And ariettas are so pleasing
to the ear that they imprint themselves durably on the memory, which is no
equivocal proof of their merit. I cannot say as much for the tragic singing
in the Opera seria at the Grand French Opera, which to my ear sounds a
perfect psalmody. There is but one language in the world for tragic
recitative and that is Italian. On the other hand, in the genre of the
Opera comique, the French stage is far superior to the Italian. In the
French comedy everything is graceful and natural; the Italians cannot catch
this happy medium, so that their comedies and comic operas are mostly
outre, and degenerate into downright farce and buffoonery.
[42] Major James Grant, of the 18th Light Dragoons, was made a Brevet
Lieutenant Colonel on 18th June, 1815. - ED.
[43] A phrase in prose, often quoted as a verse, from Voltaire's preface to
the Enfant Prodigue: Tous les genres sont bons, hors le genre
ennuyeux. - ED.
[44] A tragedy often acted by Talma, the work of Antoine d'Aubigny de
Lafosse (1653-1708). - ED.
[45] Thomas Otway's once celebrated tragedy, 1682. - ED.
[46] The Tragedy of Douglas, by John Home (1722-1808). - ED.
CHAPTER V
From Paris to Milan through Dijon, Chalon-sur-Saone, Lyons, Geneva and the
Simplon - Auxerre - Dijon - Napoleon at Chalon-sur-Saone - The army of the
Loire - Macon - French grisettes - Lyons - Monuments and theatricals -
Geneva - Character and opinions of the Genevois - Voltaire's chateau at
Ferney - The chevalier Zadera - From Geneva to Milan - Crossing the
Simplon - Arona - The theatres in Milan - Rossini - Monuments in Milan - Art
encouraged by the French - Mr Eustace's bigotry - Return to Switzerland -
Clarens and Vevey - Lausanne - Society in Lausanne - Return to Paris - The
Louvre stripped - Death of Marshal Ney.
I left Paris on the 17th Sept., in the diligence of Auxerre, The company
was as follows: a young Genevois who had served in the National Guard at
Paris, and had been wounded in a skirmish against the Prussians near that
city; a young Irish Templar; a fat citizen of Dijon and an equally fat
woman going to Dole. We arrived the following day at 11 o'clock at Auxerre,
a town situated on the banks of the Seine. Water conveyance may be had from
Paris to Auxerre, price 12 francs the person: the price in the diligence is
28 francs. We had during our journey much political conversation; the
Bourbons and the English government were the objects of attack, and neither
my friend the barrister nor myself felt the least inclined to take up their
cause. The Genevois had with him Fouche's expose of the state of the
nation, wherein he complains bitterly of the conduct of the Allies. All
France is now disarmed and no troops are to be seen but those in foreign
uniform.
