He was a true Frenchman insofar as that, though he could be lively and engaging when it suited him, he became insufferably dull and wearisome as soon as the need for being lively and engaging had passed. Seldom is a Frenchman naturally polite: he is polite only to order and for a purpose. For example, if he thinks it is incumbent on him to be whimsical, original and unconventional, his behaviour is always silly and unnatural because it consists of trite and hackneyed forms. In short, the natural Frenchman is a conglomeration of commonplace, petty, everyday sobriety, making him the most tedious person in the world. I believe that the only the innocent and inexperienced, especially the Russians, feel an attraction towards the French; for to any man of sensibility, such a compendium of outworn forms, of drawing room manners, familiarity and gaiety, becomes instantly noticeable and quite unbearable.
Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Gambler”, 1866
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 