Page 8

from a journal written by George Demetrius Ballachey (the father of George Baker Ballachey), written about a trip to Paris, July 28th to 20th September 1786

 

Reads:

returns with the Crown & the

King retires in his apartment

& the folding doors that remained

open during the Coronation

then shut. I should have made

another observation that before

the King makes his appearance

there is two Cocks that flutter

their wings & two side doors

open & two men come out

that strikes the hour.

We saw the Kings Playhouse

which is in the Palace when

it is lighted their is upwards

of Three thousand lights.

We afterwards went into a

superb Gallery of different

Rooms & every Room is finely

decorated with Gold corniches

& borderings. Each Room contains

the different concerns of each

Nations; adorned with the

 

Pictures of each King, Emperors

Pope & Princes that now Reign

with the Capital City of their

different Kingdoms & principalities

Next came to the Orange grove

all the Trees were out in the

Garden, not less than 200 in

number, which was a fine view

as they were all very large Trees.

On return to Paris we came to

Saint Cloud, which is a Palace

belonging to the present Queen

of France, purchased of the

late Duke of Orleans.

The Cascades, fountains & other

displays of Water far exceeds

those of Versailles, there is one

fountain that rises the Water

upwards of 200 feet & falls down

like rain, there is one particular

place that exceeds almost all

Done