
audiobook
FRANCE IN EIGHTEEN
INTRODUCTION BY RICHARD DAVEY
I ARRIVAL AT CALAIS
II CHARACTER OF THE CITIZENS OF CALAIS
III MODE OF TRAVELLING IN FRANCE
IV JOURNEY TO AMIENS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE COUNTRY
V DESCRIPTION OF AMIENS, AND HAPPY RELEASE FROM THE “LION D’OR”
VI JOURNEY TO CHANTILLY, AND DESCRIPTION OF THAT PLACE
VII JOURNEY TO S. DENYS, DESCRIPTION OF THAT PLACE AND THE FEUDAL CASTLE OF ECOUEN. ARRIVAL IN PARIS
VIII A DESCRIPTION OF THE MODE
Through the eyes of a restless young Englishman, this collection of letters brings 1802 France to vivid life. Written by Henry Redhead Yorke while he roamed the streets of post‑Revolution Paris, the correspondence captures a nation still trembling from the guillotine’s shadow and quietly reshaping itself under the looming presence of Napoleon. The writer’s keen eye records bustling cafés, heated debates in the British Club, and the uneasy aftermath of the king’s trial, offering a ground‑level view that history textbooks often miss.
Yorke’s voice blends youthful enthusiasm with sharp observation, conveying the clash between revolutionary ideals and the emerging order of the Consulate. Listeners will hear his encounters with fellow expatriates, his uneasy flirtation with radical schemes, and the personal reckoning that drives him to leave France for safer shores. The letters weave together politics, culture, and the day‑to‑day pulse of a country on the brink of modernity, making the past feel immediate and compelling.
Language
en
Duration
~12 hours (733K characters)
Release date
2025-06-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1772–1813