Thomas Boylston Adams to Abigail Adams, July 24, 1797
London 24 th: July 1797
My dear Mother.
The journey which I made to Paris, towards the last of April was
performed so hastily, that it was out of my power to give you any satisfactory account
of it from thence, and since my return, preparation for departure from Holland has
engrossed most of my leisure hours, so that I have only found time to give an imperfect
sketch to my Father of the most material occurrences of that tour.
The detail which I intended for you, is by no means so fresh in my
memory as it was two months ago; indeed the greater portion of it would at this time be
unseasonable, and I shall therefore content myself with a simple enumeration of the
objects, which attracted my notice, during the short period of my residence in the
Capital of the french Republic.
The first visit of curiosity, that I made was to Sceaux a seat
which formerly belonged to the Duke de Penthiévre. You doubtless saw it in all its
glory, and will be sorry to learn that it has materially suffered since the Revolution.
Every thing about it bears the marks of former splendor, strongly contrasted by its
present deplorable appearance. Nothing remains of its beauty, but that for which it is
indebted to nature. I will not distress you by a description of the barbarous ravages
which were committed upon it, while the rage of destruction continued, but of all the
Country seats in the neighborhood of Paris, this perhaps is the most damaged. 1 Reincy, a Chateau of the Duke of Orleans, which
I saw likewise, had the good fortune to escape. The interior of the house is pillaged
like all the rest, but the grounds & ca: are still in
good order. The place itself has lately been sold, and will probably recover its former
appearance. 2
I passed two days at the palace of Versailles, and was greatly
delighted with every thing I saw. I never before had a perfect idea of magnificence. My
time would not admit of going to Marli, but I went to S t: Cloud and at the same time visited the porcelaine manufactory at Sevres. 3 In most of these tours, I was accompanied by my
friends Pitcairn & Rogers, both of whom were then at Paris.
In the City, I endeavored to gain a sight of every thing worth a
travellers curiosity, but many things unavoidably escaped me, though I was as diligent
as possible.
The National Museum, & Library, the Garden of Plants, the
Louvre, the pantheon, the Luxembourg, the Thuilleries, Elysian Fields, Wood of Bulogne, Bagatelle, Military School, field of Mars, Hospital of
Invalids, & the Gobbelins, together with a considerable number of the public
theaters were all visited and admired in their turns. The two Councils & the
Directory were the last, though not the least objects of my notice. In my letter to my
Father, I have particularly described the interview, which was procured me by M r: Arnoux, with a distinguished character in the
Government. 4 The conversation which he
addressed to me may appear strange, but I am persuaded he has a great respect for the
character of the person to whom it referred, and I shall be disapointed if his voice, at
least, is not in favor of an amicable settlement of our national differences. I presume
not however to possess any infallible testimony of such a disposition on his part. He is
a frenchman, and has high notions of the invincible & terrible Republic of which he
is one of the heads. I wonder that it should escape their shrewd understandings, that an
object of terror, can never be an object of love.
Your old friend Arnoux treated me with great kindness &
civility, and seemed to regret sincerely the misunderstanding which has arisen between
our two Countries. He used frequently to say, that the french nation were lovers of
justice, and disposed to shew it to others; but added he, you have heard the annecdote
of a conversation which once took place between a french Ambassador & the English
Minister of State, wherein the latter assured the former, that “if England had always
done justice to other nations, she herself would long since have ceased to exist.” I was
not displeased to find him reduced to such strange reasoning as this, in order to
palliate the conduct of the french Government towards ours, but I could not help asking
him, if the french Ambassador was satisfied with the reply of the Minister of State.
As my journey was one of observation, I travelled in the public
diligence, and think it much preferable to a private carriage, not for convenience, but
for dispatch, and for the opportunity it affords of remarking the manners of the people,
whom you occasionally meet in these public vehicles. I was fortunate in my companions,
both going & returning, and was much amused by several little incidents which
occurred on the road. The sentimental Journey was continually present to my mind, and I
think I have now learnt to appreciate its accuracy. It is a very exact copy of a very
laughable original.
I took very few letters of introduction for Paris, and consequently
saw but little private Society. I witnessed enough however to discover the fascinating charm which operates upon strangers who visit Paris, of
which I had previously heard so much, and knew so little.
But I was not there myself long enough to form an attachment to their mode of living,
and I left it with no regret, but that which arose from the apprehension of having seen
too little of the people & their Country, to form an accurate opinion of them.
The Theatres to which I devoted many of my evenings, were the
greatest source of delight & entertainment. Nothing in my opinion can surpass the
excellence of their Comic Actors, nor the grace & elegance of their Opera attitudes. Old M r: Arnoux said to
me, “My young friend, a young person sees too much there.” I forgot to mention that the
day I dined with him, I met Madam de Ville, the daughter of the late M. de Challoux, who
recollected my Father & brothers, and desired to be remembered to them. I am not
certain that you knew her. She is now a widow with five children, her husband having
been one of the victims of the Revolution. 5 M r: Arnoux himself was a year in prison during the reign
of terror. The death of the Tyrant alone saved his
life.
I returned to the Hague towards the last of May; the beauty of the
Country as it appears on the road, can hardly be described; even that part of Brabant
and the frontiers of old France , which has been ravaged by
the war, scarcely exhibits a vestige of damage or destruction, except within the walls
of some towns. These indeed have suffered, & no length of time will probably ever
repair them. The Country is fertile throughout, and the cultivation very high, scarcely
an inch of land appearing to be neglected. Their approaching harvest bid fair to be
abundant.
Soon after my return to Holland, M r: Murray arrived, and we began to prepare for departure. The family of General Pinckney
being then at the Hague, made quite a Congress of American Ministers, and their
similarity of views & opinions rendered our Society very pleasant during the
remainder of our stay. M r: & M rs: Murray were introduced to several of our acquaintance, and will I think pass
their time agreeably. 6 I parted with
regret from my friends in Holland, particularly those at the Hague, with whom for nearly
three years I had lived upon terms of harmony. I shall always retain great regard for
the Dutch people, and reflect with pleasure upon the time I passed in their Country.
As I intend soon to write you again, in answer to your kind letters
of Feb y 21 & June 20, I shall now merely thank you for
them, this letter being only in payment of an old debt. 7 You are the best and most punctual of our
correspondents, & indeed almost the only one that has not ceased writing to me,
altogether.
Remember me affectionately to my father, and to all my Philadelphia
friends, and believe me in constant love and duty / your Son
Thomas B Adams.