Travels in France during the years 1814-1815 - Patrick Fraser Tytler (good books to read in english txt) 📗

is one of the few points in which we think they deserve the imitation of our countrymen; and we have been the more full in our observations upon their faults, because we trust that there may ever remain a marked difference between the two nations.

The present we consider as the moment when all those who have had opportunities of judging of the French character, ought in duty to make public the information they have collected; for it is now that a more perfect intercourse must produce its effects upon the two nations; and taking it as an established maxim, that "vice to be hated, needs only to be seen," we have thus hastily laid our observations before the public, claiming their indulgence for the manifold faults to which our anxious desire to avail ourselves of the favourable moment has unavoidably given rise.

REGISTER OF THE WEATHER.

The climate of the south of France is, very generally, recommended for those invalids who are suffering under pulmonary complaints. The author of the foregoing work having resided at Aix, in Provence, during the winter months, has thought it right to publish the following short Register of the Weather, for the use of those who may have it in view to try the benefit of change of climate. His object is to show, that although, in general, the climate is much milder than in England or Scotland, yet there is much greater variety than is generally imagined. Upon the whole, he conceives, that he derived considerable benefit from his residence at Aix. But such were the difficulties in travelling, and so great was the want of comfort in the houses in the south of France, that he is of opinion, that in most cases a residence in Devonshire would be found fully as beneficial.

From experience in his own case, he can venture to affirm, that where the patient, labouring under a pulmonary complaint, visits the south of France, he should perform the journey by sea, which appears to him as beneficial as the land journey is hurtful.

In keeping the following Register, the thermometer was in the shade, though in a warm situation. The time of observation was between 12 and 1 in France, and between 10 and 11 in Edinburgh.

  AIX. Dec.   Ther 12. Air delightful, like a fine day in June--sun very powerful, 60 ¼ 13. The air rather damp and heavy--the sun very powerful, 65 ¾ 14. Excepting in the sun, it was cold to-day, like to a spring day--the Vent de Bise prevailed in the morning, 59   15. Frosty day--but between twelve and two the sun powerful, and the climate delightful, 56 ¾ 16. The air frosty, but the sun very powerful--temperature delightful, though sharp and bracing--air very dry, 56 ¾ 17. Air more mild--sun exceedingly hot--this was a charming day--the air still sufficiently bracing, 59   18. No sun to-day--very mild air, but damp, 54 ½ 19. No sun to-day--air very damp, and a little rain--a mild day, but very disagreeable, 56 ¾ 20. Rain all night--thick mist in the morning, air damp--at twelve, the day broke up, and it was pleasant, 54 ½ 21. Rain in the night--day damp, raw and cold, 52 ¼ 22. Day cleared up about twelve--air rather damp and raw--a great deal of rain in the night, 52 ¼ 23. Clear day, but wind fresh and cold--pleasant in the sun, 53 ½ 24. Clear day--wind fresh and unpleasant--air damp, 53 ½ 25. Clear day--wind very cold, but pleasant in the sun, 52 ¼ 26. Day very cloudy, with rain--rain all night--air damp and very cold, 50   27. Day still cloudy, though clearing up--air rather raw, 52 ½ 28. Day clear, morning frosty, but at noon temperature delightful, 54 ½ 29. Day clear, frosty, at twelve most charming, 54 ½ 30. The same as yesterday, 54 ½ 31. Ditto, ditto, 54 ½ 1815. Jan. 1. Day frosty, very cold in the morning, ice of one-fourth of an inch on the pools; at twelve most delightful in the sun, 52 ¼ 2. Clear frosty day, very pleasant in the sun, 52 ¼ 3. Dark, cloudy, raw and cold; no going out, 45 ½ 4. A clear frosty day, very cold, but pleasant in the sun, 47 ¾ 5. Intensely cold and cloudy; no sun, 40   6. Intensely cold, a bitter wind, cloudy, and no sun, 41   7. Not quite so cold, but raw, windy and disagreeable; snow at night, 47 ¾ 8. Very cold, but pleasant in the sun; no wind, 44 ¾ 9. The same as yesterday, 43 ¼ 10. Air much milder; very pleasant in the sun, 50   11. Cold and windy; air rather raw; the mistral blowing, 50   12. Cold and windy; mistral blowing, 45 ½ 13. Wind fallen, but cold continues; air more dry, 44 ¼ 14. Snow in the night, rain in the morning; cold and raw day, 45 ½ 15. Cold, but more dry; no sun, very unpleasant, and every appearance of snow, 43 ¼ 16. Snow in the night, dry cold day, but brilliant and powerful sun, 41   17. Very high mistral, blowing intensely cold; air milder than yesterday, 43 ¼ 18. Still very cold, but pleasant in the sun; no wind, 43 ¼ 19. Cold increased, hard frost; not wind, 34 ¼ 20. Cold continues, but not so severe, 38 ¾ 21. Clear frosty day, but cold diminished; delightful in the sun, 43 ¼ 22. Clear frosty day, but cold; sun very powerful 43 ¼ 23. Clear frosty day, sun pleasant, 48 ¼ 24. Cloudy and damp, but air milder; no sun, 43 ¼ 25. Rain the greater part of the day, cloudy and damp; air milder, 43 ¼ 26. Cloudy all day, but air milder, 47 ¾ 27. Cloudy and damp; but the air very mild, 50   28. Dittoditto ditto 50   29. Day clear and sunny, very pleasant 54 ½ 30. Rainy all day long; air colder, 50   31. Day clears up, but air moist; air mild, 54 ½ Feb. 1. Day cloudy and damp; air mild, 52 ¼ 2. Day very clear, delightful sun, 54   3. Day cloudy and damp, air very mild, 52 ½ 4. Day clear, very windy, but air very mild, 56 ¾ 5. Day very clear, bright sun, no wind, but air colder, 52 ¼ 6. Day very clear, bright sun, no wind, air mild 54 ½ 7. Dittoditto ditto ditto 54 ½ 8. Dittoditto ditto ditto 54 ½ 9. Day cloudy, a little rain, air colder, 52 ¼ 10. Day very cloudy, a little rain, air mild, but damp, heavy, and unpleasant, 54 ½ 11. Dittoditto ditto ditto 54 ½ 12. Day clearer, but still heavy, and rather damp; air mild 54 ½ 13. Day damp, cloudy, great deal of rain wind, air cold, 50   14. Much the same, 50   15. Fine clear day, sun very hot, air mild, 56 ¾ 16. Raw and damp, a little rain, 54 ½ 17. Delightful day, but good deal of wind; sun very powerful, 56 ¾ 18. Delightful day, no wind, sun very powerful, 61 ¼ 19. Dittoditto, high wind, 61 ¼ 20. Dittoditto, less wind, 61 ¼ 21. Dittoditto ditto ditto 61 ¼ 22. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 61 ¼ 23. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 61 ¼ 24. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 61 ¼ 25. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 61 ¼ 26. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   27. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   28. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   Mar. 1. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 61 ½ 2. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64 ½ 3. Delightful day, sun very powerful, 64   4. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   5. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   6. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 64   7. Dittoditto ditto ditto, 50   8. Day damp and raw, rain in the evening, 54 ½ 9. Fine day, but high wind, 60 ¼ 10. Day damp and raw, 54 ½ 11. Day very cold, high wind, a little hail, 52 ¼ 12. Cold and raw, high wind, and a little rain, 54 ½   EDINBURGH. Dec.   Ther 12. Misty and damp--cleared up at mid-day, the thermometer rose to 54, 44   13. Fine clear day, 45   14. Mild and damp, 40   15. Showery and disagreeable, 45   16. Wind and rain, 47   17. A great deal of rain and very stormy, 44   18. Incessant rain--very windy at night, 42   19. Heavy showers of rain and sleet, 39   20. A fine clear day, 32   21. A fine day, 31   22. A fine day, 37   23. A cold east wind, 32   24. A very cold N. E. wind, 35   25. Cold wind and showers of snow, 33   26. Cold wind and showers of snow, 33   27. Cold north wind--damp and dark, 34   28. Dark and damp, 34   29. A good deal of snow, 33   30. Stormy and tempestuous, 45   31. A fine day, 35   1815
Jan. 1. A fine day, 35   2. Cloudy and damp, 47   3. Cloudy, 44   4. Very rainy, 45   5. Mist and rain, 38   6. A fine day, 34   7. Damp, and a good deal of rain, 38   8. Clear frost--some snow, 30   9. Wind and rain, 42   10. Snow in the forenoon--a perfect tempest of wind and rain at night, 33   11. A great deal of snow during the night, 32   12. A fine day, 34   13. A fine day--snow melting, 37   14. A fine day, 40   15. A fine day, 30   16. A good deal of rain, 37   17. A fine day, 35   18. Very gloomy, 32   19. Hard frost in the night--very gloomy, 32   20. A great deal of snow, 35   21. Snow, 34   22. Clear fine day, 31   23. Very hard frost in the night--fine day, 25   24. Very cold, 29   25. Good day, but very cold, 22   26. A great deal of snow, 32   27. Snow--a cold north wind, 34   28. Snow and hail, 32   29. Rain and snow--very wet, 36   30. Very wet and disagreeable, 36   31. A fine mild day, 35   Feb. 1. Very damp--heavy rain in the evening, 38   2. Rain, and very thick mist, 40   3. A fine day, 38   4. Damp and rainy, 38   5. A fine day, 40   6. Damp and rainy, 40   7. Very mild, but damp and cloudy, 45   8. A fine day; rain in the evening, 45   9. A very fine day; quite summer, 38   10. A fine day, 32   11. A pretty good day; rather damp and cloudy, 45   12. A fine forenoon, rain from two o'clock, 45   13. A fine day, 45   14. Cloudy and damp, 45   15. Cloudy and some rain, 44   16. Damp and showery, 43   17. A fine day, 41   18. Cloudy, and a cold N. E. wind, 41   19. Damp and rainy, very windy in the evening, 45   20. A cold north wind; showers of rain, 42   21. Showery, 45   22. A pretty good day, but windy, 50   23. Quite a summer day, 49   24. A good deal of rain in the morning, 47   25. Rain; very tempestuous at night, 45   26. A cold north wind, 38   27. A pretty good day, 38   28. A charming summer day, 48   Mar. 1 Rainy, 48   2. A very fine day, 38   3. A pretty good day, but windy, 45   4. A very fine day, 42   5. A fine day, 45   6. A very fine day, 43   7. A pretty good day, but a perfect tempest of wind and rain in the night, 43   8. A very good day, 44   9. Showers of snow, 36   10. A very cold north wind, 32   11. A very cold day, 35   12. A very cold wind, and showers of snow, 40  

FINIS.

Edinburgh: Printed by John Pillans, James's Court.