Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 283: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PICKWICK ABRUAD,. 233 The chevalier was a bachelor at the epoch which marks the come mencement of this narrative. He possessed an income of thirty thousand francs a-year, and entertained but slight notions of “‘ com- mitting matrimony.” Nevertheless, many young —aye, and beautifal young ladies of the Faubourg St. Germain would have gladly received the addresses of the chevalier, and as freely exchanged their names for that of De Valmont. And who was so worthy of universal esteem as the excellent chevalier? His politeness was proverbial; he had — never uttered a word which even envy could torture into rudeness ; nor od did he suffer his adulation to be mingled with servility, nor his come - pliments to savour of unmerited flattery. Did an elderly female complain of the ravages that time was making upon her person, he would assure her that wisdom and experience were far preferable to mere outward attractions; and when any young lady was neglected 7 a ball-room on account of her deficiency in that ‘‘ skin-deep beauty,” the chevalier hastened to her side, praised her wit and her accome plishments, and, ere he left her, managed to persuade the re-assured demoiselle that steady and sedate people were invariably sought in marriage by those who regarded that solemn ceremony as the beacon to-domestic peace. . Thus was the chevalier a general favourite with the fair sex; and his exquisite taste in the art of dress was avowedly imitated by all young men of fashion. Who, then, could have been more sought after than De Valmont ? Such was the ascendancy gained and maintained by the courtly chevalier over the haut ton of the most fashionable quarter of Paris, And let it not be imagined that he was unaware of his importance an the brilliant circles of birth, beauty, and rank. He had a pride in subjecting all his acquaintances to the acknowledgment, tacit though it were, of his superior taste, discernment, and manners. He looked upon the sphere of the Faubourg St. Germain as.a litte empire over ahieli he conventionally reigned; and most jealous was he of any rival who essayed the dangerous and invariably vain attempt to out- shine him. Fruitless was the endeavour of any ambitious youth to Imtroduce a new method of tying the neckcloth, to give popularity to a new pattern for a waistcoat, or to bring into vogue a new dance or song, if the chevalier’s approbation had not been first sought and gained. A very Brummell in this respect—in others far superior to the English dandy—was the elegant and polished De Valmont. Alas! such specimens of gentility and refinement have now ceased to exist. The Revolution of 1830, in extending the liberties of France, has formed a bourgeoiste whose will is the government of the country, ‘whose name daily becomes more respectable, and whose numerical force is rapidly increasing. To that body, which the Chevalier de Valmont ten or twelve years ago would have treated as something little better than canazlle, the first Frenchman in the land is to-da ‘delighted to connect himself by marriage or commercial alliance. Suc is the influence enjoyed by the aotingch of the middle classes, One morning the chevalier sallied forth at an unusually early hour, and it was easy to perceive that he had expended less time on his toilet than was ordinanly his custom. “Whither in such haste?’ enquired the Vicomte d’Armanelle, as 30 a S 5} a 6)(0)) .S (©)