The Effect of the Émigrés on Franco-British Cultural Relations

This paper analyzes the British people’s attitudes towards the French people both before and after the French Revolution. It looks at how the French émigrés played a role in shaping these attitudes. To analyze the opinions of the British people prior to the French Revolution travel diaries are used. These travel diaries identify the stereotypes of the French people given by the British. The French Revolution prompted the immigration of French people to England. This immigration led to a change in treatment towards the French people. Kirsty Carpenter was a pioneer in researching the role émigrés played in changing British attitudes towards the French. During the Revolution a variety of sources are used to examine what the British thought of the émigrés. Memories of Frances Burney and Comtesse du Boigne are used. In addition, articles and reports found in newspapers like The Observer. Also, editorial and political writings by Henry Dundas and Edmund Burke are used. In general, after analyzing these sources it is seen that British attitudes towards the French people differed with the introduction of French émigrés during the French Revolution. Prior to the French Revolution, many British people thought of the French as foolish, vain, and lazy. The French emigrants elicited a sympathetic response from the British people. The differing attitudes towards the French people can be explained by the dire circumstances of the emigrants, the violent nature of the Revolution, and the increased contact between the French and British people.