The National Register.
London, England, 1815-09-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL R.

A NIGHT IN PARIS.

Driplex libelli dos e,.t; qtiod risum movet
Et pod prudunti vitarn consilo inouet.

PHXDRUS.

I have a Iwo fold object in st riling-
-10 :ionise mud to re orm.

The night of Monday last was beautiful, the air serene,
and the moon gliding gently through a cloudless sky. I
experienced, at my window, one of those innocent plea-
sUres, which we enjoy, as well as many others, without
knowing why or wherefore ; I was smoking a segar ; and
tike Alolicres' Marquis, who amused himself by dropping
pebbles in a well, I amused myself by following through
the air the whiffs of smoke, which I puffed out with all
the gravity of kburgomaster of Groningue. I saw nothing-
-1 thought of nothing; and s'as scarcely conscious of my
existence. My segar finished, my mind resumed its usual
offices, and I returned into the social and political world,
from which I had been absent a full quarter of an hour.
Whilst casting my eyes down the deserted street, in which
R few hours before there had been such elbowing and
jostling, my memory brought to my recollection some
passages of a description of a Night in Paris, given by
Retif (le la Bretonne, in the preface of his Contempo-
:wires; and the whim immediately came into my head,
that I would give a similar one. I had a most delightful
opportunity for it ; the weather was beautiful ; every
soul in the house asleep ; and I had not the least inclina-
tion for repose.
I crept silently out of my apartment, remembering
with a sigh, the time when similar precautions arose from
a different motive, and arrived at the street door, which I
had great difficulty in getting opened. The portress,
obliged to rise,

--------- in the ;ghillie garment
Ot• beauty, tivni her *feel► disturbed,

turned the 'enormous key with one hand, and, with the
other, concealed charms from which I modestly turned
my eyes. She grumbled most terribly ; 44 A pretty time
to go out," said she. " Where the devil can he be going
to ?" " Unless, however"—" Oh my God ! my God !"
Behold me in the street. I had not proceeded fifty
paces before I began to repent of my excursion ; but how
was I to return? I did not feel stout enough to brave the
PI humour of the old lady a second time. Having no set-
tled project, I was not particular which way I went ; and
therefo:•e kept straight on, without knowing whither I
was going. I arrived at the end of the Rue de Provence
lit 1 hollt meeting a soul, and began to fear that my noc-
turnal promenade would furnish me with no other subject
for observation than myself.
I suddenly, however, heard a confused noise of voices,
and hastoned to the spot from m hence it proceeded: it
arose from a scuffle between some hackney coachmen, one
of whom had taken the liberty of feeding his horses at the
expence of those of his comrades. He had availed himself
of the opportunity whilst they were asleep, or at the ale
house, to make free with some handfuls of their forage,
and thus provided an economical meal for his horses,
which he look good care, however, not to omit in his mas-
ter's account. The plunderer, taken in the fact, not only
received a good horsewhipping, which was inflicted in a
very masterly manner, but was also obliged to enter into
an arrangement at the house of •a neighbouring corn-
chandler, whose shop was still open : seated upon a sack
of oats, the latter liLtericii to thecomplaint—estimated the

;TER.

SEPT. 10.

damages and interests, pronounced very wisely upon the
indemnity to which the plaintiffs were entitled, and
charged a gill of brandy for the trouble of his arbitra-
tion. An admirable judge, said Ito myself, as I conti-
nued my promenade; if this corn business had been taken
into a court of justice, the lawyers and officers would have
devoured the value of many a truss of hay.
At the corner of la Rue de l'Arbre-See, a few steps from
the fountain, I perceived a patrole waking a man who was
lying asleep under a gate-way, and by the many r in
which he had taken his post, I should imagine he had been
accustomed to such an abode. The gentleman did not at
all relish having his repose disturbed. " Who arc you,
and what's your name," said the patrole. "I am called
la Rfflardiere (replied he in a very consequential manner,
and sitting up at the same time), 1 am an artist, and, what
is more, a poet. I lodge here because I chuse it, and
there is no law that prevents any citizen from sleeping in
the street ; therefore, and by virtue of the sth article of
the additional act, which secures individual liberty to all
Frenchmen, I have a right to continue my sleep."—He
immediately laid down again. I joined with the patrole
for the purpose of convincing Itim how much more con-
veniently he might sleep upon the bed in the guard-room.
" Do you mean to offer me any violence," replied he in
the tone of Mirabeau in the Tribune, " I protest against
an arbitrary arrest, and declare I wont move an inch from
this spot, unless I an driven at the point of the bayonet."
The corporal who commanded the patrole, an honest mer-
cer of la Rue MontOrgueil, fancying himself in the case
pros ided for by our constitutions, respecting the responsi-
bility of public functionaries, thirst not take any thing
upon himself, and allowed the modern Diogenes to snore
in peace in the open air. In the Rue des Poulies, a great
fat fellow was waiting at the door of a house seven or
eight stories high, which he could not get opened, I ac-
costed him politely, and discovered without difficulty, that
he had had too good a supper not to be very anxious to
get to bed. He informed me that he was organist of the
parish, and that he had been keeping the holiday of St.
Isidore with an acquaintance.
I never beheld vexation more ludicrously depicted than
upon the countenance of this honest cit, at the idea of pass-
ing the night in the op°n air. He knocked, and thumped,
and kicked at the street door without being able to rouse
the porter, who lodged in the sixth story, and whom he
had forgot to inform that he should be out later than usual.
My gentleman, in the height of his despair, walked to and
fin, piroucted upon himself, and called out to the lodgers
by their names, with all his might. These made their ap-
pearance at the window, some laughing, and some swear-
ing; the whole street WIS shortly in an uproar. The
curses of disturbed husbands, the cries of the musicians,
and the howling of all the dogs in the neighbourhood, in-
creased the hurly-burly, and at length finished by waking
the porter, who opened the door, wishing all the organists
in the world at the devil. Peace and tranquillity by de-
grees resumed their sway in the Rue des Poulies, and I
heard nothing more than the confused grumblings of the
fat man, which insensibly died away as he approached
the sixth story.
I was opposite the church of the Oratory when an old
woman, who was just coming out of a neighbouring alley,
sobbing and groaning most piteously, begged-that I would
shew her an apothecary's ; we were not far from the shop
of M. Cadet, to which I conducted her) and learnt from

553 THE NATIONAL REGISTER. SEPT. 10.
__ •
A NIGHT IN PARIS. ) damages and interests, pronounced very wisely upon the
. —.......-- indemnity to which the plaintiffs were entitled, and
•
Duplex libelli dos est; timid risum nsovet charged a gill of brandy for the trouble of his arbitra-
Et quod pruchinti vitant consilo unmet.
tion. An admirable judge, said Ito myself, as I conti-
PHXDRIIII.
I have a Iwo fold object in writing— nued my promenade; if this corn business had been taken
10 :moist aud to re onn. idevoured the value of many a truss of hay. into a court of justice, the lawyers and officers would have
The night of Monday last was beautiful, the air serene,
At the corner of teißit de l'Arbre-Sec, a few steps from
and the moon gliding gently through a cloudless sky-. I
experienced, at my is inflow, one of those innocent plea-
the fountain, I perceived a patrole waking a man who was
. .
sores, which we enjoy, as well as many others, without I lying asleep under a gate-way, and by the main rin
which he had taken his post, I should imagine he had been
knowing «h} or wherefore. ; I was smoking a segar ; and
accustomed to such an abode. Thegentleman did not at
hke Molieres' Marquis, who amused himself by dropping
all relish having his repose disturbed. " Who arc you,
pebbles in a well, I amused myself by following through
and what's your name," said the patrole. 6' lam called
the air the whiffs of smoke, which I puffed out with all
la Rfflardiere (replied he in a very consequential manner,
the gravity of kburgomaster of Groningue. I saw nothing-
1 thought of nothing; and seas scarcely conscious of my and sitting up at the same time), lam an artist, and, what
existence. My segar finished, my mind resumed its usual is more, a poet. I lodge here because 1 chose it, and
there is no law that prevents any citizen from sleeping in
offices, and I returned into the social and political world,
the street ; therefore, and by virtue of the sth article of
from which I had been absent a full quarter of an hour.
the additional act, which secures individual liberty to all
Vs hilst casting my eyes down the deserted street, in which
Frenchmen, I have a right to continue m sleep."—He
a few hours before there had been such elbowing and
immediately laid down again. I joined with the patrole
jostling, my memory brought to my recollection some
for the purpose of convincing him how much more con-
passages of a description of a Night in Paris, given by
veniently he might sleep upon the bed in the guard-room.
Iletif de la Bretonne, in the preface of his Col.:tempo-
'‘ Do you mean to offer me any violence," replied he in
:wires; and the whim immediately came into my head,
the tone of Mirabeau in the Tribune, " I protest against
that I would give a similar one. I had a most delightful
an arbitrary arrest, and declare I wont move an inch from
opportunity for it ; the weather was beautiful ; every
this spot, unless I am driven at the point of the bayonet,"
seed in the house asleep ; and I had not the least incline-
The corporal who commanded the patrole, an honest mer-
tion for repose.
cor of la Rue MontOrgueil, fancying himself in the case
I crept silently out of my apartment, remembering
provided for by our constitutions, respecting the responsi-
with a sigh, the time when similar precautions arose from
bilify of public functionaries, thirst not take any thing
a different motive, and arrived at the street door, which I
upon himself, and allowed the modern Diogenes to snore
had great difficulty in getting opened. The portress,
obliged to rise, in peace in the open air. In the Rue des Poulies, a great .
fat fellow was waiting at the door of a house seven or
---------- in the ;ghillie garment
Of beauty, from her sleep disturbed, eight stories high, which he could not get opened, I ac-
turned the enormous key with one hand, and, with the costed him politely, and discovered without difficulty, that
other, concealed charms from which I modestly turned he had had too good a supper not to be very anxious to
my eyes. She grumbled most terribly 44 A pretty time
get to bed. lie informed me that he was organist of the
;
to go out," said she. " Where the devil can he be going parish, and that he hadbeen keeping the holiday of St.
to ?" " Unless, however"—" Oh my God !my God !" Isidore with an acquaintanbce.
Behold me in the street. I had not proceeded fifty I never beheld vexation more ludicrously depicted than
paces before I began to repent of my excursion ; but how . upon the countenance of this honest cit, at the idea of pass-
seas Ito return? I did not feel stout enough to brave the it tug the night in the op°n air. lie knocked, and thumped,
ill humour of the old lady a second time. Having no set- i and kicked at the street door without being able to
.rouse
tied project, I was not particular which way I went ; and :1 the porter, who lodged in the sixth story, and whom he
therefo:•e kept straight on, without knowing whither I I, had forgot to inform that he should be out later than usual.
was going. I arrived at the end of the Rue de Provence I My gentleman, in the height of his despair, walked to and
siv••‘tliont meeting a soul, and began to fear that my noc- I fro, piroueted upon himself, and called out to the lodgers
turn:TT promenade would furnish me with no other subject Hby their names, with all his might. These made their ap-
for observation than myself.
pearance at the window, some laughing, and some swear-
,i
I suddenly, however, heard a confused noise of voices, i tug; the whole street was shortly in an uproar. The
c
and hastened to the spot from w hence it proceeded: it curses of disturbed husbands, the cries of the musicians,
and the howling of all the dogs in the neighbourhood, in-
of whom had taken the liberty of feeding his horses at the arose from a scuffle between some hackney coachmen, one
creased the hurly-burly, and at length finished by waking
expense of those of his comrades. Ile had availed himself the porter, who opened the door, wishing all the organists
of the opportunity whilst they were asleep, or at the ale in the world at the devil. Peace and tranquillity by de-
house, to make free with sonic handfuls of their forage, 1 grees resumed their sway in the Rue des Poulies, and I
and thus provided an economical meal for his horses, I heard nothing more than the confused grumblings of the
which lie look good care, however, not to omit in his mas- i fat man, which insensibly died away as he approached
ter's account. The plunderer, taken in the fact, not only 1 the sixth story.
received a good horsewhipping, which w I was opposite the church of the Oratory when an old
very masterly manner, hut was also obliged to enter into as inflicted in a II
lk woman) who was just coming out of a neighbouring alley,
an arrangement at the house of •a neighbouring corn- ' sobbing and groaning most piteously, begged that I would
chandler, whose shop was still open: seated upon a sack show her an apothecary's ; we were not far from the shop
of M. Cadet, to which I conducted her, and learnt from
of oats, the latter lEteneil to thecomplaiut—estimated the '
• _. . .