A Picture of Men and Manners in France.
To give a general idea of the way in which our naval officers and other British subjects detained at Verdun usually passed their time, the following sketch of men and manners has been selected from the work of Chevalier Lewis, a detenu, confined at Verdun.
The city and fortress of Verdun, where many naval officers have passed years of captivity, is situated on the river Meuse, which runs through the midst of it. It is distant from Paris about 150 miles. The situation of Verdun is not unpleasant. Many points of view are highly picturesque. The prospect from the Bishop's palace, which is situated on a hill, and the Roche, which is a kind of terrace, would have charmed any strangers who had arrived in better humour than detenus. The streets, however, are less lively than those at Fontainbleau, nor can the houses be compared for comfort or cleanliness, with those of Valenciennes. There are but few hotels of the ancient noblesse and those generally in the least conspicuous part of the town. The playhouse is miserable for a French garrison.
Before the arrival of the English, there were but three or four good shops; the others sold gingerbread and firematches. The Bourgeoises dressed like servant maids; but soon after their arrival, the whole town was alive; the shops were ornamented with crystal glass windows, as at Paris, which were filled with jewellery, and the most fashionable articles of dress; and the shopkeepers wives and daughters were attired in silks and muslins. One street, from its noise and bustle, received the name of Bond Street, and became the morning lounge. In short, the place was every day perceptibly improving. The price of the necessaries of life was soon doubled, and lodgings cost as much for a month as before for a year! A floor of a large hotel cost about ten louis the month: the detenus, or prisoners of war, could not change their lodgings without permission. The British prisoners were shamefully imposed on by General Wirion. One of the impositions was the Roll-Call or appel, which, at first, was daily, half a crown fine was the penalty of an omission; — they were obliged to pay half a crown a day to a soldier, whose duty it was to see they had not absconded, — whilst a detenu, or prisoner of war, no matter what were his rank, was only paid three halfpence per day, and half a pound of bread! — those who did not rise early, paid a monthly bribe to a doctor to be put on the sick list! Indigent persons who could not pay were confined!
— Every Englishman who wished to pass the gates was obliged to ask permission, and were limited to a certain distance; their wives or daughters had unlimited permission; - and if any of them were of an intriguing turn, the consequences are obvious. — The bachelors formed themselves into messes at different inns. Some of the families kept most hospitable houses, — there were few French families inclined to show much civility to the English, — the most hospitable family was that of the Chevalier De La Lance, who having migrated to Germany, he married a Silesianu lady of high birth, and equally distinguished for her beauty and accomplishments. Their hotel was a resource to the principal English, who found combined in this amiable pair all the engaging qualities of the French, and the social virtues of the Germans.
There were several clubs at Verdun; — the principal one was Cafe Caron Club — so called from the Coffee-house where it assembled. It consisted of 120 members, and was the most in the style of a club in England. Members were elected by ballot; — the price six livres the month; the vacancies in 1805 were filled by prisoners of war, — in 1807, it was shut up by General Wirion.
Lieutenant Barker, R.N. was a member of this club. Being confined by illness to his room, he saw a child fall into the river; regardless of his own health, he sprung into the river, and rescued the child. Some time afterward, the same gentleman saw a gendarme fall into the Meuse, he sprang in after him, and saved him also. These exploits created a general and powerful sensation in his favour. The Lodge of Freemasons invited Mr. Barker to a fraternal banquet; the Prefect, who resided at Bar, came to Verdun to pay him a visit of ceremony, — and the public prints highly panegyrized his humanity and courage, — yet, for three years he was unable to procure his exchange, and we regret to add, that he fell in a duel at Verdun in 1810.
Lieutenant Barker, R.N. was a member of this club. Being confined by illness to his room, he saw a child fall into the river; regardless of his own health, he sprung into the river, and rescued the child. Some time afterward, the same gentleman saw a gendarme fall into the Meuse, he sprang in after him, and saved him also. These exploits created a general and powerful sensation in his favour. The Lodge of Freemasons invited Mr. Barker to a fraternal banquet; the Prefect, who resided at Bar, came to Verdun to pay him a visit of ceremony, — and the public prints highly panegyrized his humanity and courage, — yet, for three years he was unable to procure his exchange, and we regret to add, that he fell in a duel at Verdun in 1810.
The second club was first held at Creanges, and afterwards at an Englishman's named Taylor. It consisted of about forty members, chiefly of the most noisy dashing young fellows of the place, — this was an extravagant institution, where high play was practiced, — it was but short lived. The club at the Bishop's palace consisted of about fifty members, mostly married men, who had their wives and daughters, and of those bachelors who were fond of women's company. A ball or card assembly, alternately, every Monday night; hours as late as at London, — dinners on Christmas-day, King's birthday, &c.. Mr. Concannon was the life and soul of this society, who was also the great promoter of Verdun Theatricals. The fourth club was R--s, on the same plan with the last. It had also its balls and card parties. It was established to support a family of distinction in distress, and closed in 1805, when the family were inhumanely sent away by the detested tyrant, General Wirion.
The "Upper Club," which took its name from being situated in the Upper Town, was founded in 1805 by Mr. Stephen Wilson, and Mr. Ives Hurry, at a very large hotel: the apartments would have been thought handsome, even in St. James's-street. A numerous and well-selected library had been hired from a ci-devant Abb‚ for the use of the Society, which consisted of about one hundred members, both detenus and prisoners of war. Tea, punch, negus, &c. were supplied, and the profits devoted to the support of the family of a respectable merchant, whose detention occasioned his ruin, he had apartments assigned him, and was comptroller of the expenses. Each of the clubs was obliged to pay 25 livres per month to the poor at Verdun. The establishment of those clubs should not be regarded in the same light as if they had place in a town of equal size at home. It was a luxury in Verdun to have a place of general rendezvous, where an informer could not easily penetrate, and where all the gazettes and pamphlets of the day were to be met with. Several individuals, who were not flush in cash, spent their mornings, noons, and nights by the side of a rousing fire, by which means they saved the expense of fuel at home, and when disposed to retire, a candle end lighted them to their cheerless lodgings. Happy would it have been, exclaims Mr. Lawrence, if many of our countrymen had never quitted the sober amusements of the club-room, for the tempting delusions of the gaming table, which were carried to a dreadful excess at this depot. Soon after the arrival of the detenus at Verdun, the game of hazard having been introduced at the Caron Climb, General Wirion sent a gendarme to suppress it: but Chevalier Lawrence affirms, that this act proceeded from the most corrupt of motives, "The General," said he, " was resolved that the English should only lose their money at a Bank, in the winnings of which he had share." A regular rouge et noir bank was soon after established, which was open from one at noon till five, and from eight it continued all night! The sums of money lost by the English were considerable. Many lost a thousand pounds, others more. Not only men of fortune, but Lieutenants of the Navy, Midshipmen and Masters of merchant vessels, were led away by the temptation. Persons who had before never touched a card in their lives, were, from want of occupation, - from mere ennui - induced to risk half a crown, till the passion grew upon them, and then, to regain their losings, plunged deeper and deeper into difficulties. Every night some drunken guests were decoyed by girls of pleasure, placed for that purpose; and to add to the infamy of those who were at the bottom of this nefarious institution, the following inscription in French was written in large letters:
The "Upper Club," which took its name from being situated in the Upper Town, was founded in 1805 by Mr. Stephen Wilson, and Mr. Ives Hurry, at a very large hotel: the apartments would have been thought handsome, even in St. James's-street. A numerous and well-selected library had been hired from a ci-devant Abb‚ for the use of the Society, which consisted of about one hundred members, both detenus and prisoners of war. Tea, punch, negus, &c. were supplied, and the profits devoted to the support of the family of a respectable merchant, whose detention occasioned his ruin, he had apartments assigned him, and was comptroller of the expenses. Each of the clubs was obliged to pay 25 livres per month to the poor at Verdun. The establishment of those clubs should not be regarded in the same light as if they had place in a town of equal size at home. It was a luxury in Verdun to have a place of general rendezvous, where an informer could not easily penetrate, and where all the gazettes and pamphlets of the day were to be met with. Several individuals, who were not flush in cash, spent their mornings, noons, and nights by the side of a rousing fire, by which means they saved the expense of fuel at home, and when disposed to retire, a candle end lighted them to their cheerless lodgings. Happy would it have been, exclaims Mr. Lawrence, if many of our countrymen had never quitted the sober amusements of the club-room, for the tempting delusions of the gaming table, which were carried to a dreadful excess at this depot. Soon after the arrival of the detenus at Verdun, the game of hazard having been introduced at the Caron Climb, General Wirion sent a gendarme to suppress it: but Chevalier Lawrence affirms, that this act proceeded from the most corrupt of motives, "The General," said he, " was resolved that the English should only lose their money at a Bank, in the winnings of which he had share." A regular rouge et noir bank was soon after established, which was open from one at noon till five, and from eight it continued all night! The sums of money lost by the English were considerable. Many lost a thousand pounds, others more. Not only men of fortune, but Lieutenants of the Navy, Midshipmen and Masters of merchant vessels, were led away by the temptation. Persons who had before never touched a card in their lives, were, from want of occupation, - from mere ennui - induced to risk half a crown, till the passion grew upon them, and then, to regain their losings, plunged deeper and deeper into difficulties. Every night some drunken guests were decoyed by girls of pleasure, placed for that purpose; and to add to the infamy of those who were at the bottom of this nefarious institution, the following inscription in French was written in large letters:
THIS BANK
IS KEPT FOR
THE ENGLISH:
THE FRENCH ARE FORBIDDEN TO PLAY AT IT.
In 1806, in consequence of an edict of Buonaparte, this infamous gaming-house was shut up — which offers a convincing proof that Mr. Lawrence had no just grounds for attempting to fix the odium of its existence on the government of France. Whilst it existed, scenes took place in this house which it would require the pencil of a Hogarth to depict. Here the unwary spendthrift found an elegant supper, heating wines, abandoned women, in short, every stimulant to vice.
To be continued…
