![[Header#^header-embed]] ## Wales 1774 In 1774, the Thrales went with [[Dr. Samuel Johnson]] on a tour of Wales. ## France 1775 In September 1775 there was a trip to Paris for: 1. [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester]]; 2. [[Henry Thrale|Henry]]; 3. [[Hester Maria Thrale|Queeney]] (the eldest child); 4. [[Dr. Samuel Johnson]]; and 5. [[The library and Streatham Worthies#10. Giuseppe Marc'Antonio Baretti - painted 1773|Joseph Baretti]]. ### Coaching accident On 27 September 1775 [[Henry Thrale]] narrowly escaped serious injury after being thrown from the coach during an accident. > [!QUOTE] [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Thrale]] … > The Banks of the [Seine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seine) however are surprizingly beautiful, & the whole Country carries an Air of Fertility that is inexpressibly delightful: to see Cherries, Apples, Grapes. Asparagus, Lentils & French Beans planted in large portions all around one, & inviting the Traveller to partake the Bounties of the Nation is so perfectly agreeable that one frets to see so many People **beg**, where one is morally certain nobody can starve. > > These Reflexions are interrupted by the Recollection of a Frightful Accident which befel the Carriage in which were Mr Thrale, Baretti[^1] and the Girl[^2] their Postillion fell off his Horse on a strong Descent, the Traces were broken, one of the Horses run over and the Chaise carried forwards with a most dangerous Rapidity, which Mr Thrale not being able to endure till somebody came up—jumped out with intent to stop the Horses for Baretti & Queeney—however he only hurt himself & they went on till Sam[^3]came up. who had been miserably embarrassed with a vicious Horse which had retarded him so long, and afterwards flung him. > > This was therefore a day of Distress, & my Master[^4] found himself so ill when we arrived at St Germains that the Surgeon he sent for, advised him to go on to Paris & get himself bled & take a good deal of Rest which he hoped would restore him. > > He left us therefore at St Germains & Mr Baretti kindly went with him to give him Assistance & pet us some Habitation to receive us at Paris. > > [[Dr. Samuel Johnson|Dr Johnson’s]] perfect unconcern for the Lives of three People who would all have felt for his, shocked and amaz’d me,—but that, as Baretti says, is true Philosophy; Mrs Strickland did not give it so kind a Name, I soon her Indignation towards him prevailing over her Friendship for me. > > We slept at St Germains where we had excellent Beds, & on the next day I perceived Queeney[^2] had hurt her Side in yesterday's Scuffle, but how much Reason have I to rejoyce that no more Harm befel her. > [!QUOTE] Anecdotes of [[Dr. Samuel Johnson]] by [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Thrale]]: > He[^5] gave himself no concern about accidents, which he said never happened. > > Nor did the running away of the horses on the edge of a precipice between Vernon and St. Denis, in France, convince him to the contrary, _"for nothing came of it,"_ he said, _"except that Mr. Thrale leaped out of the carriage into a chalk-pit, and then came up again looking **as white**!"_ > > When the truth was, all their lives were saved by the greatest Providence ever exerted in favour of three human creatures; and the part Mr. Thrale took from desperation was the likeliest thing in the world to produce broken limbs and death. ### King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette On 19 October the party were admitted to the Court of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette at Fontainebleau, and [[King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette|enjoyed dinner and an evening at the theatre with them]]. ## See also ![[hester-lynch-thrale-1741-1821🔎#^hester-lynch-thrale-infoblock]]![[henry-thrale-1724-1781🔎#^henry-thrale-infoblock]]![[samuel-johnson-1709-1784🔎#^samuel-johnson-infoblock]] • #history/person/BARETTI/giuseppe-marc-antonio-born-1719 #history/person/JOHNSON/samuel-born-1709 #history/person/SALUSBURY/hester-lynch-born-1741 #history/person/THRALE/henry-born-1724-1730 #history/person/THRALE/hester-maria-born-1764 #history/place/france #history/place/wales ![[Footer#^footer-embed]] [^1]: Giuseppe Marcantonio Baretti. [^2]: Eldest child Hester Maria Thrale. [^3]: Samuel Johnson. [^4]: Henry Thrale. [^5]: Samuel Johnson.