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[Page 378]

Paris September 8" 1815

My dear Mother

I received a letter from John
a day or two ago in which he says vessels are preparing
for New South Wales; I am anxious therefore that they should
convey to you assurances of my health under my
own hand.

My Regiment has been in the neigh-
bourhood of Paris almost a month, where it marched
with all expedition, for we were allowed to remain at
Spithead on our arrival from Canada, little more
than twenty four hours – In that time however
I had the gratification to see the family of Mr. Lee
who resides at Porchester, a short distance only
from Portsmouth – From those worthy friends I
learned many circumstances of which from the
loss of two of the packets to Canada I was in
entire ignorance – That of my father and boys
being in Switzerland was one of the last things that
would have occurred to me – It was spoken of as
a thing which I already knew so that my surprise
was [continued at top of next page]

[continued from top part of page 381]
Paris yet was there nothing to denote the vicinity of so celebrated a City, for tho' the high
roads bordered on each side by majestic elm trees, were magnificent, yet are they
the same nearly throughout France. The approach to London is marked in
a thousand ways – the increased number of travellers – a certain taste in every
thing that is presented to the eye, and in short the total absence of whatever does
not correspond with the wealth of the metropolis. But here a thousand un-
-seemly objects strike the stranger – a a mouldering wall – a desolate house, or
an augean stable – such is the entrance from the north – by way of St. Denis –
This little town from the celebrity of its Abbey my imagination has represented
to me as something superior – But it is a dirty ill built place, where as
in most parts of Paris itself, the passengers nose is either assailed by the
fumes of a cooks shop , or something infinitely more nauseous –

The Abbey was, together with its monuments ruined during the re-
volution – the tombs of the French Kings were violated by order of Robes-
-pierre and the bodies thrown in a ditch, just without the church, and
destroyed by quick lime – There is now a grove of trees on the spot, and
it is intended to erect monument on which will be inscribed the names
of [continued at lower part of next page]