“For France, for France, for it is more than need."[381]

[Calais,] October 26.—–­ Up at five, and in the packet by six.  A fine passage—­save at the conclusion, while we lay on and off the harbour of Calais.  But the tossing made no impression on my companion or me; we ate and drank like dragons the whole way, and were able to manage a good supper and best part of a bottle of Chablis, at the classic Dessein’s, who received us with much courtesy.

October 27.—­Custom House, etc., detained us till near ten o’clock, so we had time to walk on the Boulevards, and to see the fortifications, which must be very strong, all the country round being flat and marshy.  Lost, as all know, by the bloody papist bitch (one must be vernacular when on French ground) Queen Mary, of red-hot memory.  I would rather she had burned a score more of bishops.  If she had kept it, her sister Bess would sooner have parted with her virginity.  Charles I. had no temptation to part with it—­it might, indeed, have been shuffled out of our hands during the Civil wars, but Noll would have as soon let monsieur draw one of his grinders; then Charles II. would hardly have dared to sell such an old possession, as he did Dunkirk; and after that the French had little chance till the Revolution.  Even then, I think, we could have held a place that could be supplied from our own element, the sea. Cui bono? None, I think, but to plague the rogues.—­We dined at Cormont, and being stopped by Mr. Canning having taken up all the post-horses, could only reach Montreuil that night.  I should have liked to have seen some more of this place, which is fortified; and as it stands on an elevated and rocky site must present some fine points.  But as we came in late and left early, I can only bear witness to good treatment, good supper, good vin de Barsac, and excellent beds.

October 28.—­Breakfasted at Abbeville, and saw a very handsome Gothic church, and reached Grandvilliers at night.  The house is but second-rate, though lauded by various English travellers for the moderation of its charges, as was recorded in a book presented to us by the landlady.  There is no great patriotism in publishing that a traveller thinks the bills moderate; it serves usually as an intimation to mine host or hostess that John Bull will bear a little more squeezing.  I gave my attestation too, however, for the charges of the good lady resembled those elsewhere; and her anxiety to please was extreme.  Folks must be harder-hearted than I am to resist the empressement, which may, indeed, be venal, yet has in its expression a touch of cordiality.