David Garrick

LAST time, the Garricks had crossed from Dover to Boulogne, and had at once run into trouble, hiring transport to Paris. This time they were going in their own post-chaise, by Calais. They had a fellow passenger. Eva-Maria had found herself quite unable to part with her little Biddy. This had raised the question of what was to become of David's little Phill. For an elegant woman to view the Pantheon, Colosseum etc. with a King Charles spaniel of the first quality tucked under her arm would be quite charming, but David did not take warmly to the picture of himself attendant upon Phill on a Tour of Europe. He had solved the problem by taking the little dog round to the Bruneys, and bestowing him as a visitor. With six children to entertain him, Phill had settled delightfully.

At Calais, they put up at the "Table Royal", "a good and reasonable house with civil and obliging people", but David was not able to write this down for several days. He had forgotten to bring a note-book. They had a very pleasant journey without any incidents, and were entering Paris in high spirits on the evening of Monday, September 19, when he discovered that he had lost the Calais custom-house receipt. This meant that they had to be searched en personne and that all their luggage had to be taken off the chaise and carried into the St Denis gate customs, for a second investigation. However, the Directeur, M. d'Aguemont, treated them with great civility. Next morning David bought his note-book and began his Journal, "meant to bring to my mind the various things I shall see in my journey into Italy". He was going to record, principally, his opinions and feelings. "I shall say very little of France, as I have done it well, though slightly, in my first Journal, in 1751. I shall always put down my thoughts, immediately, as I am struck, without the least attention to what has been said by writers of great and little repute. D. Garrick." The second 1 Journal, in fact, was to languish, after a very few pages.

On Tuesday evening he set off for the Comédie Française, which on his entrance seemed dark and dirty. The play was La Gouvernante of La Chaussée, and Dumesnil was acting much as she had done when he had last seen her, twelve years past, and indeed much as she

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