parties, which takes place in a fortnight.

After mention of this admirable woman, this true mirror of female learning, my pen cannot descend to trace any thing of the frivolous and motley scenes of public amusement in Paris.

EMILY.

ANECDOTES OF ILLUSTRIOUS FEMALES.

country residence, though the snow was then so deep that not a stage-coach could|| make its way, and even the post was stopped.

mother's absence, she caught up Dryden's Alexander's Feast; and was so charmed with it, that she read it aloud: her father opened his study door, and caught the young enthusiast in the very fact she dropped the book, burst into tears, and implored his forgiveness: her father told her not to be frightened, but to read it again; || and the young lady, instead of getting the whipping she dreaded, received not only many caresses from her delighted father,

When she became a writer, she married the Rev. Matthew Pilkington, who, a poet himself, unfortunately became jealous of his wife's abilities.

She was very desirous of being acquainted with Dean Swift, and obtained her wish by the following means. His birthday being kept at the Deanery, she wrote a copy of verses on the occasion, and sent them to Dr. Delaney, the Dean's intimate friend. Swift gratefully accepted her compliment, and said he would see her whenever she pleased; and in a day or two's time she and her husband were invited to Dr. Delaney's, where Swift, being one of the guests, was so charmed with her wit and agreeable conversation, that she had ever after free access to the Deanery.

On her arrival in town, she heard with joy, that the wives of those condemned to death, had permission the evening before to take their last farewell of their unfortunate husbands. Lady Nithisdale repaired to the Tower, leaning on her two waiting maids,her face covered with a handkerchief, and looking the living image of despair. || but a shilling as a reward. As soon as she arrived in the apartment where her Lord was confined, she persuaded him, as he was of the same height as herself, to change clothes, and to go out in the same manner as she had gone in: she added, that he would find a carriage which would convey him to the banks of the Thames, where a boat lay in waiting that would take him on board a vessel bound for France. The stratagem succeeded, Lord Nithisdale made his escape, and arrived at three o'clock the next morning at Calais. In two or three hours after, the prisoner was ordered to prepare for death; but the messenger was not a little surprised to find a woman instead of a man in the apartment. The affair soon took wing, and the Lieutenant of the Tower consulted the court to know what was to When, after various misfortunes, she setbe done with Lady Nithisdale; he was or- tled in London, she lived for some time on dered to set her instantly at liberty, but the contributions of the great; but, as their she refused to go out till she was provided || charity began to tire, her difficulties inwith clothing suitable to her sex. She creased, and she was sent to the Marshalsoon after joined her husband in France. sea prison. After lying nine weeks there, she was released by the generosity of Mr. Cibber; and having five guineas left, she took a little shop in St. James's-street, and sold pamphlets and prints, where she made shift to keep herself above want, and died in Dublin in 1750, in the 39th year of her age.

MRS. LETITIA PILKINGTON.

THIS celebrated wit and poetess, on account of a weakness in her eyes, was forbidden, when she was extremely young, to read, and which only increased her natural desire and curiosity; more than twenty times a day she would be asking what such and such letters spelt; while the good lady, her mother, hoping to detach her from her excessive love of reading, used to tell her the word, but always accompanied the instruction with a box on the ear: but Mrs Pilkington relates, as a fact in her own memoirs, that the correction only served to imprint the word more forcibly in her memory.

She was then about five years of age, when, one day, taking advantage of her

DONNA MARIA PACHECO.

THIS lady was married to a young nobleman of the name of Padilla; and being much pressed for money, during the confederacy in the minority of Charles V. of Castille, she styled herself superior to prejudice, and proposed to seize all the magnificent ornaments in the cathedral of Toledó; but willing to conceal her design from the people, and to impress on their minds a high opinion of her piety, she went