CHAPTER IX.
Therefore to France.
--Henry IV.
I was rejoiced to find myself again in London. I went to my father's
house in Grosvenor-square. All the family, viz. he and my mother, were
down at H--t--d; and, malgre my aversion to the country, I thought I
might venture as far as Lady S--'s for a couple of days. Accordingly, to
H--t--d I went. That is really a noble house--such a hall--such a
gallery. I found my mother in the drawing-room, admiring the picture of
his late Majesty. She was leaning on the arm of a tall, fair young man.
"Henry," said she, (introducing me to him) "do you remember your old
schoolfellow, Lord George Clinton?"
"Perfectly," said I, (though I remembered nothing about him) and we shook
hands in the most cordial manner imaginable. By the way, there is no
greater bore than being called upon to recollect men, with whom one had
been at school some ten years back. In the first place, if they were not
in one's own set, one most likely scarcely knew them to speak to; and, in
the second place, if they were in one's own set, they are sure to be
entirely opposite to the nature we have since acquired: for I scarcely
ever knew an instance of the companions of one's boyhood being agreeable
to the tastes of one's manhood: a strong proof of the folly of common
people, who send their sons to Eton and Harrow to form connections.
Clinton was on the eve of setting out upon his travels. His intention was
to stay a year at Paris, and he was full of the blissful expectations the
idea of that city had conjured up. We remained together all the evening,
and took a prodigious fancy to one another. Long before I went to bed, he
had perfectly inoculated me with his own ardour for continental
adventures; and, indeed, I had half promised to accompany him. My mother,
when I first told her of my travelling intentions, was in despair, but by
degrees she grew reconciled to the idea.
"Your health will improve by a purer air," said she, "and your
pronunciation of French is, at present, any thing but correct. Take care
of yourself, therefore, my dear son, and pray lose no time in engaging
Coulon as your maitre de danse."
My father gave me his blessing, and a check on his banker. Within three
days I had arranged every thing with Clinton, and on the fourth, I
returned with him to London. From thence we set off to Dover--embarked--
dined, for the first time in our lives, on French ground--were astonished
to find so little difference between the two countries, and still more so
at hearing even the little children talk French so well [Note: See
Addison's Travels for this idea.]--proceeded to Abbeville--there poor
Clinton fell ill: for several days we were delayed in that abominable
town, and then Clinton, by the advice of the doctors, returned to
England. I went back with him as far as Dover, and then, impatient at my
loss of time, took no rest, night or day, till I found myself at Paris.
Young, well-born, tolerably good-looking, and never utterly destitute of
money, nor grudging whatever enjoyment it could produce, I entered Paris
with the ability and the resolution to make the best of those beaux jours
which so rapidly glide from our possession.
