...a species of creature composed entirely of air and fire...

Anyone who has read nodbear's journal will already have come across the dashing French Captain Jaques Bergeret. Bergeret was the young captain of the frigate La Virginie when she was defeated by Sir Edward Pellew in the Indefatigable in April 1796. Pellew was so impressed by Bergeret's bravery and gallantry that he invited him to stay with his family while he was on parole. Bergeret became a close friend and confidant of Pellew, and their families formed a close and lasting attachment that outlived both officers. As Pellew was obviously at sea for much of Bergeret's parole his hostess would have been Mrs Susan Pellew. One can only imagine how Susan, a woman of reputed grace and accomplishment, entertained her charming guest, and nodbear and I have often speculated on the reaction of Cornish society to the appearance of such a dashing house guest!

Admiral Jacques Bergeret

So when I came across this little passage earlier today it naturally made me think of Susan. This is one Mrs Elizabeth Carter writing to a friend about the impression made by French officers on parole in Deal in 1748.

"....one was a most agreeable man, who talks a good deal, sings a good deal, and yet I cannot very well define why I do so greatly admire him. I believe, however, the strange enchantment that renders him so universally agreeable must be the most settled look of good nature and happiness that ever appeared in any human countenance. All the world is charmed with him as much as I....There is another officer a prodigious scholar and a poet, and a wit who writes satires and panegyrics....I was thinking of a French officer who was there, and who was very entertaining. Miss Hall and I shared him by way of partner and between us did not suffer him to sit down a single dance, which perhaps you may think somewhat unmerciful; but surely there is no need of scruple about a Frenchman, a species of creature composed entirely of air and fire, with no one principle of lassitude in it."

Of course what Mrs Carter is really saying is "French officers are hot"! But isn't "a species of creature composed entirely of air and fire" an infinitely more elegant way of saying so? ;)

Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, 1741 - 1770, etc. Vol 1, p248, 1809.

Quoted in:

Elton, Mrs O., (1945), Locks, Bolts, and Bars. Stories of prisoners in the French wars, 1759 - 1814, Frederick Muller Ltd, London.

ETA: apologies for mistakenly posting an unfinished version of this earlier :}