. A vagabond courtier; from the memoirs and letters of Baron Charles Louis von Pöllnitz. h. How muchdid the eighteenth-century men dislike hills ! As the visitor entered Spa he was welcomed byswarms of beggars. The bourg was all built of wood,only about two hundred houses, mean and old, makingup about twelve hundred beds for visitors. The salientbuildings were the parish church, and that of theCapuchins on the hillside. Pollnitz thought Spa mustbe truly dreadful in winter. He took up his abodeat the Cours de Londres, the best, largest, and mostfrequented of the inns, and in about a fortnight h
. A vagabond courtier; from the memoirs and letters of Baron Charles Louis von Pöllnitz. h. How muchdid the eighteenth-century men dislike hills ! As the visitor entered Spa he was welcomed byswarms of beggars. The bourg was all built of wood,only about two hundred houses, mean and old, makingup about twelve hundred beds for visitors. The salientbuildings were the parish church, and that of theCapuchins on the hillside. Pollnitz thought Spa mustbe truly dreadful in winter. He took up his abodeat the Cours de Londres, the best, largest, and mostfrequented of the inns, and in about a fortnight hadmade up a pleasant dinner-table of about thirtycovers. Late to bed, he was awoke early by a clatter of out across the market-place to the Spring, hesaw people drinking the water, though it was only sixoclock in the morning. It was a charming scene. Theguests were in deshabille; there was an absence ofswords, of full-bottomed wigs; elaborate powderedcoiffures were replaced by half-concealing hoods. Eachdrinker wore a little ivory plaque hanging at his or her I Vr . I. •/J C A - K ?- W - H - c i; ^ J THE SCRIBBLER 455 button-hole, on which to mark the number of glassesimbibed, up to sixteen. As the Baron was dressing two Capuchin Fatherswere ushered in, ollering him the use of their conventgarden, in return for a dole, which, however, as theBrethren may not receive money, was to be given via our Mere Syndique. The Baron sallied forth to the Pouhon spring, overwhich is built a httle edifice like the chapels on the roadfrom Brussels, and which takes its name from fouher,to draw. The doctor, who is also the magistrate, ap-proached, requesting him to leave off wearing his swordwhile at Spa. The order emanated from the Bishop ofLiege, who is lord of Spa, as Marquis de Franchimont,and who wished to have no distinction of rank amongthe visitors; but the reason of it was really to avoidoccasion of brawls among such a throng of idlers. At first taste Pollnitz thought
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectcourtsandcourtiers
